Everyone has their own personal travel habits; and if you’re not yet a seasoned globe-trotter, this year would be a great year to see a new part of the world and broaden your perspective. Whether or not you’ve been jet-setting for years or only beginning to think about travel in the abstract, there are countless ways to feed the appetite – for all budgets and personalities.
Here are 17 types of travel you can and should look into this year!
1
An unexplored local neighborhood
Most people forget that there are so many nooks and crannies to our own hometowns! A great way to spark curiosity or keep the travel cravings at bay is to set aside a chunk of free time to explore an unfamiliar local area. Pick a neighborhood, lace op your sneakers, and wander around! I did just this in my photo essay about commuting in Boston!
2
A structured group tour
If you’re uneasy about travelling on your own, but none of your friends want to joining you, you may want to look into booking a formal tour. These, while a little more expensive than self-made travel plans, are a fun way to see new places and make some new friends. Some seasoned travellers may tell you these tours are “cop-outs” or “scams” – but if you’re not ready to do it all yourself, there is no shame in getting a little help! Just be sure to do a little research to find the right tour company for you!
I love trip planning, but taking a group tour to Zambia/Botswana was amazing (and I don’t think I could’ve doe it myself for cheaper).
3
A weekend away
You can cover a lot of ground in just a weekend! Pick somewhere within a managable distance and/or a cheap flight away – and just make it happen! I’ve done places like San Diego and Houston as weekend trips, so I know it’s possible.
4
With a friend or partner
If you’re itching to get out of town for a bit, but need a little motivation, enlist a friend or partner to tag along. Paige over at For the Love of Wanderlust has a great piece on the topic >> How to Travel With Your Best Friend (and most points can be applied to partners as well).
5
All-inclusive resorts or cruises
Believe it or not, these totally exist for the budget-minded ladies and gents! You’ll be surprised what Google can dredge up if you plug in the right keywords!
6
Family
I bet the thought of this made you groan as a youngster, eh? Sometimes with the craziness of adult life, you need to make it a point to carve out time for your family. Planning a trip with them means that you’re all taken off your home-turf and away from the distractions of home-life.
My sister was with me for my trip to Edinburgh and for most of my time in London!
7
An hour in any direction
It’s so easy! Find your home on a map and figure out where you can visit that is with about an hour of your current location. You’d be surprised at all the cool things that are within an hour (even if its something that seems silly like the International Yarn Museum or the World’s Largest Spoon.
8
Shore
Pick an ocean or lake and make it your next destination. Surfing in California or boating on Lake Michigan, or even learning about the lock system of the smaller lake/river system in Whatevercoolplace.
9
Road trip!
Map out a course, take a week off work, make sure the car is in proper working order (or cheat and rent one), then get on the road! There is a reason road trips are so popular – because they’re cool and a right of passage. If you’re snas-vehicle, take a train trip. It’s a slightly less flexible option, but you get to avoid the potential cramping of being stuck in the seated position for a long time.
10
Mountains
Have you ever seen a mountain in real life? Ok… just checking. You’d be surprised how many people have never seen an actual mountain. There is so much diversity on a single mountain- from the plant life, animals, waterways…. and not to mention, the quaint little towns that sit at the bases of these majestic giants.
11
Solo
Ready to be brave? Now that you’ve taken that tour trip and dragged your best friend on a road trip – you’re ready to graduate to the solo expedition. If you’re a little timid about going solo, find a destination popular with solo travelers (like Amsterdam, London, New York) that has tons of stuff to do, book yourself into a hostel and you’ll be good to go! You got this 🙂
12
Relaxation & technology detox
This type of trip ranks pretty high on my favorites list- largely because its so hard to actually pull the plug, but so refreshing once the withdrawal symptoms wear off. Pick a place where you know you will have minimal access to wifi. One really great thing that comes from the lack of tech is that it allows you to work on personal reflection and building relationships with people around you.
13
An ancestry pilgrimage
If your heritage is something other than the country you live in- or even from a different region within the same country- plan a trip to learn more about where your predecessors came from. Taking steps to learn your family’s specific and cultural history can give really interesting insights to why you are the way you are – or even be as practical as learning that you’re genetically programmed to run around a pasture and herd sheep. And that you’re actually a sheep dog. Just kidding; making sure you’re still with me!
14
A pop-culture trip
Really want to visit “Middle Earth” in New Zealand? Or maybe you’d really like to see what’s so special about Walden Pond. Picking a destination based on film, literature, or even just “Brittney Spears has been there, so I want to go there, too” is a super easy way to pick a destination.
15
Adventure
Bored with the 9-5 life? There are so many different types of adventure trips you can take: whitewater rafting, bungee jumping, zip-lining, multi-day treks – the possibilities are endless. If its something you’ve always wanted to do, I say book it – then you’ll have to carry through because it’s paid for!
16
Go to an event
Favorite band playing in a different coast? Or maybe a different country? Is there a conference you’re dying to go to in the opposite hemisphere? Square all necessary visas, buy the event ticket, and make it happen.
I was in NYC for the Impact Travel Alliance Summit when I went on the Made in Brooklyn Tour, in Milwaukee for WITS when I encountered Good City Brewing, and in Toronto for a concert (ok, I’m in TO all the time, but still…).
17
Working Holiday
This one is a little different from the others. There are some countries that have working holiday visa programs
Bonus:
Follow me on Twitter AND Instagram because I’ve been told that I’m a trip…. lol get it? Trip? Because I’m a tr……….I’ll stop.
- Do you have any trips on the horizon?
- What are your favorite types of travel?
- Are you looking to get outside of your “travel comfort zone” this year?
- Did I miss your favorite type of trip – tell me all about it in the comments
I love the idea of exploring a local neighbourhood. I spend so much heading out of town that I often forget about the good stuff near home. Last night I went for dinner with friends in a neighbourhood that I never go to. While walking to dinner I noticed all kinds of cute shops so now I want to go back to check it out.
Totally! I’m part of a meetup group that does a “Hometown Tourism” series monthly and its been super inspirational – lots of cool things close to home!
Great list of ideas! There is something in for everyone. I personally am a big fan of a type of working holiday. I like to move to a new country and life and work there for a while, learn a lot and then move to a new place.
Same. I did a few years in Korea – and there’s something special about living in a different place – you get to experience the culture in a deeper way than you do when you can only have a short visit.
What a great list! I always vote for the shore or mountains or islands, well really anywhere!
Super suggestions! We already have a few types of these trips booked! Can’t wait to plan some more! 🙂
So glad to see that your #1 is exploring your local neighborhood. It’s so easy to overlook what is right on your doorstep, if you just look hard enough. I write local travel guides for the neighborhood I live in, and it’s a great way to connect with the community. ~~ Jay @birdsOAFpress
I love this list. I initially thought it would be a list of locations, but having this for different types of trips so perfect. You can do these anywhere, including in your own backyard. Very cool. I will definitely try to do a few of these.
Thanks, Aireona! The list was born out of someone telling me that they “never get to travel” and I was like…. uhhh there are so many different types or travel and ways to see new places – everyone can do it!
These are some fun bases to pick your next trip! I like the pop-culture one. Since the premiere of T2 trainspotting I’m really toying with the idea to go to Edingburgh and see the movie there. Already been but love to see the movie before it premieres here. But unfortunately, I do not have time because of all my other travel plans! I love your theme ideas for 2017!
Thanks, Naomi! I had met someone a few weeks back that had built a trip around a concert they had come to Boston to see and realized how genius it was to do that. Even if the place where your event/sight is taking place wouldn’t normally make the top of the “must travel” list, it gives a little push to see somewhere where you might not otherwise go. And I was on the same page thinking I wanted to try to get (back) to Edinburgh to see T@ Trainspotting!! But, alas, I am in the same boat and can’t make it.
I like #7 – an hour in any direction. Sometimes it’s sometime nice just to explore with no real plan.
Totally~ just pick a direction and go!
What an interesting take on trips for 2017! Love the hour each way! May try that this weekend from our home! 😀 Would love to take a cruise!
I’ve seen so many articles with similar titles but love how you took this in a completely different and unique direction! I’m so curious about taking a pop-culture trip, sounds like an adventure 😊
Great list of ways to travel! I think I’ve tried just about every single one of them except the ancestry pilgrimage (may the trip planning commence 😉 ) and also thank you for including my How to Travel with Your Best Friend post! Cheers!
I’ll be doing #13 this year – visiting Amsterdam and Ireland to discover my roots. Great ideas for this year! 🙂
That’s awesome, Julianne! I really liked Amsterdam – if you’re looking for trip resources, WanderlustingK and Tales From a Fork have some great recommendations.
Great tips, thank you!
For me working holiday is also sometimes that small business trip I do and get to see places early mornings before conferences start, between the shifts or just working in your regular time zone opposed to the one you are in 🙂
Some really great ideas here; definitely want to do a road trip this year!
Thanks, Lucy! Road trips are su fun – just make sure you have good shoes if you’re the one driving… learned that lesson the hard way lol 😀
Such a great post, I love the one about taking a trip an hour from home, great idea while I’m saving for my next trip!
Totally – that’s what prompted me to do it (that, and the hometown neighborhood exploring)- I was literally going crazy because I couldn’t afford to fly anywhere and I needed to see something new. IF you look up “weird things in X city” you may find some really interesting, not well-known stuff near you to explore.
These are great ideas!
Wow! All of these sound super fun!!!! I did a lot of #16 last year haha. Hoping to do a lot more of everything else. Ughhh if only I had more vacation days and could cross them all off!
Thanks, Jasmine! I’m on the same page with the vacation time… trying to maximize weekends and holidays so I can hoard as much time as possible for a longer trip lol
Nice list! I’ve done most of these. I tried the tech detox for a week over the summer while on a Greek island. It was great. 🙂