"Embracing solo travel: Women break tradition to holiday alone"

A few weeks ago, I received an invitation for a press trip I would never consider. It involved a long flight and centered around fitness, meaning it would require a lot of physical activity and early mornings. Even if I were fond of such things, spending a week with others who shared that enthusiasm didn’t appeal to me. Yet, as I deleted the email, I caught myself imagining what it would actually be like: being in a different place, with no one to please but myself, and nothing to do except exactly what I wanted. It sounded wonderful. Then I realized they meant the other Zoe Williams—the doctor, former Gladiator, and fitness enthusiast—and yes, looking back, that should have been clear from the start.

Without intending to or even going anywhere, I found myself part of the fastest-growing travel trend: women between 45 and 60 traveling alone. One travel company, Jules Verne, reported nearly half (46%) of their bookings are now solo travelers, with 70% of those being women. These women have families, active social lives, and partners—their world is full of people they could vacation with. Yet that’s precisely why they (we) need a trip alone.

The more adventurous the journey, the more likely people are to embark on their own. Hiking, cycling, kayaking—all activities couples rarely agree on with equal enthusiasm. And, though no one openly admits it, some must be weary of bringing teenagers to marvel at the world’s wonders only to watch them stare at their phones and ask, “How much longer do we have to stay here?”

The real question is why it took so long to reach this point. My stepmother, otherwise thoroughly modern, would sooner face arrest than dine alone in a Belgian restaurant. While I tease her endlessly for this, I must have held some lingering resistance myself, given how long it took me to even consider solo travel. Now, the only problem left is deciding where to go.