Where In The World Should I Travel?

Often times, I will get the same question asked by people “I want to travel, I just don’t know where to go.” This is a common occurrence with a lot of people and the idea ends about as quick as it gets started. Whether you are intimidated by the logistics of the trip or potentially fear of the unknown, the task of planning an entire trip to a new location can be daunting! I have been fortunate enough to help many people get on their way to an amazing trip with just a few tips and ideas that I have learned over the years…

Recently, a family friend asked us for travel advice. The parameters were : Domestic travel in the U.S., hiking, outdoor activities like white water rafting, etc. They were told from another friend to check out Jackson, WY in the summer for an amazing trip. Like you, I completely agree that this trip would be amazing and would recommend it to anyone…. However, the fun and excitement stopped as soon as flight prices were loaded. As you know, Jackson is one of the trendiest places in the States at the time and everyone is flocking for the grand views of the Teton’s. This immediately discouraged them and they almost canceled their plans due to step one of planning.

As this is just one of many examples I have encountered over the years, here are a few tips to find the best bang for your buck…

• Setting realistic expectations : Pick what you want to do right away… Do you want to hike a national forest? Maybe sit on a beautiful beach with a drink in your hand? Possibly tour a new city dining on what the city is most known for? This first step will help you dial in exactly what you’re looking for

• Be flexible : Now that you’ve decided what you would like to do, where do you decide where to go? Being flexible is the most rewarding part of planning. Unless you have a specific place that you HAVE to go to, there are so many options to choose from. As this may be a large task, you can narrow it down from a large list and compare prices, ease of getting to the location, etc. For example, let’s say you want to go to a Nation Park. There are 63 of them. You can research and pick a few that you would be interested and start looking at flight prices, logistics of getting there, and then decide off of those factors what would be best for you family to pursue.

- Saving costs on flights : Once you decide on a few places you would be interested in flying, you can begin to look at flights. Typically, it is far cheaper to fly to bigger, international airports rather than small regional airports. Keep this in mind while looking. Per my example above, it is extremely expensive to fly into Jackson because it is literally next to the Teton’s. If you want to save a little money, look at flying to Denver for Rocky Mountain NP or Las Vegas for Zion NP. These are just a couple examples that could save you some cash on step #1. This also applies, for the most part, to any location you look to fly. Stick with larger airports and save some money.

• Travel during shoulder and/or off-peak seasons : This is important if you want your trip to be less busy or if you want to save some money over the course of your trip. I know, however, this is not an option all the time. You aren’t going to sacrifice doing a once-in-a-lifetime experience at your dream destination just to save some money. However, look at the options if you are flexible and don’t really care where to go. I have been to so many states and countries during off-season and it gives you an entirely different perspective than if you were there in a crowd of people. A quick Google search will give you each location’s peak, shoulder, and off-season.

- Don’t be afraid to go : Lastly, don’t be afraid to go somewhere new. I can promise you, most of the people and places in the world are extremely helpful and friendly. You will always be able to find where to go and what to do. Book your trip and get excited to see a new corner of the world, it will be worth it every time!