Quiz: Where Should You Go on Your First Solo Travel Trip?

Although I love most aspects of my life, a few months ago, I finally reached a point where I needed to step away from my infinite loop of work-coffee-email-workout, rinse and repeat. I fell into a monotonous pattern and knew I needed to do something before I hit burnout and exhaustion from stress. I finally listened to the inner voice inside my head that said, “Treat yo’ self, girl — go on a retreat and reset your mind before it’s too late.” So that’s exactly what I did.

The hardest part about planning the trip was taking the leap and actually scheduling it. It never felt like the right time to request vacation and put a hold on my never-ending to-do list. I finally took the plunge and spontaneously booked a solo wellness retreat to Switzerland to find my reset button. By the end of my trip, I felt a revived sense of curiosity in my surroundings and a new wave of productivity and focus in my work and home life. Scroll on for what I learned on my solo adventure and tips on how I unplugged for a week in the Alps.

1. Pick a destination that calls to you. The first step to finding your ideal getaway is asking yourself what you want from your time away. Is it to experience a new culture or detox from your tech-addicted lifestyle? Are you looking for some self-care to feed your mind, body, and soul? I knew I needed a combination of all of the above, so I chose a place that checked off all the boxes and a few more. I picked Zurich to explore a new city and then take a train through the Swiss countryside to Davos, the highest city in Europe. Davos has been a wellness destination for decades due to the health benefits of its high-altitude climate and top-notch ski resorts. Après ski: Yes, please!

2. Do your research on where to stay based on what they offer. Find accommodations that are in line with your personal interests. I stayed at the brand new Hard Rock Hotel Davos because they have unique offerings like the new yoga Rock Om program & music-infused Rock Spa. Yoga is a huge part of my life, and I wanted to make sure it was accessible on my retreat. I didn’t even have to bring a mat; the hotel provides in-room yoga classes on the TV and Manduka yoga gear. Of course, being the Hard Rock, they also have amazing original tracks from DJ Drez to guide your vinyasa practice. If you’re a music fanatic like me, you can also enjoy their Sound of Your Stayprogram, which takes in-room listening up a notch and even offers you the chance to listen to old school vinyl records or test your skills on a real Fender guitar. Quite the amenity trifecta!

The location of where you stay within the city is key to maximizing your activities. I was able to do yoga, hike up the Swiss Alps, hear live music, take a cooking class, and eat and drink to my heart’s content all within steps of my hotel. At the Hard Rock, they invite you to live by their motto during your stay: “Play hard. Relax harder. Repeat,” which I graciously accepted. (Photos via Hard Rock Davos)

3. Get comfortable with riding solo. People asked me if I was worried about being lonely or scared of traveling alone, but it was actually one of the biggest draws to embarking on this journey. I ended up finding a stronger, more confident side of myself because of how self-sufficient I needed to be. I felt empowered after I was able to face my fears of eating out alone and figuring out directions all by myself.

My solo wellness retreat turned out to be an addictive travel experience with a mix of cultural immersion, adventurous activities, and therapeutic treatments that nourished me from the inside out. If you have never traveled alone, I would highly suggest trying it out in your home city before heading out on a bigger adventure. Take yourself on a solo date, go see a movie, or go out to dinner and see how you feel. Solo travel forces you to step out of your comfort zone and view the world on your own terms. If you need some inspiration, check out this Riding Solo Guide.

4. Use the Marie Kondo method when packing. I found that traveling alone means you need to make sure all of your belongings are packed in a manageable and organized way, which is another way of saying pack smart. You have to be reasonable about what travel necessities will truly bring you joy on your trip and not weigh you down. Outside of my wardrobe, my top four must-haves were:

5. Silence notifications and release your expectations. Whether it was Gmail, Slack, texts, WhatsApp, or news alerts, even though I said I wouldn’t, when notifications popped up on my phone, I checked them out of habit. I learned that alone time (sans phone) is healthy and allows you to relax when you’re away from other people’s needs and expectations. If you need to check in back home, schedule designated time each day and let people know when you will be checking email or available for a call, and plan on responding only then.

Take photos but make sure to put away your phone and enjoy the experience. Cliché as it sounds, live in the moment you’re currently living in. I even put “Be Present” on my phone lock screen to remind myself when I picked it up.

6. Splurge on one thing and treat yourself. Schedule a massage, book a fancy dinner, take a full-day tour, or buy tickets to a show. Even if you’re working with a small budget, find one thing that you want to splurge on. Make it something you’ll really enjoy and remember as a special experience. I chose to embark on a day full of melting at the Rock Spa. From their music-centric spa menu offerings to their hydrotherapy pools, I had four hours of complete bliss. I went back and forth from a color changing sauna to an ice shower to an essential oil steam room. I can honestly say that day, I did live my very best life. (Photo via Hard Rock Davos)

7. Put yourself out there and try new things. Embrace the local community, immerse yourself in their culture, and try something new. Traveling solo gives you the freedom to experiment and truly find your likes and dislikes without having to worry about anyone else. I made friends with the lovely staff of the Hard Rock and got their top recommendations of things to try. Their concierge helped me book a Swiss Chocolate making class where I got to try different chocolates and even mix my own. It sparked a new interest in me to take up cooking and baking classes!

When you put yourself in new situations, you open yourself up to meeting new people and learning new things about yourself. You’ll meet other boss babes as deeply interested in self-growth as you! It’s time for you to find your own version of your wellness retreat. Take a break from the day-to-day grind and unplug. Listen to your body and replenish your mind with some downtime. Whether you follow my lead and travel to Davos for a week filled with high altitude hiking, yoga, and spa treatments galore, or find your own dreamy solo trip, it’s needed and you deserve it. Get it, girl!

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(Photos via the author, unless otherwise noted)

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A vacay is a great way to escape the day-to-day. But when organizing a cross-country road trip or Euro excursion with your BFFs can itself feels like yet another chore, solo travel could be your best bet for a hassle-free getaway. While it may seem intimidating up front (Who will I talk to? Who will I do stuff with?), there are plenty of reasons why you need to nail this once-in-a-lifetime adventure on your own. Sarah Reid, the author of Lonely Planet‘s recently released The Solo Travel Handbook, shares her tips on how to master the art of exploring new countries and cultures — companionless. Scroll down below to get Reid’s expert advice for top regions to consider based on her own travel experiences, then pack your bags and go!

1. South America: Reid has a special place in her heart for our neighboring continent to the south. “Some of my best friends today are travelers I met during a backpacking trip through South America more than six years ago,” she says. Many of those companions stemmed from the impressive group of hostels across the continent: “South America has one of the best hostel networks in the world, and with most travelers sticking to the ‘Gringo Trail,’ you’ll see plenty of familiar faces — and potential travel buddies — along the way.”

2. Vietnam: For any foodie who enjoys a little pampering on the side, this is the place to be. “I love wandering produce markets on my own with my camera before submitting to an afternoon of pampering at a spa,” shares Reid. Of course, having a friend to enjoy it with can make the experience more fun, and the travel pro reassures us that this country is filled with opportunities to meet people. “When you feel like company, there’s always a cooking class, cycling tour, or backpacker bar to be found,” she encourages.

3. Berlin, Germany: Up for a big night out? Curious to see what Europe after dark is all about? Berlin has got you covered. “With one of the world’s most diverse and friendliest nightlife scenes, Berlin is one of the world’s best destinations for a big night out,” Reid asserts. “If you pick the right hostel, you’ll have ready-made friends to go out with too.” But even if falling asleep by 9pm is more your thing, don’t worry: There are still ample experiences for you to enjoy. “During the day, there are some fantastic walking tours offered in Berlin, which offer another great opportunity to meet other travelers,” reassures Reid.

4. Ubud, Bali: While the Lonely Planet author notes that parts of Bali can be more attractive to couples or partygoers, “it’s a different story in the island’s cultural heart.” According to Reid, Ubud has “long attracted soul-searching solo travelers with its temples, wellness culture, and friendly, welcoming vibe.” Consider booking a yoga retreat for a more structured Bali experience.

5. East Africa: If a safari has been on your bucket list for some time, an overland tour across the region of East Africa is a seamless way for solo travels to mark it off their lists. “The last tour I did with Intrepid Travel (Gorillas and Game Parks) was full of single travelers,” Reid informs us, “and opting for an organized tour takes the stress out of visiting regions that you may not feel comfortable navigating on your own.”

6. Singapore: If you make your way to Asia, be sure to pay a visit to this solo-friendly stopover city-state. “Thanks to its super-efficient metro system, Singapore is such an easy city to get around, and I never feel ‘alone’ eating in its fantastic hawker centers,” affirms Reid. “From cool new cafes to cutting-edge exhibitions, there’s always something new to see — and most locals speak English.”

7. Rome, Italy: The pizza, the pasta, the views — there’s so much to fall in love with in this culture-packed destination. “It’s impossible to get bored with your own company,” Reid agrees. Plus, all the foot traffic keeps the area pretty safe: “The streets are typically packed with locals and tourists by night too, so solo travelers should feel pretty comfortable wandering around on their own at dinnertime.”

8. Portland, OR: If you’re thinking about keeping things local, Portland offers a plethora of things to explore without overwhelming you with options. “Portland is one of those big cities that feel more like small towns, which helps to make for more comfortable solo exploration,” Reid tells us. In terms of when to go, the author recommends waiting for the warmer months to pay this west coast city a visit: “Summer is the best time of the year to soak up its many festivals and cultural offerings, as well as sample over 500 food carts. And don’t forget your hiking boots!”

9. Caye Caulker, Belize: Warning: You may never want to leave this sun-soaked island behind. “I planned to visit for a couple of days and ended up staying for a week!” admits Reid. “Travelers converge to sunbathe and swim at ‘The Split’ during the day, before filtering into seafood restaurants and reggae bars.”

10. Australia’s East Coast: Why not hop in a car and take a scenic road trip far away from domestic America? “Australia’s dazzling east coast is a safe, easy option for solos. Whether you drive on your own, take up rideshare opportunities, or opt for buses, you’ll find excellent hostels and guesthouses along the way,” says Reid. As you prepare to get camera-happy taking photos of the gorgeous coastline, be sure to make note of her tip: “Don’t miss the beautiful surf town of Byron Bay, which has more than a thousand backpacker beds!”

Where are you headed on your next vacay? Tag us in your pics on Instagram.

(Feature image via Mark Read/Lonely Planet; all other images via Getty)

Mariska Hargitay is the woman of the hour anywhere she goes, with her iconic Law & Order: SVUrole as Olivia Benson under her belt for the last 25 years. The character is an absolute advocate to women — and assault victims of any gender — through her words, actions, and powerful convictions of each perpetrator on the show. She takes great care with her victims and pursues perpetrators with fervor, and slowly as you watch the show..the line blurs between Olivia and Mariska.

This isn't anything new — just recently Mariska literally stopped production on the show to help a child (who mistook her for an actual police officer) find her mom. It's just who Mariska is. She walks the walk and talks the talk — including during her speech at Variety's Power of Women's Power of Women event.

Image via NBC Universal

As a Power of Women honoree, Mariska was recognized in regards to her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She took the stage and used her platform to discuss rape and assault conviction reversals, shining a light on the recent overturned ruling in Harvey Weinstein's landmark NYC case. Here's what she said:

Today I want to talk about reversing convictions, and more specifically I want to talk to you about how impossible it is to reverse mine. It’s impossible to reverse my conviction that survivors matter. It is impossible to reverse my conviction that what happens to us matters, and that our society must respond to survivors with a more a compassionate, holistically, deeper, and more nuanced understanding of what healing means.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that after a trauma, survivors can reclaim lives of hope, of possibility, of audacious risk, beautiful intimacy, and glorious, glorious abundant joy. And I stand before you as evidence of that statement.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that we must listen to survivors as experts on what justice means. It is extraordinary how little their voices are consulted, let alone incorporated, in the process of deciding how to repair harm. Justice is not a one-size-fits-all journey.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that patriarchal impunity has to end. Patriarchal impunity is when a male-dominated system exempts perpetrators from punishment. Studies show that only 20% of all rape cases in the U.S. are reported to the police, and that between 5 and 0% of all rapes result in a guilty plea or a conviction. So why do 80% of victims not report? Because they're met with a system that grants impunity to perpetrators; a system that blames victims; a system that accepts only those victims who are experienced as "real" rape; a system that completely misunderstands the neurobiology of trauma, which causes behavior in women that doesn't fit the picture of how a "real victim" would act.

Is that change needed that victims should just pull themselves together? Just buck up and report anyway? No. No, it's the system that receives them that needs to change

It is impossible to reverse my conviction — and the conviction of my extraordinary team, The Joyful Heart — that the backlog of untested rape kits can be brought to zero; that the testing of all new kits must be mandated; that we need a statewide kit tracking system; and that survivors have the right to access the status of their kits.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that grammar — yes, grammar — that we use when we speak about rape must change. In the sentence, "A woman is raped," there's a crime and there's a victim, but there's no perpetrator. Where's the perpetrator? Where is he? Statistically, as we know, most likely he's walking free. He's so free that he doesn't even appear in the language about the crime that he committed. Is that not extraordinary? It's extraordinary that in the very grammar, the perpetrator goes free. Reintroducing perpetrators in the language of rape will make some very unwieldy grammar, but that's the nature of change. It's unwieldy, it's messy, it's uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

Image via NBC Universal

Hargitay continued on in her prolific speech to describe that rape shouldn't be considered a "crime of passion" because it's "not simply the next step in the trajectory of his passion" when a man takes a consensual hookup too far and assaults a woman against her will. She stated that it's "an exercise of power," doubling down that the language we use is important.

The speech went on to address that rape is both about power and control, as a "construct" that was "built, and assembled, and reinforced over time." She noted that there are people with these positions of power — and she specifically called out those in the entertainment industry — that could make a difference and aligned themselves to victims and survivors.

After this and some other remarks, Hargitay specifically called out the Weinstein conviction reversal. She said:

I do want to say something about the Harvey Weinstein conviction, specifically about the reason that it was overturned: too many women's voices. Too many women's voices were allowed to speak. Hallelujah! Amen! I can't imagine anything more beautiful than that. The Daily podcast episode talked about how it was so risky for the prosecution to have that many women testify. Risky to let women speak? You're damn right it is!

Too many women speaking brings change. Too many women speaking shakes the establishment. Too many women means we get listened to more, and people might actually hear what we have to say. Look what happened when women started saying just two words, right? Me too — just as an example — a tidal wave of change. Me too.

And then of course, there was the response: the Me Too Movement. The backlash. The examination of whether the changes that have come are lasting, or are even positive. Of course there's a backlash! What did they expect? For women to speak repeatedly, loudly, together, with a purpose — for there to be no backlash? The backlash is evidence of how powerful those voices were, how powerful those voices ARE.

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Header image via NBC Universal