Planning a vacation can require months of research, asking friends for recommendations, strategizing about costs, making reservations, and preparing for a wonderful time away from your everyday routine. But it’s not the only way to travel — in fact, many people enjoy last-minute trips.
“Spontaneous travel is one of my favorite ways to travel,” travel blogger Rocky Trifari told Huffington Post. “Spontaneous travel relieves a lot of the stress that comes with hard planning and travel expectations. In some cases, it can be a confidence booster to realize that the planning steps we typically follow aren’t as necessary as we’ve been brainwashed to believe.”
Spontaneous trips are a great way to rely on flexibility and explore destinations that weren’t necessarily on your schedule. Don’t be afraid to step out of your travel comfort zone. It doesn’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money.
“Most people never come back from a trip with regret, and impromptu travel doesn’t necessarily mean booking a flight the day before and traveling for a month,” says Katie Nastro, spokesperson for Scotts Cheap Flights. “You might not have planned on traveling, but then a good fare suddenly pops up and you end up booking a week or long weekend stay.”
Below, travel experts break down the benefits of spontaneous trips and share their tips for making the most of a last-minute trip.
Traveling on impulse helps you to be more present in reality.
“The benefit of spontaneous travel is that you can be more present,” says travel blogger Esther Susag. “Instead of checking everything off a planned itinerary, you can soak it all up and don’t feel pressured to rush to your next destination.”
These types of trips often have a more barebones itinerary, or no itinerary at all, making for a slower, more tranquil experience.
“When you travel on a whim, you don’t have time to research all the ‘best spots’ to see. Instead, when you arrive and find something fun, there’s no pressure to leave right away to pack everything in,” Susag said.
It opens you up to the endless possibilities of travel.
In October, the Skyscanner team published a report, produced in consultation with psychologist Emma Kenny, on the well-being benefits of traveller spontaneity.
“Kenny points out that spontaneous trips foster a ‘can-do’ attitude and remind travellers that endless possibilities await them,” said Laura Lindsay, travel trends expert at Skyscanner. “When travellers can live in the moment, they can experience the thrill of adventure without the stress of planning a trip and all the decisions that come with it.”
Trifari echoed this sentiment, noting that he recently took a wonderful, impromptu trip to Chicago and made some unexpected lifelong friends in the process.
“Spontaneous travel is a way to meet new people and discover destinations you might not normally visit, and it helps prevent the indecisiveness that puts many people off traveling in the first place,” he said.
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Westend61 via Getty Images
If you’re hoping to step up your travel game next year, rather than spending time planning a trip, consider trying a “spontaneous trip” instead.
You can discover new sides to your personality while traveling.
“For more planned, ‘Type A’ travelers, spontaneous travel may allow for a new, different approach to travel. And they may be surprised at how much they enjoy having a more flexible schedule, and may even find themselves feeling less stressed overall,” Susag noted.
Of course, planning your trip in advance has its benefits, but being more spontaneous while traveling can lead to fun surprises and great adventures.
“Instead of planning your meal at the highest rated restaurants on TripAdvisor, you might have missed out on an amazing hidden gem where you can talk to locals about their country for hours,” says Susag. “Instead of already planning your trip when you arrive, it might inspire you to ask locals about their favorite hidden gems and must-see places. This could lead you to some really unique and fun adventures that you wouldn’t have known about if you had planned far in advance.”
The mental health benefits are real.
“There’s countless studies showing that travelers are healthier, happier, and more productive than non-travelers, and when you add spontaneity to the mix, all of this is enhanced,” Nastro says. “Spontaneous travel has the power to free us from the stresses of everyday life and spark our creativity and overall sense of adventure when immersed in new places.”
At a time when many of us lead highly packed lives, she highlighted the value of breaking out of your routine with a last-minute trip, which can be especially helpful when you’re feeling a bit stuck in a rut.
“And while going on a very long, well-planned vacation is great, it doesn’t mean you’ll feel better the entire time you’re on it,” Nastro says. “A study from Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands, showed that the length of the trip doesn’t necessarily correlate with improved health and happiness. Respondents said their health and happiness peaked on the eighth day, returning to pre-trip levels, so, for example, three one-week trips may be better for your overall happiness than one three-week trip.”
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Naoi Ippei (via Getty Images)
Spontaneous travel brings more excitement and relaxation into our lives.
Here’s how to plan your trip on a whim.
Taking a spontaneous trip can feel scary and unfamiliar at first, but the experts HuffPost spoke to shared their tips for getting the most out of your trip.
Think strategically about your flights.
“My advice to anyone looking to take a spontaneous trip is to be strategic about how you purchase your flights,” Susag says. “This is a great opportunity to use those credit card points you’ve been saving to save money.”
Don’t be afraid to book each segment with a different airline, especially if you have a small number of loyalty points with different airlines.
“Try to fly on a weekday, as ticket prices tend to be cheaper on weekdays than on weekends,” Susag added.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to fly in terms of cost, crowds, and cancellations, so consider booking on these days if possible.
“Even if you don’t have enough vacation days, being able to work remotely from one location for a day or two can help you make the most of your vacation time,” Nastro points out.
When great deals appear, grab them as soon as they appear.
“If you see an opportunity, seize it!” Trifari urged. “Check airfares, stay in touch with friends and family interested in traveling with you, and look online for great deals.”
There are plenty of websites and apps that share great travel deals, such as The Points Guy and Scott’s Cheap Flights.
“If you find something that works for your wallet – flights, accommodations, itinerary – book it,” Trifari says. “Ask around and plan the trip you’ll remember for a lifetime. Solo travel is one of the most rewarding adventures you can have, even if you’re going alone.”
Keep your itinerary short and simple.
Resist the urge to cram last-minute adventures and bookings into your itinerary — it goes against the spirit of impromptu travel.
“If you’re great at planning but are thinking of taking your first spontaneous trip, try to only plan one big activity or attraction per day,” says Susag. “That way you can cross things off your bucket list but still leave room for flexibility and unplanned adventure.”
Book your accommodation with free cancellation.
“One thing I do, even before I’ve fully decided whether to take a spontaneous trip somewhere, is book a hotel with free cancellation as soon as I start thinking about traveling,” says Susag. “That way, I have a decent place to stay as a backup, and I can always look for a better option later.”
Location is also an important factor when choosing accommodation.
“I try to stay as centrally as possible, so spontaneous, unplanned trips are much easier and less stressful,” Susag says.
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Thomas Berwick (via Getty Images)
Flexible accommodations make it easier to travel when the moment strikes.
Be flexible about your destination.
“For leisure travelers, price is almost always the deciding factor when booking a flight, but often people are tied down to dates or location and don’t consider being flexible on either, when in fact flexibility is the key to finding a great flight deal,” Nastro said.
She recommended researching flight options based on a larger region, like Western Europe, rather than a specific country, like Spain. You might stumble upon a great, lesser-known destination, or find the opportunity to rediscover a place you haven’t visited in years.
Travel search engines and other third-party sites make it easy to find great deals if you search widely.
“Anywhere search on Skyscanner for December has great deals from New York to Nashville for $35, Miami for $55, Turks and Caicos Islands for $79, Chicago for $85, San Francisco for $89, Cartagena for $170, Rome for $246 and Paris for $266 – perfect for impromptu travellers,” Nastro said.
“Go somewhere during the off-season,” Nastro advises. “Not only will airfares be significantly cheaper, but every aspect of travel, including car rentals and hotels, will be more affordable in the off-season.”
Find out the peak and low seasons for the destination you’re considering. Often, peak season is just after the winter holidays.
“January and February are the quietest months of the year, but airfares tend to be the cheapest during this time, and cheap flights are plentiful to find in both warm and cold destinations,” Nastro says. “With significantly fewer people traveling for the winter holidays, this may be a great time to consider if you’re on a whim to find a last-minute flight deal.”
Be flexible about dates and destinations.
“Searching multiple dates and airports increases your chances of finding a great deal,” says Lindsay. “Flight prices are all based on supply and demand. Some dates are more popular than others, so prices vary. Our ‘whole month’ search tool helps you see the best deals at a glance and pick the one that’s right for you.”
Find spontaneous people.
“If you’re not good at spontaneous trips and know you need a little extra encouragement to get out of your comfort zone, enlist your partner, best friend or parent,” Lindsay recommends. “Get them to plan a fun trip and agree to only let you know where you’re going a few hours before you leave!”
Then you can give back with your next surprise trip. The key to making an unexpected trip happen is finding what works best for you. To paraphrase Nike, just do it.
As Trifari puts it, “Just decide to travel somewhere, ask a friend to join you if you like, book the trip and go!”
