Ditch the Travel Itinerary!

I love to travel. I love exploring and discovering new places, new cultures, new customs. 

In my day to day life, I am a planner. When you work two jobs, it’s hard not to be. With limited free time, I have to be a planner to make the most of each day.

When I travel, I am less planner and more let’s see where the day takes me. Don’t get me wrong, I make some plans, but you also won’t find me traveling with a “Clipboard of Fun”. Sorry, Danny Tanner.

I understand the desire to plan every minute of the day when you’re traveling, especially to some place new. You want to try and see everything. You’re spending a lot of money, and you don’t know when you’ll be back. I have traveled like this in the past. Did I enjoy my trip? Yes, but I usually came back needing a vacation from my vacation. Also, I’d sometimes start my trip exhausted and overwhelmed solely from all the planning. 

The first time I traveled and loosened up my desire to do it all, I enjoyed it, and I didn’t feel bummed that I missed some things. Now, I travel with a loosely planned itinerary. I know where I am sleeping each night, have a list of a few must do’s and things I’d like to do if possible, and maybe some restaurant ideas. I’ll also research ways to get around the area and what to pack. Other than that, I just enjoy, explore, and see where the day takes me.

In all honesty, some of my favorite memories of past trips are the things that weren’t plan. The areas we stumbled upon, the nights spent just having a couple pints at a pub we passed on our way somewhere, sitting around a champagne and pizza bar and being entertained, and just wandering around and taking photos.

In October, I traveled to Scotland, and on our last day in Edinburgh, we ventured over to Dean Village and the Water of Leith Walkway. An area we discovered when looking at Google Maps in the morning. We spent the next hour or so exploring the area, taking photos, and chatting with some locals. It ended up being one of my favorite parts of my vacation, and I got some great photos too.

The views when walking around Edinburgh never ceased to amaze me.

Dean Village was a successful grain milling area for over 800 years

The plants and old buildings throughout the area created stunning views.

Given its history, you are likely to stumble upon an old mill stone while exploring Dean Village.

I couldn't stop myself from taking countless photos showing off the plant life and timeless buildings.

St. Bernard's Well along the Water of Leith Walkway

So, here are my travel tips today:

1. Stop planning every hour, every minute of each day of your trip - some of the best memories cannot be planned, and you'll have time to sit back, relax, and enjoy.

2. Don’t be afraid to just explore - you never know what you may stumble upon.

3. Talk to locals - no one knows the area better than they do.

What are some of your travel tips? What’s one of your favorite vacation memories that happened because you just stumbled upon it? Comment below.

Until next time, have a magical day!