Travel writer and podcaster Erin Hynes started solo travelling at 23 and credits the experience with teaching her valuable life lessons.Jalani Morgan/The Globe and Mail
The first time Erin Hynes travelled alone, she was 23. She was at the tail-end of her study abroad program in Groningen, Netherlands, and wanted to see more of Europe before heading home to Toronto. None of her friends could join, so she went alone, spending four months backpacking through the Netherlands, Estonia and Croatia, before ending her adventure in Portugal. It was a formative experience for Hynes, now a travel writer and podcaster.
“That trip pushed me into a level of independence I hadn’t experienced before. I was responsible for all the day-to-day decisions, and there were difficult moments that I had to navigate completely on my own,” she says.
For women especially, Hynes notes, travelling solo can be extra beneficial, challenging preconceived narratives that women grow up hearing about what they should – or shouldn’t – do alone.
“When you spend that much time by yourself, with your own thoughts, making your own decisions, you start to understand yourself better; you notice what you’re curious about, what makes you feel energized, what gives you joy, and what might not give you joy,” she says.
Solo travel has steadily been rising in popularity among women, especially since the onset of COVID-19. A recent study from tourism market research firm Future Partners found that 40 per cent of women travellers opted to vacation alone in 2025, an 8 per cent rise from the year prior. According to Forbes, over 70 per cent of solo travellers are women.
For Jennifer Haddow, this stat isn’t surprising. As the owner of Canada’s Wild Women Expeditions, she has had a first-hand look at the impact and importance of solo travel, first as a patron of the company, then – as of 15 years ago – as its owner. This rise, she notes, has a lot to do with an evolution in how we talk about travel, both in media and on social platforms. Namely, that women can adventure in the body and with the expertise they have right now.
“The number one question that we get is: ‘Can I do it? Am I enough? Am I too old?’” Haddow says. “Women still have this question because for 40 years, they’ve been pummelled with media that says if you’re not super fit or super young or don’t have a man with you, you can’t [travel]. The rise of more independent media and social media has been game changing for women to start seeing stories of [others] like them doing their thing.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new perspective to travel, with travellers across the board looking for more thoughtful and immersive experiences. But for many women, it’s also about a return to self. Wild Women Expeditions travellers are often over 50 and opting to travel alone after building a career, raising children and travelling with family or a partner. For them, planning a solo trip – whether self-guided or as part of a group trip aimed at women travelling by themselves – is often a return to self.
“They remember that wild woman who was riding horses in their teens and the wild and crazy things they did in their 20s,” Haddow says. “It’s more like a renewal and a recreation of their true self.”
Conveniently, Canada provides ample opportunities for self-discovery and rediscovery, with a side of thrill-seeking. Try your hand at surfing in the gorgeous waters off Tofino, British Columbia. Surf Sisters offers both private lessons and weekend-long surf camps. Book a stay at the nearby Long Beach Lodge Resort to get in some R&R, and make sure to stop in at local brewery Tofino Brewing Company.
Nature lovers should definitely visit the remote Sable Island, known for its wild horses and rich biodiversity. (Wild Women Expeditions offers an eight-day expedition that operates at a leisurely pace and includes hiking, boating, rafting, wildlife viewing and cultural experiences.)
And for real adventurers, Nahanni River Adventures can take you on a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime fly-in canoe trip in the Canadian Shield.
Hynes says Vancouver, B.C. and Saint John, New Brunswick are both high on her list of must-see Canadian spots. Wherever she goes, though, she’ll be leaning on invaluable lessons gleaned from solo travel.
“Being alone in a new place can be uncomfortable at first, but it can also be incredibly freeing,” Hynes says. “There’s something so special about waking up and knowing that the day is totally yours. You can do whatever you feel like.”
