When I say travel style, I am not talking fashion, that is a different topic all together! What I am talking about here is how you travel. What you like and maybe more importantly what you don’t like when it comes to travel. Finding and knowing your travel style will help with planning and making your trip more enjoyable.
Lots of us pick a destination and then fill in the details with hotels, activities and must-sees. Some of us want every minute planned and some of us go with the flow, drop into a destination and figure it out in the moment. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle of a minute but minute plan and wing it. So, let’s talk about it.
When you pick a destination is that location your objective or the accommodation. By this I mean are you going to the destination to see something specific like a historic site or natural wonder or did you find a fabulous resort you can’t wait to see. There is no wrong answer here, you like what you like! But this definitely is the kickoff point for planning. If the accommodation is the goal, that is easy, book it. If the destination itself is the goal, that often takes more planning and involves more details.
When destination is your deciding factor, there is often one particular site or activity (maybe more than one) that is your main focus. Check, mark the box, that is the top of your list, what next? Create that list of must-sees and must-dos. Then decide if all those things that can be done in the time allotted and how you are going to make it happen, easy peasy, right? Well maybe.
If your style is pack-it-all-in, run from site to site, see everything on that list and go go go, you have your list, so make it happen! For some of us that is easy, we want to see everything when we go to a new destination, so we run all over the place seeing all the sights. Others try this and fail, not that they did not see everything, they did, it just was not enjoyable. If you are an up at dusk, go until midnight type person – do it, if you are not, plan a less hectic schedule or add some down time.
If you picked a hotel with an amazing pool or spa and restaurants you want to enjoy, make sure you plan time for that. If you don’t you may be wasting money on picking that hotel. Almost any hotel will do, if you plan on being away from the room for most of the trip. When you plan to be on the go, I suggest you pick a hotel based on location and not amenities. Stay someplace that will be close to the action. If you want to hang out by the pool, go to the spa, soak in the tub, or watch the big screen, that is when amenities are more important.
Another thing to think about beyond amenities, or maybe they sort of go hand and hand. What level of luxury are you looking for? I know budget is a big deciding factor in this. But if you know that you do not want to stay at a rustic lodge with shared bathroom facilities, do not book it! If you are ok with that and the price fits your budget, do it! Simple accommodation can have a nice price point but understand the trade-offs. A hostel can be great for a low budget holiday, but dorm style living may be more than you bargained for. If you opt for luxury and blow a big portion of your budget on a hotel that you are never in, you may regret that also. What I am saying here is, that picking accommodation is both about use and level of comfort you want or need. If you don’t already know what level of comfort you like, it might be trial and error. Also, the want to see a destination may be more important than any accommodation type. Going in eyes wide open is the best way to have a more enjoyable holiday.
Another thing to think about is who you are traveling with, traveling solo is very different than traveling with kids. Kids need that down time, older people do too, and maybe even some not so old people! I often suggest a “go” day and a relaxing day, alternating them when you can. Take an easy morning, before or after a hectic night. If you were up for a 5am walking tour, plan to be back to the hotel late in the afternoon for a soak in the pool and a dinner in.
Logistics is also important. Take your list, group sites together and make your plan on how you will see them. But also plan in some time to eat, drink, shop, or just people watch. Lots of destinations offer easy ways to get to popular sites by walking paths or public transportation. Other places you will want a driver or guide to get the most of your itinerary. Getting a local to guide you often makes the trip more enjoyable, and they have all the insider information on where to eat and drink. If paying a guide is not in your budget, no problem, there are probably plenty of written guides to whatever destination, the research and planning just becomes part of the journey.
I am not putting you in a box here, for one trip you might be all about the go and others you want a more laid-back adventure. It is all up to you. Picking your own personal travel style, or even you intended travel style for the vacation will help you get the most out of your trip and will give you a more enjoyable experience.
Key Takeaways:
- Knowing your travel style is important.
- What is most important to you the destination itself or is your accommodation the destination
- Decide the level of luxury you are comfortable with.
- Planning down time can add to overall enjoyment.