Much of the excitement of travel is found by going to new places, but I’ve come to appreciate the joy of repeating travel destinations. I’m a country collector (up to 59 countries now), and I love seeing the top sites in any destinations. I wish I could enjoy travelling slowly and relaxing on vacation, but it just isn’t in my DNA.
However, I’ve had the opportunity for repeat visits to places several times over the years. I’ve now been to London three times. I’ve been to Shanghai and Tokyo twice, and several cities in India and Portugal twice. Through these experiences, I’ve discovered the following reasons why we should not hesitate repeating travel destinations.
Discover Off-the-Beaten Path Attractions
When I first visit a place, I always want to visit the top must-see sites there. But when repeating travel destinations, you have the opportunity to do things that you might not have time for during your first trip. In a recent trip to London, my daughter and I experienced several things that wouldn’t be on anyone’s top 10 lists. Not only did we see something new, these places weren’t crowded with other tourists checking off their top 10 lists!
Ease of Getting Around
Repeating a travel destination gives you a sense of comfort. You know your way around, more or less. You understand how public transportation works. And you know what to watch out for. This gives space in your brain to enjoy everything more.
More Time to Wander
Most of the time when repeating travel destinations, you don’t need to hit every major site there. You’ve already been to most! Instead, you can spend more time appreciating the ambiance and culture of any given place. On my third trip to London, my daughter and I were able to wander more. We enjoyed browsing through the booths at most of the London markets, lingering over meals, and hanging out in Hyde Park.
Opportunity to Expand Horizons
We had five days to explore London. But since we had already seen most of the main sites there, we were able to use two full days for trips outside the city. We spent a full day touring Warwick Castle, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Oxford. Then we spent a full day in Cardiff, Wales. This gave us the opportunity to see the countryside, learn more about the history of the UK, and even experience different foods. Who knew Welsh rarebit was basically cheese on toast?!
Time to See Things You Missed Before
In my previous two trips to London, i was not able to fit in several things I really wanted to do. This included visiting Kensington Palace, going to the Victoria and Albert Museum, and browsing at Harrod’s. We had ample time to fit all of these things in during our trip. And now I can say that I’ve truly done everything that I’ve always wanted to do in London!
People Over Places
Most importantly, repeating travel destinations helps you focus more on the people with you than on the sites you are seeing. The purpose of my trip to London with my daughter was to spend quality time with her before she went to college. And we did this by engaging in my favorite activity, travel. But if we had gone somewhere new, that “newness” might have superseded the point of this trip. Now we have great memories of spending quality time together in her favorite city in the world. And that’s priceless.
What travel destination do you want to repeat?
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