Solo Travel Adventures: Safe Travel for Women, Preparing for a Trip, Overcoming Fear, Travel Tips
Faith-Rooted Solo Travel for Christian Women Over 50
Have you found yourself in a season you didn’t choose?
Maybe your marriage ended.
Maybe you lost your spouse.
Maybe the house is suddenly quiet after years of raising a family.
And now you’re asking the question many Christian women over 50 quietly carry:
“Who am I now?”
Solo Travel Adventures is a podcast for Christian women navigating life after divorce, widowhood, empty nest, or unexpected transition — and who feel a quiet pull toward something new.
Hosted by solo travel coach Cheryl Esch, this show explores how solo travel can become a catalyst for renewed identity, restored confidence, and deeper trust in Christ.
Each week Cheryl shares faith-centered encouragement, practical solo travel guidance, and honest conversations about what it means to rebuild your life in midlife.
Inside this podcast you’ll discover:
• How to rebuild confidence after 50 and major life changes
• How solo travel and faith can help you hear God more clearly
• Practical steps to plan your first solo trip after 50
• Encouragement for Christian women navigating divorce, loss, or empty nest
• Stories and insights about reinventing yourself after 50 as a Christian woman
This isn’t just about travel.
It’s about becoming.
If you’re a Christian woman over 50 navigating life transition who feels the stirring for something more — a new chapter, a renewed sense of purpose, and the courage to step forward — you’re in the right place.
So pack your bags, open your heart, and come discover what God might do when you say yes to the journey.
https://www.cherylbeckesch.com
Instagram: @solotraveladventures50
Episodes
180 episodes
How Midlife Women Can Stop Fearing Judgment And Start Traveling Alone//179
We name the hidden thing that stops many midlife women from traveling alone: the fear of what other people will think. We reframe judgment, talk through the comments people make about safety and money, and share simple ways to choose ourselves ...
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Season 4
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Episode 179
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14:50
How to Choose Your Next Solo Trip in Midlife: Let Your Travel Dreams Reflect Who You’re Becoming // 178
When life suddenly grows quieter—when the schedule opens up, the house is still, and a new season begins—it can leave you wondering what comes next.In this reflective solo episode, Cheryl invites you to dust off the travel dreams you onc...
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Season 4
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Episode 178
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16:33
Freedom, Community, And The Rise Of The Solo Woman Traveler with Tracey Nesbitt // 177
Ever wondered how to travel solo without paying more for the privilege—or feeling alone on the road? We welcome Tracey Nesbitt, cofounder and editor at Solo Traveler, for a lively, practical deep dive into the rise of solo travel among women 50...
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Season 4
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Episode 177
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37:39
From Divorce To Discovery Through Travel // 176
The hardest part of divorce isn’t the paperwork.It’s waking up to a life that no longer feels familiar.Your name.Your routines.Your identity.And the question that whispers in the quiet:Who am I now?<...
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Season 4
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Episode 176
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14:34
What’s Really Stopping You From Booking That Solo Trip? (5 Identity Blocks) // 175
You feel the pull to travel alone.But something inside says, “That’s not me.”Not because you can’t.Because it feels unfamiliar.If you’ve ever thought:“It feels selfish to leave.”“I’m the responsible ...
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Season 4
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Episode 175
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9:25
How Solo Travel Builds Confidence After 50: Reclaim Your Courage One Trip at a Time // 174
What if confidence isn’t something you wait for—but something you build?In this episode, Cheryl explores how solo travel becomes a practical path to steady, grounded confidence for women over 50. From small starter trips to bigger advent...
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Season 4
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Episode 174
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16:44
12 Solo Date Ideas to Build Confidence Before Your First Solo Trip // 173
What if confidence for solo travel doesn’t start at the airport—but in your own town?In this episode, Cheryl shares 12 simple solo date ideas designed to build self-trust, independence, and ease in public spaces—so future solo travel fee...
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Season 4
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Episode 173
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14:04
Solo Travel or Traveling with Friends? How Women Over 50 Can Choose What’s Right // 172
Should you travel solo—or invite a friend along?If you’ve ever shared a dream trip idea only to have someone invite themselves, this episode will help you decide what truly fits your season, your personality, and your purpose.In t...
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Season 4
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Episode 172
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15:15
Can Purposeful Travel Change You More Than Therapy? Why Solo Trips Spark Real Life Shifts // 171
Have you ever come home from a trip feeling clearer, lighter, or suddenly certain about what needs to change?In this episode, Cheryl explores why purposeful travel often creates powerful life shifts—and why stepping into a new environmen...
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Season 4
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Episode 171
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13:49
How Solo Travel Becomes a Turning Point: Real Stories of Courage, Healing, and Renewal // 170
Have you ever heard another woman’s story and thought, If she can do that, maybe I can too?In this episode, Cheryl revisits four powerful stories from women who discovered that solo travel can become more than a trip—it can beco...
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Season 4
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Episode 170
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18:37
Empty Nest After 50: How Solo Travel Helps You Rediscover Your Next Chapter // 169
What happens when the house grows quiet — and you’re left wondering who you are now?The empty nest season can feel freeing… and disorienting. After decades of caregiving, coordinating, and putting others first, many women find themselves...
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Season 4
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Episode 169
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21:59
Healing Through Solo Travel: Rebuilding Confidence After Divorce or Loss // 168
What if your next solo trip wasn’t just a vacation — but part of your healing?In this deeply personal episode, Cheryl shares how a two-week solo journey after divorce became the beginning of something far bigger than she expected. What s...
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Season 4
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Episode 168
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14:28
How to Plan Your Dream Trip in 2026 (Stop Waiting for the “Right Time”) // 167
Are you still waiting for the perfect time to take that dream trip?For many women, travel goals sit quietly on a bucket list year after year. Not because we don’t want them — but because life feels uncertain, responsibilities feel heavy,...
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Season 4
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Episode 167
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11:12
7 Safe & Underrated Solo Travel Destinations for Women in 2026 // 166
Where should you travel in 2026 — especially as a solo woman over 50?Travel trends are shifting. Crowded European hotspots are cooling down. More women are choosing meaningful, less touristy destinations that offer safety, infrastructure...
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Season 4
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Episode 166
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34:11
5 Hard Truths About Solo Travel for Women Over 50 (And How to Handle Them) // 165
Solo travel is beautiful—but it’s not always glamorous.Behind the dreamy photos and bucket-list destinations, there are realities that don’t make the highlight reel. In this episode, Cheryl shares five honest truths about solo travel so ...
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Season 4
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Episode 165
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20:24
First-Time Cruise Guide for Women: Is Cruising Worth It for Solo Travelers? // 164
Is cruising worth it—especially if you usually prefer independent travel?In this episode, Cheryl shares her first cruise experience sailing out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and visiting five Caribbean islands in seven days. She offers an ho...
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Season 4
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Episode 164
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18:30
How to Pack a Capsule Wardrobe for an 11-Day Trip (Simple 5-4-3-2-1 Method for Women) // 163
Packing for an 11-day trip doesn’t have to feel chaotic, heavy, or overwhelming.In this episode, Cheryl shares a simple, repeatable packing system that blends capsule wardrobe principles with the practical 5-4-3-2-1 method—so you can tra...
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Season 4
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Episode 163
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17:48
Travel Trends for 2026: Purposeful, Slower, and Smarter Trips for Women // 162
Travel in 2026 isn’t about rushing back to crowded hotspots. It’s about choosing experiences with intention, calm, and clarity.In this episode, Cheryl explores the biggest travel trends shaping 2026—and how women over 50 can turn them in...
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Season 4
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Episode 162
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14:44
Why Do You Travel? How to Define Your Purpose Before You Book // 161
Why do you travel?Before choosing a destination, booking a flight, or building an itinerary, this single question can reshape everything.In this episode, Cheryl reflects on 100,000 downloads and three years of Solo Travel Adventur...
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Season 4
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Episode 161
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17:50
How to Build a Travel Bucket List That Actually Leads to Meaningful Adventures // 160
What if your travel bucket list wasn’t a scoreboard—but a compass?In this episode, Cheryl shares a fresh approach to creating a travel bucket list that reflects your season of life, your energy, and your deeper purpose. Instead of chasin...
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Season 3
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Episode 160
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18:49
Is It Safe to Travel Right Now? How to Decide During Shutdowns or Global Conflict // 159
Should you still travel when the news feels uncertain?From government shutdowns to global conflicts, headlines can create hesitation—especially for solo women travelers. In this episode, Cheryl walks through how to travel with discernmen...
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Season 3
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Episode 159
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12:45
How Travel Changes Your Brain: The Science of Awe, Healing, and Lasting Confidence // 158
What if travel doesn’t just change your scenery—but actually rewires your brain and body?In this episode, Cheryl explores the science behind awe and why moments of wonder—whether on a mountaintop, in a quiet museum, or walking through an...
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Season 3
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Episode 158
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13:18
Holiday Travel After Divorce or Empty Nest: Rewriting Traditions as a Solo Woman // 157
The holidays can feel heavy when your life doesn’t look the way it used to.If you’re navigating divorce, widowhood, or an empty nest, the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s can bring grief, loneliness, and the ache of changed tr...
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Season 3
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Episode 157
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19:50
Active Group Travel for Women: Why Adventure Tours Are Rising for Solo Travelers with Avery Hale-Smith // 156
Could guided group travel be your next brave step?In this episode, Cheryl sits down with Avery Hale-Smith, Chief Experience Officer at Backroads, to explore how active, guided adventures are changing the way women experience travel aroun...
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Season 3
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Episode 156
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36:14
How to Choose Your Next Trip: 6 Meaningful Ways to Pick a Destination // 155
Overwhelmed by too many travel possibilities?Choosing your next destination can feel exciting—and paralyzing. In this episode, Cheryl shares six distinct approaches to picking your next getaway, from playful spontaneity to deeply intenti...
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Season 3
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Episode 155
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20:54