Need to choose your next travel destination but don’t know where you should go? I’ve been there!
Figuring out where to travel next can actually be quite tough because there are so many factors to consider. So if you’re looking for a little clarity and inspiration to choose a destination for your next trip, you’re in the right place.
This guide takes you through the questions you should ask yourself and shares traveler-tested tips on how to choose a travel destination for your next trip.
Choose Your Travel Destination: Start with the Basics
You want your trip to be a success and that starts with the right destination. But, choosing a travel destination can feel overwhelming. Contrary to the expression it’s a small world, the globe can seem larger than life when asking where should I travel next.
This can happen whether you’re planning your first trip or you’re a seasoned traveler. Luckily, and as with most big decisions, it’s helpful to break the process down into smaller pieces to sort out what’s practical (or not).
The best way to do this is to start with some concrete essential questions that’ll help you hone in on your next destination. They’re basic and practical, but they are really effective, too. These questions are the ones I ask myself when I’m faced with the same dilemma.
How much time do you have?
Where should you travel has a lot to do with how much time you can be away. The reality is that some trips need more time than others to really make the whole experience worthwhile. I find this to be a helpful first step because I can usually eliminate some possible destinations right away.
If you’re taking a 1-week vacation or less, it’s not worth it to plan that bucket list trip to Thailand or Patagonia. Not only is the time to get there likely long from wherever you are, but you’ll spend a lot for a trip that won’t leave you feeling as if you’ve had a well-rounded experience with a true taste of the destination.
Likewise, in that amount of time, taking that road trip cross country (in the United States) will likely be a lot of driving without enough time to actually stop to enjoy the many sights and places you’ll pass.
That’s not to say that a short trip isn’t worth it! Sometimes what you have is 5-7 days or even a long weekend getaway. It’s not a reason to miss out on traveling altogether.
You can plan a National Parks trip, some beach time in Mexico, or even visit a city like New York or London. With careful planning and a willingness to fill each day, you might even plan 1 week in Spain.
On the other hand, can you get away for a 2-week trip or more? With 2 weeks, you can explore a couple of new places like Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands or pack your bags for Europe and comfortably use the high-speed trains to travel between cities and even countries. You could consider road trips like circling the Emerald Isle or driving the Oregon Coast.
Perhaps you’re at a place in your life where you have a lot of time for extended travel. If this is you, ask yourself if this type of opportunity is likely to present itself again.
You might be taking a sabbatical or be in between jobs. Either way, these are unique chances to make that dream destination a reality because you’ll have enough time to experience it the way you always imagined.
Visiting the Okavango Delta and doing a safari on a trip to Africa, traveling through multiple countries in Southeast Asia, or setting off to explore Australia and New Zealand are all on the table.
Depending on where you live and the amount of time you have to travel, certain destinations will make more sense than others. I find this question about how much time to be a really helpful starting point as I think about places I want to visit for my next adventure.
The bottom line is that regardless of whether you want to relax, sightsee, or have an active adventure, traveling too far or cramming in too much can make for a rushed and ungratifying trip.
Who are you traveling with?
Another important question to ask yourself is who your travel companions will be, if any. Are you traveling for a family vacation with young kids or on a couple’s trip? Perhaps you’re planning a girls/guys trip or maybe a solo adventure.
The people you travel with or without might make specific places and experiences more practical than others. You have to ask what kind of destination would be enjoyable for everyone traveling. It may also be necessary to make some compromises so that everyone is happy with the destination and itinerary.
Some destinations and experiences like trekking on a glacier, climbing Angels Landing, or visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum may not be right for little ones. While a quick jaunt to Portugal might make the perfect girls’ getaway!
If you’re traveling solo, is it your first time or have you been on your own before? Traveling on your own comes with unlimited freedom to make your own choices. First-time solo travelers might be more comfortable in places like Iceland or Paris.
Or you might want to explore an off-the-beaten-path destination like Romania or travel to a new destination with a group by taking a guided tour.
No matter what your situation is, being clear on who you’ll be traveling with or not can help you choose your next travel destination.
What kind of weather matches your travel style?
Do you want to sightsee when it’s warm or work on your tan? Or do you prefer cooler temperatures for city travel or hope to see a perfect winter white landscape?
Obviously, your weather preference can help narrow down possible travel destinations based on the time of year you intend to travel. Weather conditions are what they are so if your next vacation falls in February and you don’t want to sightsee in Rome in chillier temperatures then it’s not the right time for you to visit.
On the flip side, if you’re hoping to ski and snowshoe in the Canadian Rockies, you’ll need to visit Banff in winter and not summer.
Keep in mind that if your travel dates fall during a destination’s peak season, it’ll likely come with higher prices compared to visiting at other times of the year. A slight compromise on weather and travel dates could also mean finding the best deals for that destination, like heading to the best places in Puglia in southern Italy in September instead of August.
Another upside to making some sacrifices when it comes to weather is fewer people. Everyone wants to visit a destination during peak season but going during shoulder season means you’ll be less affected by crowds. This and the hot weather are exactly why I prefer visiting Europe in the off-season when sightseeing is so much more enjoyable.
So, although it may seem like a basic question, the question of where to go when can be very informative.
What is your travel budget?
Unfortunately, how to choose the right destination also comes down to money. You certainly don’t need to be rich to travel, but you also want to feel comfortable with the destination you choose and all it has to offer.
All destinations are not created equal when it comes to cost. If you’re on a tight budget, budget-friendly destinations will allow you to stretch your money much more than somewhere pricier.
Another place might come with an extra cost either because of a visa fee or a special permit needed to take part in specific activities. The same goes for the kind of trip to requires special gear. If these costs are too much right now, then perhaps it’s not the perfect travel destination right now either.
For international travel, don’t forget to look at the exchange rates. One that is not in your favor can cost you much more than you realized. Choosing your next travel destination could be as simple as going where your currency is strongest for the best value.
You also need to be honest with yourself about your preferences when it comes to the seat class you fly in and where you like to stay. If you’re someone who absolutely needs more legroom when flying for more than a few hours, this cost has to be factored into your travel plans.
Hostels are a longstanding way to save money while traveling but if you’re not comfortable staying in one, then it could negatively impact your whole trip. On the other hand, paying for a hotel or vacation rental in an expensive destination might require sacrificing on activities and/or returning home stressed because you blew a hole in your travel budget.
The right travel destination allows you to be in your comfort zone when it comes to your travel style while sticking to as much money as you’ve allotted for this next trip.
And remember to think about any travel rewards you may have. A travel rewards credit card allows you to earn miles and points so that when you’re ready to take that next big trip, you can use them to book the trip or at least offset some of the cost.
A financially savvy traveler knows the answers to these questions and chooses a vacation destination accordingly.
What kind of journey or travel experience do you want?
With the above questions asked and answered, you’ve finished the practical first steps to choosing your next travel destination.
Now it’s time to connect what information you got from the questions above with the type of trip you’re imagining. This is when you work to align the practical with all that pent-up travel inspiration in the right side of your brain.
Start by asking yourself the purpose of your trip.
Is the perfect destination one where you can lounge and relax beside a beach? Or are you craving an outdoor adventure? Maybe you’re picturing a new travel destination with historical sites, cultural experiences, and foodie experiences.
If you’re like me, you probably would love all of the above. But the best option when choosing where to travel next depends on what you need at that moment.
If something in your life has left you feeling exhausted and stressed and all you can think of is going somewhere to relax and unwind, a beach destination or mountain retreat will likely be a better option than a sightseeing trip in Europe.
Maybe your norm is to always use your vacation time to go to a beach. So this time you’re looking for new destinations where you can see wildlife, like in Costa Rica, or explore historic ruins like those in Pompeii.
Beyond thinking about the type of trip you need, ask yourself what type of experience you’d like you and your possible travel companions to have.
Is there something you would like to gain from your travels? How do you want to remember this trip? Is there a lasting impact you’re hoping for?
If you want to take an adventure trip as a couple, it might be the right time to finally do that African safari or see the northern lights in Finnish Lapland.
Maybe you’re traveling with children and want the travel to be educational in some way. Consider, then, a place with fun and interesting sights, age-appropriate museums, and cultural experiences.
Understanding the type of journey or experience you want is the essence of choosing the right destination and making your trip a success. Too often, people are heard saying “I need a vacation from my vacation.” It doesn’t have to be this way if you focus on the important things you want and choose a travel destination based on this.
Travel can be so fulfilling if you take the time to plan a meaningful getaway that meets the needs, hopes, and wants of you and your travel companions.
But, the opposite is also true. When you choose your travel destination because it’s where you think you should take your kids or where everyone else you know goes, your trip can end up feeling lackluster and, ultimately, not worth your time and money.
10 Tips to Choose Your Next Travel Destination
With the information you’ve focused on by going through the who, what, when, and why questions above, you’re surely closer to answering the biggest question of them all…where?
And while the final decision about where you should travel next is yours, these are some of the best things I’ve used or done to choose my next travel destination.
1. Get Inspiration from Pinterest, Social Media, and Hashtags.
“A picture is worth a thousand words” is so cliche, but also resonates with truth.
We are visual creatures in the same way my dogs relate to the world around them by using their keen sense of smell. Our brains are hardwired to process visuals quickly, which impacts how we feel, what we think, and even what we do.
Sometimes these visuals create a spark that sticks with us. It’s important to pay attention when this happens!
Visual platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok attract 100s of millions of people who use them not only for entertainment and social connection but also to plan everything from home decor to travel destinations.
We’ve all seen photos of places that have grabbed us, causing an emotional, visceral reaction. These feelings can be a huge help when choosing your travel destination.
And if you’re not sure where to start on these platforms, just start typing on the search bar. Inevitably, other words will populate to give you some ideas. For example, you might type in “bucket list travel destinations” and the search bar might suggest you add “in Europe” to refine your search even further.
Hashtags can also be a great way to find inspiration. By searching #tropicalisland, you’ll find countless photos and videos to spark your wanderlust. You might even discover a new place that wasn’t on your radar.
ProTip: A word about popular destinations…Just because it’s popular doesn’t mean you have to go, too. If the destination doesn’t speak to you, it’s not your jam, at least right now. It doesn’t matter what social media says. And with so much attention focused on a handful of places, you can share your tourism dollars with a destination better suited to you and just equally as deserving as the latest must-go hotspot.
2. Read Travel Blogs.
Ok, you had to know this was coming! 😉
But, in all seriousness, there are a ton of travel blogs out there with a lot of inspiring, incredible content.
Find a few travel bloggers you like on social media? Take some time to explore their blog. The hidden gem blog posts are often discovered by those who take a few minutes and dig beyond just the most recent posts.
You just might discover a place like Husavik in Iceland or fall in love with Sibiu in Romania. Or you just might see a few photos of Cordoba in Spain and be instantly bit by the travel bug!
3. Go Old School with “Coffee Table” Travel Books
With everything digitalized or online these days, don’t underestimate the power of travel books.
I’m not necessarily talking about travel guides, but the ones with oversized, smooth pages and glossy colorful photos that fill your eyes and heart with wanderlust. They’re perfect for perusing whether you want to choose your travel destination or just float away into your travel dreams.
I love opening these books to random pages and seeing what I find. Sometimes I take a photo of a photo or keep the book open to a specific page for a couple of days just to see if a place feels like the right one for my next trip.
Here are a few of my favorite travel picture books.
These books can excite a passion for traveling the world in just about anyone! The photos carry you into the scene, while the text about each place transports you to lush rainforests and medieval architecture.
These books are perfect for choosing experiences that match the journeys you imagine for yourself and others. You’ll go from Patagonia to the Canadian Rockies to the world’s best dive spots and the best National Parks in the U.S. If you’re like me, you’ll be packing your backpack as you stare wide-eyed at the list of places awaiting!
4. Follow the Deals.
This tip for choosing a travel destination should not be overlooked! Not only might you discover amazing places, but it can also help you save (potentially) a lot of money.
Know you want to go to Japan someday and you just found a super cheap airfare to make it happen? Guess what? Someday has arrived. You may never have the chance again to book such a cheap ticket to Japan.
It’s also a great way to add flexibility (which always helps save money when traveling) when you can’t be flexible on your dates. Say, for example, if you’re a teacher or a family with kids who have to travel around the school calendar.
Maybe you’re just an open-minded, flexible person who’s just happy to travel anywhere. Perhaps you’re looking to get away for the least possible money!
To find these deals, use tools like:
- Google Flights Explore
- Momondo Explore
- Skyscanner
- Hopper App
- Secret Flying
Aside from Google Flights Explore, Momondo is a great airfare website for choosing your travel destination and finding the best airfare. They have an explore anywhere feature that lets you choose destinations by continent, month, budget, and theme (beaches, cities, etc.)
Skyscanner is another tool to search for the best prices on flights even when you don’t where you want to go. Type your home airport as the departure and “everywhere” as the destination. Skyscanner will show you the lowest-priced flights to a range of destinations.
The Hopper App can help you know whether or not to book a flight or wait for a better price.
You could also use airfare deal email newsletters like Matt’s Flights to get alerted to mistake fares and low fares in real-time without spending hours searching. The deals are timely, though, so you’ll need to book quickly before the price changes. For more tips about how to find cheap flights, check out everything I do to find cheap flights.
5. Where Can Your Travel Rewards Points Take You?
I am a confessed points and miles nerd. But, my studies have paid off because I’ve been to many great places that I never dreamed would be possible. If you’re interested in getting started with travel rewards, check out my free course.
Once you sign up for hotel and airline loyalty programs, you’ll get emails to learn about destinations with low airfares or hotel rates. Look for loyalty program award discounts to specific places or for particular hotels.
For instance, hotel brands like IHG and Hilton offer promotions throughout the year discounting award night stays in specific destinations.
If you earn travel rewards points through a bank like Chase or American Express, watch for transfer bonuses that give you a percentage bonus (i.e. 30%) on the points you transfer to a specific airline or hotel.
You can also apply the same principles for finding deals as above. Go where the deals are.
Need to get to Paris but the award flight space is too expensive or nonexistent to Paris?
Look at surrounding airports and Voila…there’s plenty of affordable space to Brussels which is only an 80-minute train ride from Paris. Maybe you’ll even have a few extra days to spare to visit places like Bruges and Antwerp before heading to France.
6. Trust Your Gut.
Saw an incredible photo or movie about a place you never knew much about and now you can’t get it out of your head?
Book it as your next trip!
Sometimes you just get a hunch or a feeling about a place. If you act on it, you might just end up on one of the most incredible and unforgettable trips ever.
I did exactly this when I decided to go to Romania and Malaysia because I saw a few photos and was instantly struck. Both trips were amazing and I learned a valuable lesson. Sometimes it really pays to not overthink things and just go. It may be cliche but the world really is an endlessly fascinating place!
7. Calibrate Current Events.
No one wants to feel unsafe when they travel. And unfortunately, sometimes, world events make it unsafe to visit certain places at certain times.
It’s a good practice to check travel warnings issued by not only the United States but also by the governments in Canada, the U.K., and Australia. I find this gives a fuller picture of the actual scope of the alerts.
You should also remember what you see on TV and watch and read online isn’t always the reality in all places in that destination or region. Can you imagine visitors canceling their trips to New York City because New Orleans had a hurricane? Or forgoing a trip to Rome because Paris was having protests?
Use common sense. Invest in travel insurance. And, always do what makes you comfortable when deciding whether or not you should travel to a particular place.
8. Respect Your Capacity for Logistics.
Planning a trip takes time and effort. You have to research, book transportation and accommodation options, as well as map out your day-to-day at least partially. The destination you choose dictates how intensive this process will be. So what can you manage right now?
It’s a lot easier to plan a beach getaway or a camping trip than it is a multi-city sightseeing trip. Both are equally worth it but one requires more research and planning.
Dreaming of an extended road trip through South America but don’t have the time right now to plan it the way it needs to be planned? Perhaps it’s better to go with something else right now. The same could be said for country-hopping through Europe.
Travel is supposed to be fun, exciting, and enjoyable and that includes the planning process. If you’re dreading the time needed to plan a trip to a particular place, go somewhere else instead for now.
9. Go on a Guided Tour.
Or opt for a guided tour. It’s easy because all of the logistics are handled for you. Plus, oftentimes, you meet interesting people and visit places you might not have considered on your own.
I’ve taken tours with both Intrepid Travel and G Adventures and had a great time on each one. I’ve even made some long-lasting travel friends along the way!
So, if you’re not sure about traveling solo or just don’t want the hassle of planning, pick a tour and go!
10. Revisit Your Bucket List…and Just Go!
If you still aren’t sure about what to pick for your next trip, go back to your bucket list. You put places and experiences on there for a reason. At one point or another, taking that trip someday resonated. Trust that and go.
Frame it like this. It’s not analysis paralysis but rather a desire to visit so many places that it’s hard to choose one destination over another. I always take this as a sure sign that I can’t go wrong no matter where I choose.
So, How Do You Choose the Right Travel Destination?
Break down the process into smaller steps by using the questions, tips, and tools in this guide. They’ll help you choose your next travel destination by pointing you in the direction of where and what makes sense for you right now.
And remember, no one ever regrets traveling, but rather the trips they didn’t take. So, go ahead and plan your next trip!
So, how do you choose the right destination?
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