Imagine you’re going to Madrid and you’d like someone to join you for a tapas bar crawl or a day at the Prado museum…but you don’t know anyone in Madrid and have never been there before. In fact, the idea of landing in such a big city and being completely on your own is a bit daunting. Still, you have always wanted to go there and aren’t ready to give up the idea. 

When I first started thinking of traveling more, I immediately began to make a list of places I could go where I knew someone. Or, I’d try to find someone to go with me. It never occurred to me that I could go on my own. But I was constantly frustrated because it was really hard to match up schedules with a friend. 

One weekend, I was in Newport Beach, California to meet up with a cousin and her friends to celebrate her fortieth birthday. I arrived in Newport and went first to the boardwalk to explore and have a coffee. As I sat there, alone, feeling the ocean breeze in my hair and the sun on my face, I realized that I was perfectly content. Then, a few people sitting nearby started a conversation with me. I found myself having a great time chatting with total strangers. Unbidden, the thought came to me: I could actually be fine totally on my own anywhere in the world. That was the beginning of my solo travel adventures. Sometimes it’s lonely - but that’s always temporary.

And today, there’s no reason to be alone unless I just want to be. If you’ve been thinking about traveling but don’t want to travel alone, I’m excited to share with you about Wanderful, a community of female travelers and explorers around the world. In fact, the Wanderful community is exclusively comprised of identity-verified and vetted female members. 

We've got a Wanderful membership giveaway - be sure to read the details at the end of this article.

What exactly is Wanderful?

“Wanderful is a global membership community for women who travel.”

Membership in Wanderful gains you access to:

* International Identity verified social network
* Host or stay in the home of another Wanderful woman
* Access to trips
* Attend events around the world in global chapters
* Deals and perks with travel partners
* Message and meet up with other travelers

Wanderful is a place where members can meet both online and in person, to exchange information, ideas, and tips about travel.

I’m most excited about the recently launched home sharing community. If you need a place to stay and want to meet local women, being part of Wanderful can make that a reality for you. Meet and stay with other female travelers who are interested in living a fuller richer life through travel, just like you.

As a member, you can sign up to be a host, guide, or just enjoy meeting other members.

How does it work?

Wanderful is a membership-only community. The benefits? How about being connected to like-minded travelers, no matter where you are. How about 24/7 access to a community that helps women to stay safe while traveling, discussion forums, in person meet ups in over 22 cities, special travel discounts, an annual conference, and exclusive trips and experiences. 

If you are passionate about travel and want to engage with others who are, join the Wanderful community today.

AND A Giveaway!

We've partnered with Wanderful to give away 10 (!!) memberships, a $119 value.

Leave a comment below about what you love about travel, and we'll randomly pick 10 winners. (Thanks, Wanderful!)

Penny Sadler, our Style/Travel Editor, travels for wine, food, and beauty. She plans to visit every major wine region in California, Italy, and beyond sometime before the end of the 21st century. Find her online at Adventures of a Carryon.