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10 Reasons I Love Traveling (and Why You Will, Too)

• August 2, 2023
• 6 minute read

It’s no secret that most people desire to travel much more often than the normal 9-to-5 gives them time for. Traveling is a transformative experience that enriches our lives in countless ways. From discovering new cultures to pushing the limits of our comfort zones, the thrill and adventure of traveling offers an escape from the ordinary.

In this blog post, I’ll share ten compelling reasons why I love traveling, and I’m certain that these reasons will inspire you to embark on your own adventures.

Here are the top 10 reasons I love traveling!

Affiliate links are used in this post. for more about affiliate links, check out my disclaimer policy ..

1 || We get to experience new cultures

This is perhaps the most rewarding aspect of travel. Sadly, it’s lost on many people, especially nowadays, as social media is flooding with people just looking for a good photo or to be able to say they’ve been there. Don’t be that way! Actually immerse yourself in these new cultures and you will absolutely fall in love.

It also teaches you empathy and increases your overall social intelligence. Embracing different cultures broadens your perspectives in unimaginable ways and fosters a deeper sense of appreciation for the diversity our world has to offer. These encounters not only introduce you to new customs and traditions practiced around the world, but also creates lasting memories that will shape your understanding of the world and the people living in it.

• This one is a large reason why I loved my time at Oxford, England . Immersing myself in their way of life for 5 weeks really grew my appreciation for slow travel, whereas before, I was a 100% advocate for fast-paced travel.

2 || It takes us out of our comfort zones

We all have our familiar boundaries that we feel safe in, and once we reach adulthood, and get into a routine, we don’t often stray outside of them. However, living this way leads to remaining stagnant, to getting comfortable and not continuously trying to grow. Stepping outside the bounds of our familiarity is where our personal growth happens. Even if you don’t realize it, we all have more growing to do. It never, never stops!

Travel only enhances, and often speeds up, this growth! It challenges you to face the unknown and forces you to face uncertainty. Perhaps you travel to a country with a language barrier, or head to an adventure capital like New Zealand to bungee jump . Whatever you end up doing, it’s the act of embracing these challenges that ultimately fosters personal growth. This can result in increased resilience, adaptability, and confidence.

3 || Traveling hones planning and organization skills

This is definitely one of my favorite reasons I love traveling! Planning a trip requires meticulous organization and attention to detail. Sure, you could wing it by not creating an itinerary, doing little to no research, and leaving bookings for the day off, but that’s asking for chaos. While you might enjoy the trip, things will inevitably go wrong, and you’ll hit constant bumps along the way.

For me, I plan as much as I possibly can. My guides here on the ErickaRheanne blog (such as my guide to visiting Massachusetts ) are so in-depth to avoid any problems or complications. And so many trips have gone perfectly because of this intensive planning and attention to detail.

From crafting itineraries to booking accommodations, transportation, and activities, traveling sharpens these planning and organizational skills. The ability to research, budget, and prepare for a journey not only ensures the overall travel experience goes as seamlessly as possible but also proves invaluable in terms of our personal and professional lives.

• My continuously growing planning skills are evidenced through my extensive, comprehensive travel guides, such as this one on Alaska .

4 || It teaches us skills applicable in life and career

Building upon what I said earlier, traveling teaches us valuable life knowledge and skills that can help us greatly in other areas of our lives. Traveling teaches you how to improvise, communicate effectively, and adapt to a variety of different situations.

All of these skills are transferable and will continue to benefit you for the rest of your life. This also boosts your confidence and assurance in further ventures you might pursue.

5 || It boosts our happiness and gives us something to look forward to

Anticipation is an extremely powerful emotion. It can literally impact your mental health even in the worst of times. Travel fills our hearts with excitement and joy.

The mere thought of exploring new destinations, indulging in local food, and immersing ourselves in breathtaking landscapes can instantly lift our spirits and add happiness and worth to our lives.

Planning a trip also gives you something to look forward to and keeps your mind off of areas of your life that cause you stress, anger, or sadness. Travel can also be a selfish activity (in a good way!) that forces you to think about yourself and put your desires first even if you’re the type to put everyone else ahead of yourself.

6 || It frees us from the constraints of regular life and allows us to escape reality

Sometimes, the routine of daily life can get monotonous. Or, for some, daily life might not be anything like what they imagined for themselves. Traveling can liberate you from the demands of work and responsibilities by offering a reprieve via escapism.

As you immerse yourself in new surroundings, you’ll experience rejuvenating freedom and return to your daily life with more energy, or perhaps a new outlook.

7 || Traveling opens us up to new friendships and romantic connections

Whether you’re traveling with friends or family, or going solo, visiting new places can open you up to reconnections or new connections. Whether it’s a romantic encounter in a charming city or a meaningful friendship forged during a group tour, these connections can enrich your life in ways you never imagined.

8 || It helps us reflect and get in touch with our feelings and emotions

There’s something about travel that really gets us in touch with our innermost thoughts and emotions. Sometimes, we end up confronting and reflecting on things we didn’t even know were festering deep inside.

Traveling offers us a unique opportunity to disconnect from the hustle of everyday life and reconnect with ourselves in meaningful ways. This times allows us to reflect on ourselves and our life, then reassess how to approach our lives and direct our potential futures when we return.

9 || It lets us experience rare, inspiring moments of awe and adrenaline

One of my absolute favorite feelings from travel is the awe I feel at the truly amazing beauty of some destinations. The feeling is best when it’s completely unexpected.

This occurred when I hiked Arthur’s Seat while I was in Edinburgh, Scotland . I actually was not too thrilled about the idea leading up to it, because I figured it was “just another hill” and what could be so great about the view from up there that I couldn’t get in the United States? Boy, was I wrong! It ended up being my FAVORITE part of my 5 weeks of travel throughout in the United Kingdom .

Any kind of adventure that spikes my adrenaline is also a big reason to love travel. Whether you are standing on the glass of the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West, or bungee jumping in Queenstown, New Zealand, or whitewater rafting in Colorado, adventure awaits you everywhere.

All these experiences can leave you breathless with excitement and wonder, and what better feeling is there than that?

10 || Traveling aids us in personal transformations and allows us to live out our dreams

Ultimately, traveling has a transformative power unlike anything else. It can truly make you more open-minded, adventurous, and fulfilled. The memories you make while traveling will continue to shape who you become, and will give you the additional courage you need to chase after your dreams, and the life you desire.

It can also simply just give you a sense of purpose and renew your vigor for life.

And those are 10 reasons I love traveling and why I think you will, too!

Through travel, you can experience self-discovery while also creating unforgettable memories. These experiences can teach you invaluable skills that encourage growth in your personal and professional life while also increasing your mental health.

There’s so many other reasons I love traveling that I didn’t list here. And if you’re ready to bite the bullet and find your own reasons to love travel, I’ve got tons of information on planning your upcoming travels.

• Ericka Rheanne

Hi! I'm Rheanne, a travel addicted booklover from the midwestern US. So far, I've explored 49 U.S. states (only Hawaii left!), and a few other countries. One of my favorite parts about travel is the planning, but I know it's not for everyone! It can often be overwhelming and stressful. I aim to provide you with as much ready-to-use travel information and trip planning as possible to alleviate some of your worries!

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Travel Tips and Trivia

Last Updated: January 23, 2024

My Love for Travelling | 100 Reasons Why I Love Travel

I love travelling more than anything. I hope these 100 reasons I love travel will help you realise if you’ll love it too! Check them out for travel inspiration!

Danny Newman

Here are 100 reasons why I love travel and why I think you’ll love discover a love for travelling too.

I literally have no idea what I’d be doing if I wasn’t travelling.

But I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t feel half as happy or fulfilled.

Indeed, I’ve been on the road for a while now and my time away from home has made me realize just how much I love to travel full time, and how uninterested I am in going back to an ‘ordinary life’!

For now, I love travelling and am totally content on the road, looking to the next adventure and earning money as I go.

Are you considering a trip, and wonder what all the fuss is about? I had a think and put together a list of 100 reasons why I love travel.

I hope it’ll help you discover a love for travellilng too. Enjoy!

My love for travelling comes down to many different things… 100 of them , to be precise!

Love travelling? You might like these posts too:

• A Complete Guide to the Travelling Blues
• How to Be a Responsible Traveller
• The Best Jobs for Adventurers
• The Advantages & Disadvantages of Travelling
• The Disadvantages of Travelling
• 15 Key Features of the Travel Experience

My Love for Travelling: 100 Reasons I Love to Travel

I love travelling because I get to…

1.   Explore New Countries (the #1 Reason Why I Love Traveling!)

Seeing new places is the number one reason to travel!

You get to see new parts of the world. You realise very quickly how much is out there, and how unique each new place can be. I want to travel to every country in the world!

2.   Experience New Cultures

I love to travel and experience new cultures.

The values, ideals, history, and art of each new place you go is always a unique and intoxicating shock to the system.

3.   Experience New Ways of Life

Go travelling and understand how your way of doing things isn’t necessarily the right way of doing things! You get to see how other people go about their lives.

4.   Meet New & Different People

Why do people like to travel?

One reason is because of the people you meet on the road. Strangers become best friends very quickly. You hang out with people from all different countries and walks of life and get on amazingly all the same.

5.   Meet the Locals

It’s easy to only spend time with travellers when you’re on the road. But meeting and interacting with the locals is always a highlight. This is how you really start to learn about a country- by talking and sharing with local people.

6.   Have Travel Romances & Relationships

Something about travel lends itself to relationships! Remember, you’re meeting masses of likeminded people. Statistically speaking, you’re bound to fancy at least one of them…

7.   Eat New & Exotic Foods

Oh man, the food. This is reason enough to explore new countries! You get to eat real, fresh, local food. It’s often stupidly cheap and tastes like 5* cuisine.

8.   Witness Incredible & Diverse Beauty

This would be one answer I’d give somebody who asked me ‘why do you like travelling so much?’:

You see the world and all of its immense beauty.

It’s in the landscapes, the scenery, the atmosphere, the wildlife, the history, the people…Going to new places confronts you with beauty you’d only ever seen on TV before.

9.   Climb Mountains

On to some of the practical joys of travelling. Climbing mountains is number 1. It depends where you are, obviously, but getting outside and climbing a mountain is always a fun, challenging thing to do. It’s also a prime way to witness that beauty I mentioned first-hand.

10.   Swim in Oceans

Being next to water is my happy place. You can’t beat swimming in crystal clear, warm and tropical turquoise waters. Again, it’s more beauty to be enjoyed.

I love travelling. You get to spend time in some of the most beautiful places in the world, like this beach in Thailand.

11.   Laze on Golden Beaches

Where there’s tropical water there’s almost always a sandy beach to laze on after a swim. It’s the picture of paradise, and you get to be there at its centre.

That idea probably explains peoples’ love of travel better than any other!

12.   Bathe in Waterfalls

You’ll almost certainly get to see your fair share of waterfalls while travelling! Ducking your head under and having a natural power shower is always amazing.

13.   Explore Ancient Ruins & Temples

Do you like to travel? Don’t know yet? Well, you’re sure to love traveling if you’re a history buff.

It’s hard not to feel in awe when you step foot through ancient ruins and temples. You know people were there, exactly where you’re standing, thousands of years before you. It’s very very cool.

14.   See Historic Monuments

Same goes for famous monuments (I’m thinking things like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Tower of London, and the Golden Gate Bridge…etc). You set foot upon buildings and structures that are famous around the world.

15.   Experience New (& Sometimes Ancient) Art

The other day I went for a walk to see some Aboriginal artwork.

There were children’s handprints made of red ochre laid upon the rock, which had been made thousands of years earlier. It was genuinely awesome to see. Travel does that. You see the art (new and old) of current and ancient civilisations.

I think it’s a key reason that, as people, we love to travel.

16.   Experience Foreign Architecture

Modern global cities aside, you get to see the unique architecture styles of different countries. Some places are renowned for their architecture. This isn’t my favourite part of travelling, but it’s still cool to see the buildings of other places (past and present).

17.   See Wonders of the World (a Major Love of Travel for Many People)

Some parts of the world just shouldn’t be missed. Iconic places like the Grand Canyon and Machu Picchu are genuine world wonders that’d surely blow your mind.

18.   See Insane Natural Phenomena

The natural world boasts some crazy stuff to see. Things like the northern lights are high up on my bucket list. Going travelling puts you in front of startling displays of nature.

19.   See Crazy Wildlife

Same goes with wildlife. I was born and raised in cities. The most interesting wildlife I saw (outside of zoos) were squirrels and foxes! There’s always cool wildlife to see close to home. But it’s always special to see exotic animals in otherworldly environments on foreign shores.

20.   See Things with Your Own Eyes

One of the greatest parts of travel, for me, is just seeing things first hand. You aren’t seeing an edited version of events via screen. You aren’t hearing about it and getting glimpses of it through other people. No, you’re actually there in the thick of it.

I think seeing things with your own eyes is another reason why we love to travel.

21.   Get Out of Your Bubble

Life can seem like a bubble. You see the same people, do the same things, and spend time in the same places…It’s easy to live the same routine day in and day out for years. Travel helps you step outside of that. You realise there’s far more out there to see and do.

22.   Realize Your Way Isn’t Necessarily the Right Way

I think this one stems from meeting new people, stepping out of your bubble and experiencing new ways of life. All three factors interact and deliver the obvious conclusion that you way of walking through life isn’t necessarily the only way to do it.

You learn from others, try new things, and develop personally as a result.

23.   It Isn’t an Office

My tongue is firmly in my cheek for this one. But, let’s face it, anything is better than an office, right? It is for me, anyway. Life can get boring. It’s easy to get trapped.

I like travelling because it breaks those chains and pushes you into new and exciting situations.

24.   Have an Adventure

On that note: travel and adventure go hand in hand. When I was younger this is what I dreamed about. I wanted to go exploring and adventuring around the world. Travel is a natural part of that process.

25.   Test Yourself

It isn’t always easy, though. In fact, it’s sometimes exceptionally tough. It’s tiring, lonely, and full over discomfort all around. You’re pushed out of your comfort zone a lot.

That’s no bad thing, though. Life can get very cushy. Suffering a little bit is a great tool for growth.

26.   Do Something Different

This is another big one for me and others. We love travelling because we want to live an extra-ordinary life. I don’t want to do the same old thing over and over again, if I can help it.

It’s the whole:

‘It isn’t the years in the life, but the life in the years, that counts’

I want to look back on my time and feel as if I’ve really lived. I love travelling around the world because it makes me feel like I’m doing exactly that.

27.   Try New Diets

I’ve already mentioned the exotic foods you’ll try. This one’s a bit different, though. Depending on where you are, you may have to switch up your diet entirely.

For example, when I was in Sri Lanka I ate a vegetarian diet because that’s all that was served in my homestay. Now, in Australia, I’m travelling with a vegan, so I’ve been eating neither meat nor dairy for 6 months or so!

28.   Learn More about Yourself

It’s hard to go travelling and not discover stuff about who you are. This is actually one reason I wanted to travel in the first place.

Everything about it forces self-discovery upon you. You’re fending for yourself thousands of miles from home. It’s natural to be confronted with both the good and bad aspects of your character.

29.   Discover Hidden Talents

You’ll find yourself doing things you would never have imagined possible. You might discover a knack for negotiating, riding a scooter, living with few possessions, cooking for yourself, meditating, and so on.

30.   Figure Out What You Want from Life

Again, more learning. This time it’s about your future and where you see yourself. I think this is a natural outcome of learning more about who you are. What you want to do ends up as a natural by-product of that. You might even surprise yourself with what you decide.

Why do people like to travel? Lazing in hammocks on a tropical beaches is one compelling reason I can think of! It’s definitely one reason I enjoy travel.

31.   Realize Your Issues

There’s nothing quite like travel for highlighting your issues, insecurities, and neuroses. Again, that’s no bad thing. Knowing about them is the first step in dealing with them.

32.   Overcome Your Issues

Following on from the last point. Travelling can offer a guiding hand to help you handle the personal issues you discover. It gives you time to contemplate, situations to overcome, and lovely new friends to support you.

33.   Challenge Your Fears

I jumped out of a plane in New Zealand a few years ago. I hate heights. I still hate heights, but I’m far better with them now. That’s just one example of how travelling with confront you with scary situations for you to overcome.

34.   Challenge Your Assumptions

All of us are full of hidden prejudices, beliefs and assumptions. Travel can expose and overturn them.

As a very basic example, you might assume that poor people are unhappy. Seeing poverty in third world countries can instantly challenge that.

35.   Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone

I think I’ve already mentioned this in another point. However, it’s worth re-emphasising. Travel is tough! Unless you’re just lying on a beach somewhere, you’ll be tired, uncomfortable, and challenged at every turn.

36.   Try New Things

I love travelling and exploring because you do new stuff every single day. It’s almost impossible not to. Again, that’s unless you spend your days lying on a beach. Don’t do that (too much).

37.   Make Incredible Memories (a Major Reason I Enjoy Traveling So Much)

Everything I’ve mentioned so far (and will go on to talk about) helps you create incredible memories to relive throughout your life.

It’s said that all we are is a system of memories anyway. If that’s the case, then I’d rather be a system of awesome and adventurous ones.

38.   Gain New Stories to Tell

All those new memories deserve to be shared. You’ll never be short of a story when you’ve been travelling.

39.   Experience Freedom

I hate feeling stifled and restricted. I’ve realised more recently that I also like being my own boss. Why do people travel? Because it’s the ultimate freedom. You decide what you do and where you go at all times.

40.   Experience Independence

For me, independence goes hand in hand with freedom. I’m not reliant on anyone else. If I wish it, it’s literally me versus the world. That can be a scary prospect at times, but it’s liberating too.

Wondering why people travel? I think it’s partly to experience true freedom and independence. I think it’s a major reason you’ll love to travel as well.

41.   Experience True Happiness

Why travel? So you can feel happy!

I’ve never felt happier than I have on the road. Everything I’ve just talked about lends itself to true, deep and long-lasting happiness.

42.   Experience True Human Kindness

You come across some beautiful people on the road. You know, the ones that make you feel downright self-centred by the simple virtue of their kindness and generosity?

You’ll find yourself in a fair few pickles on the road. You’ll also come across your fair share of awesome people willing to lend a hand, asking nothing in return.

43.   Become More Aware of Tricksters

That said, there are also a fair few people who’ll try and take you for a ride. These people aren’t as nice, but they still help out in their own way.

You learn who you can and can’t believe, and to trust in your gut. Those are two invaluable life lessons.

44.   Become More Assertive

Travelling can teach you to be more assertive in yourself. There may be times when people and situations make you feel uncomfortable. There may, in worst case scenarios, be a level of danger as well.

Assertiveness is a useful trait that enables you stand up for yourself and not bow to peer pressure. Travel can help you find it within yourself.

45.   Enjoy Off the Beaten Track Experiences

Sticking to the tourist trail can be awesome. But it’s when you step away from it that the magic can really happen. Away from the hubbub and fuss, you stumble across moments in time that you’ll never forget.

46.   Find Hidden Gems

These off the beaten track experiences also have a habit of exposing hidden gems. Tourist trails are, by definition, popular. That’s where everyone goes.

But it’s the back alleys, lost temples, and forgotten hot spots where the magic really lays. Discovering these hidden gems is another reason everybody loves travel so much!

This is where interacting with the locals can be so helpful. They’ll tell you about the lesser known places to explore.

47.   Appreciate Home Comforts More

It’s insanely easy to take home comforts for granted. Travelling basically takes you away from them all! Wave goodbye to your bed, your mum’s cooking, constant WiFi connectivity, and, often, quality infrastructure. You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone!

48.   Appreciate Friends & Family More

The same goes for the people back home. In the inevitable moments of homesickness, you’re sure to feel their absence. You’ll realise how lucky you are to have these people who you in your life.

49.   Appreciate Modern Technology

You’ll value the technological side of things as well. That’s particularly true when there’s no internet where you are. However, when it is available, you’ll appreciate just how incredible modern tech has become.

Take the ability to instantly connect with friends and family, for example. It’s genuinely amazing. You can be on the other side of the world and see their faces as if they were right there.

50.   Appreciate the Simple Things

A big reason for the trip is that travel strips you back to basics. With just a backpack, you can’t take all of your home comforts with you!

Suddenly, the simple things make a big difference. It’s having the time to just sit and do what you want. It’s the freedom to explore. It’s the appreciation of having a hostel bed to sleep in.

Spending time with the local people of a country is always a highlight of the trip. It’s another reason I love travelling and exploring new places.

Related posts explaining why I love to travel the world!

• Why you should turn your dream of travel into reality
• The advantages and disadvantages of travel
• Is travelling a hobby?!

51.   Realize Your Good Fortune

If you hadn’t realized, I like travelling a lot!

Partly because all that newfound appreciation helps you understand how good you have it normally. Travelling highlights how lucky you are in comparison to the plight of others.

52.   Witness World Problems First Hand

One way in which that happens is by revealing the levels of hardship other people live with. Head to poverty-stricken countries and look around.

People have nothing to their name, living in the dirt and doing what they can to get by…And they’re often the happiest people in the world! It can be massively eye opening.

53.   Expand World Knowledge

Stepping out of your bubble will expose you to new situations and information. Your understanding of the world, and the good and bad that happens, grows all the time.

54.   Learn History of New Countries

Part of that knowledge comes from learning of a new destination’ history.

For example, I went to Cambodia a couple of years ago and found myself inundated with newfound insight into the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime. The same thing can happen anywhere you go.

Thankfully, it isn’t always so depressing! Whatever the case, learning a country’s history is key to understanding its culture and politics. It sheds light on the context that you’re travelling through.

55.   Get Totally Lost

Getting lost has a bad reputation. I’m not a massive fan of it myself.

However, (if you can avoid the bad parts of town) it’s a sure-fire way to get to know a new place better and discover those hidden gems I mentioned earlier.

Equally, thank to mobile phones, it’s often difficult to get truly lost these days anyway.

56.   Find Yourself

There’s more ways than one to feel lost. And, as the classic travel cliché goes, hitting the road is a great way to find yourself in the process.

Remember, you’ll come away having overcome challenges and discovered more about yourself and what you want from life. I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of finding yourself!

57.   Find New Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is another natural by-product of everything you do and overcome on the road. It’s hard not to feel more confidence in your abilities and in yourself.

58.   Mature as a Person

Same goes with maturing.

I always remember getting to university at age 18 and meeting people who’d taken a gap year to go travelling. They were only a year older than me, but they seemed 50 to 10 years more worldly and mature.

Again, I think it’s a natural part of travelling. It forces you to mature.

59.   Become a Better Person All-Around

Everything about travel has the potential to make you a better person. Maturity, self-confidence, self-knowledge, world-knowledge, greater awareness, challenged assumptions…it all adds up to you becoming a better human being.

60.   Time to Relax (Another Major Reason I Like to Travel a Lot)

Travel gives you time to yourself. You might not have had that luxury in years. You might have been working hard-out for half a decade or longer. That’s what society tells us we should do.

Travel gives you a breather. You get to chill out for a change, with nobody breathing down your neck to meet targets, get better grades, and/or step your game up, and so on.

Pictures like this sum up why travel is just outrageously awesome. How could you not love to travel?!

61.   Time to Party

Of course, there’s always time to party as well.

Almost everyone who travels is sure to have their fair share of nights out. Beach parties, street parties, hostel parties, pool parties and house parties are all common.

And there’s no Sunday evening blues to dread either!

62.   Time to Do Anything You Want

You’ll never be short of something to do when you travel.

In fact, sometimes there’s too much to see and experience. In a bid not to miss out on anything, it becomes easy to burnout.

63.   Realise the World’s a Big Place

To travel to one new country is to realise how many others there are to experience as well.

This aspect of travel can actually put people off! I’ve had conversations where someone has argued the lack of point of travelling because there’s always more of it to do! You’ll never see it all, so you may as well stay in one place.

I disagree, obviously. You definitely realise how much there is to see though. I take it as encouragement to keep exploring.

64.   Realise the World’s a Small Place

The world can seem enormous and tiny in the same instance. Go travelling and you’ll almost always meet someone you have a vague (or close) connection to.

You realise how you’re never truly too far disconnected from home.

65.   Learn to Budget

I’d never budgeted before I first went travelling. And it showed! I spent thousands of pounds in the first few months. I remember spending, in 6 weeks on the road what would now last me 6 months!

It was awesome! But it wasn’t exactly sensible from a financial standpoint. Travelling definitely teaches you how to be better with money.

66.   Learn to Pack Lightly

The same goes with packing. The first time I travelled I thought I’d packed minimally, but I could hardly pick up my bag it was so heavy. You learn as you go, though.

By the end of a trip, you’re a packing pro, carrying only as much as you need.

67.   Learn to Live Simply

You learn to value the simple things on the road; you learn to live a simpler life too.

Travelling made me see how little I need to be happy. I realised I didn’t actually gain much from having lots of stuff. My favourite times on the road have been marked by living as simply as possible.

68.   Learn Possessions Aren’t Everything

Going travelling can highlight our reliance on material stuff. You realize you don’t need it. Throwing it out can lead to greater life satisfaction.

69.   Learn Money Isn’t Everything

The same goes for money. The happiest people you tend to meet on the road (especially in terms of locals) are those with the least money. Sure, you definitely need some of it to survive and thrive.

But it is by no means the be-all and end-all.

70.   Learn West Isn’t (Necessarily) Best

Going travelling reveals some of the atrocities western countries have been responsible for overseas.

I love this part of travel because, again, it’s about challenging your assumptions and learning how other countries perceive your own.

You start to understand more about the role your home country has played around the world and the impact it has had (both good and bad).

You don’t need much to be happy. Travelling can take you back to basics. Sometimes it’s the simple pleasures that are best. I like travelling for reminding me of that fact.

71.   Learn the Value of Good Company

In my experience, feeling lonely at times is inevitable when you’re travelling. You realise the importance of having kind-hearted, loving people in your life!

72.   Learn to be Less Judgmental of Yourself

I’m naturally quite critical of myself, and am quick to judge myself harshly as a result. I like travelling because it seems to help me cut this out of my life. I feel more comfortable and happy with who I am.

73.   Learn to be Less Judgmental of Others

The same goes for other people. I think most people tend to judge each other. It seems natural. However, being too quick to judge is never good.

Travel surrounds you with people you might never otherwise hang out with. It challenges stereotypes and helps you see people for who they really are.

74.   Learn that Strangers Aren’t (Always) Scary

We’re taught as children never to talk to strangers.

You can understand why, but it creates a general idea of distrust when it comes to people you don’t know. You’ll be around strangers at all times when you travel!

You realize the vast majority are lovely, friendly and helpful.

75.   Learn When Strangers Are Scary (& How to Discern)

Of course, you always get the occasional bad egg. Remember, travel helps you become more assertive, and to trust your gut.

Similarly, it can give you greater insight into the people you want to spend time with, and who you should avoid.

76.   Learn How Capable You Are

Travel helps people to flourish. They go into the trip as a caterpillar, and emerge as a beautiful butterfly! You realize you can do far more than you first thought.

77.   Learn New Skills

Travelling provides its own sort of education. Remember, you’ll be discovering hidden talents! Part of that comes from learning entirely new skills.

78.   Learn New Languages

Wherever you’re travelling, it’s always good to learn some words of the local language. It helps you connect with the locals, who’ll appreciate the effort (even if you just know how to say thank you!).

You may never become fluent, but you’ll definitely get an introduction to new world languages.

79.   Learn to Cook

Never cooked for yourself? Travel’s the time to learn. Unless you want to blow your budget by eating out every meal, then you’ll have to!

Even better, in some countries you can do a cookery course and learn how to make the local dish.

80.   Learn How to Be Alone

This is a big one for most people. Many of us never spend time alone in our daily lives. We go out of our way to surround ourselves with others.

But being alone is crucial to learning about yourself. Constant stimulation obscures how you feel and who you are. Stripping all that away by being alone can be a challenge. Solo travel often forces you into it.

You’ll be going to restaurants alone, exploring monuments alone, and touring cities alones…and so on. Before long you’ll be an expert at being by yourself, and feeling at ease in the process.

Travel teaches you how to be alone. It’s a valuable lesson.

81.   Learn to Take Things Less Seriously

The stresses of day to day life can make anyone highly strung. Things seem serious, and we lose our sense of humour. Travel can provide the time to unwind. You become more relaxed and easy going.

82.   Learn to Let Things Unfold

You also learn to take things as they come. Some things can’t be controlled, and no amount of stressing out will change them.

I think the sheer amount of uncertainty and new experience involved with travelling helps you learn that the hard way! Over time you just stop caring as much and allow things to happen.

83.   Learn the Standard Life Routine Isn’t Obligatory

This one’s big for me. Up until a few years ago I sort of assumed that life had a particular trajectory.

School, uni, job, career. That’s what I saw myself doing. But I’m not sure that’s exactly what I wanted. More than anything, I just couldn’t see outside of that path. I think I’d been fed the idea of that life for so long that it shut me off to alternatives.

Now, having travelled and had a taste of something a bit different, it’s the last thing I want.

84.   Learn You Can Do Whatever You want

In reality, there’s no limit to what you can do. Travel freed my mind up to different possibilities. At a basic level, it made me want to travel more. Sitting at a desk lost its appeal.

85.   Understand the Need to Protect the Planet

I’ve already mentioned how travelling exposes you to how beautiful the world is. You can’t see that beauty and not want to preserve and protect it.

It’s a work in progress for me. I mean, I fly to new countries and just bought an old van to drive around in. That’s hardly environmentally friendly.

But I’m far more aware of my actions now, which has to be worth something. I’m also taking steps in other areas of life to offset and reduce my personal impact.

86.   Get a Break from Technology

So, travel makes you realize how awesome modern technology is.

However, it can also be a great excuse to get a detox from it. When was the last time you spent an entire day without looking at a screen? Like me, I’m guessing it was a while ago.

Travel gives you a rest from it and reminds you there’s more to life than what’s on your mobile.

87.   Get a Much Needed Rest

Life can be hard. It’s full of ups and downs and stress and strife. It can feel non-stop.

Travel, at a very basic level, can offer a perfect break. That newfound time on your hands gets put to good use: you get a chance to chill out and rest up.

88.   Get Through Personal Hardship

Everyone goes through tough times in life. Life throws everybody their fair share of lemons. Some people get bombarded more than others.

I’ve been very lucky in my life. However, when I have experienced hardship, travel has been the best antidote I could have asked for.

It gives you time to breathe, process, have fun, and meet new people. It drags you out of yourself and back into the world.

89.   Improve Your Career Prospects

Many people worry that travel will set them back in terms of their career.

And it can! You’ll probably be behind your mates in career-terms when you get back home. However, you’ll have had an epic experience in the interim.

Even better, it can also help. Travel is increasingly common. Employers know that and realise how beneficial it can be in developing you as a potential employee.

Overall, don’t stress about the travel-sized gap on your CV.

90.   Spend Time Outdoors

Time in nature is literally good for your health. It’s been proven scientifically. You’ll almost certainly spend a fair amount of time outside in nature when you travel.

Travel gets you out into the great outdoors. Check out those views! You gotta love it.

Related travel posts you might enjoy:

• 50 Interesting Facts About Travelling
• 75 Essential Things to Take On Any Trip
• Is Travelling a Hobby? Here’s Why the Answer’s “NO”
• The Pros & Cons of Studying Abroad
• What Is Heritage Tourism?

91.   Chase the Sun

Here’s another big reason why I love travel. It takes me to the sunshine! I don’t do well with bad weather (despite being a Brit). Being in warm and sunny climates immediately raises my mood.

92.   Sleep in Novel Places

This one’s a little out of left field.

However, go travelling and you may find yourself sleeping in some funny old places. A bad night’s sleep isn’t necessarily something I love about travel. But the stories behind them are always fun.

93.   Live in Novel Places

Travel takes you to the farthest corners of the globe and some of the weirdest and most wonderful experiences you’ll ever have.

You end up living a totally different life, in entirely new places. And it’s awesome.

94.   Get Comfortable Being Dirty

I feel very clean when I’m not travelling!

Obviously you don’t have to live dirtily when you’re on the road.

However, there may be times when you don’t have access to a shower, and you’ve been on the move for a while. You start to realise that a bit of dirt and grime isn’t the end of the world.

95.   Do Things You Never Thought Possible

You’ll find yourself in genuinely mind-blowing situations when you travel.

I remember going caving in New Zealand a few years ago. At one point we were deep underground in the pitch black, floating on rubber rings down a river, staring upwards at luminescent glow worms.

It was genuinely surreal- one of those moments you really have to pinch yourself to make sure it’s actually happening.

You’ll find yourself in similar situations if you decide to travel as well.

96.   Tick Things off Your Bucket List

Got a bucket list of things you have to do before you die?

Travel will help you tick items off it. You don’t even need an actual list of things you want to do.

At the end of your travels you’ll look back on the experience and realize how many incredible things you’ve done, and how you’ve contributed to your life.

Writing your bucket list? Here are 50 simple ideas to help out.

97.   Feel Inspired

It’s difficult to travel and not be inspired by the experience. You step outside your day to day and realize how much more is possible.

The people, the sights, the experiences, the memories…there’s almost always something inspirational to enjoy.

Want to feel inspired? This guide should help you find inspiration in your life.

98.   Feel Meaning and Purpose

Meaning and purpose are central to living a happy life. Without them, everything can start to feel pointless.

Travelling can imbue life with both. Or, perhaps, the question of ‘what’s the point?’ just matters less when you’re doing such incredible things. Either way, life feels that bit more fulfilling.

99.   Feel More Connected

Travel creates a sense of connection.

You’re there, present, and living it. You feel connected with the moment, connected to the rest of the world, connected within yourself, connected with other people.

You feel less of a lonely individual, and part of something greater than yourself.

100.   Feel Care Free

Last but not least: a liberating sense of being totally care-free.

Life can be stressful! How often do you feel overwhelmed and anxious about one thing or another? When was the last time you felt truly free of worries?

Holidays are good, but you know you’ll be back to reality in a few days.

Travel, by contrast, can be truly restorative. Worries and concerns don’t just disappear; travel comes with its fair share of trials and tribulations. However, it’s totally different in nature.

In general, life on the road can be entirely care-free, and lived with true, unadulterated abandon. And I love it.

Travelling helps you feel totally care free. I’ve never been happier than I have on the road.

Remember My Reasons for Travelling & Why I Love Travel!

As you can tell, I love travelling…a lot! I hope those 100 reasons for travel justify why that’s the case, and why I think you’ll love to travel too.

For me, more often than not, my love for travelling boils down to three little words: life is short.

It’s clichéd, for sure. But it’s also fact. Pretending it isn’t is a recipe for wasted time. If you’re determined to make the most of your time, then I think travel’s the perfect way to do it.

I’d love to know if any of the reasons I love travelling sound particularly compelling!?

Which, if any, could convince you to travel? Let me know in the comments!

Understand the reason for travelling? Pin this post to help others do the same!

Like this post overing the reasons is travelling? Pin it!

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2 thoughts on “My Love for Travelling | 100 Reasons Why I Love Travel”

how long do u like to go travelling for. I want to travel the world but im still unsure hoe long i want to go for

Hey Jim! I actually travel full-time these days as I work online, which works great for me. I think it’s different for everyone though- for some people, a few weeks does the trick; for others, it might be 3, 6 or 12 months that’s best. If you’ve not travelled before, then why not test the waters? Buy yourself a one-way ticket somewhere (with enough cash in the bank for a return flight at some point in future) and see what you think. Keep on going until you’re ready to come home! Hope that helps, and enjoy the travels, wherever and whenever you go (and for however long!) 🙂

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Why I Love Travelling – a personal story about how travel changed my life

Aug 6, 2022 | Feature | 0 comments

If you’re still wondering why I love travelling so much, then read on for my personal story about how travel changed my life! It’s hard to imagine where it all began because I wasn’t raised to see the world. But once the floodlights switched on and I had a taste of travel, there was no coming back. Travelling has opened my eyes to new cultures and different ways of life and shown me an endless amount of natural beauty. It has changed me as a person for the better and given me experiences that I will never forget.

There are special memories in life, like when I met my wife for the first time, my kids were born, and we bought our first house and truly felt like adults. But for me, some of my most cherished memories are from my travels. I love the adventure and excitement that comes with planning a trip, not knowing what lies ahead but being confident that it will be amazing.

Hey, not that my wedding day over 16 years ago and the day my kids were born don’t top the list; of course, they do. However, there is something about getting away from every day and exploring our big beautiful world.

From the first time I stepped foot on a plane as a young adult, I was hooked. I loved everything about flying; the anticipation of takeoff, the views from above, and finally touching down at a new destination. The sense of freedom and adventure that comes with travel is unlike anything else. And I knew that I wanted more.

So, why do I love travelling? For me, it’s all about the experiences. Each new place I visit presents an opportunity to learn something new, see things from a different perspective and make memories that will last a lifetime. 

Whether watching the sunset over the Himalayas in Nepal, I was hiking the jungle in Borneo or enjoying a coffee in a Bali cafe. While travelling, I will always create memories that I will treasure forever.

The sunrise from Chisapani in Nepal.

Why do I love travelling, and how did it change my life? Let’s go back a bit before I even saw another country outside of Australia. By the end, you’ll understand why I love travelling and how I can’t stop.

Unless a virus takes control of the world, naturally.

I never travelled internationally growing up.

I don’t think I am alone in this because international travel is undoubtedly more convenient in modern times than in my youthful years in the 80s and 90.s. But my family never went on holidays overseas, except for domestic trips to Sydney from Melbourne. That was fine, Sydney was superb, and the memories were strong, especially the beachside area of Manly. Yet, international travel remained a mystery. 

However, going overseas was a pipedream growing up. It all changed when I got my first real job and joined the Australian Army.

My first overseas trip came about a deployment in the Army.

On my first overseas trip, I didn’t even have a passport. I didn’t need one getting deployed to another country with the Army, so that’s always a remarkable fact I like to mention from time to time. How is this for a little fun fact?

Anyway, my deployment was peacekeeping in East Timor, and I was there for just three months. It was a fantastic experience and one that changed my life in so many ways that I am forever grateful for.

However, it wasn’t a holiday. Besides being based in the hills of Bobonaro with fantastic views near the Indonesian Border, there wasn’t a lot of time to be a tourist.

Visiting South Korea is when travelling truly opened my eyes.

Okay, my first real trip overseas with an official passport happened in 2005 when I visited Seoul, South Korea, with my Korean girlfriend. Spoiler alert She became my wife, and we’ve been married 16-plus years now, so happy ending and all that.

But this is where I had what I like to call my ‘travel epiphany’. I hadn’t given travel much thought, but being in Korea and seeing the sights of Seoul, exploring the city region and seeing impressive palaces and temples and so forth was genuinely fantastic. I loved it; I was beginning to get the travel bug.

The Gyeongbokgung Palace must be on your list during your vacation in Seoul.

A travelling Halt as Marriage and Kids took over.

Unfortunately, a trip to South Korea would be the last trip abroad for eight years, that’s right, eight years! Because we got married, had kids and bought a house, the critical stuff required in adulthood. Which is excellent, I love being a husband and father, but the travel itch was still there. I often researched for trips, but timing and financings were not there.

But why do I love travelling? Especially when I barely touched the surface in the travel stratosphere.

It’s hard to explain why I love travelling so much because it is an indescribable feeling whether you travel a lot or not.

But as circumstances changed, kids grew older, and we had a bit more money, we finally started to travel again.

And I haven’t stopped since!

Travel restarted with a trip to Fiji.

Suppose I ever think about why I love travelling. In that case, the paradise islands of Fiji in the Pacific stand out because it was here on the beaches of Fiji that I realized that I wanted to travel more. That I needed to see more places and explore this big wide world we live in.

However, it was not only the stunning beachside resorts and cocktails that helped too; the locals were the kindest people I had ever met. They had this unique way of life and culture that I wanted to learn more about.

If a tiny island country could get me enthusiastic about the rest of the world, I was keen to see what other countries had in store.

I was visiting a boutique island in Fiji.

Then Asia came calling again, and I never looked back.

Fiji got the blood pumping for travel. Therefore it was time to travel more frequently. With Asia being the most affordable place to travel from Australia, it became my haven for a trip.

Over the years following Fiji and before the virus hit the world, which took travel to a halt, I visited terrific destinations.

I return trips to South Korea, expanding further than Seoul and seeing beautiful destinations in Muju, Busan and Jeju. I had several trips to Bali, Malaysia and Thailand. I’ll never forget my tenth wedding Anniversary in Koh Samui, Thailand, where it became the Island of Love.

I became well-travelled in Asia, but what stands out the most was two adventures of different kinds. Firstly, in 2017, was the volunteering experience I had in Vientiane, Laos, where I tried my hand at teaching English to school kids and monks.

The second unbelievable experience was hiking in Nepal, just outside Kathmandu, and seeing the unbelievable Himalayas with my two eyes. It was better than any picture I could see on social media or television.

The continent of Asia is spectacular for many reasons, and I’m excited to see what else is out there in this big wide world. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll conquer Europe or even Africa! And that’s why I love travelling, it changes you as a person, witnessing experiences of different cultures in different destinations.

Happy and smiling from a high vantage point in Koh Samui in Thailand.

My most memorable trips to this date

Hiking in Nepal, volunteering in Laos or having a wedding anniversary in Koh Samui all stands out, but what indeed is the most memorable trip. Well, I can tell you, it’s none of the above.

• Kyoto in Japan – Japan is incredible, and Kyoto is a beautiful city to get lost in for a few days. I saw the best tourist attractions, the Fushimi Inari-Taisha and the Kinkaku-Ji, to only name a few best places to visit in Kyoto. The temples, the food and the culture make this place very special to me.
• South Korea – Whether it’s Seoul, Busan, Jeju, or Gyeongju, there’s an excellent reason I’ve returned to Korea on numerous occasions . It’s a beautiful country with something new, whether the food, the nightlife, or just exploring a new neighbourhood.
• Nusa Lembongan in Indonesia – The beautiful island of Bali, Nusa Lembongan is the perfect place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of city life. With its turquoise waters, white sand beaches and coral reefs, it’s easy to spend a few days on the island and cherish life and what is around you.

Paradise awaits any traveller on arrival in Nusa Lembongan.

How my love for travel opened my world to travel writing

The love of travel inspired my blog, Fair Dinkum Traveller, which started in 2016. It’s a place where I share my personal travel stories, itineraries and tips to help others explore this big wide world we live in.

I have visited some unique places as a travel writer and influencer through writing. I’ve written about travel destinations, especially my immense love of Asia and my home country in Australia.

I’ve been very fortunate to have articles published in well-known travel publications, giving me more opportunities to quench my thirst for travel.

But why do I write about travel? I want to inspire others to get out there and explore this big wide world we live in. I want others to know that seeing the world is possible, whether you’re from a small town or city.

And that’s why I love travelling, because it changes you as a person, witnessing experiences of different cultures in different destinations.

How did you catch the travel bug? Please let me know in the comments below.

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‘Love Hard’ Review: Seeking Connection, Not Perfection

When a perennially single journalist travels across the country to meet her dream guy, she finds she’s been catfished.

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By Concepción de León

“Love Hard,” directed by Hernán Jiménez, centers on Natalie (Nina Dobrev), a Los Angeles journalist who chronicles her unlucky dating encounters for a digital publication. When she matches with her dream guy on the East Coast, Tag (Darren Barnet), she decides on a whim to surprise him for the holidays.

Things take a turn when Natalie discovers she’s been catfished by Josh (Jimmy O. Yang), Tag’s childhood friend. To make it up to her, Josh offers to help set her up with Tag.

The film, streaming on Netflix , explores the pitfalls of online dating and how focusing on physical appearance can backfire. It’s a message reinforced throughout the movie, including with a derisive comment describing “Love Actually” as “a movie about people falling in love based on how they look.”

Josh, the catfisher, is a refreshing romantic comedy protagonist. He’s a Chinese American candle-maker living in his family’s basement whose passions and traumas viewers get to know throughout the film. Yang delivers some funny one-liners, such as when he quips that, in some cultures, “height and facial symmetry are repulsive.” And Josh’s competitive dynamic with his brother gives viewers a reason to root for him.

But Dobrev’s character is underdeveloped. We learn that she has an unhealthy attachment to perfection and is stuck in a narrative reinforced by her day job. It is Josh that propels her story forward, and she ends up serving as a prop for his becoming. In presenting a female character who is attractive, but bereft of substance, the movie subverts its own premise.

It brings to mind the observation by bell hooks, in her seminal book “All About Love,” that while women are often the practitioners of love, men get to theorize about it. This idea is reinforced by an interaction between Natalie and her boss. When she asks to take a break from writing about disaster dates and asks instead to write her New York love story, he responds, “You’ve got to leave the serious stuff to real journalists, like Steve.”

Love Hard Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

Concepción de León is a travel reporter based in New York. More about Concepción de León

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33 Meaningful Reasons Why People LOVE to Travel

A World in Reach contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a commission at no cost to you! Read my full disclosure here .

“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.

Friday, 19 April 2024

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Why I love to travel: 30+ powerful reasons to travel now

Since I have a travel blog, it’s clear that I love to travel. But you may ask: why do people love to travel? And I have to tell you that there are many powerful reasons to travel – and I’ll share them below!

I hope this article will show you the benefits of traveling more and will make you want to start planning your next trip and even give you some great travel destinations ideas.

Don’t forget about our series of free insider destinations guides for places across the globe, travel guides that include top tourist attractions, off the beaten path things to do, restaurants, hotels, and tips for each place.

You create special memories

My love for travel started when I was very young. My mom took me to the mountains as often as she could, as a toddler and as a child.

I have many wonderful memories from that period – sometimes only glimpses: a nun at a monastery giving me a special yogurt (I was lactose intolerant, which wasn’t a thing 38 years ago and there were NO alternatives for people with my condition… – however, in Cheia, a mountain resort in Romania, there was a monastery that had milk and yogurt made in-house that I could tolerate. Yes, odd, but I was thankful for that.)

I remember picking up wildflowers with my mom. I remember climbing mountains or visiting special resorts and, I have to admit, now I go back to those resorts with the love and affection – treasured travel destinations for me in Romania – Busteni, Sinaia.

Oh, travel for me is a trip down memory lane! I could go on and on!

One special tradition I created when my son was born, was to travel each year to a new place – doing something special.

Yes, he went to the seaside for the first time on his birthday. We went to a bear sanctuary last year. We went with a cable car in Sinaia the year before.

You get the picture.

Each year – at least as long as we’ll be able to – we’ll do this and I hope Eric will treasure these moments when he’ll grow

up (he’ll be 9 this year) as much as I treasure each memory I have from my trips with my mom and grandmother from back when I was a little girl.

Creating happy memories is something we all aspire to, and according to studies (read Meik Wiking, The art of making memories). So, where do you want to create your new happy memories?

If you need some inspiration, maybe choose some of the safest travel destinations https://www.earthsattractions.com/the-safest-cities-in-the-world-to-visit-right-now/ to visit right now for your next trips!

You discover new cultures

One of the top reasons why I love to travel is that I get to discover new cultures.

By discovering new lifestyles and different traditions, you’ll get to see the differences between your culture and the one of the countries you are visiting, but also to notice similarities.

You will also get the chance to see, see that it’s possible to do something in a different manner and to live in a different way.

Travel is Food for Thought. Literally.

That’s definitely a reason why so many people love to travel around the world.

You learn new languages or practice your foreign languages learned in school

I am blessed to come from a country where all the TV shows and music and everything is distributed in the native language. Movies have subtitles, but they are not dubbed.

That’s actually how I first learned English. I would watch TV series and movies and listen to music and try to understand the words, to associate the way word sounds with how it could be written in English, a language that’s very different than Romanian which is a phonetic language.

From TV I also learned some Spanish and Italian, and I studied German and French in school.

One of the top benefits of travelling for me is that I get to use the languages I learned in school or from TV, I get to expand my vocabulary re, language or at least some words in a new language.

It’s an amazing feeling to be able to get along with the locals in their mother tongue. and, and while it may be challenging for me because I don’t use French or German or Spanish or Italian every day, as opposed to English, it’s still great practice and it’s wonderful to be able to make use of what you learned in school.

I actually notice all the time I’m how happy the locals are when I interact with them in their mother tongue or when, if I don’t know the language, I’m at least making an effort to say the basic words in their language, even though the rest is in English.

One of the top reasons to travel is the fact that it will relax you. You forget, even if for a little while, of your everyday tasks and worries, and you are free.

You are out of your usual routine, you are trying new stuff, you are recharging your batteries. I guess that if we would ask the question “why people love to travel”, relaxation will be one of the top reasons to travel for many people.

Admiring the beauty of this world – waterfalls, beaches, oceans, mountains, flowers, wildlife

Our planet is stunning and there are numerous Earth’s attractions that will mesmerize everyone.

Whether you like impressive waterfalls, stunning beaches were just to admire the wonderful wildlife, whether you like the ocean, sand dunes, or mountains, you’ll definitely find many great travel destinations for you.

Admiring the beauty of this world is one of the reasons for travel! In fact, easily discover that there are so many places to visit across the globe, that it will be hard for you to choose where to go first and you’ll end up with a huge bucket list.

Enjoying local food

While I admit I’m not very adventurous when it comes to food in my own country when I travel I try to sample the best of the local food. I’m in like some dishes, I made this like others, but I would have tried them at least!

The further you go from home, the bigger the chances to discover fruits, vegetables, and food combinations that you don’t have at home, not even imported sometimes. So how can you resist the temptation of trying new foods?

So, for me, one of the reasons that I love to travel is that I get to discover the local cuisine of the place I am visiting.

Discovering local traditions

Many people visiting Romania on Christmas or Easter or on some other special local celebrations discover the unique way in which we are celebrating each holiday.

They are open to learning more about new cultures and their traditions, and so am I when I travel. I don’t always get to visit a new place when there is a special holiday or event taking place there, but if there is such a holiday, or fair or Carnival, I try to learn as much as possible about it and to enjoy it.

Visiting amazing tourist attractions

You can choose something that’s close to you – for instance, these are the most visited tourist attractions in Europe – or go anywhere you want to.

Whether you are looking for instagrammable places to visit in Asia or iconic landmarks in the USA, you have where to choose from!

So, create choose your next destination, create your travel itinerary , and start travelling.

I can only wish you to have happy and safe travels, no matter where you go!

Find out interesting curiosities

One of the books I recently read focused on curiosities from across the globe. I read it with my son, because it’s a book created for children, but I admit that I found out numerous things I didn’t know about people, traditions, wonderful initiatives across the globe.

Some of them were so unusual, that I actually decided to look them up to see if they are true or not. And they were true. All of them.

And then I realised that it’s not such a big surprise, or at least it shouldn’t be. In fact, I two discovered numerous curious things both when travelling domestically and when travelling internationally.

I have to see that sometimes the first thing that I’m called about the given place I visited, is such a curious fact I discovered there.

Meeting new people – and gaining new friends

I know that one of the reasons people love to travel is that they can meet new people and even make new friends.

I too love to interact with the locals when I’m travelling, because it’s a great opportunity to learn more about that place, it’s history and culture, off the beaten path things to do. Sometimes I keep in touch with these people even after leaving that particular place.

Visiting friends or relatives or people you’ve met online

Linked to the previous thing, another great reason to travel is that you can visit friends and relatives living in different cities or countries across the globe.

This way you’ll feel welcome and you know that you will have someone to guide you through the city and spend time with you, so you won’t be a complete stranger in that place.

Another great experience is to meet in real life some of the people you’ve been interacting with for a while now online. As a travel blogger, I made some friends online.  It is a privilege every single time I get to meet one of them in real life. if

Discover art and museums

I love to visit museums, and from technical to art or unusual museums, I visit them all.

In fact, museums lure many tourists in various cities across the globe. They are special, they offer a view into our past, and each and every museum, no matter how small or big, gives us an opportunity to evolve, intellectually speaking. When I saw the list of the most visited museums in the world , I couldn’t be happier to notice that I visited some of those.

Obviously, at home and on my travels, I went to many more museums that didn’t make this list, but that are just as good –  including Musee d’Orsay or Schonbrunn Palace , cool art museums in Bucharest, Romania , my hometown, or some museums in Vienna .

I was pleased to hear the conclusions of a recent study which showed that people interacting with art – museums, exhibits, concerts – live longer – so I instantly added a few Amsterdam museums to my list of places to visit very soon! 

Broaden your perspective

Travelling helps you see the big picture and this is one of the reasons why travel is good for your health and wellbeing. 

You can better understand the local conditions and circumstances, you can better understand why some people wish for something or not, and you get to understand that and you are very small in this world.

You begin to realise how different elements influence the evolution of the world today, and you start to go beyond news read on Facebook wear with some media outlets, and go deep within the locals minds and their concerns.

Also, as you travel, you get to see different perspectives, which, sometimes, are different than yours. And that’s a great reason to travel because you are broadening your perspective and you are getting a clearer picture of the world today.

Discovering that we are different, yet the same! – removing prejudices

Each person is unique, and each country and city has its particularities. We are indeed all unique, but, as you travel more, you come to realise that we are also pretty similar in many ways.

The grass is always greener on the other side we believe, but that’s not always the truth, you discover.

There is no perfection anywhere, and it’s up to you what you want to notice: the good or the bad, and what you decide to do with what you discover.

If you are always complaining about your country – and trust me I know many people who do that (read The Key to Happiness by Meik Wiking) – you may be discovered that they are people from other countries complaining about the same things.

Yes, it happened to me too to discover people from Nordic European countries complaining about the same issues we are having in Romania and considering that they have the worst of it.

One of the benefits of travelling is to remove prejudice. We may have some ideas about different countries or areas of the country,  different stereotypes.

Now these stereotypes may be true for some people in that area or country, but you’ll soon realise that it’s not something that can describe everyone there.

So there you have it: another great reason for around the world travel is that you get to discover how people really are, if the stereotypes are true or not, and you get to realise that we are all the same in some manners.

Doing something different – experience new things

I wouldn’t say that I’m the most adventurous person on Earth, but I tried to experience new things so when I travel.

True, there’s a safety line I wouldn’t cross, but sometimes I push my limits. And it’s great. I’m not risking my life, but I’m doing something different, and if the experience is good, then I have a new great memory and the story to tell.

Learn more about yourself

When you travel, you learn more about yourself and this is one of the unexpected travel benefits.

You see how you react in certain circumstances, what your beliefs are, and that’s great.

Travelling becomes a way to know yourself better, and that’s never a bad thing. On the contrary, that’s one of the top travelling benefits.

When you are travelling with your significant other, you learn more about you as a couple. you discover your dynamic, your preferences, beliefs, willingness to change and so on and so forth.

Travelling is a discovery journey: that of the world and of oneself.

Discovering your issues and fears and overcoming them

When you travel you may discover some issues you didn’t even know you had or fears.

And the best part? You may even overcome your fears or issues – one of the cool unexpected benefits of travelling.

I’m afraid of heights, for example, but I wanted to fly with an airplane. So I overcame my fear and I had an amazing trip to Paris and back. I was able to admire the sky and the mountains seen from above, and that, for me, was a huge win.

Get out of your comfort zone

One of the reasons people love to travel is that they can get out of their comfort zone, just as I did when I wanted to fly. Pushing yourself beyond your regular limits can be a good thing.

It can boost your confidence, it can show you that you can do more, and it can offer you through amazing experiences you would have otherwise missed.

Experience true happiness

Being free, doing what you want when you want, going where you want –  that’s true happiness. And travel brings this to you.

This is actually one of the top reasons why I love to travel.

Do something that seems unreal

Admiring an impressive waterfall may seem simple and common for some, but it is an amazing experience for me. But perhaps the most and the real experience I had was to see The Milky Way one night.

It looked just like in my encyclopedias as on TV or YouTube videos. Truly amazing!

Another thing that we like to do is to go, as often as possible, near a city and admire the meteorite shower taking place each summer.

One more great experience we share as a family and another reason to travel, even if it’s just a short distance from our house.

Learn to budget

One of the great things about travelling is that it helps you to be better with your finances.

As you plan your trip ahead, you need to budget everything: accommodation, transport, food, entry fees, souvenirs, etc. It helps you save money for your trips and to manage your budget while you are traveling. That’s something you really need on an everyday basis and one of the 30+ reasons why travel is important included in this article.

Learn to plan

As you can visit a specific city or area for a given amount of time, you learn to plan your trips better so that you can go everywhere you want to go and do everything you want to do.

These planning skills you are developing will help you on your job and on your personal life as well, so this is another benefit of travelling you have to consider.

Learn to be organized

As you learn to better manage your finances and to plan things, you’ll realise you are getting more and more organised.

This advantage of travelling will help you in your everyday activities and in your personal life, so go ahead and travel more!

Learn new skills (cooking classes or other types of classes)

Why you are travelling you can actually learn new things and skills. You may take a cooking class,  a pottery class, or a drumming lesson in Tokyo .

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn a new thing or skill, because they are truly beneficial for you and your health. You boost your brain and memory!

Boost your confidence

As you manage to sort everything out – the budget, planning your trips, packing your bag for a week in less than 30 minutes -,  as you get to be more open to interacting with new people, you’ll see a boost in your confidence.

You discover you can do it! In fact, this boost of your confidence is one of the top reasons why you should travel more because it will help you in every aspect of your life later.

Understand the need to protect the Earth

As you travel you’ll see that in order for everyone to be able to enjoy the beauty of our planet and the amazing natural wonders, which really need to keep the planet as is, to make it better, not worse.

You understand the more the people who are trying to gather garbage and the ones that try to limit the use of plastic.

More importantly, you realise that each action counts and that it’s important to recycle and to protect the Earth every single day,  for us, for our children and for the next generations to follow.

Spend time outdoors

There are studies showing that spending time outdoors is beneficial to our health, and travelling can help with that.

Depending on your skills and health, you can go hiking, taking long walks in the parks and beautiful botanical gardens, swimming, kayaking, going to the beach, skiing, etc.

While in your hometown you may not go outside as much as possible, and rather spend your time at the office, at home, at the mall, all when you travel you may be at least tempted to go more outdoors and that will be good for you and your health and spirit. This is one of the main reasons why travel is good for you!

Reduce the stress – feel carefree

There are studies that show travel can reduce the risk of a heart attack , and that it helps to manage stress and negative emotions .

Even taking just short vacations improves lowering your stress levels .

I admit, this is one of the top reasons why I love to travel and I feel rejuvenated, relaxed, and empowered after each trip or vacation I take!

Travel can reduce depression

Yes, travel can reduce depression and can impact, in a positive way, marital relationships, according to a study . You can easily see why travel is good for your health and your wellbeing!

So take as many trips or holidays as possible, as lowering the risk of depression is a great reason to travel more.

Learn to let go – Let things unfold

We are sometimes very cringy and stressed about what might happen, how things may unfold, what we want or what we think is good for us. We are on tight schedules and tight objectives.

When you travel more you actually learn to let go, to let things unfold.

And, as you do that, you will realise that you get more relaxed. you don’t need to control every single step and you are actually getting better results by letting go.

This may sound like a paradox –  and I have to say that it took me a while to understand it as well,  but as you learn to let go, you start to get the results you want because you are not cringing obsessing about anything, and you feel that you are worthy of what it is that you want to get.

Learn new skills and improve your career prospect

As mentioned a bit above, when you travel you’re learning new skills and they can help you in every aspect of your life.

As you get to discover more about how things work in a given country and culture, you may begin to see things in a new way and even do things in a different way, which may prove to be more efficient.

All the things you learn and the skills you are developing while you are travelling can improve your career prospects and give you an advantage when looking for a place to work.

And if you are trying to get a job in a multinational company, having interacted with people from different countries is definitely a huge asset for you.

Improve social and communication skills

As you travel more you often need to interact with the locals – to get directions to a specific place, to learn more about history or traditions, etc.

It may seem hard at first, especially if you are an introvert, but as you practice you’ll see that it gets easier and easier.

It becomes your second nature to speak with people from different countries and cultures, and did you get over the language barrier and fears, and doubting yourself, and you become better.

Yeah, improving your social and communication skills is one of the big reasons to travel!

Become more tolerant

It may surprise you to hear this, but as you travel more you become more aware of your own flaws.

And you get to accept that you are not perfect and that you can improve yourself.

As you do that, and as you become more aware of the differences between people and of the different ways to do something, and different lifestyles that are out of there, you get to become more tolerant –  and this is one of the huge benefits of travel.

As you can easily see, there are plenty of great reasons to travel. From the positive impact it has on your health, to the benefits to your career and your relationships, and to your personal development, travelling impacts every area of your life in a positive manner.

So travel more and be better.

Don’t think for an instant that you have to go overseas to travel. You can start locally, and go from there.

I hope the reasons to travel included in this article – and, as you probably might have noticed, I tried to group them to the best of my abilities –  will convince you to take as many trips as you can, shorter or longer, doesn’t matter as long as you travel.

For more information about quality and amazing backpacks for traveling check Tucker & Bloom .

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I'm a chef who shops at Trader Joe's. Here are 15 things I pick up every week for my family of 3.

• As a private chef and mom of a 3-year-old living in New York City, I love shopping at Trader Joe's.
• Jasmine rice, harrisa, butter, and bone broth are some of the stables I pick up every week.
• I also like to shop for salad kits , tofu, and dark-chocolate-covered pretzels at Trader Joe's.

I'm a professional private chef. But that doesn't mean I eat fancy meals at home every night, especially not with a 3-year-old.

As a working mom in New York City, I'm pretty much the target audience for Trader Joe's easy snacks, ingredients, and meals, and I usually shop there once a week.

Here are some of the staples in my shopping cart.

I'm always stocking up on jasmine rice.

As a Pakistani, my family's diet includes a lot of rice.

I love Trader Joe's jasmine rice because the bags are pretty big, the grains aren't typically crushed or broken, and it cooks up beautifully.

Harissa is great for adding flavor to meals.

Harissa is one of my favorite chili pastes out there, and Trader Joe's makes a really good one that's not too oily.

Smoky, hot, and floral, the paste is great in a marinade or as a spread inside a sandwich. I sometimes add a dollop to soups, for some mellow heat and depth of flavor.

I love Trader Joe's gluten-free pasta.

The store's gluten-free pasta is a hit in my home (and with my clients). None of them can tell it's almost 20% quinoa, and I like that it pairs well with all the typical sauces.

I boil half a bag at a time and mix it with sauce or loads of butter when I need a quick meal for my daughter.

The dark-chocolate-covered pretzels are just for me.

Trader Joe's perfectly, salty, crunchy, and chocolaty pretzels were a wonderful discovery. I keep them all to myself when I get home from the store.

I recommend the sweet and salty treat to everyone.

Tofu is a staple in my shopping cart.

I like Trader Joe's firm, organic tofu. It's not too hard or soft, holds its shape while frying, and soaks up sauces and marinades really well.

It's also one of the most inexpensive protein options at the grocery store.

I stock my freezer with edamame for a quick snack.

Edamame is always a hit. It lasts forever in the freezer, and it's a great, filling snack.

I like that the Trader Joe's shelled edamame is already salted, making it easy to just microwave or pop in boiling water before serving.

Trader Joe's hash browns are hard to beat.

I always have Trader Joe's hash browns in my freezer. They are, in my opinion, the best hash browns out there.

They're perfectly seasoned and easy to heat in a pan or the toaster oven . I make them for my daughter on weekend mornings with an egg, and I love mine with a side of ketchup or hot sauce.

Tortillas are a great carb option for weekly meals.

I like to have a variety of carb options in my pantry, and tortillas are a great choice.

I buy the ones with a mix of corn and wheat, making them soft and flavorful. I like to use them for breakfast tacos , or I'll fill them with ground beef, chicken, or beans and cheese for a quick meal.

Green beans are a crowd favorite in my house.

Good green beans are hard to dislike.

I like the small packets at Trader Joe's — especially because the ends usually aren't brown, meaning they're fresh.

Trader Joe's has some of the most convenient avocados.

I buy a bag of Trader Joe's avocados for my house and my clients.

When they're available, I prefer the "teeny tiny" option because I can use it all in one sitting, reducing the risk of the other half browning in the fridge .

Lemons are multipurpose in my kitchen.

I always pick up fresh citrus for dressings , sauces, or a squeeze on top of pasta or chicken.

I like that they keep well in the fridge, so I can still use them the following week if I don't get to them.

I hate running out of butter, so I always stock up.

If I'm low on butter, I start to panic.

My daughter and I love to slather our toast with butter, and I like to keep a couple of pounds in my freezer for baking projects.

Yes, even chefs eat bagged salad kits.

I would never buy a salad kit for my clients, but I love picking them up for myself. All of Trader Joe's kits have a thoughtful addition of crunchy toppings and a variety of greens.

They're the perfect size for a quick lunch for two during a busy afternoon of meetings or recipe testing.

Trader Joe's is one of the only grocery stores where I'll buy ground beef.

I like to buy meat at my neighborhood butcher, so I typically skip the section at the grocery store. But I like Trader Joe's ground beef .

The 85% lean packages have a fattiness that's great for bolognese, stir-fries, or meatballs.

I always have a variety of broth options in my pantry.

I like the organic bone broth from Trader Joe's because it's affordable and has well-rounded flavors that make it easy to build up different recipes.

I especially like using the broth to make pilaf, a classic rice dish.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one .

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