101 Self-Care Tips For Female Travelers to Help Feel Their Best

Yes, 101!! With a little help from friends, I’ve come up with 101 self-care tips for female travelers. I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate the official 101st blog post on She Goes With Purpose.

So, read on and follow the self-care tips that resonate with you or apply to your life – before, during, and after travel. Future-you will be very happy.

Self-Care in the Age of Treat Yo’Self

Real quick side note.

If you know me, you know I like to have treat yo’self moments a la Tom and Donna on Parks and Rec pretty regularly.

However, you’ll see in the list below that not all self-care actions are as luxurious as Donna’s or Tom’s. In fact, none of them involve eating fish previously owned by celebrities (you have to watch the video to get this reference). I don’t judge them for their style of self-care, though, and I wouldn’t judge you!

My point is that sometimes self-care can look a lot like being a responsible adult. Making plans for the future, thinking about finances and your health, etc. Or it can look like a trip to Beverly Hills with your equally extravagant best friend. It’s all an act of self-care.

Self-Care Tips For Female Travelers Before You Travel

1. First of all, travel IS self-care. So, you’re off to a great start!
2. Get your finances and travel budget in order. Make sure to have enough money for your trip, your bills for the time you’re away, and (if you’re really on top of it) your bills for next month.
3. Research everything you want to know about your destination. What’s the local culture like? How are women treated in the destination? Look for the answers to all your questions in guide books and travel blogs.
4. Thoroughly research accommodations before booking. Check for cleanliness, distance from sights and activities on your bucket list, what amenities are available, etc.
5. If you plan to travel for a month or longer, talk to your doctors about your upcoming trip. Discuss your physical and mental health, and stock up on medications like birth control, antidepressants, etc.
6. Make appointments to get the proper vaccinations needed in your destination. Sometimes, they require multiple visits or need to be taken a certain amount of time before you travel.
7. Pack your daily vitamins and immunity supplements in a pill case. And don’t forget to take them! From @vagariouswanderer
8. Journal. From @mydebstinations Write about how you feel about the upcoming trip. Jot down apprehensions or fears you have. Or questions you want to find answers to.
9. Let someone at home know your plans. Share with them your itinerary and leave them a copy of your passport.
10. Save digital copies of your passport, license, yellow vaccination card, visas, etc. Save them in a non-descript Google Drive folder.
11. Also, make physical copies to carry with you on your trip, somewhere separate from the originals.
12. Plan your trips for shoulder seasons – the slower, less crowded times of the year. It’s a more pleasant and sustainable way to visit popular tourist destinations.
13. Don’t book any activities for the day of your arrival or departure. Those are travel days, not vacation days. If everything goes smoothly, anything you end up doing on those days is a bonus!
14. If you experience painful gas on airplanes, stick to a strict pre-flight diet to prevent it. From @mywanderlustylife
15. If you’re traveling with friends, openly discuss your expectations and boundaries of the upcoming trip. Everyone should be on the same page.
16. Plan as much as you need to feel comfortable. If that means booking all your accommodations, making reservations, purchasing tickets for activities, etc – do it. Or plan the bare minimum and wing it. It’s up to you, it’s your trip!
17. Pack a small first aid kit. My Ultimate Healthy Travel Kit is a first aid kit for the body and the mind.
18. Pack a travel-friendly sheet mask to help you unwind during your first night at your destination.
19. Find out if the tap water is safe to drink in your destination. If not, pack a self-filtering reusable water bottle like LifeStraw or GRAYL to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.
20. Don’t pack too many things “just in case.” If you actually need something while you’re away, you can get it once you’re there. Or just manage without it.
21. Set realistic expectations. Setting them too high can lead to extreme disappointment.
22. Invest in a good VPN for your phone and laptop if you plan to bring it and use unprotected public Wifi. Learn how to use it before you go! 
23. Pack the self-care items you need for the menstrual cycle phase(s) you will be in while you’re traveling.
24. Purchase travel insurance! Enough said, you just need it.
25. Before you leave your home, prepare it for your return. Put clean sheets on your bed, tidy up your living space, and prepare for your return to work and your regular routine.
26. Have a frozen meal ready to easily feed yourself when you return. No need to worry about making a trip to the grocery store after traveling for 32 hours. My go-to is a frozen pizza.
27. Wear your favorite, most comfortable clothes on the plane (or train, car, etc). I live in hoodies at home and never leave for a trip without one.

Self-Care Tips For Female Travelers While You’re Traveling

1. First of all, keep up with the self-care routine you normally practice at home as best as you can. Modify things if you have to – don’t just let them go.
2. Ground yourself in your new place. Touch the earth with your bare feet (or your hands if you prefer), and meditate on (a fancy way of saying think about) what it means to you to be there.
3. Don’t judge a new city on your preconceived notions of what it “should” be like. Enjoy it for what it is.
4. Before accessing public Wifi in your destination, turn on your VPN to protect your devices from hackers.
5. Even if the tap water is safe to drink in the country, ask about the tap water at your accommodation specifically. The building’s plumbing might be old! This happened to me in Riga, Latvia.
6. If the tap water is unsafe to drink in your destination, don’t brush your teeth with it and try not to get any in your mouth while showering either.
7. Travel with a tiny diffuser and lavender oil to diffuse in your room to relax. From @marnely_murray
8. To quickly adjust to a new time zone, as hard as it may be, do not take a nap. Keep yourself awake as long as possible, and go to bed at a time fit for a toddler if you must. You’ll wake up closer to the local time, and feel well-rested instead of struggling to keep up.
9. Accept that all the planning you did before your trip might be thrown out the window. Expect last-minute changes and allow for some flexibility.
10. Carry a reusable water bottle and drink as MUCH water as possible. From @marnely_murray The root of most ailments is dehydration.
11. Limit your caffeine intake. Too much can cause anxiety and prevent you from sleeping well at night. Don’t drink any coffee or caffeinated tea or soft drinks after 1-2 pm.
12. Also, limit your alcohol consumption while you travel. Too much can compromise your immune system and prevent you from fully resting while you sleep.
13. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, try melatonin (talk to your doctor first) or lavender-scented lotion or essential oil to help make you feel sleepy.
14. Block out the light with a sleep mask and noise with earplugs.
15. Try to keep the same bedtime routine you practice at home.
16. Drink your favorite herbal tea to relax and unwind during a midday break or before bed. I keep some in my Ultimate Healthy Travel Kit and always carry a travel coffee mug just for this reason.
17. Go to your stash of Smooth Move or mint tea,
18. Get up for at least one sunrise every trip. From @vagariouswanderer who says she is “most at peace watching the sun paint the sky beautiful colors.”
19. If you need something to make your stay more comfortable, ask your accommodation if they can provide it for you. An extra pillow or blanket? A room with a bathtub?
20. If you’re traveling with others, carve out some time for solitude. It could be a solo early morning coffee run or sunrise walk, or even an entire day to yourself to do what you want. 
21. Don’t over-schedule your days. Plan 1-2 must-do activities per day of your trip. Everything else you do will be a bonus!
22. Getting hung up on things you can’t control, like late trains or bad weather, will stress you out. So, don’t do it. Have a backup plan or just go with the flow.
23. If you get lost, find the closest hotel and ask for assistance.
24. Give yourself space to change your mind and change your plans.
25. Cook most of your meals at your accommodation. This will save lots of money in the long run, and the food will probably be more nutritious.
26. Have at least one scheduled “day off.” Don’t plan any activities for the day. Instead, use the day to sleep in or continue exploring. Play it by ear. It’s a day to unwind and reset in whatever way you need to at that moment. From @vagariouswanderer
27. Journal during. From @mydebstinations Write about your trip as it happens. Make note of how you feel, things you do, observations you make, places and dishes you eat, and people you meet along the way. Include everything – the good and bad.
28. In your journal, include a daily gratitude list. Acknowledge the privilege you have to even be where you are.
29. Use Google Maps to mark all the places you visit and the businesses you use. It will be helpful later, especially if you aren’t into documenting your trip in a journal.
30. Carry snacks like granola bars, nuts, or fresh fruit with you to munch on in between meals for sustained energy.
31. Make regular stops throughout your day to refuel (snack) and relax. Sit on a bench in a park or grab a seat at a cafe for a quick pit stop a couple of times a day. All you need is 15-20 minutes.
32. Get noise-canceling headphones – comfortable ones! From @nikibi6 Use them to block out the noise of airplanes and get some actual rest on the flight or just get some “alone time” in the middle of a crowd.
33. Treat yourself (Treat Yo’Self!) to a few indulgences you don’t normally while at home. A massage, a spa day, an expensive meal, a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Just do it.
34. Share your thoughts and feelings with your travel companions, and encourage them to do the same. Don’t bottle them up!
35. Take way more photos than you need to! You’ll appreciate them for years down the road.
36. However, practice mindfulness and be present, as well. Put your camera away once the moment has been captured. 
37. Plan some of your activities for around sunset. Like ferry rides, tower climbs, rooftop drinks, etc. Soak in all that beauty (for FREE!).
38. Choose to walk whenever possible. It’s built-in exercise, and you’ll see the destination at a slower pace and in a lot more detail.
39. Stretch your muscles every single day! It helps you stay limber and gets your circulation going.
40. Or even better, do a quick yoga sequence in your hotel room every day. Search for “hotel room yoga” or “travel yoga” on YouTube.
41. Get off the beaten path. See and do things that most visitors don’t.
42. Ask locals where they like to eat and what they like to do in the city that you’re visiting. 
43. Do something that scares you. It can be anything out of your comfort zone – it will be different for everyone.
44. Check-in with someone at home once a day (or every couple of days at least!) via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or another messaging system.
45. Send postcards to family and friends. Taking the time to write and send a physical note to someone you care about deepens your bond from afar.
46. Read inspiring and empowering books like Becoming by Michelle Obama or The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown.
47. If you’re traveling alone and want some company, there are lots of ways to meet people while you travel.
48. Pet and play with animals that you meet while traveling. Stick to the friendly ones and always ask the owner if it’s ok to interact with their pet.
49. If you don’t feel like doing anything one day, then don’t! Eating room service while watching a movie in bed is an acceptable (occasional) travel activity.
50. Most importantly, do what you want, when you want, and without any kind of guilt. I mean, unless it’s harmful to yourself, or others, or animals, or the environment. Then I suggest you not do it.

Self-Care Tips For Female Travelers After You Get Home

1. Plan an extra day off from work after you return from a trip. Give yourself that little bit of extra time to decompress, unpack, clean up, rest, and do whatever you need to feel ready for the real world again.
2. Take an Epsom salt bath. Your body might be sore from walking 20,000 steps a day and carrying your luggage around. 
3. Read through the before and during travel sections of your journal. Did your apprehensions manifest? Were your questions answered?
4. Journal after. From @mydebstinations This time to reflect. Did the trip change you or your perspective on something like an activity you did or even the place you visited?
5. If you’re a regular journaler, read through older ones. Make note of any similarities or differences in yourself on past trips.
6.  Proudly and quickly display the souvenirs you picked up on your trip. Don’t let them get packed away. Whenever you see them you’ll think about the trip, and that should be often!
7. If you’re the type to buy souvenirs to use rather than look at, then use them right away! Did you bring a bottle of wine back from Italy? Pop that bottle and enjoy it! No special occasion necessary.
8. Leave reviews for the businesses and services you used and loved on your trip. This helps travelers find those businesses and helps the businesses continue to provide for even more travelers.
9. Stay connected to the places you’ve been by reading books about or set in those destinations.
10. Unpack your luggage and do a load of laundry right away when you get back from a trip. Don’t put it off!
11. After you unpack, put your suitcase out in the sunshine for a few hours. Ultraviolet rays from the sun may help kill bacteria. From @marnely_murray
12. You may feel cravings for some good old fashioned comfort food that you couldn’t find where you just returned from. Indulge in a heaping pile of macaroni and cheese!
13. Incorporate some local dishes you had while traveling into your regular meal rotation at home. After traveling to Belize, I regularly make Belizean stew beans at home, and it brings me right back there.
14. Plan your next trip to somewhere you’ve never been before. Growth comes from getting out of your comfort zone and experiencing new things.
15. Alternatively, plan a trip to somewhere you’ve been before and love deeply. However, plan different activities, eat at different restaurants, and see the destination from a new perspective.
16. “When I found myself waking up early because of jet lag, I used it to my advantage and trained myself to naturally awake early. Now, I’m up around 7 am without an alarm and I’m way more productive and alert than I used to be.” From The Professional Hobo
17. If you normally travel with friends, family, or a partner, plan a solo trip for yourself. You will gain so much confidence and clarity from the solitude and being the sole decision-maker.
18. Take stock of your travel gear and tend to it. Repair anything that’s damaged or get replacements. I’m thinking of those who hike or camp frequently. Be prepared for future trips instead of surprised by a leaky tent.
19. Are you a travel blogger? Write a blog about how you were impacted by your recent trip in addition to all the travel tips you want to share with your audience. This demonstrates a deeper connection to the destination and will be inspiring to those reading it.
20. Pass along the good feelings you have about a place to someone new by sharing your recommendations with friends who are planning a trip to somewhere you’ve been. Use the Google Map that you saved to while you were traveling! 😉
21. Touch base with your travel buddies regularly to reminisce about your trip together.
22. Find a community of travel-loving women to connect with while you’re not traveling. I’ve been a member of Wanderful for years!
23. Stay in touch with new friends you made connections with while traveling. Connect with them on social media and regularly check in with them. Send them a postcard from your hometown.
24. Keep the adventurous feeling of travel alive at home by looking at your hometown from a visitor’s perspective. Do things that you consider to be “touristy” and wouldn’t normally do.

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