Choose Between Different Types of Holidays for Your Getaway

Often, we get stuck in a rut of choosing the same type of vacation, and even location, every year. The preceding months have been filled with work, deadlines, family, friends, gym, sports, you name it, and then recharging at the weekend. This is how we often overlook things and let them slide. By the time we start planning for our annual holiday, we simply want the easiest answer: escaping to our usual cottage at the beach, pack the same items, travel to well-known destinations, and simply unwind. Does it feel the same for you?

Have you ever thought that going on the same vacation every year isn’t actually bringing you the full benefits of travel – excitement and incredible opportunities, improved mental health and personal enrichment ? When our lifestyles become set in stone, or we spend time with the same people and repeat the same routines over and over, we are not actually learning anything new. Whether it’s a quick getaway or a round the world trip, are you ready for new adventures?

It’s time to choose your next holiday as a way to break out of the sameness of your life and take in new, possibly life-changing experiences. I can help you! Here are some ideas of different holiday types that you could consider when you go away.

Photo by Rachel Claire from Pexels

The Beach – Solo Travel

Wherever you go every year, for example, to the beach, you probably always travel as a couple, a family, or a group of friends. Stick to what is familiar. But go alone. Science has identified many reasons why solitude is important for everyone. Here are seven of them.

Resist the urge to cut your holiday short when you start to feel lonely. Wake up in the mornings and head down to the beach, as you would if you had company. Grab an ice cream or go to your preferred eating places for your favourite holiday meals. Give yourself permission to enjoy doing these things by yourself.

The nights can be liberating. Sitting in a comfortable armchair listening to some classical music with a snifter of brandy and thinking your own thoughts can make you aware that you never get this opportunity for solitude at home. Build time into your routine for solitude when you return home.

If you are still feeling a bit unsure, only go for three days the first time. You can extend it on future getaways. Don’t take a lot of activities with you; you want to drop activity and experience yourself. Avoid latching onto a group of strangers for your stay or getting romantically involved.

A Trip Abroad

Yes, this time you can take your family. Everyone has dreamed about far-off exotic locations. Make the dream a reality by going to a destination you have always yearned to see. While you don’t have to become a global traveller, each person should have had at least one trip abroad in their lifetime. Firstly, you will come to see that in many ways, all people are the same. This will increase your empathy for other nations. Secondly, cultures cause large differences in habits, dress, cuisine, architecture, and values. I strongly recommend to immerse yourself in city you are visiting with a food tour guided by a local! It’s the best way to discover a new place and learn things you won’t find in a guide book!

While it is awesome to visit other countries, it is great to return to your familiar world. New experiences should deepen you, but not take you away from your true self.

Some of the disadvantages of travelling abroad are the logistics of getting passports, long flights, getting sick from foreign cooking, working with local currencies, and learning enough basic phrases to communicate. These need not outweigh the advantages of an in-depth experience you won’t get from seeing a place on the telly or reading about it in a book. It will also give you something new to share with friends.

Camping

If you have grown up going on camping trips, you are sure to long for time in the great wilderness to commune with nature. Nothing beats the open-door sounds and smells, cooking over a campfire or camping stove, roasting marshmallows, and telling ghost stories at night. Going for long hikes during the day, and pitting yourself against the elements, are all part of the enjoyment people get from camping.

Some people will never enjoy camping. They need to be close to hot, running water and as far away as possible from creepy crawlies. Having to cope with the basics of survival, such as setting up a tent, starting a fire, and peeing behind a tree is simply not fun for a lot of people. They do miss out on a worthwhile experience and should consider trying it just once in their lives, even if it is only for one night and not too far from civilisation. Here is a story to inspire you.

Skiing Holiday

You might think that ski holidays are for the rich and famous, but nothing is further from the truth. Skiing holiday packages differ to accommodate every type of guest or group. Ski resorts offer chalets, apartments, sleeping for big groups, and self-catering. Skiing has become very popular as a choice of holiday. You can often get great deals, so it need not be pricey. You will be able to rent equipment so there is less to buy and bring. For novices who have never skied before, experts provide skiing lessons. Even if you are a moderate skier and unsure of your abilities, you can get lessons to improve.

Skiing is a great way for a family to bond in chilly weather over hearty meals, cocoa for the kids, and sherry for the adults. At the end of the day, everyone is pleasantly tired out, hungry, and ready to sit indoors in front of a glowing fireplace and simply reminisce over dinner and drinks.

There is no conflict on a family skiing trip over what to do. Everyone skis, end of the story. And a bonus is that you get great workouts, develop your core, and lose weight. This might inspire the family to take up some healthy activities on their return home.

Road Trip

Doesn’t it just take you back to your teenage years when you think of taking a road trip? After all, there are some amazing road trip destinations in the world!

Blasting rock and heavy metal from your vehicle’s sound system, stopping for cherry pie and fuel like Dean Winchester in Supernatural, dressed in your favourite jeans or leather outfit with your hair down sounds like the ultimate fun thing to do. But when reality kicks in, make sure you have a reasonably strong bladder, are adventurous by nature and not afraid of getting lost after dark, and have enough credit and some cash to book into off-road motels for a night.

Food should not consist largely of takeaways. Have tea at a roadside stop where you may be surprised by their awesome home-cooked meals and desserts. Take time to stop and enjoy the sights in the towns along the way and enjoy their special brand of entertainment. When you pass through a farming community, don’t be shy to ask for a tour. If there’s a market or fair going on, join the crowds.

Logistics can get tricky if several cars are travelling in a convoy, so do your research to ensure a smooth road trip. The ideal road trip consists of two really good friends or a couple. Make time for each person’s music. Keep a first aid kit in the car and don’t forget prescription meds. Pack enough clothing for between laundromats – you should aim for one to two weeks on the road to get the most from the experience.

There are so many possibilities for a unique holiday and hopefully, this sample has inspired you to do something different this year.