School’s out, the sun’s out, you’ve got five days of class sandwiched between two weekends, what better time to live your best life and go see something new or escape the frigid tundra that is Michigan? Never, because that’s what spring break is for, and after nearly two years where traveling was limited (if it existed for pleasure at all), there is no time like the present. Unfortunately, many of us have been told for years “don’t travel alone” or “make sure you always have a guy with you” and while those pieces of advice usually come from places of concern, I for one have always been offended by the idea that I need a man for anything. If I want to travel with my girlfriends, then that’s who I’m going to travel with. However, it is naive to think that there isn’t a good reason for the safety concerns, so here are a few ways to help you stay safe whether you’re traveling alone, with all female friends, or even with a co-ed group in a place you’re unfamiliar with. These tips could be helpful for anyone!
1. Give someone back home your travel plans
A safe trip starts before you leave. Pick someone back at home that you trust and tell them your travel plans. This could be a parent, other family member, roommate, significant other, sibling, really anyone you trust. Give them any flight numbers and departure/arrival times, if you’re driving given them your expected route, contact information for hotels you’ll be staying in, a general idea of what you plan to do, a reliable way for them to contact you, how often they should expect to hear from you, and when you anticipate being back. While there isn’t much someone can do from hundreds of miles away, having a plan that includes another person (especially if that person is older and/or has more travel experience) can help to keep an eye out for unforeseen issues.
2. Have an emergency plan
When I am traveling to a place I’ve never been, or have never been with family, I like to have an idea of who I would call in case of an emergency, and when possible, I choose places that are only an hour or two from someone that I know. This can be great especially if you are flying and are too young to rent a car. Have I ever had to actually reach out to any of these people? No (knock on wood), but I feel better knowing that if I needed something, I already know someone who has my back. This doesn’t need to be your closest family, it can be an aunt or uncle from out of state, a cousin that moved away, an old high school or college pal you still have on snapchat, just anyone you can give a heads up to that would be willing to come help you out in an emergency.
3. Ask questions!
I get it, it’s the third grade teacher in me, but don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask questions of the receptionists at the hotel, ask questions to the waitstaff at the restaurant, ask questions, ask questions, ask questions. Yes, Google is great, but sometimes it is out of date, and with COVID, it doesn’t have all the up-to-date dining hours and may not have removed stores that have gone out of business or changed location. If you have a question, ask. Most of the time in a tourist area, the employees have been asked the same questions dozens of times and have an answer ready for you, and if they don’t, they’ll find someone who does. When you are in a new place and potentially look like an easy target, it is always better to clarify than to end up in a less than favorable situation.
4. Don’t tell people where you are staying
To some this might seem obvious, but we all know how spring break goes, it’s a great time to meet people, and meet people if you know what I’m saying, and one thing leads to another…we know the story. If you’re trying to meet up with new friends, try finding a public location (public beach access, restaurant, bar or club if you’re over 21) but avoid meeting at your hotel. If that is unavoidable, ABSOLUTELY do NOT tell people your floor or room number.
5. Turn off your Snapchat location
Similar to not telling people about where you’re staying, if you are someone who keeps your location on snapchat visible to all of your friends, consider turning it off while on your trip. In case that you add new people on Snap, you don’t want them to be able to track where you are in real time. I’d like to believe that most people wouldn’t use this to their advantage, but it only takes one.
6. Give your travel buddies your cell phone location
While it’s best to stick together (I prefer a buddy system) so no one is actually alone, have everyone in your travel group share locations with each other. Most cell phones have this feature (Apple uses FindMyFriends or location sharing) but several apps (like Snapchat) have this feature as well. If none of those work, consider downloading Life360 or another reliable location app to know where everyone is on your trip. While hopefully it wouldn’t come to it, if someone were to go missing, it can be really helpful to law enforcement to have an accurate location they were last known to be at. The best news about many of these features is that they can be turned off after your trip if you don’t want people to have your location indefinitely.
7. Safety > Saving a few dollars
Now I am all for a budget friendly vacation, after all many of us are college students, we don’t have unlimited budgets. However, money is just money, they make more everyday and it is always better to choose a safer, slightly more expensive option than to save a few dollars and be in a potentially dangerous situation. Usually, this comes into play when choosing a hotel. There are a lot of budget hotels (or motels even) that you can get for under $100 a night and while their locations might be right next to pricier hotels, they may lack security or cater to a less desirable clientele. They are often utilized by people who need a place to crash on a long drive or are passing through and this constant overturn of guests can create dangerous situations. Try a hotel that is a brand name or that you are familiar with. When hotels are part of a larger corporation, they tend to have better security, more resources for guests, and they represent a larger company meaning they have more to lose. They may be more expensive but you’re already on vacation, a few extra dollars are worth the added safety.
8. Know when it’s time to call for a ride
I, like you dear reader, am a beautiful badass. I walk miles everyday across campus to get to class and my various club meetings, so I have nothing against walking to dinner or a store and typically I am unbothered by walking at dusk especially if I am with other people. However, when I’m on vacation in places I don’t typically know super well and when the sun starts to set, it’s time to take a good look at where you are and decide if it’s really worth it to keep walking. Even in a group, most crimes are crimes of opportunity and there is nothing wrong with realizing that maybe it’s time to get a ride. Both Uber and Lyft are not crazy expensive and pretty accessible in most tourist destinations and there is nothing wrong with getting one. (This is a tip that most of us could use even when we return from vacation as well.)
9. Ask who the ride is for
So how do I make sure that I am safe in my Uber or Lyft? We’ve all heard the horror stories and nobody wants that. Check the license plate to verify the car that pulls up, ask the driver who the ride is for instead of saying “car for (insert name here),” and check the ratings. Like with hotels, a few extra dollars for a driver with good reviews is better than saving some money and putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation.
10. Don’t carry lots of cash
Simple, most crimes are crimes of opportunity. If you’re at a restaurant or attraction and someone notices a lot of cash in your wallet when you go to pay, you may have just made a new unfriendly friend. Most places take a debit card or credit card now, and if you absolutely need cash many places offer cash back.
11. Have a DSP (Designated Sober Person)
This one might not apply to everyone since many college students going on spring break have yet to hit that magical age of 21, but if you or your travel friends plan to be drinking, consider having a designated sober person. Kind of like a designated driver, this can be someone who isn’t 21, prefers not to drink, can’t drink for various personal or medical reasons, or you can switch off each day. Having one person who is sober will ensure that someone knows what’s going on, is able to navigate back to where you are staying, keep decent judgment about situations that could become dangerous, and make sure everyone can continue to enjoy the trip. This one is extra important if you are under 21 and traveling to a country where you can buy alcohol at 18 or if the people drinking don’t have much drinking experience.
12. Listen to the locals
Whether you talk to them because you are asking questions or because they volunteer advice, listen to the locals. They are LOCAL! They live, either full or part time, in the area you are traveling in – if they tell you that you should avoid an area, avoid it. If they tell you about something to pay attention to, pay attention to it. No one knows an area better than the locals that live there, not even Google. Just listen.
This is not an exhaustive list and there are tons more ways to stay safe. Share them in the comments! I want to hear what you do to stay safe when you travel. Everyone wants to have fun, and there’s no better fun that allows you to have more fun. Also keep in mind that while this article was focused on women traveling alone or in groups, these tips apply to everyone. Some areas are unsafe for those in the LGBTQ+ community, some are more dangerous for individuals from different racial backgrounds, and while our personal identities are super important, when we walk down the street if we look like an easy target it’s more likely that we become a target. So to any people who are traveling, consider using some (or all) of these tips to have a safe trip and be worry free.