Travel is a pretty big word, covering everything from a day hike to a multi-week bender across a continent. How we travel also changes, not just the means, but the habits and plans.
So one netizen asked the internet how people’s travel style had shifted over the years and why. People shared their stories, tips, and new habits, so get comfortable and prepare to scroll, upvote and comment your thoughts below. We also got in touch with Paul from TravMonkey and Chloe Gunning, blogger and creative producer from WanderlustChloe to learn some of their travel tips.
More info: Indepartures.com | Wanderlustchloe.com
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I need extra days off when I get back.... I used to be able to work the next day after coming back.
I’ve lost pretty much all interest in night life. I’ve found that bars/clubs are pretty much the same everywhere. I like having one nightcap, getting to bed early, and waking up refreshed.
In the last year or so, I’ve stopped trying to do everything. I’ve found that my happiest travel moments were when I made no plans and just did whatever felt right in the moment. Sometimes that might be just finding one spot I want to be and just soaking up my surroundings for the day. It’s hard to stay present when I’m worried about trying to do it all and see it all.
Bored Panda got in touch with Paul from TravMonkey and Chloe Gunning, blogger and creative producer from WanderlustChloe to ask some questions about travel and what tips they would have given a younger self. Paul had a pretty straightforward answer for “himself”: “Don't compromise. Do what you want to do, not what others want or how it's perceived. Life is short and to have the freedom to travel without the responsibilities and pressures at a younger age is a privilege and a life-changing experience.”
“Be more adventurous! I wish I'd said yes to a few more experiences on my earlier travels. If I could go back and do things again, I think I'd be a lot more carefree!” Chloe shared with us, both emphasizing the fact that travel stress can overwhelm so many people that their trip never actually leaves them satisfied.
Less is more. Less planning, less luggage, less expectations, less stress. Less is more
Someone told me that you'll never remember how much that cool thing you want to do cost, but you will always remember the cool thing.
It made sense to me. Thinking back at my trips I can't remember how much any single event was. Going in the Colosseum or eating a nice meal, whatever it may be.
My advice to everyone: be healthy and wealthy - this is very pleasant
AirBNB vs Hotels: I love the concept of AirBNBs but I've had more and more issues with them. I stray towards hotels mostly now.
Flights: I detest economy. I value my comfort. Anything longer than 90m and I'll go up a comfort level. If that means I travel less, so be it.
Flights: I opt for no layovers whenever possible now. It sometimes costs a bit extra or means I have to use ground travel when I arrive, but cancellations on my 2nd leg has caused me enough problems that I don't want to deal with it anymore.
Airport lounges: I pay for access now. Having a more comfortable seat and access to free coffee (and snacks, food, drinks if available) is worth it for me. If it means I don't get to travel as much as I want, so be it.
Cruises: I didn't understand the draw of cruises. Finally took one. Cruises are now solidly in my rotation.
TL;DR -- as I get older I get grumpier and value comfort, ease of travel and avoiding the unknown as much as possible.
Having more money is generally a changing point in a lots of things
A lot of the responses in this post come from people who have reevaluated their spending habits on a trip, so we wanted to hear Paul’s opinion. “I think it's a balance, if your money is unlimited then why not pay? I tend to do so within my own budget when traveling. For example, I'd definitely rather pay a few pounds/dollars to take cash out where I am rather than have to get to the other side of a big city to find an ATM that doesn't charge. It'd potentially cost me a few pounds/dollars to get there and an extra hour to find the ATM. Pay a little more for the convenience and I could be relaxing by the beach or sitting in a bar sipping a cold beer instead of rushing around a city getting stressed.”
I have tried to get into the mindset that for vacation travel the fun starts when you leave the house so finding ways to enjoy the drive to the airport, the wait in the airport, if having to lay over have longer ones to reduce stress. Airport restaurants might not be the best but browse and find something to enjoy, shop the shops even if not buying anything, have a friend drive you to the airport/pick you up and use that time to connect, have a good book to read…. I used to work hard to minimize the time in the airport, showing up just in time, short layovers… but I realized the stress wasn’t worth the gain
The fun starts when I have to wake up very early in the morning to catch a n early flight! And I am not joking, I love early mornings with their fresh air and when everything is so still and quiet! And I love to have a tea and muffin in the airport. These moments are parts from my holiday too and I enjoy them.
As our family grew to 6 we realized that most of the middle to higher end chains have occupancy restrictions that are a bit tough to beat with 4 kids running around.
But we have found that the old school motels with all of the rooms having their own door to the outside have become KING. They don't see/care how many kids you fit in there. No hallways to carry your s**t down.
And at the end of the night, we can close the door with them safely in bed and sit outside our door and enjoy a drink together, something that absolutely can't be done in modern hotels.
Finding really cool rehabbed ones has become our travel goal.
When I first started traveling - it was hostels all the way. Now I couldn’t ever imagine myself going to one. Why share a room with people who have alarms set for their 5am flight and need to share one bathroom
Chloe thought that these preferences might be a result of aging. “In my 20s I was so happy to have experiences on my travels, but I'd often be on a budget. In my 30s, I've felt happier spending more money in order to cram more into my trips. It's interesting though, as sometimes the slower, more budget-friendly options lead to more interesting experiences,” she shared with Bored Panda.
Hop on hop off busses. Before kids, never. Once we had kids, we found it was an easy way to get an overview of cities, them going back later to those places we really want to see. Air conditioning and comfy seats. If the kids took quick naps, all the better.
Valuing personal comfort more: comfy bed, private bathroom, upgraded seat. Once you get a fancy airplane seat it’s hard to go back.
Also, I mostly travel solo and I’m not as shy talking to strangers — either other travelers or locals. This has made a big difference
How much I love staying in fully equipped apartments, especially with a little one. Having one or even two bedrooms and a washer dryer is an absolute game changer. I'm definitely willing to spend more for that added comfort.
On that note, I've learned you need to account for comfort and not everything needs to be walked to or going on public transport. Taxis/Ubers are worth the money when you're tired or can't get there conveniently.
Hilton has those Home2Suites hotels that are basically like little apartments and they're fantastic! You can do laundry there for free (just remember to bring detergent) and each room has its own fridge, dishwasher, microwave, cutlery & plates/bowls/cups, and dining table. You can also checkout free induction cooktops from the front desk and they even provide the pans with it. My husband & I booked a staycation room for Mother's Day weekend and brought our own cookware - we stopped at the store and grabbed groceries on the way out and had an amazing weekend together, never having to leave the hotel or put on pants 😄
Lastly, we asked each of them what are the best things someone can do to prepare for traveling to a new destination. Paul stated that “before traveling to a new destination a little bit of research is required. I'm not massively into planning and like to go with the flow much more but any traveller really needs to know the basics before they go. Check country entry requirements, visa requirements, your passport (make sure it fits the requirements, has enough pages, etc), healthcare/vaccinations, the currency, and the rough costs before you land.”
No more hostels - it’s a private hotel room or I’m not going lol
FOOD TOURS. What an amazing interactive way to not only learn about the food, but also culture and history. They’re pricey but soooo worth it. You get to discover so many new local foods that don’t usually make it onto “must eat” lists.
We did 2 wine tours in Tenerife, the first one was a small group and really nice, the second was a coach and awful. Always stick to groups of 14 or less.
When I travel somewhere, I always save a day and plan nothing. Then I’m able to fit in things I come across as I travel (but didn’t plan for) or I just roam and recharge and go where the day takes me. I call it my Ferris Bueller day
similar, but keep a free rest day too incase you get sick or exhausted and don't need to feel the need to visit something new everyday.
“It's always good to know how much the taxi from the airport when you land should be costing you before you get there. Also, it's worth reading up on the latest scams in certain destinations if you are backpacking for a decent length of time. If you have the opportunity in life to travel, do it. It's the best investment you could make in yourself. It's cliched but it does broaden your horizons, gives you a different perspective on the world whilst finding out more about yourself along the way.”
We used to fly every vacation. It gave us the possibility to go to some wonderful places. But now with how bad the airlines are I have zero interest in flying. We are doing more road trips and are much happier for it. Even though it limits our range.
I used to drive a lot, but recently founf public transport, even in the UK, is great for city visiting. Cities within 100 miles, £40 return for three people. No parking, right to the centre of the city, ensuring we are not in the "quiet carriage" can have plenty of fun and chats just riding the train.
I don’t do restaurants except for dinner. I go to the grocery store periodically as I travel and buy fruit, bread, cured meats, wine, and something sweet, then work my way through it as I go. Healthier, cheaper, and a fascinating experience.
yeah i love to get stuff from the supermarket as well, esp local things. Rarely go have dinner when i travel alone though, always end up with triangle sandwiches on a bench in a nice park :-D
Paying more for fewer flights also reduces the chance of one delayed flight causing missed connections and having to spend even more time in transit. Arriving exhausted after long layovers and already long flight times requires more recovery time before I can get to the fun part of the trip.
I know it's a luxury, but I also can't imagine going back to economy for long flights. I can't afford first class, but that mid-tier with bigger seats and adequate leg room is such an improvement and worth the extra money if I have it.
Chloe shared her advice. “Read as much as you can before you go so you're not glued to your phone when you get there. Plot out a few activities for your week, but leave plenty of free time too. Also, check information about safety - sadly, this is more relevant to women, but it's important to be prepared. I don't think you'll ever regret traveling! Pack in as much as you can in your 20s when you don't have much responsibility! Life changes a lot as you get older.”
Get a journal and write in it every day. Reading back on the small sensory details I wrote down (that I normally would have forgotten if not written down that day) helps me go back and put myself in that time and place again.
As a family, we are getting to the stage where I want to go back to a handful of places that I’ve been to and liked.
We’ve had too many trips thats haven’t been up to expectations and it’s such a shame when you have so few opportunities to travel around school holidays and each roll of the dice is so expensive.
I feel quite old going back to the same place year after year but I think I’m happy with it.
There's only one place I love and have been back to, Crete, a different place every time obviously. The Greeks have the right ratio of happy and grumpy for me and Crete is beautiful.
When I travel with family I book a local photographer for a shoot. They know great spots and we get pictures of all of us without having to stress. It’s cheap, often not much more than a good restaurant meal, and when I’m too old to travel those pics will be priceless.
“Also, you don't need lots of money to have an amazing time. Many of my favorite adventures have involved budget hostels and long bus journeys. They're often the way you meet amazing people!” You can find Paul’s Instagram here, his Twitter here, and his new site which shows what airports have “beyond airport security before you travel,” here. Chloe’s website can be found here and her Instagram is here.
I used to have an extensive list of places I wanted to visit, and used to cram 1-2 countries into every vacation. But now - I am more likely to go to a single place and really enjoy what it has to offer.
I also used to be interested in super expensive countries (eg. Amsterdam, Singapore) but now that I’ve been to one, I have almost zero desire to go to another and spend incredible amounts of money on basic things like accommodations and meals. I’d rather go to places that are more affordable, because I find them more enjoyable when I am not worried about blowing through 150$ a day.. looking at you Amsterdam.
Tours. I’ve mainly traveled alone. When I was younger, it was easier to think I knew all about what I should see and what I was seeing. Now I appreciate being in a small group, whether just for a day or several, and having someone talk me through it a bit.
EDIT: I should have specified: we’ll-vetted, small-group tours. I don’t want to be on a bus stopping for obligatory photo-ops and listening to pre-recorded descriptions.
oh, and if you're going to a national park, go to at least one ranger talk....they are free, you will learn lots, and some of the rangers are so entertaining!
How much I just want to go somewhere warm and beachy and chill the f**k out. If I am somewhere new I will take a day or half-day and see what cool stuff there is to see, but I am there to rest and drink after work's busy season, and a good dose of vitamin D before enduring the rest of the gray months in the Pacific Northwest winter.
When I was younger I would have been appalled at some of the places I’m willing to stay and conditions I’m willing to tolerate. If you had told my younger self that 10-15 years later I’d be taking a packed bus across Azerbaijan to go stay in the mountains at a boarding house with hay-stuffed mattresses I wouldn’t have believed you.
But those rougher adventures have always been my favorite. I recently just experienced a super typhoon and was without power or water for a week. That’s been one of my top 10 travel experiences.
I wear a mask when on planes and trains and tight indoor settings.
Points and miles have been a game changer for us. We have been able to visit hotels and destinations that would have otherwise financially been out of reach. It has also enabled us to fly first/business class on most trips and it's so nice to actually enjoy long haul flights instead of dreading them.
In my 20s: spend a couple days in a country to get the vibe and check it off my list. In my 30s: stay in a cool city for 2-3 weeks and do some day trips or overnights. Cities change when you dig into them and not just pass through them.
I'm willing to pay more to be comfortable. Also, I'm completely over packing like a minimalist. I don't overpack, but there are more items I'm willing to include in my bag for both convenience and comfort.
Yes. I love checking baggage these days. No more hauling my bag with me, no more playing Tetris to pack a tiny carry on. I’ve been travelling for 25 years and about 5 years ago I just said screw it, I want comfort
So the general consensus is: be wealthy and pay more for flying busness and good hotels, it's much more comfortable. I'll get right on that, thank you.
well... sometimes you can get a good deal for only a bit more.
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What I have learned from traveling for many years (to 25 countries, so far), is that you don't have to do tourist stuff every day. Just hanging out and absorbing the ambience of a city or town is also fun, and way more relaxing.
Bring on the red arrows, but this article seems a tad tone-deaf to reality right now. My best travel advice? Learn to appreciate staycations. We live a couple of hours drive from a gorgeous area of our province (Gananoque, Ontario) and just came home from a family road trip. You couldn't pay me enough to get on an airplane and I used to practically LIVE on them! I'm almost 60. I don't have many years left, but I'd rather not risk my health by sitting in a sealed tube for hours with total strangers, breathing each other's air. Disneyland's not going anywhere, it can wait.
While we save up for adventures, we do staycations. And, as we age, we save up for the reallllly good airplane seats, so it can be 5 years of saving between trips that require us on as plane for more than 90 minutes. It really has become the best way to go.
Load More Replies... So the general consensus is: be wealthy and pay more for flying busness and good hotels, it's much more comfortable. I'll get right on that, thank you.
well... sometimes you can get a good deal for only a bit more.
Load More Replies... What I have learned from traveling for many years (to 25 countries, so far), is that you don't have to do tourist stuff every day. Just hanging out and absorbing the ambience of a city or town is also fun, and way more relaxing.
Bring on the red arrows, but this article seems a tad tone-deaf to reality right now. My best travel advice? Learn to appreciate staycations. We live a couple of hours drive from a gorgeous area of our province (Gananoque, Ontario) and just came home from a family road trip. You couldn't pay me enough to get on an airplane and I used to practically LIVE on them! I'm almost 60. I don't have many years left, but I'd rather not risk my health by sitting in a sealed tube for hours with total strangers, breathing each other's air. Disneyland's not going anywhere, it can wait.
While we save up for adventures, we do staycations. And, as we age, we save up for the reallllly good airplane seats, so it can be 5 years of saving between trips that require us on as plane for more than 90 minutes. It really has become the best way to go.
Load More Replies...