How to Approach Vacation Planning for Maximum Enjoyment

Let me know if this sounds familiar: I need a vacation, you say to yourself, likely over dinner after a long day at work. You feel energized by the idea and you start Googling flight prices. You probably stop and start this process several times, cowed by the cost. You start making mental calculations. I’ll only be able to be there for five full days. I’m going to blow all my savings. Is it really worth it? Finally, even more burnt out than before, you decide that screw it, you need this, and you go ahead and book your trip.

But your excitement only lasts for a day or two, maybe a week at most. Then, more anxieties start to creep their way into your consciousness. Can I afford the time off work? Why am I spending on this when I should be saving money? What’s the point of going away anyway, I’ll just have work when I come home to catch up on? And now that you mention it, where, exactly, is my suitcase?

Before you know it, your vacation isn’t feeling like a vacation at all—because your so-called relief from the turmoil of daily life has started to look unnervingly like turmoil itself. And so for many of us, the idea of travel that’s truly relaxing feels like an elusive myth that we’re chasing without success. Or even worse, it feels like a waste of time.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. As a travel writer (and host of the Webby Award-nominated Armchair Explorer podcast), I’ve been lucky to go on a lot of trips. I’ve trekked with Shugendo Monks in Japan, spotted giant condors in the Peruvian Andes, taken part in indigenous medicine ceremonies in Monument Valley, and dragged my kids on dozens of family road trips. Some of which have even gone smoothly.

And though even the most idyllic trip has its ups and downs (ever needed to pee in the middle of the night while camping on the side of a cliff?), the most memorable things in life always do. What my life of travel has taught me is that it’s not so much where we go, as how we go.

At the end of every episode of Armchair Explorer, I say “the more we look for wonder in the world, the more the wonder of the world becomes a part of who we are.” For me, that’s what travel’s all about. It can lift us out of the stress of our day-to-day lives, and show us glimpses of beauty, awe, and adventure that we’ll remember forever. Travel inspires us to live our lives to the fullest.

It’s crucial for our well-being too. Studies have shown travel can boost confidence, improve health, and give us perspective on our lives back home, helping to answer difficult questions and pick our path forward with more clarity.

So, forget about the stress and the to-do lists, for now. Instead, just dream. I’ve compiled this collection of everything from inspirational podcasts (some of them featuring yours truly) to informative articles, practical tips, and even a hilariously heartwarming short film that I guarantee will give you the itch to hit the road.

So go ahead, pop on your favorite playlist, pour yourself something to drink, and get ready to get out there.

Image by Anastasiia Shavshyna / Getty Images