Solo Female Travelers

Mar and Meg
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

This isn’t just a travel podcast. It’s about the parts of travel you don’t always hear about. Brought to you by the team behind Solo Female Travelers and our global community, we go beyond destinations and highlight reels to get into what travel actually looks like in real life. We speak with women who do things differently, who take unconventional paths, ask hard questions, and navigate the world on their own terms. You’ll hear practical travel tips, honest conversations, and the stories that don’t always get talked about; the messy, the funny, and the moments that didn’t go as planned but end up being the ones you remember most. Because travel isn’t always polished, and that’s kind of the point. If you’ve ever felt the pull to go somewhere new or to travel more consciously, you’re in the right place. Hosted by Mar & Meg www.solofemaletravelers.club

  1. 1d ago

    #27 | How to Plan a Trip to Australia

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by her business partner and fellow co-founder Meg Jerrard to break down everything you need to know to plan a trip to Australia. Drawing on Meg’s experience growing up and living across Australia, as well as the many trips Mar has taken around the country, they explain why Australia is an incredible destination for solo female travelers, and why its enormous size makes planning ahead essential. They cover how long you should spend in Australia, the best time to visit different regions, how to build a realistic two- or three-week itinerary, and when to fly, drive, take a train, or rely on public transportation. They also discuss Sydney, Uluru, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, Melbourne, Tasmania and Western Australia, along with road trips, wildlife, weather, school holidays, costs, food, packing essentials and some of the most common mistakes first-time visitors make. Meg also shares why Australia is particularly easy to explore independently as a woman, how to travel more slowly and meaningfully, and why getting beyond the major cities can lead to some of the most memorable experiences. And, naturally, Mar and Meg settle some very important Australian debates involving dangerous wildlife, little penguins, Vegemite, coffee, thongs, and whether everything in Australia really is trying to kill you. www.solofemaletravelers.club

  2. Sep 29

    #26 | Should you visit disappearing places?

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Dr. Karla Boluk, professor at the University of Waterloo, to explore the complicated ethics of Last Chance Tourism: traveling to see places, ecosystems, wildlife, or communities before they disappear or change irreversibly. They discuss the paradox at the heart of this kind of travel. Visiting a threatened destination can create awareness, emotional connection, and even inspire conservation, but tourism itself can also contribute to the very pressures putting that place at risk. From melting glaciers and polar bears to gentrifying neighborhoods and fragile communities, Karla explains why simply witnessing environmental or cultural change does not automatically turn travelers into advocates. Mar and Karla also explore what travelers can do before, during, and after a trip to make more responsible choices, including supporting local businesses, listening to communities, traveling more slowly, considering where tourism dollars go, and sharing experiences thoughtfully. Ultimately, the conversation asks a difficult question with no simple yes-or-no answer: Should we visit disappearing places at all, and if we do, how can we move from being spectators to becoming stewards? Links mentioned during this episode: University of Waterloo - Karla BolukLinkedIn ProfileGoogle Scholar (list of publications/citations Index) www.solofemaletravelers.club

  3. Sep 22

    #25 | What Women Want when Traveling Solo

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg and Mar dive into six years of data from the annual Solo Female Travel Trends Survey to uncover what women really want when they travel alone. They challenge some of the most persistent stereotypes around solo female travel, including the idea that women travel alone because they have no one to go with, or that shopping, spas and Instagram-worthy destinations drive their travel decisions. Using insights gathered from thousands of women around the world, they explore why women choose to travel solo, the biggest barriers they face, how safety concerns change with experience, and the destinations women recommend for a first solo trip. They also look at what actually influences destination and purchasing decisions, from culture, food and nature to price, sustainability, local ownership and supporting female-owned businesses. Meg and Mar also discuss how women can use their purchasing power to influence the travel industry and why better data and greater representation matter. Ultimately, the episode shows that solo female travelers are not one type of woman, and that understanding what women actually want starts with listening to them. www.solofemaletravelers.club

  4. Sep 15

    #24 | How to Move to Europe

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Cepee, founder of She Hit Refresh and author of An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Cepee shares her story of moving from the US to Spain at 35 after realizing that the stable life she had built wasn't the life she wanted. Together, they explore what it really takes to turn the dream of moving abroad into a realistic plan. They talk about finding your “why,” overcoming the fear that you're too old to start over, choosing the right destination, taking a scouting trip, understanding the cost of living and taxes, learning the local language, and figuring out which visa options might work for your situation. Cepee also breaks down digital nomad, retirement, self-employment and work visas, and explains why having a realistic plan for work and income is one of the most important parts of a successful move. This conversation is for women who have been dreaming about living abroad but aren't sure where to start. Whether you're considering Spain, Portugal, Italy or another European country, you'll come away with practical steps to turn endless research into action—and a more realistic understanding of both the challenges and rewards of starting a new life abroad. Links mentioned in this episode: Website: https://shehitrefresh.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shehitrefresh/Membership: https://www.refresherslounge.com/ www.solofemaletravelers.club

  5. Sep 8

    #23 | Queer Travel Beyond the Rainbow Flag

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Anastasia is joined by Meg Ten Eyck, founder and CEO of Every Queer and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ travel and inclusion. Together, they explore what it really means for a destination to be welcoming and affirming to queer travelers, beyond rainbow flags, Pride campaigns, and LGBTQ-friendly marketing. Meg shares her experience traveling to more than 80 countries and explains how queer travelers often have to make safety and visibility calculations that other travelers may never consider. They discuss researching destinations, deciding when to disclose your identity, traveling with trans and non-binary companions, evaluating whether hotels and tourism businesses genuinely support LGBTQ+ travelers, and the different meanings of Pride around the world. Meg also shares some of the destinations that have surprised her, including Jordan, and highlights welcoming places for first-time LGBTQ+ travelers. The conversation is ultimately about finding confidence, community, and belonging while traveling. Meg encourages travelers to start small, take manageable steps, use the resources available to them, and remember that there are queer communities and welcoming people all over the world. This episode is especially useful for queer women, trans and non-binary travelers, and anyone who wants to travel more confidently while understanding the realities of LGBTQ+ travel. Connect with Meg: EveryQueer.comInstagram.com/EveryQueerInstagram.com/MegTenEyck www.solofemaletravelers.club

  6. Sep 1

    #22 | Is Group Travel Right for You?

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar and Meg Jerrard explore a question that sounds simple but is surprisingly personal: is group travel right for you? Rather than trying to convince everyone to join a tour, they unpack the different types of group travel and why the right choice depends on your personality, expectations, travel style, and stage of life. They talk honestly about the trade-offs between group and independent travel, from freedom and flexibility to the mental load of planning, cost, access to unique experiences, and the compromises that come with traveling alongside other people. They also discuss what makes someone a great group traveler, including self-awareness, patience, curiosity, kindness, personal responsibility, and the ability to handle things when travel inevitably doesn't go according to plan. Along the way, they share stories from their own tours, including weather disruptions, delayed ferries, unexpected itinerary changes, and the ways a positive group dynamic can turn an inconvenience into a memorable experience. If you're wondering whether a small group tour, independent trip, or another style of travel is the best fit for you, this conversation will help you think about what you actually need from a trip—and what you're willing to compromise on to get it. www.solofemaletravelers.club

  7. Aug 24

    #21 | The Hidden Realities of the Inca Trail

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Marinel de Jesus, a former civil rights attorney turned mountain nomad, filmmaker, tourism equity advocate, and founder of Equity Global Treks and the Porter Voice Collective. Marinel shares her journey from practicing law in Washington, DC, to building a life around hiking, community-led tourism, and advocating for the workers who make some of the world’s most famous treks possible. Together, Mar and Marinel take a closer look at the realities behind trekking in places like Peru and Nepal, including porter working conditions, wages, overloading, cultural identity, tourism leakage, and the power dynamics between local workers and tour companies. They also discuss the additional barriers women face as guides, and how Marinel’s Himalayan Women Trail Leaders initiative is helping women in Nepal develop not only guiding skills but also leadership and self-advocacy. The conversation offers travelers practical reasons to ask harder questions before booking a trek and to think beyond the experience they see as tourists. Women who love hiking, trekking, solo travel, or community-led tourism will come away with a better understanding of how their travel choices can support greater equity for the people behind the journey. Episode resources: The Porter Voices PodcastHimalayan Women Trail Leaders InitiativeEquity Global TreksKM 82 Filmwww.solofemaletravelers.club

  8. Aug 18

    #20 | Flying Secrets of Cabin Crew

    In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Gaby Orozco, a former cabin crew member who spent five years working in aviation and now works with the Solo Female Travelers team. Together, they go behind the scenes of life as a flight attendant and explore what passengers rarely see once they step onto a plane. Gaby shares the reality of working at 35,000 feet, from crew rest areas and what really happens to leftover food and drinks, to passenger upgrades, gift bags, emergency situations, onboard medical issues, and the unexpected ways cabin crew support solo travelers. She also explains what she learned about managing difficult situations, setting boundaries, working under pressure, and quickly building trust with new teams. For solo female travelers, the conversation offers practical flying tips as well as reassurance about traveling alone, including why it's worth asking a friendly crew member for help and why preparation and curiosity can make a new destination feel much less intimidating. Anyone who flies regularly—especially women traveling solo—will come away with a better understanding of cabin crew life and plenty of useful insights for their next flight. www.solofemaletravelers.club

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About

This isn’t just a travel podcast. It’s about the parts of travel you don’t always hear about. Brought to you by the team behind Solo Female Travelers and our global community, we go beyond destinations and highlight reels to get into what travel actually looks like in real life. We speak with women who do things differently, who take unconventional paths, ask hard questions, and navigate the world on their own terms. You’ll hear practical travel tips, honest conversations, and the stories that don’t always get talked about; the messy, the funny, and the moments that didn’t go as planned but end up being the ones you remember most. Because travel isn’t always polished, and that’s kind of the point. If you’ve ever felt the pull to go somewhere new or to travel more consciously, you’re in the right place. Hosted by Mar & Meg www.solofemaletravelers.club

Information

  • Creator
    Mar and Meg
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Solo Female Travelers
  • Show Website
    Solo Female Travelers

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