How We Decide Where to Travel Next
Some people are true planners when it comes to travel.
My brother and sister-in-law are a perfect example. They can tell you, without hesitation, where they’ll be going two or even three years from now. Not just the destination, but the route, how they’ll get there, and all the details along the way. At any given time, they have several trips already lined up.
It’s impressive! It's something I admire. I sometimes wish I could have everything planned out and organized that way.
However, that’s just not how we travel.
We tend to take a much more flexible approach. We do have a running list of places we’d love to see, but instead of planning years in advance, we tend to let timing and budget guide our decisions. More often than not, it starts with seeing what’s available.
We keep an eye on seat sales, travel deals, and destinations where accommodations are reasonably priced. When something comes up at a good value - and it happens to match a place already on our list - that’s usually when we start to make a plan.
We tend to focus on one trip at a time. Rather than mapping out years ahead, we decide where we want to go next and build from there. It's common for us (or at least me) to start researching about where we will go next while we are still on a current trip.
We’re fairly frugal travelers, and that plays a big role in how we choose our destinations. Our mindset is simple: by spending less on each trip, we’re able to travel more often and experience more places. We would rather take several trips and explore different destinations than invest heavily in one and travel less frequently.
It’s an approach that has worked well for us.
There’s no single right way to plan travel. Some people prefer having everything organized well in advance, while others are more comfortable waiting to see what opportunities come along.
For us, it’s a balance of intention and flexibility - and often, the next trip begins with simply finding the right deal at the right time.
What about you? Are you a planner? Or do you take a more relaxed approach to your travel plans?
In today's fast-paced world, you can't even be sure that the airline will still be in business by the time you travel, can you? I am team flexibility as well. However, at the very least, I need an accommodation secured for the first night after we arrive.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you, have an idea where we would want to go but don't make definite plans. Now I'm a "spur of the moment" traveler. My daughter will call and ask what I'm doing, next thing I'm on the road to her house. I can't plan a week in advance let alone a year. LOL
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