Top 5 Tips to Make Travel a Pleasure
Travel, no matter how far or how long the trip may be, can be daunting. But with these key tips, you will be well on your way to understanding how to enjoy travel to its fullest. As someone who has traveled extensively, I have learned a lot about how to get the most out of travel. Put my expertise to good use as you begin to explore.
Whether you are traveling by car, train, plane, or ship, the below tips will help guide you to a smooth and successful trip.
Top 5 Tips to Get the Most out of Travel
I have been traveling in some way, shape, or form for most of my life. Growing up in Maine, my parents would take me for small road trips, generally fairly close to home. In middle school I got on a plane for the first time in my life. That exciting class trip to Washington, DC ignited my travel passion…I was instantly smitten with travel from there! Since then, I have done a lot more travel both for work and for pleasure. Through a lot of trial and error, I have learned a few key things to help make travel a pleasure.
Tip #1: Find and use a reliable travel agent (TA)
Honestly, this was a tough one for me. As a natural planner (and, let’s face it, a control freak!), I always planned my own trips. That worked fine for a while. But then I started working with a travel agent and learned how valuable they are.
- Use a great travel agent who you are comfortable working with – ask as many questions as you need to in order to feel comfortable, both while finding a new TA and when booking each trip.
- Find a balance if needed – I like to do my own research and planning, but I rely on my TA to do the hard work like making bookings, getting travel insurance, etc.
- Rely on your TA when things change at the last minute (like they did for me in February 202 when my flight through Hong Kong to Cambodia got cancelled due to Covid about 48 hours before I was scheduled to leave!).
- Bottom line: partnering with a travel agent can save you time, headaches, and stress.
Tip #2: Be flexible and patient
Being flexible and patient while traveling can go a long way. I find this one especially fitting as a solo traveler.
- Start planning with an open mind and flexibility to find the best possible options for your trip. If you don’t limit yourself to specifics (like dates, locations, itineraries, etc), you can find some great deals!
- Keep patience handy while traveling. Things can change on a dime. Be willing to flex a bit while traveling and things will work out just fine…maybe not exactly how you planned, but you may end up having some fun experiences you didn’t necessarily plan for!
- Bottom line: be flexible and patient before and during travel to get the most out of every trip.
Tip #3: Focus on what YOU like
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it is worth mentioning here. In this world where social media is omnipresent and everyone seems intent on one-upping others, it can be easy to focus on what everyone else is doing (and how they are doing it). I fall into this trap often myself…I start digging into to options for an upcoming trip and I see a ton of different ‘popular’ options. However, many of them simply don’t interest me.
- Think about what you enjoy doing and what you would rather skip.
- Start your research with a large list of options, but dig into them further to exclude things that simply don’t sound appealing to you, no matter how popular they may be (as much as I try, I just do not enjoy modern art museums!).
- Don’t be afraid to add some things that others may not include on their lists (I love finding smaller, quirky museums to check out – the American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and the National Coach Museum in Lisbon, Portugal are two of my favorite places I have visited, even though I had no specific interest in either subject before visiting these fabulous museums).
- Be sure to plan your itinerary to include things that interest you the most.
- Bottom line: see what others are doing, but plan your own trip for your own preferences.
Tip #4: Step out of your comfort zone
This one can be tough, and perhaps seems a bit counterintuitive to #3 above. While it is important to focus on what you like, it is also liberating to try new things while traveling. This doesn’t mean you have to completely abandon everything you enjoy doing while on a trip, but don’t be afraid to mix it up a bit.
- Stepping out of your comfort zone, even just a little, can be very rewarding while traveling.
- Try a local food specialty that you’ve never even heard of before.
- Start a conversation with people you have never met before, which is especially key for us solo travelers.
- Sign up for an excursion or tour to do something you’ve never even dreamed of trying before (hello “paddling a canoe for 5 miles on the Danube River”… I’m looking at you!).
- Bottom line: use travel as a great excuse to step out of your comfort zone.
Tip #5: Have fun!
At the end of the day, this is what travel is all about for me: having fun. Sure, it can be stressful to plan an upcoming trip, and it can be a hassle to trudge through the never-ending security lines at the airport. But having fun makes it all worth it in the end.
- No matter what the travel gods throw your way while traveling, pause and take a deep breath: remember that the purpose of leisure travel is to enjoy yourself.
- Whatever stressors are thrown your way, remember that these too shall pass.
- Put that flexibility and patience to good use here and find ways to have fun while traveling.
- Stop and really look around while you are exploring a new corner of the world.
- Embrace the local culture. Try some new food, learn some new words in a new language, attend a traditional performance.
- Bottom line: have fun and enjoy your trip no matter what comes your way.
Common Questions
Does it cost money to use a travel agent?
A travel agent’s services are often free for the client. The agent usually earns commissions from suppliers like hotels and cruise lines, so their service is free to you. A travel agent may charge a service fee for certain aspects of a trip or for the trip as a whole, so be sure to ask ahead of time.
How can I find things to do that may interest me?
There are many great ways to start planning a trip itinerary. From low-tech options like guide books (yes, they still make these!) to high-tech options like Pinterest, social media, or internet searches, there are many resources available to travelers. Your travel agent can also get you started with a list of possible things to see and do.
What is the best way to find unique things to do?
You will often find some unique experiences when doing a general search of things to do. But if you are focused on finding unique things to do, try including words like “unique,” “one-of-a-kind”, “adventurous,” or “bucket list” in your searches.
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