Female driving Ft Lauderdale to Quebec

[Finke]

Roadsters, need your help! I am unable to find anyone to make a round trip 2 or 3 weeks in length from Southern Florida to Quebec, Montreal, and Toronto. I am quite concerned to stay in motels you find along the highways by myself. Is there a general feeling about best hotels to stay in that are on the low cost side and safe for a female traveling alone? Would you recommend only staying in hotels in the larger cities?

Thoughts about the Canadian hotel chains or bed & breakfasts there?

Any ideas how to find a fellow travel that's"safe"?
Thank you for any help!

[DonnaR57]

Welcome to RTA!

As far as a female traveling alone, I have done this before. I preferred to stay in smaller towns, as opposed to the larger cities, mostly because I found them safer and friendlier. (On one trip, I stayed one night on the outskirts of Albuquerque, and another night in Hutchinson, KS. I preferred Hutchinson, though I loved the food choices in ABQ.)

Use your senses. If something doesn't feel right, if you are uncomfortable about an area, move on. (One time I found a Super 8 online whose price seemed right, but when I pulled into the area, there were bars on the windows of every business and even on some of the houses that were around. I moved on, paying a little more, but I was in a better area and felt more comfortable almost immediately.)

Make sure that your room has good locks. I prefer the key cards, which most motels have gone to, over metal keys. I also made sure that there was a deadbolt lock and a chain or throw lock, and that the windows were also not easily opened (such as a window lock of some sort). Also check out the smoke alarm, especially in an older motel or hotel.

Whether traveling alone or with my husband, we prefer the Wyndham chain (Super 8) and the Choice chain (EconoLodge) as a 2nd choice, but like I said above, I've bypassed a Super 8 when the area wasn't a good one.

As for a fellow traveler that's safe -- personally, I'd rather travel alone or with someone I know pretty well, rather than try to travel with a stranger. Especially for 2 to 3 weeks!


Donna

[Lifemagician]

It is a fact that the majority of solo roadtrippers are females. This article may give you some tips.

As a senior female who has travelled many month and tens of thousands of miles alone, I also think you are much better of on your own than with a stranger. (Do not under any circumstances pick up a hitch hiker, no matter how much you'd like the company.) The cheapest of hotels/motels are mostly quite safe if you follow the rules already mentioned. Use the same inner instinct you use at home to stay safe. No matter where, always ask to check out the room before you pay. This gives you a chance to check for cleanliness and safety. See that the smoke detector has not been disabled and that the room has a lock which cannot be opened from the outside.

I prefer the motels where the car can be parked outside the room. I avoid places where I have to go up in a lift, (maybe alone with a total stranger) and walk along corridors with rooms on both sides. I don't worry about things that are old, so long as they are clean and safe.

There are great benefits to travelling solo. You often have more opportunity to meet total strangers along the way. I make a point of asking another lone diner if I may join them - be sure they are not engrossed in a book or similar. Same when you stop for a cuppa. On the whole you will find local folk very friendly and full of admiration for your 'courage' to drive that far on your own.

Be sure to have AAA or similar roadside assistance just in case, and that your insurance covers you in Canada. Don't stop another motorist on the highway if you should be in trouble. If someone does stop, tell them you're OK, and AAA are already on their way.

For the rest, be sure to enjoy your trip, and keep a journal. Every night before bed record the best memories of the day. You can do this in an ordinary note book, or in our Roadtrip Field Report Forum.

Lifey

[glc]

In MY opinion, the safest hotels (and generally the least expensive) are the ones at Interstate exits away from the larger cities, especially the ones that have a cluster of well-lit businesses at the exit, including truck stops and restaurants. The last place I'll stay is in a large downtown hotel in a larger city - they are more expensive and can be in a sketchy area that you may not be aware of. Also, they are more difficult to get to and leave the next day due to city traffic.

If you have a smartphone, get the hotels.com app to find them and read reviews, you can also get an approximate rate.