Deeper, more immersive travel experiences to get out of our comfort zones

Ask any solo traveller why she travels and there will be two parts to her answer.  Naturally, we travel because we are curious about the world and want to learn about different countries and regions. But as mature solo travellers, there’s even more of an opportunity for us to go deeper, to truly immerse ourselves in a place, whether it’s a mid-sized city or a small village in a remote area.

The need for cultural immersion came out frequently in our most recent reader survey. Most women said they plan to travel for longer periods of time in 2025, and are seeking more immersive experiences, including art, history and food but also community-focused events that give us more insight into culture and traditions.  Many of our readers are retired, make their own travel decisions and are able to travel independently (in fact, only 16% of our survey respondents said they are married).

Delving into another culture allows us to see the world from another perspective, to challenge our own beliefs and cultivate empathy and understanding for others.  This isn’t about sightseeing, it’s about being a part of something, with a deeper level of engagement with the local community. It’s also a more sustainable way to travel, since we can focus on supporting local, small-scale businesses like a cooking class, day trip or housesitting. By being part of the community, we can understand the cultural context of what is happening and not just observe it from afar.

In response to your request, we’ve developed a new series of webinars for 2025 that allow for more sharing and learning from a broader range of participants, including experts from our Women’s Travel Directory but also women from within our own readership with extensive travel experiences around the world. Who better to learn from than ourselves, from our first-hand experiences?

2025 Webinar Schedule (January – May 2025)

In 2024, our webinars focused on less-travelled places within regions and countries. This year, we will focus on topics that help us immerse ourselves in a place, with a mindset of embracing the world not as tourists, but as travellers. In doing so, we’ll cover a range of countries and places to inspire travel, from women who have been there and can share first-hand experiences and advice. 

Our webinars will continue to be held on the last Tuesday of each month, however, to allow for more participation, we are moving to an evening timeslot at 7 pm ET. More details on speakers will be provided closer to each date.  All webinars will be recorded and shared on our website and YouTube channel for those who can not attend in person. 

These webinars are offered to all women at no charge, but we are asking for your support to pay our hosts and team who help produce these. Please consider supporting our efforts to help women travel safely and well here. 

We will continue to offer webinars on topics such as women’s safety and cybersecurity as well as those sponsored by women-friendly businesses in our Women’s Travel Directory to share new trips and experiences for women.

• JANUARY 2025: Festivals to Travel For, on Tuesday, January 28, 7 pm ET. Hosted by Carolyn Ray, JourneyWoman Editor. Learn about unique, community-based celebrations, including art, cultural, music and natural phenomenons, with advice on how to plan your travels at home and abroad. Tuesday, January 28, 7 pm ET: Sign up here.
• FEBRUARY 2025: Culinary Travel, on Tuesday, February 25, 7 pm ET. Learn about ways to dive deep into local food and culture, with advice on how to plan your travels at home and abroad. Hosted by Maureen Littlejohn, our Culinary Travel writer. Sign up here.
• MARCH 2025: Ancestry Travel: Finding Your Roots: Tuesday, March 25, 7 pm ET. Hosted by Kathy Buckworth, JourneyWoman our Multi-generational Travel writer. Learn how to explore your genealogy and uncover your family history, with advice on how to plan your travels at home and abroad. Sign up here. 
• APRIL 2025:  Lesser-Known UNESCO World Heritage Sites on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 7 pm ET: Hosted by Carolyn Ray, JourneyWoman Editor. Learn about culturally significant ancient ruins, historical structures, monuments, mountains and wilderness areas, with advice on how to plan your travels at home and abroad. Sign up here. 
• MAY 2025: Lesser-Known National Parks Around the World on May 27,  7 pm ET: Hosted by Jennifer Bain, our Adventure Travel writer. Learn about captivating areas, featuring wildlife, nature, and landmarks, with advice on how to plan your travels at home and abroad. Sign up here.

Have questions or ideas for additional webinars? Email Carolyn Ray at [email protected].

Learn more About Immersive Travel