Solo Travel as a Single Mom: Lessons I Learned Abroad
Because sometimes the best way to find yourself is to leave everything familiar behind.
🌍 Introduction: A Dream Deferred, Then Reclaimed
Travel was always a dream of mine—but for a long time, it felt like something reserved for other people. Wealthier people. Freer people. People without little ones depending on them.
As a single mom, I carried that belief for years. I convinced myself that travel was a luxury I couldn’t afford—not just financially, but emotionally. How could I leave my girls, even for a short while? How would I plan it? What if something went wrong?
But deep down, the desire to explore—to be curious, untethered, and fully present in new places—never left me. And when the opportunity finally came, I said yes.
✨ My Study Abroad Experience: France & Mini Escapes
At 27, as a returning college student with a toddler at home, I was awarded a scholarship to study abroad in France. It was an opportunity I almost turned down.
Leaving my daughter, even temporarily, felt like an impossible decision. But after deep reflection (and encouragement from my village), I chose to go.
During that life-changing semester, I traveled on weekends—solo train rides to nearby cities, walking tours through cobbled streets, spontaneous café moments where I journaled for hours. These mini getaways, though short, awakened a part of me I didn’t realize I’d tucked away.
I wasn't just a mother, a student, or a partner. I was a woman who could navigate unfamiliar streets, who could order in broken French, who could sit alone in a square and feel full.
It changed me.
✈️ My Solo Trip to Denver: A Different Kind of Courage
Years later, I booked a trip to Denver—this time just for me. It wasn’t part of a program or attached to school. It was simply a decision to go somewhere new.
I wandered downtown, found cozy corners to write, explored museums without checking the time, and ate dinner alone with pride. And in that solitude, I found peace.
Traveling solo as a mom didn’t mean I was escaping my life. It meant I was pouring into myself so I could return more grounded, more inspired, and more whole.
💭 Lessons Learned From Traveling Alone
Whether in Europe or the U.S., traveling alone as a mother—whether for three days or three months—taught me things I carry into every season of life:
1. You don’t have to be fearless to explore. Just willing.
2. You can be a devoted mother and still pursue personal freedom. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.
3. Solo time doesn’t make you selfish. It makes you self-aware.
4. Getting lost can be sacred. It leads to places Google Maps never could.
5. You’re more capable than you think. Always.
🧳 Practical Tips for Aspiring Solo Moms
If you’re a mom dreaming of a solo getaway—big or small—here are a few gentle suggestions to make it feel possible:
- Start small: A weekend trip to a nearby city counts. It doesn’t have to be across the world.
- Plan ahead: Research the area, accommodations, and transportation. Familiarity helps reduce anxiety
- Budget intentionally: Allocate funds weekly for your trip. Even $10 at a time adds up. (Use The Ultimate Destination Dashboard or The Wealth Flow Budget Planner to map it out with ease.)
- Release guilt: Your well-being matters. Full stop.
- Stay connected: Check in with your support system back home, but give yourself permission to disconnect when needed.
🌸 Final Thoughts
Solo travel doesn’t fix everything. But for me, it cracked open a door I had long kept shut—the one labeled "just for me."
It reminded me that motherhood is a role I cherish, but not the only one I hold. That adventure, freedom, and personal exploration are still available to me. And to you.
Whether it’s a flight to France or a solo staycation in your own city, I hope you give yourself permission to explore. You’re worthy of wonder. You’re allowed to be expansive.
Explore More:
- Plan your next solo journey or family vacation with The Ultimate Destination Dashboard
- The Wealth Flow Budget Planner
- Subscribe to the Sovereign Ambition Newsletter
- Follow along on Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube
“I Am that I Am.”— You are allowed to be more than one thing. Mother. Explorer. Dreamer. And most importantly—yourself.
