Do the Detour

It takes me an embarrassingly long time to blog about my adventures. I pack a lot into my field trips- they take a long time to execute and recap, but they don’t usually take me very long to map out. I thought maybe I should take a minute to explain my travel planning strategies and offer some tips.

Google maps is your friend. Not just for those that are directionally challenged like myself. Google is your go-to for trip planning. For big ex-US trips, I create a new map for the city/country and plot everything I want to do. Every tip and recommendation I collect gets flagged and I download it so even if I don’t have wifi or service I can still get around. I just start adding things to a wishlist so I can come back and find everything later. Added bonus that the hours and links to buy tickets or make reservations stay handy. No matter where I go, I generally use google maps, but I also find destination instagram accounts, recommendations I’ve collected over the years, film/tv show features, and the handy dandy Roadtrippers app help scope out the fun things to see and do when I travel. Yelp absolutely plays a role in finding a quick bite on the go, and pre-google maps, I stored recommendations from family and friends in contacts created for cities in my address book. It’s not a perfect system, but I can usually get my hands on the info I want or need with just a couple quick clicks.

I can’t imagine arriving in a destination with nothing on my wishlist to see and do. I’m always going to be the girl that wants to do a little research about the things you can’t miss when you go somewhere. Even if it’s just a quick google search of “Top things to see and do here” or pulling an attraction search on Google Maps. Find a few things that look interesting and work from there.

Some trips are way more rigid and action packed than others. Covid and peak tourism season are both factors that impact my planning these days. But even without those roadblocks, if there are things I really want to see and do, I try to pre-purchase a timed ticket so I don’t lose a whole day to lines. We learned that lesson the hard way in Florence when we couldn’t get into a single museum. We settled for seeing the replica of the statue of David and did some retail and carb therapy after 5 hours of waiting in line in the summer sun.

Timed tickets can be a blessing and a curse- sometimes you don’t quite allocate the right amount of time for the activities and you have to do a little logistical Tetris to make your day work. Most places will help you adjust your ticket time if you find yourself there early, and enterprising locals usually set up fun things to see/do/eat around a tourist trap. I usually find something I really enjoy when I’m killing time. That’s when unexpected gems tend to surface.

I don’t like to have more than 2 timed activities in a day, but in some cities and some times- you can’t really get around it. I like a nice mix of planned excursions and impromptu adventure time. These month long house sits are the perfect way for me to do that. I plan action packed weekends, and can explore bits and pieces during the week after work. I spent a LOT of time in the car in California last month. At almost over $4 a gallon for gas (almost $5 in a lot of places) and dogs waiting at home, strategy and timing were more important than usual. I didn’t have a lot of time for detours, and I passed dozens of things I wouldn’t have minded stopping to see. Since my current life is one GIANT detour, I couldn’t stop thinking about them as my mind milled the miles.

A friend messaged me about recommendations in Seattle, she was heading on an adventure day as I was loading the car for my own. I sent her my blog, a couple of personalized thoughts, and well wishes. Every photo and message she sent me buoyed my spirits and made me so thrilled to be doing what I’m doing now. I have had enough therapy to be able to pretty properly speak to my strengths and weaknesses- and let me tell you, I can say without conceit or ego, I am damn good at finding cool shit to do and delicious things to eat. She seemed genuinely shocked by how much she enjoyed all of my recommendations.

Maybe I should take a moment to tell you, I try really hard to help you maximize your time in a new city. I’m a more is more girl, I want to see and do everything, and some shit is just not worth repeating. If it is really cool and special, I want to tell you about it not to steer you wrong. I'm usually only visiting a place once, so I won’t mention it if I wouldn’t do something again. I will say something if I experience something god awful and it clearly not just an off day, but a tragic flaw in an excursion. Grace had one day to explore on a business trip, which is where I THRIVE. If you send me somewhere, I will crush the job you sent me to do, AND I will figure out a way to really experience that place too. I loved seeing this powerhouse woman refill her cup with some time she clearly needed and deserved. I drove around smiling knowing I’d helped her have a great day. I paused my audiobook and let my mind wander as I passed all sorts of cool things that caught my eye. I hate being too busy to stop, but I’m so lucky that now that’s a rarity not the rule. I have plenty of advice and tips and tricks to offer a traveler, but my number one mantra for you is: Do the Detour.

There have been plenty of times I’ve driven past something and said “Oh, let’s do that on the way back” but missed it. Lots of times I’ve gone home and researched something I saw en route and my disappointment only grew after learning more about what I’d missed. Most of the time, your true destination can wait. Even if its just so you can take a peak and decide if you want to come back later to check something out. Live your life in a way that leaves you time to explore the things that catch your eye. And for the love of god, drop a pin on it. Don’t think you’ll remember and find your way back.

Don’t get so busy focusing on your list you can’t chase a few moments of stolen bliss. Discovery is the biggest joy life has to offer, and you’re going to have to make time for it. My family and friends humor me, because if I see something interesting, I’m going to want to go look at it. I won’t take long, I won’t be rude or obnoxious about it- but if it doesn’t ruin anything for anyone, I’m going to go see the random thing that made me laugh, smile, or say “Good lord, that’s weird.”

I travel alone so much, I take for granted that my loved ones don’t get annoyed that I need to plan a few things, I need to run off and chase things that catch my eye, and yes, I do need to stop and take a photo. I snap a quick one, I’m happy to share them with anyone that wants them at the end. I make up for it by thinking about who is with me, the thins they would enjoy, and planning a day full of special things. Sometimes I suggest breaking off into groups and doing activities only some of us would enjoy. My brother isn’t exactly into the same stuff as my sister- so I try to find a balance. As a solo traveler- I can cram as much as possible into a day, move at a brisk pace, chase all the pretty and delicious, and make friends along the way. But traveling with others is a balance. The worst way to ruin a trip is to travel with people you aren’t compatible with. Real trip killers (for me) are people that are always late, take too long to do everything, get obnoxiously hangry but don’t pack purse snacks, refuse to try new things, complain about everything, can’t go with the flow, are rude to hospitality staff, and don’t contribute to the planning but bitch that they didn’t do anything they never communicated they wanted to do. If we agree on a time to leave in the morning and you’re consistently 90 minutes late, you’re in danger of seeing that vein pop out of my head or me just telling you to meet me somewhere else. I’m a little OCD and high strung, this is not news, so there’s only a handful of people I’m willing to invite on MY marathon travels, but the list is a lot longer of people I’ll tag along with for a long weekend.

At home, I’m more of a cocktail girl. On the road, a detour for beer is ALWAYS a win in my book. I used to try to hit a brewery (or two) in my extended travels, especially out west, but I have learned over many many years that brewery people are the best people to chat up in a new city. The locals that go are proud of what the area has to offer, willing to spend a bit more for quality/unique product, up for fun, willing to include you, and happy to tell you what you can’t miss in the area. The tourists that go also share those values, do their research, and are usually dying to share the cool things they have discovered in the area. Even if the crowd sucks, the staff is definitely willing to offer some favorites to see and do if you chat them up over a bar (that isn’t slammed.) I can’t stress enough how important timing is for asking for recs. If it’s the hotel concierge, the dive bar bartender, or the person chatting you up in line at a monument- timing matters. Don’t bug anyone actively trying to keep up with their demanding job, but if you find an appropriate time and a friendly person, they will give you all the goods on what you have to see wherever you are. I find myself going to a brewery when I get lonely in a new city- not because I’m a raging alcoholic, but because the people there never let you sit alone long. You’re always welcomed into a conversation and you usually leave with a happy heart, stomach, and a tip or two for the rest of your visit. I find that the camaraderie at a brewpub is really settling for me as I live this gypsy life. I crave the comfort of the company over the draughts. And if you aren’t ordering a flight and sampling, you’re doing it totally wrong.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with an organized tour. I had a wonderful time on a random bus tour through Europe when I was too exhausted and busy to plan anything for myself getting ready for my business trip that brought me across the pond. No, you don’t hit very much in a day, and you have little to no control over what you’re going to see for the day, but sometimes it’s the perfect way to get a low-stress introduction to a city. I far prefer it to cruising. Food tours are especially good for solo travelers. It’s fewer meals to eat alone, and more opportunities to try new things. It’s hard to get a good feel for food in a town when you’re one person with one stomach and a limited budget. Samples from lots of places and meeting other food people are a recipe for success. I discovered a beer and chocolate tour in Brussels that made me friends I’m still in contact with several years later, and I’ve recommended it to a couple friends and family members that equally enjoyed the tour. Just do your research before you book, there are plenty of terrible tours out there too. Viator and Air B&B experiences are great places to start.

So plan a little, do a lot, take the detour, grab a beer, and for your best karmic balance- always offer to take the photo for people struggling to get themselves and the monument in their picture. It’s so rare to have a photo of the whole family from an adventure, everyone appreciates it. Be a good human and give that gift to someone. (I put my mask on and sanitize my hands before and after- but you do you.) As a solo traveler, it can be really hard to quickly get a shot when you’re exploring. You usually get a reciprocal offer, and let me tell you how much I appreciate that as I try to get these photos with the back of my jacket. I did not think through how difficult that was going to be for me to capture on my own, geez.

Happy Trails y’all.