Travel tips: everyone seems to have their own.
I know when I see about someone posting travel tips, I totally skim over it. Why? Because I never know what the goal is. Sometimes it seems like mumbled information about a specific city and I’m looking for other ideas.
My goal? To make your travel adventures rich, full, and memorable. To have you see and experience the most you can.
If you don’t know much about me, I spent my childhood growing up in many countries around the world. And I LOVED it. I’ve lived in Japan and England and the United States. I’m a lifelong and lifetime traveler and every place I go, I can make it like my next home.
What I’ve noticed is that there are several actionable things I do to make traveling personal, fun and memorable. And I’d love to share them with you.
Without further ado, here are several travel tips for memorable experiences.
1. This travel tip is crucial: Do your research.
Know what areas to avoid, program local emergency numbers, and know what areas to stay within. Though branching out is always an inviting prospect, know that not every area is going to be like you’re used to.
In Montana, it is still snowing in March, so do not expect to drive without closed roads.
When my sister were driving from Missoula to Helena, we were unaware that 3 hours would be made through sparsely populated towns, mountains, and no signal. We were able to navigate with the use of a visitor’s guide’s general map that only marked major landmarks, but this would’ve been so goo to know ahead of time.
2. Plan to do as the locals do.
When researching, filter through the “tourist trap locations.”
The further you get from the city, the better your chance of living the local experience. Hitting the top tourist traps is no way to buffet eat a culture. If in Italy, you only see the Coliseum, and ride the gondolas in Venice, and focus on what everyone talks about, you miss out!
In Dublin, going away from the Temple Bar area meant more locals and outstanding food without the big ticket price!
Related: 6 Classical Experiences to have in Dublin.
3. Leave the city for local experiences.
The further you get from the city, the better your chance of living the local experience. Hitting the top tourist traps is no way to buffet-eat a culture. If in Italy, you only see the Coliseum, and ride the gondolas in Venice, and focus on what everyone talks about, you miss out!
When we visited Dublin, we left the city for some Irish coast experiences. We visited Galway and it was SO much more fulfilling than Dublin.
Related: Day Trip from Dublin: Galway and the Cliffs of Moher.
4. Talk to the locals.
Ask the barista, “what is the most popular thing on your menu?” Doing this is an icebreaker for culture. It 1. Guarantees that you get what the locals are ordering; 2. It may provide you an option that you’ve not considered. We all know ordering a “white chocolate mocha” can help you compare the staple in every state, but does it guarantee you’re getting the local spice?
5. Disconnect from communication through your phone.
Yes, you can post pictures. Yes, you can take pictures. But let the posting wait until the hotel. Let the day be about unraveling new experiences like there are treasures to be found. Something I’ve always done is post “stories” on IG and Snapchat. It saves them in order when you don’t have wifi, but you don’t have to overthink captions or phrases. Then you have your entire day’s story written for you when you arrive at your hotel!
6. Ask a local what they recommend for a first-timer.
This tip is crucial to memorable experiences! The locals are the most WONDERFUL of resources to use. AND this forces you to chit-chat. Do not be afraid to talk to people who live in the area. I’ve talked to cab drivers, restaurant hostesses, waiters, and hotel staff, and through their advice, I’ve avoided the advertised, the mundane, and the typical.
One example is when we would chat with a cleaning lady in Montana, she told us about a hot springs resort that was tucked away and used mostly by locals. It was phenomenal.
Then, she showed us a ski resort that big-time celebrities used when they wanted to go away and get their skiing on. People love sharing what they know and helping.
7. Don’t discount small things.
Sometimes small things get discounted. Small stores, small restaurants, and even towns can get discounted. But the small hole-in-the-wall restaurants or the cute, local boutiques are just as amazing as the big city stores.
8. Look at the menu before you go!
It’s a time-saver and if you’re in a busy location, it takes time for restaurant staff to seat you. Sometimes there is a long wait! I’m thinking of the Stardust Diner in NYC, that has a 20+ minute wait during all meal times. I mean, the line goes down the street and around the corner.
If you’re in a city where there isn’t much wifi, preparing ahead of time is perfect. BUT also make time to be spontaneous, which leads me to my next travel tip.
9. Toss in spontaneity!
When you travel, whether near and far, do something that takes you OUT of your comfort zone. Try something new or do something unexpected. If you are writing a chapter of your book, what would you want to be on the pages? Be daring. Make your chapter fun, exciting, and something YOU would love to read.
When we were in Israel, I TOTALLY wanted to try some local coffee. It was the last day of our trip and 6 p.m. at night and we had to wake up at 1 a.m. the next day for our flight. Did I have local coffee? ABSOLUTELY.
Did I love that decision the day after? My body was mad at me but it was totally worth it!
10. Learn the basics of the language of the area.
This tip is for traveling abroad. When traveling abroad, understanding a few key words are important for a memorable experience. I am conversationally fluent in Italian and before I went to Italy, I learned many key words and phrases so I can order food, coffee, and find all the things I wanted.
11. Ignore the urge to prove something or compare your trip to someone else’s.
Traveling is about you and what you want to do. I know that when you go, it can feel like an awful lot of pressure to do all the things you MUST do. But this is all perception.
Related: I discuss being intentional and choosing YOUR first choice (no one else’s) in my post about Intentional Traveling.
Also Related: 3 Ways to Add Intentionality to your Travels (In other words, 3 ways to make your trip all about what YOU want.)
Sharing my love for traveling is something I am SO passionate about, which is why I’ve provided a few tips for making the most of your vacation. I’d love it if you shared travel tips you may have!
