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Spontaneous Travel: A Detailed Guide to Travel On A Whim

January 23, 2019.

Take A Spontaneous Trip This New Year

A common myth: to travel spontaneously means you simply pack a bag, choose a destination, and leave for that locale within a few hours. How whimsical! Or potentially, pretty problematic. It might not be the best idea to abandon all reason simply because you want to do something unplanned. In fact, it’s important to note the difference between planning and research when traveling spontaneously! You can forgo planning, but successful execution of a spontaneous trip occurs when you do thorough research. It is imperative to understand certain requirements like visas, driving permits, and vaccinations before you even enter a country. That is when you can feel confident deviating from any plans when the opportunity presents itself. And, when done properly, the unplanned experiences you have on that trip will probably be the highlight of your entire adventure! That is why I partnered with HotelTonight — a mobile app and website that lets you book last-minute deals on accommodations — to share exactly how to create those elevated experiences that come from spontaneous travel.   

Photo by @journeywithjorge

If you want to take more spontaneous trips this 2019, you don’t have to start with a three-month solo adventure somewhere international. Start with a local day trip and learn the basics about navigation, safety, booking, etc. Choose a destination that is less than an hour and a half away from your hometown, and read up on the best local attractions and restaurants in that city either on the tourism board website, a travel blog, or online publications like Timeout or Thrillist. From there, practice your skills by booking a domestic overnight or weekend trip. After taking a few of these shorter trips this year, I can almost guarantee that by the end of 2019, you will be booking a two-week European jaunt to drink mulled wine and eat chestnuts at eight different Christmas markets across the continent.

Read More: Spontaneous Summer: Europe Trip

Do Research Prior to Your Spontaneous Trip

How much research actually goes in to traveling spontaneously? Well, that is dependent on when and where you are going. The first thing to do is ask the following questions:

• What time of year are you visiting? Is it peak season?
• Are there any special events happening around the time of my visit that might make booking more difficult?

If you answered yes to any of those questions , then you might want to consider planning that part of your trip in advance. I spent three weeks island hopping in Greece this past summer. I had initially thought it would be fun to see “where the wind took me,” which became a little too literal when I missed my first flight ever due to high winds. However, after looking at ferry timetables and accommodation availability, I quickly realized that I could not leave this part of the trip up to chance. There were such limited options in my budget on many of the islands, and the ferries ran too sporadically for me to not plan ahead during August. The same advice holds true if you are visiting a destination during a major festival like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, or Oktoberfest in Munich because everything will book up early.

• Famous Festivals in Europe: Best Annual Cultural & Music Festivals
• St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland: A Complete Guide
• 10 Tips to Survive Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany

If you answered “no,” to the above questions, then traveling spontaneously to that destination might just be the best decision you have ever made. For your first international trip, I recommend visiting a large city like Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon, or Budapest during their shoulder season — the period between high and low seasons. There will be plenty of options for places to stay, the weather should be mild, and the cities not overcrowded with tourists.

Book Flights On A Whim

Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Hopper have features where you can put in your starting destination under “Departures” and then choose from an entire continent or region for “Arrivals.” This allows you to quickly see the best flight deals from a variety of cities at a glance, rather than having to tediously check flights for each potential city. I typically use Google Flights as a starting point, as I believe the site gives a very clear overview of potential options, and then verify that I found the best deal by checking the other aforementioned sites.

Tip #1: La st-minute airfare is more costly than when booked in advance. To combat this price discrepancy, choose a destination where your native currency is strong. Hungary, for example, uses the Forint. I recently spent a month in Budapest and paid an average of 5 US dollars for all meals. Transportation cost me $35 for the entire month; I could ride the metro, buses, and trams an unlimited amount. This way you have a bit more of a cushion if flight and accommodation prices are high.

Find The Perfect Accommodation

After booking that last-minute flight, you’re probably going to need a place to stay. I end up in all types of accommodations when I travel because I strongly believe that each serves its own purpose. When I travel solo on a spontaneous trip, I typically stay in hostels so that I have the opportunity to meet people. But, after a number of days in a hostel, I have other needs which include pampering, a bathtub, and a great night’s sleep in a cozy b ed in a hotel.

You would think that traveling solo at the last-minute while sticking to an affordable price point would be a recipe for disaster; but, HotelTonight provides great deals and multiple property options, affording you the opportunity to be choosy. HotelTonight breaks down the hotels into categories t o clearly identify   the service level and overall vibe of the property. If I am on my own, I will usually pick a property from the “Solid” category and if I am traveling with a partner, “Hip” or “Charming” are my go-tos. And my favorite feature — because swiping is so satisfying — is the Daily Drop. Each day, you have the opportunity to swipe right on a mystery property and the rate will be at least 30% lower than the rest of HotelTonig ht’s already low rates. T he catch? You only have 15 minutes to book it!  

HotelTonight has helped me numerous times when I needed to book a same-day hotel. There were many a Sunday at Coachella (you think I would have learned my lesson the first time) when I did not want to drive home late at night, but couldn’t afford to spend a fortune. Picture th is: it is Sunday night, 8:30 PM, with the headliner starting in 15 minutes. I go on the app to book a room for the evening and I actually find reasonable rates. I now not only get an excuse to stop by Tommy Bahama for lunch on M onday for the best salad on the planet, but I also drive home refreshed after a glorious night of deep sleep.

Tip #2: HotelTonight is perfect if you need an affordable same-day place to stay, but you can also book accommodations on HotelTonight up to 100 days in advance, for up to two weeks at a time.

Tip #3 : It is import ant to know in advance how to get from the airport to your accommodation. Sure, nowadays most airports have WiFI, but if you don’t have an international plan or a wifi device with you, it is best to rely on printed directions as opposed to frantically asking the information desk at an airport where there could very well be a language barrier.

Choose Excursions Without a Plan in Place

While you can typically show up at a tourist attraction same-day with no issue, there are the “Alhambras,” “Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tours,” and “Uffizis” of the world, that need to be booked a month or so in advance. If you do travel spontaneously and find that these attractions are sold out, look into alternatives. Spending a bit more money on a guided tour or visiting at an off-beat time of day are potential workarounds to this problem. There are typically ways to visit even the most popular attraction in a city, you just have to work a little harder to find a solution.

Tip #4: Even if your trip has been organized in advance, you can still be open to spontaneous activities during your travels! I recently returned from a three-month trip to several destinations in Europe. One of the standout moments was canoeing up the Danube river in Budapest. While my trip to Hungary had been planned for months, canoeing hadn’t even been on my radar as a possible excursion. But, prior to arriving, I had joined Facebook groups like Girls Gone International Budapest and International Meeting Point Budapest. Both of those groups host local events every week, so I went to an event on my second night there.

I met a Hungarian at that event who was looking to launch a canoe tour company. I offered to take some photos for him; and, two days later, three of us (always go in a group to be safe) went canoeing up the Danube to a nearby town called Szentendre. By the end of my time in Budapest, I was celebrating a neighborhood bookstore’s anniversary and attending an exhibition for a local artist, all because of the connections I made on that second night!

The best travel experiences are not found on an itinerary. It’s the people that you meet that make a trip memorable and that simply cannot be scheduled into a 10:30 AM breakfast. Just like with solo travel, when you travel spontaneously, you will have the highest highs and the lowest lows. It’s the times when you get ill on a ferry in Greece and end up in York, England, 10 hours later with a new loving family that will stick with you forever. I will get to writing about that soon! So, I encourage you to go outside of your comfort zone this year, even if that means starting with a simple day excursion and building up to a well-researched spontaneous trip. It will not only be one of the most exciting adventures you have ever taken, but it will ultimately be life-changing.  

 Where would you like to travel spontaneously this 2019? Share below!

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The best trip planner apps to make your travels easier

Booking a trip can be an exciting yet daunting task. As if booking airfare, hotel, and transportation weren't enough, you also need to consider food, sights, and attractions. As a travel lover myself, I often dread planning and preparing for a trip. Not only do I never have the time, but I often get oversaturated by the vast amount of information found online and the fear of getting scammed. 

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Over the years, I've found the best websites and apps to help smooth out the planning process. These apps help me keep track of all my reservations, send me booking reminders, and guarantee I always find the best prices -- because there is nothing worse than falling for tourist traps or overpriced offerings. 

Whether you are a spontaneous or a nitty-gritty planner traveler, ZDNET has tested and reviewed the best trip planner apps on the market. Our top pick for the best trip planner site and app is Booking.com due to its easy-to-use user interface, extensive booking capabilities, and pricing. However, since not every trip or traveler is the same, we've included several options to help you plan and stay organized during your travels. 

Keep reading to learn more about ZDNET's expert-tested and reviewed trip planner apps. 

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The best trip planner apps of 2023

Booking.com, best overall trip planner.

• Multiple bookings
• Great deals
• Can earn points from bookings and reservations
• Easy to use
• No group planning
• Can't organize bookings per trip

Booking.com features:   Platform: App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes |  Group planning:  No

When planning my trips, I always make a stop at the Booking.com app, especially when reserving hotels. I find their user interface visually appealing and easy to use, and that it provides just the right amount of information I need when scrolling through hotel suggestions. Personally, I enjoy that I can add my top picks to my favorites with a quick tap of a heart, glance through reviews, look at cancellation policies, and even find out how far away hotels are from key spots. Through Booking.com, you can also book flights, car rentals, taxis, and city attractions, making it a great all-in-one place to plan and book upcoming weekend getaways or longer vacations. While I have personally never used the car rentals, taxis, or city attractions components of the app, I enjoy knowing that if I ever needed to, I can quickly hop on my phone and glance at the latest offerings. 

My favorite feature when using Booking.com to plan trips is the offers and promotions it displays for users. In the app, when you click your profile, you can see your "Genius" loyalty program status as well as discover the best deals around the world for your specific chosen dates. My only critique of Booking.com is that it does not enable group trip planning or let you organize your bookings per trip. This means if you are planning a trip with a friend, only one person can book and have access to reservations. 

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Best trip planner for organization

• Synced with e-mail inbox
• Organizes reservations no matter where you book
• Works offline
• Can't make any bookings
• Need to pay for advanced features
• UI could use an upgrade

TripIt features:   Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility: iOS and Android | Pricing: Free or $49 per year | Booking: No | Group planning: Yes

In terms of planning a trip, creating an itinerary, and keeping all your information in one place, TripIt is one of the best travel apps to keep yourself organized. When you first create an account, TripIt will sync with your inbox and automatically add all of your upcoming flights and reservations to your account. You can then modify each trip to include as little or as much information as you'd like. As someone who likes to be spontaneous when traveling, I usually only add the essentials: flight information, hotel reservations, and important documents. However, if you like to plan your trips down by the hour, you can also include activities, restaurant reservations, transportation, and more in your trip plan to share with fellow travelers.

As your trip approaches, TripIt will also send you packing reminders, give you COVID-19 travel guidance, and show transportation options. While you can get most of the essential features within the free version of the app (this is the one I use), you can also pay $49 a year to get advanced features such as check-in reminders, real-time flight alerts, point tracking, and even notifications for drops in airfare prices. 

Keep in mind that while TripIt gives you transportation options and finds places near your hotel, you cannot book or make any reservations directly from the app. The app is solely used to organize and keep track of all of your travel plans in one place, no matter where you book them. 

Best AI trip planner

• Personalized travel itinerary
• Hotel booking
• Can modify recommendations
• Group planning enabled
• Only available as a website
• No flight or restaurant booking

Guide features:   Platform: Website  Compatibility: all major browsers |  Pricing:  Free | Booking: Yes, but hotels only | Group Planning: Yes  Generative AI is everyone's favorite buzzword this year, and slowly but surely, it has been making its way across all industries -- including the travel industry. Guide is an innovative AI travel planning tool that creates personalized travel itineraries based on your preferences. (Full disclosure, it's also owned by ZDNET's sister company. It's currently in private beta, but you can join a wait list.) All you need to do is select your destination, the dates, whether you are traveling alone or in a group, your budget, and the types of activities you are looking for, and Guide will do the planning. 

After generating a trip itinerary for you based on your prompt, Guide then lets you modify and customize the itinerary to your liking. I recently used Guide to plan a six-day trip to Austin, Texas, and this was the feature I enjoyed the most, since I had specific restaurants and activities I wanted to incorporate into my trip, but I also needed some additional recommendations. While you can't book flights or restaurant reservations through Guide, you can book and find great hotel deals powered by Expedia on the platform. 

Guide will also give you an overall budget for your trip, a packing list, and a comprehensive list of things to know about your destination -- which may be helpful for some more than others. While my trip to Austin was a solo trip, Guide has a feature where you can invite other fellow travelers to collaborate in planning your trip through Guide's chatbot, GuideBot. This chatbot also works sort of like ChatGPT, where you can ask GuideBot questions about your trip, your destination, or recommendations. Keep in mind you can not ask GuideBot to directly modify your trip for you, and instead need to manually do it yourself -- believe me, I tried. 

Tripadvisor

Best trip planner app for reviews.

• Countless reviews
• Used by travelers worldwide
• Variety of information
• Booking capabilities
• Great for local spots
• Booking is not its strongest feature and you may not always find the best deals
• Doesn't vet reviews

Tripadvisor  features: Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes |  Group planning:  No

Reading customer reviews is one of the most important steps when planning a trip. While you shouldn't base all of your decisions on reviews, you should consider past customer experiences to get a feel for the brand and company you are about to trust, or the experience you are going to pay for.  When it comes to travel reviews, Tripadvisor is the best trip planner app to rely on. Since the platform has so many reviews for restaurants, activities, accommodations, and locations all over the world, it is always easy and convenient to log onto the app or website to help you make an educated decision. (However, remember that not all Tripadvisor reviews are legit, since the platform does not independently verify customer postings.) Beyond reviews, TripAdvisor also lets you book hotels, restaurants, things to do, and more while also providing detailed insights into their offerings -- including cancellation policies, ratings, and features. 

Tripadvisor's "Travelers' Choice" best-of list is also a popular part of its platform, allowing visitors to see top-rated destinations, hotels, restaurants, and things to do around the world. With Tripadvisor, you can plan a trip yourself from scratch, hire a trip designer, or get a custom itinerary built by AI. 

Best trip planner app for transportation

• Great multi-mode travel comparison
• convenient and seamless transportation booking
• Multiple currency and language availability
• Flight deals and suggestions are not the strongest
• Limited offers depending on the country or city of travel
• Not the most reliable customer service

Omio features:  Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes, transportation only |  Group planning:  No

I first discovered Omio when a friend recommended it to me while I was studying abroad in Spain, and ever since I downloaded it, it has become my go-to app for booking the best deals and fares on transportation within Europe. The concept behind Omio is simple: You plug in your departure and arrival location, including the number of people you are traveling with, and add whether you are looking for a one-way or round-trip journey. Omio will then show you the best deals by train, bus, or plane to and from your desired destination, including how much time each option will take you and the number of stops. 

The German-based travel booking site is great at aggregating travel information from multiple sites, allowing you to view all of your transportation options in one place. This is incredibly beneficial when planning trips within Europe since there are several ways you can cross each border and often various languages and regulations to keep in mind. Omio is set in English but has multiple additional languages available, as well as currency options. During my time abroad, I solely used Omio to book all of my transportation, including planning a 17-day trip across seven different European countries. Overall, using Omio was not only convenient and seamless but also helped me save hundreds of dollars by helping me maximize my travel time by switching between flights, trains, and buses. 

However, since returning from Europe, I have not used Omio as much as I thought I would -- maybe because I have a car and take most of my trips by plane. And Omio's flight deals and suggestions are not the strongest compared to Booking.com or Skyscanner's, which heavily focus on flight deals. I have also found they have some limitations depending on the country or city you are traveling in. Be mindful of the deals and tickets you buy through Omio since some tickets are non-refundable, and some customers complain their customer service is not the best -- although I have yet to have any issues with them. 

What is the best trip planner app?

Booking.com gets our vote for the best trip planner app due to its wide selection of accommodations, its points and promotions offerings, and its easy-to-use user interface. Not only does Booking.com help you find the best deals throughout your trip, but it will also help you stay organized throughout your trip by keeping all of your reservations in one place. To determine which trip planner app or combination of trip planners is best for you, check out this comparison chart below. 

Which is the right trip planner app for you?

The best trip planner app ultimately depends on your travel and planning style. If you like booking and planning everything in one place while also earning points and getting great deals, then Booking.com is your top app. However, if you are looking for a place to keep all of your accommodations, reservations, and activity details organized, then TripIt is a better app for you. Check out the following chart to help you find the best trip planner app or a combination of apps for you to plan your next adventure. 

How did we choose these trip planner apps?

To find the best trip planner apps, we drew upon real-life experiences and tested their performance and capabilities during our latest trips. Ultimately, we weighted the following factors when choosing which trip planners to include on our list: 

• Features: Each app can vary significantly with the features it offers, whether it is solely to book flights and hotels, help you plan your next trip using AI, or help you find the best deals and booking information, each app on this list can help you address several common inconveniences that present themselves while planning that next adventure.  
• Compatibility: An app is of little use if it does not work with your devices, so we look to see what compatibility each trip-planning app offers and which platforms you can access it from. Personally, I enjoy apps that combine an app and website component since this quickly helps me switch between my wide computer screen and my tiny yet portable iPhone screen. 
• Customer reviews: We study real customer reviews and ratings to evaluate customer satisfaction and service. This is incredibly important since most times when you travel, you visit an unknown city or country, and you should be mindful of past experiences others have had. 
• Cost : Most trip planner apps are free, but you may have to upgrade to receive special access to exclusive features or deals. If your app is already free, it means you only have to pay a small amount (often unnoticeable) when you book your accommodations. 

What is a trip planner app?

A trip planner app is an app that provides organizational features for your upcoming trip. It is often free and incorporates trip planning tools, whether you are traveling by ground, water or air.   

How does a trip planner app work?

A trip planner app can incorporate special features, like an itinerary, calendar, reservation and booking hub, and map assistance. Depending on the app you choose, there is even trip-sharing with friends and family to simplify the entire trip planning process.  

How much does a trip planner app cost?

Most trip planner apps are free, but some may offer in-app purchases to upgrade or enhance your experience. Within this list, only Tripit costs money, but only for their advanced features version, which costs $49 a year. However, you can get access to most if not all, trip-planning features, through their free version. 

Are there alternative trip planner apps worth considering?

As I mentioned earlier, trip planning heavily depends on your personal style of travel and preferences. However, whether you like to plan your trips down by the minute or prefer to just have the basics, there are several apps that can optimize your planning. Here are a few apps worth considering that almost made it onto our list: 

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5 Steps for Planning the Unplanned Trip

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“I t is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” ―Ernest Hemingway

We’ve all heard it, the famous quote splattered across the internet on travel blogs and inspirational imagery. It instills a sense of freedom, exploration, and bliss; of losing oneself in the moment. I heard it, I felt it, and five months ago, with these words ringing in my head, I stepped out into the world without a plan, ready for adventure.

Sure, I had an end to journey toward , but it was the journey I was seeking—and I decided that no plan was the best plan. My dad was a pilot and agenda is his middle name. Growing up, my family trips were a blur of checking things off “the list” and the frantic flurry of jolted experiences left me exhausted and depleted by travel. A 5-month unplanned trip seemed to be the perfect anecdote to an over-planned past. My first step was a one-way ticket to Bangkok. Five months ago, that ticket was all I had. Now, after journeying throughout Thailand, The Philippines, Bali, California, and Mexico, I know that the unplanned definitely needs to be planned.

What I experienced along the way were golden moments paired with missed opportunities. I had taken Hemingway’s words to heart but overshot the meaning. While I wasn’t bogged down by a stressful itinerary, trying to fit it all in, I hadn’t done my homework and wasn’t aware of the unique and diverse offerings the regions I passed through had to offer. I didn’t know about local traditions or festivities, the accessibility of neighboring countries, or the main attractions and dishes that I should seek out—I was missing the things that made these places destinations in the first place.

So, how do you do it? How do you take a trip (of any length) without tying yourself to an itinerary so thick that you lose sight of where you are? The truth is, an unplanned trip—a trip that is flexible and fluid, leaving space for spontaneity and genuine interaction—takes some planning.

1. Do Your Research

Where are you going? Read about it. Wikitravel is a great place to start and will help you build a foundational knowledge of the most basic and important travel information. Continue your research with area-specific travel guides and blogs that provide a local’s insight. The tips and tricks you learn before you go may very well be game changers on the ground.

2. Pack Light

Don’t lose out because of “stuff.” The best decision I made for my trip was to leave home with a single backpack, half full. Sounds crazy and intimidating doesn’t it? But the simplicity and light weight allowed for ultimate travel ease. Planes, trains, buses, bed to bed—I was quick to my feet and not weighed down by excess material.

How often do you go on a trip and arrive home with clean clothes still folded in the corners of your suitcase? A half-full backpack also allows room for must-haves along the way—those things that go beyond your standard souvenir, that will be adorning your walls and floors as you grow old.

3. Don’t Book Accommodations for Your Whole Stay

Staying in one place can prove to be rather limiting. Choose a destination for arrival and book for only a night or two, then use that time to get a feel for where you are. If you like it, stay. Or if you find there is a different part of town you prefer, find a place there for a night or two. And then the next, and the next. When you find a place worth staying longer, you’ll know.

4. Make Friends with Locals

Baristas, bartenders, waitstaff, store owners, cab drivers—engage! The more open you are to the people and experience, the more open they are likely to be with you. When you start with a smile and a question, you will find that conversation easily follows.

5. Ask a Lot of Questions

Don’t be shy. As a traveler in a new destination, there is no limit to the amount of questions you can ask in one day. Where am I? Where is this? Who are you? Where are you? Ask locals what they prefer. What do you think? Where do you hang out? Where would you stay? Where do you eat? What do you eat? The answers you receive will be better than any guide book could possibly curate.

Nicole Lindstrom , along with Sasha Juliard , are the modern globetrotters behind GLDMNE .

>>Next: The Packing Hack That Will Solve All Your Suitcase Woes

Some articles on Fair Dinkum traveller may contain compensated links. Please read the  disclaimer for more information.

How to Travel Spontaneously: Breaking Out of Your Routine

Aug 25, 2022 | Travel Tips | 0 comments

We all love to travel and see new places, but often we get stuck in the same routine. We plan our trip for months and follow the same itinerary each time. While there’s nothing wrong with having a plan, breaking out and being wild and free occasionally is essential.

Spontaneous trips make us feel alive, with our hearts beating with enthusiasm, and it’s a great way to create lasting memories. In everyday life, we are generally stuck in the space of following routines in a 9-5 job, so why follow the same rules on vacation?

So pack your bags and get ready to explore the world! If you’re looking for spontaneous travel tips, you’ve come to the right place! This blog post will discuss some of the best ways to do that.

Are you planning a spontaneous getaway? Find a hotel at Booking.com!

How to Travel Spontaneously and Break out of Your Routine

The best spontaneous trips happen on a whim; it’s the whole point. There’s no point in fearing going outside your comfort zone because that’s when the best memories are made. How do you make the most of your travel and break your routine? 

Say yes to new experiences. 

This is the number one rule for spontaneity. If you’re presented with an opportunity, say yes! You never know where it might take you. You don’t need to say yes to bungee jumping or sky diving; it’s not about going to extremes but more about opening your mind to new experiences.

You can say yes to unfamiliar local cuisine that is odd for you but normal for the locals. Of course, you should visit South Korea and try Kimchi. How else would you know whether you love it or hate it?

You can say yes to that new activity you’ve wanted to try. How do you know you won’t like it if you don’t give it a go?

The possibilities are endless, and by saying yes to new experiences, your life will be enriched in ways you never thought possible.

Don’t be afraid to go solo.

Sometimes the best experiences are had when we venture out on our own. Travelling solo is an excellent opportunity to explore a new place without distractions. When we travel with others, we often do things to please them and don’t get to do what we want.

When you’re on your own, you can move at your own pace and make decisions without consulting anyone else. This is your trip, so make it count!

Of course, solo travel isn’t for everyone, but it’s worth considering if you’re looking for a spontaneous trip.

Be open to meeting new people.

Opening up to new people is a great way to leave your comfort zone while travelling. Talk to the person on the plane or someone in line at the coffee shop. You never know who you might meet.

Like myself, you may be an introvert, but being open to meeting new people can enhance your travel experience. I’ve met some amazing people while travelling, and I would have missed out on those experiences if I hadn’t been open to it.

If you visit an unfamiliar country, there is no better place to earn about cultures than opening yourself up to the locals; you’ll learn much more when talking to people.

Open up and meet the locals of the country you visit; you never know what you’ll learn.

Visit a country that is a little unfamiliar.

If you’re from Australia, the popular destinations away from the country are Bali, Fiji or Thailand. There’s nothing wrong with that; those beautiful countries are famous for tourists for the right reasons.

How about breaking this routine? Why not try somewhere less familiar , like Sri Lanka, Laos or Cambodia? By doing this, you’ll experience something new and unique, which will be a great story to tell when you return home.

I’ve had some of the best experiences visiting countries like Laos, Nepal and South Korea. I would never have had those experiences if I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone, and sure, you can have the same travel experiences.

Related Content: Method of Travel – Find Your Ideal Travelling Style Now

Break your usual routine.

What are your usual routines while travelling? Is it booking accommodation at a luxury resort and barely leaving the resort’s fine amenities? That’s not travelling; that’s pampering and paying good money for the privilege.

How about breaking that routine and getting to know the place you are visiting?

Here are some ideas:

– Check out the local markets for some bargaining and people watching

– Get a map of the area and explore all the nooks and crannies

– Talk to the locals and get some insider tips on the best places to go

– Visit some of the less touristy areas to get a taste of the real country

Breaking your routine will give you a much richer and more authentic travel experience. So go out there and explore!

Plan less for your trip; I dare you.

In some aspects, of course, you need to plan your trip; you don’t want to miss the best tourist attractions in the destination you visit. However, don’t forget to leave some time in your itinerary for spontaneity.

If you’re used to planning everything in your life, it can be challenging to break that habit, but try! It will make your trip more enjoyable, I promise.

Doing something different on vacation is a great way to refresh and recharge. After all, we all need a break from our routines occasionally. So explore the world, and don’t be afraid to do things differently! How else would you make spontaneous memories?

These are just a few tips on travelling spontaneously and breaking the usual routine. The most important thing is to let go, be open-minded, and have fun! Breaking out of your comfort zone can be daunting, but it’s worth it.

So what are you waiting for when seeking spontaneity? Start planning your next spontaneous trip today!

Have you ever travelled spontaneously? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments below!

Go on; I dare you; break out of your usual routine.

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August 15, 2023

12 Tips for Spontaneous Trips (and How to Go About Doing It)

Are you looking to inject a little more spontaneity into your life? Are you sick of following the same old sodden routine and desire something a little different to spice up your life and get you thinking and feeling different things? Are you in a rut and need something new to heave you out of it? Then allow us to explore 12 apposite tips for encouraging more spontaneous trips and other behaviors more frequently.

1. Use a Discount Site

Using hotel booking sites like booking.com to plan a spontaneous trip is your best bet for getting a cheap deal while still maintaining the spontaneity that makes this kind of trip so exciting.

Such websites are specifically designed to trawl through booking across various other sites to try and find you the best deal overall, saving you a whole bunch of work while also helping you to find a great deal that you might otherwise have missed without putting a whole bunch of extra effort that is frankly unwarranted.

2. Haggling & Price Matching

The art of the haggle is something that many would say is dying in today's day and age where we are more often found to be staring down at our phones for solace. If you have any plans to engage in spontaneous travel, then you will be much better equipped if you have some basic understanding or ability in haggling. A last-minute trip sure can be expensive, but it is often rendered cheaper if you appeal in a human way to the owner of, say, a hotel to get a better deal, using a friendly form of bartering to achieve your ends.

3. Comparing Deals

Of course, if you are not willing to use a booking website to arrange your surprise trip, then you can have so much fun by arranging it all yourself, comparing deals from the comfort of your own home. If this is your first spontaneous trip, then perhaps it might be best if you use a website for the job, but if this isn't your first rodeo and you fancy a challenge, then by all means go ahead. You might be surprised at the kind of deals you can when working at your own behest on these things!

4. Deals, Deals, Deals!

Working specific to region, you can find plenty of great deals, especially if you are working within the limits of the United States where there are lots of great options to choose from. Thanks to the revolution of the internet, you can delve deep into the deals available in any area without the need to worry and leave room for the entire trip on a weekend getaway. So, whether you intend to go to Central Park or elsewhere, make sure you keep a keen eye on some of the deals that are available for your specific route.

Every spontaneous traveler should be aware that Fridays are an important day upon which to search for available deals and offers. If you are booking last minute, you can find the most incredible savings and discounts on Fridays. This is likely because Saturdays tend to be the busiest days for hotels and flights in general. It stands to reason then that there are, thus, likely to be more cancellations on a Friday than on any other day of the week. So, keep your eyes peeled for a last-minute deal on Fridays - though this isn't exactly the most spontaneous policy, it also is in a weird way!

6. Social Media

Those who divorce themselves from social media in an effort to connect more with everyday life are handicapping themselves in terms of finding last-minute flights and affordable car rentals. Sure, they might find themselves better able to curb the constant dissociation that can occur from day to day, but they might simultaneously be shooting themselves in the foot in terms of their ability to spontaneously travel. As those who have already visited the Lincoln Memorial will already know, you win some and then you lose some - you can scarcely ever have it both ways

If you are stubbornly going to avoid using social media to book your last-minute trips, then you might as well substitute that great idea for another great idea - the use of some of the best travel apps for the express purpose of finding you a good deal. If you have already done your own research on this topic, then you will no doubt already be aware of just how powerful these services can be in helping you book a last-minute vacation. Certain locations will benefit more from such services of course but when is this not the case?

8. Tour Operators

Alternatively, you could use a stress-free service called a tour operator to get more value when searching for last-minute deals on a spontaneous vacation. A global tour operator like Friendly Planet Travel offers all-inclusive trips to more exotic destinations around the world, meaning you can visit such locations on a whim for a decent price on the spur of the moment. This is definitely the better option for someone who prefers not to visit just one location and also for their entire holiday to be sorted in one fell swoop.

9. Expectations

One thing to bear in mind when booking spontaneous trips is that you should seriously lower your expectations unless you are willing to fork out a serious amount of cash. If you are indeed working within the confines of a budget, then you would do your best to accustom yourself to the eventuality that you are not exactly going to be staying in the most luxurious hotels. If you are more open to the idea of living in an affordable but still lovely place, then you will no doubt be satisfied with many of the affordable options available at short notice online.

10. Negotiations

As already elucidated in other words earlier, when all the internet and technological methods fail you, you can always rely on the older methods to get the job done. One such method involves calling travel providers at the last minute to try and search for any spontaneous deals that might arise and that might otherwise not be listed online. This is a perfect way to find those kinds of deals that you might completely miss if you are so reliant on the internet for finding your deals when you are looking to travel at short notice.

11. Driving

Funnily enough, a car is one of the most spontaneous ways you can get about. As long as you have got enough money for gas, you can afford to get to just about anywhere within reason. Of course, if you plan on going overseas, then you will need to book a ferry service, but you can always take your car on such a service. Many people are instead choosing to keep their travel within national boundaries and the use of a car is a perfect way to adhere to the current trends in travel and trickling along to the stream of the many.

12. Rewards

For those not already in the know, there are more and more credit card companies that offer benefits alongside the use of their credit. A lot of these benefits often revolve around helping people see more of the world - i.e. flying miles and the like. If you check out your own credit cards and the offers they might have, you might find a bunch of things that can help you travel more spontaneously. Do as much research as you can before you make a financial investment, lest you be left cursing your luck.

Final Words

So, there you have it! Hopefully, you are now feeling ready and able to engage with spontaneity in your own way, changing up your routine and habits from time to time for the greater good!

WHAT IS A SPONTANEOUS TRIP?

A spontaneous trip is a trip that has been engaged upon at short notice. A trip such as this is never planned for but rather is the object of someone's desire to suddenly travel to a new place without much forethought if any. As you might already be able to tell, this is more often the preserve of those with some expendable income, more likely those in the middle classes and up.

ARE SPONTANEOUS TRIPS GOOD?

This remains to be seen by each individual user. Some people might be fond of doing spontaneous things - it might fulfill them in a way that can scarcely be replicated. For such people, spontaneous trips to places near and far will likely be fulfilling to the utmost. Similarly, though, there are plenty of people who are less inclined to do things spontaneously. Those, for example, who have autism are certainly less likely to want to do anything spontaneous, fond as they are of routine and habits.

WHERE CAN I SPONTANEOUSLY TRAVEL?

You can spontaneously travel just about anywhere you can normally travel to. That being said, it is far easier to spontaneously travel to locations by car. Using other means of transportation will leave you dependent on the schedule and whim of the various travel providers that you will need to use to travel, whether that be by train, plane, or any other form of transportation. If you have a car, then you can travel at your own behest whenever you like, thereby circumventing the chokehold that these conglomerates have on the ebbing and flowing of prospective spontaneous travelers around the world.

WHY ARE SPONTANEOUS TRIPS THE BEST?

There are plenty of reasons that you might feel more inclined to take up a trip spontaneously, especially if such a reason is in direct protest to the limits of a busy calendar. There are also reasons pertaining to travel anxiety and the like. Planning trips well in advance may sound like a good way to avoid anxious anticipation, but that's not always the case. Traveling spontaneously can actually reduce stress and anxiety. It also introduces a level of playfulness into day-to-day life. Still, don't take our word for it. Feel it out for yourselves.

HOW CAN YOU BE A SPONTANEOUS TRAVELER?

Though there are plenty of more personal ways you can become a better spontaneous traveler, here are a few general tips to get you started: be curious and desire to learn more about the world and other places; engage more with your surroundings, no matter how fast they might move before your eyes; do things in different ways, adapting yourselves to changes in your routine no matter how big or small; do things at random to encourage this adapting technique; say yes to things that you might otherwise say no to; talk to strangers, no matter how smelly or weird they may seem; and practice spontaneity in all these ways and more.

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Solo Traveler

Solo travel tips, destinations, stories... the source for those who travel alone.

Spontaneous Travel: How to Book a Last Minute Trip

December 5, 2023 by Janice Waugh

Spontaneous travel, a trip at the last minute, is truly possible when you travel solo.

Gone is the hassle of coordinating with others. You can leave home at a moment's notice. As you travel, you can change plans, leave a place early or stay longer, or turn left rather than right, whenever you want.

A spontaneous trip is an adventure. Your travel choices will be based on timing, availability, and pricing rather than a specific destination.

On short notice, pricing for flights will likely be higher. To compensate, this could push you to less expensive destinations you might not otherwise consider. There may be great deals on tours and cruises as companies try to fill the last available spots. Again, the destination selection may be not be your first choice but one of them could turn out to be that surprising trip of a lifetime.

So, how do you make spontaneous travel happen?

With the right attitude and the right tools.

9 Tips for Booking a Spontaneous Trip

On a spontaneous trip you need to take care of the basics of travel planning: transportation and accommodation. With that figured out, you'll be good to go, unless you are going out of country. Traveling abroad, you will need a few more things like travel insurance, visas, and a phone plan that will work for you.

1. Start your road trip at a moment's notice.

A road trip is so easy. Pack a bag, hop in the car and go in any direction you want. It could be to visit a friend in another city or to a destination that is just for you. As long as there is accommodation and a grocery store on route, you'll have what you need.

2. Use the “everywhere” search for affordable last-minute flights.

Skyscanner has a cool feature where you can search for a flight based on dates but without specifying a destination. It will then present flight options based on the least expensive by country. Dig into the countries of your choice and book an affordable flight.

3. Use Rome2Rio to plan a multi-destination trip.

Rome2Rio is my favorite site for planning to get from one place to another. It works just about anywhere in the world. Put in your starting point and where you want to go to and it will let you know your travel options as well as approximately how long each option will take and what it will cost. I use it for big picture planning but also for figuring out small details like how to get from the airport to my hotel.

4. Book your first three nights before leaving.

A last-minute trip won't be as well planned as one that you've spent a long time researching. You will likely do a lot of planning while you are there. It is, therefore, important to land and stay put for a bit while you get oriented and make a plan that is realistic for your time, budget, and interests. I book using Booking.com .

5. Be aware of your booking commitments.

The cancellation policies for accommodation and transportation are important for the spontaneous traveler. Know what your commitment is when you book.

6. Stay central.

For the same reason as above–the fact that you have not researched this trip extensively–plan to stay in a central location so that you can easily enjoy your first few days of travel while you are also planning the rest of your trip. You'll also have better access to public transport, giving you more opportunities to explore in more directions.

7. Resist overpacking.

When you're heading out at the last minute it's easy to overpack. You look at your clothes and think that you may need this or that and end up overstuffing your suitcase. Resist this, especially if you've booked a budget airline which will ding you at the airport for your luggage being overweight. Our packing list will help you stay on track.

8. Don't forget travel insurance.

I don't travel without insurance but it's easy to forget as you get organized for a spontaneous trip. Here's our guide to buying travel insurance . If you're American, go right to travelinsurance.com , a comparison site that will help you book quickly.

9. Get your phone ready for travel.

If you're a little reckless with your phone when traveling out of the country you can end up with a very large bill. I have an account with UBIGI . Once it's set up on your phone, you can quickly and simply buy data for just about any destination. Read more about how to use your phone when traveling here .

How to Find a Last-Minute Tour or Cruise

1. sign up for emails from your favorite tour and cruise companies..

All tour and cruise companies have a mailing list for future deals. If you have favorite travel companies, sign up for their newsletter so that you know when there's a deal. You can be spontaneous on your schedule but it can also be on the schedule of a special deal.

2. Look for the Special Offers links.

The larger tour and cruise companies will have a menu link to their special offers which often point to last-minute trips. Sometimes it's a great deal. If there are no options for solo travelers, you may want to call the company directly if the trip departs within a week or two. They may be willing to negotiate on the single supplement of a double room in order to have some revenue on the spot.

3. Look for the search function by date.

Not all companies have a special offer section on their site but some will let you search based on dates as well as destination. Active Adventures has this feature. Click here and drag down to choose the year and month.

4. Book a cruise with an Online Travel Agent – OTA

Cruises can be incredibly cheap at the last minute. Go to a site like Expedia, choose cruises in the top menu, enter your dates, and see what pops up. The deals can be shockingly cheap.

Sharing is caring!

Publisher Janice: info @ solotravelerworld.com

Editor Tracey: tracey @ solotravelerworld.com

Sales Simon: simon @ solotravelerworld.com

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FIRST TIME TO THE SITE?

Start here.

Read a couple of travel stories, check out some of my popular photo essays, browse the travel resources and start planning your own spontaneous road trip!

Or, if you'd like a little help, find out how to contact me so I can create a custom dream itinerary for you, too.

STEPS TO GET GOING . . .

1. Get Inspired --> 2. Plan Your Trip -->

3. Travel Tips --> 4. Packing Guides --> 5. GO!

1. GET INSPIRED!

First things first! Where do you want to go? Or maybe you don't have a place in mind. There are so many amazing sights and I’ve shared useful tips on traveling to destinations in the United States, Canada and Europe. Wanderlust is often sparked by stumbling on a beautiful image of an interesting place and adding it to your travel bucket list. If you’re interested in taking a dream trip, but need a little inspiration to choose the right destination for you, check out some of my top articles on bucket list trips for all types of travelers!

2. PLAN YOUR TRIP

It can be overwhelming to know where to begin planning your dream trip. What should I do first? Then what? With so much information out there, travel planning can seem daunting. This section is where I've put together articles to help you perfectly plan your dream trip - from finding the right accommodations, estimating travel costs, to timing your trip and more.

And, if you find yourself bewildered, click to find out how to contact me so I can create a custom itinerary for you .

3. TRAVEL TIPS

Once you’ve picked your destination, it’s time to nail down the details and make your final plans. After years of travel, I’ve learned a thing or two, and I’ve compiled comprehensive travel guides and helpful travel tips for pretty much every situation you could come across while traveling. Is it your first solo trip? Your first time driving in another country? Or, maybe, you’re traveling on a budget? How can I protect myself from theft and scams? These guides can help you plan the best trip possible.

4. PACKING GUIDES

Buying new travel gear can be expensive and nobody wants to waste money! This section will teach you how to buy the right luggage, what not to pack, and give you some insider hints for the road! Learn to pack efficiently, how to anticipate all types of weather and plan for what's appropriate to wear at your destination. I’ve outlined my best packing tips and checklists for loads of travel destinations. Using these tips, packing can be fun - really!

Stories - Adventures - Rants - Inspiration

Destinations.

Discover destinations in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Who's Behind the Wheel?

Want to find out how to request a customized itinerary.

If you are inspired by what you see and read, I am available to be your personal travel consultant. Click to find out how . . .

BLIND  EXPERIENCES

Blind Experience Blog 

• Nov 8, 2019

Planned trips or spontaneous journeys? You can have both with a surprise travel!

When it comes to travelling, there are two main types of people: those who love planned trips and those who prefer to seize the day . We have great news for you, whatever your preference is: there’s a solution that allows you to embark on a journey where everything is planned… but not by yourself. We’re not talking about an average trip planned by an equally average agency, but about surprise vacations . And you know what? You can start creating yours straight away !

Planned trips lovers versus spontaneous travelers

The planners and the improvisers are two very well-defined categories of people. They apply to every area of life, actually, but when it’s time for holidays these characteristics stand out in a particularly clear way. Especially in couples, where usually one of the two loves planned trips while the second is a spontaneous traveler – that happens more often than you’d think, believe us.

Those who prefer to create a specific travel plan do it so that they can make the most out of their vacation . They do a lot of research before leaving, looking for the best accommodation in terms of quality and price, the unmissable things to see and do at the destination, the most delicious foods and so on. This approach can make you save money and optimize your time while on holiday, but it doesn’t leave much space to last minute opportunities that might pop up unexpectedly.

On the opposite side, for the spontaneous traveler the time spent planning in advance is wasted. He (or she) likes to just reach the chosen destination and get inspired by the present moment . Feel like visiting a museum? Why not! Want to relax on a beach instead? Sure, you can do that too. Not having a schedule leaves way more space to go with the wind – but it can also cause disappointment in case you’re forced to skip some activities for reasons you didn’t take into consideration… because you didn’t spend time planning in advance.

Surprise vacation: the planned trip that everyone will love

So as you can understand there are perks and disadvantages in both ways of travelling. Someone might claim that the best would be to position yourself in between: do a little bit of planning before the departure, but also be flexible so you’re able to grab unpredictable opportunities.

As we said in the beginning, though, we have another idea about the perfect solution to the never ending debate between planned trips lovers and impromptu travelers: surprise vacations !

In this kind of journeys everything is planned by a surprise travel agency that digs deep into your likes, dislikes and travel dreams in order to design the best experience ever . You won’t have to worry about anything. You just jump on a plane and go with the flow – yes, but the flow of envelopes that you will receive and that will unveil surprises throughout the journey .

You will enjoy the feeling of a spontaneous vacation – since you won’t know anything about it in advance – but with all the advantages of a planned trip. Plus the wow effect!

Are you ready to leave for the adventure of a lifetime? Let’s go!

#inspiration #transformationaltravel #unusualexperiences

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Savvy Tips Guru

15 Tips on How To Plan Your Memorable Spontaneous Trip

Diane Silva | Posted on September 4, 2023 |

Are you tired of the same old routine and craving some excitement in your life? It’s time to leave your routine and go on unexpected trips that will make you remember them forever. Traveling on the spur of the moment can be one of the most exciting and satisfying things you can do because it forces you out of your comfort zone and into the unknown.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll provide you with 15 valuable tips on planning your spontaneous travel, ensuring that your journey is filled with thrilling experiences, whether alone or with friends. So, let’s dive into spontaneous travel and discover the secrets to making your next adventure extraordinary .

1. Embrace Spontaneity – A Mindset for All

The essence of a spontaneous trip begins with embracing the unexpected. Let yourself be open to new things, whether traveling alone or with a group. The beauty of surprise is that it can’t be planned for.

2. Flexibility Is Your Best Friend

When planning a spontaneous trip, flexibility is the key to success. Avoid rigid schedules and detailed itineraries. Instead, sketch a rough outline of places you’d like to explore and be prepared to adapt as the journey unfolds.

3. Packing Essentials – Less Is More

Whether you’re traveling alone or with companions, packing efficiently is crucial. Focus on clothes that can be worn with many different things. Don’t forget essential documents like your passport, ID, and travel insurance.

4. Harness the Power of Travel Apps

Utilize travel apps to your advantage. Apps like Skyscanner, Kayak, and Airbnb can help you find last-minute deals on flights, accommodations, and activities, making spontaneous travel more affordable for solo adventurers and groups.

5. Stay Informed & Safe

Stay updated on travel advisories, weather conditions, and local news for your destination. Whether solo or with a group, knowledge is your best ally regarding safety on the road.

6. Establish a Budget

While spontaneity is vital, responsible planning is equally important. Determine your budget for the trip, whether you’re going solo or as part of a group, and adhere to it as closely as possible.

7. Explore Nearby Gems

Spontaneous trips don’t always require long journeys. Whether you’re traveling alone or with a group, you might want to check out nearby towns, cities, or nature sights that you haven’t seen before. You may discover hidden treasures just a short distance away.

8. Travel Light on Gadgets

Whether traveling alone or with a group, try to limit the number of things you bring. Focus on capturing moments with your smartphone or a compact camera rather than hauling around heavy equipment.

9. Connect with Locals for Solo or Group Travel

Engaging with locals is one of the best parts of traveling on the fly. Whether solo or in a group, initiate conversations, savor local cuisine, and learn a few basic phrases in the local language to forge deeper connections.

10. Safety Is Paramount

While spontaneity is thrilling, safety should always be a top priority for solo travelers and groups alike. Share your travel plans with someone you trust, keep your phone charged, and have emergency contact information for the region you’re visiting.

11. Last-Minute Accommodations

Avoid booking accommodations too far in advance. Solo travelers and groups can save money and remain adaptable by searching for last-minute deals on hotels, hostels, or vacation rentals.

12. Explore Diverse Transportation Options

Consider various modes of transportation when doing a spontaneous vacation, whether traveling solo or with friends . Trains, buses, and even hitchhiking (if it’s safe and culturally acceptable) can be adventurous ways to get around.

13. Document Your Journey

Capture your spontaneous trip with a travel journal or blog. Share your experiences, thoughts, and photos to create lasting memories. Inspire other visitors to be spontaneous, whether on their own or with a group.

14. Embrace the Unknown

Spontaneous travel often leads to unexpected discoveries . Solo travelers and groups should be willing to deviate from their original plans and explore off-the-beaten-path attractions and experiences.

15. Reflect & Learn Together

After your spontaneous trip, whether you embarked on it solo or with a group, take time to reflect on your experiences. What did you learn, and how can you make your next spontaneous trip better? Share insights and grow together.

Traveling Solo or With a Group – More Tips for Spontaneous Vacation

Spontaneous trips are like a fun playground where everyone can join in, whether you want to explore all by yourself or with friends. When you go on a solo adventure, it’s like having your own magical map – you get to decide where to go and what to do on your own. But, if you like being with friends, group trips are like a big colorful painting, where everyone adds their own special colors and stories.

In a group, you make decisions, face challenges, and share lots of laughs. So, whether you pick the solo path or the group journey, spontaneous trips promise exciting moments, new friends, and memories that will make you smile. Here are some additional considerations to keep in mind:

For Solo Travelers

• Solo travelers have more autonomy when making decisions. Embrace this freedom but remain vigilant about safety.
• Connecting with locals may be easier for solo travelers, as locals are often more inclined to approach individuals rather than larger groups.

For Group Travelers

• Group dynamics can be both rewarding and challenging. Ensure that everyone in the group is on board with the spontaneous nature of the trip and willing to adapt.
• When booking accommodations and transportation, consider the preferences and needs of the entire group.

Enjoy Your Spontaneous Trips Now!

Because of this, being spontaneous is the key to having great travel experiences, whether you go on a trip by yourself or with a group of friends. When you hear that, your inner explorer starts to yearn for adventure. You want to find new places and, maybe even more deeply, parts of yourself that you didn’t know existed. These 15 helpful tips for planning last-minute trips will be your guide on this exciting journey, making sure that every moment is filled with the joy of the unknown.

As you pack your bags and get ready to leave, welcome the world with open arms, whether you want to go it alone or with other people. Let chance lead you as you search for memories that will last a lifetime. Know that every step you take and every unexpected turn will add to the story of your life. Let’s look forward to the exciting journeys, the gifts we’ll find, and the growth that comes from being open to the unknown. Have a great trip!

Diane is a travel enthusiast, content creator, and master storyteller, capturing her adventures through captivating blogs and engaging vlogs. With a passion for the great outdoors and a love for literature, she brings a unique perspective to the travel world. Whether she's exploring hidden gems or discussing the latest trends, Diane is your go-to source for all things travel and beyond.

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A Guide to Taking a Spontaneous Trip

A spontaneous trip is the perfect way to inject a little adventure into your everyday life. All you need to do is pick a destination, and then plan from there. You can live the high life or travel on a tight budget, so long as the trip is tailored to you. If you want to enjoy a little carefree travel in 2019 and create memories you are unlikely to ever forget, read the following advice on how to plan a spontaneous trip right at home, or abroad to exotic destinations:

Choose a Destination

Write a list of bucket list destinations . The one that stands out the most to you is where you should travel.

However, you will need to consider:

• A country’s visa requirements (or you could be refused entry)
• Travel insurance
• Currency options (Find the best conversion rate beforehand)

Organize a Flight

Once you know where you want to go, the next step is to book a flight to your destination.

If, however, you want to get there as soon as possible and avoid long wait times, you could always book a private charter jet. If you have your sights set firmly on New York City to catch a Broadway show or explore its many landmarks, for example, you should visit: https://www.stratosjets.com/jet-charter-flights/new-york-city/

Book a Hotel

Once you have your flight booked it’s time to look for accommodation. Do this as soon as possible to avoid being turned away at reception. Depending on where you go, there could be a wide variety of options available, or only one – so booking in advance is important to avoid disappointment. If possible, try to book a hotel in a central location as well, so you’ll be a stone’s throw away from a city’s best restaurants, bars, and attractions.

Avoid Creating an Itinerary

If you want to truly enjoy a spontaneous adventure, you should avoid creating a strict itinerary or sticking your head inside a travel guide book. Instead, step out of your luxury hotel and explore a destination on foot, which could lead to you stumbling across a world-famous attraction or a hidden gem. This will allow you to get to know a city on a deeper level, as you won’t be restricted by reviews or recommendations.

Talk to Locals

Not knowing what to do or where to go will encourage you to talk to locals who could help point you in the right direction when choosing a bar, restaurant, or even a grocery store.

After all, they will know the best places to eat, drink and shop, so you can explore a city like a local. Talking to locals will also help you feel more connected to a destination, and you could even make a few friends along the way.

While a spontaneous trip does require a little bit of planning, if you are willing to ditch restricting itineraries, connect with locals, and maintain an open mind when exploring a city, it’s likely you’ll experience an adventure you’ll never forget.

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Why You Should Try Spontaneous Travel This Year

Senior Reporter, HuffPost Life

Planning a vacation often entails months of researching, asking friends for recommendations, strategizing around costs, making reservations and otherwise preparing for a nice escape from your everyday life. But that’s not the only way to travel. In fact, many people enjoy more last-minute getaways.

“Spontaneous travel is one of my absolute favorite ways to travel,” travel blogger Rocky Trifari told HuffPost. “The spontaneity takes away a lot of the stress that comes from the arduous planning and anticipation of a trip. It can even be empowering to recognize that in some cases, those planning procedures we typically follow aren’t nearly as necessary as we brainwash ourselves to believe.”

Taking a spontaneous trip is a great way to let flexibility be your guide and explore destinations that weren’t necessarily on your radar. Don’t hesitate to go outside your travel comfort zone. And it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to spend more money.

“It’s unlikely someone comes back from a trip regretting they took it, and additionally, the spontaneous travel doesn’t have to mean booking a flight the day before and traveling for a month,” said Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for Scott’s Cheap Flights . “It can even be seeing a great fare pop up, booking a week or long-weekend stay when you had no intention of taking that trip at all.”

Below, travel experts break down the benefits of spontaneous travel and share their top tips for making the best of a last-minute trip.

A spontaneous trip allows you to be more present.

“The benefit of spontaneous travel is that it allows you to be more present,” said travel blogger Esther Susag . “Instead of needing to make sure you check everything off of your planned itinerary, you are able to take it all in and not feel the pressure of needing to rush to your next stop.”

These types of trips tend to comes with more bare-bones itineraries ― or no itinerary at all ― which makes for a slower, calmer experience.

“With spontaneous travel, you don’t have the time to figure out every ‘top spot’ to see, so instead when you arrive and you find something you are enjoying, there’s not that pressure to leave immediately to fit everything in,” Susag said.

There’s greater openness to the endless possibilities in travel.

In October, the team at Skyscanner released a report about the happiness benefits of traveler spontaneity created in consultation with psychologist Emma Kenny.

Kenny “pointed out that spontaneous travel helps foster a ‘can-do’ attitude and reminds travelers of the limitless possibilities that await them,” said Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner’s travel trends expert. “When travelers are able to live in the moment, they’re able to experience the thrill of adventure without the stress of planning a trip and making all of the decisions that entails.”

Trifari echoed this sentiment, noting that he recently took an excellent last-minute trip to Chicago and unexpectedly made lifelong friends in the process.

“Spontaneous travel is a way to meet new people, discover destinations that maybe you wouldn’t have gone to ordinarily, and helps prevent decision paralysis, which stops many people from traveling in the first place,” he said.

You can discover new sides of your travel personality.

“For the more organized and ‘Type A’ kind of traveler, spontaneous travel may allow them to take a new and different approach to travel, and they might be surprised at how much they enjoy having a more flexible schedule, maybe they will even find that they are less stressed overall,” Susag noted.

Of course, there are benefits to planning ahead for a trip, but having to be more spur-of-the-moment in your travels can lead to pleasant surprises and amazing adventures.

“You may not have found that amazing hole-in-the-wall restaurant where you got to chat with some locals about their country for hours as opposed to planning your meals around the highest-rated restaurants on Tripadvisor,” Susag said. “Instead of having your trip already planned out when you arrive, it may push you to ask locals some of their favorite hidden gems or places to see and that can lead you down some really unique and fun adventures that you wouldn’t have known about had you planned far in advance.”

The mental health benefits are real.

“There are countless surveys that affirm travelers are more healthy, happy and productive than non-travelers, and with the addition of spontaneity to the mix, you can expect an increase to all of the above,” Nastro said. “Spontaneous travel can have the power to release us from daily stresses, spark creativity and an overall sense of adventure when we immerse ourselves in a new place.”

In a time when many of us live über-scheduled lives, she emphasized the value of breaking away from routine by taking a last-minute trip. It can be especially helpful if you’re feeling a little stuck in a rut.

“And while going on a super long and well-planned vacation can be amazing, it may not necessarily mean you’ll be feeling transformed the entire trip,” Nastro said. “ A Dutch study at Radboud University in Nijmegen showed that trip length may not necessarily correlate to increased health and well-being as respondents said their health and wellness peaked at day eight, returning to pre-trip levels, so three one-week trips may be better than one three-week trip for overall well-being, for example.”

Here’s how to make spontaneous travel work for you.

Taking a spontaneous trip may feel daunting and unfamiliar at first, but the experts HuffPost spoke to shared their tips for making the most of it as well.

Be strategic about your flights.

“My advice for anyone wanting to try out spontaneous travel is to be strategic about how you buy your flights,” Susag said. “This is a great opportunity to use those credit card points you’ve been racking up and save some money.”

Don’t be afraid to book each leg with a separate airline, especially if you have a small number of loyalty points with different companies.

“Try to fly during the weekdays. Flight prices tend to be cheaper during the week as opposed to the weekend,” Susag added.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to fly in terms of cost, crowds and cancellations, so consider booking those days if you can.

“Being able to work remotely in a location for a day or two can help to maximize your time away as well if you are short on vacation days,” Nastro noted.

Snag deals when they pop up.

“If an opportunity presents itself, take it!” Trifari urged. “Monitor flight prices, keep in touch with friends or family who may share an interest in traveling with you, and look for good deals online.”

There are lots of websites and apps that share good travel deals, like The Points Guy and Scott’s Cheap Flights.

“If you happen to see something that makes sense for your wallet ― a flight, accommodation, or itinerary ― book it,” Trifari said. “You can ask around and create a trip with memories that’ll last you a lifetime. Even if you go on your own, solo adventures can be some of the most rewarding ones a person can take.”

Keep the itinerary short and simple.

Resist the urge to cram a bunch of last-minute adventures or reservations into your itinerary. That goes against the spirit of a spontaneous trip.

“For people who are big planners but are thinking about doing their first spontaneous trip, try to only plan one big activity or place to see a day,” Susag said. “That way you cross something off your list that you are wanting to do, but still allow yourself to leave room for flexibility and unplanned adventures.”

Book accommodations with free cancellation.

“One thing I do even before I have fully decided if I am going to go on a spontaneous trip somewhere is I will book a hotel with free cancellation as soon as I’m even thinking about a trip,” Susag said. “That way I have decent accommodation as a backup, and I can always look for better options after.”

Location is another important factor when picking lodging as well.

“I also try to get my accommodation as central as I can and, I promise, that makes doing a spontaneous and unplanned trip somewhere much easier and more stress-free,” Susag said.

Be flexible with your destination.

“For a leisure traveler, price is almost always the deciding factor when booking airfare. However, oftentimes we are stuck by dates or location, and don’t consider being flexible with either, when in fact flexibility is key to finding amazing deals,” Nastro said.

She recommended searching for flight options based on a broader region like Western Europe, rather than a specific country like Spain. You may come across an amazing destination that’s less familiar or find the opportunity to rediscover a place you haven’t visited in years.

Travel search engines and other third-party sites make it easy to spot good deals if you cast a wide net.

“ An ‘Everywhere’ search on Skyscanner for December reveals great value flights from New York for as little as $35 to Nashville, $55 to Miami, $79 to Turks & Caicos, $85 to Chicago, $89 to San Francisco, $170 to Cartagena, $246 to Rome, $266 to Paris for those willing to be a little spontaneous,” Nastro said.

Consider the off-season.

“Try going to places during an ‘off-season,’” Nastro advised. “Not only is airfare significantly less, but during a low-season, all aspects of travel are more affordable such as car rentals and hotels.”

Research the peak and low seasons in destinations you’re considering. For many, it’s right after the winter holidays.

“January and February are the least traveled months of the entire year, yet this is the time when airfare tends to be cheapest, as well as there is an abundance of cheap deals to be found, regardless of warm or cold weather destinations,” Nastro said. “A lot less people are traveling due to just traveling over the winter holidays so for those of us looking to find spontaneous last-minute deals, this might be a great time to consider.”

Be flexible with your dates, as well as your destination.

“Searching by multiple dates and airports will give you the best chance of a bargain,” Lindsay said. “Flight prices are all based on supply and demand. Because some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary. The ‘whole month’ search tool allows you to see cheap flights at a glance and pick the right deal for you.”

Find a spontaneity buddy.

“If you struggle to be spontaneous and you know that you need that extra push to get you out of your comfort zone, enlist the help of your partner, best friend, or parent,” Lindsay recommended. “Get them to plan some fun trips away and agree that they will only tell you where you are going a few hours before you need to set off!”

Then, you can repay the favor by taking on the next surprise trip. The key to making spontaneous travel happen is to find what system works best for you. Channel the Nike slogan and just do it.

As Trifari remarked, “You can make the decision to travel somewhere, ask a buddy to join if you’d like, book the trip and go!”

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12 Ways to Be More Spontaneous When You Travel

Ed Hewitt started traveling with his family at the age of 10 and has since visited dozens of countries on six continents. He wrote for IndependentTraveler.com for more than 20 years, producing hundreds of columns on travel and offering his expertise on radio and television. He is now a regular contributor to SmarterTravel.

An avid surfer and rower, Ed has written about and photographed rowing competitions around the world, including the last five Olympic Games.

He's passing his love of travel on to the next generation; his 10-year-old son has flown some 200,000 miles already.

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Considering how precious vacation days are and how expensive travel can be, the urge to plan things out so you get the most from your travel time and dollar is almost irresistible. And it’s never been easier, considering the thousands of websites, apps and guidebooks full of travel information on just about every possible destination.

But something is lost when you can anticipate — nay, almost script — nearly every component of the travel experience. Not so long ago, the vagaries of travel were considered a normal and even welcome part of the experience; with daily life being so predictable, a good antidote was a wildly unpredictable trip to a faraway place.

To recover some of that wildness, many travelers are pulling back from “overplanning” and trying to craft a slightly more spontaneous trip — easier said than done for folks who are planners by nature. If you’re not sure where to start, I’d suggest thinking of spontaneous travel not so much as letting things happen to you, but more like “planning on the fly.” Have a general idea of what you want to do and see, plan out those things that you feel you just can’t leave to chance, and then improvise from there.

Below are 12 tips for having a more spontaneous trip.

1. Choose lodging in a central location, then wing it.

If 80 percent of life is just showing up, then the most important things you need to plan are how to get where you want to be and a place to stay once you get there. If you choose a central location that has ready access to attractions and public transit, you are 80 percent of the way to a successful trip, even if you plan almost nothing else. With at least a few of the things you know you want to do nearby, once you tick those off you can wing it almost completely without feeling like you missed something important.

2. Get a hotel room you can cancel, or book for a shorter term.

As I talked to folks about their most memorable spontaneous travel stories, a fair number involved scrapping a careful plan almost entirely, usually in favor of something impromptu. Of course, you’re less likely to change your plans if you’ve already dropped a couple hundred nonrefundable bucks on a hotel room. If possible, don’t keep yourself tethered to one spot for your whole trip. Unless it is peak season, most hotels can extend your reservation while you are still there — so book a shorter stay, and then if you decide not to move on, extend it. Booking a nonrefundable hotel for your first and last nights is less risky, since your flights are unlikely to change, but leave yourself a little more flexibility in between.

3. Plan only one major attraction per day.

Turning your travels into a forced march from one attraction to the next can be grueling. It’s a vacation, not a whistlestop political campaign. If there are some things you absolutely must see, assign a time to get that done (early in the morning often works best), and let serendipity rule the rest of the day.

4. “Plan” an unplanned day.

It’s hard to resist assigning at least one activity to every day, and then to start ticking them off once you arrive. We visited Berlin last week, and I admit that my thinking went a little bit like this: “Berlin … the Wall, Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the East Side Gallery, LEGOLAND for a kids’ outing, Potsdamer Platz … one or two per day, done.” As it went, we didn’t have the sightseeing stamina to go into the Reichstag, and instead ended up playing a game of tag on the giant lawn out front — which continued through the Tiergarten, past a very cool rock art exhibit.

Which part of the visit sticks with us the most now that a few days have passed? The Berlin Wall has few equals as a historical attraction with staying power — but the game of tag in the Tiergarten is up there.

Leave at least one entire day open, even if you have to crowd another day with a couple of activities. This way you can either fill the day or be content to wander around and find your own rock art adventure.

5. Plan after you arrive.

No matter how much planning you do, it is almost inevitable that the facts on the ground once you arrive will be different from what you expected. Distances are shorter or farther than you thought, you see stuff on the cab ride into town that seems interesting, or you overhear chatter about local attractions that aren’t in your guidebook. Leave yourself the option of figuring things out once you see how things really are.

6. The things you do plan, go full bore.

For those things for which you do feel the need to have a solid plan, use all the tricks at your disposal to make them happen smoothly and as intended. Knowing the operating hours, taking the best route to and from, and having advance tickets to avoid lines will help you free up more time for spontaneous activities.

7. Don’t over-rely on review sites.

Thanks to capacious and information-packed review sites, travelers can make far better choices about almost every part of the travel experience. But if the review sites lead to fewer unpleasant surprises, they also present the risk of fewer pleasant surprises, which are of course an important part of exploring the world as a traveler.

The days of walking into a restaurant with no idea of what might show up at your table are mostly history, but you can reintroduce the element of surprise by not making every meal choice based on a Yelp review. This isn’t the best approach for everything — review sites can help you avoid hokey attractions or awful meals — but if the menu looks appealing and the place is bustling, why not skip the star rating and try your luck?

8. Use apps to help you be spontaneous.

A smartphone can be the ultimate way to plan on the fly. The simplest and often most useful function on your phone is the “near me” or “explore nearby” options on your mapping app; you can type almost anything into the search field — museum, restaurant, grocery store, coffee — and receive a decent suggestion.

Location-based apps like Foursquare can also offer superb results, with the added benefit of frequent use by locals. I checked results on Foursquare in a few cities that I know very well, and the suggestions were pretty good — all places I would recommend to a friend who was visiting the area, plus some others I didn’t know about and will have to check out myself.

9. Check local weeklies.

While many daily newspapers are in trouble, locally owned (usually weekly) community newspapers are thriving. They’re packed with listings for activities, festivals, concerts, classes and more. Many big cities have alternative/entertainment weeklies, while smaller communities may have more news-based publications — but all of them are geared toward getting information out to the locals, and to travelers who are clever enough to have a look.

10. Ask a local.

Few tactics rival learning about nearby attractions from a bona fide local. You can find them everywhere — the hotel front desk, restaurants, bars, grocery stores — anywhere you come into contact with folks who are working, shopping for mundane items and going about daily life.

11. Stay at B&Bs or homestays instead of hotels.

Staying at a B&B may offer the ultimate in “ask a local” opportunities; the folks running the house usually live on the premises and understand that helping their lodgers get the most from their stay is part of the reason to choose a B&B over a hotel. To be sure, I have run into a few curmudgeonly B&B hosts over the years, but these places tend not to get the best reviews. You’ll definitely want to use the review sites when picking a B&B, paying particular attention to how helpful and available the proprietor tends to be.

12. Do “normal” stuff and chase your own interests.

Getting off the tourist circuit can offer up plenty of opportunities for unexpected encounters and experiences. Going to a swimming pool or library or taking a yoga class, for example, can put you into contact with people who might get you off the rutted tourist roads and into the places and even homes of the locals, and then you never know what might happen.

Pursuing your own passions can often be the best way to open yourself up to these kinds of experiences. For example, when wearing a rowing shirt while traveling in Hawaii, I was approached by a local who owned a two-person ocean rowing scull who could rarely find another rower to go out with him. He asked me to join him, and we rowed out into the ocean and around a small island, where swells wrapped around the back of the island to meet in an explosion in the middle. We caught one of the waves, blitzed along at full speed and maneuvered at the last second to avoid the exploding waves as they met. Talk about an unplanned adventure.

Have any tips to help inveterate planners loosen up a little? Add them in the comments!

You May Also Like From Spontaneous to Safe: Does Travel Change as You Age? 10 Ways to Plan for a Better Trip 9 Creative Ways to Save for a Vacation How to Be a Less Annoying Travel Companion

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How to Take a Spontaneous Road Trip & Skip the Planning!

March 26, 2021 Leave a Comment

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Do you love traveling but hate planning trips? I completely understand. Researching and planning can be tedious and time consuming. So, I have an idea that will help you take an awesome vacation without all the planning. Why not take a spontaneous road trip without any plans?!?! Here’s how to do it!

Now, before we get into how to actually take a road trip without plans, let me tell you how I came up with this idea. My husband and I are planners by nature. But, one summer, I challenged myself to take a truly spontaneous trip without making any plans. We literally got in the car and took off!

Over the course of a week, we went from Texas to Kansas, all around Colorado and finally ended up in Phoenix, Arizona. And, I have to tell you, It was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken.

I highly recommend taking a spontaneous road trip without plans. You and your family will love it! The freedom that comes with it is so refreshing. So, let me show you how to go about having this awesome experience for yourself.

Step #1: Decide on the length of your spontaneous road trip.

Step #2: pack the car., step #3: pick a direction., step #4: stop and explore., step #5: call it a night when you get tired., step #6: pick a new direction each day., step #7: have fun, take the road less traveled., adopt an adventurous attitude., use it as an excuse to see friends and family., do things you otherwise wouldn’t do., flip a coin to choose your daily direction., let your kids decide the direction., be sure to leave yourself time to get home., enjoy the freedom of having no schedule..

While the whole point here is to NOT do any advance planning, there are a few things you need to decide on out of sheer necessity. The first one is the length of your trip.

The beauty of a spontaneous road trip is that it can be any length that you want!

We had a week off from work, so that’s how long our trip was. But, you can stay gone as many or as few days as your schedule allows.

The second necessary task is to pack your things. This is one aspect of your trip that can be more difficult because of your lack of planning.

It can be hard to pack if you don’t know where you’re going or what you’re going to be doing!

If you are going in the summer, this will be a little easier. You should be able to get away with summer clothing wherever you end up.

During other times of the year, you may want to check the weather in various areas of the country. You may want to avoid places that are expected to get bad weather during your trip.

The next step in taking a spontaneous road trip is to pick a direction to start. Because the whole point is to not make a plan, you only need a general direction to get started.

When we did our road trip without plans, we decided we would head north on our first day. Once we were on our way, we decided we would go all the way to Kansas and stop in to see my old college roommate.

Instead of decided on a destination, choose a direction and see where the day takes you. This will help you to stay plan-free throughout your trip.

Now comes the fun part–starting your trip. Along the way, stop and explore whenever you see something that looks interesting.

Look at billboards and signs. If you spot something you think your family will enjoy, stop and check it out. If it requires you to take a detour, take it! Or change directions and head a different way if you feel like it.

Take your time. You’re not in a hurry. The beauty of a road trip without plans is that you don’t have a schedule you must stick to. You can check out all the things you otherwise would zoom past.

When you get hungry, find a cool restaurant to experience. Or stop at a farmer’s market and grab food for a picnic. Have fun with it! Let the wind take you where it may.

As you near the end of each day, start thinking about where and when to stop. Unlike on most trips, you don’t have to get to a particular place before you stop.

Instead, when you start to get tired, look for a place to spend the night. Find a hotel nearby and pull in. And as a bonus, sometimes you can get a cheap price on your room because hotels are anxious to fill unused rooms at the last minute.

On the other hand, if you are traveling in an RV, look for a campground or other place you can park for the night.

To make your road trip even more fun, pick a new direction of travel each day of your trip. Each morning, decide your new direction before heading out.

This will keep your family on their toes and really help you to stick to the spontaneous aspect of your trip. Each day will be a brand new adventure! Who knows where you will end up!

On our spontaneous road trip, each morning, we drove to the nearest highway and flipped a coin to pick our daily direction. Heads we go left! Tails we go right!

The last step in taking a spontaneous road trip is to have fun with it! Really embrace this as a new and unique adventure for your family. Let your hair down and just enjoy!

The more fun you have with the trip, the more your family will also enjoy it. And, you never know, it may turn out to be the best family vacation you’ve ever taken!

Tips to make your spontaneous road trip great.

The following tips will help you make the most out of your road trip without plans.

To maximize the sightseeing aspect of your trip, get off the interstate. Instead, take smaller highways and back roads that go through small towns. This will give you the most opportunities to find awesome things to do.

Get completely in the spirit of the trip by adopting an adventurous attitude. Have an open mind to everything you encounter. Be up for tackling anything. You will probably find that you and your family enjoy the trip so much more this way.

The great thing about a spontaneous road trip is that you are not locked into any one destination or direction. So, take advantage of it. Use it as an excuse to stop off and visit friends and family you haven’t seen in a while.

During our road trip, we dropped in on 2 different friends after we realized that we were relatively close to their homes as we were driving.

Like I mentioned before, be open minded during your trip. Do things you otherwise wouldn’t do.

Stop at roadside attractions. Take goofy pictures. Go for hikes. Explore farmer’s markets. Really get out of your comfort zone and go wild!

One way to choose which direction to go each day is to flip a coin. This is what we did on our trip. It adds an extra layer of fun to your trip.

Another way to add some fun to your vacation is to let your kids decide which direction you go each day. You can either have them vote on it or give each kid a day to be in charge of which way you head.

Just don’t forget to leave yourself time to get home at the end of your trip. Don’t get so caught up in the freedom of no plans that you find yourself too far away to get back home in time.

Lastly, enjoy the freedom of having no schedule during your spontaneous road trip.

The whole reason for taking a road trip without any plans is to break away from the grind of an itinerary. Forget worrying about where you have to be and just be present in the moment.

Have fun spending time with your family going on an unforgettable adventure.

Taking a spontaneous road trip is a great way to break the mold of your traditional family vacation. It is also the best approach to take if you hate planning or just don’t have the time for it. Enjoy living in the moment!

For more road trip ideas, see how to save time on road trips , safety tips , creative road trip ideas , how to pack for road trips like a pro , and reasons for a family road trip .

To make your road trips with kids successful, see our ultimate guide to family road trips , tips for road trips with kids , best snacks , tips for road trips with babies and toddlers , pros and cons for road trips with kids , essential items , how to handle kids with car sickness , and screen free activities .

Also see why you should travel with your kids and how to plan an epic family vacation .

Happy travels!

P.S. Need help finding the best places to go on your family vacations? My Ultimate USA Bucket List for Families will instantly give you 60 of the best vacation destinations for families in the United States! Get it for FREE in the box below and start planning your next trip today! Plus, as a bonus, you will receive my weekly email newsletter full of family trip tips and inspiration!

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How To Embrace Spontaneous Travel

One of the scariest yet most liberating ways to travel is traveling spontaneously. This kind of traveling is the opposite of order and repetition. It involves saying ‘yes’ to new things and making tweaks to your itinerary en-route. It certainly is worth exploring, but the question on your mind is probably ‘how to embrace spontaneous travel?’ Well, we’ll fill you in on that and share ways you can embrace the spirit of spontaneity as you travel – 

The ABC’s Of How To Embrace Spontaneous Travel

Be ready to step out of your comfort zone.

While embracing spontaneous travel, one thing’s certain, there will always be plenty of moments that demand you to garner the courage to do things you’ve not done before. It’s about trying new things when traveling that you always regret not doing. For instance, freely saying ‘YES’ to renting that two-wheeler which you know you feel like doing and exploring a town on your own. 

It’s completely alright to give in to things like this that push you out of your comfort zone when traveling. This is something that the spontaneous style of travel calls for. Also, moments like going on an organized trek even if you don’t know anybody on it can be intimidating at first. It could also be awkward to trek with people you’ve not met before but you’ll eventually mingle and it won’t seem that bad. How crazy it is to embrace spontaneous travel, right? But this kind of travel will open your eyes to the fact that outside your comfort zone, there’s plenty of adventure that’s worth giving a shot.

Don’t Wait For Your Group

When you travel spontaneously, it’s best not to wait around for your group of friends to join you. It would take a miracle for all your friends to quickly get in sync for a holiday on the same dates you’d like . Plus, more importantly, spontaneous travel involves little to no pre-planning and preparation apart from the basics . Yes, that’s just how it is to embrace spontaneous travel. So instead of waiting, you better start packing your bags and make that trip when you feel the urge to do it. After all, you deserve to use up your annual leaves, and don’t need a group to postpone it from happening.

There are also several good upsides to traveling solo , and who knows, your spontaneous trip may just be the best ever.

Don’t Keep A Strict Itinerary

Traveling on a whim is about not having a strict itinerary to follow. It’s more about planning your excursions in a way that there’s enough flexibility to adjust things around. For example, you may want to go river rafting in Rishikesh but then you find out that you could also go cliff jumping. If you like the latter more, you should be ready to switch plans and ditch what you no longer want to do. 

You can make a rough skeleton of things you would like to do based on the destination you’re going to but always make room for spontaneous adventures. If you see an art workshop, yoga or cooking class happening in a city you’re exploring, be prepared to join if you like it without worrying too much about the itinerary .

Use Apps & Memberships

It is super important to download a few apps that will make it easier for you to have a successful spontaneous trip. Use an app to book accommodation, flights, and even to find well-rated restaurants near you. When you use apps, you can snag the best running offer and save on costs. You can also do the same thing with travel memberships!

At goSTOPS, we’ve launched a Dream.Invest.Travel Membership starting at just INR 500 for travelers who pick goSTOPS to avail discounts on meals, stay, and much more. It’s our way of giving you benefits as you venture into traveling more often. It’s best to always take advantage of any offers and loyalty programs when traveling spontaneously. It ensures you’re not burning a hole in your pocket while you crave travel. 

Approach That 3-Day Weekend

You’ll probably know that there’s a 3-day weekend coming up in advance so use it to go on a short spontaneous adventure. Take it as life’s sign of telling you to have some fun by driving to a getaway nearby. You might not always get an opportunity to go traveling at the spur of the moment with a 9 to 5, that’s when such weekends still let you embrace traveling.

Unplug from work emails and go where you feel like a free bird . It could be to check out a restaurant, go wine-tasting or spend some time in the midst of mountains – pick what you feel like doing.

Stop Waiting For The Perfect Time

Traveling spontaneously is all about not putting off travel plans in hopes of a perfect time. There could be tons of places you wish to see on your bucket list and that list will only get longer if you don’t start checking off destinations from them . If the weather prevents you from traveling, seek out alternative ways to still take that trip. Most people think that monsoons ruin travel plans but if you think about it, the scenery of a place turns luscious and beautiful in the monsoons.

If a road to your dream destination is blocked, look for alternative places to see instead of bumming yourself out about the unfortunate timing. It’s possible that you’d find a hidden waterfall or unexplored farm when you focus less on timing being perfect.  So even if it isn’t the perfect time, add a twist to your travel plans.

Embrace Randomness

How to embrace spontaneous travel? The short answer – Embrace Randomness. Flip a coin or play a game of stone, paper, scissors to make decisions when you travel. You can also try throwing a dart on the number of options that lie in front of you. Embracing making random choices is liberating and gives you a break from planning things down to the tee.  

The upside to randomness is that you don’t constantly worry about the things that lie ahead. There’s no logic to why you’d want to go river rafting, bungee jumping, or skiing but you do it to have fun. So go ahead and be random, pick something out on the menu you’d never typically have, or sign up for a comedy show in a new city you’re visiting. In reality, it is slightly frightening but most times it’s never as bad as it’s made out to be.

Go Ahead And Seize The Moment

Traveling spontaneously can be scary but you’ll be surprised at the fun you have by going out and doing something new. That does not mean making calculated plans is the enemy. It’s good to have a balance of both. With impulsive decisions, you turn up the fun a notch and with planned travel, you run into fewer risky situations. To us, hostels are the best place to get both. goSTOPS hostel common areas are a great place to meet fellow travelers that inspire you to come along to try new things. When you don’t feel like taking the random adventurous path, you can retreat to your room or go your own way. The choice is yours.

How Do You Travel Spontaneously?

You can travel spontaneously if you don’t over-plan your itinerary. The idea of this kind of traveling is to increase the chances of doing something you’ve never done before. Challenge yourself to check out restaurants, sites or adventure experiences that you’d generally never pick to travel spontaneously. 

What Is An Impromptu Trip?

An impromptu trip is when you decide to take a trip out of the blue with no prior planning for it. It involves booking accommodation or your flights at the last moment and making decisions at the spur of the moment as the trip unfolds.

What Does A Spontaneous Trip Mean?

A spontaneous trip is about acting based on impulse and not putting too much thought into following a strict trip plan.

What Should I Pack For A Spontaneous Trip?

After you embrace a spontaneous trip, make sure you’re packing just the essentials that you can’t do without. Pack items like your identity card, enough cash, charger, toiletries, and a few comfortable outfits depending on how long you’re going.

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How to Travel Spontaneously

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Carmela Resuma, MPP . Carmela is the Executive Director of FLYTE, a non-profit organization headquartered in Georgetown, Texas that empowers students living in underserved communities through transformative travel experiences. Carmela has a Masters in Public Policy Analysis from New York University and is passionate about youth empowerment, social impact, and traveling. This article has been viewed 73,742 times.

Traveling can be a pleasant, carefree experience, but the large amounts of planning and preparation which usually precede actually traveling can make the process seem like more trouble than it’s worth. If you’d like to travel without putting in so much work beforehand, try to travel more spontaneously. Making spontaneous travel plans can open doors to new experiences that you wouldn’t have taken part in otherwise. However, you’ll need to leave yourself open to occasional misadventures, getting lost or wandering, and relying on local advice and assistance.

Arriving in Your Destination

• For example, if you’re interested in touring the American northwest, you could spend a full week in a large city like Seattle, or you could divide your time between several cities, like Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland.
• If you’re traveling abroad, you may need to obtain a travel visa for the country you’re visiting. These can take some time to obtain. Contact the State Department of the country you’re planning to visit to find out if you need a travel visa and how to apply for this document.

• Whether you’re traveling with a group or alone, avoid wearing flashy jewelry or clothing, and each member of your party should carry more than one form of official identification (e.g. a passport and a driver’s license).

• If you were to stay on the outskirts of a city, in a rural area, or in a small town, for example, it would be much harder to find locations to spontaneously travel to and visit.

• Having only a single bag will enable you to move quickly from one city or region to another, and you’ll be able to use any type of transportation that you please: plane, train, renting a car or Uber, hitchhiking, bicycle, or just walking.

Limiting Planning on the Ground

• For example, plan on one significant cultural experience per day: if you’re in Rome, you may wish to visit the Colosseum; if you’re in Paris, plan a trip to the Louvre.
• After that, do something spontaneous that appeals to you: sit in a café and watch people passing by, visit a local market, wander into a nearby museum, or take a hike or rafting trip through nature.

• “I’m spending a few days here without a travel itinerary. What are some places you’d recommend I visit, other than big tourist attractions?”
• If you’re open to any type of spontaneous experience in the region you’re traveling, ask locals about their favorite outdoor activity (weather permitting): you’ll likely receive recommendations for hiking location, but perhaps also fishing, swimming, bird-watching, or mountain biking.

• Avoiding review sites will leave you open to enjoyable surprises as you use your own intuition and the advice of locals to find interesting travel destinations.
• Sometimes tourist destinations plant reviews in order to drum up business. A high rating may not be entirely legitimate.
• Go to touristy sites to scout out more hidden local treasures. One benefit of going to a "tourist trap" is that locals (bartenders, tour guides, waiters, hotel staff, shopkeepers, cab drivers, etc.) expect outsiders--and these people are often great informers to local favorite places.

• You can also look for last-minute bookings at hotels and through travel apps like Priceline, HotelTonight, Blink (for travel in Europe), and Booking Now. [5] X Research source

Making Spontaneous Travel Decisions

• For example, if a restaurant isn’t enjoyable, leave and wander through a food-heavy district of town until you find a better place to dine. If you can’t spend the day hiking, rent a car and drive through the countryside instead.
• One of the major benefits of spontaneous traveling is that unexpected changes of plans become part of the norm. Leave yourself open to this, and enjoy where the trip takes you.
• Being open and flexible also allows for optimizing vacation time. A rigid schedule may not allow for spending less time at places that are not of high interest, and more time at another.

• If you do end up seriously lost, don’t panic. Avoid areas that seem unsafe or feel uncomfortable, and use your phone or map to find your way back to your hotel or hostel. If you’re lost in a town or city, you can call a cab (or find someone to call a cab for you), or book an Uber on your phone.
• It’s important to consider safety issues when wandering through a foreign city or region. If a part of a city makes you feel uncomfortable, trust your instinct and leave. Always have an idea of how far from your hotel or hostel you are by car, and avoid getting lost in areas without a phone or internet signal.

• These local events could include large concerts or musical festivals, cultural holidays (e.g. Day of the Dead), religious holidays, food festivals, sporting events, or any other number of local events.
• On the other hand, large holidays, festivals, or holiday weekends may increase your travel costs or increase congestion on highways. An increase in a city’s population—say, due to a large ongoing music festival—will also make hotel and hostel rooms both more scarce and more expensive. [9] X Research source

• If you plan ahead before you travel, you can take advantage of a group hotel discount through a site like HotelPlanner or even directly through a hotel website itself.

Expert Q&A

• If you’re traveling into a region that you’re unfamiliar with, check out the weather ahead of time. You don’t want to arrive unprepared in an unfamiliar region in the middle of a freezing winter or a mid-summer heat wave. [10] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://trekhard.com/blog/2012/08/24/13-tips-spontaneous-travel
• ↑ http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/specialty-travel/single-travel-tips-for-going-solo
• ↑ http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/travelers-ed/12-ways-to-be-more-spontaneous-when-you-travel
• ↑ http://mashable.com/2014/04/16/spontaneous-travel/#uymkjD1TsGqw
• ↑ http://www.travelandleisure.com/blogs/trip-doctor-how-to-get-last-minute-hotel-deals
• ↑ http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/city-vacations/how-to-take-spontaneous-vacation

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Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

How to Plan a Trip: A Month-by-Month Guide

Trip planning can be a daunting task. Flights, insurance, gear, itineraries, accommodation, and so much more all need to be considered and sorted out before you go.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed , especially when you haven’t done something like this before.

After over close to twenty years of traveling the world, I’ve planned countless trips and vacations for myself, friends, and family, even group tours. In the beginning, it was trial by fire. I learned a lot of lessons the hard way . However, that helped me develop an efficient checklist that ensures I don’t miss anything important during the trip-planning process.

One big question I get asked a lot is when to start planning. To answer that question, this post breaks the planning process down into month-by-month steps so you can plan your next trip with ease.

Here’s how to plan a trip:

Table of Contents

12 Months Out: Decide on Your Destination(s)

12 months out: start collecting points & miles, 8 months out: visa requirements, passports, and vaccines, 4-6 months out: book your flight, 3-4 months out: book your accommodation, 2 months out: plan your activities, 1 month out: get travel insurance, 7 days out: pack.

If you already have a dream destination in mind, great! If not, here are some posts to help you get started:

• 11 Cheap Places to Visit on the US Dollar
• 10 Places to Travel on a Budget
• The Best Tropical Islands in the World
• My Favorite Cities in the World
• My 31 Favorite Places to Visit in the USA

But, this far out, the real thing you want to do is start saving money and figuring out your costs. Accommodation and flights are the obvious ones, but how much do restaurants, attractions, and other activities cost? Knowing these costs will allow you accurately estimate how much money you’ll need. Here is how to research costs:

• Buy a guidebook
• Check out my free travel guides (we break down all costs for each destination)
• Skim the cost of living on Numbeo.com
• Google prices for major activities you want to do, such as scuba diving, winery tours, etc. ( Get Your Guide is a good place to start)
• Use Skyscanner or Google Flights for flight prices and sign up for alerts to get emails if the price changes
• Use Discover Cars to price out (and book) a rental car if you need one
• Use Booking.com and Hostelworld to research accommodation costs

That may seem like a lot but you just want to get a general idea of how much you need to save. You can head to this page to see all my articles on how to save money for your trip .

These days, most cards have welcome offers of 60,000-80,000 points (some can be as high as 100,000) when you meet their minimum spending requirement (generally $2,000-5,000 USD within a 3–6-month time frame). That’s enough miles for a free round-trip economy flight to Europe from the East Coast of North America.

For more information on this subject, check out these posts:

• Points & Miles 101: A Beginner’s Guide
• How to Pick the Best Travel Credit Card
• My Favorite Travel Credit Cards
• How to Earn Points by Paying Your Rent
• The Ultimate Guide to Points & Miles
• How to Collect Points & Miles in Canada

In addition, get a fee-free ATM card. I use Charles Schwab, but there are lots of other banks that don’t charge ATM fees (don’t forget to check your local banks and credit unions too). Here’s how you can avoid bank fees while traveling .

While you likely won’t need a visa to your desired destination, you should still check to make sure. If you’re a US citizen, use the State Department’s search tool to learn about your destination’s entry requirements. (Canadians can use this search tool .)

Additionally, make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after your trip ends. Many countries require this for entry. Passport application and renewal wait times can be long (the standard is 6-8 weeks in the US), so do this as soon as possible.

Also, research if you need any vaccines for your trip as many countries require vaccines to enter (and I don’t mean COVID). You can learn more about country requirements and recommendations at the CDC’s website . They can help you find a clinic near you as well (if you’re in the US).

Here are two articles on how to score a cheap flight:

• How to Always Find Cheap Flights
• 5 Steps to Booking a Cheap Flight

If you’ve signed up for a travel credit card and received your sign-up bonus, use your miles to book your flight and/or hotel. The further out you book, the more availability there will be. Use tools like Point.me and Awayz to help you find the best redemptions on your points (for flights and hotels, respectively).

But even if you aren’t using miles or didn’t find a cheap flight deal, there are still many ways to avoid being the person on the flight who paid the most for their ticket. My two favorite sites for finding cheap airfare are Skyscanner and Google Flights .  

Here are my go-to sites when it comes to finding the best deals on accommodation:

• Hostelworld – Hostelworld has the largest selection of hostels and is my go-to site for finding affordable hostels.
• Booking.com – Booking.com is the best overall platform for finding budget hotels and guesthouses.
• Agoda – Agoda has the best results if you’re heading to Asia (though it sometimes has good US deals too).

I recommend checking the cancelation policy of wherever you book. I like having the flexibility to cancel if something comes up.

If you’re on a tight budget or you want to connect with more locals during your travels, consider joining platforms like Couchsurfing or BeWelcome . These communities allow travelers to stay with residents for free as a sort of cultural exchange.

Long-term travelers can also try housesitting or WWOOFing as well, as they both offer free accommodation (in exchange for pet sitting or farm work, respectively).

Now it’s time for the fun part of travel planning! That means reading books about your destination, learning general travel tips, connecting with online communities, and pre-booking any necessary activities.

Pre-booking ensures you don’t miss out on things that you really want to do on your trip. If you’re going to a popular destination, tours and activities fill up quickly, and if you’re going to a smaller place, activities or tours might only run on certain days and have limited availability.

Either way, Get Your Guide the best place to search for and pre-book activities, tours, and tickets. Local tour operators and attractions can list their offerings on this online marketplace, so you can find tons of stuff here, from food tours to museum tickets with skip-the-line entry.

Get travel insurance . That way, these purchases are protected should something happen that makes you cancel your trip.

A lot of people think, “I’m healthy. I don’t need travel insurance.” But travel insurance is much more than just medical protection. It covers you when your camera breaks, your flight is canceled, a family member dies and you have to come home, or something gets stolen. (That’s why you’ll also want to familiarize yourself with any common travel scams to look out for, as well as how to conduct yourself in order to blend in to avoid looking like a target for petty theft.)

Yes, it’s an added expense. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I never leave home without it, because I’ve seen firsthand just what can happen on the road.

I never thought I would pop my eardrum while I was scuba diving in Thailand, break my camera in Italy, or get knifed in Colombia.

Unfortunately, bad things can happen when you’re traveling. True, these events are few and far between. But they can cost tens of thousands of dollars. If you’re not prepared to pay out of pocket, buy travel insurance.

Here are some posts on travel insurance to get you started:

• How to Buy Travel Insurance
• The 5 Best Travel Insurance Companies
• The Best Travel Insurance for Seniors

I never leave home without travel insurance. You shouldn’t either.

I travel with a 45L REI bag and then a smaller day bag. Here’s my suggested packing list to help you take just the right amount of stuff and avoid overpacking ( here’s a list for female travelers ).

Additionally, bring any prescriptions you need for the duration of your trip. Try not to rely on filling those abroad (though bring a prescription and doctor’s note just in case).

With everything taken care of, it’s time to go on your trip and have fun! Make a list of last-minute items you need to pack the day of (your toothbrush, glasses, phone charger, etc.) and check in online beforehand (you can do so 24 hours in advance). (If you’ve got lounge access through a premium travel rewards card , you might find yourself looking forward to getting to the airport early.)

If you’re feeling nervous, don’t worry. That’s perfectly normal. Feeling anxious or unsure is something every traveler experiences. But you’ve made it this far. Trust your planning and follow your instincts. You’re about to have the trip of a lifetime.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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