Of course, it’s always good to plan ahead when traveling. It’s great to always be prepared, but is it always the best idea to plan everything out? Sometimes traveling more spontaneously is a better way to enjoy yourself whether you’re backpacking across Europe or just visiting a new country.
Follow these simple tips to travel more spontaneously:
1. First thing’s first: just go somewhere! It doesn’t have to be somewhere fancy or expensive. You can even pick a city in the U.S. and just explore.
2. Once you’ve picked a place, you should just get lost! You don’t have to be a typical tourist with your map, GPS, and itinerary planned out. Just walk around, explore, and see what there is to see. A wise man once said, “Not all those who wander are lost.” Sometimes the best days are the ones that are unexpected.
3. Talk to locals. Throw away your guidebook and don’t look up what to do on the Internet. Don’t always go where all the tourists go! Talk to people who live there and get their advice on what you should do. They usually have an insider’s perspective, and they’ll most likely know of great restaurants and things to do that most tourists wouldn’t know about. These people choose to live there for a reason; they must love it there. You’ll definitely miss out if you don’t take advice from the locals.
4. Remember that distractions are a good thing when you’re traveling. If you’re on your way to a museum, but you hear random music or smell some delicious food you’ve never seen, go for it. Relying on your own senses is a great way to be spontaneous on your trip. Follow your eyes, ears, or nose and you won’t be disappointed or bored. You never know what you’ll find!