The Best Travel Advice Nobody Gave Me

I've learned a lot about travel over the years.

Some lessons came from experience. Some came from mistakes. Some came from spending far too much time researching destinations, hotels, and restaurants.

And while there is no shortage of travel advice online, I've noticed that the most useful lessons are rarely the ones people talk about.

So here are a few things I wish someone had told me sooner.

Leave Room for Nothing

This might be the most important one.

Don't fill every day.

Some of my favorite travel memories happened because there was nowhere we needed to be.

A random café we stumbled upon. A quiet street we decided to explore. An afternoon that turned into an evening because we simply stayed put.

I usually plan only a few days of a trip. The rest, I leave open.

That's where the magic tends to happen.

The Hotel Matters More Than You Think

When I was younger, a hotel was simply a place to sleep. Not anymore.

A great hotel can completely elevate a trip. A bad one can quietly chip away at the experience.

Location matters. Service matters.

The way a hotel makes you feel when you walk through the door matters.

Some of my favorite travel memories are tied as much to where we stayed as to what we saw.

Ask the Hotel

Before booking excursions, restaurants, or activities, ask the concierge. I trust hotel recommendations far more than social media recommendations.

Concierges know what is actually good, not what is trending. Bookings are easier through the hotel concierge.

And in my experience, their recommendations are usually spot on.

Always Ask for a Better Rate

This is one I've started doing more recently. Once I've identified the hotel I want, I contact them directly.

More often than not, they'll match or improve on the online rate.

Sometimes they'll include breakfast. Sometimes they'll offer a room upgrade. Sometimes they'll throw in a late checkout.

The worst thing they can say is no.

Stop Chasing "Must-See" Lists

This one may be controversial.

Not every famous attraction is worth seeing. And not every memorable experience makes it onto a list.

Some of the places I remember most aren't landmarks at all. They're neighborhoods. Restaurants. Morning walks.

Travel becomes much more enjoyable when you stop trying to check boxes.

Trust Google Maps

People laugh when I say this. But Google Maps is one of my most-used travel tools.

Before every trip, I spend hours looking at towns, distances, coastlines, national parks, and drive times.

It helps me understand how a destination actually works.

Travel becomes much easier when you understand the geography before you arrive.

Don't Travel Like an Influencer

Perhaps my most unpopular opinion.

I rarely visit a place because an influencer recommended it. In fact, that's usually the last reason I would go somewhere.

I find that some of the best experiences happen when you follow your own curiosity instead of someone else's itinerary.

Travel should feel personal. Not performative.

Build a Trip Around How You Want to Feel

This is the advice I wish I'd received years ago.

People spend a lot of time asking where they should go. A better question is how do you want to feel?

Relaxed? Inspired? Adventurous? Rested?

Once you answer that question, choosing a destination becomes much easier.

Because the best trips aren't always about what you see. They're about how you feel while you're there.