Global solo traveler embraces unique lifestyle from Sioux Falls

Not that long ago, Taylor Hanson literally stood at the end of the world.

“The tip (of South America) right next to the Antarctica,” she said. “The weather reminded me of South Dakota, with the fall weather and pretty colors and cold temperatures.”

She walked the Pan-American Highway, which is the world’s longest highway starting in Alaska and ending in Ushuaia in Argentina.

Her time in Patagonia, a region shared by Argentina and Chile, was part of a two-month trip that saw her visit eight countries in eight weeks, walk 50 miles in five days through the Andean mountains to the Amazon jungle, then uphill 800 steps to the top of Machu Pichu.

Hiking Mount Fitz in Patagonia

“I woke up at 3:30 a.m., so it was rough, but I got to the top, and when the clouds cleared, I instantly started having tears in my eyes because it was an experience,” she said.

Machu Pichu

Call it one of many. In the past 12 years, Hanson, who is 33, has amassed more travel memories than most do in a lifetime — many of them traveling by herself.

Her first solo trip was at age 21, inspired by a family name she discovered in her grandmother’s address book.

She learned the relatives lived in Norway and decided to travel to meet them, “and now they’re like close family with me,” she said.

She returned last year to celebrate May 17, a national holiday similar to the Fourth of July in the U.S., signifying the signing of the Norwegian Constitution.

“I think it speaks a lot for females to do solo traveling,” Hanson said. “My generation is like, do we want to buy a house, have kids, get married? I’m kind of in a place where people my age are doing that, and I’m like, where am I going to go this weekend?”

The Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate, Argentina, in the Patagonia region.

Solo travel has become a major industry trend, with 76 percent of millennials and Gen Z planning solo trips last year, versus 69 percent of all respondents, according to the American Express 2024 Global Travel Trends Report. Of those people, 60 percent planned two or more trips.

Young travelers appreciate that they’re easy to plan and often choose a quick weekend getaway, with almost 30 percent saying they’d prefer solo travel to a new city, the report said.

“For deep relaxation, developing a new interest or meeting new people, solo trips can be hard to beat,” the report said.

The trend is especially pronounced among women. A 2024 report from global travel network Virtuoso found females make up 71 percent of solo travelers.

Salkantay Trek, Peru

Sioux Falls has taken notice. Experience Sioux Falls, the community’s tourism organization, recently published a piece on guiding solo travelers to destinations in the city.

“We know it certainly exists. Even just walking around, they’re out exploring Falls Park or SculptureWalk or walking into a coffee shop or restaurant,” said Matt Barthel, communications manager. “On a national level, it’s definitely more of a trending topic, especially with the younger generations. I think people are starting to realize they don’t necessarily need friends or family to go enjoy travel, enjoy different parts in the world. People are more willing to step out of their comfort zone and go explore.”

Sioux Falls benefits from being a safe, walkable downtown where people can drop their bags and easily walk to parks or get on the recreation trail, he said.

“We know people are looking for unique experiences, so we’re trying to reach a broad audience to say whether you’re into hiking at Good Earth or catching at concert at Levitt at the Falls, there’s definitely something for everyone,” Barthel said. “Plus, it’s a smaller city, so you can get your feet wet (with solo travel) and find out if you want to do this for more than a day or two.”

In Hanson’s case, it has become a lifestyle.

She works full time at Gateway Bar & Grill and has for the past 11 years. Beginning in the next few weeks, she will start to work 40 to 50 hours weekly as football and basketball seasons bring increased demand.

She often works open to close, serving and bartending.

And she saves. She skips the coffees out and impulse purchases in favor of thrifting. She saves on housing costs by continuing to live with her parents, “which is something I’m extra grateful for the extra time I get to spend with them,” she said.

“It not a tough subject. People kind of look down on it, but I think it’s becoming more popular nowadays because the money you’d spend on paying a mortgage or rent, that’s what you spend on travel.”

When she travels, it’s on a budget too.

“I stay in hostels, where they can be $10 a night,” she said. “Hotels are more expensive, but the bunk bed life helps save a lot of money on those trips.”

Not all her travel is solo. Two years ago, she and a close friend spent six months traveling in Southeast Asia.

“She lives the same lifestyle as me,” Hanson said. “We’re both in the (service) industry, and we both have great support from our family and friends. She’s now married and met her now husband on our trip to Asia.”

Laos

That trip saw them mark the milestone of turning 30 with an adventure that took them to Thailand, India, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

Thailand

Wonder how to pack for something like that?

“Remember less is more,” Hanson said. “Find a ‘staple style’ where you can mix and match outfits. My backpack weighed 30 pounds for my two-month trip to South America, so I had to strategically pack for their cold and warm weather.”

She tends to bring lightweight sandals and one pair of walking or hiking shoes. Packing cubes help her backpack stay organized — she allows herself one cube for tops and one for bottoms.

“I bring laundry strips to wash my clothes while traveling, but there are laundry services where you can pay $1 to $3 for them to wash, dry and fold your clothes,” she said.

It helps to be an adventurous eater too.

Hanson’s travels have led her to taste everything from guinea pig in Ecuador to alpaca in Argentina and dried insects at food markets in Thailand.

Guinea pig in Ecuador

She visits a McDonald’s in each country to try their different meals — “my comfort food when I miss home.”

Often, fellow travelers tell her she’s the first South Dakotan they’ve met.

“My goal is to show the world ‘Midwest Nice,'” she added.

“The roads and traffic can be wild in other countries, so it makes me appreciate the smooth roads and easy traffic when I am back home in Sioux Falls. It’s the little things.”

At the end of each backpacking trip, she gets a small tattoo before heading home.

“It’s a fun souvenir and a way to represent my adventure,” Hanson said. “Speaking of souvenirs, I bring home a lot of unique knickknacks.”

Here are a few more tips:

• Always bring a journal to document your journey. “I think it will be fun to reread my journals someday and remember how cool I was when I was young,” Hanson said.
• Share your location with family and friends so they can follow the trip but also in case of an emergency. Air Tags come in handy to ensure you keep track of your items.
• Keep a folder on your phone with a scan of your passport, bank numbers and any other important information.
• Bring a tablet for streaming and reading, with a universal adapter plug for all electronics.

Lately, Hanson has been doing one trip each year, usually in the spring.

“I’m very type A. I like to have everything planned and organized,” Hanson said.

“But I also love room for other things to pop up. I probably spent over 100 hours planning the trip (to South America), and I was going by weather because I was going into their fall and winter and had to go places before it started to snow and get really cold.”

Next year, she plans to return to visit family in Norway and travel through Europe with others she has met solo traveling.

And when she’s back in South Dakota, you’ll often find Hanson across the state exploring the Black Hills, where she’s gotten into crewing for a hot air balloon business.

She’ll also visit family in Minnesota, but other than that, she’s saving domestic travel for the days when “I’m older and can rent an RV and drive,” she said. “The older you get, you don’t want to be on a plane 12 hours. It’s easier at this age to go on a flight and go hike five days.”

In the meantime, “I want to get to 35 countries before I turn 35,” she said.

It’s going to happen: She’s already at 28.

“I hope more people are inspired to follow their dreams and explore,” Hanson said. “Life’s too short. Just live your life.”

Wander freely: A solo traveler’s guide to Sioux Falls