How to Narrow your Travel-To-Do List
This post is by Kay Boatner, one of our contributors.
Where in the World?
For a variety of reasons including work, family, depressing bank account statements and lack of frequent flyer miles, most of us don’t have the luxury of unlimited time and money for travel. Meaning we’ve got to get picky when it comes to planning our next trip and make the most of our short sojourns.
So how should a bohemian traveler choose their next vacation spot? To determine my upcoming international escape—I finally settled on Ireland!—I followed the tips below.
Fellow bohos, behold:
Family Ties
Let your ancestors inspire your next trip. Your father’s side of the family is German? Hit up Bavaria in March or April for Heidelberger Frühling (Heidelberg Spring). Mom’s part Croatian? Sit seaside in the picturesque Dubrovnik this summer. Knowing that you are connected in some way to whatever country you happen to be visiting makes the experience even more rewarding.
Traveling with others? Learn more about their roots—I once visited a little city in Italy (Lucca) because a fellow traveler’s family was originally from there. When mapping out our itinerary, I was inclined to choose the more well-known Florence, but was pleasantly surprised by how charming Lucca was. Fun fact: the tiny town has a big Mafia presence. Shhh.
Phone a Friend
And not a very good one. You’ve likely heard all about your BFF’s recent stay in Mexico and feel Cancun’d out. Try asking a casual acquaintance or a work colleague if they’ve traveled anywhere interesting recently, and what they did there. A former co-worker of mine once took a bicycling trip to Lord Howe Island in Australia that sounded amazing.
Australia’s obviously a popular tourist destination, but I wouldn’t have thought of signing up for a biking expedition. After seeing her pictures, I’m convinced there’s no better way to see the seven-mile-long spot—or anywhere else, for that matter.
Ask an Expert
Frequent travelers and us bohos, or fans of “off-the-beaten path” type trips, tend to turn up our noses at travel agents, incorrectly assuming they cater to uber-tourists. But a travel agent’s job is to literally know the entire world and to tailor trips for their customers.
Why not take advantage of their knowledge? Start off by sharing with them the tone of your trip—whether it’s a low-key backpacking exploration or a high-octane party weekend. Besides being able to recommend places you might have never heard of—anyone been to Tusheti, Georgia?—agents are usually able to help you get good deals on flights and accommodations.
Definitely use a local agent, though; online agents may be hard to track down later, when and if there’s a problem. There’s actually been a surprising uptick in the use of travel agents lately, despite the crappy economy. If you prefer not to pay someone else do the legwork for your trip, remember that an initial conversation with an agent is free—many of them are happy to offer gratis advice on where to go, even if it doesn’t lead to a sale.
These three tips led me to my decision to embark on my upcoming Irish excursion. I owe my fair skin to my Guinness-swilling ancestors; a long-lost friend’s gorgeous Facebook photos of County Cork’s Shiplake Mountain Hostel has moved the spot to the top of my to-stay list (guests sleep in painted wooden caravans and shower using fresh spring water!); and, I definitely intend to drop by a local agency to see when might be the best time to plan my trip for.
If all else fails, you can always go with the old “throwing a dart at a map of the world” option. It works for this couple.
Photos via Kay Boatner and Lord Howe Island Tourism
Follow us on Facebook and Tweet us: @BohemianTrails and Sign up for our free BOHO BLAST!
21 Comments
I have a list of about 100 destinations I want to visit. When I’m not sure where to go on the next trip (which is rare) I pull out the list and pick a place based on seasonality and airfares. Also, I still have about 10 trips to Mexico I want to do, and have to force myself not to go there over and over again!
Eva recently posted..My Top 10 Indispensable Travel Products*
I love the dart throwing idea, haha! My ever growing bucket list keeps it simple for me to keep track of places I want to visit, but definitely complicates things when I want to make a choice. Being based in Europe at the moment, I try to focus on European destinations for now, but so many places are calling me!
EurotripTips recently posted..Keukenhof Gardens Is For (Macro) Lovers, a Photo Essay
I’m always tempted to go back to a previous destination. But, the last time I was planning a trip, I actually read a book that inspired me to visit Thailand instead. And, when all else fails, close your eyes and spin a globe!
dtravelsround recently posted..Escape of the Week: Pioneertown, California
There are too many places in the world that I have yet to see and the trouble is narrowing it down. These tips will definitely help.
Alexa Meisler recently posted..Organic Hair & Skin Care On the Go with Intelligent Nutrients
Good tips for people trying to narrow down where to travel to! Asking an expert is a good one because they can help you choose and get good deals!
Brock – Backpack With Brock recently posted..Success! 31 Days of Posting and Finding Happiness First
I usually just talk to other travellers for inspiration, the only problem with that is, that you end up with way too many ideas for trips you want to take!
Jarmo recently posted..Exploring the Cu Chi tunnels
Great tips, it’s always topical to me, since I want to see everything all together!
Angela recently posted..Video and photos: In Lebanon, marching for Palestine
I love the “phone a friend – but not a good friend” idea. A close friend knows you too well, but someone who’s done a bit of traveling but can’t cloud their judgement with thinking about what you might want might just steer you in an unexpected – and awesome – direction.
Randall @ Neotravel recently posted..Tons of New Budget.com Coupon Codes
I work at both a hotel and an airport, and I take every opportunity to strike up conversations and ask people who are passing through about where they are from or where they have been. I have gotten some really great ideas this way.
Shanna Schultz recently posted..A Our Budget for Thailand for One Week: A Report on the the Cost of Living in Thailand
That’s awesome Shanna – keep it up!
Megan recently posted..Bohemian Trails Talks Inspiration
All great tips
I also think the weather is something to take into consideration – you don’t want to go to Russia in winter or Egypt in summer for example (I mean you could, but it wouldn’t be as comfortable an experience!).
Wanderplex recently posted..Don’t let the weather put a damper on your vacation: 17 ideas for a rainy day
That’s a great point! Egypt was hot enough in the winter so I can only imagine how hot it would be in the summer.
Megan recently posted..Zip Lining Colombian Style
Check the weather forecast for your destination and consider the activities you are likely to do before packing your clothing items. Depending on where you are traveling, the temperature may fluctuate 10 to 20 degrees, making a big difference between packing your bathing suit or a coat.
Great point Krizza!
Megan recently posted..Zip Lining Colombian Style
I also think the weather is something to take into consideration – you don’t want to go to Russia in winter or Egypt in summer. Thanks for sharing..
That’s for sure! Egypt in the summer does not sound like too much fun
Megan recently posted..Zip Lining Colombian Style
The last time I was planning a trip, I actually read a book that inspired me to visit Thailand instead.
That’s awesome Liz! I’m big into travel reading as well
Megan recently posted..Bohemian Trails Gets Crowned
Depending on where you are traveling, the temperature may fluctuate 10 to 20 degrees, making a big difference between packing your bathing suit or a coat.
Jam recently posted..Good Low Carb Diets
Very good point Jam!
We’ll try that. Thanks for the tips.
Laura @Travelocafe recently posted..The Botanical Garden from Valencia. Kitties and Flowers