Intentional travel: How to make every trip truly memorable
I hope they are looking at old travel pics and this isn’t a first date!
Have you ever come back from a trip feeling… kinda underwhelmed? Like, yeah, you checked off the touristy must-dos, ate at a restaurant you Googled the night before, but something was missing.
Here’s the thing: travel isn’t just about going somewhere (or at least it shouldn’t be). It’s about experiencing something new. And when you approach travel with intention, it changes everything. It turns a “nice vacation” into something you’ll carry with you for years, a story you’ll love to tell, and hopefully a memory you’ll want to relive.
So, how do you make travel truly memorable? You travel intentionally. Let’s break it down.
1 | Know your purpose for your trip
First things first: Why are you traveling?
This isn’t just some big philosophical question. Knowing your purpose gives your trip meaning and helps guide your decisions.
For example:
Are you craving adventure? Then prioritize outdoor activities like hiking, zip-lining, or scuba diving.
Do you want to recharge? Look for destinations known for slow travel or wellness retreats.
Are you yearning for connection? Choose experiences that immerse you in the local culture, like staying with a host family or joining a cooking class.
When you get clear on your purpose, it makes planning easier and your trip more fulfilling.
2 | Research with heart
Here’s a pro tip: Researching where you’re going should be more involved than simple logistics like flights and hotels. Its purpose is to understand the soul of the place you’re visiting.
Dig a little deeper. What are the traditions, customs, and stories that make this destination unique? What foods should you try? What local festivals or hidden gems might be happening while you’re there?
For example, before visiting Japan, learn about the importance of bowing, the etiquette for visiting shrines, or why it’s polite to slurp your noodles. These little cultural details will make your experience richer, and they show respect for the place you’re exploring.
Read: Explore the world without feeling like you have to go broke doing it
3 | Prioritize experiences, not checklists
Raise your hand if you’ve ever planned a trip that looked like this:
Day 1: 10 am Eiffel Tower, 1 pm Louvre, 3 pm Champs-Élysées, 5 pm dinner.
Listen, I get it. You want to see and do as much as possible. But when your itinerary feels like a to-do list, it can suck the joy right out of your trip.
Instead, pick 1-2 key experiences each day and leave space for serendipity. Wander through a neighborhood, sit at a café and people-watch, or strike up a conversation with a local. Those unplanned moments? They’re the ones you’ll remember forever.
4 | Connect with people
This is where the magic happens. Travel isn’t just about seeing the place—it’s about the people you meet.
Learn a few key phrases in the local language, even if it’s just “Hello,” “Thank you,” and “Where’s the best food?” (Trust me, people love it when you try.) Stay in places where you can interact with locals, like small inns, Airbnbs, or even hostels.
Some of my favorite travel memories aren’t about where I was, they’re about who I met. Like the time I learned to make tamales in a Mexican family’s kitchen or the night I joined a dance circle at a random village festival in Bali. These moments wouldn’t have happened if I had stayed in my tourist bubble.
5 | Reflect as you go
Okay, so this might sound a little woo-woo, but hear me out: Take a few minutes at the end of each day to reflect on what stood out to you.
What made you smile?
What surprised you?
What did you learn about the place or yourself?
Jot it down in a travel journal or even in the Notes app on your phone. These reflections will help you soak in the experience and remember it more vividly later.
Final thoughts
Intentional travel isn’t about seeing more; it’s about experiencing more. It’s about slowing down, connecting, and letting a place leave its mark on you.
If this resonates with you and you’re ready to start planning more meaningful trips, I’ve created a Blueprint to help you do just that. It’s packed with tools and exercises to guide you through setting travel goals, budgeting, and immersing yourself in the cultures you explore.
Because the best trips are the ones where you create stories that stay with you forever.
What’s a cool spot you discovered in your town? Drop it in the comments.
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At Intendify, we break life down into 12 key areas and offer guided paths to help you reflect, plan, and take action—so you can start living more intentionally, one step at a time.
It’s like having a life coach in your pocket, minus the awkward eye contact.
