Before I took my first solo trip to Canada in 2011, I did an old-fashioned Google search. Yes. I had social media. But I had no idea I could use it to research trips . . .

Fast forward to 2023.

Half the time, I pick out the next place I want to wander via Instagram. I will still do my research, but it’s nice to see stunning photos of camping spots or little towns in a random country. But just like you, I have fallen victim to seeing these unique places with happy, wander-lusting people enjoying the “good life.”

But social media lacks one thing when it comes to traveling . . .

Rawness.

When I first started to travel, I didn’t know there was a community of travelers. I only traveled once a year if I was really lucky, and I made shit up as I went. All I knew was I wanted to travel and find somewhere I belonged. Fast forward to years later, and I finally found a place I belonged: my yoga and aerial community. I never had that level of support from a group of people before that.

Until I started to travel more…..

When I was writing 7 Lessons I've Learned Since Creating Wandering Bel, I needed to add one more lesson, so I turned to my cousin and asked him. A few days later, I got a text:

"You can't expect yourself from other people."

I loved his suggestion, but it was a bit late to add it. It got me thinking about adding that lesson to this series, though. I mentioned this quote briefly in the “Important Things I Have Learned from Solo Traveling: How to Date Yourself” post, but let’s go over it more in-depth now.

As I mentioned in my post, “Things I have learned from Solo Traveling: Hostels”, not all hostels are created the same. However, there are a few tips that work for me when I stay at hostels.

Are you on the fence about staying in a hostel? Read on for some tips that will help put you at ease.

I experienced my first hostel on my first solo trip to Canada when I was 22 and about to turn 23. I quickly learned staying in Canada was expensive, and the cheapest hotel was still $125, not including tax. I was 23, working two or three summer jobs in rural Pennsylvania, and paying for grad school, and I couldn’t afford the 400-dollar hotel.

My aunt suggested a hostel, so I googled to see if one was in Niagara Falls. Indeed, there was one. Sadly, that place is closed now.

And that’s how my love affair with hostels began! Even now, in my mid-30s, I still try to stay in hostels because they feel like home to me.

I love the concept of dating yourself because people typically need to spend more time with themselves to know who they are. We are so hyper-focused on other people that we don't give ourselves the time of day.

I have a highly complex relationship with the word trust to the point that it is tattooed on my arm as a daily reminder. If you want to hear the crazy story about this tattoo, check out my post “Why It's a Great Idea to Get a Tattoo with a Random Stranger in Denver, Colorado.”

I am one of those people who used to trust everyone at a younger age . . . until I realized I couldn't. I learned the hard way multiple times, opening up to "friends" about my life to discover they judge, spread rumors, or disclose personal information to others. Every time I opened up, my ass was handed to me, to the point that it was hard for me to trust at all.

Welcome to Cherry Blossom season!

Cherry Blossom Season runs from March 20 to April 12, 2026. Before I share the fascinating history of these beautiful trees and my top 7 tips, I want to highlight some major events you won't want to miss during the season!

Full disclosure here; I am not the biggest Denver fan. I first explored Denver in July 2020, extending my trip to Colorado after visiting Telluride. I spent three days in the city and made the most of it.

Since then, whenever I returned to Colorado, I spent a few days in Denver before returning to DC. After my week in Telluride, I decided to spend a week in Denver to see if I could enjoy this city more.

These are the places I have been going to since 2020.

I really love exploring outside of Denver, but if you are looking for things to do in Denver, you should check out the 9 places I usually go! They are always worth visiting.

In this post, I will discuss places to eat and drink. This post will only cover the places I have been to and loved in Telluride.

I have been to Telluride in the fall, winter, and summer months. Each season in this town has moments of fun, adventure, and beauty, but my favorite will always be winter. In this post, I will tell you all my snow activities and some suggestions for other ideas if you aren’t a snow bunny like me.

Kanab, Utah, is filled with fantastic places to hike, camp, or tour, and it’s worth visiting if you get a chance. Follow my tips to have an experience that’s even better than mine on your next solo trip to Utah, and remember always to leave no trace.

Tips and Trips to Successfully Camp, Hike, and Tour Page, Arizona!

This post will lay out where I camped and what I did in May of 2022 while in Sedona, Arizona. These tips and tricks will help you have a great time when you head out there.

My top things you should do in London, if you only have three days!

My food tips for eating around Copenhagen, Denmark!

As I mentioned in my post, The Troubles of a Solo Traveler in Islamorada: A Fiasco at Sunset, I decided to go to Homestead, Florida, since there were two National Parks within 30 minutes from there, and it was close to the Florida Keys. This post will give you more background on my trip and my travel review of Homestead, the Keys, and South Beach/ Miami.

I had three main goals on this trip to Florida, besides not catching Covid, and they were:

Biscayne National Park

Everglades National Park

Snorkeling (Praying I would see a shark!)

And I achieved all my goals! 

In this post, I will discuss all my snorkeling trips, where I went, how much I paid then, and if it was worth it. I will also discuss the mishaps, my combined love and fear of snorkeling, and the importance of taking care of the ocean…..

After work one afternoon, I headed to the preserve, which was about an hour away. The drive was pretty straightforward until I saw I was driving straight into a massive thunderstorm. I debated just turning around but stuck it out and finally made it to the preserve.

Once I got to the visitor center, I saw it was closed, and they had modified hours because of Covid. Outside the Big Cypress visitor center, though, is a boardwalk where you can walk and see alligators. When I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a family with their cat on a leash. I didn’t think too much about this situation; I ran into them later. While walking the boardwalk, I saw more alligators than at the Everglades; there were like ten or so just hanging out on the grass and in the water below the boardwalk…..