we love to travel

• WHAT WE OFFER

WL2T, one of the fastest growing online B2B (business to business) bed-banks distributing its services to online travel agencies, retail agencies, and tour operators. We think life is better when it’s less complicated. So, at We Love To Travel, we are driven to offer excellent products and make it FASTER, EASIER AND MORE PROFITABLE for our partners to search, book, and transact travel arrangements – it’s that simple! WL2T IS A PRIVATLY owned travel company, founded in 2019, WITH MAIN OFFICES is in London and in Mallorca AND REGIONAL offices in Istanbul and Warsaw. We offer FIT and Group Travel products in beach and city destinations across more than 110 countries around the world. Our TEAM OF travel experts PROVIDE UNPARELLED LEVELS OF service and support TO ALL OUR travel agencies and tour operator CLIENTS globally. The key TO OUR recognized success is faith in our strong partnerships, outstanding customer service combined with WL2T’s exceptional rates, availability, and state-of-the-art technology.

HOW WL2T WORKS

WL2T – We Love To Travel is a specialized B2B platform that contracts supply from partners and makes it available to client travel seller organizations that aggregate travel demand from a variety of sources. Unlike many distribution organizations that constrain technical and business innovation. WL2T – We Love To Travel offers flexibility to maximize the number of partners (supply-side) and clients (demand side) by making it simple to CONNECT and CONTRACT. As a result, the WL2T – We Love To Travel business model creates a strong network effect, where the marketplace becomes more ACCESSABLE productive and efficient as it increases the number of supply partners and MATCHES THIS WITH OUR clients’ growing demand. WL2T – We Love To Travel, the combination of the B2B wholesale business processes and OUR advanced technology PLATFOM connections offer a neutral global marketplace, designed for maximum benefit to both the hotel partners and travel seller clients.

WL2T TRANSACTION SETTLEMENT

The foundation of WL2T is its technology– supported by a NETWORK of experts (both on the supply and demand sides) – to simplify operations, improve efficiency and promote commerce.

Hospitality distribution is highly complex, marked by proprietary technologies and interfaced via multi-layered solutions supporting functionalities for all parties.

WL2T manages a property’s data, with information accessed via direct links with the hotel’s own system, or manually updated by WL2T staff for those without the technology. On the demand side of the business, inventory may be distributed either to tour operators PHYSICAL travel agencies, or online travel agencies.

With travel sellers and hotel partners operating around the world, expectations are for accurate rates, availability, inventory and associated content be instantly available 24/7.

Sophisticated technologies are integrated across multiple data centers throughout the world to improve system response time.

In an age where machine learning and algorithms dominate many industries, the complex nature of travel currently requires resources beyond the capabilities of the most artificial intelligence platforms.

ACCESSIBILITY

Streamlining the availability and utility of essential content is ESSENTIAL for efficient business operations.

Expanded GLOBAL Reach

Support a wider rangeof geographic markets and/or product types.

Easier Connectivity

Reducing effort andtime required to initially gain access to asystem or content.

Simplified Processes

Removing steps and/or complexity to make essential task completion easier.

Producing a higher quality product/service, while reducing the margin for error.

Increase Speed

Faster performance with more frequent updates.

Improve Accuracy

Correct data, reliably and precisely updated on time.

OPTIMUM Organization / Greater Detail

Enable more logical access to more information.

Strong technology, a solid business model and quality content are important, but consistent customer-centric service delivery when things go wrong is the litmus test for satisfaction and retention.

Promote PRODUCTIVITY

Makeit easier for customers to work with an organizationat every touch-point.

Enhance Operational Outcomes

Eliminates points of failure, mitigates risk and anticipates customer needs.

Support Client & Partner Goals

Understand customer evaluation criteria and performance benchmarks to exceed expectations.

End-User(Traveler) Assistance

Assist customers experiencing travel and service disruptions by quickly identifying solutions.

Offering an enhanced return in exchangefor effort–producing greater benefit from lower risk.

Reduce Cost

Lower the expense required to perform tasks.

Grow Revenue

Increase sales volume or enable greater margin.

Conserve Capital

Require fewer resources to efficiently operate.

SUPPLIER FLOW

Privacy Overview

33 Meaningful Reasons Why People LOVE to Travel

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“Do you like to travel?”

This is a question I’ve been asked so many times in my life.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with seeing the world. In high school, I joined all of the clubs that had travel opportunities to out-of-state conferences.

In college, I studied abroad four times – and planned solo trips and trips with friends in between!

You could say that I LOVE to travel – it’s also one of the reasons I created this blog! Traveling is in my blood, and I have two major missions in life: 1. see as much of the world as possible, and 2. inspire others to do the same!

There’s even a word for people like me. I’m a hodophil e , which means “one who loves to travel.”

I could talk all day long about why I love traveling and the fulfillment that traveling has brought to my life. And there are tons of other travelers out there that feel the same as me!

To put together this ultimate list of reasons why people love to travel, I worked with some fellow travel addicts to tell stories of what travel means to us.

You’ll find stories of personal growth, checking off bucket list experiences, and learning new things – all thanks to travel.

So, if you’re thinking about traveling the world for yourself, or are just wondering about how traveling can change your life, keep reading for personal stories of why people love to travel!

Table of Contents

1. Travel helps you check things off your bucket list.

Written by Sydney from A World in Reach

Growing up in a small, rural town, I dreamed of one day flying across the ocean, visiting world-class cities, and seeing the landmarks I had only seen on TV in real life.

I had always found Stonehenge and its history to be so fascinating, and I thought that climbing the Great Wall of China would be one of the coolest things anyone could do.

Seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris sparkle at night was something I often dreamed about, as was walking through the hectic streets of Tokyo.

At the time, all of these experiences seemed like a pipe dream. How would I ever be able to afford to visit such faraway places?

But now, thanks to the gift of travel, I’ve been able to check all of these things and more off of my bucket list. And thanks to learning how to travel on a budget, I’ve been doing it cheaply while still maximizing my experiences.

Today, my bucket list is never-ending – each time I check something off, something new gets added. I’m still dreaming of seeing the Pyramids of Giza, going on a South African safari, and eating my way through Mexico City.

I wake up each day thankful for the experiences I’ve been given, and I look forward each day to checking the next thing off my bucket list.

2. Traveling gets you out of your comfort zone.

One of the things I love most about traveling is that it gets me out of my comfort zone.

To me, travel is one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences in the world. Hopping off a plane and being in a completely new environment is a feeling unlike any other.

When I get stuck in my day-to-day routine, I crave the excitement (and sometimes, chaos) of a travel day.

Traveling forces you to do something difficult – you might have to navigate a city with a language barrier, get accustomed to cultural norms totally different from your own, or figure out how to get a spare key to your accommodation when you got locked out of your Airbnb late at night with a dying phone battery (if you’re wondering why that’s so specific, it’s because it was easily my most stressful travel experience to date!).

Thanks to travel allowing me to get out of my comfort zone, I’ve improved my critical thinking and decision-making skills. I’ve also become a more empathetic person, and striking up conversations with strangers doesn’t seem so intimidating since I do it regularly when traveling.

Travel is an incredible way to broaden your horizons and expand your worldview. It challenges you to step outside of your comfort zone, confront your fears and insecurities, and connect with others.

If you’re ever yearning for an escape from the routine, start planning a trip.

3. Travel lets you try new foods.

I travel for a lot of reasons – seeing iconic landmarks in person, learning something new at museums and historical sites, and meeting new people from different walks of life.

One of my favorite things about travel though is all of the different food!

I’ve always been a foodie, and traveling has opened me up to so many unique dishes and cuisines that I can’t get at home.

Some of my fondest travel memories include eating my way through Ueno Market (one of the best things to do in Tokyo ), trying cuy (guinea pig) in Ecuador, and taking a Hawaiian cooking class in Oahu.

When I’m planning a trip, I always keep a list of foods to try and the best restaurants to visit. I also love taking local cooking classes so that I can learn how to make the dishes at home!

One of the #1 pieces of travel advice I always give others is to always try a new food , even if it’s something out of your comfort zone. You never know, you might end up with a new favorite!

4. Travel lets you escape everyday life and discover yourself.

Written by Kristin from Tiny Footsteps Travel

Traveling helps you discover not only new places but yourself.

Having grown up in a small town that I never left where I faced bullying at school, it was hard to imagine life outside of my reality.

At 12 years old, I got on a plane for the first time, to visit family in Sweden. This was my first taste of international travel, and it taught me more than just that there are beautiful, breathtaking landscapes abroad.

In meeting my extended family members, I learned that life could look different from how I grew up. Travel became my passion that fired my spirit, and became the dream at the end of the tunnel whenever I faced hard days.

I pursued traveling in my teens and early 20s. I traveled back to Sweden and also lived abroad in France, Germany, Mexico, South Korea, and Australia.

Overseas in far-off countries, it didn’t matter whether I was popular in school or not. I got to meet people as a whole new person and discover what I liked and who I really was.

I empowered myself by doing adventurous things, like skydiving on the beach in Australia.

Now as an adult, I love to give the gift of travel to my own two children. Our most recent family trip was to Costa Rica , which is the perfect destination with kids, a partner, or on your own.

5. When you travel, you get to learn about other cultures.

Written by Cristina from My Little World of Travelling

One of the main reasons why I love traveling is learning about other cultures. Although you can read books, watch documentaries or hear other travelers’ stories, nothing is better than experiencing the culture yourself.

Each destination I’ve visited has taught me something about a culture, but Mexico stands out for me. Despite Spanish being my first language, Mexican Spanish and culture are very different from Spain’s.

Visiting places like Chichen Itza and eating at local restaurants inspired me to cook more Mexican foods at home, learn more about its gastronomy, and made me curious about their traditions.

I also love that you can take new habits and traditions from other countries. Having traveled and lived in the UK , I adopted new habits like drinking tea and using words and expressions from regions like Yorkshire.

6. Traveling allows you to meet new, interesting people.

Written by Tammi from Wander Healthy

Traveling is a fantastic way to meet new and interesting people, especially for first-time travelers.

It puts you outside of your usual routine, providing opportunities to interact with people who share unique insights and experiences about the places you’re visiting. This is an easy and awesome way to learn about different cultures and customs.

Whether it’s chance encounters or shared experiences, you’re likely to interact with others every time you turn around.

It could be striking up a conversation on a train, meeting someone in a coffee shop, or attending a local event, but the possibilities for meeting new people are endless.

Staying in hostels or going on tours, my personal favorites, have a way of leading to conversations and lifelong connections with friends you wouldn’t have met otherwise.

Whether you’re backpacking through Europe, exploring Southeast Asia, or taking a road trip across the United States, you’re likely to meet people with interests and hobbies similar to yours, and your community builds naturally.

Traveling is the only thing that does this so effortlessly, letting you meet new and interesting people from all walks of life and create memories for a lifetime.

7. Traveling lets you see unique landscapes unlike any you’ve seen before.

Written by Sierra from Your Guide to Wandering

Traveling has allowed me to see landscapes found nowhere else in the world.

There are many places on earth that, without protection, would have disappeared with time. I’m grateful for our protected lands and historic monuments to allow me to experience nature and history from a first-hand perspective.

The ability to see fossils along my hikes in Moab, Utah, bike along 75-foot sand dunes in Cape Cod , or stroll the grounds of 12th-century castles in Portugal is invaluable.

Travel allows every day to be a different story and a different adventure. I don’t have to read about history or natural wonders just in books – I can experience them in real life.

Traveling to unique landscapes sparks our curiosity and childlike wonder. How were humans able to build the Roman Empire in ancient days with the most primitive of tools? How were the caves in Carlsbad, New Mexico formed over millions of years by just wind and water?

Travel constantly inspires me and keeps me exploring the bounds of history, science, and nature. What a privilege we get to travel and see such unique historical and natural places on Earth.

8. Travel helps you see things from a new perspective.

Written by Jo from World Wild Schooling

One of the things that I love most about traveling is the ability to see things from a new perspective.

Whether it’s a different culture, a new environment, or simply a change of scenery, traveling has a way of opening up your eyes to the world around you.

When we’re stuck in our daily routines and familiar surroundings, it’s easy to become complacent and forget about the wider world.

Traveling helps to break us out of this bubble and expose us to new ways of thinking and living. It allows us to see how people in other parts of the world approach life, work, and relationships.

For example, I was surprised to find out that in Phuket, Thailand, buses have no glass in the windows due to the consistently warm climate. This may seem like a small detail, but it highlights the unique ways that different cultures adapt to their surroundings.

Similarly, my jaw dropped when I first visited Brussels, Belgium , and saw that all signs are bilingual, even the subtitles in cinemas (yes, this means 4 lines of text!). This reflects the country’s complex linguistic history and the ongoing efforts to maintain both French and Dutch as official languages.

9. Travel can make you feel alive.

Written by Michele from Adventures Abound

Traveling makes simple experiences feel momentous, it sparks creativity, and it makes me come alive!

My first time going to another country was when I studied abroad in Costa Rica , and I realized that even the smallest experiences like taking a bus to a cool landmark or walking to a neighborhood festival were suddenly interesting in a new country.

I loved meeting new people, learning about the culture and the language, and traveling around to see beautiful nature in Costa Rica. Even just taking a bus to go visit a coffee farm felt like the most fun adventure.

Once I went on that trip, I was bitten by the travel bug as they say.

I started seeking out ways to feel like I was exploring and that often meant getting out around where I lived.

It’s so fun to explore little towns, peruse around farmer’s markets and shop with local vendors with the lens that I am traveling like I would if I were further from home.

10. Traveling allows you to see art in the world’s best museums.

Written by Lisa from Waves and Cobblestones

One of the reasons that I love to travel is that it gives me the opportunity to visit world-class art museums and spend time looking at fabulous pieces of art up close.

It’s quite a special way to experience art when you can look at a statue from different angles to note and admire all of the fine details.

If you can, always walk around a sculpture to view it from all sides. You just can’t appreciate it in the same way from a photo.

In some museums, the way that the art is displayed improves the viewing experience. In the Musée de l’Orangerie (one of my favorite Paris attractions ), Monet’s Water Lilies paintings are displayed in a unique oval room for an immersive panoramic viewing experience.

Visiting museums is one of my favorite things to do when I travel. And it’s also a great option for a rainy day!

11. Traveling strengthens friendship bonds.

Written by Kristin from Global Travel Escapades

One of the biggest reasons why I love to travel is because it allows me to strengthen the bonds I share with friends.

My friends and I traveled together right after graduating from university.

Although we somewhat knew each other before going on the trip, we didn’t really know each other!

But on this trip, we spent over a week laughing our butts off, dealing with stressful situations, and generally going on all kinds of crazy adventures around French Polynesia together.

There was no shortage of mistakes during this intense period, but we all came out on the other side for the better!

Fast forward almost two years later, and we all still speak so fondly of that time together. In addition, we went from mere acquaintances to the best of friends.

So, for me, I love traveling because it helps strengthen the friendships and relationships I have with others!

12. Travel helps you learn about history and its impact on places you visit.

Written by Diana from Travels in Poland

Traveling has always been my passion, but when you visit a place where you really feel something you can’t explain, it can transform your perspective on travel.

This happened to me when I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau .

My family is Polish and my grandmother, who was there with me, couldn’t get herself to enter the camp fully for several hours. She lived through the occupation and knew people shipped off to the camp. I realized how deeply this impacted me when I visited.

I’ve long been captivated by the way events shape societies, leaving indelible marks on the fabric of their being.

Stepping onto the hallowed grounds of Auschwitz, I felt the weight of the past heavy on my shoulders.

My grandmother’s eyes, glistening with unshed tears, told a thousand stories. This was where she lost family and friends, their lives snuffed out by the unimaginable cruelty of the Holocaust.

It was in walking onto these grounds that I grasped the true power of travel: the ability to connect with the past, witness history firsthand, and gain insight into the myriad of ways it continues to shape our world.

Through this poignant journey, I found a renewed appreciation for the transformative potential of travel, and a deeper understanding of the impact places have on people. Learning not only about history, but about the way it has shaped our world, and how we can learn from it.

13. Traveling helps you find a home base.

Written by Mal from Where To Stay Bali

Traveling was always my passion, but since I quit my career in finance and my conventional life in my home country, traveling has a whole new meaning for me.

Slow travel has become my way of life and a search for somewhere I can one day settle.

Since the beginning of my digital nomad life, I’ve lived part-time in Greece, Albania, Mexico, and the Netherlands.

I loved each of these places for different reasons – for their weather, culture, food, and people.

But, there has been one place that felt different to me, more special, a place that I want to keep coming back to. I found a place in Bali , which is now my second home.

If you keep an open mind during your travels, you may also find a place like that – a second home that can change your life!

14. Travel gives you the chance to study and learn in a new culture.

Written by Amber from Amber Everywhere

I love to travel because it allows me to experience new cultures and ways of living.

In particular, I had wonderful experiences studying abroad when I was in college because it gave me a chance to learn and live in a new place.

I stayed with a host family during my first two trips abroad, once in Guatemala and again in Jordan.

Living with a local family gave me a chance to experience the culture, try different foods, and see entirely different parts of those cities that I would’ve otherwise found.

Studying abroad also gave me a chance to travel slowly, and I stayed in each place long enough to have a favorite restaurant or route to take to school.

There were smaller cultural nuances that I learned, either because they were explained to me by locals or because I just picked them up as I went.

15. Travel teaches self-confidence and self-acceptance.

Written by Chelsea from A Wandering Redhead

I want to personally thank travel for the self-love and self-acceptance that it has taught me. 

Pre-travel, I was shy, people-pleasing, and disbelieving if someone called me pretty. 

Post-travel, I am confident, I love my body and what it can do for me, and I’m overall more radiant and bubbly. 

Without travel, I may have never started my self-love journey and I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today. 

I love the progress that I have made and believe that everyone should solo travel at some point in their life.

16. Traveling fulfills childhood dreams.

Written by Colleen from Then We Walked

As a girl, I would watch Whicker’s World on our black-and-white TV.

Every week, Alan Whicker would appear on screen like a traveling James Bond, complete with his very correct English accent, and transport me to a new exotic corner of the globe.

I was enthralled. It lit a flame. I wanted to explore, too. I dreamed of Table Mountain, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Sphinx, the Parthenon, Hal Long Bay, and the Cook Islands.

But ordinary people didn’t travel in the 1960s, and I was a child.  I started work, married, bought a house, and had a family. Inside, I still dreamed.

We traveled a little, ticking off some of my bucket list, but last year, our children had flown the nest and we retired.  Now, we’re traveling and exploring in earnest!

I’ve waited half a lifetime to go exploring and I’m beyond excited about our plans.

My advice to the girl who watched the TV: don’t wait.

17. Traveling allows you to connect with nature.

Written by Taryn from Happiest Outdoors

One of my favorite things about traveling is connecting with nature.

I love the simplicity of hiking and wilderness camping because it removes all the chaos and distractions of everyday life. It’s just me and the mountains.

It’s also a great way to understand the local ecology. I find it fascinating to learn about the way glaciers and volcanoes work or what unique animal species live in the area.

Instead of just looking at a spectacular view, I can understand the way the landscape came to be, and that deepens my relationship with the place.

Spending time traveling in nature has also been pivotal in my life.

Back in 2019, I had some time to think while hiking the 65-kilometer Overland Track in Tasmania, Australia . The trek made me realize that it was the right time to leave my 9-5 job and write full-time.

Since then I’ve expanded my outdoor adventure website, written a hiking guidebook, and moved to a small mountain town so I can hike every day. 

18. Travel increases feelings of gratitude.

Written by Kristin from World on Wheels Blog

One of the reasons I love to travel is that it makes me more grateful.

When you are constantly in the same country or even environment, it’s easy to take things for granted.

As a traveler who uses a wheelchair and lives in the United States, it’s easy to forget that not all countries have ADA laws that guarantee access.

When I travel to places like South America, I am reminded how little things like curb cuts make a huge difference in how hard or easy it is to navigate a town. I can’t help but feel sad for the people with disabilities that actually live there.

Aside from reminders about how lucky I am to live in a country that encourages accessibility for all, I also feel a sense of gratitude that I’m able to explore the world and witness some of the immense beauty it has to offer.

There’s something incredibly special about seeing the power of Iguazu Falls and realizing how small you are in this massive world of ours. It’s a feeling and experience that photography just cannot seem to capture.

Travel is important for so many reasons, but helping to feel more gratitude is one of the things that I love the most.

19. Travel humbles you.

Written by Milijana from World Travel Connector

Gustave Flaubert, a literary genius and a wise man, once noted: “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

And indeed, it is one of many lessons that traveling teaches you. Traveling puts you into a broader perspective of time, place, and the universe.

Visiting fascinating archeological sites like Petra in Jordan, Angor Wat in Cambodia, Giza in Egypt, and Pompeii in Italy made me see what a tiny place I occupy in today’s world and question the knowledge of contemporary times. It made me think.

Meeting other cultures while traveling showed me how oblivious I could be to other customs and traditions and how much there is always left to learn.

Traveling made me aware of the prejudices that I thought never existed. Travel shamed me. However, it also taught me the importance of being always open to learning while keeping the ego in check. 

I found it especially rewarding to hike Camino de Santiago in Spain. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walked the trail before me. The Camino reminded me of the importance of modesty, effort, perseverance, and purpose. And, most importantly, what a tiny place I occupy in the world.

So, if you like meaningful travels, prepare your  Camino de Santiago packing list and walk the Camino. Let the Camino teach you valuable life lessons! 

20. Traveling helps you de-stress and recharge.

Written by Paulina from UK Everyday

Traveling is an excellent way to de-stress and recharge.

Discovering new places can allow you to reconnect with yourself. It can also help reduce stress levels by providing a change of scenery and an escape from the mundane routines of everyday life.

Traveling can also provide people with a sense of freedom from their work-related responsibilities, allowing them to relax surrounded by natural landscapes.

Exploring some of the best beaches in Wales can be a great way to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life.

Additionally, traveling can help boost creativity, as it encourages new ideas and perspectives. This can help spark creativity by introducing fresh ideas that you might not have otherwise thought of when stressed.

For these reasons, traveling is great to help de-stress and recharge.

Furthermore, travel also provides a break from your daily routine, allowing you to step away from your comfort zone and explore the unknown without worrying about your daily problems.

21. Travel lets you connect with other cultures through the arts.

Written by Dawn from Culture Feasting

If you consider yourself an artistic person, know that traveling can be a total game-changer.

As a creative person myself, I’ve found that exploring new destinations has the power to expand my spirit and give me all sorts of new artistic opportunities.

Over the years I have come to crave the stimulation of experiencing different cultures and their unique art forms.

From visiting local museums to catching a traditional dance performance, there are so many ways to connect with the arts while on vacation.

It’s not just about admiring pretty paintings or sculptures, either. It’s about immersing yourself in a foreign environment and gaining a whole new perspective on the world.

I’ve found that this can really inspire me to incorporate new artistic elements into my own creative projects.

So next time you’re planning a trip, consider how it could enhance your love for the arts and help you connect with other cultures on a deeper level.

22. Travel gives you a change of scenery.

Written by Tina from Veganderlust

I grew up in a small village in Austria, a country with beautiful lakes and mountains, but also a landlocked country.

The best part about traveling is the change of scenery. My favorite places to go to are cities next to the ocean, which is a completely different scenery from landlocked Austria.

There’s nothing better on your holiday than exploring a city and then relaxing at the beach.

That’s why I really loved my last trip to Barcelona . There’s so much culture and history to discover in this city, and afterward, you can go swimming in the sea.

By visiting different places with a change of scenery, you also develop a new appreciation for your own home scenery – one of the many positive side effects of traveling.

As much as I love traveling to coastal destinations, I always love seeing the mountains when I come back home.

23. Travel can strengthen your romantic relationships.

Written by Amy & Liam from Plain2Plane

There are so many wonderful reasons to travel.

If you’re in a relationship then there is nothing better than sharing experiences with your significant other.

Imagine waking up in Egypt with your partner, ready to go out for the day. You are going parasailing together, enjoying cocktails, quad biking – the list really is endless. You get to enjoy all of this with someone that you love and care about.

Traveling can be challenging at times and you have to make many different, sometimes difficult, decisions.

You have the luxury to share these moments together and form a closer relationship unlike any other. This will help you create a deeper bond with your partner.

You will also be able to step out of your comfort zone and try new things together. This will ultimately bring you closer together too!

24. Travel is inspiring.

Written by Chelsea from Adventures of Chels

One of the reasons I enjoy traveling is because of the many ways it inspires me.

Traveling inspires me to better myself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I’m inspired physically when I’ve committed to a trip that involves physical effort. One example would be hiking the Inca Trail in Peru.

When I learned that the trail involved miles of steady incline at high altitudes I felt motivated to prepare for that physically. This resulted in healthier eating habits and weeks of exercising leading up to my trip.

I’m inspired mentally by the way traveling increases my desire to do even more of it. This usually prompts me to tighten my budget to save for my next trip.

It also helps put into perspective the things I need vs. want and how that plays into not only my budget but also my overall happiness.

Emotionally, traveling inspires me to be a better person. When I see the way people in other parts of the world live, many times with very little, I feel humbled.

I feel inclined to be more grateful for the things I have and the experiences I’m afforded. It contributes to my overall well-being when I’m reminded of how little I need to truly be happy.

There are many reasons why I love traveling; but, the way it inspires me is definitely high on the list.

25. Travel turns kids into global citizens.

Written by Brodi from Our Offbeat Life

As full-time digital nomads, my family has seen so many places and experienced so much that I never thought possible when I was younger.

My son is learning about different cultures, languages, and ways of life that he would have never been exposed to if we had stayed in one place.

Traveling as a family has allowed him to gain a greater appreciation for the world around him.

He’s able to see how people live differently in different parts of the world and understand why those differences exist.

He is also learning valuable lessons about resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving as he navigates through unfamiliar places and situations.

Most importantly, traveling has given him the opportunity to explore his own identity as a global citizen.

He is developing an understanding of what it means to be part of something bigger than himself – a global community – and how he can contribute positively to it.

26. Traveling helps you find new opportunities in life.

Written by Min from Amsterdam Travel Blog

Traveling is not just visiting new places, experiencing new cultures, and trying local food. It can mean much more than that; it allowed me to find new opportunities and has changed my life forever.

When traveling to Europe for the first time at 18 years old, I noticed how big the world was, and life was so different on the other side of the world.

Because of that, I became more motivated to embrace the world. I decided to travel and meet more people.

While traveling in Amsterdam , luckily, I met some friendly people, including international students from Paraguay and South Africa. They studied in the Netherlands with a full scholarship.

They told me that the Netherlands was their first choice since they could have more connections with people around the world quickly while studying, and easier to find a job here after graduation as a non-European.

I came from Taiwan and grew up there all my life. After working for a few years, I quit my job and studied in the Netherlands. Now, I finally moved to The Netherlands permanently on my own, and if I didn’t travel, I would not know that it was possible to move here.

I encourage you to travel more and be open to meeting new people. The world is so big – people you meet can help you see the world from a different perspective and get valuable information about your life.

27. Travel can help you create change in your own community.

Written by Annie from Your Friend the Nomad

Travel is not just about the place you visit, but the transformation you experience and how you transform your community in response.

I learned this when I spent a few months volunteering with a reconciliation organization in the Middle East.

Despite decades of violence between their communities, I saw ordinary people working together to build bridges across social divides.

As an outsider looking in, I only saw the tip of the iceberg of the challenges locals were facing—yet I could see that peacemaking was not an easy or quick task.

After a few months, I returned to the US completely changed. The framework for reconciliation that I learned abroad guided how I navigated the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, conversations about immigration, and even interpersonal conflicts.

Personal transformation is available to you as you travel whether you’re traversing war zones or relaxing on  tranquil tropical beaches . You just have to lean in and allow your biases to be broken.

28. Travel lets you see the vast landscapes of the world.

Written by Jessica from Uprooted Travel

As an outdoor adventure lover, one of the primary reasons I love to travel is to experience the vast array of landscapes the world has to offer.

This can take shape in so many different ways, from exploring the lush rainforests and rugged beaches of my own backyard in the Pacific Northwest to checking out any of the best hikes in Arches National Park in Utah, with unique sandstone fins and dramatic natural arches.

Of course, this takes me beyond my home country of the United States—there’s endless natural beauty to explore, like the turquoise waterfalls of Costa Rica , the luscious highlands of Iceland, or the sweeping grasslands of the Serengeti.

Along the way, of course, I get to enjoy all of the other aspects of travel, like trying new cuisines, befriending locals, and seeing the world through a new perspective.

But for me, getting to step foot in a uniquely stunning landscape propels me to keep traveling and seeing this big, beautiful world.

29. Travel helps you make the world a better place.

Written by Chloe from Passport Down Under

Traveling has allowed me to positively impact the world by leaving the country in a better position than when I entered it, which is what I love most about traveling.

Traveling has allowed me to give back by supporting local businesses and economies.

By choosing to buy locally-made products and using local services, I have helped to create jobs and support the growth of small businesses. This can contribute to the development of sustainable tourism and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Furthermore, traveling has allowed me to give back through volunteering and community service.

I have participated in activities such as clean-up projects on the beaches of Byron Bay, wildlife conservation projects in Cambodia, and teaching English to local children in Thailand.

These experiences not only allowed me to contribute to the community but also to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and needs of the local people, especially in counties such as Cambodia.

Overall, traveling has allowed me to leave the world a better place by positively impacting the communities I visit.

30. Travel is great for learning a new language.

Written by Diana from Avagu Press

Learning a language is a huge reason to travel. While textbooks and classrooms might work for math and literature, learning a foreign language requires a bit of independent study and a lot of practice time.

The best way to get that practice time?

Immersion — spending hours, days, weeks, and even longer completely immersed in a foreign language, using it to live.

Unless you happen to live somewhere where multiple languages are spoken, travel is key to immersing yourself in a foreign language.

For the most effective language-learning, language-learning resources that specifically target your travel plans (like a Swahili-learning guide specifically for safari ) will help you make the most out of your experience.

Focus on communication, and don’t worry too much about mistakes.

The beautiful thing about being a novice in a foreign language is that nobody expects too much, so the pressure is off! Enjoy your trip, and enjoy your language learning.

31. Travel brings adventure.

Written by Melissa from My Beautiful Passport

One of the reasons I love to travel is for adventure and trying adventurous activities.

When traveling to new destinations, not only do you get to immerse yourself in different cultures and try new foods, but you have the chance to participate in exhilarating adventure sports that will leave you breathless.

From snorkeling with turtles to parasailing over beautiful coastlines, and volcano boarding down an active volcano, the rush of excitement is unmatched.

For adventure-seekers like myself, traveling to participate in activities like these create memories that last a lifetime.

I have chosen many of my vacation locations specifically for the fun adventure sports I can try there, and often, it is the first time I’m trying each activity.

The thrill of adventure travel is hard to beat, and the rush of excitement that comes with it is truly unforgettable.

32. Travel inspires me to write about and share my experiences.

Written by Wayne from Always On The Shore

The biggest reason that I love to travel is because it inspires me to write about places I’ve visited and my experiences, so I can motivate others to travel and do the same.

I have always liked traveling but I never had the money to travel until my mid-30s.  Once I started traveling more consistently, I fell in love with the idea of warm-weather locations, such as Florida.

Since I’m from Minnesota and half the year is snowy, cold weather, beach vacations became something that I became obsessed with. Later, that became writing about all things Florida and even the Caribbean.

I know that other people can relate and have similar reasons for wanting to get away, but maybe there’s something stopping them. Like maybe they’re too nervous to fly, which I also experienced, until I did research on flying, and learned ways to cope with flight anxiety.

The main takeaway is that if you’re passionate about seeing amazing places and the world like I am, don’t let anything stop you. If I can inspire others to do the same by sharing my experiences, then I’m happy.

33. Traveling gives me a creative outlet.

As I was growing up, I always assumed that I wasn’t creative. I couldn’t draw, didn’t play an instrument, and I certainly couldn’t sing or dance.

I always did great in English class, but I never enjoyed the creative writing assignments. Coming up with fictional stories just wasn’t my strong suit.

When I finished my undergraduate degree, I had studied abroad four times in four different countries. I had also gone on several independently-planned trips, both international and domestic. At that same time, I also discovered a new creative outlet: travel blogging.

In school, I was always great at writing research papers and writing travel guides was a fun way to use my strengths. Plus, I had always enjoyed giving travel advice to friends and family, so why not share my stories and tips with the world?

Since starting A World in Reach in 2018, I’ve learned and grown so much. I’m so glad that I have a creative outlet where I can share about one of the most important aspects of my life – travel – and help others explore the world on a budget.

Reasons Why People Love to Travel: Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are SO MANY reasons why people love to travel.

For some, traveling sparks creativity, brings personal growth, and helps them escape the routine. For others, traveling brings bucket-list-worthy experiences, delicious food, and adventure.

The question “Why do you love to travel?” has no right or wrong answer. Traveling is a deeply personal experience that can bring happiness to different people in many different ways.

So, if you’re thinking about traveling in the future, I hope this post and the stories told within have shown you all of the positivity that travel can bring to your life.

If you were asked, “Why do you love to travel?”, what would your answer be?

After traveling outside of the US for the first time while studying abroad, I quickly developed a love for travel and an obsession for exploring as much of the world as possible. Now, I'm on a mission to teach college students, young adults, and anyone else who wants to see the world how to travel while minimizing their expenses and maximizing their experiences.

Why Are We So Obsessed With Traveling? 10 Reasons.

Hodophile is the term used to reference people who love to travel. It means “one who loves to travel.” People love to travel for many reasons. It offers them a chance to escape the monotony of daily life, explore new cultures and ways of life, and gain new perspectives.

Traveling can also be an opportunity for personal growth, self-discovery, and adventure. For many, the memories created and relationships built while traveling are priceless. It also allows people to break out of their comfort zones and step outside their familiar surroundings, leading to a greater appreciation for the world and their place in it.

Additionally, traveling can offer a sense of relaxation, stress relief, and numerous physical and mental health benefits. Ultimately, travel is a unique and fulfilling experience that appeals to people’s curiosity and desire for new experiences.

#1 – We Travel to Experience

By Pamela of The Directionally Challenged Traveler

We travel to experience – new cultures, new food, new adventures, and new people. These experiences are more than just a check on a list of things to do in a place, but rather a way to change the core of who we are.

Cooking a traditional dish in a local’s home is an experience of kindness and loving our neighbors despite how different they are. Bungee jumping in a canyon shows us that we are stronger than the fears that try to stop us. Standing in pristine nature reminds us that we are connected to this earth. Even the difficult experiences of getting lost somewhere teach us to be adaptable and open to where the road is taking us.

Traveling opens us to experiences that we may never have thought we could have – and many of which we can’t have if we’re glued to our screens. We travel to experience all that life has to offer us – the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the powerful.

#2 – We Travel to Eat

By Sydney from A World in Reach

Eating delicious food is a major part of my everyday life, and that doesn’t stop when traveling. One of my favorite parts about visiting a new place is experiencing all the delicious food that it has to offer. I’m always so excited to try new foods, especially local dishes I can’t find back home.

When it comes to trying new foods, I don’t discriminate. I love trying everything from cheap street food to fine dining and even dishes that some might consider strange.

Some of the highlights of my travels have been experiencing fine dining in Japan, trying guinea pigs for the first time in Ecuador, and sampling amazing street food all around the world. Taking a cooking class is another fun way to experience local cuisine – you’ll be able to try new dishes and learn how to prepare them at home!

Even if you’re a picky eater, I recommend stepping out of your comfort zone (even if it’s just a baby step) on your next trip and trying a new dish. Who knows – you might even come home with a new favorite food!

#3 – We Travel to Meet Others

By Nick of The World Overload

One of the best parts of traveling is being able to interact with people from all over the world you never would have otherwise. Not only does traveling help get you out of your comfort zone, but it’s a great opportunity to find others of a similar mindset. You can meet people with similar interests, personalities, or professional careers. It allows you to branch out and opens up endless possibilities.

Meeting and starting up a conversation with strangers are never easy, even more, when you are completely out of your element in another country. But it does help to get you out of your comfort zone and to be a more adventurous type of person.

Introducing yourself to some locals gives you a chance to experience a new city and country authentically firsthand. They might even have suggestions on locations and events you may not have even heard about or considered going to.

Not only do you make new friends while you’re making your way through the world, but what about after you are done traveling? You get a whole network of local and international friends.

Keeping in touch with people from your traveling days not only lets you reminisce about the good old days, but they may want to come out and visit you. This not only gives you a chance to reconnect with some old friends but may get you out of your stay-at-home rut. Or even give you an opportunity to play tour guide to your own hometown.

#4 – We Travel to Bond

By Corritta of  It’s a Family Thing

We had the idea to become a full-time travel family after I had to return to work only 7-weeks after giving birth to our son. I was angry that I barely had the time to heal, let alone spend quality time with my son. We decided to sell everything and travel to spend more time together as a family.

Travel has allowed us to bond. I haven’t missed a moment of our son’s major life milestones because we decided to leave the daily grind and travel. We are growing together and learning from one another in different ways that wouldn’t be possible if we lived the typical lifestyle.

Traveling together has given us some life-altering memories. We’re learning from each other’s interests, up close and personal. As we take on different experiences throughout our journey, we can always rely on one another.

#5 – We Travel to Explore

By Debbie of WorldAdventurists.com

The world is huge, and there are endless adventures out there! There is a great allure in experiencing different cultures and meeting people from all over the world. Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new ways of life, and challenge what we think we already know about the world. The more you explore, the more you also realize how little you know, fueling the fire for more exploration.

Travel has an amazing ability to take us outside of our comfort zones. We are constantly inspired to experience and try new things, take chances, and become the best version of ourselves as we learn from the world around us. Travel broadens the mind and feeds the soul.

We travel to explore because it gives us a true perspective. We develop a greater appreciation for things we would otherwise take for granted and gain a greater respect for different ways of life.

#6 – We Travel to Relax

By Tawnya of Money Saved is Money Earned

An oft-forgotten reason we love to travel is simply to relax. While it’s great to travel to see and explore new places, it’s also important to plan trips just for relaxing . These trips help you escape the hustle of everyday life and recharge your body and mind. Relaxing trips are essential for reducing stress and boosting your mental health.

It’s important to think about your purpose for traveling before planning or booking. If you want to relax, make sure you pick a destination and accommodations that will help serve this purpose. Think about the beach, nature, pools or water, and other things to help you kick back and enjoy it all.

Be sure to limit your use of technology, go with like-minded people (or solo), and not overbook yourself with activities. If you simply must do some exploring, alternate exploration and relaxation days so you don’t need a vacation to recover from your vacation!

Knowing who we are is an integral part of life. It helps us to love ourselves better. Along life’s journey, we often feel as if we’ve lost ourselves. Traveling is a good way for us to rediscover the things we used to love and discover new passions.  We get lost to find ourselves again.

#7 – We Travel to Escape

By Cassie of Cassie the Hag

We travel to escape – to run away not just from our troubles but towards something better. Some are escaping mediocrity, monotony, or the expectations set by traditions and society. Others want to escape a life they already cherish, just for a little while, to experience something new and go back home with appreciation.

Some of us are escaping traumas, the darkest depths of our pasts. I have learned that travel is merely a distraction from our struggles; the things that haunt us can follow us all around the world. But, in allowing ourselves space and time to deal with these things, travel can help us find a path toward acceptance.

We travel to escape our former perceptions of ourselves. We are braver, stronger, and more deserving than we ever knew. We travel to escape our preconceived limits – we push ourselves, we grapple with our mind over matter and our feet over the earth.

We escape a sense of never quite belonging in favor of feeling connected to the world around us. And thus, we learn compassion toward people who cannot escape. We learn privilege. We learn to be grateful that we were able to escape our troubles and hope to be better for those who cannot.

#8 – We Travel to Learn

By Brodi of Our Off Beat Life

My family and I travel to learn. When on the go, we prioritize picking up a few key phrases in the local language as well as educational opportunities in each place. If there are ruins, museums, or nature tours, we do it all!

However, education is more than formal learning. It’s also just experiencing new things to expand our worldview. Trying local cuisine in restaurants or food carts helps us learn about our new location. Staying in local housing, not just resorts, helps us understand how people live their lives around the world.

One of our favorite ways to learn is visiting local parks and playgrounds. This gives us an opportunity to see how local people like to spend their free time. Throughout Asia, we found many adults using the free outdoor workout equipment in the parks while kids played on playgrounds nearby.

Typically, our first reaction to travel is noticing how people and lifestyles are different from our own. However, the more we travel, the more we learn about the similarities between people and cultures around the world.

#9 – We Travel to Teach

By Sally of Our 3 Kids V the World

People travel for many different reasons, but mine as a mother is two-fold. I travel to teach my children, ‘our little citizens of the world’ we call them. Travel teaches them about different cultures, different food, different sights and senses, and to be more accepting of others and their differences. We have taught them to adapt quickly to new environments, to live outside their comfort zone, and, best of all, to challenge themselves.

When we travel, we give them their own money before we leave Australia. They have it changed into a different currency, whether that currency might go further than home or not as far. We teach them to budget their money so they can buy the things they want.

We teach them to catch public transport and how to get around in different places, using all sorts of modes of transport. We hire private guides at culturally significant landmarks such as Angkor Wat, Taj Mahal, and Bagan so that we learn the history of the place and why it is so significant to the country as we are visiting.

This learning can’t be taught in a classroom, and they are learning valuable lessons they will need later. Best of all, my kids are patient, accepting, adventurous and adaptable in all aspects of their lives, and I attribute that to all the amazing travel experiences we have been able to provide them with. And we get to see the world through a child’s eyes which is priceless.

#10 – We Travel to…

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” ― Pico Iyer

This article originally appeared on Wander With Alex .  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandrea Sumuel is a nationally syndicated travel writer and founder of the Wander With Alex travel blog. Her work has appeared on MSN, YAHOO!, Euronews, and FOX, ABC, and NBC affiliates across the United States. 

Alex travels to experience, eat, explore, and occasionally escape! She collaborates with destinations, vacation property management companies, and hospitality technology firms to provide her readers with exclusive insights and information.

Why We Love Travel

Chasing miles, points and deals can be fun -- perhaps even a bit of a rush when you score something really amazing. But other times, when you are reading lots of fine print, closing down old cards, keeping track of multiple loyalty account balances, searching endlessly for complex awards, spending time on the phone with agents, etc., it may not feel very fun.

But here's the truth: We don't chase big credit card deals or spend time tracking award chart tweaks because it is fun, we do it because we love to travel. All of the cards, all the miles, the routing sweet spots, it all comes back to travel. The rest is just the means to an end goal.

So on this Valentine's Day, I want to take a moment or two to step away from dissecting the 100,000-point offers and upcoming hotel category changes and focus on why any of that matters -- and it matters because we love travel.

Here are just a few of the reasons that my own family loves to travel, but I really want to hear yours, too.

Travel Makes the World Smaller

There's a lot less "us" and "them" when you travel because you see just how little separates us all. We can get on a plane today and by tomorrow(ish) be in a village in Africa , or a bustling city in Asia or a quaint town in Europe . Even just being able to board a plane in Houston and be in the snow-covered Rockies in Colorado within about two hours will never stop blowing my mind. It is a whole different world in just two hours.

Having the freedom, thanks to miles, to so dramatically change where you are and who you are around is something I love about travel because nothing breaks down mental barriers faster than being immersed in a world very different from your own, even if just for a few days.

Travel Brings You Closer

We have a lot of distractions at home. But, on the road, much of that "noise" fades to black and we get to just be and experience things -- together. Some of my very best memories as a parent and a wife over the last decade or so are the ones when we were on an adventure of some sort.

And it's not just the big moments on family trips that stick out, but also the little ones when you're all just hanging together at the pool or in the room at the end of a fun day. At home, we have a couple of thousand square feet where everyone can do their own thing, but when we travel, our own family bubble gets smaller. The end result is often that we all get closer (and occasionally annoyed, but that passes).

It isn't just family either, travel means you can stay connected with those who don't live just next door. Miles make it possible to do crazy things like meet up with a friend who lives thousands of miles away for a day and make the most of every moment. Most of my best friends require an airplane to visit, and that's not a barrier, it's just a fun challenge that I love to meet.

Travel Means Adventure

The routine of the everyday is a blessing, but it can feel toxic and draining at a certain point. Just going through the motions of life without mixing in some standout moments wouldn't be my first choice. The points and miles we earn allow us to create adventures that those without loyalty programs in their lives can often only dream of -- or only enjoy "once in a lifetime."

Maybe that's staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge at Disney World :

Or spending time with your crew in a National Park :

Maybe it is skiing in Norway :

Or perhaps it is just taking a minute to lose, and then find, yourself in a foreign land like Machu Picchu :

Travel Means Exhaling

We took our first trip as a family of four when my second daughter was less than 2 months old. We were a little crazy to head out of the country so quickly, second-guessed ourselves a lot, but then it turned out to be a gift. We still didn't get much sleep staying steps from the ocean with a newborn, but someone else cooked, and cleaned, and did crafts with our older daughter and we just spent the days playing together in the sun. We got to breathe for a minute and enjoy our new family-of-fourdome. If paying with cash was the only option, maybe a family wouldn't take a trip with a newborn but if points can make it happen, it becomes another story.

Honestly, I think even the baby may have exhaled a bit and loved her time away from home, too.

Being real, getting out the door on a trip can still be a bit of a harried process with little kids, but once you're there, travel means you can exhale and take it all in. (And a nice seat to get you there does hurry that process along .). I love that travel helps you recenter.

Travel (Usually) Means Happy Memories

One of the favorite articles I have read about family travel pointed to research that said that family vacations serve as happiness anchor points for kids. It talked about things like social, physical and cognitive development; enriched environments; IQ stimulation and lots of cool stuff. But really, what I liked the most, is that the happy times you create together on adventures can get you through the tougher times -- and that is just as true for kids as adults.

Your kid is probably going to get bullied, have their heart broken, not make the team, be left out, get in an argument with you, bomb a test, make a bad choice, etc. Those moments won't be fun, but if you have the anchor points to look back on (and forward to), it helps. It truly helps.

I love that travel is family fun not only in the moment, but that it helps to shape who we are as people and as families. Those amazing memories you create together don't go away when you board the plane to head home. They stay with you and are there when you need them.

Bottom Line

The reasons why we love travel in my family may be very different from why you love travel, and that is part of the beauty of it all. There's no one right or wrong way to do it -- you can backpack and stay in hostels or fly in a private suite and stay at five-star hotels . You can experience culture and fine dining in cities or trek jungles and ancient sites. You can even do all of that on the very same trip.

I love the feelings, experiences, moments and memories that travel gifts us, and would equally love hearing if you feel the same.

Why do we travel?

Why we love to travel and why it is so good for us.

There’s something incredibly exciting about the entire process of packing your bags, locking up your front door, and heading off to a vacation. All of us, no matter who we are, crave for some travel – a trip once a year or more – that gives us a break from our routines and lets us explore a new location, city or a country.

And while the pandemic certainly put a damper on many travel dreams, and disrupted the travel and tourism industry, did you know that in 2019, the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide had peaked? According to a research study published by Statista Research Department, there were nearly a 1.47 billion international arrivals back then!

Why do we all seem to share a such a deep-rooted love for travel? While the reasons may differ from person to person, there are some motivators that are universal in nature. We would love to add to the list, so if you have something in particular that is behind your drive to travel and explore the world around you, please feel free to reach out!

Seeking change and adventure

Life can be predictable and sometimes a tad boring. We all seek a little adventure to break the monotony of routine. Travelling to different places gives us just that. Whether it is about navigating a charming, cobbled street or an unfamiliar alleyway, trying out a fragrant curry or a full-fledged thali meal, or even conversing in broken French whilst in Paris – a trip holds the promise of something new and exciting. Remember the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, in which Ben Stiller trades his dull life for adventures across Greenland and more? We all have a little bit of Walter Mitty in us and that is why we love to explore! It doesn’t matter what the landscape is – ancient valleys and secret waterfalls, or compact city squares and bustling marketplaces. Change and adventure can be pursued just about anywhere in your travels.

An opportunity to relax and rejuvenate

Sometimes, it is all about relaxation though. Most of us lead busy lives, with demanding jobs or routines and want a week or more where we can simply unwind. It could be about not having to make breakfast or dinner or do the dishes or just the idea of waking up to a lakeshore or a beautiful cityscape – anything that you fancy. Travel can be relaxing – you don’t have to tick off every item on the tourist map, and you can make your travel about breakfast in bed or afternoon swims in the lake if that is what your heart desires.

Celebrating our relationships and special moments

A lot of us travel to mark and celebrate the special moments in our life – be it birthdays, anniversaries, wedding, graduation and more. In doing so, we are building even greater memories, and strengthening our relationships. And it is not just about our relationships with the significant others in our life, from our friends, spouses, partners or parents, it is also about getting to know ourselves better. Plus, there’s no greater pleasure in life than to share a new landscape with those that you love and cherish.

The perfect escape

Sometimes though, we travel because we want an escape. From a stressful job or scenario. To give ourselves a change of scene when we have experienced a loss. Or even to escape or trade dull weather for sunny skies. Travel has healing properties and no matter what you are seeking to escape from, it may often help you to come back to your life with a renewed energy and focus. Even a new perspective.

Discoveries and learning

Travel can also be about a desire to learn something new. It could be about learning a foreign language, getting to understand a different culture or trying your hands at a fascinating cuisine. When you gain insight into new customs, diverse ways of living, faith and traditions, you are equipping yourself with knowledge that goes beyond a classroom. Isn’t that the reason that when we were in school, field trips and holidays to places of historical significance were considered a part of our education?

Memories and stories

Most often than not, we travel because we want to create, for ourselves and for those that we choose to share our travels with – some great memories.

And by memories, it is not just about getting that perfect Instagram shot or a Facebook post. It is about making memories that come from shared experiences and adventures, even those that didn’t go quite as planned. With travelling, we are also arming ourselves with a repertoire of stories and anecdotes – narratives that we have heard from fellow travellers or local people, tales and folklores of a place that we have visited as well as stories that we have created ourselves by having authentic experiences.

It could be about seeing an elephant for the very first time – an elephant that is in a jungle or walking the streets with a mahout on his back and tinkling bells around his neck, about witnessing an incredible sunset, of trying unfamiliar but delicious food straight from a street vendor…memories and stories that come sprinkled with a little bit of adventure.

Looking for better versions of ourselves

When we travel, we learn more about the world around ourselves, the different people, animals and birds that inhabit it and this in turn may give us an opportunity to be more humble and grateful. So many travellers say that travelling has made them more accepting, flexible and indeed raised their empathy quotient. This may happen because the more we travel, the more we appreciate the diversity of languages, cultures and customs around us as also the commonality that binds us all. Travel truly has the power to transform, and that is why people across the world vouch for its empowering benefits.

Food fantastic

Here’s a little something. Let us know if you belong to a group of travellers who love to travel because it gives you an opportunity to sample, explore and relish different cuisines.

With food shows like Celebrity MasterChef or Rick Stein’s India and many others in the same league, we have grown to understand and have a healthy curiosity for the various kinds of recipes, ingredients and cuisines that are available across the world. And travel gives us many avenues to pursue this love of good food and world cuisines. So many cities across the globe now offer food tours, leading tourists to the best produce, local markets, restaurants, home chefs and hidden gastronomy treasures. It is no wonder then, that a love of good food can be a major motivator when it comes to packing your bags and heading off on a plane, a cruise or even on a motorway!

Here’s to safe, sustainable and happy travels for all of us – not just for the festive season but for the coming year too. And please don’t forget to write to us; we would love to hear your stories.

Read more articles from the author:

How can we have more authentic experiences while travelling?

Travelling responsibly

Prerna Shah is a media and content professional with over a decade of experience in both print and digital. Based currently in Dublin, Ireland, she pursues her passion for storytelling by creating engaging and authentic content on a variety of topics and issues, and also by maintaining a personal blog.

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10 reasons to love travel

What does travel mean to you here are just 10 of the many reasons i love to travel….

• Travel Specialist

In today’s tech-obsessed world, social media may well be the perfect platform to showcase the world’s beauty to armchair travellers across the globe, but travel is so much more than just getting that perfect Instagram shot. Travel should be meaningful. It should excite and inspire you, rejuvenate and ground you, educate and challenge you, and most of all, it should humble you.

Travel gives us our greatest stories, our most cherished memories and countless irreplaceable learnings that we can choose to pay forward to others. It teaches us about ourselves and each other, it broadens our horizons and, just like a reset button, it forces us to refocus on what really matters.

Here’s what travel means to me…

For me personally, travel is a way of life. I was born into a travel-obsessed family and had already lived on three different continents by the time I started school, so wanderlust (and an often ridiculed hybrid accent) was inevitable for me. My sister and I are incredibly fortunate to have parents that insisted that travel was the best classroom and, thankfully, our school holidays were spent exploring fascinating places, both near and far.

Upon graduating university (and turning 21), I was given the greatest gift: the gift of travel. Armed with a round-the-world plane ticket and a sense of adventure, I took off on a six-month solo backpacking trip through Europe, Southern Africa and Australia and, without a doubt, it changed the way I saw the world. So, as a self-confessed travel addict, here are the 10 reasons why I love to travel.

1. Travel to leave our world a better place

I have been fortunate to work and travel with &Beyond for more than 13 years now and what inspires me most is our company ethos and unwavering commitment to care for the land, wildlife and people. Travelling with &Beyond has given me the rare privilege to actively take part in so many unforgettable and truly meaningful experiences, such as: witnessing endangered rhino being safely translocated; observing an elephant cow being collared for research and monitoring purposes; helping to relocate a vulnerable nest laid by an enormous and highly endangered sea turtle; spending a night in a traditional Maasai manyatta (homestead); and so much more. &Beyond ’s authentic, experiential travel not only enables travellers to participate, engage and learn, but it also allows them to travel with purpose and to help leave our world a better place.

2. Travel to meet different cultures

Travel exposes us to different cultures and ancient traditions and through these authentic encounters, we learn to embrace and celebrate both our similarities and our differences. Travel teaches us about humanity and gives us an appreciation, understanding and respect for different points of view and ways of life.

3. Travel to learn

Not all classrooms have four walls and travel is the best way to immerse yourself in geography, history, culture, gastronomy, languages, biology … you name it. Travel enriches the mind and educates us far beyond any textbook or travel guide. Not only do curious travellers learn about different landscapes, languages and lifestyles; glean fascinating facts while observing wild animals in their natural habitat; delve into a region’s history and taste the local flavours; but they also learn about themselves (and each other) along the way.

4. Travel to escape reality

We all need to fall off the radar and escape reality every once in a while. Travel allows us to enjoy complete anonymity in new and unexplored territories. It gives us absolute freedom to live in the moment and it allows us to be anyone, to go anywhere and to do anything. The best part of my six-month trip around the world, way back when, was the freedom of being able to just wake up and pick a spot anywhere on the map and find a way to get there. Travel enables us to be spontaneous and seek new experiences.

5. Travel to relax

Our lives are time-starved and technology-driven and, let’s be honest, it’s not often that we actually take the necessary time to de-stress and truly switch off. Travel allows us to escape life’s daily demands, dramas and deadlines and enables us to clear our minds. It encourages us to recharge our batteries and to truly disconnect (from our phones, Wi-Fi, emails, laptops, social media, etc.) in order to reconnect (with ourselves, each other and the natural environment).

6. Travel to explore

Travel takes us out of our comfort zones and inspires us to see, taste and try new things. It constantly challenges us, not only to adapt to and explore new surroundings, but also to engage with different people, to embrace adventures as they come and to share new and meaningful experiences with friends and loved ones. Whether you seek adrenaline and non-stop activity, or unapologetic siestas and ultimate relaxation, travel gives us the opportunity to explore with an open heart and an open mind.

7. Travel for humility

Without a doubt, travel is a crash course in humility. As we cross borders, and oceans, we gain true perspective. We learn to recognise and be grateful for all of the things we take for granted in our own lives, and we also gain an appreciation and respect for how others live. Travel teaches us to be tolerant, flexible and open-minded, and most of all it makes us humble.

8. Travel to eat

One thing you’ll never find on a suggested packing list is a diet. Leave it at home! Just make sure you bring a healthy appetite and a willingness to taste new flavours and sample all of the local delicacies. Remember, mimosas are totally acceptable at breakfast and dessert is always a good idea. Indulge, go back for seconds and exercise when you get home.

9. Travel to be transformed

Don’t just travel for travel’s sake. Travel to seek adventure and feel alive. Take part in authentic experiences that will not only change the way you see the world, but that will also encourage self-reflection, environmental awareness and global action to help protect and conserve our planet.

10. Travel to live out your bucket list dreams

Every traveller’s bucket list is different. Whether you long to watch the sun set over the Taj Majal, snowshoe on the side of an active volcano, witness Africa’s Big Five and the Great Migration, or find your Zen on a yoga retreat in the Himalayas, if you can dream it, you can do it. Travel is the best medicine and long may it continue to take our breath away and turn us all into storytellers (and committed custodians of our precious planet).

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How to plan your dream vacation

Sometimes you crave a vacation — but actually taking one feels out of reach. Maybe you're struggling to find the time or save up the money. Or maybe you just can't seem to launch those plans out of the group chat. Overcome that planning inertia and take the big trip of your dreams. Here's where to start your search, organize your logistics and enjoy yourself.

MARIELLE SEGARRA, HOST:

You're listening to LIFE KIT...

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SEGARRA: ...From NPR.

Hey, everybody. It's Marielle. You remember the early part of the pandemic when the days of isolation stretched into months? At night, I would lay on the floor of my apartment with my eyes closed and listen to guided meditations, to try to take myself to a happier place. One time the prompt was something like, picture yourself doing something that brings you great joy. The first thing that popped into my head was an image of me wandering the cobblestone streets of some small European village, probably in France. The sun was shining, and every step I took was a feast for the eyes. Medieval houses, colorful flowers resting in vases on outdoor tables, patisseries with gorgeous pastries in the window, just waiting to be eaten.

I didn't realize until that moment just how much I missed traveling and how badly I wanted to look at something outside of my four walls or the blocks of my neighborhood. The next year, I took a three-week trip to the U.K. and France, and I ate those pastries and wandered until my feet hurt and filled a hole that had been growing inside of me.

Big trips can do that. Lale Arikoglu knows what I'm talking about. She's the articles director at Conde Nast Traveler.

LALE ARIKOGLU: On a really basic level, I think it's just being able to have a break from the crush of regular life, whether that's work or childcare or school, wherever it may be, you know, the opportunity to just take yourself out of your routine and be somewhere else and get to immerse yourself in that place to me is, like, the main draw of it.

SEGARRA: Now, when we talk about a big trip, that could mean different things depending on your travel style and your budget. You know, it might be a long road trip or an extended stay at a cottage in the woods or a multi-city tour on another continent. But it's typically something you save up for and plan months in advance. Lale has a big trip coming up. She's going to Peru.

ARIKOGLU: I've been waiting to do it for a long time. The reason to go there is for a friend's wedding. And now I'm building a trip around it, and it's going to be about ten days long with multi-stops, you know, having to choose multiple places to stay. And logistically, you know, it's actually taking some thought and some planning. One of the things that we're going to do when we're there is hike Machu Picchu. There's a group of us going. And Machu Picchu - it's a dream to see and experience.

SEGARRA: Now, it's easy to get bogged down in trip planning. And it might stop you from booking the thing entirely, but Lale says, do it. It's worth it.

On this episode of LIFE KIT, Lale shares her best tips on planning the big trip of your dreams. We'll talk about where to start your search, what logistical questions you should ask yourself and how to actually relax and enjoy yourself once you're there.

SEGARRA: Let's say I do want to take a big trip, right? I'm feeling that itch to travel, but...

ARIKOGLU: Right.

SEGARRA: ...I don't have a destination in mind yet or a duration. I'm really starting from scratch. Where does the planning start?

ARIKOGLU: When you start the planning, you've really got to think what you want to get out of the trip. You know, If you really just want to decompress and relax and rest, then you probably don't want to do some like multi-stop European city trip, right? You probably don't want to hike Machu Picchu. Perhaps it is that you're incredibly bored of your surroundings, and you need adventure and you need excitement. And therefore, you're going to be thinking of some really different destinations. It might be that you're traveling alone for the first time. You've decided to do a solo trip. You know, where is a place that might feel comfortable for you as a solo traveler, but still feels like it's taking you out of your comfort zone? So I think it's sitting with yourself and thinking, OK, what is, like, the goal here? That's takeaway one. Ask yourself what do you want to get from this? Set the mission of your trip.

It feels like another really important detail at the beginning is budget, right? Like, how much money do you realistically want to spend on this trip or can you afford to spend?

ARIKOGLU: And, you know, that's going to look different for everyone. If we're talking big trips, rarely are they spontaneous, right? You're planning for a long time. So that also allows you to save and finance for it. No, there's lots of great savings apps that can just, you know, that take a little bit of money out of your paycheck every few weeks, and you can kind of start, like, a travel fund that way. I think that's quite a nice way to do it. But I think, you know, you can do a big trip on a budget. It doesn't have to be, I think, a lavish, international trip. I mean, you know, we're going into spring and summer, there are so many incredible national parks to see, there are so many amazing, very diverse, different cities. There's, like, so much on your doorstep, so I think you can really argue, you don't have to cross continents to have a big trip. And so if that feels a more affordable way to get away for a couple of weeks, then, you know, look in your backyard.

SEGARRA: Right. I wonder, too, like, part of budget, besides money, is also time. Like, how much vacation time do you have? Do you have any tips for people who don't have that much vacation time?

ARIKOGLU: So I think if you look at the calendar and you look at where the holiday weekends fall, There are some tricks to being able to kind of, like, turn your limited number of vacation days into - kind of you can stretch it out if you bookend it with a holiday weekend or something like that. But on the flip side, it's also most expensive time to travel, right? There is an argument for choosing shoulder season, so that's not traveling to a destination when it's at its peak. And this is great for your own personal experience, but it's also in terms of helping that destination deal with overtourism, overcrowding. If we're talking about Europe, for example, the summers are getting hotter. So avoiding those really intense, hot, summer seasons can actually be really advantageous for your own travel plans.

SEGARRA: Yeah. That seems like maybe the next thing to consider as you're planning a big trip before you start looking at destinations is what time of year are you looking to travel?

ARIKOGLU: Definitely. And that's more of a luxury for some people because If you're having to navigate school holidays, then you're a little bit more limited. But again, it's sort of when you're thinking about carving out those goals and what you want to get out of the trip. Maybe it's the seasonality that's really important. Maybe it's all you want is hot weather and a beach. You know, if you're planning some summer travel, you could totally flip things on its head and go experience winter somewhere. I went to Patagonia when it was entering into their fall in Chile, and it was a really magnificent time to be there, and it was when New York City was going into spring. It felt like upside-down land to be choosing to do that, and it was so wonderful. It was great.

SEGARRA: Yeah. I think there's a lot of room for creativity there. And also, as you said, like, it opens up more possibilities if you consider going places during the shoulder season.

ARIKOGLU: And you get to be in a place and actually be in the place with the people who live there. One thing in August, if you go to Europe, everyone who lives there has, you know, gone off somewhere else on vacation to escape the heat and the tourists, and so, you know, you're in Rome with just all the other tourists and none of the Romans.

SEGARRA: All right, so takeaway two. Before you land on a destination, think about your constraints. What time of year do you plan to travel? For how long? What budget are you working with? If you're short on time, you can make use of holidays or pick a destination closer to home. If you're short on money, think creatively. You know, maybe you do a road trip through some parks or cities nearby.

SEGARRA: It seems like another thing to consider here is, how much do you like crowds? Because for me, it kind of ruins a trip or an experience if everywhere I go is super crowded. I get very overwhelmed by that and overstimulated.

ARIKOGLU: And it's also, you know, who are the crowds? Because there's been times when I've gone somewhere and I've gone and done the same bucket list site that everyone else is, and you're sort of standing there and you're thinking, What am I actually here for? Well, what is the purpose of this? What am I getting out of it? What am I giving to this destination other than just being another member of the crowd?

SEGARRA: Yeah. I think that's an important question, right? 'Cause, like, we have been talking about what are you looking to get out of it, for the most part. But there's another side to this - right? - and it's what am I giving? And also, what am I taking? Like, am I taking too much from this place?

ARIKOGLU: I think about that a lot. When you're planning, be really thoughtful about where you're spending your money. When you're choosing a hotel, is it a hotel that is locally owned? What restaurants are you booking? Where are you shopping? Where are you buying your souvenirs? You know, I think there's lots of ways to be really thoughtful about, you know, how you spend your money, and that can go into your budgeting, as well.

SEGARRA: I know there are certain places that at a certain time, at least, they said, please, tourists, like, please stop coming or stop coming during this time.

ARIKOGLU: Yeah. When a destination says that, I mean, it's something to be taken so seriously because they're usually destinations that have an infrastructure or an economy that really relies on tourism. So things have to have gotten pretty bad for a destination to say, take a beat, not right now, and listen to that, and, you know, the place will be better for it when you do go see it.

SEGARRA: I picture it as if you were, like, going to - going over, like, a friend's house uninvited, or, like, if they were like, please, today's not good. Like, our whole family's sick, like, we're all throwing up, and then you were still banging on the door, like, hey, what are you doing? Can I come stay over?

ARIKOGLU: I think that is a perfect analogy. Perfect. And no one wants to be that person.

SEGARRA: No.

ARIKOGLU: I'd hate to be that person.

SEGARRA: That'd be weird behavior.

ARIKOGLU: Yeah.

SEGARRA: Takeaway three, travel responsibly. Research the places you're interested in, and make sure they want tourists at the time you're looking to visit. When you're booking, consider putting your money toward the local economy rather than international chains. Also, learn about whatever destination you choose. Be open to the cultural practices and languages there. And be a respectful visitor.

Anything else that people would want to figure out before they start narrowing down or looking at destinations?

ARIKOGLU: I think it's also thinking about who you want to travel with. Someone can be your best friend, but they can be your worst roommate. I think travel's kind of the same, so kind of finding someone to travel with or a group of people to travel with who you're aligned with in the planning stage, rather than when you get there and then you suddenly discover you all want to do different things. So I think communicating right off the back what you all want out of the trip and what you're excited about and also being really honest with each other about finances.

If you're on a group trip, I mean, it's like splitting the bill, but a thousand times worse. And so I think if you can kind of, like, set some parameters at the start and be really honest about what you feel comfortable spending money on because inevitably, there is going to be some people on the trip who want to spend more money on some things than others.

SEGARRA: Yeah. And it seems like that conversation, there should be some form of that before you book anything.

ARIKOGLU: Yes, 100%. And, you know, I think even if you don't feel comfortable doing it, speaking up if something just feels too expensive.

SEGARRA: All right. So takeaway four, figure out who you're traveling with. You might prefer to travel alone, or if you're going with friends, partners, or family, just make sure you're on the same page about what you want from the trip - the pace, the activities and how much money you can spend.

SEGARRA: OK. So it sounds like we've given people a lot of things to consider before they choose a destination. Once they've done this soul searching, how can they start to find destinations that fit those desires and limitations?

ARIKOGLU: For me, part of the fun of travel planning is doing the research, whether it is a trusted travel publication or reading some books you love or going on to - you know, there's, like, a ton of just, like, online communities of people who love swapping travel tips and actually, I think, can be really helpful.

SEGARRA: Yeah. I think it can be helpful maybe to in the brainstorming stage to just, like, not go in too deep but just make a list of places that seem exciting to you and that might fit your parameters. Like, I have a Google Doc, and it's just, like, places that I would be really excited to go.

SEGARRA: When you are considering a destination, how helpful is social media - is - like, seeing where your friends are going or where influencers are going? Is it a good idea to follow those trends?

ARIKOGLU: I think it can be useful in picking things you want to do once you're there, particularly if it's, like, based around, like, big events or openings. You know, we have our best places to go list that runs every year. It could be, like, new train routes, new hiking routes, new museums that have opened, things that are happening in destinations centered around an anniversary. So, you know, kind of consulting those sorts of lists and rounds up as well can be very helpful. But I think, you know, going back to what we were talking about in terms of over tourism or overcrowding - you know, on social media, you will see people at the same spots time and time again. And they're usually spots where just around the corner, there's also something equally beautiful to see.

SEGARRA: Yeah. Like, I remember when Santorini was really popular. And it's like, whew - like, if you could actually see what was going on behind that photo, like, you would hate being there because it's so - it's just way too many people...

ARIKOGLU: Right. Right.

SEGARRA: ...All lining up to take a picture in - against that beautiful backdrop.

ARIKOGLU: Exactly. And, you know, it's Santorini. It's all beautiful. It's all amazing.

SEGARRA: OK. So takeaway five is to choose a destination. And cast a wide net when you're brainstorming 'cause you never know what's going to catch your eye. Also, Lale says, do your best to think outside of the current travel trends. Though you can use them for inspiration.

So once you've got a destination in mind, how can you start to sketch out the details of the trip? And I guess I should say, how much detail do you really need to figure out?

ARIKOGLU: So I was going to say, don't overschedule yourself, and don't overbook yourself. I think I've been guilty of doing that before, and then you realize that you have no downtime. It might seem like you're being really efficient, but you need a little bit of spontaneity on your trip. Don't overschedule. If there are a few key things you really want to do that you feel you will be crushed if you don't get to do it, then book it. Make sure that's arranged all in advance. So maybe it's finding one thing on each day of your trip. That's what you center your day around and you can frame your itinerary around that, but I wouldn't overschedule.

SEGARRA: Yeah. And then I think when you look at these things potentially sketched out on different days, then you say like, you know, that seems too busy. What's the most important to me here? Like, which of these activities do I want to book ahead?

ARIKOGLU: Right. You know, if you're suddenly realizing - you're like, I am cramming a lot in if I try to go to these three places, then choosing which one to let go.

SEGARRA: Yeah. 'Cause that's always a consideration, too. Like, if you're flying somewhere far, you might think, well, I'm already going to Poland, should I also do Germany?

SEGARRA: There's that impulse, you know? Or I'm going to Poland, so I want to see all of Poland. But that can make for a very frenetic kind of trip.

ARIKOGLU: And you wouldn't tell someone who was visiting America to be like, well, you've come all the way to America, so if you're going to New York, then you also need to go to New Orleans.

SEGARRA: Right, right. Exactly. That's Takeaway 6 - keep your schedule light and malleable. Lally recommends picking only one activity to do for each day of your trip and then building a flexible itinerary around those.

You know, it occurs to me that another element of a big trip when I'm going into them - I know that something's going to go awry during it.

ARIKOGLU: Always (laughter).

SEGARRA: Yeah.

SEGARRA: I remember being in Barcelona when I was in college. I went by myself for, like, a week. And I speak Spanish, but it wasn't fluent at the time. And I just got - I just missed being able to easily say what I wanted to say, and I went into, like, a Wendy's or something because I just wanted something kind of American. And I got some chicken nuggets. I couldn't think how to say nuggets in Spanish. Like, I was like, is that even a word, like, in Spanish, or did they just say nuggets? And I just broke and started speaking in English because I was trying to only speak Spanish. And I was like, I give up. Like, can I get some chicken nuggets, please?

ARIKOGLU: The true American in you comes out screaming at chicken nuggets in a foreign McDonald's.

SEGARRA: Yeah, yeah, give me my nuggies.

ARIKOGLU: (Laughter).

SEGARRA: Yeah, I just - like, sometimes you just need to go roll up into a ball and eat your chicken nuggies and be by yourself for a minute and then come back out, you know?

ARIKOGLU: Yeah. I mean, like, travel so much of the time is sort of, like, infantilizing because you're so powerless. But it's, like, the same in an airport. You're just sort of powerless at a certain extent when things go wrong. And I think my approach to it - to sort of very taxing and challenging air travel schedules, with connections and potential miss flights and lost luggage and all the things that come with that - is to sort of just give myself up to the airport gods, and just as soon as I'm, like, through TSA, just be like, what will be will be. I'll get there eventually and just, like, I'm powerless. And that's been, like, for me, quite liberating. And it also means that I'm not the person screaming at some poor gate agent when things go wrong.

SEGARRA: Yeah, it's a moment of - it's actually an opportunity for mindfulness. Like, I think that could even be helpful going into a big trip, to tell yourself, like, something is going to go wrong. Yeah, just keep that in mind.

ARIKOGLU: Oh, my God, so much of travel is about being tired and hungry.

SEGARRA: We're really selling this.

ARIKOGLU: I know.

SEGARRA: (Laughter).

ARIKOGLU: I'm like, my whole job is to travel. It's great.

SEGARRA: Isn't it terrible? Yeah.

SEGARRA: I try to remind myself, like - what is the point? - like, go back to those goals. What is the point of this? It's to have a good experience, to meet those needs, to give myself what I've been craving.

ARIKOGLU: Exactly. And I don't know. This sounds a little cheesy and a little trite, but anyone who gets to travel is really lucky. Ultimately, it's a real privilege that you get to do it. And it's such a freedom and it's such a special thing.Don't make it stressful.

SEGARRA: That's our final takeaway. Something on your trip is bound to go wrong. So once you're there, sit back and try to surrender. After all, traveling in the first place is a treat.

SEGARRA: OK, jet-setters, time for a recap. First, figure out what you want from this vacation. Decide your budget and time constraints. Commit to traveling ethically. Make sure you're aligned with the people you're traveling with. When you choose a destination, cast a wide net and have fun with the research. Don't overschedule yourself, and once you're there, relax and roll with the punches. For more LIFE KIT, check out our other episodes. We've got one on how to find cheap flights and another on how to pack your suitcase like a pro. You can find those at np.org/lifekit. And if you love LIFE KIT and you just cannot get enough, subscribe to our newsletter at np.org/lifekitnewsletter. Also, we love hearing from you, so if you have episode ideas or feedback you want to share, e-mail us at [email protected].

This episode of LIFE KIT was produced by Margaret Cirino. Our visuals editor is Beck Harlan and our digital editor is Malaka Gharib. Meghan Keane is our supervising editor and Beth Donovan is our executive producer. Our production team also includes Andee Tagle, Clare Marie Schneider and Sylvie Douglis. Engineering support comes from Robert Rodriguez. I'm Marielle Segarra. Thanks for listening.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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Top 10 Reasons We Love to Travel

Written By: The Planet D

Inspiration

Updated On: March 19, 2023

Earlier we wrote about The Top 10 things we Hate about Travel . You didn’t think that we would just leave you with that negative post, did you?  So now its time to share why we love to travel. Why do people love to travel anyway? Well, let me count the ways…10 to be exact.

We love to travel and believe me, we love more things about travel than we hate.  Otherwise, we wouldn’t be doing it. The problem with writing why we enjoy traveling was narrowing it down to only 10 things.

Table of Contents

Why We Love to Travel

We love to travel so much that we could have written 100 things that we love about it.  (Hey, now that would make a great post) But we don’t want to bore you to death. So here are the top 10 reasons we love to travel.

1. Adventure

Dave and I love adventure in our lives and to find adventure is the number one reason why we love to travel.  Even when we are at home we love to go rock climbing, snowboarding, cycling…anything.

We can’t sit still and when we travel, we love finding new adventures to try. There are many different adventures in different countries that we can’t necessarily do in Canada. And that is why we love to travel, to seek out adventure.

From bungee jumping in Victoria Falls to camping in the White Desert of Egypt or going on a big game safari in Africa. We can’t do these in Canada, and travel gives us the chance to try different adventures that we wouldn’t otherwise get to do.

What do we love most about travel? Finding our next great adventure. One of our favourite adventure destinations in New Zealand: Read about The Best Things to do in New Zealand

2. Travel Makes us Better People

One of the main reasons we love to travel is that travel really does make us better people. Travel is the best education and we always learn something new when we travel. It opens our minds and our hearts. When we travel, we understand different perspectives.

Travel encourages tolerance, patience, and understanding. We believe that every time we travel, we come back as better people. Because we have been exposed to new cultures, different ways of living and different ways of seeing things, we too learn to look at life differently.

3. Meeting New People

We are a very social couple and we love to chat with people and we love to travel to meet new people and make new friends.

We have made some great friends traveling and some of our fondest memories of travel have been moments with the people that we met. Most people that we meet traveling are very interesting and fun. 

We just love meeting and making new friends in our travels and always look forward to seeing them again. Surprisingly, we do end up seeing a lot of people again. When you’ve been traveling for more than 20 years, you end up bumping into old friends in different cities.

4. We love to travel to be Together

Dave and I are one of those strange couples that just love being together all the time. We run a business together, we share similar hobbies and we love doing activities together. We love travel because it lets us be together.

We just love rock climbing together, relaxing on the beach together, and we even love suffering together.

To be able to share our experiences from travel (the highs and the lows) with each other is the greatest gift. We are lucky to be able to look at an awe-inspiring sunset together, or to just sit on a beach beside each other while we read a book. I know it sounds corny, but that is us. We love being together and travel has allowed us to do that.

5. We Love Documenting our Travels

Before we started our travel blog, I always said to Dave, I love traveling, but I would really love to have a purpose to my travels. We have always loved to travel but now that we blog about it, it has now added a purpose to our travels.

When we are hiking or biking, surfing or sailing we are always thinking about how to write about it, what photos to include, or how to film it. We love to share our travel tips with whoever is willing to listen.

We love documenting our travels, just as much as we love to travel.

6. Pushing Ourselves to Our Limits

We love travel because we are more motivated to push ourselves to the limit. When we are at home we tend to become a little bit lazy but when we travel we just love to see how far we can push ourselves. 

When we accomplish something extraordinary it is the most fulfilling thing on the planet. From cycling 12,000 km to Africa , trekking up to Everest Base Camp , or summiting Mount Kilimanjaro we just love the feeling of suffering for a great payoff.

When we travel, we seem to push ourselves farther than we ever do while we are at home. I don’t know what it is about going to another country, but we are up for anything when we travel. When we are home, we tend to spend more time watching the adventure on TV. When we are traveling, we are out living the adventure.

7. I Love Travel to Witness Awe-Inspiring Sites

Sometimes the beauty of travel moves me to tears.  Some of the things that we have witnessed have been overwhelming. When standing at the top of a mountain, overlooking a world heritage site, or witnessing an incredible sunset we cannot believe that we are there.

Travel has allowed us to witness some of the greatest sites on earth. It has allowed us to be touched to the core and feel completely connected to the planet. What more is there to love about travel than to feel overwhelming love and joy.

8. We Love Exploring History

When we travel, we absorb the history of a place and have a better understanding of it what we learned in school. We are always amazed when we are standing on a site that we have learned about in school or read about in books and suddenly it all becomes clear.

When we are exploring thousand-year-old ruins or walking through buildings where a great historical event took place, we cannot believe that we are there. 

We love to travel to bring history to life. We have learned more about the history of the world through our travels than we ever did in school. There is something special and meaningful about a place and its history when you are actually there.

It makes us want to learn more about its story. We love finding the story of a place and travel allow us to do that.

9. We love Travel to Relax in Hotel Rooms

Ok, some guesthouses can be a little rough, but we just love luxury hotel rooms. When we step into a new hotel room, we are giddy with excitement. We love the fresh duvets, the movie channels, pillow menus, and the room service. 

When we get to a hotel, we check out all the drawers, the mini-fridge, and the bathroom. We just love to see what goodies they provide and what services they offer.

We then head out to explore the building and take advantage of whatever amenities they have. Is there a spa, a swimming pool, a sauna, or a lounge? We love hotels and when we find a nice one, we hate to leave it. I think that to love travel, you need to love being in a new place a lot.

10. We Love The Unknown in Travel

When you do the same thing each day at home, life can get a little repetitive. What we love about travel is that it keeps life spontaneous. We are willing to try new things and go with the flow more when we are traveling.

Travel turns people into adventurers. Whether it is hearing about a beautiful waterfall from new friends and going with them to explore, to trying new foods, travel is exciting. You never know what you are going to do next.

So there you have it, we have managed to narrow what we love about travel down to a mere 10 points.

What do you love most about traveling? What we love about travel is that is different for everyone. So tell us in the comments… I love to travel because?

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Travel Planning Resources

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Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

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37 thoughts on “Top 10 Reasons We Love to Travel”

Great information here

…I am so adventurous person and I am totally in love with to travel around the world. OK I love to travel coz it is super uber-cool and is exerting a dreadful fascination over me….

Check out things we desire, people we love and places we dream about. … The Top 10 Sky Bars From the inception of civilization, man has always aspired to ..

Top 10 Things We Miss About Home. July 7, 2010 in Home Life by …. ok, so the next post has to be about the 10 best things about long-term traveling… We love meeting locals – it’s really the best way to experience

Top 10 things we miss while backpacking in Latin America. Just a part of the process for those of us who love to travel, I think

Check out things we desire, people we love and places we dream about. … The Top 10 Sky Bars From the inception of civilization, man has always aspired to ..

We promote the feelings of the couple is playing the game.

Nice information, many thanks to the author. It is incomprehensible to me now. .-= Chunky´s last blog .. Travel Jakarta Bandung =-.

Great list!

very lovely and all post are very good

Excellent, positive list of the advantages for traveling.

Thanks for sharing you guys. You are soo cool. i learnt a lot from you. keep sharing. thanks a lot. .-= Smile Travel Insurance´s last blog ..Economical Way Travel Last Minute Advantage Absolute Best Deals =-.

I love the actual routine of being somewhere different.Going out to dinner, going our for drinks.There’s no option but to go out,love it

I agree. Going out to eat and experiencing new cuisine is the one of the finest things in life!

Great post and I love the ‘being together’ point- very sweet 🙂

Hi Becky, Thanks! Yes being together is the best part of travel for us.

From all the way across North America, I’d like to send you a high-five for a great post! I’d really love for the four of us to meet up on our travels someday — you see the world just as we do…albeit, sometimes from higher elevations. 🙂 .-= Melanie@TravelsWithTwo´s last blog .. Southern Africa: A “Spafari” Adventure – Pt. 2 =-.

Thanks Melanie! We must meet up soon, I agree!

awesome..adventure and meeting new people and Writing/Photographing the Travels are the most i love the travel

All rights reserved great post

it’s more easy to love traveling than hate, hence I prefer the hate list I found it more hilarious. great points on this one too, there would be much more to be added. .-= marta´s last blog ..Playing tourists in New York =-.

Great list!! Food, for my wife and I, is probably tops. We just love food and eating out and trying new things and just really observing how other cultures prepare and eat their food. There’s nothing like street food and market food. That’s why Bangkok is one of my favorite cities. The food choices are endless, from kabobs for 10Bhat to the street cart, 30Bhat Pad Thai lady to upscale, fancy restaurants to everything in between. LOVE IT!!

I agree Adam, Bangkok has some of the best eats! Thai food is by far my favorite food on the planet. I never get tired of it.

Can’t argue with most of these, it’s hard not to love travel 🙂 .-= Anil´s last blog ..How To Bargain Like A Ferengi And Get A Good Deal Anywhere On Earth =-.

Wow Deb, I’m touched by this article! Some of the numbers are totally how I feel. I can relate your traveling with mine, I can feel what you wrote. Thanks to write this! .-= Dina VagabondQuest´s last blog ..New Zealand’s Hidden Valley: Orakei Korako, the land of colorful silica terraces and geysers =-.

Thanks Dina. I am glad that you liked it. There definitely is a lot to love about travel.

Eating out, or eating weird foods, and seeing awe inspiring sites are also two of the most inspiring pushers for me! Great list! .-= Migration Mark´s last blog ..How To Eat Freakishly Weird Foods =-.

Ah eating out, hands down it has to be my favourite thing. lol. Whenever I’m stuck in non-travel mode I always chince out on going out for dinner often, always trying to save that few extra dollars for my next travel kick. So as soon as I set foot on fresh soil, the first thing I do is spend some money on food.

That is exactly like us Corbin. We try to eat in as much as possible when we are at home, so it is a wonderful luxury to eat out when we are travelling.

Yeah, there are positives and negatives to each situation.

The best part about travel is meeting lots of different types of people and experiencing the different cultures, a least for myself. .-= Shawn´s last blog ..The One Year Mark Nesting in Bulgaria. =-.

I’ll tell you what I love – your enthusiasm, energy, and open attitude about all aspects of traveling, exploring, and meeting people. That is what makes you both such great ambassadors – for your country and for travelers in general.

When people of other cultures encounter a traveler who is very different from them, but who can win them over with a great attitude and show them how much you actually have in common, it goes a long way toward healing some of the negativity that exists in the world.

Very cool post! And I will also look forward to your “100 things” post 🙂 .-= Trisha Miller´s last blog .. Write as if Your Life Depends On It =-.

Nice article! Sure I agree with all of them!! 😀 hehe

But i really like cooking in Hostel. eating out is fun and exciting but cooking in hostel with other backpackers are pretty fun. and it’s good chance to explore local market and big supermarket too!

Nice 10 reasons! I’m sure there’s many more!! 😀

Hi Juno, That is a great point to love about travel. We never stay in hostels, but I think that I would love to cook with other travelers. As I said, we are very social and cooking together is as social as it gets! We are going to Europe this summer, maybe we will stay in hostels there and give it a try.

Love the way you started with writing a post yesterday on `why you hate to travel` and today do the opposite and write all those great reasons to `love travel`. I, for one, can relate to many of them 😉 .-= IsabellesTravel´s last blog .. Favorite Blogger of the week =-.

Thanks Isabelle. It is always good to counter the bad with the good. I would have posted What we love first, but it took me longer to narrow it down to only 10 things.

I for one will be waiting for that top 100 list! Great list guys. There is so much more to love about travel than to hate. .-= Alison´s last blog .. Where Do I Go From Here? =-.

Okay then. I am going to start compiling the list. It is so much fun. Today I am contemplating life and I just love sitting at the computer writing and chatting with fellow travelers as much as I love traveling. We are so lucky to be able to live this life:-)

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14 Asian American–Founded Brands Designing Travel Gear We Love

By Rachel Chang

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

As a first generation Taiwanese immigrant, Kathy Yen says she feels a “profound significance” being an Asian American business owner.

“It’s a testament to the perseverance required to overcome the language and cultural barriers that I’ve faced along my journey,” Yen, who runs sustainable personal care products brand Oliver Flynn with her sister, says. “Each day, we work tirelessly to bridge these gaps, striving to communicate effectively and navigate cultural nuances in the business world.”

That’s just one of the challenges that the AAPI community faces these days, along with a rise in anti-Asian hate in recent years, as well as a long history in America of discrimination and exclusion.

“For decades, Asian Americans have been seen as service industry providers, as our parents and grandparents came to this country to open up restaurants, dry cleaners, and nail salons,” says Jin Chen, founder of the multi-purpose Planeket . She says because of the “lower class” perception of those businesses, “some people feel it’s okay to be rude to Asian Americans, especially the older ones. But what I see is that they are also entrepreneurs.”

It’s that can-do spirit despite the inequity that makes Steph Hon, founder of Cadence , which makes reusable toiletry containers , think of her own grandmother—who quit school in second grade to work in a factory sewing sequins in Hainan before immigrating to the US. “I feel very proud to be part of this community because it’s so resilient,” she says.

Banding together has been especially crucial to Asian Americans, as Yen says there’s active participation in community events, forums, and discussions that promote diversity, inclusion, and representation. “Whether it’s sponsoring cultural festivals, hosting educational workshops, or participating in advocacy campaigns, we are dedicated to creating spaces where the voices and experiences of AAPI individuals are valued and celebrated,” she says.

Below, 14 AAPI-owned brands to support while refreshing your travel gear.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Shop AAPI-owned brands by category:

Luggage and bags, travel accessories, clothing essentials, beauty and skincare.

Back in 1989, Edward and Judy Kwon started making handbags and wallets in LA, eventually evolving into more travel products, like duffels and luggage . By 2013, their kids Jennifer and Roy joined the family business, and now it’s grown into a favorite among travelers .

The Hue carry-on is a common fixture in airports, while the Terra 26-liter laptop duffel backpack is a sleek but durable choice. Calpak’s accessories are among the most useful I've tried, especially the water-resistant zippered pouch set and Terra hanging toiletry bag.

Lo & Sons

Helen Lo had always been a frequent traveler, but with back problems, finding the right bag to carry was an ongoing issue. Her sons Jan and Derek prodded her to make her own—and doubled down on that idea by quitting their jobs in advertising and product research to help their mother, who was 65 at the time, realize her vision with the aptly named Lo & Sons .

With comfort at the forefront of all their products, the line includes The Waverley 2, which converts between a crossbody bag, belt bag, shoulder bag, and wristlet; The OG 2, an overnight bag, which loops right onto a suitcase; and The Catalina Deluxe Weekender, with a bottom pocket to keep shoes and dirty laundry separate from the rest of your essentials.

Just last month, the brand introduced the ultra-light and buttery-soft Aoyama bag. With two strap options and a flexible shape, it’s the perfect day bag for urban adventures. Community responsibility has always been in the brand’s DNA— 75 percent of its products are now made of sustainable materials, and nearly 4,000 bags have been donated to healthcare workers .

When Brandon Kim invested in a sewing machine and started designing a backpack prototype, he had no idea that it would become the start of a family business. He soon recruited his younger twin brothers—Dylan to handle marketing and Elliot to be in charge of finance—and the Kim brothers’ Brevitē was born. Shutterbugs will love the popular Jumper photo camera backpack and all travelers will enjoy the thoughtful features of the namesake Brevitē backpack with its passport pocket, luggage pass-through strap, and hidden compartments for valuables. Day trippers can depend on the ease of the crossbody, with four convenient pockets and an anti-theft design.

As co-founder of the luggage and travel brand Away (an obsession of mine— and many other Traveler editors ), Filipino American Jen Rubio has been leading by example, making a major contribution to Stop Asian Hate, a community fund to fight the surge in anti-Asian violence. Away has also committed to making travel more equitable, through partnerships with Global Glimpse , International LGBTQ+ Travel Association , and Together We Rise .

Best known for its savvy, lightweight rolling suitcases like The Carry-On Flex and The Bigger Carry-On, the brand has also ventured into city-friendly bags, like my personal daily bag, The Everywhere Zip Backpack, and travel accessories, including packing cubes and tech cases.

Shown in green

Dagne Dover

As one of the three female co-founders of Dagne Dover, Korean American Melissa Shin Mash serves as the CEO of the bag line where practicality is top of mind. Take for instance its Landon Carryall bag, which is available in five sizes and multiple eye-catching colors and comes with a detachable key leash, exterior ID and phone pouch, and removable shoe bag. Other travel favorites include the Dakota Neoprene backpack and the Hunter toiletry bag.

Senvere’s Asian American co-founders Coral Chung and Wendy Wen originally started their luxury handbag brand in 2016 to fill a gap in the market for trendy laptop bags for women. Now an Instagram and celebrity favorite (Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Lady Gaga, and Angelina Jolie are all fans), the line’s convertibility makes it extra travel-friendly. Standout products include the Maestra bag, which can be worn as a satchel, tote, backpack, or crossbody, and the vegan Aria belt bag which functions as a belt bag, sling, shoulder bag, crossbody, or clutch.

Bringing your personal care routine with you has never been easier thanks to Cadence’s chic magnetic capsules designed by Steph Hon. Made of recycled ocean-bound plastics and customizable with icons or words, they’re the best way to keep your routine organized at home—and then pick it up and take it on the go (they're both TSA-compliant and leakproof, so you can put liquids in without worry).

CNT Editors

Steph Koyfman

Shannon McMahon

Choose from the seven-piece pill case to organize daily vitamins and medications or the capsules bundle that’s customizable to fill with anything from toothpaste and skin cream to supplements. If you’re more about accessories, go for the jewelry set or keep it casual with the Situationship Set .

Living in Anchorage, Chinese American Jin Chen came up with Planeket to serve multiple purposes during air travel. At its core, it’s a cozy blanket , sure to add comfort to any plane ride. But it also doubles as a wearable shawl (there's an S-shaped clip on the back to keep it in place around your shoulders), a pillow when folded up, and a storage pouch with a hidden pocket and a phone holder. Plus, it straps onto rolling luggage or clips onto a bag for easy transport. The four shades of the original Planeket—Alaska Flag, Glacier Mint, Silt Gray, and Alpenglow—all pay homage to Chen's home state.

Chen has since expanded her brand to include even more travel-friendly products, including a foldable sleeping eye mask and six-piece compression packing system designed to give you 33 percent more space.

Aches and pains have long plagued my travels, so when I first learned about Forme, which makes posture-correcting bras, I had to give it a try. Admittedly, it took some getting used to, but soon I realized how much lighter my shoulders were and how I was focusing on my actual adventures instead of fighting a fatigued neck and shoulders.

It wasn’t until later that I learned Taylor Swift was a fan of the Forme’s Power Bra, with FDA-registered correction technology—and even later than I learned the company was founded by a Taiwanese orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stephen Liu to help his mom with her posture and compressed lungs from cancer.

Now the brand’s Sculpt+ Legging is among my favorites to run and travel in. Also great to alleviate natural pain on long travel days: the Arch Booster Sock and Core Tee.

As a longtime beauty executive, Chinese American Amy Liu wasn’t able to enjoy the perks of playing around with all the products around her—eczema left her dependent on high-priced or clinical alternatives. So she launched Tower 28, a brand suitable for all skin types, with every ingredient complying with the National Eczema Association’s guidelines. The line includes the popular SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray to freshen up stressed skin and BeachPlease cream blush for cheeks and lips in six shades. Build your own set of five must-have travel staples, including tinted moisturizer and mascara, with the Tower 28 Essentials Set .

Oliver Flynn

When Brooklyn-based Taiwanese sisters Kathy Yen and Erine Yen both became new moms, they started to think ahead to an eco-friendlier world for their kids, Oliver “Ollie” and Flynn. So they launched Oliver Flynn, dedicated to plastic-free personal care products with safe ingredients.

I stumbled upon their booth at Manhattan’s Passport to Taiwan Festival two years ago, and as a bug magnet, the Don't Bug Me! natural bug repellent balm has become a staple in my travel bag. Other great sustainable options include a honey and citrus shampoo bar with a travel tin and natural lip balm, available in lavender, vanilla, peppermint, and natural.

Tay Skincare

Growing up eating organic fruits from her family’s garden, Sarah Tay was stumped when she moved out and saw the drastic difference in her first store-bought orange. That contrast sent her on a decade-long mission to better understand how to develop high-end botanical skincare products. The result is Tay, a line made in small batches every few months without any harsh ingredients, all of which are packaged in natural bamboo containers made of recyclable PET. Among the highlights are the Youthful Eye Treatment with apricot kernel oil, Lavender Body Crème with chamomile, and the long-lasting Essential Oils Bar Soap.

During a trip to Kyoto , Vicky Tsai—the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants —was inspired by the Japanese approach to skincare that less is more; she founded Tatcha with that idea in mind. With products like the Silken Pore Perfecting SPF and Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, the brand is built on green tea, algae, and rice—the three ingredients that make up Japanese geishas’ beauty rituals. Travelers can even curate their own Custom Travel Set (prices vary). Plus, with every purchase, the company helps fund girls’ education through Room to Read .

When Taiwanese American Cat Chen—who has openly shared her experience as an immigrant in an Instagram video —started looking for a fragrance that was “fresh and sophisticated,” but didn’t contain any harmful chemicals or allergens, she couldn’t find any that checked all the boxes. So she started her own line of natural perfumes called Skylar. Among the travel-sized rollerball scents are the driftwood-infused Salt Air and the popular ocean Isle Escape . Also in travel-friendly sizes: a body and hair mist duo and a range of mini fragrances, like Rainforest Mist or Lavendar Dunes .

Travelpro Luggage Review: We Tested the Platinum Elite Collection

Here's why these popular softside suitcases are worth the investment.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Travlepro Luggage Performance

The bottom line: should you buy travelpro luggage, more travelpro luggage we love, why trust good housekeeping.

Founded in the 1980s by a pilot who was always on the go, Travelpro is an innovative luggage brand that has set the standard for the rolling luggage we all travel with today. The brand's bags, initially designed for airline personnel, were the first to roll upright and use a telescopic handle, and they were quickly adopted by the public who appreciated that the bags were easy to use and made frequent flying a breeze.

Keep reading to learn more about Travelpro's luggage and about how I and my fellow GH staffers put them to the test.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Carry On

Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Checked Luggage

Travelpro Platinum Elite Regional Underseat Duffel Bag

Travelpro Maxlite Air Hardside Expandable Carry on Luggage

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Rolling Underseat Bag

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Checked Luggage

Travelpro luggage overview.

Travelpro offers a variety of soft and hardside suitcases , along with other bags and travel accessories like backpacks, packing cubes and duffels. The brand's best-selling Platinum Elite collection is one of our favorite luggage lines for business trips and for those who travel regularly because of their top-of-the-line construction and functional features like easy-to-access external pockets, self-aligning wheels and durable nylon material.

Travelpro is best known for its softside suitcases. The Platinum Elite carry-on and checked bags use a heavyweight nylon fabric that performed well in our abrasion assessments , resisting wear and tear after being rubbed back and forth 15,000 times by our Wyzenbeek abrasion tester, which simulates extended use. Plus, the material is covered in DuraGuard, a water and stain-resistant coating that helps keep your luggage in tip-top shape even with lots of use. We gave the zippers perfect scores for water resistance during our tests.

When we released the carry-on and checked bags repeatedly at different angles from our drop tester (pictured), we were impressed by how well the luggage held up, without major damage to the bags or breakage of the wheels or handles. After one roundtrip journey on an airline, I did notice some small marks and scratches on the plastic components surrounding the telescopic handle on the checked bag.

Your carry-on bag should hold everything you need for a short getaway, and Travelpro's Platinum Elite carry-on has a spacious interior with a capacity of 46L — 5 to 10L more packing space than some other carry-ons from popular brands we've tested. The bag unzips to reveal one large compartment to store all of your belongings (pictured), and it's full of helpful features to simplify packing.

One tester shared, "This had better organization than any other suitcase I’ve tried." When I packed the suitcase in the Textiles Lab, I was able to fit my standard packing load for a weekend trip's worth of clothing, shoes and accessories with ease, and there was room to spare. The softside material is flexible, so you can really fill it to the brim.

There's a removable garment bag, a wet bag for toiletries, several built-in mesh accessory pockets and four external pockets, including one that can hold up to a 15-inch laptop and another to store a portable power bank for convenient recharging on the go. To secure your things in place, there's an adjustable compression panel, and if you tend to overpack your bags like me, you'll love the 2-inch expansion system that's tapered to prevent the suitcase from getting top-heavy and tipping over.

The medium checked bag has 97L of packing space (more than double the space of the carry-on) , making it the perfect pick for a long trip or a family vacation. At 10 lbs, it weighs more than some other medium checked bags we've tested, which eats into the 50 lb weight restriction set by most airlines.

Like the carry-on, it unzips to one large packing space (pictured) and is equipped with lots of compartments for organized storage like a larger removable wet bag, mesh pockets and a built-in suiter. One tester shared, "It helped keep me organized and made it much easier to find what I needed." There are two roomy external pockets to stash travel essentials, as well. This bag also has adjustable compression panels for security, and it offers 2 inches of zippered expansion for additional room.

Ease of Use

The telescopic handles on the Platinum Elite bags are contoured for a better grip (pictured). I was impressed by how easy it was to raise and lower the carry-on's telescopic handle without it jamming on the way up or down. The handle on the checked bag doesn't lift quite as smoothly, but it was incredibly sturdy and didn't wobble when fully extended. The carrying handles on both bags are made of genuine leather and aren't too tight, so it's simple to lift the bags into an overhead bin or from the luggage carousel.

A common tester complaint about Travelpro's Platinum Elite suitcases is they're a little more difficult to steer than other suitcases we've tested. The bags have magnetic, self-aligning spinner wheels that roll smoothly and glide over different surfaces like tile, wood and carpeting, but when I pulled the suitcases, they always drifted towards me instead of rolling alongside me, so I regularly had to redirect them.

The zippers are heavyweight and easy to pull, thanks to their contoured design, and they moved effortlessly along the track without sticking at the corners of the bag or getting caught on the material.

Yes! If you consider yourself a frequent flyer, travel for business often or are just looking for something sturdy and reliable, I highly recommend investing in Travelpro luggage , especially from the brand's Platinum Elite collection.

The bags have a more traditional look and aren't going viral online like some other styles we recommend at GH, but they're classic, and they'll never go out of style. Priced at more than $300 for a carry-on suitcase, the luggage isn't cheap, but it's built to last. These bags have stood out for years in our Textiles Lab tests, always performing well in durability and performance categories.

If you purchase the luggage on Travelpro's website , the brand has a generous 100-day trial period , so you can test it out and return it for any reason if it doesn't suit your travel needs. Travelpro also offers a limited lifetime warranty for its Platinum Elite collection, covering defects on wheels, handles, zippers and more — and it even covers damages caused by airlines.

In addition to its standout softside suitcases, Travelpro carries other types of luggage. To match your Platinum Elite luggage set , opt for the Platinum Elite Underseat Duffel as your personal item. It's made with the same durable nylon material and classic style and has a built-in luggage sleeve to slide over your rolling suitcase.

If you prefer hardside luggage, Travelpro's Maxlite Air hardside suitcases are made with a lightweight yet durable polycarbonate material that performed well in our drop tests. The bag has a butterfly-style opening with two fully zippered compartments for maximum security, and there's an expandable panel for 2 inches of extra packing space.

The Maxlite line also includes softside bags like its Rolling Underseat Bag ] that's designed to fit under your airplane seat. It features a telescopic handle and smooth rolling wheels for easy transport at the airport. We also love the bigger Maxlite luggage including the large checked bag, which is lighter-weight and more affordable than the brand's other softside suitcases, but it's not quite as luxe.

Amanda Constantine joined the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2022 as a home and apparel reviews analyst and has tested and written about different types of luggage and travel accessories including softside luggage, hardside luggage, checked and carry-on luggage, duffels and travel blankets. Amanda has also conducted luggage testing for our Family Travel Awards programs and is a frequent flyer herself, venturing on more than 50 flights and cross-country train rides over the past two years. She used her relative expertise and personal experience, along with Textiles Lab testing data when reviewing Travelpro's luggage.

Amanda (she/her) researches and reports on products in the Good Housekeeping Institute 's Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab, ranging from clothing and accessories to home furnishings. She holds undergraduate degrees in apparel merchandising and product development and advertising and marketing communications, as well as a master of science degree in consumer sciences from The Ohio State University. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Amanda was a lecturer for the fashion and retail studies program at Ohio State, where she taught fashion and textiles courses.

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I've visited 93 countries, 57 of them with kids. These 5 underrated spots are great places to enjoy with your family.

• Karen Edwards has traveled to 93 countries, and 57 of them have been with her young children.
• Edwards said that her family has had more fun exploring underrated spots than the popular ones.
• Her favorites include Tanzania for its safari tours and Abu Dhabi for its vibrant festival scene.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karen Edwards , who blogs about her family's travels around the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Since 2000, I've visited 93 countries and 57 of them have been with my four children who are all under the age of 10.

I am a nurse by background, but I have been blogging about traveling with my husband and kids since 2014. I cover a lot of off-the-beaten-track destinations and write itineraries for places I've been to, explaining how they work for families with children.

Many popular family destinations tend to be overcrowded. They're usually the ones that get a lot of media exposure or are shown in viral videos on social media. In America, it'd be places like Disneyland in California or Disney World in Florida, while for Europeans, it might be some of the Spanish resort areas.

Although my family and I have visited these places, we have always come away disappointed. They often lack educational experiences, feeling like pointless affairs.

I think traveling to underrated spots makes trips feel more exclusive and you can learn more about the cultures of the countries you visit — it also keeps you away from tourist traps.

We went on a safari tour in Tanzania

Our family visited Tanzania in 2019 in collaboration with a tourism brand. We were there for 12 days.

Our flights to the country were kind of expensive; we paid about $9,000 for our then-family of four, including a stop in Zanzibar at the end of the trip for a few days. However, overall, the entire trip didn't end up costing us that much.

We had some really unique experiences in Tanzania. We went to Mto Wa Mbu village , which is beneath a banana plantation, and we went on a safari tour in its Lake Manyara National Park .

Interestingly, Tanzania is one of the few places in the world where lions are known to climb trees. I remember seeing them sit in tall trees; it was quite unusual, but my kids really enjoyed how close they were to the animals.

Throughout our trip, we actually felt like we were experiencing life in Tanzania. Our campsite was on a river's edge in the depths of nature. It was nice not to feel surrounded by tourists.

My kids fell in love with Abu Dhabi's culture

Many people mistakenly believe that Dubai is a country, but in reality, it's a city in the United Arab Emirates, with Abu Dhabi being its capital.

My family and I moved to Abu Dhabi in 2021 and lived there for 18 months. The city does have a lot of similarities to glitzy and glam Dubai , but you get a more down-to-earth experience.

There are amazing festivals in Abu Dhabi where they display their culture in different formats, whether that be through local food or crafts. It does feel authentic because it's usually mainly locals participating and organizing them.

The city is also 1.5 hours away from Al Ain, which sits at the foot of  Jebel Hafeet , one of the tallest mountains in the region. Along the way up, you'll find many ancient artifacts, such as beehive huts, which have been there for thousands of years. At the top, you can watch incredible sunsets.

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The city also has the Al Ain Oasis , which uses an ancient irrigation system. It has these beautiful paved pathways that look like cobbled streets.

My kids loved Abu Dhabi and are constantly asking me to go back — they really liked all the cultural celebrations.

We love Sri Lanka so much, we're building a villa there

In 2022, my family and I moved to Sri Lanka from Abu Dhabi. We thought we'd have more family time here, and it was going to be an affordable place to live.

We're building a family-friendly villa here that should be completed by August. The area where we are building has a lot of nice cafes, bars, and restaurants nearby.

Overall, Sri Lanka is an amazing country that has so many diverse experiences. There are tea plantations, mountains, and beaches. As for wildlife, their national parks have loads of elephants and leopards.

On one occasion, we went on a safari boat tour to an isolated national park where we watched elephants swim across a lake and onto a tiny island. It was amazing.

The beaches in Sri Lanka are pristine. They have beautiful scenery with swaying coconut palm trees, clear water, and perfect waves. Our favorite is Kabalana Beach .

Because we're always on the beach, my children have learned how to surf. I think it's the most fun thing that we do on the weekends as a family.

The ski resorts and spas are amazing in Andorra

We visited Andorra in 2018 for about six days. It's a tiny country nestled in the Pyrenees between Spain. It's a two-hour drive from Barcelona and three hours from Toulouse, France.

The city has a unique fusion of cultures, though I think Catalonian is the strongest influence. During our trip, my family and I toured many ancient churches.

We also went to some amazing spas and resorts in Andorra. The hotel and ski system there is really family-friendly.

During our visit to the Grandvalira ski resort , my daughter learned how to ski and my husband got to snowboard — the resort has a kindergarten at the foot of its mountain, where kids can play or ski.

Andorra also has amazing spa facilities that are suitable for families and are sectioned off for different age groups.

Our trip was in collaboration with Andorra's tourism board, but I feel like it wasn't overly expensive in comparison to some other places around the world.

I was treated like family in Macedonia

Macedonia is a Balkan country just north of Greece. I haven't been there with children, but I wouldn't have any issues taking my kids there.

It has many beautiful small villages and it's great for skiing too.

The country is also home to one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe named Lake Orchid, which borders Albania. There's this beautiful, small village on the lake that has charming restaurant and a lovely atmosphere for relaxing and enjoying good food.

I visited the country in 2008, and then again in 2012 with my then-boyfriend and now-husband.

The first time I visited, I went with two girlfriends, and we were backpackers. We arrived in the middle of the night by bus and had no idea what we were doing. The bus driver just made a call, and a stranger came and picked us up in his car — I thought I was going to die.

The opposite happened. He took us back to his home with his family, and we stayed there with them for a few days. We ended up extending the trip because he and his family were so amazing.

They didn't speak a word of English, and we couldn't speak a word of their language either. We'd just gesture at each other, and they'd give us food and red wine.

I just totally fell in love with them and their country.

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