Over the years, we have adjusted our travel style to accommodate my physical health needs and limitations, while keeping in mind our travel goals, budget, and comfort level.
Here, our travel style is broken into 4 categories to help you better understand what we are talking about.
#1: Mid-Range Budget
Although we may feel young at heart, our bodies say otherwise… especially mine. Plus, we like to enjoy a certain level of comfort when we travel. I mean, who doesn’t right?!
We are by no means luxury travelers, but we are definitely NOT backpacker friendly. Honestly, if it says, “awesome for backpackers,” we avoid it.
We prefer mid-range hotels that offer a quiet room, comfortable mattress, private bathroom, and sometimes, breakfast included.
Charming guesthouses that offer something special or boutique hotels that highlight a traditional aspect of the culture are where we prefer to stay.
We look for unique tour experiences when visiting a destination, but also search for free activities to help balance the budget.
#2: A Slower Pace
For us, slow travel is where it’s at! Traveling at a relaxed pace not only allows us to visit the must-see sights but gives us time to soak up the culture and relax.
Every year, we spend 6 weeks discovering a new country or region of the world. We don’t hop from country to country, or city to city, for that matter.
To us, a slower pace means spending more time at each destination. When planning a trip, if people recommend 2-3 days in a specific place, we bump it to 3-4 days. That way, we can explore at our leisure, get to know the locals, and work in relaxation too.
We also travel slowly to accommodate my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. Check out this post if you want to read more about how my pain has changed our travel style.
#3: No Big Crowds
Although we will always spend a few days exploring major cities, we quickly find ourselves searching for less touristy and authentic hidden gems.
Honestly, we absolutely LOVE to discover adorable, small towns. Usually, these less-discovered gems are full of beautiful town squares, interesting shops, and cute cafes where we can sip wine and soak in the local culture… without getting bumped in the head by a tour group or selfie stick.
There is nothing worse than visiting a museum and being unable to view the art because of the hordes of tourists. So, we carefully plan our itinerary to avoid large crowds, weekends, or peak hours.
Of course, we visit the big cities, but our hearts always pull us toward quaint towns where we can slow down, and soak in the town’s personality.
One of our goals is to discover as many hidden gems in each country we visit!
#4: Culture Immersion
There is nothing worse to us than traveling to a country just to relax at the hotel pool or eat at the local McDonald’s.
We love getting to know a country’s culture. In our opinion, the beauty of a country comes from learning about its history, tasting local food, getting a local guide, admiring the art, or taking in a traditional dance.
We love to explore museums, art galleries, wineries, and natural wonders that are unique to that region or country.
Alright, that wraps it up. If our travel style aligns with yours, then continue to our Destinations Page to find inspiration for your next trip!