Browsing Category Planning
Vacation anticipation: the best part of the trip
Going on the trip is the fun part, right? Well, I would also argue that planning the trip can be just as much fun. In fact, I read a New York Times article a few years ago that always stuck with me. It’s based on a study they did in the Netherlands on the effects vacations, and vacation planning, had on peoples’ happiness. Their findings revealed that the most vacation happiness came from what they called “vacation anticipation.” Vacation anticipation is just as it sounds: the excitement of actually going on the trip.
After the vacation, even if they were truly relaxed on the trip, their happiness levels resumed to a baseline happiness after about two weeks. This means that the actual anticipation of the trip was bringing more happiness than after they got home! Their recommendation after these findings was to plan small trips throughout the year, instead of just one large one, to increase your vacation anticipation happiness year-round! (You can read the whole article here. If you really want to read the entire science report, here’s the actual study.)
How to spot false travel advertising
I see this stuff all the time. A photograph for an amazing adventure tour, an ad for a 5-star hotel that looks almost too good to be true, and a historic site that looks like it was created for stock photography. I like to call these “false advertisements”, because they’re misleading. They’re not the real deal, the authentic deal… or anything you’re looking for. But it looks like it is.
That adventure tour is twice as expensive as others, and they’ve paid good money for you to see the ad. The tour charges you for things that would ordinary be free. The photographs taken of that hotel were taken when it was first built… 10 years ago. You know, before thousands of tourists have run it down. That stock photograph of the historic site was taken at the right moment, with a $4,000 camera. You can make anything look appealing with a little Photoshop and the right camera angle.
So what do you do? How do you know if what you’re seeing is what you’re going to get? Here are a few of my personal tips for spotting a fake experience, hotel or site.
A tip for finding cheaper airfare
Airfare. It’s the most expensive part of any trip. This means, I’m always scouring the internet looking for ways to save money on airfare. There are a lot of articles out there where travel hacks that offer tips to save money. However, some of these “travel hacks” appear a little too sketchy for my taste.
For example, one hack I read was to get a credit card with rewards, buy a gift card, then use the gift card to purchase a money order, then deposit the money order into the bank and use it to pay off the credit card. I mean…. I guess technically it’s not illegal. Maybe it’s just “scamming the scammer.” However, I just want to get a good deal on a plane ticket; not take a gateway drug to becoming a real money launderer.
Finding places to stop on your road trip
A few years ago, we realized that the driving portion of the road trip seemed like a means to an end. In other words, it was a necessary evil to get us from one place to another. It was a “grin and bear” the 10 hours of hellish traffic, static car air and restless leg syndrome. However, the last road trips we’ve been on we decided to make it part of the fun.
We plan to stop somewhere to sightsee or somewhere interesting for a bite to eat. Not only does it make the trip more exciting, but it breaks up the long car rides with fun surprises. We know it’s only 1.5 hrs to the next stop, not 8 hrs. Yes, the trip takes longer, but it actually feels like it’s shorter. Plus you get the most out of your traveling, instead of “wasting” a day. If your vacation is only 7 days, and two days are in the car, that’s almost 30 percent of your entire vacation! Better make it worthwhile.
Places within four hours of Columbus, Ohio (Part two)
It’s about time for a part-two of an article I wrote last year highlighting some places I’ve personally visited within four hours of Columbus, Ohio. I added a few more places to the original article, but thought instead of adding more to that one, I would just write a second. (Part one can be read here.)
I’ve written about a few of these places in other articles, but I thought a more succinct list might be easier to read and share with others. if you want to recommend some of these hidden gems in Ohio and other nearby states.
