With endless destinations, itineraries and travel lists at our fingertips, choosing where to go can sometimes feel like the hardest part of taking a vacation. And when you already need a break from life’s stressors, the last thing you want is to stress about where to escape.
Rather than drawing a blank when asked where you want to go on your next trip, try one of these unexpected ways to get inspired for your next getaway.
- Your Own Bookshelf
Travel books, magazines, cookbooks or novels…books are a fantastic way to transport readers into new places, but let’s take it a step further when you’re ready to leave your living room and out into the world. Your bookshelf can be a fantastic first step at determining your next dream destination.
Maybe an Italian Cookbook inspires you to visit Italy to take an authentic cooking class. A hiking guide reminds you of a trail you’ve always wanted to explore. Or your favorite novel set in the bustling streets of New York City could have you dreaming of hitting the pavement and checking out the sights in your own adventure.
Sometimes inspiration isn’t far and can simply be sitting on your bookshelf in the next room.
Once inspiration strikes then run with it to explore that destination to unlock all there is to do.
- Farmers Markets
Strolling through your local farmers market can certainly give you access to beautiful produce, handmade goods and eye-catching artwork, but it can also provide you with your next travel idea.
Look at what’s being grown, produced, or sold locally. Talk to vendors. Ask where their products come from.
A jar of apple butter could inspire a trip to an orchard. Local wine could send you toward a nearby idyllic vineyard. A particular cheese might introduce you to a farm you’ve never heard of.
Agritourism is a growing industry where travelers can follow the food, and experience the magic of the farm to table experience while seeing new landscapes and meeting new people. Your farmers market can give you much more than what could fit in your reusable shopping bag!
- Restaurant Menus
Think about your favorite restaurant and what your go-to order is. Do you have it in mind? Now, ask yourself, “Where does this food come from?” This question alone could lead you to a destination.
Perhaps your favorite food is BBQ. Let’s take it a step further, is it vinegar based BBQ? Mustard based? Smokey? Sweet? The style of that BBQ could lead you to the birthplace of that style (Texas, North Carolina, Kansas City etc) and inspire a trip that brings you to the root of that delicacy.
Maybe you’re thinking of something spicy that could lead you towards an Indian, Thai or Spanish destination.
Food is an excellent way to learn a lot about a culture, and having the opportunity to experience it firsthand can create unforgettable memories and even allow you to bring home recipes to enjoy for years to come.
- Roadside signs
You know those signs you pass while driving that say:
“Historic Downtown”, “Farm Stand”, “Waterfall”, “Covered Bridge”…have you ever turned in that direction?
Sometimes we are so focused on our GPS and getting to where we need to go, that we may miss out on the adventures waiting in our own backyards that can lead us to where we may want to go.
Let curiosity drive your next destination. Whether it leads to a day trip stroll or an overnight adventure, follow those signs and discover new places.
- Local Tourism Websites
Rather than pulling out your phone and just searching “Best places to visit in [Insert your state or country here]”, look at the websites for individual towns and regions.
Local tourism organizations often highlight several activities including:
- Local Festivals
- Historic Sites
- Seasonal Events
- Restaurants
- Hiking Trails
- Farms
- Museums
These sites may lead you to discover destinations you wouldn’t have found through a generic travel search, and can shape a natural itinerary based on what is listed. Narrowing down by a region and going from there just may lead you to your new favorite seasonal spot to visit.
- Your Camera Roll
Your Google photos can show you much more than memories. Scrolling through photos from past trips, may provide you with patterns in how to plan your next trip.
Maybe you find that all of your favorite photos include small towns, mountains, gardens or historic buildings. These could be clues into narrowing down the type of place you would enjoy a visit to next.
Your photos can also expose where you haven’t been. Perhaps you don’t have a lot of pictures at the beach or camping, but a spot in the warm sand or night under the stars could be what you’re craving at this point in time. That too can point you in the direction of finding your next travel destination.
- Movies and TV shows
A movie or TV show can make you want to visit a city or place you may have never considered before.
Perhaps you’re watching a movie set in New Orleans and suddenly you’re craving a warm beignet with a lively jazz band playing in the background.
Or you’re watching a classic western where characters are riding horses into the sunset, roping cattle and sleeping under the stars, and you think “I’d like to do that”.
Whatever the scenario that the characters are living, it is likely that you can live it to.
Watching TV or movies can provide inspiration, without intentionally searching for inspiration.
- Local Events & Calendars
When you’re out of ideas of places, don’t choose a destination first. Choose an event.
Take a look at upcoming:
- Festivals
- Concerts
- Art Walks
- Food Events
- Garden Tours
- Holiday Celebrations
- Historic reenactments
Maybe there’s a food festival you’ve always wanted to attend, a concert featuring a favorite artist, or a holiday celebration you’ve heard about for years. Instead of choosing the destination first, let the event make the decision for you.
- The Weather
Instead of asking “Where do I want to go”, turn the question around a bit and ask “What kind of weather do I want?”.
Do you want cool mountain air? Find someplace with a higher elevation.
Want sunshine and low humidity? Head towards the coast.
Dreaming of snow? Find a town where winter turns the landscape into the snowglobe of your dreams.
The weather can be your starting point, but where will your destination be based on your answer?
- Ask a Local
When you’re already somewhere—or even talking to someone who lives there—ask: “What’s somewhere around here that you think more people should visit?”
You might get a better recommendation than anything you’ll find on Google.
Algorithms can tell us what’s popular, but they can’t always tell us what makes a place special. People can. People are made up of experiences and memories to share, and when we ask each other to share those experiences and memories, it can open up a new world of possibility and exploration that we may not have known of before.
The next great trip doesn’t necessarily begin with a destination in mind. Sometimes it starts with a farmers market, a roadside sign, a restaurant menu, or a conversation with a stranger.
When you don’t know where you want to go, don’t put pressure on yourself to come up with an answer. Instead, begin to look and listen to your surroundings and you might be surprised where you will end up.
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