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The world is a big place, and if you are anything like me, you want to see all of it. But where to start exactly?
Sometimes just deciding where to go is the hardest part!
Since blindly pointing to a place on the globe isn’t the best way to choose a travel destination, I have gathered up my very favorite sources of travel inspiration, to help you plan your next trip.
I have a serious love affair with Pinterest. It is such an amazing resource for inspiration of any kind, but especially travel. Whether you are looking for information on a specific location, or just travel inspiration in general, you will find plenty of it on Pinterest. I tend to use it as a search engine when I am planning specific trips, but for loads of general travel inspiration, I follow a handful of beautifully curated Pinterest boards.
A few of my favorite Pinterest boards to inspire your next trip:
Instagram is another amazing place overflowing with travel inspiration. If you already have a destination in mind, use the search function to find all relevant hashtags for that specific place. You can find wonderful recommendations for restaurants, hotels, things to do and more, all on Instagram. If you haven’t already picked a destination, or are just looking for travel inspiration in general, there are a few hashtags that will leave you with a major case of wanderlust!
A few of my favorite Instagram hashtags to inspire your next trip:
- #passionpassport
- #mytinyatlas
- #athomeintheworld
- #welltravelled
- #bbctravel
- #cntraveler
- #tlpicks
- #guardiantravelsnaps
- #thebestdestinations
- #doyoutravel
- #willjourney
Blogs
Travel Blogs are my absolute favorite way to plan trips. There are literally tens of thousands of travel blogs out there covering just about any location or topic imaginable. Young or not-so-young, family or solo travel, luxury travel or backpacking, full-time travel or quick weekend trips. No matter what you are looking for, there are probably at least a few great blogs on the topic. Look for great images, an honest and relatable voice, and destinations that interest you, then follow along for all the travel inspiration you could ever want.
A few of my favorite blogs to inspire your next trip:
Newspapers & Magazines
Whether it is the actual hard copy, or the digital version, these traditional newspapers and magazines are what we used for inspiration before the wonderful world of Pinterest. And they are still chock-full of great travel stories and resources.
A few of my favorite newspapers and magazines to inspire your next trip:
Indie Magazines
I have become completely obsessed with all of the gorgeous indie magazines that have been popping up for the last few years. These are not your average glossy magazines filled with advertisements that you toss out after dog-earing the pages you like. They are more like books, with heavy, matte pages and gorgeous, minimal design. Beautifully curated, you can’t help but be inspired by the stories and images on every luxurious page.
A few of my favorite independent travel magazines to inspire your next trip:
Books
Although I used to use a lot of travel guide books anytime I traveled, now I keep everything digital to cut down on weight in my suitcase. But I still love having a few general travel books on the coffee table. They are full of beautiful photographs and are always wonderful conversation starters when you have guests over. And there is nothing I enjoy more than getting comfy on the couch, flipping through a good travel book and dreaming about our next destination.
A few of my favorite books to inspire your next trip:
- 36 Hours in Europe
- 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
- Journeys of a Lifetime
- Destinations of a Lifetime
- Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel
Friends & Family
Everyone loves sharing stories about their recent travels, and this can be the absolute best source for travel inspiration. The next time one of your friends comes back from an amazing trip, pay attention, take notes, and if their trip sounds amazing, ask them to email you their itinerary. (Or have them share their Custom Map with you if they made one.)
How do you choose where you will travel next? What are your favorite sources of information?
