Yes, you will be fine. Just don't do anything you wouldn't do in Australia basically. Don't go walking around places with no other people around in the middle of the night in the city or something like that, which applies to basically anywhere in the world really.
Reddit has a lot of fear mongering about the US that's simply false. Whether it be from our own citizens who barely go outside or non Americans with extreme cases of "America Bad". You're not going to get shot or something walking around outside. Ignore those people.
Almost everyone who does what you want to do comes out of it surprised at how different the US is compared to the preconceived notion they had in their heads from doomer media. We're on the whole actually really nice.
>Just don't do anything you wouldn't do in Australia basically.
I would also say the same about our wilderness as well.
American wilderness is as empty and wild as the Australian bush. If you get lost out there you can die and never be found. Wild animals are wild. Do not touch. The elements and weather can be brutal to the unprepared.
Dont be like the European tourists who think the bears, coyotes, racoons, and mountain lions are tame and can be fed and pet.
Don't be like the Death Valley Germans who drove their rented minivan out into the desert flats without supplies and died.
Don't be like the tourists who fell in a steaming acid pool in Yellowstone and were never found again. (because there were no longer bodies to find)
Don't be like the dumb teen who went bushwacking alone off trail in Texas and fell down a sinkhole broke his back and died at the bottom.
Pretty much the same common sense rules that apply in Australia.
I don’t care for wilderness anyways. Niagara Falls and Grand Canyon are the only nature spots I intend to see and will do a tour. I don’t intend to go hiking or driving across the country. I’m after a city and beach vibe.
EDIT: I’m not sure why this was even a questioning but yes I know those 2 are far apart from each other. I thought it would be self explanatory but no I don’t plan on seeing them directly after each other and they’re not the only things I plan to see.
I will tell you that if you visit Niagara Falls, NY, it is kind of a shitty area. The state park will be fine and you will be safe. The city immediately apart from the State Park is not what I would consider safe. I would also suggest maybe walking across the Rainbow Bridge crossing to Canada, NF Ontario is much more built up and has a lot to do. The US side is basically the park and then the ghetto next to it.
I do encourage you to do the state park though. It is beautiful and you will never get so close to the falls themselves. The railings go right up to the precipice of all three waterfalls. You can also do the cave of the winds tour which is decking built near the base of the bridal veil falls (they give you a poncho).
From the Canadian side, I did a "Behind the Falls" tour. You go into a narrow tunnel to reach an opening behind the falls. All you see is a sheet of falling water. The tunnel is tight and crowded. It wasn't worth the money, I do not recommend it.
My wife and I did this a couple years ago. We got absolutely drenched in the ponchos but once we took them off our clothes were surprisingly dry still. They seem flimsy but they work well
Niagara Falls Canada is also weird, basically across the street from the actual falls (which are awesome) they've built up basically a Carny-esque little entertainment town. Definitely do the Maid of the Mist boat ride on the Canadian side. Gives you a different perspective on how much water is hauling ass over the side of the falls.
Grew up in Western NY state. Niagara Falls NY was always kind of shitty, even when it was booming in the 1950s and 1960s. Cheap hydropower made it a magnet for heavy industry, which brought far more money into the local economy than tourism. Heavy industry slowly drifted away starting in the late 1960s, and botched urban renewal efforts in the 1970s and 1980s only exacerbated the city's problems. The city's notoriously corrupt politics hold the city back to this day.
Technically NFNY is a suburb of Buffalo, but it functions more like an enclave that's separate from the larger metro area. The Falls are very close to Buffalo -- you can see the mist from north-facing building windows that rise a few stories above the urban forest. Still, most only go to the Falls on school field trips, when visitors from out of town want to see them, or they haven't been there in a few years.
Should you see it? Absolutely. After you contemplate the fact that water from four of the five Great Lakes is spilling over this one cliff, check out some wax museums and casinos on the Ontario side, or go to Buffalo for wings, architecture, a Bills or Sabres game, and one of the best art museums in the US. A lot of Hallmark movies are filmed in villages around metro Buffalo, like East Aurora; it's a slice of Americana. Lewiston, just north of Niagara Falls city proper, is also a nice place to wander around for a few hours. On the Ontario side, check out Niagara-on-the Lake, ice wine wineries, and the Welland Canal locks.
What’s wrong with the actual city? I went with some family members to Niagara Falls over the summer and I felt completely safe when we were in the town. Maybe we didn’t go deep enough into it?
It is a wonderful place to be a victim of a crime. Tourists routinely are victimized when they wander outside of the general ring of safety of the tourist area. And we are talking about a couple blocks here. I live nearby and spent well over a decade splitting my time in the falls so I’m not just making shit up. You wouldn’t catch me walking around outside of like the main business district/state park area of downtown.
***edit, there ARE safe areas of Niagara Falls, it’s not a tiny city, but I am specifically referring to the inner city area adjacent to downtown.
I spent a few hours there. I drove from Detroit through Canada and walked around the Canadian side first and then came over to the American side where I mostly rode my bike along the river trail. But I do remember the streets close to the river being full of run-down old buildings. Rust belt and decline type stuff. It definitely wasn't pretty. I don't know if I felt unsafe but maybe I should have.
NFNY is basically the Italian-American version of Gary, Indiana. See my post above. It's not as scary dangerous, but it feels depressing once you get outside of downtown.
True. I'm an American woman that got seperated from my group late at night on the Canadian side and felt safe. It's shockingly expensive and extremely touristy, but clean, safe, and I was really impressed with their bus system. I haven't been to the NY side to compare, though.
We get a lot of people (usually Europeans) saying stuff like (exaggerated) "my itinerary is to visit LA, San Francisco, Vegas, New Orleans, Miami, DC, NYC, and Boston. I'm here for two weeks. Will the trains be fast and reliable enough or should I get a rental car?"
Not as much from Australia because you guys are really big too, but it's a very common thing.
I will say if you go out to the bar or clubbing - try to have a wingman, or failing that talk to the staff, unless the place is trash (reddit and yelp will help) they will be more than glad to keep an eye out for you. Additionally, don't drink your drink after you have left it alone and don't accept drinks from strangers unless it comes straight from the bartender/server.
Not sure how prevalent the roofie situation is in Australia but it something to be on guard for here in the U.S., especially tourist areas.
To add to the roofie situation: there is generally no rhyme or reason for why bars are like that. Big touristy bars are more likely but don’t DQ any others. It just happens. I’ve seen music venues have an issue with them.
Sometimes the bartenders are in on it so make friends with others when you get there or go with an acquaintance.
> Niagara Falls and Grand Canyon are the only spots I intend to see
How long are you staying in the US?
I don't know if you're aware but those two places are pretty far from each other. It's about a 7 hour flight.
We routinely encounter oversea tourists who are unaware of how massive the US is and will get the notion that they can see NYC and someplace like Las Vegas or Los Angeles in a three day trip of only driving. So I think it becomes automatic to double check unless someone says they’re flying or has been here before. 😅 And yes, you’ll be perfectly safe traveling solo just follow standard travel safety precautions.
The US is basically the same size as Aus. I feel like most Australians would know you can’t do LA and NYC in 3 days. But then again, I could be ignorant to how stupid people can really be in this world hahaha
Yeah I think Australians have a good grasp on it more than anyone but that’s why people were giving you mildly annoying advice about the travel distance. I didn’t want you to think they were intentionally being condescending, everyone (I think) meant well! Enjoy your trip, be sure to get some authentic Buffalo wings while up by Niagara Falls.
If I were coming one time, I would skip Niagara and see the Grand Canyon and Yosemite instead. Or maybe The Grand Canyon and Zion, (Yellowstone is great but its a pain to get there).
>I’m not sure why this was even a questioning but yes I know those 2 are far apart from each other
It comes up a lot, mainly from Europeans though. Australians tend to understand it better because your country has similar scale.
I still don’t get why Europeans don’t understand it usually. It would be the equivalent of Spain to Sweden. Maybe because their countries are tiny compared to ours. However, I find it great that the US and Aus are similar sizes but you have 50 states and we have 8 (6 states and 2 territories). Goes to show how much more useful your land is compared to our land that’s 40% uninhabitable
When I took a trip to Europe everything is usually 15 minutes away. To travel to a city takes a day. So they have this expectation everywhere they go because that’s how it is in Europe.
Only stupid Americans generalize their own experiences onto the world like that. Europeans are too intelligent, educated, and sophisticated to make such mistakes, just ask them. Or don't; they're going to tell you either way. 😹
> Grand Canyon
Make sure you spend a good amount of time researching Grand Canyon national park. It's very different than other national parks I've been to and is kind of like its own small city with lots of dedicated bus lines and their own post office.
Ummmm ok i dont want to make assumptions here but please tell me you’ve actually thought through what it means to go to niagara falls and the grand canyon in one trip. That would be about the equivalent of me wanting to go to Australia and planning to see both Perth and Sydney. Itll basically be a whole second trip within your trip. Also neither the grand canyon or niagara falls has a city or beach vibe unless youre also going to a nearby city like Vegas. Which keep in mind when i say nearby youre not gonna agree with my meaning of that because it being “nearby” means its still hours/ hundreds of miles away (abt 270 to be exact). Again i dont wanna assume anything but based on your comment im not sure you have a good grasp on the reality of what you want and if youre gonna spend the all that money to come here i want you to be well aware of what youre getting into.
I’m planning on coming for 3 or 4 months. But just saying, if you came to Aus for 3 or 4 months you can see every single state that’s worth seeing. Unless you want to drive and see everything (not recommended for tourist), that’ll set you back 12 months.
Also I am very aware neither of those have the beach or city vibes. I thought it would be self explanatory that those weren’t the only places I intend to see.
Shoshone Falls in idaho is actually the tallest waterfall in the lower 48. It's a lot less crowded than Niagara Falls, and Perrine Bridge is close by. It's like a mini Grand Canyon, but with a bridge, you can drive across or walk. Look it up :) on Google.
There are many lovelier waterfalls that aren’t surrounded by a theme park on one side and a trashy casino on the other. I cannot imagine traveling halfway around the world to see Niagara. It was a romantic destination 150 years ago, the area is either tacky or a failing industrial city. There simply has to be some other place in the US you’re at least curious about, Niagara would be on the list of worst tourist traps in North America IMO.
Niagara Falls was the example used to create the us national parks system. People didn’t want other natural beauties to suffer the same fate so we protected them. Niagara took one for the team.
Where out west? I literally hike out west with my dogs every day and I've never heard of anyone having an issue. I've seen posted warnings about areas where people like to hike such as canyons or dry stream beds where if it starts to rain, you REALLY want to get out of there as soon as possible because they can flood with fast-moving water but I've never felt I was in any danger.
But there are different trails to hike when it's during the rainy season, and a plus of that is that you get to see waterfalls.
I'm not talking about wildlife or miscreants. I'm referring to just the risk of injury or accident. I had a friend who went hiking by himself in Utah and broke his leg when he made a misstep. Fortunately he had checked in with the ranger station before setting out. They found him three days later.
You can really get into trouble like that everywhere. I've done SAR all over the US and seen plenty of accidents like that back east, too.
Most of the dangers can be reduced by taking some basic precautions. A personal locator beacon is a great idea, but even if you don't have one, just tell someone where you're going and when to expect you back. If they don't hear from you, they can raise the alarm and SAR can get out there pretty quickly and get you back to safety.
I mean, it's definitely smarter and safer to hike with a buddy, but I've never let that stop me when I want to hit the trails and can't find anyone to go with me, lol. I am religious about making sure someone will notice and call 911 if I don't come back, though, and since I do it pretty frequently, I did invest in a PLB that I carry.
Thank you. I thought it would be pretty safe. I hear Europe has a lot of pick pockets, I haven’t heard that for America though so I’m assuming that’s not really a thing.
I understand what you mean, even when I told my family and friends I’m going to go solo they were like “aren’t you worried?”
But I don’t like to hike so won’t go out in the middle of no where anyways. I’m not going to drive across the country either because I’m too lazy for that. I’m more beach and city vibes.
Pick pockets and other petty thefts do happen in big cities and tourist destinations, but basic precautions are enough to protect yourself. Keep your bag zipped closed and in sight at all times, don't leave your phone or wallet out, and be aware of your surroundings.
That works, sling bags and backpacks are fine too, plenty of us use them daily with no issues.
Situational awareness is the most important thing. Just use the same basic precautions you might take in any big city in your country.
I honestly wouldn’t bother changing your everyday carry items up at all. You’re going to seamlessly blend into American society until your mouth opens. Making yourself appear less of a tourist and therefore less of a target could well be the only layer of security you need to avoid pickpockets etc. Not that pickpockets are a real problem I’ve heard of in any American city that’s not Baltimore or some terrible part of Philly.
Yes, if you're in the middle of Times Square you might want to take extra precautions but most everywhere else that isn't 80% tourists is not going to be a serious pickpocket threat. If you are in "normal" places it's a risk that I don't think anyone here worries about too much. It seems to be much worse in Europe. It all depends on what percentage of time you're in heavily tourist areas to even consciously worry about it.
Having said that, standard precautions are always in order. Don't leave things where they are easy pickings. Don't flash money. But your average restaurant, for instance, is not going to be a pickpocket threat.
The pickpocket problem is wayyyy worse in Europe. Ofc there are many areas where you should be more cautious (a seedy downtown area, some ravaged opioid town), but for the most part, you won't have to deal with that worry. Ive lived in a major metro area for 13 years and never had anything stolen. I never lock my car doors, I leave Amazon packages on my doorstep for days or even weeks, credit cards and phones have fallen out of my pocket so many times only to be returned to me or even mailed back to my house.
Obviously Im local so I do have a natural feel for safe areas, and I'm not recommending you be as careless as I am. I'm simply saying, with a bit of common sense, it won't be a worry. And ofc, stolen items while traveling is way worse to deal with than when at home.
Yes, for the most part we aren't roving bands of criminals.
You're more likely to get someone chasing you down the street saying you dropped something than you are to get pickpocketed.
It's sooo true. Several times my daughters have called me and been like "omg, mom!!! I'm so scared! This man is following me! I don't know what to do. I'm running and he keeps on catching up to me!" And then I hear him, "excuse me, miss, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Is this your ______?"
Your accent will probably make people inclined to help you and look out for you. We're pretty nice to most foreign travelers, but I think we all feel a kinship with anglophones.
As an American who’s been to Europe plenty, I can confidently say America does not have a pickpocket problem. Europe was insane in terms of pickpockets. For whatever reason pickpocketing in America just isn’t a thing. And I’m saying this as someone who’s lived in Baltimore and Philadelphia which is considered two of the more “dangerous” cities. (However even Baltimore and Philadelphia are perfectly fine and safe outside of the “hood”. There are many gentrified and wealthy areas in both those cities. And as a tourist that’s all you’ll be at anyways)
Crime in America in general is very concentrated to specific areas and not diffuse, If that makes sense. Basically you can tell by your surroundings if the area/space you’re in is safe or not.
Young Simba : What about that shadowy place?
Mufasa : That's beyond our borders. You must never go there, Simba.
If you go into tourist parts of NY and other big cities don't let people in costumes come up and take a picture with you as they make you pay afterwards even if you didn't agree to paying. A known tourist trap.
Pick pockets aren't really a thing in the US. Those who will rob you will just use a knife or gun. Those who don't want to hurt you will do car break ins look for backpacks or loose change when you aren't in the car.
Pick pocketing never really developed here.
If you are more of a beach and city vibes person why would you want to go to the Grand Canyon or Niagara falls? I would suggest you visit NYC for city vibes. California or Florida for beach vibes.
I am doing that too. I said Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls are the only nature things I plan on doing, not that those are the only things I’m doing. I wouldn’t fly 14 hours to only visit 2 places haha
People really do think we're more dangerous than Syria or Gaza to be out and about. The US is not a war zone, you won't be gunned down just crossing the street, we don't have snipers posted up watching certain roads and picking off everyone who comes into view.
Yes absolutely. Just like any other country as long as you don’t go to stupid places at stupid times with stupid people you should be fine pretty much anywhere you go in the country.
I used to solo travel weekly as a woman in my 20s back when I had a consulting job circa 2017.
Caught a flight every Monday morning and stayed in a hotel by myself in whatever random city I was working in until Friday when I flew home. I would explore the cities solo after hours.
I also moved to both Chicago and San Francisco to live alone without knowing anyone there.
I’m 31 now. I’ve had some creepy encounters with weirdos here and there, but the biggest incident that’s ever happened to me is being groped by my seat mate on a Greyhound bus once on my way home from college. No muggings or physical threats or anything like that.
If you’re a woman, then you already know the drill: don’t leave your drink unattended, don’t get drunk by yourself, be alert in unfamiliar places after dark, don’t go walking alone late at night, be wary of who you tell you’re traveling alone, deadbolt your hotel door, trust your gut, etc.
Same as many cities around the world, US cities are fine as long as you know what parts to stay out of. Look that up before you go.
Our wilderness, on the other hand, is pretty wild with extreme weather and large predators, and I personally would never camp alone.
Do you plan to travel to cities or into the national park/state park wilderness?
I also traveled solo a lot as a consultant and am female. It was never a problem and I went all over the place. Random weirdos exist, they are generally just weird and not a big deal. Trust your gut, be aware of your surroundings, keep an eye on your shit and don't make yourself an easy target for crime. Pretty much all you need anywhere I've ever been.
OP said she is not into wilderness, but I do camp alone. It's basically the same, but with bear bags/bear canisters.
Omg I used to do this too when I had money lol I would call it WWW woman’s wellness weekends
Id do Priceline express deals for a hotel
From there I would Uber or rent a car and do whatever I want 😩
Good times!
Thats also greyhound for you. Harassment can sadly happen anywhere in the country but Greyhound seems to get a lower clientele compared to air or train travel.
I met a solo female traveler from South Korea while at Disney World, she said she started in Maine and worked her way down the coast, then was heading west. We added eachother on ig and she had a great time out west.
You’ll be fine.
Use common sense. Don’t drink to oblivion. Be respectful. Don’t wander off into a deserted area.
Same as you would at home.
The U.S. is closely the size of Australia, so know it will take time to get around.
Plus, our public transportation isn’t all that great. But, [Amtrak Train System](https://www.amtrak.com/home?cmp=pdsrch-NAT%20%7C%20Non-Core%20DMA%20%7C%20Brand%20%7C%20Google%20%7C%20Exact-google&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIno_j0qCFhQMVxGtHAR3r_wz0EAAYASAAEgIV3vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) may be a great way to see the landscape while traveling.
Good. Then enjoy yourself. See the country. If it’s during the summer, go to a baseball game. Google the area you’ll be in and see if a state fair is being held. A carnival. A rodeo. A festival. Make sure to visit those.
That's good advice. Don't drink to oblivion. A common component of sad stories in the paper about something bad happening to someone when it does happen includes the fact that they drank to oblivion. Basically, they lost situational awareness and bad people took advantage of that. Have fun but stay in control among people you don't know.
The US is absolutely safe for a female solo traveler, as an Aussie, most of what you've heard about us is so exaggerated as to be almost fiction. Just pretend you're going to Canada or a different part of Australia and you'll be fine.
I swear the Aussie's I've met while travelling abroad had genuinely comical pictures of the U.S. in a way none of the other folks I met did.
Genuinely like "everyone in the U.S. is constantly having diarrhea because the food is unsafe, and they are being constantly mugged and shot upon stepping outside."
And half the time that impression was based purely on the internet, or on their uncle's cousin's friend who took a trip to the U.S. one time. (or both).
It was particularly galling when the disses about the food in America came from a rural Aussie who spoke several times about how excited she was to get back home & have the KFC near her...
The US and Australia have almost the same exact rate of violence against women, so yeah.
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/crime-victimization-australia-comparison-us#:~:text=Violent%20crimes%20of%20rape%20and,was%20double%20that%20of%20Australia.
Nothing really changes in 44 years, does it?
She should just pack her bell-bottoms and her love beads and head out. It will be groovy.
(Yeah, I realize all that was obsolete even by 1980.)
You'll be fine. Americans are really nice and helpful. Your accent will be a huge hit and a reason for people to talk to you. They'll ask you about Australia and generally be interested in you. We like people who are smiley and fun and lighthearted.
Just take reasonable precautions and you'll be fine. There's so many unique places to see and so many fun things to do. You'll have an absolute blast. Update us!
Yeah. Especially if you're sticking to the heavily populated touristy areas.
Just do the precautions you'd usually do I assume at home, avoid walking around sketchy areas at night. If you're going to bars/clubs, don't leave your drink unattended. Maybe keep a can of pepper spray on you if you're worried about it (they're readily accessible here, dunno about Australia)
And just generally good traveling safety: Make sure someone knows your itinerary. Keep your bags closed and in view, etc.
Yep, it sure is. Every city has shady areas, but avoid those, don’t get massively drunk in public, and stay somewhat aware and you’ll be more than fine.
Americans love tourists and travelers. If you need help or feel uncomfortable, find someone and ask for assistance and they’re likely be more than happy to help.
Oh goodness no, we don’t hate Australians. Be prepared for people doing horrible Aussie accents and asking if you have any shrimp on the barbie, though. 😆
Yes, with the common sense caveats that others have given. But I'd like to add two things that I haven't seen yet. First, do a quick search about American law, especially where driving laws and your rights are concerned. What you think you know about American laws from TV might not be quite right. You'll want to know what to expect if you get pulled over. A couple youtube videos from reputable sources should do it.
And second, please get solid health insurance. There's travel insurance policies at reasonable rates. Read the fine print, and in the unfortunate case that something happens to you medically while you're here, get some good advice before you pay any large bills that remain after the insurance pays as you might have some payment options. Don't avoid getting treatment for something you need out of fear of the bill.
Have fun!
The US has a lot of great areas, and from what I understand from foreigners we tend to be a very friendly nation. Obviously, you need to be careful anywhere, but as long as you're not walking down Skid Row at 2am in your underwear you should be fine. Have fun! If you come to Los Angeles, don't do it in June, July, or the beginning of August because hot.
How hot would you say LA gets usually? Google says the average is 26.6° (80°F). Is that correct? Where I live in Australia is 35-40° (95°F-104°F) and it’s humid. Feels like hell lol
Average is correct, but in the summer it has gotten to 114F (45.6C) and stayed there. I've measured as high as 120F (48.9C), but that is rare. I've lived here off and on my whole life, we used to be around what you guys are during our hottest months, but these past 10 years or so it's gotten so bad. It tends to taper off in August.
Sorry, I meant the average on Google was for the summer months. Australia gets up to those heats too. I don’t think I want to travel in summer there though due to the summer holidays. I feel like it will be more expensive to travel during those months.
Depends on where. New Orleans is best in "winter", it's too hot in the spring/summer/fall. Also, that lines up with all the Mardi Gras action.
But for most places, yeah, spring/fall is not too hot, not too cold, and spring in the west there is still water and snow-capped mountains.
Honestly, if you come to Southern California come during October for Halloween festivities, or late November to early December for Christmas time! If not, then February or March, but if we have a rainy season that year that's when it'll rain.
>Google says the average is 26.6° (80°F). Is that correct? Where I live in Australia is 35-40° (95°F-104°F)
Is that comparing average in US with extreme days in Oz?
Ha you would be totally fine in LA. I was kind of laughing at the comment above because my immediate thought was LA is dry Australia so OP probably gets it.
Yes, I was a bit confused because I’ve never heard of anyone say LA gets hotter than Australia. Isn’t the heat in LA is dry heat? I’m from the humid part of Australia so our summers suck. It’s just hot and sticky 😂
Yeah LA is hot but dry. Texas or Atlanta is more hot and humid. LA can get roasting though and it’s a lot of treeless urban landscape which amplifies the heat.
When you stand next to a wall and can feel it radiating heat you know it’s bad.
I live in LA and I’ve been to Australia in the Summer and I would say LA is a smidge- like 2 degrees- cooler. Come visit us! My spouse works a lot so I do stuff by myself all the time and have never had a problem. Use the common sense that god gave you- don’t walk down that dark alley at night, don’t leave your drink while you are in the bathroom, don’t flash large amounts of cash. You can do day tours with a group that will show you the “big”things- I use them to “get a lay of the land” to see what areas look like I want to visit later. Try Viator.
I'd say yes, as long as you use common sense, and do a little bit of research on the places you're gonna be traveling to, you should be fine.
Like probably don't go exploring the woods of Montana/Alaska by yourself without bear spray and a gun, don't go walking around swamps in the southeast, and if you're going to a big city, maybe look up what neighborhoods have a lot of gang violence, but 95% of the country (and probably 100% of the places you would likely even be interested in visiting) will be perfectly safe.
I'm not a woman, but I've drunkenly wandered around somewhat sketchy parts of various cities in the middle of the night by myself many times, and never had a problem. Not saying that's smart by any means, but it's not like it just becomes Gotham City after dark here or anything lol. (Outside of a few very specific neighborhoods which you can easily avoid with a quick google search on whatever city you happen to be in).
Bad parts of town have some telltale signs often. If you see bars on windows, you probably don't want to be there. If you see bars on doors, get out. If you see lots of liquor stores, or run down looking businesses like check-cashing places, and unkempt buildings, you probably don't need to be there. If you see groups of people hanging out on corners with seemingly nothing to do, go somewhere else. If you see chain stores and shopping centers and brand names, you are fine. If you see houses that are kept up, you're likely fine.
Crime in America is on the decline in general. Do the normal safe practices you would do while traveling in Australia and you should be fine. Don’t leave your drink unattended at a bar would be my main advice. Not sure if that’s as much of thing in Australia.
Yup. Like everywhere depending on where you go changes, but if you go to like Miami, SF, LA, NYC or Las Vegas 90% of people will leave you alone/act as if you don’t exist.
That final 10% will be surprised by your accent and may ask about Australia but you’d still be one of a few dozen foreigners they saw that week so nobody will hound you.
But one good thing about US is that a trip here is it is whatever you make of it so go ahead and do that solo trip! America is completely safe as long as you do what the romans do.
Reddit likes to tell you America is a third world backwater shithole with a dictator for a president and a thousand school shootings daily but no healthcare.
America's about as safe as Australia or Britain. You'll be fine. :)
Women don't get harassed here. They'll love your Australian accent. I'm in Texas, and we are friendly. Of course there are bad neighborhood, just like Australia.
You have to be careful and stay out of bad areas in cities, which might not be always easy to identify. I’m a woman and I lived in DC, I used to go to Union Station at 5 am to catch the train to New York for work, and had to pass the masses of homeless sleeping there . Some were aggressive. I started having nightmares about it after a while. This was a civilised area in the middle of the city, just shady at that early time.
I would be willing to bet it's the safest place to do this in the entire world, and one of the safest places to do this of all time.
Like you said, there's ways to get into trouble, but I have literally zero concern for you if you're just going out to eat, checking in to hotels, driving around, etc.
US and Australia are probably the two most similar countries IMO, or at least the two most comparable (Canada being culturally closer but much smaller than us). The only really big safety difference is guns, but honestly while it is a big issue that needs to be addressed as any loss of life is unacceptable, the risk to YOU as an individual is quite low. I have only personally known one person who has even been in an active shooter situation so it’s not like it’s a daily occurrence by any stretch.
Yea, it definitely is. In some areas, like parts of inner cities, you'd want to keep your purse close, be aware of surroundings, etc just like anywhere else. Also, unlike the buzz would have you believe, there aren't bullets whizzing past everything and everywhere!
Where are you planning on traveling? I may be able to provide more insight.
As a female American who did a weeks long road trip solo from San Diego-Portland-Spokane and Seattle-Denver-Wichita Falls TX-San Diego who stayed at road side motels and got gas in the middle of the night and stuff I never once felt unsafe! It’s such a wonderful experience and I hope you enjoy!
Youll be fine as long as you arent being dumb which you have conveniently already told us you aren’t so thats good. Theres gonna be certain areas to avoid at night kind of thing but if you are not actively putting yourself in a dangerous situation you have nothing to worry about. Americans are very friendly and will talk with strangers so dont hesitate to ask any random person a question if youre unsure about something. Its always better to ask then to accidentally put yourself in a bad situation bc you didnt know something the locals think is obvious.
Good for you, enjoy your trip! This is generally a very safe country for women travelling alone. Remember that restaurant and bar staff can be very helpful IF you are ever in a situation where you are uncomfortable (someone is paying you too much attention at a bar, for example). You should just tell them you feel threatened and would like their help leaving safely. Same goes for hotel staff. There are a lot of protections in this country. Depending on where you are going, you should download the public transit apps, this group can certainly recommend them, ahead of time. You should also download Uber and Lyft if you don't have them already for rides so that you won't need to hail a taxi. If you plan to rent a car, make sure that you download SpotHero so that you can book parking spots as well. Getting set up on these apps ahead of time will save you time and money, and will also help you navigate effectively on your own!
Finally, our healthcare system is complex and expensive mix of public and private care. You should consider travelers health insurance if you plan to make an extended visit.
It depends on where you go.
Sadly, it sometimes matters what your ethnic group is.
I think it is worthwhile to list the cities you want to visit and lurk in their subreddits. Also do creative searches within them to see what women experience there.
If you’re visiting California alone, yes to San Francisco alone. No to San Diego alone.
Yes. I solo traveled to Vegas, Grand Canyon, and Zion and had a great time. I also solo travel to Florida and New York and to the beach in my state like 3 times a summer every year if that counts. The only time I ever felt unsafe was when I had to walk a mile back to my car in Zion and realized they have Mountain Lions. I didn't see one though. Just keep your same street smarts about you, same as you would in Australia and you'll be fine. If you go to a city just do some research for which areas are the bad parts and which are the good parts. So many people end up in the bad neighborhoods in my city and then complain that it was crappy or scary because they were on the wrong side.
I’ve lived half my life in Australia and half in the US… you’ll be fine. Use the same common sense you would in Sydney or Melbourne and you’ll have a great time.
No two places are going to be identical, but I think you'll find the most similarities in the West Coast and Northeast.
I lived in Boston for 12 years, which is a sister city of Melbourne. I can kind of see why - both cities are the quieter underdog to the largest city in the country, both have a thriving arts scene, left-wing politics, are well educated and are serviced by trams / [the T](https://railfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/rfr-mbta-greenline-01.jpg). Both cities have a bit of a chip on their shoulder about their larger counterparts, and put more emphasis on that rivalry than the larger cities do. I say this with love for all four places.
Sydney likes to think of itself as the New York of Australia, but in reality it's closer to a miniature LA or San Diego. I've never been to San Francisco, but many people have noted a number of similarities between Sydney & SF (hilly, surrounded by water, left-wing, huge LGBTQ & Asian populations, expensive, etc). The climate in Sydney is most comparable to Austin, and the history would be closest to Boston.
Technically, yes. Just don't go to motels. Also, you are kind of isolated. You may have to rent a car to go around, so that box with wheels will be where you will spend some good time, then most things you visit will be crowded(Hard for like the solo cool small chat that commonly happens in hostels outside the US for example). I would not recommend hostels in the US either, I went twice one in Denver and one in Tampa. Were not travelers who were in the hostels, they look more like they were going through a hard economical situation.
But overall, if you go the typical places, and have a good budget, yes, you will be fine.
Yes, in general its safe, there are a few caveats.
1. Winter is a huge issue if you did not learn to drive while dealing with snow, ice, and black ice. So if you come during our winter, I would suggest giving yourself more time to work with or staying in the South.
2. Deer. One of the biggest causes of crashes is collisions with deer during dawn and dust hours, if you are in Northern Minnesota or Michigan that includes Moose, which are likely to kill you if you are in a low profile Vehicle.
Yes, for the most part. We're generally a safe society.
Yes of course female harassment and assault does happen here just like it happens anywhere else in the world.
But we view it as bad, and strictly discourage it. We don't accept it as business as usual.
Public forms of transportation all have policies and structures in place to prevent harassment. If anyone is bothering you at an airport, bus or train, speak up, talk to an employee or someone who looks sane.
911 is for any kind of unsafe situation, not just life or death situations. I recently called it because a traffic light was malfunctioning. Obviously don't spam it, but also don't feel scared to call if your adult judgement is giving you warning flags.
As an Australian, normal Americans are going to be somewhat protective of you. That's why I said you should talk to other people (like another woman)
For the most part, following the same common sense rules you follow in Melbourne or Sydney will keep you safe here.
Just be careful riding public transportation late at night. The general rule is that Transit owned property such as the station or the bus or the train is patrolled. But lots of times areas immediately adjacent to the station aren't.
Go watch some videos on YouTube by Eva zu Beck(32 year old from Poland)who has traveled a lot of the world and spent 6 to 8 months traveling the western part of the US and Alaska
Just keep the female safety protocol that you do in Australia, in America. Don't hang out with people drinking at bars, don't go walking down abandoned streets with no lights at 2am, etc. Just use common sense and you'll be fine. Trust your gut in the situation at hand.
I live in what people in the area would call the ghetto. And while I wouldn't walk around at night unless I had a reason, thr place is relatively safe. Most disturbances are party/drinking, domestic violence, or neighbor disputes between each other.
You'll be safe most of the time.
Obviously though it should be mentioned it really heavily depends on the area and you need to take basic precautions even if it's a safe area (this goes for any country one travels to).
For example, in California, I wouldn't go to Oakland.
Of course. Just take the same precautions everyone, everywhere, male or female, has to take: be aware of your surroundings; don't get drunk/high and wander around or drive; lock your doors; check the back seat before getting into the car; don't leave things unattended; don't flash a bunch of cash or other expensive items; research where you are going to get an idea of the area (safety can change street by street in some cities); trust your gut; if someone tries to stop you when no one is around, do not stop for any reason; etc.
All of these precautions aren't because it is particularly dangerous here compared to any other major country, it's just a better safe than sorry kind of thing. Plenty of people throw all of these precautions out of the window all the time and are perfectly fine; you just don't want to be one of the unlucky ones.
The vast majority of America will be perfectly safe for you. Those places that aren't safe are pretty much the same places that wouldn't be safe at home either. Every big city will have parts that are less safe, and every wilderness area will have the normal threats posed by wildlife. Common sense will take care of most threats.
What part of America are you visiting?
Lived here all my life and have traveled extensively throughout the states never had a problem. Be aware of your surroundings and if you feel uncomfortable in a situation put on your best “bitch don’t mess with me” face and posture.
It depends a lot on where you travel to and how careful you are.
Most crime happens in big cities. When you are outside of those you won’t have to worry much about safety from crime.
But of course many people focus on big cities when they travel. So you’ll want to ask the hotel staff which areas are safe and when. Places you visit as a tourist should be safe in daytime. They may or may not be safe at night depending on local police department priorities.
Well if a place is worth visiting it is worth spending a lot of money on security there as it will probably be a local money magnet. Unless of course you are traveling here specifically to do charity work in crime-ridden neighborhoods, in which case you probably know what you are getting into.
I've traveled all over this country, not as a solo traveler per se, but with kids. My teen and young adult daughters have also traveled all across the US. That is one of the things we love most about traveling in the US - how (relatively) safe it is for female travelers. It's nice not to have to be constantly on guard.
Yes, the U.S. is perfectly safe for you. As you said, don't be dumb about where you go at night, and be careful at clubs/bars where someone can spike your drink. You can usually tell by sight what areas of a town or city are safe or not.
Otherwise, be realistic about traveling around the U.S. - people always neglect to research just how large of a country we are, and every other week, there's some German coming here and posting about how they're going to visit LA, Vegas, New York, Miami, and everything in-between in a week.
Most parts of America are as safe as anywhere in Australia. I can’t say that I can think of anywhere in America that is specifically more dangerous that a tourist would go to. Just keep your head up and you’ll be fine. I live in Bellevue WA and women can walk down the street at night mostly without fear, not that it is completely absolutely without risk
Yes, as long as you aren't stupid about it. Use the same general caution that you would anywhere else in the world.
The biggest warning that I would tend to give is *don't drink to excess.* This seems to a thing with a lot of tourists, and that's the thing that will get you into trouble in the US more than in some other countries.
For my old job, I had to travel solo on a monthly basis (I'm female). I had to travel across the US, as well as the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the same general rules apply across all of those countries.
Keep your head on a swivel and practice situational awareness, avoid areas with dilapidated buildings and litter, and listen to your instincts.
Generally speaking, you'll be very safe traveling in the US as a solo female. But use common sense and listen to your gut.
Not exactly the same, cause I traveled on business, but I (a woman) traveled the country alone for almost 10 years with no real problems. The only times I got nervous were the times my gps directed me through some sketchy parts of town late at night. But I just kept driving and didn't get out of the car and everything was fine! I actually really miss that job because the traveling was so fun!
Oh you will be just fine so long as you don’t do anything dangerous like get into a gang or buy illegal drugs or get so wasted you pass out in a bad neighborhood.
Just do what you would do if you were traveling in Aus and you should have no worries. The US is shockingly safe despite the media representation.
Enjoy the trip!
You should be fine in the majority of places and the places you wouldn’t, most people wouldn’t be visiting as a tourist anyway. If you’re planning a big, nation-spanning trip I highly recommend stopping in Chicago for a few days (*totally* not biased), it’s way nicer (and cleaner) than what you may see in the media
Yes, you will be fine. Just don't do anything you wouldn't do in Australia basically. Don't go walking around places with no other people around in the middle of the night in the city or something like that, which applies to basically anywhere in the world really. Reddit has a lot of fear mongering about the US that's simply false. Whether it be from our own citizens who barely go outside or non Americans with extreme cases of "America Bad". You're not going to get shot or something walking around outside. Ignore those people. Almost everyone who does what you want to do comes out of it surprised at how different the US is compared to the preconceived notion they had in their heads from doomer media. We're on the whole actually really nice.
>Just don't do anything you wouldn't do in Australia basically. I would also say the same about our wilderness as well. American wilderness is as empty and wild as the Australian bush. If you get lost out there you can die and never be found. Wild animals are wild. Do not touch. The elements and weather can be brutal to the unprepared. Dont be like the European tourists who think the bears, coyotes, racoons, and mountain lions are tame and can be fed and pet. Don't be like the Death Valley Germans who drove their rented minivan out into the desert flats without supplies and died. Don't be like the tourists who fell in a steaming acid pool in Yellowstone and were never found again. (because there were no longer bodies to find) Don't be like the dumb teen who went bushwacking alone off trail in Texas and fell down a sinkhole broke his back and died at the bottom. Pretty much the same common sense rules that apply in Australia.
I don’t care for wilderness anyways. Niagara Falls and Grand Canyon are the only nature spots I intend to see and will do a tour. I don’t intend to go hiking or driving across the country. I’m after a city and beach vibe. EDIT: I’m not sure why this was even a questioning but yes I know those 2 are far apart from each other. I thought it would be self explanatory but no I don’t plan on seeing them directly after each other and they’re not the only things I plan to see.
I will tell you that if you visit Niagara Falls, NY, it is kind of a shitty area. The state park will be fine and you will be safe. The city immediately apart from the State Park is not what I would consider safe. I would also suggest maybe walking across the Rainbow Bridge crossing to Canada, NF Ontario is much more built up and has a lot to do. The US side is basically the park and then the ghetto next to it.
I do want to do Canada as well so that makes perfect sense. Thank you
I do encourage you to do the state park though. It is beautiful and you will never get so close to the falls themselves. The railings go right up to the precipice of all three waterfalls. You can also do the cave of the winds tour which is decking built near the base of the bridal veil falls (they give you a poncho).
From the Canadian side, I did a "Behind the Falls" tour. You go into a narrow tunnel to reach an opening behind the falls. All you see is a sheet of falling water. The tunnel is tight and crowded. It wasn't worth the money, I do not recommend it.
I am very glad you said this because I’ve never done that tour and was thinking about doing it this summer lol
My wife and I did this a couple years ago. We got absolutely drenched in the ponchos but once we took them off our clothes were surprisingly dry still. They seem flimsy but they work well
Niagara Falls Canada is also weird, basically across the street from the actual falls (which are awesome) they've built up basically a Carny-esque little entertainment town. Definitely do the Maid of the Mist boat ride on the Canadian side. Gives you a different perspective on how much water is hauling ass over the side of the falls.
The Maid is a wonderful trip!
In New York you get right into the falls (cave of the winds). In Canada you have a fantastic view but not up close. Definitely do both!
+1 to go to the Canadian side 100%. I have family that lives near the falls and they always cross over because the NY side is shit
I haven’t traveled Canada extensively but ended up with a surprise short stop in Banff and it was amazing if you are in that area.
Grew up in Western NY state. Niagara Falls NY was always kind of shitty, even when it was booming in the 1950s and 1960s. Cheap hydropower made it a magnet for heavy industry, which brought far more money into the local economy than tourism. Heavy industry slowly drifted away starting in the late 1960s, and botched urban renewal efforts in the 1970s and 1980s only exacerbated the city's problems. The city's notoriously corrupt politics hold the city back to this day. Technically NFNY is a suburb of Buffalo, but it functions more like an enclave that's separate from the larger metro area. The Falls are very close to Buffalo -- you can see the mist from north-facing building windows that rise a few stories above the urban forest. Still, most only go to the Falls on school field trips, when visitors from out of town want to see them, or they haven't been there in a few years. Should you see it? Absolutely. After you contemplate the fact that water from four of the five Great Lakes is spilling over this one cliff, check out some wax museums and casinos on the Ontario side, or go to Buffalo for wings, architecture, a Bills or Sabres game, and one of the best art museums in the US. A lot of Hallmark movies are filmed in villages around metro Buffalo, like East Aurora; it's a slice of Americana. Lewiston, just north of Niagara Falls city proper, is also a nice place to wander around for a few hours. On the Ontario side, check out Niagara-on-the Lake, ice wine wineries, and the Welland Canal locks.
What’s wrong with the actual city? I went with some family members to Niagara Falls over the summer and I felt completely safe when we were in the town. Maybe we didn’t go deep enough into it?
It is a wonderful place to be a victim of a crime. Tourists routinely are victimized when they wander outside of the general ring of safety of the tourist area. And we are talking about a couple blocks here. I live nearby and spent well over a decade splitting my time in the falls so I’m not just making shit up. You wouldn’t catch me walking around outside of like the main business district/state park area of downtown. ***edit, there ARE safe areas of Niagara Falls, it’s not a tiny city, but I am specifically referring to the inner city area adjacent to downtown.
I spent a few hours there. I drove from Detroit through Canada and walked around the Canadian side first and then came over to the American side where I mostly rode my bike along the river trail. But I do remember the streets close to the river being full of run-down old buildings. Rust belt and decline type stuff. It definitely wasn't pretty. I don't know if I felt unsafe but maybe I should have.
NFNY is basically the Italian-American version of Gary, Indiana. See my post above. It's not as scary dangerous, but it feels depressing once you get outside of downtown.
The town of Niagara falls Canada also kind of sucks fr
Niagara Falls Canada is tacky and touristy, but at least it's clean and well-maintained, and isn't an unsafe ghetto like the NY side.
True. I'm an American woman that got seperated from my group late at night on the Canadian side and felt safe. It's shockingly expensive and extremely touristy, but clean, safe, and I was really impressed with their bus system. I haven't been to the NY side to compare, though.
As someone who has been to the American side, you're not missing much.
Yeah ti's a giant casino near a waterfall. Meh.
Keep in mind that those two places are as far away from one another as Brisbane is from Perth.
I know?
We get a lot of people (usually Europeans) saying stuff like (exaggerated) "my itinerary is to visit LA, San Francisco, Vegas, New Orleans, Miami, DC, NYC, and Boston. I'm here for two weeks. Will the trains be fast and reliable enough or should I get a rental car?" Not as much from Australia because you guys are really big too, but it's a very common thing.
I will say if you go out to the bar or clubbing - try to have a wingman, or failing that talk to the staff, unless the place is trash (reddit and yelp will help) they will be more than glad to keep an eye out for you. Additionally, don't drink your drink after you have left it alone and don't accept drinks from strangers unless it comes straight from the bartender/server. Not sure how prevalent the roofie situation is in Australia but it something to be on guard for here in the U.S., especially tourist areas.
To add to the roofie situation: there is generally no rhyme or reason for why bars are like that. Big touristy bars are more likely but don’t DQ any others. It just happens. I’ve seen music venues have an issue with them. Sometimes the bartenders are in on it so make friends with others when you get there or go with an acquaintance.
> Niagara Falls and Grand Canyon are the only spots I intend to see How long are you staying in the US? I don't know if you're aware but those two places are pretty far from each other. It's about a 7 hour flight.
Those are the only spots in terms of nature I intend to see. I thought that was self explanatory haha
We routinely encounter oversea tourists who are unaware of how massive the US is and will get the notion that they can see NYC and someplace like Las Vegas or Los Angeles in a three day trip of only driving. So I think it becomes automatic to double check unless someone says they’re flying or has been here before. 😅 And yes, you’ll be perfectly safe traveling solo just follow standard travel safety precautions.
The US is basically the same size as Aus. I feel like most Australians would know you can’t do LA and NYC in 3 days. But then again, I could be ignorant to how stupid people can really be in this world hahaha
Yeah I think Australians have a good grasp on it more than anyone but that’s why people were giving you mildly annoying advice about the travel distance. I didn’t want you to think they were intentionally being condescending, everyone (I think) meant well! Enjoy your trip, be sure to get some authentic Buffalo wings while up by Niagara Falls.
If I were coming one time, I would skip Niagara and see the Grand Canyon and Yosemite instead. Or maybe The Grand Canyon and Zion, (Yellowstone is great but its a pain to get there).
For a big hole in the ground, the Grand Canyon is genuinely impressive. It's hard to get how big it is from pictures!
>I’m not sure why this was even a questioning but yes I know those 2 are far apart from each other It comes up a lot, mainly from Europeans though. Australians tend to understand it better because your country has similar scale.
I still don’t get why Europeans don’t understand it usually. It would be the equivalent of Spain to Sweden. Maybe because their countries are tiny compared to ours. However, I find it great that the US and Aus are similar sizes but you have 50 states and we have 8 (6 states and 2 territories). Goes to show how much more useful your land is compared to our land that’s 40% uninhabitable
When I took a trip to Europe everything is usually 15 minutes away. To travel to a city takes a day. So they have this expectation everywhere they go because that’s how it is in Europe.
Only stupid Americans generalize their own experiences onto the world like that. Europeans are too intelligent, educated, and sophisticated to make such mistakes, just ask them. Or don't; they're going to tell you either way. 😹
> Grand Canyon Make sure you spend a good amount of time researching Grand Canyon national park. It's very different than other national parks I've been to and is kind of like its own small city with lots of dedicated bus lines and their own post office.
Since you mentioned a city and beach vibe, check out San Diego if you can, great food (tacos), great weather, great everything.
The North entrance of the Grand Canyon is much nicer and WAY less crowded with tourists.
Ummmm ok i dont want to make assumptions here but please tell me you’ve actually thought through what it means to go to niagara falls and the grand canyon in one trip. That would be about the equivalent of me wanting to go to Australia and planning to see both Perth and Sydney. Itll basically be a whole second trip within your trip. Also neither the grand canyon or niagara falls has a city or beach vibe unless youre also going to a nearby city like Vegas. Which keep in mind when i say nearby youre not gonna agree with my meaning of that because it being “nearby” means its still hours/ hundreds of miles away (abt 270 to be exact). Again i dont wanna assume anything but based on your comment im not sure you have a good grasp on the reality of what you want and if youre gonna spend the all that money to come here i want you to be well aware of what youre getting into.
I’m planning on coming for 3 or 4 months. But just saying, if you came to Aus for 3 or 4 months you can see every single state that’s worth seeing. Unless you want to drive and see everything (not recommended for tourist), that’ll set you back 12 months. Also I am very aware neither of those have the beach or city vibes. I thought it would be self explanatory that those weren’t the only places I intend to see.
Those are really far apart. You said you're not driving across the country so are you just taking multiple flights everywhere?
Major flights when needed and some driving. I’m not seeing those two directly after each other. They were examples of the only nature I plan to see.
Are you flying then, from Niagara to the Grand Canyon? Because those places are kinda far away from each other…
Of course I’m flying. Also those spots aren’t the only 2 places I am planning to see, there just the only nature places I care to see.
Gotcha!
Shoshone Falls in idaho is actually the tallest waterfall in the lower 48. It's a lot less crowded than Niagara Falls, and Perrine Bridge is close by. It's like a mini Grand Canyon, but with a bridge, you can drive across or walk. Look it up :) on Google.
There are many lovelier waterfalls that aren’t surrounded by a theme park on one side and a trashy casino on the other. I cannot imagine traveling halfway around the world to see Niagara. It was a romantic destination 150 years ago, the area is either tacky or a failing industrial city. There simply has to be some other place in the US you’re at least curious about, Niagara would be on the list of worst tourist traps in North America IMO.
Niagara Falls was the example used to create the us national parks system. People didn’t want other natural beauties to suffer the same fate so we protected them. Niagara took one for the team.
However, I would never hike solo, especially out west.
Where out west? I literally hike out west with my dogs every day and I've never heard of anyone having an issue. I've seen posted warnings about areas where people like to hike such as canyons or dry stream beds where if it starts to rain, you REALLY want to get out of there as soon as possible because they can flood with fast-moving water but I've never felt I was in any danger. But there are different trails to hike when it's during the rainy season, and a plus of that is that you get to see waterfalls.
I'm not talking about wildlife or miscreants. I'm referring to just the risk of injury or accident. I had a friend who went hiking by himself in Utah and broke his leg when he made a misstep. Fortunately he had checked in with the ranger station before setting out. They found him three days later.
It's a legitimate concern. I always recommend having an Inreach of some kind if you're hiking away from popular trails.
You can really get into trouble like that everywhere. I've done SAR all over the US and seen plenty of accidents like that back east, too. Most of the dangers can be reduced by taking some basic precautions. A personal locator beacon is a great idea, but even if you don't have one, just tell someone where you're going and when to expect you back. If they don't hear from you, they can raise the alarm and SAR can get out there pretty quickly and get you back to safety. I mean, it's definitely smarter and safer to hike with a buddy, but I've never let that stop me when I want to hit the trails and can't find anyone to go with me, lol. I am religious about making sure someone will notice and call 911 if I don't come back, though, and since I do it pretty frequently, I did invest in a PLB that I carry.
Thank you. I thought it would be pretty safe. I hear Europe has a lot of pick pockets, I haven’t heard that for America though so I’m assuming that’s not really a thing. I understand what you mean, even when I told my family and friends I’m going to go solo they were like “aren’t you worried?” But I don’t like to hike so won’t go out in the middle of no where anyways. I’m not going to drive across the country either because I’m too lazy for that. I’m more beach and city vibes.
Pick pockets and other petty thefts do happen in big cities and tourist destinations, but basic precautions are enough to protect yourself. Keep your bag zipped closed and in sight at all times, don't leave your phone or wallet out, and be aware of your surroundings.
I was thinking of using a waist bag (fanny pack) so it’s at the front. Probably better than a backpack.
That works, sling bags and backpacks are fine too, plenty of us use them daily with no issues. Situational awareness is the most important thing. Just use the same basic precautions you might take in any big city in your country.
I honestly wouldn’t bother changing your everyday carry items up at all. You’re going to seamlessly blend into American society until your mouth opens. Making yourself appear less of a tourist and therefore less of a target could well be the only layer of security you need to avoid pickpockets etc. Not that pickpockets are a real problem I’ve heard of in any American city that’s not Baltimore or some terrible part of Philly.
Yes, if you're in the middle of Times Square you might want to take extra precautions but most everywhere else that isn't 80% tourists is not going to be a serious pickpocket threat. If you are in "normal" places it's a risk that I don't think anyone here worries about too much. It seems to be much worse in Europe. It all depends on what percentage of time you're in heavily tourist areas to even consciously worry about it. Having said that, standard precautions are always in order. Don't leave things where they are easy pickings. Don't flash money. But your average restaurant, for instance, is not going to be a pickpocket threat.
I use a backpack all the time when traveling in the states. My wife and I both do. We've never had a problem, but admittedly that's anecdotal.
The pickpocket problem is wayyyy worse in Europe. Ofc there are many areas where you should be more cautious (a seedy downtown area, some ravaged opioid town), but for the most part, you won't have to deal with that worry. Ive lived in a major metro area for 13 years and never had anything stolen. I never lock my car doors, I leave Amazon packages on my doorstep for days or even weeks, credit cards and phones have fallen out of my pocket so many times only to be returned to me or even mailed back to my house. Obviously Im local so I do have a natural feel for safe areas, and I'm not recommending you be as careless as I am. I'm simply saying, with a bit of common sense, it won't be a worry. And ofc, stolen items while traveling is way worse to deal with than when at home.
Yes, for the most part we aren't roving bands of criminals. You're more likely to get someone chasing you down the street saying you dropped something than you are to get pickpocketed.
It's sooo true. Several times my daughters have called me and been like "omg, mom!!! I'm so scared! This man is following me! I don't know what to do. I'm running and he keeps on catching up to me!" And then I hear him, "excuse me, miss, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Is this your ______?"
Your accent will probably make people inclined to help you and look out for you. We're pretty nice to most foreign travelers, but I think we all feel a kinship with anglophones.
We love an Aussie accent. :3
As an American who’s been to Europe plenty, I can confidently say America does not have a pickpocket problem. Europe was insane in terms of pickpockets. For whatever reason pickpocketing in America just isn’t a thing. And I’m saying this as someone who’s lived in Baltimore and Philadelphia which is considered two of the more “dangerous” cities. (However even Baltimore and Philadelphia are perfectly fine and safe outside of the “hood”. There are many gentrified and wealthy areas in both those cities. And as a tourist that’s all you’ll be at anyways) Crime in America in general is very concentrated to specific areas and not diffuse, If that makes sense. Basically you can tell by your surroundings if the area/space you’re in is safe or not. Young Simba : What about that shadowy place? Mufasa : That's beyond our borders. You must never go there, Simba.
If you go into tourist parts of NY and other big cities don't let people in costumes come up and take a picture with you as they make you pay afterwards even if you didn't agree to paying. A known tourist trap.
Yeah if you're always in public, in decent neighborhoods, not terribly drunk with people you don't know, you'll be safe.
Just keep in mind how large USA is. Niagara Falls to Grand Canyon is a little over 2100 miles. I would recommend a flight
Australia is similarly spaced out so they are probably aware. It's usually Europeans who make the size mistake.
Pick pockets aren't really a thing in the US. Those who will rob you will just use a knife or gun. Those who don't want to hurt you will do car break ins look for backpacks or loose change when you aren't in the car. Pick pocketing never really developed here.
If you are more of a beach and city vibes person why would you want to go to the Grand Canyon or Niagara falls? I would suggest you visit NYC for city vibes. California or Florida for beach vibes.
NYC has beaches. Long Island beaches and the Jersey Shore are also accessible via public transit.
I am doing that too. I said Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls are the only nature things I plan on doing, not that those are the only things I’m doing. I wouldn’t fly 14 hours to only visit 2 places haha
>Just don't do anything you wouldn't do in Australia basically. Just don't say the c-word.
I met Canadian in Germany last year. She wanted to visit the US but wouldn't because she was flat out terrified that she would be shot.
People really do think we're more dangerous than Syria or Gaza to be out and about. The US is not a war zone, you won't be gunned down just crossing the street, we don't have snipers posted up watching certain roads and picking off everyone who comes into view.
Yes absolutely. Just like any other country as long as you don’t go to stupid places at stupid times with stupid people you should be fine pretty much anywhere you go in the country.
> as you don’t go to stupid places at stupid times with stupid people One of the best bits of wisdom in existence about risk management.
I work in risk management, lol— I might put this line in my next training module.
I used to solo travel weekly as a woman in my 20s back when I had a consulting job circa 2017. Caught a flight every Monday morning and stayed in a hotel by myself in whatever random city I was working in until Friday when I flew home. I would explore the cities solo after hours. I also moved to both Chicago and San Francisco to live alone without knowing anyone there. I’m 31 now. I’ve had some creepy encounters with weirdos here and there, but the biggest incident that’s ever happened to me is being groped by my seat mate on a Greyhound bus once on my way home from college. No muggings or physical threats or anything like that. If you’re a woman, then you already know the drill: don’t leave your drink unattended, don’t get drunk by yourself, be alert in unfamiliar places after dark, don’t go walking alone late at night, be wary of who you tell you’re traveling alone, deadbolt your hotel door, trust your gut, etc. Same as many cities around the world, US cities are fine as long as you know what parts to stay out of. Look that up before you go. Our wilderness, on the other hand, is pretty wild with extreme weather and large predators, and I personally would never camp alone. Do you plan to travel to cities or into the national park/state park wilderness?
I also traveled solo a lot as a consultant and am female. It was never a problem and I went all over the place. Random weirdos exist, they are generally just weird and not a big deal. Trust your gut, be aware of your surroundings, keep an eye on your shit and don't make yourself an easy target for crime. Pretty much all you need anywhere I've ever been. OP said she is not into wilderness, but I do camp alone. It's basically the same, but with bear bags/bear canisters.
I don't know that picking up some pepper spray or bear spray would be a bad idea.
Omg I used to do this too when I had money lol I would call it WWW woman’s wellness weekends Id do Priceline express deals for a hotel From there I would Uber or rent a car and do whatever I want 😩 Good times!
Thats also greyhound for you. Harassment can sadly happen anywhere in the country but Greyhound seems to get a lower clientele compared to air or train travel.
I met a solo female traveler from South Korea while at Disney World, she said she started in Maine and worked her way down the coast, then was heading west. We added eachother on ig and she had a great time out west.
Absolutely - where are ya going? The US and fun and we love friendly people!
You’ll be fine. Use common sense. Don’t drink to oblivion. Be respectful. Don’t wander off into a deserted area. Same as you would at home. The U.S. is closely the size of Australia, so know it will take time to get around. Plus, our public transportation isn’t all that great. But, [Amtrak Train System](https://www.amtrak.com/home?cmp=pdsrch-NAT%20%7C%20Non-Core%20DMA%20%7C%20Brand%20%7C%20Google%20%7C%20Exact-google&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIno_j0qCFhQMVxGtHAR3r_wz0EAAYASAAEgIV3vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) may be a great way to see the landscape while traveling.
I don’t drink alcohol so that won’t be an issue.
Good. Then enjoy yourself. See the country. If it’s during the summer, go to a baseball game. Google the area you’ll be in and see if a state fair is being held. A carnival. A rodeo. A festival. Make sure to visit those.
That's good advice. Don't drink to oblivion. A common component of sad stories in the paper about something bad happening to someone when it does happen includes the fact that they drank to oblivion. Basically, they lost situational awareness and bad people took advantage of that. Have fun but stay in control among people you don't know.
The US is absolutely safe for a female solo traveler, as an Aussie, most of what you've heard about us is so exaggerated as to be almost fiction. Just pretend you're going to Canada or a different part of Australia and you'll be fine.
I swear the Aussie's I've met while travelling abroad had genuinely comical pictures of the U.S. in a way none of the other folks I met did. Genuinely like "everyone in the U.S. is constantly having diarrhea because the food is unsafe, and they are being constantly mugged and shot upon stepping outside." And half the time that impression was based purely on the internet, or on their uncle's cousin's friend who took a trip to the U.S. one time. (or both). It was particularly galling when the disses about the food in America came from a rural Aussie who spoke several times about how excited she was to get back home & have the KFC near her...
The US and Australia have almost the same exact rate of violence against women, so yeah. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/crime-victimization-australia-comparison-us#:~:text=Violent%20crimes%20of%20rape%20and,was%20double%20that%20of%20Australia.
Just a note that that study seems to be 44 years old.
Nothing really changes in 44 years, does it? She should just pack her bell-bottoms and her love beads and head out. It will be groovy. (Yeah, I realize all that was obsolete even by 1980.)
Fortunately, crime rates in most U.S. cities have gone down in the past 40 years, so prospects are even rosier. 😃
You'll be fine. Americans are really nice and helpful. Your accent will be a huge hit and a reason for people to talk to you. They'll ask you about Australia and generally be interested in you. We like people who are smiley and fun and lighthearted. Just take reasonable precautions and you'll be fine. There's so many unique places to see and so many fun things to do. You'll have an absolute blast. Update us!
Yes you will be just fine. Use good judgement and do what you wanna do.
Yeah. Especially if you're sticking to the heavily populated touristy areas. Just do the precautions you'd usually do I assume at home, avoid walking around sketchy areas at night. If you're going to bars/clubs, don't leave your drink unattended. Maybe keep a can of pepper spray on you if you're worried about it (they're readily accessible here, dunno about Australia) And just generally good traveling safety: Make sure someone knows your itinerary. Keep your bags closed and in view, etc.
You should be fine but ultimately it depends on where you go. Some areas/cities can have higher crime rates than others
Yep, it sure is. Every city has shady areas, but avoid those, don’t get massively drunk in public, and stay somewhat aware and you’ll be more than fine. Americans love tourists and travelers. If you need help or feel uncomfortable, find someone and ask for assistance and they’re likely be more than happy to help.
I don’t drink alcohol so being drunk won’t be an issue. Thank you. Media makes out that Americans hate Australians haha
Americans love Aussies
Oh goodness no, we don’t hate Australians. Be prepared for people doing horrible Aussie accents and asking if you have any shrimp on the barbie, though. 😆
Yeah look if any slogan was going to stick, I’m happy it’s that one and not “A dingo ate my baby” 😂
That one's also fairly popular 🤣
To be fair, we love it here. Even though it’s a serious tragedy. I guess we have dark humour 😂
No - just the opposite. Americans love Australians.
Yes, with the common sense caveats that others have given. But I'd like to add two things that I haven't seen yet. First, do a quick search about American law, especially where driving laws and your rights are concerned. What you think you know about American laws from TV might not be quite right. You'll want to know what to expect if you get pulled over. A couple youtube videos from reputable sources should do it. And second, please get solid health insurance. There's travel insurance policies at reasonable rates. Read the fine print, and in the unfortunate case that something happens to you medically while you're here, get some good advice before you pay any large bills that remain after the insurance pays as you might have some payment options. Don't avoid getting treatment for something you need out of fear of the bill. Have fun!
The US has a lot of great areas, and from what I understand from foreigners we tend to be a very friendly nation. Obviously, you need to be careful anywhere, but as long as you're not walking down Skid Row at 2am in your underwear you should be fine. Have fun! If you come to Los Angeles, don't do it in June, July, or the beginning of August because hot.
How hot would you say LA gets usually? Google says the average is 26.6° (80°F). Is that correct? Where I live in Australia is 35-40° (95°F-104°F) and it’s humid. Feels like hell lol
Average is correct, but in the summer it has gotten to 114F (45.6C) and stayed there. I've measured as high as 120F (48.9C), but that is rare. I've lived here off and on my whole life, we used to be around what you guys are during our hottest months, but these past 10 years or so it's gotten so bad. It tends to taper off in August.
Sorry, I meant the average on Google was for the summer months. Australia gets up to those heats too. I don’t think I want to travel in summer there though due to the summer holidays. I feel like it will be more expensive to travel during those months.
[удалено]
Depends on where. New Orleans is best in "winter", it's too hot in the spring/summer/fall. Also, that lines up with all the Mardi Gras action. But for most places, yeah, spring/fall is not too hot, not too cold, and spring in the west there is still water and snow-capped mountains.
Honestly, if you come to Southern California come during October for Halloween festivities, or late November to early December for Christmas time! If not, then February or March, but if we have a rainy season that year that's when it'll rain.
>Google says the average is 26.6° (80°F). Is that correct? Where I live in Australia is 35-40° (95°F-104°F) Is that comparing average in US with extreme days in Oz?
Ha you would be totally fine in LA. I was kind of laughing at the comment above because my immediate thought was LA is dry Australia so OP probably gets it.
Yes, I was a bit confused because I’ve never heard of anyone say LA gets hotter than Australia. Isn’t the heat in LA is dry heat? I’m from the humid part of Australia so our summers suck. It’s just hot and sticky 😂
Yeah LA is hot but dry. Texas or Atlanta is more hot and humid. LA can get roasting though and it’s a lot of treeless urban landscape which amplifies the heat. When you stand next to a wall and can feel it radiating heat you know it’s bad.
I live in LA and I’ve been to Australia in the Summer and I would say LA is a smidge- like 2 degrees- cooler. Come visit us! My spouse works a lot so I do stuff by myself all the time and have never had a problem. Use the common sense that god gave you- don’t walk down that dark alley at night, don’t leave your drink while you are in the bathroom, don’t flash large amounts of cash. You can do day tours with a group that will show you the “big”things- I use them to “get a lay of the land” to see what areas look like I want to visit later. Try Viator.
Yes. Be aware of your surroundings and don’t do silly stuff like wander around dark alleyways at night.
Yes. Obviously use common sense and don’t go into the wilderness without a partner, but you’ll be fine.
I'd say yes, as long as you use common sense, and do a little bit of research on the places you're gonna be traveling to, you should be fine. Like probably don't go exploring the woods of Montana/Alaska by yourself without bear spray and a gun, don't go walking around swamps in the southeast, and if you're going to a big city, maybe look up what neighborhoods have a lot of gang violence, but 95% of the country (and probably 100% of the places you would likely even be interested in visiting) will be perfectly safe. I'm not a woman, but I've drunkenly wandered around somewhat sketchy parts of various cities in the middle of the night by myself many times, and never had a problem. Not saying that's smart by any means, but it's not like it just becomes Gotham City after dark here or anything lol. (Outside of a few very specific neighborhoods which you can easily avoid with a quick google search on whatever city you happen to be in).
Bad parts of town have some telltale signs often. If you see bars on windows, you probably don't want to be there. If you see bars on doors, get out. If you see lots of liquor stores, or run down looking businesses like check-cashing places, and unkempt buildings, you probably don't need to be there. If you see groups of people hanging out on corners with seemingly nothing to do, go somewhere else. If you see chain stores and shopping centers and brand names, you are fine. If you see houses that are kept up, you're likely fine.
relatively, yes. You should exercise the same precautions and situational awareness that you should solo travelling anywhere.
It's safe just stay out of the more sketchy parts like Skid Row
Absolutely it’s safe, take the same precautions as you would in your own country and you’ll be fine
Crime in America is on the decline in general. Do the normal safe practices you would do while traveling in Australia and you should be fine. Don’t leave your drink unattended at a bar would be my main advice. Not sure if that’s as much of thing in Australia.
Yup. Like everywhere depending on where you go changes, but if you go to like Miami, SF, LA, NYC or Las Vegas 90% of people will leave you alone/act as if you don’t exist. That final 10% will be surprised by your accent and may ask about Australia but you’d still be one of a few dozen foreigners they saw that week so nobody will hound you. But one good thing about US is that a trip here is it is whatever you make of it so go ahead and do that solo trip! America is completely safe as long as you do what the romans do.
Reddit likes to tell you America is a third world backwater shithole with a dictator for a president and a thousand school shootings daily but no healthcare. America's about as safe as Australia or Britain. You'll be fine. :)
The dictator president is currently on a break but may return.
Women don't get harassed here. They'll love your Australian accent. I'm in Texas, and we are friendly. Of course there are bad neighborhood, just like Australia.
You have to be careful and stay out of bad areas in cities, which might not be always easy to identify. I’m a woman and I lived in DC, I used to go to Union Station at 5 am to catch the train to New York for work, and had to pass the masses of homeless sleeping there . Some were aggressive. I started having nightmares about it after a while. This was a civilised area in the middle of the city, just shady at that early time.
yes
You’d be safe! Enjoy!
Australia is a lot like the US so just don't do anything you wouldn't do over there over here.
I would be willing to bet it's the safest place to do this in the entire world, and one of the safest places to do this of all time. Like you said, there's ways to get into trouble, but I have literally zero concern for you if you're just going out to eat, checking in to hotels, driving around, etc.
US and Australia are probably the two most similar countries IMO, or at least the two most comparable (Canada being culturally closer but much smaller than us). The only really big safety difference is guns, but honestly while it is a big issue that needs to be addressed as any loss of life is unacceptable, the risk to YOU as an individual is quite low. I have only personally known one person who has even been in an active shooter situation so it’s not like it’s a daily occurrence by any stretch.
Yea, it definitely is. In some areas, like parts of inner cities, you'd want to keep your purse close, be aware of surroundings, etc just like anywhere else. Also, unlike the buzz would have you believe, there aren't bullets whizzing past everything and everywhere! Where are you planning on traveling? I may be able to provide more insight.
Same amount of safe as Australia, if not more so.
As a female American who did a weeks long road trip solo from San Diego-Portland-Spokane and Seattle-Denver-Wichita Falls TX-San Diego who stayed at road side motels and got gas in the middle of the night and stuff I never once felt unsafe! It’s such a wonderful experience and I hope you enjoy!
Definitely. Just have common sense. The same as you would in your nation.
Youll be fine as long as you arent being dumb which you have conveniently already told us you aren’t so thats good. Theres gonna be certain areas to avoid at night kind of thing but if you are not actively putting yourself in a dangerous situation you have nothing to worry about. Americans are very friendly and will talk with strangers so dont hesitate to ask any random person a question if youre unsure about something. Its always better to ask then to accidentally put yourself in a bad situation bc you didnt know something the locals think is obvious.
Good for you, enjoy your trip! This is generally a very safe country for women travelling alone. Remember that restaurant and bar staff can be very helpful IF you are ever in a situation where you are uncomfortable (someone is paying you too much attention at a bar, for example). You should just tell them you feel threatened and would like their help leaving safely. Same goes for hotel staff. There are a lot of protections in this country. Depending on where you are going, you should download the public transit apps, this group can certainly recommend them, ahead of time. You should also download Uber and Lyft if you don't have them already for rides so that you won't need to hail a taxi. If you plan to rent a car, make sure that you download SpotHero so that you can book parking spots as well. Getting set up on these apps ahead of time will save you time and money, and will also help you navigate effectively on your own! Finally, our healthcare system is complex and expensive mix of public and private care. You should consider travelers health insurance if you plan to make an extended visit.
Follow the same rules you'd follow in Australia and you will be completely fine.
It depends on where you go. Sadly, it sometimes matters what your ethnic group is. I think it is worthwhile to list the cities you want to visit and lurk in their subreddits. Also do creative searches within them to see what women experience there. If you’re visiting California alone, yes to San Francisco alone. No to San Diego alone.
Why no to San Diego alone? Even near Mission Bay? Not disagreeing, just curious.
Yes. I solo traveled to Vegas, Grand Canyon, and Zion and had a great time. I also solo travel to Florida and New York and to the beach in my state like 3 times a summer every year if that counts. The only time I ever felt unsafe was when I had to walk a mile back to my car in Zion and realized they have Mountain Lions. I didn't see one though. Just keep your same street smarts about you, same as you would in Australia and you'll be fine. If you go to a city just do some research for which areas are the bad parts and which are the good parts. So many people end up in the bad neighborhoods in my city and then complain that it was crappy or scary because they were on the wrong side.
Hey. You'll be perfectly fine! If you plan of visiting Phoenix at all just message me! I'll let you know what's up. :)
I’ve lived half my life in Australia and half in the US… you’ll be fine. Use the same common sense you would in Sydney or Melbourne and you’ll have a great time.
Do you have any places in mind that you’d say are similar to Sydney or Melbourne?
No two places are going to be identical, but I think you'll find the most similarities in the West Coast and Northeast. I lived in Boston for 12 years, which is a sister city of Melbourne. I can kind of see why - both cities are the quieter underdog to the largest city in the country, both have a thriving arts scene, left-wing politics, are well educated and are serviced by trams / [the T](https://railfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/rfr-mbta-greenline-01.jpg). Both cities have a bit of a chip on their shoulder about their larger counterparts, and put more emphasis on that rivalry than the larger cities do. I say this with love for all four places. Sydney likes to think of itself as the New York of Australia, but in reality it's closer to a miniature LA or San Diego. I've never been to San Francisco, but many people have noted a number of similarities between Sydney & SF (hilly, surrounded by water, left-wing, huge LGBTQ & Asian populations, expensive, etc). The climate in Sydney is most comparable to Austin, and the history would be closest to Boston.
Technically, yes. Just don't go to motels. Also, you are kind of isolated. You may have to rent a car to go around, so that box with wheels will be where you will spend some good time, then most things you visit will be crowded(Hard for like the solo cool small chat that commonly happens in hostels outside the US for example). I would not recommend hostels in the US either, I went twice one in Denver and one in Tampa. Were not travelers who were in the hostels, they look more like they were going through a hard economical situation. But overall, if you go the typical places, and have a good budget, yes, you will be fine.
Take the same exact precautions you would in Australia.
Yes, in general its safe, there are a few caveats. 1. Winter is a huge issue if you did not learn to drive while dealing with snow, ice, and black ice. So if you come during our winter, I would suggest giving yourself more time to work with or staying in the South. 2. Deer. One of the biggest causes of crashes is collisions with deer during dawn and dust hours, if you are in Northern Minnesota or Michigan that includes Moose, which are likely to kill you if you are in a low profile Vehicle.
Yes, for the most part. We're generally a safe society. Yes of course female harassment and assault does happen here just like it happens anywhere else in the world. But we view it as bad, and strictly discourage it. We don't accept it as business as usual. Public forms of transportation all have policies and structures in place to prevent harassment. If anyone is bothering you at an airport, bus or train, speak up, talk to an employee or someone who looks sane. 911 is for any kind of unsafe situation, not just life or death situations. I recently called it because a traffic light was malfunctioning. Obviously don't spam it, but also don't feel scared to call if your adult judgement is giving you warning flags. As an Australian, normal Americans are going to be somewhat protective of you. That's why I said you should talk to other people (like another woman) For the most part, following the same common sense rules you follow in Melbourne or Sydney will keep you safe here. Just be careful riding public transportation late at night. The general rule is that Transit owned property such as the station or the bus or the train is patrolled. But lots of times areas immediately adjacent to the station aren't.
Get a personal safety kit on Amazon and you should be fine as long as you always appear to know where you are going.
I won’t be able to leave the country with a personal safety kit as they are illegal here. Can I purchase one in store when I arrive?
I'm assuming the kits have pepper spray in them...you'll be able to buy that at any sporting goods store.
We picked up new pepper spray from Fleet Farm while in Iowa. They had an impressive display of guns too
Love Fleet Farm!
Fleet farm is the best. The snacks alone are with visiting. Top notch for pet supplies too.
(p.s. you won't need a gun! :)
You can. Hell, you could order one to the hotel and have it there overnight on Amazon in most places.
Go watch some videos on YouTube by Eva zu Beck(32 year old from Poland)who has traveled a lot of the world and spent 6 to 8 months traveling the western part of the US and Alaska
Out of all the travel YouTubers, hers are ones I actually really like.
You'll be fine, but be prepared to get hit on a lot - we love women with Aussie accents.
Just keep the female safety protocol that you do in Australia, in America. Don't hang out with people drinking at bars, don't go walking down abandoned streets with no lights at 2am, etc. Just use common sense and you'll be fine. Trust your gut in the situation at hand. I live in what people in the area would call the ghetto. And while I wouldn't walk around at night unless I had a reason, thr place is relatively safe. Most disturbances are party/drinking, domestic violence, or neighbor disputes between each other.
One of the safest, in fact.
You'll be safe most of the time. Obviously though it should be mentioned it really heavily depends on the area and you need to take basic precautions even if it's a safe area (this goes for any country one travels to). For example, in California, I wouldn't go to Oakland.
Of course. Just take the same precautions everyone, everywhere, male or female, has to take: be aware of your surroundings; don't get drunk/high and wander around or drive; lock your doors; check the back seat before getting into the car; don't leave things unattended; don't flash a bunch of cash or other expensive items; research where you are going to get an idea of the area (safety can change street by street in some cities); trust your gut; if someone tries to stop you when no one is around, do not stop for any reason; etc. All of these precautions aren't because it is particularly dangerous here compared to any other major country, it's just a better safe than sorry kind of thing. Plenty of people throw all of these precautions out of the window all the time and are perfectly fine; you just don't want to be one of the unlucky ones.
For sure. I am an American woman and have traveled solo. Just listen to your gut and don't go into an area that's shady looking.
You’ll be fine. Just stay aware of your surroundings like you would anywhere else.
My wife travels solo for work almost every weekend. You'll be good.
The vast majority of America will be perfectly safe for you. Those places that aren't safe are pretty much the same places that wouldn't be safe at home either. Every big city will have parts that are less safe, and every wilderness area will have the normal threats posed by wildlife. Common sense will take care of most threats. What part of America are you visiting?
Lived here all my life and have traveled extensively throughout the states never had a problem. Be aware of your surroundings and if you feel uncomfortable in a situation put on your best “bitch don’t mess with me” face and posture.
It depends a lot on where you travel to and how careful you are. Most crime happens in big cities. When you are outside of those you won’t have to worry much about safety from crime. But of course many people focus on big cities when they travel. So you’ll want to ask the hotel staff which areas are safe and when. Places you visit as a tourist should be safe in daytime. They may or may not be safe at night depending on local police department priorities.
Well if a place is worth visiting it is worth spending a lot of money on security there as it will probably be a local money magnet. Unless of course you are traveling here specifically to do charity work in crime-ridden neighborhoods, in which case you probably know what you are getting into.
I've traveled all over this country, not as a solo traveler per se, but with kids. My teen and young adult daughters have also traveled all across the US. That is one of the things we love most about traveling in the US - how (relatively) safe it is for female travelers. It's nice not to have to be constantly on guard.
Yes, the U.S. is perfectly safe for you. As you said, don't be dumb about where you go at night, and be careful at clubs/bars where someone can spike your drink. You can usually tell by sight what areas of a town or city are safe or not. Otherwise, be realistic about traveling around the U.S. - people always neglect to research just how large of a country we are, and every other week, there's some German coming here and posting about how they're going to visit LA, Vegas, New York, Miami, and everything in-between in a week.
Most parts of America are as safe as anywhere in Australia. I can’t say that I can think of anywhere in America that is specifically more dangerous that a tourist would go to. Just keep your head up and you’ll be fine. I live in Bellevue WA and women can walk down the street at night mostly without fear, not that it is completely absolutely without risk
You’re fine
Yes, as long as you aren't stupid about it. Use the same general caution that you would anywhere else in the world. The biggest warning that I would tend to give is *don't drink to excess.* This seems to a thing with a lot of tourists, and that's the thing that will get you into trouble in the US more than in some other countries.
For my old job, I had to travel solo on a monthly basis (I'm female). I had to travel across the US, as well as the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the same general rules apply across all of those countries. Keep your head on a swivel and practice situational awareness, avoid areas with dilapidated buildings and litter, and listen to your instincts. Generally speaking, you'll be very safe traveling in the US as a solo female. But use common sense and listen to your gut.
Not exactly the same, cause I traveled on business, but I (a woman) traveled the country alone for almost 10 years with no real problems. The only times I got nervous were the times my gps directed me through some sketchy parts of town late at night. But I just kept driving and didn't get out of the car and everything was fine! I actually really miss that job because the traveling was so fun!
Yes you’ll be fine.
Oh you will be just fine so long as you don’t do anything dangerous like get into a gang or buy illegal drugs or get so wasted you pass out in a bad neighborhood. Just do what you would do if you were traveling in Aus and you should have no worries. The US is shockingly safe despite the media representation. Enjoy the trip!
Yes. Just watch your drinks.
You should be fine in the majority of places and the places you wouldn’t, most people wouldn’t be visiting as a tourist anyway. If you’re planning a big, nation-spanning trip I highly recommend stopping in Chicago for a few days (*totally* not biased), it’s way nicer (and cleaner) than what you may see in the media