How to find places to travel to

Recently, someone asked me how I decide where to go when I’m planning a trip — especially when I’m traveling solo. It’s a great question, because choosing where to go isn’t just about inspiration for me. It’s about efficiency, awareness, and setting myself up to feel comfortable from the moment I arrive.

I’ve learned that the more familiar I am with a place before I go, the less time I spend feeling disoriented or uncertain once I’m there. I don’t want to land and then start asking myself whether I chose the right neighborhood, how to get around safely, or what areas to avoid. I want to arrive already oriented enough to enjoy the experience.

That’s where a few review and travel-planning apps have become part of my routine.

Why I Use Travel Review Apps Before I Go

I don’t use these tools to plan every minute of a trip. I use them to build context.

Seeing where other people stayed, how they moved around, what felt easy or challenging, and what stood out to them helps me understand a destination beyond glossy photos. It allows me to notice patterns — which neighborhoods feel walkable, which attractions are actually worth the time, and where solo travelers tend to feel comfortable.

That kind of insight saves me time, money, and energy once I’m on the ground.

How Tripadvisor Helps Me Get Oriented Quickly

Tripadvisor is usually one of the first places I look when I’m researching a destination. What I find most useful isn’t the rankings themselves — it’s the reviews.

I pay close attention to recent reviews and often scan for comments from solo travelers or women. I look for mentions of walkability, public transportation access, lighting at night, and how people felt moving around on their own. When multiple people mention the same things, I take note.

Tripadvisor has helped me narrow down neighborhoods to stay in, avoid places that sound more stressful than enjoyable, and decide which attractions are actually worth my time. It gives me a broad, practical overview before I go deeper elsewhere.

Why I Love Using Polarsteps for Real-Life Perspective

Polarsteps feels very different from traditional review sites — and that’s why I like it.

Instead of just reading opinions, I can follow real trips that other travelers have taken. I can see how long they stayed in a place, how they moved from one city to another, and what they chose to do along the way. It helps me understand the flow of a destination, not just the highlights.

Polarsteps has helped me decide how long to stay somewhere and whether a place feels more relaxed or fast-paced. Seeing trips unfold in real time makes destinations feel more accessible and less abstract.

How Explurger Helps Me Discover Places I Might Otherwise Miss

Explurger feels more social and exploratory. I use it when I want to see what people are actually enjoying on the ground, not just what’s been curated for tourists.

The photos and short notes people share help me spot cafés, viewpoints, or neighborhoods that don’t always show up in traditional guides. It’s especially helpful when I want to understand what a place feels like day to day.

Explurger has helped me find quieter spots, get a sense of atmosphere, and confirm whether a destination aligns with how I like to travel — calmly and intentionally.

Why GuidePal Is My Go-To for Quick City Overviews

When I don’t want to spend hours researching, GuidePal is where I go for a clear, digestible overview.

I like how it breaks cities down into manageable pieces — what the city is known for, how to get around, and what kinds of experiences it offers. It’s not overwhelming, and it doesn’t require me to piece together information from dozens of sources.

GuidePal has helped me quickly decide whether a city fits the kind of trip I want right now, especially when I’m choosing between multiple destinations.

How These Apps Work Together for Me

I don’t rely on just one app — I use them together.

Tripadvisor gives me practical insight and warnings. Polarsteps shows me how trips actually unfold. Explurger adds texture and discovery. GuidePal gives me structure when I want clarity.

By the time I book a place or arrive at my destination, I already feel familiar with it. I’m not guessing where to stay, how to get around, or whether the environment will support me as a solo traveler. That preparation doesn’t make travel rigid — it makes it feel lighter.

Why This Makes Solo Travel Feel Safer and Easier

For me, safety isn’t about being afraid of a destination. It’s about reducing uncertainty.

When I know what to expect, I make better decisions. I waste less time. I spend less money correcting mistakes. And I enjoy the place more fully because I’m not constantly recalibrating.

Learning about a destination before I go allows me to arrive calm, confident, and present — which is exactly how I want solo travel to feel.