How to Choose Your Next Vacation Destination

Credit: Flickr /Evan Blaser

Flickr /Evan Blaser

Define your travel interests, like food, and pick a destination accordingly

You know you want to take a vacation, but there are so many options from which to choose. Here’s some help to narrow down your choices

What goes through your mind when you’re trying to choose where to go on your next major vacation? The world is a big place with endless opportunities for memorable travel, and if you haven’t done much travelling, knowing where you want to go first can be a tough decision.

Here are a few tips to get your planning started.

Brainstorm a Vacation Destination

There really is no one location that’s a perfect destination for everyone. Time and budget obviously play a role — but are probably not as important as you might think. It really comes down to defining who you are. Sounds pretty profound, right?

It’s not as difficult as you might think, and once you determine what kind of traveller you are, you’ll be able to decide more easily which destinations are right for you. Once you’ve got that down, you can start your holiday wish list and get going!

Define Your Travel Interests

To figure out where your travel interests lie, look at the types of activities you enjoy.

Get outside: Are you an adventure sports aficionado? Maybe you’re an avid cyclist or a hiking enthusiast. Whatever the case may be, if there’s a hobby or activity you have a passion for, chances are there’s somewhere in the world that fits right in with your lifestyle.

Relive history: If learning about history is one of your favourite pastimes, ask yourself what topic or era in human history interests you most and which places are most relevant to that subject.

Admire nature: Have you poured over pictures of the natural wonders of the world? Go see them in person! The Grand Canyon, Mount Etna and Victoria Falls are just a few of nature’s scenic offerings.

Observe wildlife: If it’s wildlife you find fascinating, the rainforest of Costa Rica can provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as can an African Safari, or swimming with the wild dolphins on the western coast of Australia.

Learn the language: If you’ve been learning a foreign language, consider going to its country of origin to work on your skills. There is no better way to improve your grasp of the language than by immersing yourself in a country that speaks that language.

Follow the food: If it’s beer you’re after, try brews in Dublin, Belgium, or the Czech Republic. Are you crazy about ice cream? Go to Italy and devour some real gelato. The opportunities when it comes to food-related destinations are endless.

There’s no exhaustive or comprehensive list of travel destinations and ideas, but if you start by answering a few questions about yourself, you’ll be well on your way to figuring out where you should go first – or next for that matter. And planning your trip is half the fun!