There are 2 kinds of people in this world when it comes to traveling. Those who have no idea where they want to go and those who have too many ideas of where they want to go and can’t decide which one to go to. I am definitely the later and have an insane bucket list that I would have to live a million life times to fulfill! What can I say this world is amazing?
Regardless though as to whether you are like me or like the other type of traveler, picking your next vacation can be a challenge. The number one piece of advice I can give is research!! I know research is everyone’s favorite word. Haha! So get out a pen and paper, pop open your laptop, take some notes, and look for the answers. This is how you will pick your next vacation, by doing some homework!
Questions to Ask Yourself When Deciding On A Vacation:
What do you want to do?
First things first, what are you wanting to do? Are you wanting to hike? Are you wanting to lounge around on a beach? Swimming, rodeos, flower viewing, history touring, camping, cliff jumping, boating, horseback riding, etc. What activity speaks to you right now?
Sometimes all I want in life is to relax in the sand listening to the waves on a beach. Other times my heart longs to be in mountains. What are you longing to do more than anything in life right now?
It doesn’t matter how crazy or how weird the activity is that you want to do. I am not saying the vacation you are planning will even be the specific thing you are thinking of, but it will help you narrow down the list of places in this world to a specific category.
For instance if the number one thing you really want to do is go parasailing, obviously you really want to be somewhere by the water. So that narrows down to you need to look for places by lakes or oceans. That doesn’t mean you are going to go parasailing, hopefully you can, but now you know you want to be by water. So what do you want to do more than anything else?
How much are you willing to spend?
Next thing you need to consider when deciding on where or what vacation you would like to go on is how much are you wanting to spend. There is no sense in planning for a trip to Iceland if you can’t afford to even go. So instead of wasting your time planning a trip that you can’t go on, decide what you can pay towards a trip and then pick the destination.
Or…..
If you are wanting to go somewhere you can’t necessarily afford, come up with a budget and a plan make it happen in the future. Nothing is impossible. If you want to go somewhere put in the work and figure out how you afford to get there!
What kind of vacation are you wanting?
There are so many options that come with traveling, so what kind of traveling do you want to do? Are you wanting have a staycation and just find something fun in the area you live in? Or are you wanting to go international? Are you wanting to solo travel or go on a family vacation?
Cruise, camp, backpacking, all inclusive, a resort, or go on a tour package vacation? There are countless ways to travel, which one are you going to try?
When are you wanting to go?
Another big decision you need to ask yourself when deciding on a vacation is deciding when you want to go on your trip. Pull out your calendar and make a list of dates that you have available to travel and for how long.
Actually seeing the dates that you are available to travel will help you narrow down significantly where you want to go and what you are wanting to do.
For instance, if you are free for a week in October you may want to go to Aspen, Colorado to visit the leaves changing colors or you may want to visit Arlington, Texas to experience their Pumpkin Nights walk through. These may be things you have on your bucket list, and if you are free in October then maybe plan on doing the October activities you have listed on your bucket list seeing how it is the only time you can do them.
How long are you wanting to go on vacation?
Another deciding factor of where you can go on vacation is how long you have available to travel. If you only have a weekend to travel, you might not want to fly over to Brazil and back. By the time you got there you would have to turn around.
Now if you have 2 weeks then heck yeah plan on heading to Brazil. If you have only a weekend then maybe search for a hike or a museum nearby. It really narrows down locations when you realize how much time you have to travel.
How far away?
Now that you have decided how long of a vacation you are wanting to take, lest decide on how far away you want to go. You may have 2 weeks to vacation, but don’t want to travel out of country or even out of state. Do you want to go hours away, a state away, a country away?
How are you going to get there?
You have figured out how long you have and how far you have to go, now how are you going to get there. This will make a difference in your decision.
Let’s say you only have a week off and want to go visit Yosemite National Park over in California. Lets say you live in West Texas. If you want to drive to Yosemite from west Texas, that will take you two 10 hour days of driving. Then you have to figure in the two 10 hour days of driving back. That is 4 days out of your 7 day trip that you are spending driving. So maybe that isn’t the best trip if you are wanting to drive. If you are wanting to fly then that makes perfect sense for a trip.
Once you decide on how long you trip will be and how far you go, add up the time it will take to actually travel so you can make sure you are giving yourself enough time to actually do fun things on your trip!
Where are you going to stay?
I am going to use the example of visiting California again. Did you know that in order to camp anywhere near San Francisco, California you need make your reservation at least 6 months in advance. That is at least 6 months, some specific areas you need to book even farther out.
Once you decide where you want to go, it might be a good idea to figure out how you are going to be able to stay there. Again, for instances, if you are wanting to camp at Yosemite and your only time to do this is 2 weeks from now, than you might want to reconsider your plans because there is no way you will find a campground that late in season.
Planning where you are going to stay will make a difference in where you can travel for your next vacation.
Where do you want to go?
The final question, actually might be the most important of all. Where do you want to go? What place do you dream of visiting? Life is short go where your heart longs to be!
Where to find inspiration on where you should go?
Growing up my mom used to buy the new paper map books of the USA each year. I would find her staring at these maps for long periods of time. When I would ask her about it she would tell me that she was just looking at places to go. For birthdays and Christmas, she loved getting travel books and by the time I was older she had a whole library of travel books. That was just the way to travel back then.
Let’s fast-forward to 2023! I can literally google amazing places to go and get an incredible list of places, information about them, admission prices, air fare, tips for visiting the places and so much more on one google search! It is so easy to learn about places and find places to go. The internet is an incredible source for finding places to travel.
Don’t know about you, but every time I get on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest my bucket list gets bigger and bigger. I love following other travel influencers from around the world and even those close to home. I can’t tell you how many fun places I have gone because I saw somebody doing it on an Instagram reel.
My all-time favorite tool for finding inspiration to travel is Google Maps. I can totally relate to my mom spending so much time staring at maps. Only the maps I stare at are digital and easier to use. I could spend forever clicking on all the points on Google maps and studying all the restaurants, hikes, museums, boutiques, and landmarks that pop up. It is the easiest way to find things to do and a great way to find inspiration for your next trip.
Make the decision and go for it!
You are never going to go if you don’t set the date, make the plan, and put it on your calendar. Life is too short to not live it to the fullest. Do your research, decide what you want to do and make it happen! If you are looking for inspiration than look on social media, it is filled with all sorts of amazing destinations and experiences. Everyone has a dream, figure out yours, and go make it happen!
Amazing Places You Should Consider For Your Next Vacation:
Yosemite In A Day: Maximizing Adventure In Minimal Time
How To Spend 5 Days in Aspen, Colorado In Summer
What You HAVE To Do While In San Antonio, Texas!
Exploring Wisconsin Dells With Toddlers
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