Everyone has a different style of travel but everyone wants to have the best travel experience possible. Personally, I like to do as much and see as much of a locale as I can. That means for me, “vacation” isn’t necessarily the relaxing experience that you might think it is. Here I’ll tell you how I get the most from my experiences and maybe they can help you on your next adventure, too.
Travel Light
I am simultaneously the queen of always been prepared and the princess of keeping it simple. For example, if I’m flying on a plane I have never used more than my “personal item” to travel with. Carry-ons and checking luggage causes me so much anxiety, that I’d rather just stuff a bag and call it a day.
When I’m focusing on the adventure, I don’t need a million different outfits. I require something comfortable that I don’t have to constantly adjust, specialty items (like swimsuits), a comfy shoe (like flip flops) and a utility shoe (like shoes for hiking or other specific activities). The best option for clothes are things that you can mix and match to make your outfit look different, even if it feels the same!
Depending on what I’m doing, I’ll either bring my camera or just use my phone. Of course, what you’ll be doing will really determine what kind of things you’ll need to pack, but I like to be picky with my “necessities”, too.
Plan a Loose Itinerary
This is a sensitive subject that I’m about to give a hot take on: having a well-planned itinerary only brings anxiety. Yup, I’m that person. I love filling my travel time with things to do but I don’t want to set myself up for the anxiety of racing against the clock. After all, isn’t travel about ditching the deadlines?
That’s not to say that its a bad idea to have any idea of what you want to accomplish. It’s actually a very good idea! My advice? To have the absolute best travel experience, focus on the big stuff and plan everything else around it. For example, on my last trip to El Paso, I had 2 goals. The first goal was to visit White Sands National Park. The second goal was to see Hamilton. The latter we had to get tickets for, so clearly I needed to pencil that into the schedule. Because I was working on the trip, I also had very limited options to visit White Sands, so that also needed to be penciled in. Everything else just kind of fell into place.
Enjoy the Journey, and also the Destination
A couple of quotes come to mind here.
It’s about the journey, not the destination.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
The best way to experience a city is by immersing yourself in its culture.
-the internet at large
When I travel, I like to immerse myself in everything I possibly can. When I see something on the side of the road that looks interesting, I like to have the time to stop and enjoy it. Whether that’s taking a picture, buying a local product, or trying food, those are the best parts about going from one place to another. The journey and the destination are not mutually exclusive ideas on what you’re allowed to enjoy. The journey itself can be a destination and the destination can serve as a journey to explore the world even more. My advice is to enjoy them both equally!
My next divisive opinion is that there is nothing wrong with tourist attractions. Yes, some are money grabs, but sometimes these attractions are a lot of fun. Just because you enjoy tourist attractions doesn’t also mean you can’t go find a locals-only style hole in the wall to enjoy later. You absolutely can and should do both.
Do you have any tips and tricks on how to have the best travel experience? What’s your travel type?
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