So you picked your vacation destination, and you might have even booked your flights. But how do you decide all that you want to do while you are there? It can be overwhelming, planning out a trip to a place you have never been before. And maybe the people you are traveling with have different ideas of how they want their vacation to go. Here are some factors to think about:
What kinds of things are fun to you?
Is the goal to relax? To enjoy yourself and your time together? To see as much of the area as possible?
Who are you traveling with? Family? Spouse? Girls/guys trip?
What is the budget?
For Ryan and I, we tend to have a very loose plan of what we want to do with our time. Sometimes, we haven't even had much of a plan at the start (example: Colombia) and we find out what we want to do when we get there. I'm not a big researcher, like some people who research down to the restaurants they want to go to and follow them on Instagram for photos of their best dishes. I tend to do a light search on the top things to do in the area we are going, and then fill in the blanks once we get there. We have a tendency to wander around an area, find hidden gems, and alter our plans to stay in places where we are genuinely having a good time. Or return to a restaurant or bar that we thoroughly enjoyed. We like to walk around and see the historical sites, enjoy a cultural meal, maybe listen to some live music, and sip on some reasonably priced happy hour drinks. We love a good pool day, but we often get restless to see what's out there to see.
I've been on trips with friends where the goal of the trip is ultimately just to spend time together. They are usually friends I haven't seen in a while, and so the catching up portion of the trip is the most important part. In London with Michelle, we did a lot of sightseeing via the Big Bus Tour. As touristy as that is, it was a very easy way to see the sights without having to spend so much time planning, using public transportation to get around, spending time figuring out routes. We hopped on and off the bus as we pleased, and had a great time. We ate in restaurants that we stumbled upon when we were hungry, and even returned to restaurants we loved the atmosphere of. We shopped quite a bit in the Covent Garden area where we were staying, which was one thing I did research prior - proximity to lots of shops, restaurants, and bars. On a trip with my college roommates, however, while the goal is still to spend time together, sightseeing is typically not a priority. We rent an AirBnB that is big enough to fit all 7 of us where we can eat and dance around the kitchen like back in college, and definitely find a winery to spend the day. Maybe spend time around a bonfire in the back yard, or cook a meal together. Simple, and no stress!
Ryan's family likes the international resort life. All inclusive hotel, with unlimited drinks brought to them pool side. They might visit the local city to explore, but their vacation goal is to relax in the sun with a drink always in their hand. Ryan and I actually got engaged on our all inclusive trip to a resort in Riviera Maya Mexico. We celebrated his Mom's birthday the first full day, then he proposed to me the next day, then the following day was another family member's birthday - so Ryan's family certainly likes to party and celebrate.
Outdoor adventures might be the main objective of the trip. I've hiked down the Grand Canyon during the heat of summer, camped at the bottom, then hiked out over the following two days. I've camped throughout rural Alaska and Canada. I've hiked Mount Marathon and the the Harding Ice Field trail in Seward Alaska. I've stayed in hostels in Australia and bunked with other volunteers in Sri Lanka and Rwanda. I've hand washed sweaty hiking and camping clothes with hand soap in a bucket. Sometimes a trip is meant to be less glamourous, with the goal being to step off the beaten path and explore the parts of the wilderness people don't often get to see. I would say though, make sure you have like-minded people there alongside you who know what they are in for. Not everyone feels comfortable peeing in the woods...
Bottom line, there are all kinds of trips that you can enjoy, but make it is something you will enjoy in the present. Don't plan a trip just to say you've done it (example: my experience of the Grand Canyon was NOT fun), so make sure you are enjoying yourself. You work too hard at your job during the week to take time off and not enjoy where you are and what you are doing. If you aren't a camping person, that is okay! If you don't feel comfortable exploring small international villages with a foreign language and currency, that is okay too. Know what makes you happy, or how far to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Don't pressure yourself to see ALL the sights in the city where you are headed, because spreading yourself too thin doesn't always allow you to enjoy the moment you are in, worrying about getting off to the next one. Travel should bring excitement and happiness, whether you are sitting at the pool, booking excursions, or getting lost along cobblestones streets.
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