During my first trip to Disney World in 2005, I had dinner at Chefs de France, which I was a little nervous about (there’s no bartop dining here, and I wasn’t sure if the restaurant would be filled with couples and families). As it turned out, it was one of the best solo dining experiences I had at Disney World, and the food was divine.-- Solo Friendly

Have you ever traveled alone? It's been some time since I've done a true solo trip -- I got married and my husband loves to travel, and while I typically find time to wander off on my own on work-related travels, it feels like it doesn't quite count if you run into people you know everywhere -- my trip to Austin for SxSW comes to mind. I used to love traveling alone, the quiet, the bravada, the sense of accomplishment everything brings, from pitching the tent to eating dinner in a crowded restaurant.

It takes time to settle into solo travel. For those who are thinking of taking their first trip alone, I want you to know that at the beginning of every trip I’m a bit nervous. At home I rarely go to clubs, restaurants, museums, festivals… alone. I don’t need to. My friends are at hand. But solo travel demands that I break routines and do things differently. Fortunately, I’m quite happy with my own company and content to sit back and people watch.-- Solo Traveler

As a woman with wanderlust I cannot describe to them the adventure and the joy of a solo journey, of the experiences, exaltation and satisfaction I encounter on a daily basis when I am away from home. It is the four Es – empowering, exciting, enlightening and energizing. If those qualities are foreign to anyone it is because they cannot be conveyed by words but must be accomplished by a spirit whose soul is touched by the people she encounters along life’s journey.--Travel Dreams and Moonbeams

To be honest, I simply prefer to be alone. When you travel solo you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. If you want to ‘take a day off’ and do nothing but update your blog or laze the day away at a café with a cappuccino and a book then that’s what you should do. There is no one to debate with or tell you why you shouldn’t be doing what you’re perfectly happy doing. And it’s not because I don’t like people (well, sometimes I don’t). The beauty of it all is that you can meet people whenever you want to…or not. If you want alone time, it’s yours for the taking. But if you want to meet others, there are no shortages of places or ideas on how (and it doesn’t have to involve sitting at a bar all alone trying to meet someone). It is really a freedom that no one can really understand until you experience it yourself. Do it. I dare you.--Fear of Flying Solo: How a Single Girl Can Travel the World

Remember when you were in the car as a kid and Dad had to stop for coffee, Mom wanted to stop a few miles later for food and then a few minutes later your brother had to pee. You were the one whining and rolling your eyes in the back seat, crying "C,mon, we are never gonna get there!!" You can avoid all of that by going alone. Stop at a cafe if your feet hurt, leave the museum early if you are bored, take 50 pictures in the park without your traveling companions pacing back and forth crying "Aren't you done yet? How many pictures of the park do you really need?"--My Melange

That's just the tip of the iceberg of solo women travelbloggers -- you can find lots more by searching for "solo travel." There's loads of inspiration and good advice -- but if you've got recommended reads and resources, please leave them in the comments.