If you’re a frequent traveler, it’s not hard to fall into “bad” travel habits (like taking so many pictures, you forget where you are). The next time you travel, try to break a bad travel habit, such as the ones we’ve listed below:
Planning Too Much
If you’re one of those travelers that likes to pack everything you can into one trip, it might be time to stop. While seeing as much as you can might sound like fun, you’ll likely end up exhausted by the end of it. In addition, if you’re constantly worried about hitting the next spot, you won’t get to relax and soak in the entire experience.
Not Trying New Things
One of the best parts of traveling is being able to try new things. If you tend to stick to things that are in your comfort zone, break out of that habit. Ditch the chain restaurants and try eating like a local. Or do something adventurous you haven’t done before, like zip lining or horseback riding. You’ll end up with a much more fulfilled vacation.
Keeping to Yourself
Whether you’re a solo traveler or are traveling in a group, don’t be the one who’s constantly on their phone or has their nose in a book. Be in the moment; strike up a conversation with a stranger, perfect your picture-taking skills, or use the time to learn more about the place you’re visiting. You can keep to yourself all you want when you’re back home, but a vacation is about vacating your life and changing things up.
Judging the Locals
If you’re headed somewhere with a completely different culture (say, Africa or Asia), you may not know what to expect. If you see the locals doing something “strange” or something that you’re not used to, don’t be quick to judge. Not everyone does things the way you do, and you’d be better off learning from a different culture than judging it.
Falling into the Tourist Life
There’s always a time for tourism. For example, if you’re traveling to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower or you want to take a walk through Times Square. If there’s something touristy that you want to do on your trip, by all means, do it, but don’t view your entire trip through a tourist’s eyes. You’ll experience so much more if you step into the shoes of a local instead.