Perhaps you enjoy hiking at home, sure, but if you were to bring along your beloved grandparent on vacation, you may have to limit some of the miles for their comfort, and no doubt you’d remain happy to do so.
Most people are aware of the phenomenon that when they’re shopping for their groceries, doing so with a hungry stomach can cause them to buy much more than they had planned, perhaps going over budget and filling their basket with disposable items they can eat right then and there, on top of the ingredients they would have needed for more planned meals.
Holiday planning can somewhat fall into this practice, too. If you’re very excited to visit a certain place, have been working hard for quite some time and are desperate for a break, or just haven’t been abroad for a number of years, you may plan the largest, longest and super-filled holiday to the point where it all may be a little much. In this post, we intend to help you avoid that outcome by simplifying everything to the point you can breathe, and actually take in what’s around you:
Head For A Fantastic Landmark Package Tour
Now and again, keeping things simple by focusing on a specific travel highlight is the best way to plan a trip. A package tour that revolves around a landmark or notable attraction can give structure to your holiday without overloading it in that way. For example, a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower in Paris or a visit to the pyramids in Egypt means the pressure of planning is mostly taken care of, and you may even get better access through a tour that has been pre-planned like this, instead of just going as a random tourist. The same is true for companies that sell trips between excellent landmarks or places to stay, such as a trip to Niagara Falls from New York with Hellotickets.
Tours like this often include transportation, tickets, and sometimes meals, letting you relax and enjoy the experience without really worrying about anything. It’s reassuring to have a clear schedule with fewer decisions to make. After all, most people go on holiday to relax and rewind but often end up planning and expending more energy than ever. This way, you can take in the sights, snap a few pictures, and enjoy the fact that everything’s already been arranged for you.
This kind of holiday suits those who love the idea of seeing something iconic but don’t want to spend weeks figuring out the logistics themselves at peak times. It’s also a good way to get a taste of a location without committing to a long or overly complex trip. You may even hav a tour guide with you, which saves you time reading books in advance, you get to know all the best facts while you’re there!
Visit One Smaller Town & Explore It All At Your Own Pace
It’s true that big cities tend to get all the attention in travel guides, but small towns often offer a more relaxed and intimate experience, and they really will appreciate your contribution to the local economy as a tourist. Picking one quaint, quiet town and fully immersing yourself in it can be just as rewarding as a packed itinerary, and better yet, you’re unlikely to have a few thousand tourists snapping at your heels in every direction!
Moreover, when you stay in one place, you have the chance to really settle in. You can find the best café for your morning coffee, perhaps talk with locals and get their recommendations for where to go as well. Moreover, you get to enjoy the area at your own pace and really discover it. Most towns and villages have their own history worth knowing, and you don’t have to learn it all in a day, you can let it soak into you. It’s really nice to feel as though you’ve found a small secret in this world that no other tourists are trying to compete with you for.
But how should you decide on a space like this? Well, if you’re into movies that might be a good approach. Take Bruges in Belgium, for example, famous from the film In Bruges. It has amazing cobblestone streets, scenic canals, and historic architecture which are all lovely to enjoy at your own pace, and maybe you’ll find somewhere from the film you recognize. England is also pretty well known for having all these quaint towns, France too, so you don’t really have to go that far if you’re a British national.
Camp Near The Seaside
Camping has been a pastime and perhaps even a survival strategy, not just a holiday for thousands of years. Of course, for those who love the outdoors, a seaside camping trip can be a wonderful way to relax and recharge and the best part about it is how much it just strips all the fat away from your planning.
You find a nice tent, you book a space in a camping sight (we’re going to recommend you do so relatively near a coast), and then you have fun in nature. Just make sure you have the amenities you need, usually, a well-rated and reviewed campsite will have everything you need like cleaned showers and toilets as well as a laundry washing-machine section.
The great thing about a trip like this is that it doesn’t have to be tightly planned at all. During the day, you can take long beach walks, go swimming, or even try your hand at fishing or crabbing on a pier. It’s the kind of holiday where your schedule is dictated by the tides rather than a planner, just make sure not to be too far out on the beach when the tide is coming in – it can cover the sand or pebble beach more quickly than you think!
Camping trips are also highly affordable for many families, so they’re a nice compromise if you can’t quite justify a trip abroad. That doesn’t mean they’re lesser however, many children talk of their childhood camping trips as some of their favorite times away.
Visit Relatives
From time to time the best holidays aren’t about exotic destinations but about reconnecting with people who matter no matter what else you get up to. Visiting relatives you haven’t seen in a while can be just as fulfilling as a trip to a far-off place, and better yet, if they have a spare bedroom or two, you might not even need to pay outside of your usual gesture to contribute to the food and other fuel costs!
If your relatives live in a different part of the country or even abroad, staying with them can also give you a chance to explore a new area through their eyes. If you have children, this can be a nice way to introduce them to far-off-trips. Your relatives will also likely know the best spots to visit, such as local attractions to great places to eat, and you’ll have the added comfort of being with people who know the area well.
With this advice, we hope you can learn how to trim the fat from your holiday planning and just have a good time. That’s what it’s all about after all, right?
