After a hectic holiday season and overall 2022 year, the truth is, you may want to start the new year alone. Increasingly, people are beginning to honor the idea of solitude—and solo escapades—and we don’t blame them. However, if you’ve been hesitant to dive into booking that solo trip, do not fret. In fact, women are currently the largest solo travel group, and the Black women’s market is on the rise. So if you’re looking to book a solo journey, there are apps to assist with that.
Solo travel was already on the rise before 2020, but in the years since, it’s clear many feel they just don’t have time to waste. One of the reasons roamers opt to trek alone is because they want to see the world without having to wait for others to request time off from work (that will likely be denied) or wrangle familial affairs. These wanderers want what they want when they want it, and the feeling of freedom and independence on a vacation away from home is second to none.
If any of the above applies to you, we get it. You’ve entertained the idea of taking the jump into solo travel, but don’t know where to start or even if the journey is safe. That’s why we’ve put together a list of apps that help arrange, manage, and finalize your trip and itinerary details with safety in mind, so you can have a seamless journey without anyone tagging along.
As a side note, we would also advise you to stay open-minded to meeting new people when traversing solo. Statistics show that when people travel in groups, it is to explore activities, but when trekking solo, they are highly successful at meeting new people and building deeper connections. With that in mind, check out our list below.
TripIt
The go-to “neat” app, TripIt organizes your travel plans within seconds, all in one place. One of the major travel hassles is the amount of space, data, and apps you typically have open simultaneously to navigate from one place to the next. By just inputting some central information, TripIt automates your travel itinerary while consistently updating you on real-time delays, cancellations, seat tracking, alternative flight options, cheap flight monitoring, and more.
Bolt
There are a lot of destinations that still do not have Uber, but taxis and drivers are usually available to wait outside of your terminal to transport you to your stay or subsequent destination. Since we are now in a location-sharing era, these types of transportation options can feel sketchy—and that’s where Bolt comes in. Bolt is a 24/7 ride request app that allows you to share trip details and has an emergency assist tab. Even if you do not choose Bolt as a service, it is a great app to reference rates and fares, so you don’t get ripped off in the process of choosing your transportation.
XE Currency & Money Transfer
Currency conversion is confusing. From the exchange rates to the fees charged to withdraw money, a country’s currency is not the easiest thing to navigate on your travels or when purchasing anything abroad. XE Currency & Money Transfer allows you to transfer money easily with low-cost money-transferring fees while allowing you to keep track of your money, and convert currency wherever you go. XE is currently used in over 130 countries. Do yourself a favor and download XE Currency & Money Transfer.
Waze
When Waze entered the chat in 2006, it was a game changer and continues to be one of the best navigation apps available. When you are traveling solo, it’s best to be more alert than normal. Waze does the best at alerting you of every single hazard, road block, accident, and police sighting near or approaching the scene. It’s best to download this app before your travels.
Meetup
Although the name Meetup may evoke dating references, Meetup is a social app that uses your location or intended destination to find events of interest! From cooking classes to excursions, use Meetup to build your entire itinerary while meeting up with fellow tourists and possibly new friends along the way!
Google Translate
We would never advise you to travel abroad to a non-English-speaking country without having Google Translate pre-installed. While it is installed on many Androids, it is also downloadable on Apple iPhones. The best part of Google Translate is you don’t necessarily have to type out foreign words. You can also take photos of signs, text, and menus and translate them within seconds. You can also use the mic to record a memo and translate it almost immediately.
Moonlight
Moonlight is an app dedicated to emergency response, and is one most experienced travelers revere. Formerly known as SafeTrek, this app was launched to monitor people while walking and exercising outdoors, aiding them in safely getting from points A to B. However, the app has evolved, and a newer highlight is the panic button that permits you to signal when you may feel like you are in a compromised situation. If you don’t enter your pin location within minutes, police officials will track you and show up to ensure everything is okay.
Noel Cymone Walker is an NYC-based writer specializing in beauty, fashion, music, travel, and cultural anthropology. She has written and produced visuals for several notable publications such as The Recording Academy/The Grammys, The Fader, Billboard, OkayPlayer, Marie Claire, Glamour, Allure, Essence, Ebony, and more.
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrio’s Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to ‘Writing Black‘ with Maiysha Kai.