There’s a secret in the travel world that not many people talk about…a way to take fantastic trips and experience the world with minimal preparation. No expertise or fancy itinerary needed. I’m talking about spontaneous travel, an alternative to the tedious task of planning a trip. Keep reading to learn more about how to plan your trip. I’m sharing 5 benefits of spontaneous travel, tips on how to use this approach, and how to not lose your mind in the process.
Raise your hand if you:
consider yourself a list maker…
feel lost without your daily planner…
love to make plans and be organized…
drive your friends and family nuts by planning way in advance?
Hey, no shame. I’m right there with you. I wish I could say I’m “go with the flow” kind of person, but I’m not. I’m a planner through and through, queen of the spreadsheets!
I’ve applied this mentality throughout my life. As a kid I was always trying to plan step-by-step the path my life would take, always making lists and making plans. But really? Those plans ended up changing almost 100% of the time. So it does make you stop and wonder, why am I exerting all this effort? My life, with it’s twists and turns, is a good one.
“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans”
Allen Saunders
Now don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy planning. And if you do too, there’s nothing wrong with that. Having a plan, a course of action to follow, can be very helpful. It gets you focused, keeps you organized…
But what if there’s another way?
The Beauty Of An Unplanned Trip
Some people truly enjoy the process of planning a trip. Researching destinations, finding things to do, booking everything – it can be fun! It gets you excited for your trip.
But for others, it can feel stressful, overwhelming, (or just plain time-consuming). Planning a trip is not an easy task, there’s lots of work and coordination involved.
No matter which perspective you most relate to, the idea of spontaneous travel is one worth learning about. Keep an open mind! In this post, we’ll explore:
- what is spontaneous travel
- which is better, an unplanned trip or a planned one?
- how it feels to travel without plans
- why unplanned trips are great
- how to take a spontaneous trip
What Is Spontaneous Travel
So what exactly is spontaneous travel? There are several different ways to look at it. Some people refer to spontaneous travel as taking a last-minute trip, something you don’t plan months in advance.
Others consider spontaneous travel to be a trip booked with no specific destination in mind, where you simply buy a plane ticket to somewhere cheap. There’s even a way to take a surprise vacation, which is a pretty cool concept too.
Those are all great options as a means to travel more spontaneously. There’s a whole spectrum of ways to implement this concept, and you can adjust it to meet your needs. The nature of spontaneous travel (and the amazing thing about it) is that it’s flexible!
So don’t worry that you have to completely go off-the-grid or take extreme measures to add some spontaneity to your travel plans. It’s just a new way of looking at travel planning that’s simpler and easier. Here’s how I define it:
Minimalists Rejoice!
As much as I love planning and having all the details lined up, sometimes simpler is better.
For this post, we’ll look at spontaneous travel through a slightly different lens: you can think of it as travel with minimal planning.
Life gets so busy, so crowded with things, places to go, things to do… it’s a relief to have something be minimal.
But minimal doesn’t have to be any less enjoyable or fulfilling. What I mean by “minimal planning” is this: there will be some research ahead of time, but not every detail of the trip will be planned out. There’s wiggle room, and freedom to change your mind.
Which Is Better, An Unplanned Trip Or A Planned One?
So here’s the million-dollar question: to plan, or not to plan?
Put simply, there are benefits to both. It’s not a matter of which is better, it’s about deciding which is best for you. I’ve taken some great unplanned trips (I’m actually on one right now!) and I’ve taken some that were fully planned out.
To help you decide, let’s compare an unplanned trip to a planned trip and how they’re different:
An Unplanned Trip
Pros:
- it’s exciting!
- you spend less time and effort spent planning
- you have the freedom to change plans as you go (because everything isn’t already reserved and scheduled)
- you can take advantage of last-minute travel deals
- it’s a more relaxed approach to travel
Cons:
- it can feel nerve-wracking if you’re used to planning
- you haven’t planned ahead, so there’s more uncertainty in general
- you won’t have reservations made ahead of time, so some things may be sold out or unavailable
- prices may be higher (in some cases) because you’re booking last minute
A Planned Trip
Pros:
- you know the ins and outs of your destination and what to expect
- it feels organized and there’s a sense of control
- you can maximize your time, because you won’t be scrambling for information in the moment
- you can take advantage of things that require advance booking or reservations
Cons:
- it takes significant time and energy to plan
- you’re on a timeline and have less flexibility to change your plans
- there are more trip details to keep track of, which can distract you and keep you from enjoying the moment
- the timing you thought would be perfect may not work out, throwing a wrench in your plans and causing frustration
Remember, you don’t have to choose one or the other – it’s possible to come up with your own custom blend and combine aspects of each one. It’s kind of like when you go for fro-yo and can’t decide between your two favorite flavors (for me that’s coconut and caramel). So what do you do? You mix them of course!
An example of this would be the trip I’m on right now. My husband and I decided to road trip across the U.S. to visit family. I wanted to plan every detail, but he wanted to be more spontaneous. We compromised by planning a few details ahead of time and leaving other aspects of the trip unplanned to allow for flexibility.
We planned ahead on: travel dates, destination, and scheduled a few things once we’ve arrived. We didn’t plan: our hotel stays, which cities we would stop in.
How It Feels To Travel Without Plans
I have mixed feelings about traveling without a plan. Part of me likes the excitement and the sense of the unknown. It’s definitely a more carefree way to travel. I’ve noticed that I’m worrying less about the details and I’m able to relax and enjoy the journey. All good things!
On the other hand, my nature is to be more organized and thoughtful. So it feels a little unsettling to not know where we’ll spend the next night. There’s a tiny bit of discomfort that comes along with being spontaneous.
I’m sure everyone will have a different perspective on this. Some people will love the excitement and anticipation while others will prefer the comfort of planning ahead.
If you tend to overthink things (like me), or if you’ve never taken an unplanned trip, I would encourage you to give it a try! You might just be surprised how much you like it. There’s a freedom in it that feels amazing.
Why Unplanned Trips Are Great
I used to think planning a trip ahead of time meant everything would go smoothly. But it just doesn’t work that way! There’s no magic formula (planned or unplanned) that will insulate you from travel mishaps. That’s just life, and the uncertainty is part of traveling.
Have you read my post about international travel mistakes? It gives a few different examples of what went wrong on a trip to Italy, and what I would do differently the next time around.
My opinion is that you need a nice balance between planned and unplanned. For me, it’s too risky to go completely unplanned, because some things simply require it. You wouldn’t want to show up in another country only to be turned away because you don’t have the required documentation.
But planning every. single. detail. can be exhausting and distract you from truly enjoying your trip. It’s nice to leave some things up to chance and allow flexibility and spontaneity. Otherwise, how would you ever stumble onto the hidden gems and surprises along the way?
Unplanned trips are great because life isn’t meant to be dictated by a schedule. Where’s the fun in that? Here’s how to tap into your spontaneous side…
How To Take A Spontaneous Trip
Are you ready to take a spontaneous trip? Here are a few ways you can start today:
- Be intentional (and resist the urge!) to plan every single detail
- Share your vision – tell someone else about it to help keep you accountable
- Spend some time reading about your destination so you feel kinda sorta prepared (but don’t actually book or schedule anything)
- Decide for yourself what level of spontaneity you want: Will you only book flights? Or book flights and accomodations? The choice is up to you
Finally, Remember This
JUST GO FOR IT! Embracing uncertainty isn’t always easy, but I promise you it gets better with each step you take. Are you with me on this? One of my goals this year is to embrace spontaneous travel and just go with the flow. I’d love you to join me! Comment below and let me know if you’ve ever taken a spontaneous trip of any kind.
