5 tips to make your trip more meaningful
Originally published February 10, 2016; updated September 8, 2026.
The experience you have when you travel is shaped not only by the destination and the people you meet, but by your perspective as well. Bad weather, loneliness or simply not knowing where to eat or who to talk to can sometimes make you question your wanderlust.
Fortunately, a more rewarding travel experience can begin with a few simple choices.
1. Slow down and watch local life
Spend some time at a café or in a town square, or find a bench in a park and watch the day unfold. You may feel more connected to your destination and the people who live there.
Sightseeing, shopping and hop-on-hop-off buses can all be enjoyable, but leave room in your itinerary for quieter experiences, too. Notice how people greet one another, where they gather and what an ordinary afternoon looks like.
That said, if you feel overwhelmed and need a dose of familiarity, there is nothing wrong with stopping at a familiar place like Starbucks for coffee. Sometimes that is all you need before heading out to explore again.
2. Have courage and be kind
You guessed it—I’m a big fan of Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella. One of the movie’s central messages is to have courage and be kind. It is good advice for travelers, too.
If you’re traveling solo or feeling out of your depth, courage may mean asking for help, trying a few words in another language or walking into a restaurant alone. And kindness—to everyone—can lead to encounters you never expected.
You never know what’s around the corner or whom you may meet.
Kindness opens doors.
3. Eat somewhere local
Food is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience a destination. Try stepping away from the restaurants surrounding the major attractions and eating at a neighborhood café, market stall or small local establishment. You may find better value, but more importantly, you’ll experience another side of local life.
Don’t speak the language? Learn a few useful phrases before your trip, especially words that will help you order a meal or drink. You can carry a pocket phrasebook or use a translation app. If something at a nearby table looks especially good, politely ask your server what it is.
Consider it a culinary adventure! For more practical ideas, read my tips for eating well while traveling without missing the local specialties.
4. Choose your traveling companions wisely
Personally, I think it’s better to travel solo than with someone whose interests, values and travel style are incompatible with yours.
Before taking a trip together, talk about your expectations. Do you like to begin sightseeing early or sleep late? Do you prefer a full itinerary or plenty of unplanned time? And remember that traveling together doesn’t require spending every moment together.
If you don’t have a compatible companion, solo travel can be a rewarding and freeing experience. The Solo Traveler blog offers helpful information and encouragement.
5. Don’t let bad weather ruin the day
You can plan your trip for a time of year when your destination generally has pleasant weather, but there are no guarantees. Rainy and snowy days can be beautiful in their own way. They can produce wonderfully atmospheric photographs—and give you the perfect excuse to linger in museums and cafés.
Linger. Enjoy.
I once spent two cold, rainy weeks in southern Italy. At Pompeii, I would have preferred sunshine, but there was something thought-provoking about hail hammering down around us. With the hail pelting me, I felt more connected to the people who had lived in Pompeii in 79 CE than I might have on a bright, sunny day.
A meaningful trip doesn’t require a perfect itinerary—or perfect weather. Often, the moments that stay with us happen when we slow down, remain open to the unexpected and pay closer attention to the places and people around us.
Those are often the memories that follow us home.
You may also enjoy: How to choose souvenirs with meaning
