Here are six travel resolutions to follow in 2018 to make your trips exciting and memorable. Make this year the one you remember for your whole life!
Travel in Winter
Traveling in off-peak times is a great way to be able to stretch your travel budget. Many wonderful locations have great deals for the winter months – and there are fewer crowds! Montreal or New York in the winter take a little planning, but are beautiful. Eat hot taffy on snow at a Sugar Shack or ice skate at Rockefeller Center. No destination is off-limits just because it’s winter!
Go Off the Beaten Path
Vacationing in a small city has a number of wonderful perks! You are able to soak in the same part of the countryside as a larger city, but there are fewer crowds, less traffic, and you don’t always have to have a reservation for dinner! Try Door County, Wisconsin. Called the “Cape Cod of the Midwest” it is a string of picturesque towns along a peninsula flanked by Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
Stay at a B&B
Bed and Breakfasts are a wonderful way to immerse yourself in local color. Usually small business, these establishments let you stay in unique parts of the city where there aren’t chain hotels. For the fullest experience, look for one that uses a historic building, like Fairchild House in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Eat at a Local Restaurant
Every meal while traveling is an opportunity for adventure when you eat at local restaurants. Staying away from national or international chains does introduce an element of risk, and there will be times when the meal you have isn’t perfect. However, this is part of the process of being adventurous! Ask people you meet for their dining recommendations because everyone has a favorite restaurant! Sometimes you stumble into hidden gems like Izakaya Mew, the Japanese small plates establishment and jazz venue in a New York City basement. You won’t know until you ask!
Do as Locals Do
What do residents do for fun? You can find out by asking the desk at your B&B, your waiter at the local restaurant, or with a quick google or yelp search. Maybe they show movies in the park like Millennium Park in Chicago. Or have a lot of festivals, like New Orleans. Or have an open-air food market that rotates local eateries like Smoragasburg in Brooklyn. Whatever it is, it will bring you closer to the people and the culture of the city while creating lifelong memories.
Buy Souvenirs from Local Craftsmen
Instead of just a shot glass, bring back something unique that tells the story of where you have been and that you can interact with in your daily life. Dominique Røyem elaborates: “Some of my favorite items to purchase as souvenirs are jewelry, scarves, and wraps made by local craftsmen. Every time I wear them I am reminded of the wonderful time I had on my trip. One of my favorite recent pieces is my wool wrap from Estonia. Made from local wool woven and dyed in the traditional way, it is a warm reminder of my time in Europe.”
What are your travel resolutions for this year? Will you incorporate one from here or are they all different? Tell me in the comments below!