Simple Travel Strategy
Believe it or not, I do enjoy travel. All the noise, complication, clutter, etc that comes along with pulling off a trip isn’t exactly a pleasure, though. To mitigate, I’ve embraced a simple travel strategy, including some aspects I often apply beyond that realm. One travel wrinkle I enjoy most are the surprises that come along the way, and I’ve found “shooting for simple” meshes well in those situations. These are just a few of the items which make up my strategy.
We Avoid Holiday Travel
Perhaps it’s recency bias, but I feel like with every passing holiday weekend, we hear about another airport mess, or interstate traffic being at “all-time worst” levels – whatever that means. More than a decade ago, we tapped out of traveling – to see family or otherwise – around major holidays. To start, we decided to stay put around Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. Over the years, we expanded to “tier two” holidays and have zero regrets.
But I’m not completely heartless. We periodically travel to see extended family and friends in slightly-detached timeframes around holidays. Those visits are still fulfilling for us and them.
We Don’t Rush
Taking it easy can apply to so many aspects of travel, and so can the positive outcomes from it. Perhaps the dad move I embrace most, I schedule longer than normal layovers at connecting airports. I also prefer to arrive at my originating airport early. Concerns about missing flights largely melt away.
On road trips, I’m not looking to be the fastest or slowest one on the highway. I pass slower people, I move out of the way, and I let faster people pass. My family and I may take longer to reach our destination, but that bit of extra time is nothing compared to how much more we enjoy the journey together.
We Plan One Big Activity Daily (or None!)
Every so often, I hear people call their vacation “productive.” Their connotation of that term is often different from ours. Their version is seemingly based on the number of activities they’ve accomplished or sites they’ve visited. Of course, those matters play a role in our trips, albeit smaller. But we mix in other aspects, like true relaxation (sometimes unplanned), and connecting with old and new friends, family, and destinations.
We want enough slack time to experience all that beauty. Therefore, we’ll only plan one big activity daily and fill in the other times with spontaneous experiences. Sometimes, we’ll plan a day of nothing during a trip – probably heresy to many travelers, including a large portion who do things online for money.
Off-Peak Is Our Peak
We’re not pulling our kids out of school, but beyond that, we’re open to trips on less-traveled dates. Our school district still starts after Labor Day, so we’ll lean into late August travel while that’s still an option. I’ll take quick leisure trips during the week rather than the weekend. Regional beach trips beyond high season are my favorites. Sights, stores, restaurants, most everything is less crowded in these timeframes.
I Know Myself
My music festival days are behind me. I’ve always preferred small club shows, and I’ll travel for them even more now. Similar goes for sporting events – I enjoy a good ball game, but it can be a minor league one or something in a less-popular location. Quite simply, I’ve lost my desire for big sporting events. The often-ridiculous amounts of time, money, and stress just aren’t worth it to me for those few hours of athletic ecstasy. (It also doesn’t hurt that most any sport can be watched in stunning, high-def/4k detail from a recliner.)
I’m interested to see what’s next. I and my travel goals will evolve.
Simple Travel Strategy – Conclusion
You probably get the gist by now. And many of you know the some or all of the above doesn’t fit in your situation. Indeed, how we travel is a deeply personal decision. Regardless of your preferences, make sure that they are your own and not what someone else thinks they should be (except for your immediate family). Search for what fulfills you, not cents per point. Traveling simply plays a big role in our travel goals. What’s important to you?
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Avoiding holiday travel is a smart strategy to dodge the stress of crowded airports and heavy traffic. Choosing off-peak times allows for a more relaxed experience while still enjoying meaningful trips with family and friends. It’s a great way to keep travel simple and stress-free!
I agree with your comments and I’m probably extreme for arriving early at airports, especially after getting a credit card that gives me access to lounges. I’ll add to the list carry on luggage only. Also, after getting blocked in traffic by some big government event, I now always book the night before a flight at an airport hotel.
Preach, Joe!