16 New Year’s Travel Resolutions to Make This Year

If you’re like most people, the beginning of a new year is a time for fresh starts. A time to set resolutions and goals, and work towards making them a reality. If you’re someone who loves to travel, then why not use this New Year as an opportunity to make your travel dreams a reality? Here are several New Year’s travel resolutions and ideas to make it happen for your next trip.

The new year is almost here and it is that time once again when new goals are set. Fresh starts are planned, resolutions are made, and everything we want seems to once again be within reach.

If you’re one of those who will be making resolutions, then why not make some resolutions about the way you travel in the coming year?

That way, when you go forth and discover new places, you’ll be outside of your normal routine and be able to find those secret little gems that make an adventure so memorable.

Top New Year’s Resolutions to Dedicated to Travel

Here are some of the top travel-based New Year’s resolutions that you should consider making for this year:

Ditch Your Comfort Zone Once And For All

It’s easy to get into the habit of going to the same places and doing the same things. There’s a level of comfort in this routine that helps us relax and let the world pass us by for a while, but there’s not much adventure in the same old routine, is there?

For this year, why not make the resolution to ditch your comfort zone for at least one trip this year and do something that is completely the opposite of what you would do.

Try skydiving for the first time. Go on an overnight backpacking trip. Bungee jump off a tall bridge in Idaho. Confront a fear.

In doing so, maybe you’ll be able to find a new routine and a different level of comfort every year. This is one of my favorite travel tips because it allows for me to find a completely new destination each here year to escape the norms of everyday life.

Create a Brand New Travel Fund For Trips

One of the biggest causes of families not going on an adventure is the cost. This New Year’s resolution is a big one because if you want to travel, you’ll need to plan and start saving right away.

From flights to gas prices to hotels, the investment of several thousand dollars is often needed for a traveling adventure.

For this year, designate a portion of each paycheck you earn toward a Travel Fund that you only access when you take a trip somewhere. Whether you save $10 or $200 every month, as long as you are saving something, you’ll have more money available to help you explore more of the outdoors [or indoors] when you do get away.

Forget What the Travel Sites Say

Having an itinerary for a trip can help make an adventure stay on time and on the course, but there’s not a whole lot of exploring or adventure involved when you’ve got four hours to go hiking before coming back into town to meet your dinner reservation, right?

Sometimes it is more fun to plan a trip to a specific location, book your room or campsite, and then proceed from there without any more plans. Talk to the local residents of the area to see what is fun to go do.

Ask for advice about the best local restaurants that the travel sites might not have even heard of yet. Become a local instead of a tourist!

See Related: GoWild! With Frontier’s New All You Can Fly Pass

Don’t Overlook the Educational Attractions

Just about every community has at least one museum or historical society that will help you understand more about the region, the people who have lived there, and what makes the area so special. Larger cities often have museums that are dedicated to other specific educational opportunities, such as science, engineering, or aeronautics.

Children’s museums can even help the kids play and learn at the same time! It’s not just museums that provide educational opportunities either – aquariums, zoos, and other parks can provide a great time for everyone.

Take an impromptu trip.

Have you been wanting to travel more, but don’t know how to make it happen? One of the best ways to jumpstart your travel goals is to take an impromptu trip.

All you need is your credit card, a passport, and some cash, and you’re good to go! While it may seem daunting at first, just the act of planning a trip can be enough to get you excited about adventures yet to come.

Plus, by being impulsive and spontaneous, you’re more likely to have amazing experiences that you’ll remember forever. So what are you waiting for? Start planning that impromptu trip right now!

Spend more time outside.

There’s a reason you’re less likely to hear of people committing crimes while they’re lounging on their front lawns: spending time outside can help you sleep better, live longer, eat healthier and save money.

Plus, it’ll give your mind a break from the constant buzz of technology that we often let dictate our lives. spending more time outside has been linked with a host of benefits, from reducing stress levels to boosting creativity and happiness.

So if you’re looking for ways to improve your well-being, spending more time in nature is a great place to start.

Have an Adventure By Giving Back Something

There are many organizations that offer volunteer trip opportunities where you can see the world, but work during your trip.

You might be able to drill a well for a village in Africa, help rebuild a home in Haiti, or even be able to teach your native language in Bangladesh to school children who don’t have a teacher to help them learn.

These volunteer trips often cost just as much as a vacation, but there is also something very rewarding about traveling with a purpose beyond getting away from the stresses of life for a while.

Learn to say “yes” more.

Saying yes to new experiences, people, ideas and foods is the key to a more exciting life. Whether you’re at home or on vacation, chances are there’s something going on that you don’t normally do.

So why not say yes? Try going out with friends one night instead of staying in your pajamas; go for a hike with your partner instead of watching Netflix.

Try eating dishes from different countries in your neighborhood than what you usually order at restaurants (this can be hard but rewarding!).

Don’t Be Afraid of a Simple Day Trip

Sometimes a big adventure is just not affordable. That doesn’t mean that you still can’t experience an adventure that you haven’t done before! With a simple day trip, you can still get away for a day or two and do something new within your local community.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to go out to sea to do some whale watching but have never managed to do it. Or maybe there’s a park nearby that you’ve always wanted to see, but never managed to make it there.

Grab a map, see what’s close, and then plan a quick trip to explore what your local area has to offer. Chances are you’ll be amazed.

Travel with purpose.

Travel should be about gaining knowledge, making a difference, and learning about yourself and others.

Ask yourself: Why am I traveling? What do I want to learn from this trip? How can my travels impact others in positive ways? When you travel with a purpose, your experience is more meaningful and fulfilling.

For example, if you’re interested in learning about other cultures, you might seek out opportunities to volunteer with local organizations or take part in homestays. If your goal is to make a difference, you could look for travel experiences that focus on sustainable tourism or work with underprivileged communities.

And if you’re seeking personal growth, you might choose to travel solo or explore new activities outside your comfort zone. By traveling with a purpose, you can ensure that your experience is rich and rewarding – for both yourself and the world around you.

Utilize Technology To Its Fullest

From GPS locators to Google reviews, there are dozens of apps that will help you discover the best of what a local community has to offer with just a few pushes of a button.

With online travel forums, you can interact with like-minded people before you take a trip so that you know what places are fun to explore, what places are safe, and what places you might wish to avoid.

This can help you to maximize your traveling experience while avoiding the traps of disappointment that traveling can sometimes bring.

Don’t be afraid to explore solo.

Solo travel can be a great way to meet new people—especially locals. You may find yourself in a situation where you’re at a cafe or restaurant and there are only one or two other patrons around, but they’re locals.

If you strike up a conversation with them, chances are good that you’ll get some great tips for your next destination (or even discover an amazing place to visit).

Additionally, solo travelers are often on their own because they want to do things in the places they visit that aren’t necessarily available on group tours.

Perhaps it’s visiting an art gallery that your friends don’t know about yet, going off-roading in an old jeep near the beach, or learning how to surf with the local experts—whatever it is, chances are good there will be other solo travelers who have similar interests.

Pack As Little As Possible

Taking a trip when you’re fully prepared for anything can bring a level of peace, but it also means that you’re likely lugging a ton of luggage around with you. Instead of packing several suitcases, travel light and only take the bare necessities.

A few changes of clothes, your toiletries, comfortable shoes, a camera, and maybe a hat are really what most people need for a good adventure! If you find that you do need something else, it’s easy enough to pick up things that you might need as you travel.

Seek out new cuisine or culture.

Trying new things is one of the best parts of travel—and that includes food! So seek out a new cuisine or culture when you’re exploring a new place. Ask friends for their favorites, search for fun recommendations on Instagram, and even ask locals if there are any hidden gems around town.

And don’t forget to try the local fare when you’re in a new city—you just might discover something you love.

Eating at home with friends or family members who have different tastes than yours can also be a great way to learn about new dishes. So go ahead and step out of your comfort zone—you might just find something amazing.

Allow For Transition Days After Your Adventure

It’s hard to get back into your normal daily routine after a long traveling adventure. That’s what makes slow travel so great but if you can’t focus on slow travel. That’s okay.

Allow yourself a transition day or two at home after your trip so that you can prepare yourself physically and mentally for your return to your daily responsibilities, especially if you are returning from a longer international travel journey.

These buffer days at home will help you be more productive as you return to work, make the transition back out of adventure less painful, and give you a chance to relive the memories that you just made.

Give back to the places you’ve been or are visiting this year.

Giving back to the places you’ve been or are visiting this year is a great way to stay connected to what matters most.

You can donate to a charity or volunteer at a local organization. You can also be a good tourist by not littering, respecting wildlife and other people around you, and being kind and thoughtful in your interactions with others.

Being a good neighbor means being friendly, helpful and understanding of others’ needs. Being a good citizen means paying attention to politics that affect everyone’s lives (like climate change and eco-friendly accommodation) as well as making sure our local community thrives economically through education initiatives like after-school programs for kids who need them most.

And finally: being a good person means living your life with compassion for yourself and others—no matter where they come from!

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this round-up of these New Year’s travel resolutions and tips. Now that we’ve given you some ideas and inspiration, it’s time to get out there and make those resolutions come true.

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