Choosing Where To Travel
Tips for Choosing Where To Travel
Choosing your next vacation or travel destination can sometimes feel overwhelming with so many beautiful places to see around the world!
Maybe you’re asking yourself ‘How do I decide where to travel?’
Don’t get travel decision paralysis, answer this questionnaire to help you with choosing where to travel next.
Questionnaire: Choosing where to travel
Let's answer this questionnaire to get a list of factors to consider when choosing where to travel next.
There are many different factors to look at when choosing where to travel.
Some of these questions may not be very important to you, whereas some may be the main reason that you want to visit a certain destination.
Let’s go through this list now. Using a pen or paper or your phone, write down your answers to the following questions.
At the end you will have a concise list of what you are looking for from your next travel destination. You may even have your plan made! Here we go!
What kind of weather and temperatures do you want to have while travelling?
Are you looking to soak in the sun or see ice bergs while the snow falls?
Do you want to leave the socks at home and feel toasty warm the whole time?
Perhaps you are looking to escape the winter or rainy season back home.
Obviously, the weather is not guaranteed because who can do that. (Wouldn’t that be nice…)
Another important question to ask yourself is if it’s important for you to avoid certain severe weather possibilities like tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tropical rain storms and more.
Is this your deal breaker?
Are you okay in travelling during rainy season or cold season at your destination?
So, what kind of weather and temperatures would you prefer while travelling?
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Are there any special events or days that you want to experience?
Perhaps there is a festival or a special holiday in a culture or destination that you really want to experience it.
Think Dia de los Muertos in Mexico or Carnaval in Brazil… the list goes on and on…
Perhaps there is a concert or a special event that is happening and you would love to include that into your itinerary.
So are there any special event or experiences that you would like to have during your travels?
What kind of nature or surroundings do you want to be close to?
Maybe you don’t care where you go as long as you can see snow-covered mountains or a hot white sandy beach.
Maybe you want to be in a busy city or town with lots of bars, great food and fun entertainment.
Limestone historical buildings, palaces, and castles could be your dream.
If you’re more adventurous maybe you want to see a volcano or climb the 3rd Largest Monolith in the world!
You could want to go in cenotes or caves like these caves: Cave Restaurant Alux- Playa Del Carmen and Restaurant in a Cave – Mexico.
If adventure in nature is your thing, check out the natural attractions in the area. Here is an example of some of The Best Natural Attractions in Ontario.
It could be that you want to hike in a jungle or see old-growth trees in a forest.
So, what kind of nature and surroundings to you want to be close to?
Which animals do you want to see, and which animals do you not want to encounter?
Of course, this may not be guaranteed, depending on the animals that you choose.
Do you really want to hear and see monkeys swinging in the jungle, or lions in the savanna?
Are you a birder and you want to spot those rare birds or watch the migration of birds of prey?
Or maybe it’s just the opposite, you don’t want any surprises and just want to chill with no intended interactions with animals.
The question is: Which animals do you want to see, and which animals do you not want to encounter?
Do you want to be with tourist or locals more?
Are you the kind of person who wants to party with tourists and eat familiar foods; or do you want to try to blend in with the locals as you mingle through the local markets?
Are you looking for tourist souvenirs or authentic and traditional items to buy?
So, do you want to hang out more with tourists or more with local people during your travels?
What kind of food do you want to eat while travelling?
Are you a foodie looking to experience authentic cuisine from a specific country or culture?
Maybe you want fresh caught ocean fish or local tropical fruit for breakfast.
Or you could be challenging yourself to eat as many types or tacos as you can!
You could have a goal of a certain authentic dish or type of food that you really want to try.
More so, you may have a food sensitivity, allergy or preference such as being a vegetarian or vegan.
If you are a vegetarian, here is your guide to everything you need to know about being a vegetarian in Mexico in case you choose a Mexican destination.
First of all, do you have any special food restrictions that could affect where you may travel to?
Secondly, what kind of food do you want to eat while travelling?
Do you want to explore the history or culture of a destination?
Some travellers are history buffs and love learning about each culture’s history.
Some people want to visit old ruins, castles and palaces.
Maybe there are cultural roots for you or your friends or family at a certain destination.
Your travel goals could include taking in some historical sites, buildings or even learning about history through tours and excursions.
Do you want to explore the history of a certain culture or destination?
Does it matter to you which language is spoken most often at your destination?
Do you want no complications like swim in the ocean and order your food and drink in English?
Or do you prefer the funny moments of trying to communicate when you don’t know the language?
This could be your chance to practice your Spanish or any other language that you have been learning?
Some people pick a destination because of the language! It is their chance to improve their listening and understanding in the language.
Also, to bust out those skills that they have from taking those language courses!
Well, does the language that they speak most often in the destination matter to you?
Do the cultural differences matter to you?
Each country has their differences that make them awesome and unique from other countries.
Some of the difference can effect your vacation in a good or bad way, depending on what you’re looking for.
The standards of hotels, restaurants, customer service, and more vary from country to country.
Each country has norms, traditions, and even sometimes different gestures and ways of communicating.
For example, check out these Best Mexico Travel Tips! (Read Before You Go) that show some of the cultural differences.
Perhaps you want to get away from a certain holiday, or go to experience it.
You could be looking for something very different from your daily life now, or just the opposite, you want to keep it pretty similar and easy.
Do the cultural differences matter to you? Do you want to experience very different or similar to your way of life?
What is your overall budget for your travel destination?
I know… who wants to talk budget… I get it. It’s not the most romantic topic, but it’s still an important question to ask.
Some things to consider are the cost of accommodations, food, activities, flights, travel packages and more.
Another factor to consider is transportation costs. Is your actual destination close to the airport, bus station or train station?
It could end up being a very expensive taxi ride. Check the distance from your hotel or destination from the things that you want to do.
If you want to go ruins and historical sites, look into a place that first of all has some, secondly, that you’re not too far from them.
So, what is your overall budget for your travel destination?
What is your travel style?
Are you an adventurous backpacker who likes staying in hostels and hiking up mountains?
Are you a traveller who wants to chill, have some drinks, read a book and swim?
Maybe you came to party and you don’t want to miss a moment of the action and fun! You want busy and lots of entertainment.
Is it all inclusive all the way for you?
Do you like crowds and busy places with lots to do and see? Maybe you’re the opposite, you like quiet beautiful places without the hustle and bustle and craziness.
Truly look at yourself and think about what you like to do and how you are when you are travelling or on a vacation.
The question is simply: what is your travel style?
Do you know about any travel advisories for that destination?
You can check out the safety warning and advice on most countries’ websites.
You can go to your countries travel advisories section. It’s often a government web page.
For example in Canada it is: Canada Travel Advisories
In the USA it is: U.S.A. Travel Advisories
They will list certain countries and say what you should be aware of, and you can see if the government has put our any warning about visiting destinations.
The question is do you know about the travel advisories for that destination? If so, does this effect your choose about where to travel?
What kind of activities do you want to do at your destination?
Think about how you want to spend your time and what you want to do.
Do you want to zipline through the jungle with water below you?
Maybe you want to see ruins and famous works of art.
Another choice would be if you want to play golf or scuba dive.
Do you really want a pool to swim in? This will obviously be about your hotel at your travel destination.
Do you want to bird watch, watch live traditional music, dance salsa, learn about history…
The list can go on and on…
What kind of activities do you want to do on your next vacation?
Answering this question can help you to figure some options of places to travel to, and eliminate other places.
Are you an avid golfer, tennis pro, pickle ball lover… the list goes on and on!
I know that many people choose their destination by the opportunities of things to do.
Some examples of this are snorkelling or scuba diving by beautiful coral reefs or crystal blue waters.
Another example is hiking a mountain, rock climbing, hiking in a forest or jungle and taking in breath-taking views!!
So, which activities would you like to do while you’re on your next travels or vacation?
When can you or do you want to travel?
Now we’re moving to more practical questions to actually get your travel booked!
Do you have a specific 1 or 2 week holiday from work and you need to travel at that time?
Do you have flexibility in your schedule? Can you pick when you want and then book time off, or maybe you’re a digital nomad and it doesn’t matter when you travel.
If you are more flexible about when you travel, write down some ideas like:
- which season do you want to travel in?
- as soon as possible! (don’t we all, I know I do!!)
- around which season or month or week do you want to travel?
Maybe it’s just the opposite. Some people want to plan their anniversary, birthday or other special occasion to be celebrated while on vacation.
If this is the case, make sure that you are already settled into your hotel by that special date.
Give yourself a little bit of leeway so that if a flight is delayed or cancelled or any other issues arise, you can still hopefully be settled into your vacation for your special day.
The question is: when do you want to travel? A date range, exact date, or general idea…whatever works for you.
How long do you want to travel for?
Do you have a specific time frame like a 10-day trip?
Maybe you have some flexibility like between 14 to 20 days.
Remember to factor in your travel days to get to the airport and back home.
If you’re planning a long trip, here are some tips on How To Be Prepared for a Long Trip.
So, how long do you want to travel for? How many days?
Did you read any travel blogs or reviews yet?
Travel blogs are a great resource full of helpful information to help you decide on a destination and plan some of what you would like to do at the destination as well.
Here are 2 travel blogs about travel destinations in Mexico and Canada.
The internet is such a valuable tool to take in so much information; and really see what it is like in other areas of the world.
Take advantage of the travel blogs online. To find them just google what your question…
Check out images, but if available see if they are current or older and outdated photos.
If you’re choosing Mexico, check out my Mexico Travel Blogs.
If you’re choosing Canada, I have Canada Travel Blogs for you to check out!
Now you're ready to book!
With the answers to all of these questions, you may have decided on a destination, or if not, you have a detailed list of what you do and do not want on your next vacation.
You can book your tours in advance
If you like to plan some parts of your trip to make sure that you don’t miss out on too much, Viator is a good option for you!
You can research different tours and excursions at different destinations.
Here are some examples of tours that I went on in Mexico. Check out Viator to see even more at your destination!
What kind of accommodations do you want?
There are many different unique and interesting hotels around the world. Checking reviews, locations, wifi, ammenities, class, and more is important when deciding on a hotel.
You can do all of this with booking.com.
How to keep in contact
Keeping in contact while travelling is important. Also, having data to use google maps and research things is also very useful while travelling.
Downloading Airalo lets you get an eSim card to keep in contact and connected too.
Here is a guide on the Best Ways to Keep in Contact While Travelling which included Airalo.
Besides being a travel blogger, I am also a travel writer, Amazon author and an English teacher. Check out my services here!
