Everyone who loves to travel has a bucket list of places they want to go, or things they want to do. Sometimes the list is a formal one, longingly written in a journal or commonplace book or typed into a computer document. Ever evolving, probably being added to faster than items can be crossed off. Sometimes the list is short and unspoken, internalized. The person who swears that one day (s)he will see Paris from atop the Eiffel Tower, or gaze upon the Sphinx whilst camelback, or snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef.
These are dreams that are so ingrained in a person that there's no need to be on the lookout for them. But not all travel has to be of the major vacation, fulfilling-a-lifelong-goal variety. There's also the day trip, overnight, long weekend, close-to-home adventure out there waiting to be discovered. People have often asked me, "How did you hear about that place?"
So here are some of my secrets to finding new adventures:
~Lizzie~
These are dreams that are so ingrained in a person that there's no need to be on the lookout for them. But not all travel has to be of the major vacation, fulfilling-a-lifelong-goal variety. There's also the day trip, overnight, long weekend, close-to-home adventure out there waiting to be discovered. People have often asked me, "How did you hear about that place?"
So here are some of my secrets to finding new adventures:
- Local and/or National Magazines- I religiously read Sunset Magazine and make notes of recommended hotels, restaurants, and things to do. Sunset focuses on life in the Western U.S., but there are usually other regional magazines, such as Southern Living, that would do the trick for different parts of the country. Sunset always has a section for day or weekend trips to places I never would have thought to visit. Who would think to spend a whole day visiting Alameda, or spending a night in Petaluma?
National publications, such as Travel + Leisure are also good, but more for those "pie in the sky" someday trips. But here's where technology can be your friend. I make notes of recommended hotels, eateries and sights in a database. That way if the opportunity for a trip to Italy or Japan ever comes up, I've already got a head start on planning.
- Travel Channel- Though it may feel like they've gone away from their original format a bit, and there are more shows that do nothing for me ("Baggage Battles," "Bizarre Foods," "Ghost Adventures") than shows that are truly useful (Samantha Brown, Anthony Bourdain, etc.), I sometimes still find inspiration from cable TV. I must confess to having a spreadsheet with over 1,000 entries of nothing but places to eat that I saw watching Travel Channel or Food Network shows. It may seem like a waste of time to some, but I'll tell you, when you suddenly find yourself going to Portland, Oregon, and the list says that Voodoo Doughnut is a must, you'll be glad for compulsive note-taking.
- Online Deal Sites- If research and note-taking isn't your thing because you're more about spontaneity, consider signing up for one or more of the various "daily deal"-type websites out there. I love, love, love Travelzoo. Every Wednesday they publish their "Top 20" travel deals. Some are international, but there are usually really good local deals as well. Last year Emma, Scout and I went whale watching on Monterey Bay for $25 each with a Travelzoo deal. Groupon has teamed with Expedia to offer their Groupon Getaways, and there's also Living Social and Google Offers, and Travel + Leisure has a deals site called Vacationist for deals on upscale hotels. A couple of years back Emma and I got a great deal at the Tonga Room at the Fairmont in San Francsico through Google. Just be sure that the site you've signed up for is reputable, and be aware that there's potential for your in-box to be flooded with emails.
