Whether you’re traveling or not, it’s always important to keep safety in mind, especially if you’re traveling by yourself. I wanted to share some safety tips that I’ve been using and some I’ve come across recently. There might be an air of paranoia but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

· Research where you’re going

This is at the top because this should be done before any flights are booked.

Most of the time when you’re traveling, you’ll be visiting a place you’ve never been before. It’s important to know where you’re going. Sometimes itineraries on Tiktoks and Instagram Reels are not enough to prepare you for your visit.

Look at the country’s or city’s laws. Some may seem out of the ordinary but you will pay the consequences if you break them. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want to be in jail, especially in a place I’m unfamiliar with.

Find out if there is certain attire you can or cannot wear. For instance, in most Caribbean islands it’s illegal to wear type of camouflage print because it mimics what the military wears.

Bonus Tip: Make sure where you’re traveling is safe to visit.
For U.S. citizens/nationals, you can sign up for the STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program). You add your trip to be enrolled with the nearest U.S. Embassy of the country you’re visiting. It will alert you of any travel advisories for the places you plan to travel to.

· Share your itinerary with someone you trust

If you’re traveling somewhere, especially solo, let a family member or a close friend know where you’ll be. Preferably this is someone you trust who isn’t going on the trip but they know where you are at all times. That’s why it’s important to pre-plan when you can.

On cruise ships, they always ask for an emergency contact of someone who is not on the ship with you so they can notify someone in case something has happened on the ship. Keep this in mind with all types of travel.

· Share your location and/or rideshare link

A sub-set of sharing your itinerary (or if you didn’t pre-plan) is to share your location. If you use a rideshare, you can share a link of the ride with someone and they can see who your driver is and know where you are in your route.

· Get a wallet belt to put under your clothes

Getting a money belt or a bra wallet to put under your clothes is something I’d suggest if you’re worried about being pick-pocketed. I wore a money belt in New Orleans and Mexico and it felt secure. I didn’t feel like I was going to get pick-pocketed in general but I liked the extra layer of security.

· Be aware of your surroundings

This goes for everyday life so especially keep this in mind when you’re traveling. Always be aware of your surroundings. If something doesn’t feel right or seems unsafe, go back the other way or somewhere else. Stay alert.

Hotel room safety tips

We covered some basic safety tips and now I wanted to share a few hotel room safety tips.

· Cover peephole

My mom always made sure to take tissue, a napkin, or a paper towel and stick it in the hotel room peephole. Some people will try to look in from the other side.

· Cover bottom of room/connecting room door with towel

There have been cases of people putting a slim camera in the room underneath the door or trying to unlock the door from the inside by snaking a thin wire and hook underneath the door. The towel will provide a barrier and prevent this from happening.

· Check for hidden cameras

Remember when different news stories were going around about cameras in Airbnbs? Well, that’s why this tip is on the list. They’re not just in Airbnbs, though. There are people who put hidden cameras in hotels as well. Just be sure to check. This article by USA Today should provide a little more information.

· Check for secret doors

There has apparently been some hotels that have secret doors that lead to tunnels (see this New York Post article about someone finding a secret door in their hotel wardrobe). This may be me overthinking things or an overactive imagination but this extremely scary. If you come across a strange square or rectangle outline, request to move rooms (maybe even consider going to a different hotel).

· Check for bed bugs

Health still falls under safety in my opinion. If where you’re staying has fabric headboards or sofas, it’s important to check for bed bugs because they tend to settle in the fabric. Bed bugs can end up infesting suitcases and you would have to get rid of everything in it, including the suitcase itself. It’s important to always bring a disinfectant or sanitize spray not just for bed bugs, but to kill any lingering bacteria.

Travel Safety Items

We covered our tips and so here a few items I think would be good to have for extra security and safety:

• Door Stop Alarm

This can be used in the hotel or any place you’re staying in case someone tries to open your door. It will alert you with a loud alarm.

• Portable Door Lock

This is to add an extra layer of locking for your door.

• Carbon Monoxide Monitor

This is to alert of carbon monoxide in the air which is toxic and can be hard to detect by smell. Read this post on CarbonMonoxide.com to see how it can be harmful if undetected.

These are all of the things I hope you consider on your next trip. I could be paranoid on some but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Under 30 Experiences also recently shared a plethora of travel safety tips that you should definitely check out. I was so happy to see some of mine on their list!

If you have an safety tips, share them with your fellow overthinkers in the comments below!