Creating the trip of your dreams starts with identifying exactly what kind of traveler you are. If you’ve read my 5 Steps to Planning An Adventure post, you have been introduced to how you can identify your travel interests.
I’ve created a quick, handy quiz to make your planning even easier! After answering seven simple (and fun!) questions you will get a result that will identify where your interests lie. I recognize that not every single type of traveler is represented in this quiz, but I think it breaks it down into three main categories.
So what are you waiting for? Take the quiz below and share your results in the comments!
Once you’ve completed the quiz above, let’s dig in to what these categories could mean for your planning!
The Foodie
Let me guess: you LOVE food! When you travel to a new place, you love to try authentic cuisine from the area, find unique snacks and treats, and base a lot of your stories about your experience on how great/not so great the food was!
If you received this result from the quiz, it’s obvious you need to plan to maximize amazing food experiences. Maybe you want to take a cooking class, to immerse yourself in the food of the culture. Viewing a city through the lens of food is an option, on a foodie walking tour. Planning ahead by choosing restaurants beforehand is another great way to plan for your foodie adventure. There are so many different ways to make a foodie-venture your very own! Do you love desserts? Plan to find the most outrageous desserts during your stay. Are snacks your thing? Make a list of treats you want to find and make it a treasure hunt!
Food is one of the things that sustains us as humans, and some of my favorite experiences while traveling have been food-related. Keep these ideas in mind when moving on to the planning phase of your adventure!
The Lover of Culture
Museums. Art galleries. Attractions. People watching. Sound like an amazing time? You must be a lover of culture. When you travel, learning about a place that is different from where you came is the exciting part.
If you received this result after taking the quiz, you need to pack as many cultural experiences into your trip as you can! While most people visit at least a few attractions/museums on any trip, you can take it to the next level. Stay with locals at a home share/ Airbnb, to get to know the people who make up the area. Partake in group tours that bring you to smaller towns, and get to know the heart of a country. Look for off the beaten path attractions that aren’t as touristy. I’ve found that there is so much more to a country than its big cities, and those smaller towns are usually where you will find the most authentic experience.
When you think of France, you think of Paris. But what about all the other towns and cities that make up the country? Did you know the monarchy used to live hours away, in an amazing area called the Loire Valley? There is just as much history there as in the city of light. You’ve heard of Monaco, but have you heard of Roquebrune, a town on a hill with a fortress that overlooks the glitzy destination? History is everywhere, so keep that in mind when moving to the planning phase of your adventure!
The Outdoor Adventurer
There’s nowhere you’d rather be, than in the mountains, by the sea, in a forest, or by a river. The beauty of the outdoors is what you travel for, and finding the most amazing places is the ultimate prize.
Receiving this result by taking the quiz means you should prioritize experiences in the great outdoors. This may be the trickiest of all results, because it means you’re at the mercy of Mother Nature. It may be raining, it may be sunny, it may be cloudy, possibly snowing. This type of adventure requires you to really get to know the area that you’re traveling in order to prepare for what may await you.
One way to experience the outdoors is through a campervan. Popularized in recent years, this type of travel allows you to covers large distances in a short time, and your home is beneath the stars. If that sounds too crazy for you, experiencing nature through adventure sports may be a better option. Surfing, hiking, climbing, biking, rappelling, sailing, there are endless opportunities. For more cautious adventurers, experiencing the outdoors can be as easy as visiting a beach, driving to a mountain overlook, or taking a boat to an island.
If you’ve read any of my blog posts, it’s no secret that I am a huge outdoor adventurer. Most trips are spent finding beautiful beaches, mountain views, and wide open spaces. When planning your adventure, look for the best way to experience the beauty of the natural world!
Moving on to planning
You may have gotten a certain result, but see glimpses of yourself in the others. That’s definitely the case for me. I love being outdoors, but I also get excited for Instagram worthy ice cream cones and walking through rooms that real princesses once slept in.
Nothing in life is black and white, and your travel planning should not be either. These three results are just a guideline, to help you as you begin to plan. Feel free to make it your own, and add a mix of all three, your two favorite, or stick to just your result.
Remember: this adventure is yours. You’re planning the trip of your dreams, and whatever makes you excited is what you should add!
Identifying what kind of traveler you are is the first important step, and hopefully now you have a better idea. Before moving on to the planning phase, make sure you have the Free Adventure Planner downloaded, to keep track of all this information!
Click to read the next post in this series: Best Travel Planning Resources!
You did it! Identifying the type of adventure you want to take is a huge first step. I could have saved myself hours of planning in the early years of my travels if I knew what to focus in on.
I’d love to see how you plan your own perfect adventure! Leave a comment or send me some photos at samantha@atruthfultraveler.com. I hope this adventure is shaping up to be the adventure of your dreams!
Samantha,
A Truthful Traveler
