Thrilling experiences. Meeting locals. Trying exotic cuisine. All this and more are part of the joys of traveling. While we all have our goals when it comes to venturing away from home, creating fond memories is the typical objective. Here are some alternative approaches to consider when exploring somewhere new.
From hitting up well-known attractions to making your way around based on personal recommendations, there are endless paths to choose from all along your journey. Nowadays, with constant access to our phones, the number of possible adventures is amplified. These indispensable devices can also help pinpoint ones better tailored to suit your desires.
There are numerous online avenues to explore when acquiring travel tips, local information and foodie destinations. Social media sites, such as Pinterest and Instagram, offer visuals and real-time looks into the experiences of other sightseers. Following travel boards and influencers provides almost infinite information right in the palm of your hand. In fact, phones are so integral in traveling that 85% of consumers report using them to book sightseeing tours and other activities.
If itineraries and schedules are a must for you, utilizing social media can help develop a plan of attack for the trip by singling out places to eat at, things to do and sites to see. Two ways to go about this is to scout via location or search with a specific hashtag on Instagram. For example, by searching #(insert city here)foodie, you can find local dives other users love. These are also great for the spontaneous-minded folk. Using the same social media techniques might prompt different results once you’ve arrived at your destination, potentially leading to more authentic discoveries.
It’s also important you don’t miss out on the popular points of interest in the city. While these may include a line of other tourists, there’s usually a worthwhile reason behind the wait time. If visiting a famous movie set or scheduling a tour of haunted historical spots is on your list — go for it! Taking in the top sights is often the first item on the list for 73% of travelers aged 25 to 34, so you probably won’t be alone in your excitement.
If traditional routes are more your thing but you still want a local’s opinion, consider researching the town’s Convention & Visitors Bureau as well as travel recommendations from bloggers. These handy resources can help get you onto the scene quickly while providing helpful insight from new, and possibly more experienced, perspectives.
There’s no time like the present to start checking things off your bucket list. Start by researching ideas for unique destinations within the city you want to visit most and work your way from there. For further pointers on how to expand upon an adventure, please see the accompanying resource.