Top 5 Sober Travel Tips
Vacations are meant to be relaxing, fun, and freeing, not filled with regret, anxiety, or hangovers. But when you’re sober (or working on it), traveling can come with a lot of pressure. From airport lounges to destination weddings with open bars, it’s easy to feel like everyone is drinking and you’re the odd one out.
Good news: you can be a Sober Girl and have the best vacation. Here’s how to feel strong, confident, and clear-headed every step of the way.
✈️ 1. Airport Strategy: Idle Time Is the Devil’s Playground
Airports are emotional rollercoasters. You’re tired, excited, anxious, overstimulated, and then... you're just sitting. Waiting. With way too much time to think, scroll, or wander into the nearest bar.
This is where cravings creep in, not because you want to drink, but because you don’t know what to do with all the feels. And that idle time? It can be dangerous.
Here’s how to protect your peace:
Name the feeling instead of numbing it. Ask: “Am I bored? Anxious? Lonely?”
Move your body, even if it's just walking the terminal or stretching at your gate.
Shift your focus. Listen to a sober podcast, journal how you want to feel on this trip, or make a voice memo about why this choice matters to you.
You don’t need to “fill the time” with drinking. You just need to stay present and remember that clarity always travels well.
🍹 2. Handle the Open Bar Like a Pro
You don’t have to hide or make it awkward. Take control at social events:
Ask for a mocktail, bartenders often love the challenge.
Say: “Can you make me something fun with soda water, fruit, and no alcohol?”
Always keep a drink in your hand to avoid constant questions like, “Why aren’t you drinking?”
Confidence is contagious. You’re not missing out, you’re setting the vibe.
🧠 3. Play the Tape Forward
If you catch yourself thinking, “Maybe just one…” pause and ask:
How will I feel in 2 hours?
What about tomorrow morning?
Is this drink going to solve what I’m really feeling?
Usually, you’re craving connection, relief, or escape, not alcohol. Choose a way to meet that need: go for a walk, dance it out, or message someone who gets it in A Sober Girls Guide Membership.
📲 4. Have a Lifeline on Speed Dial
Before your trip, let a sober friend or accountability buddy in A Sober Girls Guide Membership know what’s up.
Say: “If I text you the word ‘HELP,’ or any other code word (I use pineapple), remind me who the f*ck I am.”
One honest message can save a whole night. You are not in this alone.
🎒 5. Pack Your Sober Girl Toolbox
Set yourself up for success with a mini wellness kit:
Magnesium or L-theanine for calming your nervous system
A natural sleep aid (CBD, melatonin, or valerian root)
A couple NA drinks or teas for your hotel room
The Gratitude Journal to process any cravings or feelings
Just like you plan your outfits, plan your support system.
🌺 Bonus Tip: Redefine What “Fun” and “Relaxing” Really Mean
Somewhere along the way, we were sold the lie that vacation equals drinking. That “fun” means letting loose with cocktails, and “relaxing” means zoning out with wine in hand.
But here’s the truth: Fun is feeling free in your body. Relaxing is waking up without anxiety. Vacation is about restoring your soul, not escaping your life.
When you’re sober, you get to actually experience your trip: the tastes, the sights, the laughs, the connections. You remember it all. You’re present for the magic and the messiness, and that’s what makes it real.
So ask yourself: What do I really want from this trip? How do I want to feel when I come home?
Chances are, it’s not “hungover and disconnected.” It’s peaceful, proud, inspired, and alive. That’s what you’re creating. That’s what sober vacations actually give you.