Everything You Need To Know Before Traveling Solo

In every woman's life, there comes a moment when the urge to leave behind everyday routines and hit the open road strikes hard. For some, it crops up after a particularly bad workweek. For others, a friend's exotic Instagram shots do the trick. For us, a mere travel documentary is enough to send us packing.

No matter how ready you are to give into the wanderlust, though, taking off alone — and subsequently shouldering all the planning — can feel like a daunting endeavor. But don't resign yourself to begging a friend to come along, or worse, a bevy of unused vacation days, just yet. "Going on a trip by yourself is incredibly empowering," says travel expert Elspeth Velten. "Until you actually do it, it's impossible to realize just how easy it is or how many other solitary travelers and new friends are out there." To prove it, we partnered with Clinique, tracked down a bunch of cool girls who've made their solo dream vacations happen, and asked them to help us suss out exactly what you need to know before taking off. We'll be waiting patiently for our postcard.