Where do you get your travel inspiration?
Where do you get your travel inspiration?
May 8, 2018, 6:28 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Gold, DL MM 8/22/16!
Posts: 2,563
Flyertalk! New ideas, new tips, new techniques. Any of the forums can trigger an inspiration.
General reading from novels to newspapers. One tiny example - I'd long thought of the Isle of Guernsey, but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book pushed me over.
Looking for deals. I read this one regularly. I like to search the 90-Day Ticker by "new offer", and use the Custom Search for further out things.
Looking for deals again. Hotel bidding assistance, although I find the general chatter can inspire. Also, the reviews have a perspective a bit different from trip advisor.com since they take into account the bargain rate from the bidding.
General reading from novels to newspapers. One tiny example - I'd long thought of the Isle of Guernsey, but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book pushed me over.
Looking for deals. I read this one regularly. I like to search the 90-Day Ticker by "new offer", and use the Custom Search for further out things.
Looking for deals again. Hotel bidding assistance, although I find the general chatter can inspire. Also, the reviews have a perspective a bit different from trip advisor.com since they take into account the bargain rate from the bidding.
Last edited by Romelle; May 8, 2018 at 6:38 am
May 10, 2018, 9:41 am
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
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Various places. Most often word-of-mouth - a friend visits a place I've never been (and sometimes barely heard of), says it's great, so I want to see it myself. I have some friends with funky / off-the-beaten-path interests, so they usually have good suggestions that aren't going to hit the front page of typical travel/tourist sites.
I have a list of future trips to plan that is probably longer than I'll ever actually get to. For now, I'm prioritizing the ones that can leverage maximum value from miles, points, and status. Later in life, I hope to have greater amounts of disposable cash but less business-travel-driven points/miles/status, and some different types of trips will unfold. Ones that don't involve traditional hotels, commercial airlines, etc.
I have a list of future trips to plan that is probably longer than I'll ever actually get to. For now, I'm prioritizing the ones that can leverage maximum value from miles, points, and status. Later in life, I hope to have greater amounts of disposable cash but less business-travel-driven points/miles/status, and some different types of trips will unfold. Ones that don't involve traditional hotels, commercial airlines, etc.
May 10, 2018, 10:14 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
Generally from my interests, why else would you go somewhere? I never understand when someone posts something like, 'got a really good deal on a flight to X, what's good to do there?' I don't book flights to places that I don't already know why I would want to go there.
I've always been into hiking, backpacking, etc. So my destinations are generally places where I can do that. The US Southwest deserts, the Swiss Alps, etc. I'm not a city lover as I see one Gap Store as being much the same as any other, regardless of where in the world it is located. I can however appreciate a few days in a city for the architecture, history, etc.
But really, it's all about your interests. If you are big on snorkeling or scuba diving, how difficult do you think it would be to find places you would want to visit? I think having to 'find inspiration' is something only people with few interests in life, have a problem with.
I've always been into hiking, backpacking, etc. So my destinations are generally places where I can do that. The US Southwest deserts, the Swiss Alps, etc. I'm not a city lover as I see one Gap Store as being much the same as any other, regardless of where in the world it is located. I can however appreciate a few days in a city for the architecture, history, etc.
But really, it's all about your interests. If you are big on snorkeling or scuba diving, how difficult do you think it would be to find places you would want to visit? I think having to 'find inspiration' is something only people with few interests in life, have a problem with.
May 10, 2018, 10:21 am
#6
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: Rapid Rewards, AAdvantage,
Posts: 120
Reading and my interests. Plus the actual travel. Went to Scotland for the first time last year and saw people hiking through Glencoe. Decided to look for a trip that involves hiking in the Highlands but isn't a total hiking trip and finally found one through Smithsonian. That'll be going on my list.
May 10, 2018, 10:49 am
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2002
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Back when AA NetsAAver fares were actually legit deals, three friends and I would pick a weekend and agree that we're going to travel somewhere just for kicks for 3 nights. When the deals dropped on Tuesday, we'd gather for beers and make our pick. Sometimes it was obvious; sometimes it involved debate and occasionally just flipping a coin. One time ORD-MXP was by far the best deal, so we did it not having a single clue what our itinerary would be when we got there. Ended up being a fantastic weekend that still gets brought up in conversation from time to time almost 20 years later...
Did probably a dozen of these (ex-ORD) over the course of 3 years before everybody was on the Internet and NetsAAvers got lame.
May 10, 2018, 2:48 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Trenton NJ
Programs: UA Gold MM, Honors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz President’s Circle
Posts: 3,668
I've done it a few times.
Back when AA NetsAAver fares were actually legit deals, three friends and I would pick a weekend and agree that we're going to travel somewhere just for kicks for 3 nights. When the deals dropped on Tuesday, we'd gather for beers and make our pick. Sometimes it was obvious; sometimes it involved debate and occasionally just flipping a coin. One time ORD-MXP was by far the best deal, so we did it not having a single clue what our itinerary would be when we got there. Ended up being a fantastic weekend that still gets brought up in conversation from time to time almost 20 years later...
Did probably a dozen of these (ex-ORD) over the course of 3 years before everybody was on the Internet and NetsAAvers got lame.
Back when AA NetsAAver fares were actually legit deals, three friends and I would pick a weekend and agree that we're going to travel somewhere just for kicks for 3 nights. When the deals dropped on Tuesday, we'd gather for beers and make our pick. Sometimes it was obvious; sometimes it involved debate and occasionally just flipping a coin. One time ORD-MXP was by far the best deal, so we did it not having a single clue what our itinerary would be when we got there. Ended up being a fantastic weekend that still gets brought up in conversation from time to time almost 20 years later...
Did probably a dozen of these (ex-ORD) over the course of 3 years before everybody was on the Internet and NetsAAvers got lame.
May 10, 2018, 3:12 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
When I was a kid someone gave us old national geographic magazines and I would just be enthralled by all the pictures I saw of amazing places. I would dream of seeing that exact view. I had wanderlust. I wanted to travel since as long as I can remember.
Last summer I went up Victoria Peak and took the star ferry in HK harbor. I remember seeing pictures of the view from the peak back in the 60s from those magazines. I was blown away that I could do it in real life. I can't even describe the feeling. I was speechless. It felt like an acheivement of a dream from long ago.
The same when I saw Sugarloaf from Corcovado in Rio. I remember just staring at those pics of Rio in that magazine for the longest time trying to wrap my head around how beautiful it was.
I had to see Tempelhof since I was fascinated by the pics of the Berlin Airlift when I was a kid. I had to see Stonehenge. The Colosseum. Pompeii. The Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower. I have seen them all!
Since then, I have added a lot that I need to see. More experiences and less landmarks. Instagram, CNN, FlyerTalk, books, movies, daydreams, friends recommendations, etc all inspire me. And, of course, I have a few places left from those magazine daydreams.
Last summer I went up Victoria Peak and took the star ferry in HK harbor. I remember seeing pictures of the view from the peak back in the 60s from those magazines. I was blown away that I could do it in real life. I can't even describe the feeling. I was speechless. It felt like an acheivement of a dream from long ago.
The same when I saw Sugarloaf from Corcovado in Rio. I remember just staring at those pics of Rio in that magazine for the longest time trying to wrap my head around how beautiful it was.
I had to see Tempelhof since I was fascinated by the pics of the Berlin Airlift when I was a kid. I had to see Stonehenge. The Colosseum. Pompeii. The Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower. I have seen them all!
Since then, I have added a lot that I need to see. More experiences and less landmarks. Instagram, CNN, FlyerTalk, books, movies, daydreams, friends recommendations, etc all inspire me. And, of course, I have a few places left from those magazine daydreams.
May 11, 2018, 5:50 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Posts: 419
Often it's the food. I found I was going to my Ethiopian restaurant in New York so often that I had to go spend a month there. Similarly, I love Japanese food and wanted to travel around Japan for a month to get to know the local specialties.
I also love trains -- hence my first long solo trip was to India (for the food as well); Japan also fit that bill, and I've enjoyed planning trips through Russia and Scandinavia for the pretty train rides. My dad gave me Paul Theroux's "The Great Railway Bazaar" when I was in my teens, and that made a strong impression.
Sometimes it's a spark from a picture or article. I saw a photo of the Potala Palace and decided I'd end that India trip in Tibet. Most of my leisure trips involve picking two places and traveling from one to the other by land and sea over a month or so.
Nice thread!
Seth
I also love trains -- hence my first long solo trip was to India (for the food as well); Japan also fit that bill, and I've enjoyed planning trips through Russia and Scandinavia for the pretty train rides. My dad gave me Paul Theroux's "The Great Railway Bazaar" when I was in my teens, and that made a strong impression.
Sometimes it's a spark from a picture or article. I saw a photo of the Potala Palace and decided I'd end that India trip in Tibet. Most of my leisure trips involve picking two places and traveling from one to the other by land and sea over a month or so.
Nice thread!
Seth
Last edited by sethweinstein; May 11, 2018 at 5:53 pm Reason: Add book information
May 11, 2018, 8:35 pm
#12
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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Reading. Either one great book or article or a series of mentions which pique my interest to explore further. I don't really trust word of mouth as it takes little account of my interests. Social media is, as always, totally useless.
May 12, 2018, 4:10 am
#13
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Location: Sydney Australia
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Watching the 2004 Athens Olympics gave me inspiration to visit there. I never thought it would interest me much but I loved all the stories they showed about locals and sights and promised myself that one day I'd get there.
Travel inspiration
Jul 11, 2018, 8:38 am
#15
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Coincidentally, I get my travel inspiration primarily from two sources-- 1) airport FIDS (the screens/signs that mention flight destinations/flight times/etc), and 2) every now and then by typing in "unique natural landscapes."
The former stems from living in China when it was starting to boom in air travel (and airport construction). The latter, hmm, suffice to say I have mostly focused on urban area until now, but Afar and Sossusvlei are on the to-visit somehow list.
The former stems from living in China when it was starting to boom in air travel (and airport construction). The latter, hmm, suffice to say I have mostly focused on urban area until now, but Afar and Sossusvlei are on the to-visit somehow list.