Roam Alone

Theresa Stephens
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Places & Travel

Roam Alone is a podcast about solo travel — the courage, transformation, and unexpected connections that happen when people explore the world on their own. Each episode features inspiring stories from travelers who discovered confidence, healing, and adventure through traveling alone. From first-time solo trips to long-distance walking journeys across Europe, guests share how solo travel changed their lives. Roam Alone explores everything from solo hiking and travel after major life changes to traveling alone later in life and finding community on the road. Whether you're dreaming about your first solo trip or already love traveling independently, these conversations will inspire your next adventure.

  1. Oct 18

    After the Loss: Solo Van Life, Grief, and the Nomad Widows

    Send us Fan Mail For almost eight years, Laurie and her partner, Chad, planned their dream: sell most of what they owned, load up the van, and take off. They explored the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, New Mexico, and beyond. Five months into the trip, Chad died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving Laurie alone and facing a question no one prepares for: what now? In this episode, Laurie shares what those first months looked like, how she regrouped while staying with a friend, and the moment she decided to get back on the road, this time on her own. Now, a year after losing Chad, she talks openly about grief, about the new friendships she’s made along the way, and about the “synchronicities” that have convinced her she’s on the right path. She also tells us about the “nomad widows” she’s met: Gen X women who, like her, are figuring out what comes next after losing their husbands. It’s a deeply personal conversation about loss, resilience, and the courage it takes to keep going, and to keep going alone. In this episode, we talk about: The eight-year plan to sell their belongings and live on the roadEarly travels through the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and New MexicoWhat happened five months into the trip, and the weeks and months that followedRegrouping with a friend and deciding to hit the road againTraveling solo after loss: what’s changed and what hasn’tThe “synchronicities” that have guided herMeeting “nomad widows” and the community forming among themWhere Laurie is one year laterTopics: solo van life, solo female travel, grief and travel, traveling after loss, widowhood, nomadic living, Gen X women, starting over A note to listeners: This episode includes an honest discussion of grief and the death of a spouse. Connect with Roam Alone: Roam Alone Media Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

  2. Oct 8

    Solo Hiking for Women: How Katie Spatara Went from Luxury to the Colorado Trail

    Send us Fan Mail Twelve years ago, Katie Spatara was on a luxury vacation in Thailand with her wealthy boyfriend, surrounded by the finest of everything, and stuck in a relationship that wasn't right for her. Then she noticed a group of backpackers passing through, unshowered for weeks and traveling at the most basic level. She wished she were one of them. That moment set her on a path out of the relationship and onto the trail. In this episode, Katie shares how she started over, built her hiking experience from scratch, and went on to complete solo treks including a section of the Appalachian Trail, the Colorado Trail, and the Tahoe Rim Trail. She gets real about the moments that were so hard she wanted to quit, and how she kept going. She also talks about the "trail families" she found along the way, proving that traveling solo doesn't mean being alone. In this episode: The Thailand moment that changed everythingLeaving a toxic relationship and starting overStarting small: her first solo section of the Appalachian TrailTaking on the Colorado Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail with more experienceWanting to quit, and why she didn'tHow trail families form, even when you set out soloAdvice for women dreaming of their first long hikeRoam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

  3. Sep 20

    Best Places to See Fall Foliage as a Solo Traveler

    Send us Fan Mail Fall foliage season has a problem most travel content ignores: peak color windows are short, weather-dependent, and impossible to plan around other people's calendars. Which makes it one of the best trips to take completely on your own terms. In this episode, I'm covering five fall foliage destinations — and for each one, walking through the three things that actually matter for a solo trip: when to go (and how tight that window really is), where to eat solo without it being weird, and what the driving/safety picture looks like on rural routes. The Five Destinations 1. The Adirondacks, New York Six million acres of lakes and mountains, and the top-ranked U.S. fall foliage destination for 2026 according to Priceline's hotel search data. Base yourself in Lake Placid or Saranac Lake — both walkable, both used to solo travelers thanks to the Olympic-town tourism infrastructure. Peak color runs late September through mid-October. 2. Stowe & the Green Mountain Byway, Vermont The classic. Small farm towns, covered bridges, Mount Mansfield. This is a good pick if it's your first solo foliage trip — the route is well-traveled, towns are close together, and solo dining is completely normalized in a place this saturated with tourists in October. 3. Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina & Virginia The long-road-trip option. Asheville anchors the southern end with one of the best solo-dining food scenes in the Southeast — bar seating, small plates, no reservations needed. Peak color runs later here, mid-to-late October, which makes it a good option if your schedule doesn't line up with New England's window. 4. Aspen, Colorado Alpine gold instead of New England red — the aspen groves turn earlier, mid-to-late September, and the window is notably shorter than the others on this list. Aspen's tourism infrastructure (upscale, well-staffed, high solo-traveler volume) makes it one of the more comfortable solo bases, though it's also the priciest. 5. Upper Peninsula, Michigan The wild-card pick, and the one with the most real "solo" logistics to think through. Waterfalls, Lake Superior shoreline, and long stretches between towns with spotty cell service. This is where the driving/safety conversation matters most — daylight driving, knowing your fuel and lodging stops in advance, sharing your route with someone before you head out. Helpful Links: I Love NY Fall Foliage Report Visit Adirondacks Explore Asheville Fall Color Report 2026 Fall Foliage Map, Old Farmers Almanac Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

  4. Aug 29

    Top 10 Safest, Most Walkable US Cities for Solo Travel (2026)

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we rank the top 10 US cities for solo female travelers based on three criteria: walkability, public transit access, and nightlife safety. Drawing on 2026 walkability data and multiple solo-travel safety guides, we break down which cities let you skip the rental car entirely, which have the most reliable transit after dark, and which neighborhoods within each city are worth prioritizing. Cities covered (in rank order): New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Diego, Portland, Charleston, Savannah, Nashville. Key takeaway: Safety is neighborhood-specific, not city-wide — even top-ranked cities have areas that require more caution after dark. We flag the standout safe zones for each city (e.g., Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, the Historic District in Savannah, downtown Broadway in Nashville). Research Sites:  Walk Score Quantumrun Worldrankd Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

  5. Aug 10

    Highpointing and Healing: The Man Who Hikes to the Top of Every Country He Explores

    Send us Fan Mail After his divorce in 2016, Zavean Carpenter needed a reset — so he booked a flight and started climbing. What began as a way to process a hard chapter turned into a decade-long tradition: every time Zavean visits a new country, he doesn't just explore the culture, food, and people — he hikes to that country's highest peak. In this episode, Zavean joins me to talk about how this ritual took shape, what it's taught him about grief, resilience, and starting over, and how a single hike can become a lens for understanding an entire country. We cover his ascents in Ireland, Scotland, England, and the Czech Republic, the logistics of researching and summiting peaks in unfamiliar terrain, and why highpointing has become as much a personal practice as a travel bucket list. In this episode: How Zavean's post-divorce trip in 2016 became the start of a decade-long traditionStandout climbs: Ireland, Scotland, England, and the Czech Republic to name a few!Advice for solo travelers looking to build their own meaningful travel ritualPerfect for listeners who love: solo travel with purpose, hiking and highpointing, adventure travel after major life transitions, and turning personal growth into a lifelong tradition. Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

  6. Jul 28

    From San Francisco to Michigan: The Solo Bike Ride that Connected Taylor’s Family

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Taylor Nichols — career actor and host of the podcast Bike Talk — fresh off an almost-3,500-mile solo bike ride from his daughters' home in San Francisco to his childhood home in East Lansing, Michigan, where his 101-year-old father was waiting. This was Taylor's first solo trip of any kind. He talks candidly about being uncomfortable with the thought of two months on the road alone and how quickly that concern gave way to something else entirely: a deep, surprising love for his own company. We talk about the rhythm solo travel forces you into, the strangers-turned-friends he met on the road, and what it means to arrive somewhere not just physically changed, but differently oriented to being alone. Whether you're a solo traveler, a cyclist, or someone who's ever wondered what you'd find in nearly two months of quiet, this conversation is a reminder that solitude isn't something to get through — it's something to seek. In this episode: ·       Why Taylor, a lifelong actor used to collaboration and company, decided to take on a solo trip for the first time ·       The emotional arc from dreading alone time to craving it ·       Memorable connections made with strangers along a 3,500-mile route ·       Riding to see his 101-year-old father — what that reunion meant after 53 days on the road ·       What solo endurance travel teaches you that no amount of company can Connect with Taylor: Check out his podcast, Bike Talk Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

  7. Jul 12

    From Solo Vacation to Solo Relocation: Portugal, Here I Come!

    Send us Fan Mail This episode is different — it's just me. No guest, no interview. Just Theresa, opening up about the biggest solo adventure of her life: moving from the US to Porto, Portugal. This isn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. It's the result of years of hard work, hard choices, and a slow, honest evolution — from working four jobs just to stay afloat in Louisville, Kentucky, to researching visas for Costa Rica, then France, and finally landing on Portugal. Theresa walks through the financial breaking point that changed everything, the conversation with her son that made the move real, and why Porto — with its walkability, affordability, and slower pace of life — became the answer she wasn't expecting. If you've ever wondered what it actually looks like to relocate abroad solo — not just the dream part, but the visas, the doubt, the 2am "what am I doing" moments — this episode is for you. What We Cover Why this move isn't a spur-of-the-moment decision — the years-long path that led hereWorking four jobs and still not making ends meet: the financial reality before the decisionWhy Costa Rica and France were both considered — and why neither ended up being the answerHow a remote worker visa search led to Portugal (and specifically, Porto)Portugal vs. France vs. the US: cost of living, safety, and pace of lifeThe moment it became real: selling the house, telling her son, telling coworkersWhat she's most excited about (walking everywhere, learning Portuguese, weekend train trips)What scares her (building community, unexpected expenses, language barriers)How lessons from solo travel prepared her for a solo move Connect & Follow Along Follow the journey as Theresa documents the visa wait, apartment hunting in Porto, and the move itself in upcoming episodes of Roam Alone Portugal. Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

  8. Jul 5

    Solo Van Life: Kristy's Coddiwompling Journey

    Send us Fan Mail What would you do if you knew you couldn’t get it wrong?  That’s the question that drives Kristy Halvorsen, author of Perfect Unfolding, and today’s guest on Roam Alone.  In this episode, Theresa sits down with Kristy Halvorsen — author of the new book Perfect Unfolding — to talk about the nine years she's spent living on the road in her Airstream, affectionately named Coddi (short for "coddiwompling," the art of traveling purposefully without a fixed destination). Kristy shares what it means to trust that the road — and life itself — will lead her exactly where she's supposed to be, even when the path isn't clear and even when it's hard. Perfect Unfolding is her reflection on a belief she's built her whole life around: that everything is unfolding precisely as it's meant to, whether or not we can see the reason in the moment. This conversation is part travel story, part life philosophy, and part gentle permission slip to let go of the need for certainty. In this episode: What "coddiwompling" actually means — and how it became Kristy's way of lifeLife on the road for nine years: the freedom, the uncertainty, and everything in betweenThe belief behind Perfect Unfolding: that life is happening exactly as it shouldHow Kristy leans into trust during life's hardest seasonsWhat it looks like to travel — and live — without needing to know the destinationConnect with Kristy: Website: Perfect Unfolding Roam Alone is hosted by Theresa Stephens. Instagram: @theresaannstephens Facebook: /theresastephens Facebook: /RoamAlone

See All (25)

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Roam Alone is a podcast about solo travel — the courage, transformation, and unexpected connections that happen when people explore the world on their own. Each episode features inspiring stories from travelers who discovered confidence, healing, and adventure through traveling alone. From first-time solo trips to long-distance walking journeys across Europe, guests share how solo travel changed their lives. Roam Alone explores everything from solo hiking and travel after major life changes to traveling alone later in life and finding community on the road. Whether you're dreaming about your first solo trip or already love traveling independently, these conversations will inspire your next adventure.

Information

  • Creator
    Theresa Stephens
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Roam Alone
  • Show Website
    Roam Alone

You Might Also Like