Top 5 Travel Tips

I travel often…not as frequently as some, but more frequently than others. I’ve 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. I have broadened my horizons and have seen 28 countries and 38 states (and counting!). I have traveled by car, train, plane, and ship. Along the way I have learned a lot about what to do, and what not to do, when traveling.

Here are my top 5 leisure travel tips:

Tip #1: Find and use a reliable travel advisor.

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 advisor and learned how valuable they are. I found a great travel advisor and we work well together. I like to do my own research and planning. But I rely on him to do the hard work, like making the bookings for flights, cruises, hotels, etc. He also handles getting my travel insurance policies in place for each trip. Having him manage everything makes it a breeze for me, since I don’t need to worry when things change at the last minute (like they did in February 2020 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 advisor 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. When you travel solo, there are often extra charges. Cruises often charge the dreaded ‘single supplement’ for solo travelers, where you pay anywhere from a little to a LOT extra to travel solo. Here’s where the flexibility comes in…if you don’t limit yourself to specifics (dates, locations, itineraries, etc) you can find deals for solo travelers. So, start planning with an open mind to find the best possible options for your trip. And while on that trip, keep that patience handy! Especially in this post-Covid world we live in, 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 Pinterest to find options for an upcoming trip and I see a lot of different ‘popular’ options. However, many of them simply don’t interest me. The more I have traveled, I have learned what I enjoy doing and what I would rather skip. I make sure I plan my own itinerary to include things that interest me. I do still refer to those ubiquitous “Top <insert number> things to do in <insert location>” posts to start my research for upcoming trips, but I dig into the choices further to exclude things that simply don’t sound appealing to me (as much as I try, I just do not enjoy modern art museums!) and 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 still two of my favorite places I have visited, even though I had no specific interest in either subject before visiting these fabulous museums).

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. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to completely abandon everything you enjoy doing while on a trip. But stepping out of your comfort zone, even just a little, can be very rewarding while traveling. Maybe it means trying a local food specialty that you’ve never even heard of before. Or maybe it means starting a new conversation with people you have never met before, which is especially key for us solo travelers. Or how about signing up for an excursion on a cruise 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. Jet lag is no picnic, either, nor is losing your luggage along the way. However, no matter what the travel gods throw your way while traveling, pause and take a deep breath and 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 a way to have fun while traveling. Stop and look around while you are exploring a new corner of the world. Embrace the local culture.

Bottom line: have fun and enjoy your trip no matter what comes your way.

What other travel tips would you add to this list? Add a comment below to share your thoughts.