Experience New Flavors
One of the best ways to learn about a destination is to explore its food culture. You can find a variety of culinary tours in many cities that focus on regional food history, trendy food scenes, beverage history and more. These tours typically take three to four hours and allow you to sample foods and beverages from several restaurants around the city. It’s a great way to get the culinary “big picture” of a place before choosing where to spend your precious vacation dining dollars. Tours are typically limited to small groups, so they’re also a great opportunity to make friends with fellow travelers.x:1688792
Experience Adventure
Visiting a new destination gives you a chance to try exciting new activities. If you’re vacationing in a place with spectacular scenery, book a hot air balloon ride to get a birds-eye view. Bring home bragging rights when you post that photo from your whitewater rafting adventure or a video of you zooming through the treetops on a zip line.
Experience New Skills
Vacation doesn’t have to mean lying on a lounge chair all day. It can also be a chance to pursue interests you don’t always have time to enjoy at home. Enroll in a cooking class and learn to make a local dish, or visit an area winery to learn about the regional offerings. Always dreamed of scuba diving? Many cruise ships and resorts offer training and certification so you can see the undersea sights during your trip. If you’re headed to the beach, enroll in a surfing lesson and catch some waves.
Experience Serenity
Of course, sometimes a vacation is all about relaxing. If you’re looking for more “aaah” than adventure, book a stay at one of the many spa resorts around the country. Whether your dream destination is the beach, the mountains, the desert or a big city, you’ll find wonderful resorts offering unique pampering treatments, spectacular scenery and delicious spa cuisine that will have you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated in no time.
Experience Giving
If you’d like to use your vacation time to help others, there is no shortage of “voluntourism” opportunities right here in the United States. Depending on your destination, you can participate in volunteer projects such as helping maintain hiking trails, cleaning up along a shoreline, working at a wildlife rescue or helping build a home for someone in need.