Do You Think It's Safe For A Woman To Travel Alone?

[AngelNicole]

I am 32 years old and would like to travel from Michigan to California. I have only been out of the state of Michigan once and that was in 2004 when I went with my family to Alabama to visit relatives. I have never traveled alone. Do you think it would be safe?

[DaisyNonna]

How do you envisage travelling?

[black_cat51]

safe in what way? You'd be just as much at risk of accidents as anyone else

[Prudie]

As a UK site I doubt most of us know any specific dangers in the area you are talking. I'd presume if you travel by public transport/fly/drive and don't hitch or stay in any Bates Motels you'd be OK,

[KARL]

The question has not really ever arisen for when my wife has travelled (and continues to travel) alone in the western world (which has not included the USA). She has travelled alone across short, medium and long distances by car, bus, train and aircraft, including overnight. In fact, in the past she also travelled alone with one and later both of our very young sons to and within the Middle East and North Africa. Some would say that any/every part of the USA is unsafe by comparison with a long list of other countries. But as the previous response indicates, relative safety depends much on the circumstances in which one puts oneself.

[AngelNicole]

I did not know this was a UK site. What I am asking is is it safe for a woman to travel and vacation in California alone? I don't know what's so hard about my question that people here have a hard time understanding.

[Prudie]

I've seen no evidence that anyone has not understood your question?

[KARL]

What is perhaps worth mentioning is that the best people to advise you on travel within California are those living there or at least those who have recent experience of travelling there. My guess is that those who have thus far responded do not fall into either category. They should not, in my opinion, simply for that reason be made to feel inadequate or failing to co-operate.

[pastafreak]

It will be just as safe as any other travel destination. Women-older,younger,and in-between...travel on their own all the time.
My daughter...28...has been traveling on her own since she was 20. She's been all over Europe,and today she's just flee from San Francisco to NY.

[pastafreak]

*flown*

[Ann]

Let's just say Angel - I wouldn't make that kind of journey on my own, but maybe I'm a wimp!

[jno]

I've always found the USA pretty safe; I can remember when you didn't go on the subway in New York but it's all fine now. There are bad parts of any town so it's always worth enquiring locally about which are the safe areas to stay in. I don't know how you plan to travel but personally, I'd avoid hitchhiking. If you're driving, the roads all over America are as safe as any in the world - though on LA freeways the lanes are rather narrow and you have to watch the car in front of the one in front of you, at least at rush hour.

[Buenchico]

Millions of women travel all around the world on their own so, as long as you avoid obvious trouble areas, I can see no reason why holidaying in California should be any different. (Indeed, tens of thousands of British women travel alone to California alone every year and I've never heard of anyone having any problems).

However if you'd rather have a response from the USA, try posting your question on a US website, such as one of these:
http://www.answerbag.com/
or
https://answers.yahoo.com/

[Canary42]

Just beware the gun-toting NRA vigilantes who seem quite widespread in some parts of your country.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/crime/article/Teen-shot-killed-in-man-s-garage-was-from-Germany-5434766.php

[jno]

I don't think you need to tell an American that, Canary, they know about guns. I don't think California is any less safe than other states.

[kvalidir]

I lived in LA for a little while when I was a kid and I've recently come back from San Diego- as long as you are sensible there shouldn't be any drama. What are you worried about happening exactly and what are you hoping to do?

[stewey]

Haven't heard from AngelNicole for a few hours: I guess she went on a holiday,

[Sipowicz]

......I hope she's ok!

[Sipowicz]

Just noticed this poster is "User inactive"!

[jno]

perhaps, realising it's a UK site, she decided we couldn't give the answers she wanted, though she got some reasonable ones, and decided to leave. Fair enough.