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The US is a various playground for solo travellers, whether or not you need to hike craggy canyons, drive through big landscapes, or discover a skyscraper-crowned metropolis. However a city is a very interesting place to kick off a wider journey, dropping you straight right into a convivial scene with loads of sights, excursions and alternatives to fulfill folks.
We’ve all heard concerning the highlights of New York, LA and Las Vegas, however different beginning factors are much less trodden by solo feminine travellers, regardless of being extra manageable, friendlier and cheaper than the most important hitters.
What to search for in a solo-friendly US metropolis? A compact metropolis centre or a number of small, walkable neighbourhoods add ambiance and allow you to discover on foot. An honest security report is one other precedence – the US is comparatively protected normally, however crime is a actuality in all massive cities, and a few have higher stats than others. Lastly, search for a relaxed foods and drinks scene, wealthy arts and tradition, and low-key, affordable accommodation.
Learn extra: Best New York City package holidays for 2025
Boulder, Colorado
When you’re a committed city-dweller but love the great outdoors, what’s a woman to do? Well, head to Boulder, for a start – the Colorado metropolis that’s swathed in nature, with climbing and biking trails and mountain climbing havens in your doorstep. It is a totally trendy American metropolis with hipster espresso retailers, a meals truck park and must-visit farmer’s market – however teams of journey fans often strike out into the State Parks, lakes and mountains simply outdoors for a breath of contemporary air. It’s a fantastic mixture of sociable, protected and welcoming, with craft beer golf equipment and dwell music nights if you wish to cross over with different solos, and peaceable nature trails when you simply need to be with your self.
Get there: Lufthansa and United each fly direct from London to Denver, from the place it’s a 40-minute drive to Boulder.
Flight time: Round 10 hours.
Learn extra: The perfect American city-mountain break is cheaper than you think
Huntsville, Alabama
Never heard of Huntsville? You wouldn’t be alone. But this far-south city, 115 miles south of Nashville, was named one of the best place to dwell within the USA in 2022. Women doing a solo journey can expertise the thriving social, eating and purchasing scene which sprang up round tech corporations that settled right here – Lowe Mill Arts centre is your first cease for artwork and dwell music, whereas Downtown is meals central. Take to parallel Jefferson and Washington Streets for barbecue, seafood, Mexican and excellent cocktails. Traditionally, this was an enormous base for NASA, so STEM followers will take pleasure in visiting Marshall House Flight Heart; you may chat to the retired house engineers who volunteer there.
Get there: British Airways flies direct to Nashville, two hours’ drive away.
Flight time: 9 hours.
Learn extra: A road trip from Mississippi to Alabama
San Diego, California
Los Angeles and San Francisco might get the vast majority of column inches, however consider San Diego as their extra chilled-out beachfront sibling. It’s famously protected, stacked with nightlife, and eminently LGBTQ+-friendly – Downtown and Pacific Seaside are the cool neighbourhoods the youthful crowd tends to remain in. Take to the water to fulfill new folks: ebook on to a gaggle surf lesson, whale or dolphin watching tour, or a kayaking tour of La Jolla sea caves, or simply take pleasure in being surrounded by greenery within the 1,200-acre Balboa Park.
Get there: British Airways flies direct to San Diego from Heathrow.
Flight time: Round 11 hours.
Learn extra: The secret Californian islands that escape most tourists’ radars
Charleston, South Carolina
Clapboard homes, tree-lined avenues, painted shutters, chocolate-box church buildings – this South Carolina metropolis is fairly as an image. And it’s relaxed, pleasant and interesting to wander, too. Keep Downtown, the walkable centre of town’s historic structure, venturing out for raved-about dinner alongside Decrease and Higher King Streets. Becoming a member of a guided tour will help you dig into the historical past of this southern stunner. A lot of Charleston’s classic splendour was constructed on the again of slavery – don’t go away with out studying about it on the Outdated Slave Mart museum.
Get there: There are at the moment no direct flights from the UK to Charleston – join in Atlanta or New York with the likes of Delta, Virgin or British Airways.
Flight time: 10-14 hours.
Learn extra: Tracing The Notebook through Charleston
Sedona, Arizona
This petite southwestern desert city is one without cost spirits and adventurers. Supposedly infused with mystic power, it’s a centre for different spas and healers, the place you may have your chakras realigned earlier than climbing into red-rock wonderlands with big rock formations and views for miles. Reasonably priced guesthouses and motels make for quirky bases the place you’ll probably meet different healing-curious of us passing via, keen to utilize the area’s famed “vortexes”. Within the rocky panorama throughout, you’ll discover extra earthly pleasures visiting soothing scorching springs and going kayaking or rafting on close by waters.
Get there: British Airways flies direct to Phoenix, Arizona, a two-hour drive from Sedona.
Flight time: Round 11 hours.
Learn extra: Inside the American desert city where big adventure meets foodie dream
New Orleans, Louisiana
The city best known for spring’s Mardi Gras pageant is a pleasure year-round – and extremely welcoming to solo travellers. In reality, you’ll discover it far mellower and slower paced outdoors of the bead-hurling February to March festivities. With a phenomenal, compact previous city to walk (the French Quarter), in addition to a number of satellite tv for pc neighbourhoods to enterprise to for nice meals, tradition and sightseeing, it’s a pleasure to find on foot. Nearly European in its quaintness and French affect, NOLA (because the locals name it) is without doubt one of the greatest locations to get into Creole and Cajun meals – take a look at town College of Cooking – take heed to dwell jazz, and find out about voodoo (take the free strolling tour).
Get there: British Airways’ direct hyperlink to New Orleans hasn’t returned for the reason that pandemic; fly by way of Charlotte, Dallas or Washington DC with any variety of transatlantic airways.
Flight time: 12-14 hours.
Learn extra: Move over New Orleans, Lake Charles is our favourite for Mardi Gras
Washington, D.C.
The US capital manages to be vastly well-known, with out actually being on America’s vacationer path. Nevertheless it’s received tons to maintain a solo traveller occupied, from historic, political and as-seen-on-screen excursions to its personal cherry blossom season (finish of March into early April). Cool accommodations like Eaton encourage mingling and group, whereas reasonably priced sightseeing contains free strolling excursions, self-guided audio excursions and free landmarks, from the Lincoln Memorial to Smithsonian museums. See the White Home and the Capitol Constructing, then head to one of many metropolis’s 14 meals markets for a casual chew with a aspect of people-watching.
Get there: Virgin Atlantic and British Airways each fly direct from Heathrow.
Flight time: Round eight hours.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Set on the world-famous Waikiki Beach, this coastal capital is arguably the most touristy bit of the wild, remote Hawaiian islands. However for the solo traveller, which means a totally fleshed-out metropolis with museums to discover, purchasing streets to browse and cafes and eating places to swimsuit each price range. The teenage house of President Obama was additionally ranked the US’s most secure metropolis in MoneyGeek’s 2023 report. To see extra of its island, Oahu, hop on the 55 bus from town heading east, which circles across the east and north coasts, taking you to key sights and seashores for simply a few {dollars}. Or simply keep on the town and stroll the surf-heaven sands of Waikiki, climbing as much as Diamond Head, visiting the superb Bishop Museum, and consuming banana pancakes in its beachside cafes.
Get there: The quickest approach to fly is by way of LA (British Airways, Virgin, Delta) after which on to Honolulu (Hawaiian Airways, Alaska, United).
Flight time: Round 16-20 hours.
Learn extra: The White Lotus season three filming locations, revealed
Austin, Texas
Texas’s enterprise capitals Dallas and Houston are higher identified, however different, hipster-magnet Austin is a uncommon discover for girls flying solo. Guided excursions of town’s sights, parks and energetic pursuits make it straightforward to seek out pals, whereas high quality hostels and price range accommodations begin from simply £70 per night time. Should-dos on the town embrace looking for out some dwell music (Austin’s identified nationwide for its band scene and venues); making an attempt the native barbecue joints; and, within the hotter months, cooling off within the metropolis’s premier swimming spot, Barton Springs.
Get there: British Airways flies direct to Austin from London.
Flight time: Simply over 10 hours.
Learn extra: I moved to America’s hippest city – this is what they won’t tell you
Seattle, Washington State
Not only did the Solo Travel Security Index discover Seattle to be the world’s most secure metropolis for solo travellers in 2023, this metropolis’s sights and meals scene have been delighting its guests for years. Bucket-list meals markets imply casual eating within the metropolis centre, whereas group climbing excursions into Mount Rainier Nationwide Park imply you may get a simple, nourishing nature repair. Zoom up the long-lasting House Needle constructing for prime views of town, then attempt a few of the state’s more and more lauded wines at a vineyard outdoors of city. Keep Downtown or in cool Belltown to be closest to one of the best eats.
Get there: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic each have direct flights to Seattle from Heathrow.
Flight time: Round 10 hours.
Learn extra: Where to stay in Manhattan, Brooklyn and more NYC hot spots
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