Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest Instagram
Contact me
USARoad TripsVacation Destinations

BEST Joshua Tree travel tips for Fall 2024!

Alyssa Ramos

Search

People may search

Joshua Tree has become increasingly trendy and popular over the years, and after visiting it, it’s easy to see why! Just a short three hour drive from Los Angeles, and you’ll be in this Wild West meets Men in Black desert playground! ‘

The funny looking Joshua Trees in Joshua Tree National Park!

Many people associate Joshua Tree as a place for “hippies”, “yogis”, or a place to visit before or after Coachella. But I can assure you, I am interested in NONE of those things, and I absolutely loved it!

As I mentioned, Joshua Tree National Park is wildly trendy these days, so you defintiely want to plan in advance, ESPECIALLY your accomodation! Things book up FAST and there aren’t a whole lot of options near the actual National Park!

Fall is the best time to go, since it won’t be so hot during the day. But just to warn you — it WILL get cold at night, and it WILL get crowded during the day!

Check out the rest of my tips and my itinerary for planning a Joshua Tree road trip in Fall 2020!

Disclosure: This post is written in partnership with Hotels.com, however all opinions, itineraries, and photos are my own!

Covid Disclaimer: Traveling right now is at your own risk, however we would like to emphasize the importance of taking safety precautions against the spread of covid19. Wear a fase mask and wash hands fequently. Do NOT cough, sneeze, spit, or pick your nose in public areas. Try to arrive places early to avoid crowds and always make an effort to distance yourself from others!

Tips For Going to Joshua Tree in Fall 2020:

  • Expect crowds. It’s the perfect temperature, and there’s also a lot of holidays! Plus…it’s 2020, and most people are opting for road trips and domestic travel.
  • To AVOID crowds, get to Joshua Tree National Park as early in the morning as you can! 
  • Book your accommodation far in advance! Especially if you want to stay closer to the park to get there first!
  • Never EVER litter. Even food. DON’T DO IT.
  • Expect chilly nights! Even when it’s brutally hot during the day!

Where to Stay?

Joshua Tree Fall 2020 Guide

As I mentioned above, you’ll need to book your Joshua Tree accommodation far in advance because everything fills up quickly! Places range from budget to luxury, and there’s even a few campervan options! I would suggest using the map feature to see which places are closest to the park entrances if you’re wanting to get there first thing in the morning!

Otherwise you can explore tons of more options just a few miles from the park entrances!

Best Things to See in Joshua Tree

Joshua Trees!

Naturally the first of the best things to see in Joshua Tree…are the Joshua Trees! They’re these funny cactus-like trees that look like they belong in a Dr. Seuss book or Salvador Dali painting! And they are EVERYWHERE! AKA don’t immediately stop at the first ones you see when you enter Joshua Tree National Park!

I say that because you want to get to the most popular sites as early as possible first. If you spend too long taking pics of every tree, you’ll be disappointing by the crowds…and the heat! Save the Joshua Tree photos for last, trust me!

Skull Rock

Skull Rock in Joshua Tree really does look like a giant skull in real life! No IG-fakeness about it! For the most part people are courteous of photo-takers, and everyone waits their turn. But I still say go here as early as possible in case there’s that guy or girl who decides to have a picnic right in front of the photo-op.

You can easily type in “Skull Rock” to find it on your phone’s GPS. I would highly recommend downloading the map (using google maps) or using Maps.me, because service is spotty out there!

Cactus Garden

The Cactus Garden is usually listed as a top site to see in Joshua Tree, but to be honest, I found the long road near it more stunning. It’s a downward hill, so you get this really cool visual effect of the road going on and on forever! Just be careful with cars of course…

Arch Rock at White Tank Campground

I didn’t make it to Arch Rock because I had my dog with me, and dogs are not allowed on hiking trails. That being said, it’s a bit of a hike to get to it.

You start at White Tank Campground and follow the trail from there. Many people go at night to see the clear starry skies, just be careful hiking and driving at night!

Sunrise/Sunset

One thing you should NOT miss in Joshua Tree National Park, are the sunrises and/or sunsets! As you can see from the photo, they are absolutely STUNNING! And there are so many different places to get a great photo as well!

Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for cool rock formations during the day that you may want to go back to later or early in the morning for sunrise/sunset! This photo was actually taken just outside the entrance to the park!

Pioneer Town

If you go to Joshua Tree, I would HIGHLY recommend stopping in Pioneer Town as well! It’s a small little “Wild West” town that was originally a movie set! After the movie wrapped, some actors got together and paid to keep the set there as a tribute to the American West!

Now the facades are actual shops! And there’s a really good BBQ restaurant there as well, that includes vegetarian and pescatarian options!

Be sure to save this post on Pinterest for future reference!

pins for your Pinterest
Joshua Tree is the perfect Fall 2020 trip to take! Just a short drive from Los Angeles and you'll be in what seems like "Wild West" meets "Men in Black"! Here's all of my pro tips, especially for beating the crowds, plus the best photo spots in and around Joshua Tree!
Joshua Tree is the perfect Fall 2020 trip to take! Just a short drive from Los Angeles and you'll be in what seems like "Wild West" meets "Men in Black"! Here's all of my pro tips, especially for beating the crowds, plus the best photo spots in and around Joshua Tree!

Search

People may search

Alyssa Ramos is one of the first original travel blogger/influencers who helped normalize solo female travel. She’s been to 146 countries so far, plus Antarctica 4x, and all of her tips are on this blog!

More about me
@mylifesatravelmovie
Alyssa Ramos MyLifesATravelMovie

@mylifesatravelmovie

Living like My Life’s a Travel Movie ✈️ 146 countries (solo) & counting, all my tips on MyLifesAMovie.com! GroupTrips: @mylifesatraveltribe
  • As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
  • Am I afraid of Orcas? More like obsessed with them. I WISH they’d pop up when I’ve done the Polar Plunge, but so far they’ve only ever approached our small boat in Mexico, where we were permitted to follow regulations and swim with them! I’ve done the Polar Plunge in Antarctica 3x and once in the Arctic, Orcas are always possibly present, but I know that humans are NOT part of their diet. We probably have too many toxins, chemicals, and damaged livers for them. 😁 I’ll be repeating both activities soon, so if you’d like more info on solo travel to Antarctica, the Arctic, or swimming with Orcas in Mexico, (OR joining one of my community’s expeditions there) drop me a comment and I’ll answer, Or check out the links on my profile for all of my global travel tips from over 143 countries and 12 years of traveling!
  • I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp with no fear of heights issues at all, then I got to China and suddenly developed jelly legs and vertigo 😳😂 Out of the 145 countries I’ve been to so far, China by far wins for most extreme adrenaline activities, especially at extreme heights! Everyone does them so casually there too, even in dresses like me, so maybe I’ve found my adventure people!! I’m already planning to go back to China. I love it that much. Have you been? Wanna join us? ————- For anyone new here: hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations, and my goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • I bought a new phone in China bc you get a decent tax refund, but soon after, it started talking to me in Chinese, and then people started calling it and sending text messages! I honestly felt like I was in a movie, where you find a phone and then suddenly you’re forced to carry out some crazy mission or something! Turns out, for some reason, the girl who sold me the phone put her own SIM card in it to activate it (no idea why), and it was all her friends calling her. 😂 Anyway, FYI you’re NOT supposed to open any tax refund products from their boxes before you leave the country! And you have to get the papers signed/approved BEFORE and after customs! Makes a few hundred dolla difference! ———— New here? Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos @mylifesatravelmovie, one of the world’s most experienced solo female travelers who has been to 146 countries plus Antarctica 4x. Follow here for bucketlist and peculiar travel destinations and encounters!
  • True story: I did not speak any Italian (besides ciao, grazie, and vino) and my husband didn’t speak any English when we first met!! We used translation apps and some Spanish (he understands because Sardinian sounds similar) but when I first moved here, to a small traditional town where not many people speak English, it was very, very evident that I needed to learn Italian. Knowing Spanish didn’t help me. The conjugations are completely different and so are most words (dislike when ppl assume I learned bc of that). And full immersion didn’t force me to learn either, bc my ADHD would just tune out. Apps also easily bored me. So I looked up online tutors and found Preply, which has thousands of real humans to teach you face to face online, and they can customize your lessons to your learning style and needs. I’ve been doing Italian lessons twice a week for almost 3 years now, and the online tutors are the main reason why I can speak conversational Italian now! So if you dream of meeting your partner randomly in another country, or planning to move abroad, and you want to learn the language (or just want to learn one for fun), check out my blog post and please use my link on there for a discount and affil for me! Mylifesamovie.com ! My current tutor Lara is amazing, she does my Italian lessons also in English and Spanish so I don’t forget my native tongue! Also doubles as an unofficial therapist 😂😂 Last, let this bring some hope and inspo to my fellow solo female travelers! If you haven’t found your partner yet, he may be waiting for you in another country!! If you’d like to see what my life is like, married and living on a vineyard in Sardinia, tap the account at the top that I shared this post with! ———- This post is about: Moving to Italy, learning Italian, living in Italy, married in Italy, life in Sardinia
  • A pod of 15 Orcas surrounded our small boat in La Ventana, Mexico… my reaction was squealing like a child and I even cried a few tears (don’t tell anyone). Then, after careful behavioral assessment by our marine biologist guide, we were given permission to swim with them for about 2 minutes! I cried even more after that, it was one of the most magical moments of my life! This was an ethical Sea Safari trip with an experienced, animals-first, women-run company. Orca tours do not exist since you cannot predict when they will show up. There are also many rules and regulations to keep this safe and ethical, so please check out my other posts about it, and for info on how to book this trip, search “orcas” on my blog - mylifesamovie.com! Is this anyone else’s dream? ——————- For anyone new: Hi! I’m Alyssa! I am one of the first OG solo female travel blogger/influencers who started traveling 14 years ago and hasn’t stopped! I’ve been to 146 countries solo so far, Antarctica 4x, climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp, and my hobby is swimming with apex predators. I’m from the U.S. but moved abroad many years ago, now I live part time on a vineyard in Sardinia, and Tulum! Please follow me here for expert travel tips and wild stories from the most unique places on earth!
  • Everyone raves about the viral Storm Spa in Chongqing China being so cool but meanwhile I was on the verge of a panic attack in there feeling like I fell overboard during the Drake Passage 😳 I am still unsure why an extreme storm was chosen for a spa…but I can at least say the beginning where it’s sunny, and the end where there’s randomly northern lights, was nice! The ROOMS of the hotel where this spa is at are incredible though! They’re the also-viral ones where there’s a huge clear pool in the rooms! But fun fact.. it’s not a full sized hotel…they only own a few floors of a skyscraper, which is genius bc they can spend less on maxxing out the rooms and still get booked out! Oh and the Storm Spa session (30 mins) is included with the room! And the sister hotel includes a photoshoot 🤩 Should I post room tours of them? All of the information for these viral Chongqing hotels and also Chongqing cyberpunk city in general are on my blog, including the CORRECT links to each hotel (online it’s very confusing bc they all have the same name!) Also I need to know who would love this and who would hate it, am I the only one?? 😂
  • 10/10 the best self defense lesson and stress relief retreat ever in Fukushima, Japan 🥷🏼😂 You can take samurai lessons with a real life samurai (and famous youtuber) and then practice on the cardboard “enemy”, and later go steam it out at the onsen! Full info and itinerary on my blog, including how to book it! There’s not many tour options here in Fukushima so the best option is to get there by car 😬
  • I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
View on Instagram
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
Am I afraid of Orcas? More like obsessed with them. I WISH they’d pop up when I’ve done the Polar Plunge, but so far they’ve only ever approached our small boat in Mexico, where we were permitted to follow regulations and swim with them! I’ve done the Polar Plunge in Antarctica 3x and once in the Arctic, Orcas are always possibly present, but I know that humans are NOT part of their diet. We probably have too many toxins, chemicals, and damaged livers for them. 😁 I’ll be repeating both activities soon, so if you’d like more info on solo travel to Antarctica, the Arctic, or swimming with Orcas in Mexico, (OR joining one of my community’s expeditions there) drop me a comment and I’ll answer, Or check out the links on my profile for all of my global travel tips from over 143 countries and 12 years of traveling!
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp with no fear of heights issues at all, then I got to China and suddenly developed jelly legs and vertigo 😳😂 Out of the 145 countries I’ve been to so far, China by far wins for most extreme adrenaline activities, especially at extreme heights! Everyone does them so casually there too, even in dresses like me, so maybe I’ve found my adventure people!! I’m already planning to go back to China. I love it that much. Have you been? Wanna join us? ————- For anyone new here: hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations, and my goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
I bought a new phone in China bc you get a decent tax refund, but soon after, it started talking to me in Chinese, and then people started calling it and sending text messages! I honestly felt like I was in a movie, where you find a phone and then suddenly you’re forced to carry out some crazy mission or something! Turns out, for some reason, the girl who sold me the phone put her own SIM card in it to activate it (no idea why), and it was all her friends calling her. 😂 Anyway, FYI you’re NOT supposed to open any tax refund products from their boxes before you leave the country! And you have to get the papers signed/approved BEFORE and after customs! Makes a few hundred dolla difference! ———— New here? Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos @mylifesatravelmovie, one of the world’s most experienced solo female travelers who has been to 146 countries plus Antarctica 4x. Follow here for bucketlist and peculiar travel destinations and encounters!
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
True story: I did not speak any Italian (besides ciao, grazie, and vino) and my husband didn’t speak any English when we first met!! We used translation apps and some Spanish (he understands because Sardinian sounds similar) but when I first moved here, to a small traditional town where not many people speak English, it was very, very evident that I needed to learn Italian. Knowing Spanish didn’t help me. The conjugations are completely different and so are most words (dislike when ppl assume I learned bc of that). And full immersion didn’t force me to learn either, bc my ADHD would just tune out. Apps also easily bored me. So I looked up online tutors and found Preply, which has thousands of real humans to teach you face to face online, and they can customize your lessons to your learning style and needs. I’ve been doing Italian lessons twice a week for almost 3 years now, and the online tutors are the main reason why I can speak conversational Italian now! So if you dream of meeting your partner randomly in another country, or planning to move abroad, and you want to learn the language (or just want to learn one for fun), check out my blog post and please use my link on there for a discount and affil for me! Mylifesamovie.com ! My current tutor Lara is amazing, she does my Italian lessons also in English and Spanish so I don’t forget my native tongue! Also doubles as an unofficial therapist 😂😂 Last, let this bring some hope and inspo to my fellow solo female travelers! If you haven’t found your partner yet, he may be waiting for you in another country!! If you’d like to see what my life is like, married and living on a vineyard in Sardinia, tap the account at the top that I shared this post with! ———- This post is about: Moving to Italy, learning Italian, living in Italy, married in Italy, life in Sardinia
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
A pod of 15 Orcas surrounded our small boat in La Ventana, Mexico… my reaction was squealing like a child and I even cried a few tears (don’t tell anyone). Then, after careful behavioral assessment by our marine biologist guide, we were given permission to swim with them for about 2 minutes! I cried even more after that, it was one of the most magical moments of my life! This was an ethical Sea Safari trip with an experienced, animals-first, women-run company. Orca tours do not exist since you cannot predict when they will show up. There are also many rules and regulations to keep this safe and ethical, so please check out my other posts about it, and for info on how to book this trip, search “orcas” on my blog - mylifesamovie.com! Is this anyone else’s dream? ——————- For anyone new: Hi! I’m Alyssa! I am one of the first OG solo female travel blogger/influencers who started traveling 14 years ago and hasn’t stopped! I’ve been to 146 countries solo so far, Antarctica 4x, climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp, and my hobby is swimming with apex predators. I’m from the U.S. but moved abroad many years ago, now I live part time on a vineyard in Sardinia, and Tulum! Please follow me here for expert travel tips and wild stories from the most unique places on earth!
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
Everyone raves about the viral Storm Spa in Chongqing China being so cool but meanwhile I was on the verge of a panic attack in there feeling like I fell overboard during the Drake Passage 😳 I am still unsure why an extreme storm was chosen for a spa…but I can at least say the beginning where it’s sunny, and the end where there’s randomly northern lights, was nice! The ROOMS of the hotel where this spa is at are incredible though! They’re the also-viral ones where there’s a huge clear pool in the rooms! But fun fact.. it’s not a full sized hotel…they only own a few floors of a skyscraper, which is genius bc they can spend less on maxxing out the rooms and still get booked out! Oh and the Storm Spa session (30 mins) is included with the room! And the sister hotel includes a photoshoot 🤩 Should I post room tours of them? All of the information for these viral Chongqing hotels and also Chongqing cyberpunk city in general are on my blog, including the CORRECT links to each hotel (online it’s very confusing bc they all have the same name!) Also I need to know who would love this and who would hate it, am I the only one?? 😂
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
10/10 the best self defense lesson and stress relief retreat ever in Fukushima, Japan 🥷🏼😂 You can take samurai lessons with a real life samurai (and famous youtuber) and then practice on the cardboard “enemy”, and later go steam it out at the onsen! Full info and itinerary on my blog, including how to book it! There’s not many tour options here in Fukushima so the best option is to get there by car 😬
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
@mylifesatravelmovie
•
Follow
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

Join My Group Trips

Available Group Trips

See More

If you like BEST Joshua Tree travel tips for Fall 2024!you might also be interested in...

USA

Best Things to do in Seattle: First-Timers Guide

  • January 7, 2025
Read more
USA

11 Christmas Markets in USA That Look Like Europe

  • December 1, 2023
Read more
USANational Parks

Best Photo Spots in Yellowstone National Park

  • May 9, 2021
Read more
USA

Epic Adventures at Jackson Hole in Summer 2022

  • April 12, 2021
Read more
USANational Parks

Where to See Niagara Falls Spring Super Blooms in 2021

  • March 10, 2021
Read more
USA

2 Day Fort Lauderdale Staycation Itinerary

  • February 20, 2021
Read more
USATravel

Best Things to do in Palm Beach in 2024

  • January 24, 2021
Read more
USA

New Orleans Holiday Guide for 2020

  • December 3, 2020
Read more
USAVacation Destinations

Key West Winter Vacation Guide in 2024

  • November 8, 2020
Read more
FeaturesBucketlist Adventures

10 Best Things to do in French Polynesia for Adventurers

  • November 4, 2020
Read more
Facebook X-twitter Pinterest Instagram