Travel with purpose, not just for pretty pictures
This guide isn’t theory. It’s shaped by years of coaching sessions, real conversations, and the practical shifts that people tested until they found what actually works.
You want more from travel than snapshots and souvenirs. Explore the world (or your own backyard) with more intention, meaning, and connection.
You’re not just looking for Instagrammable moments or passport stamps. You want experiences that change you, that connect you to culture, people, history, or even yourself.
Whether you’re planning a big trip or just craving something new close to home, you can travel with purpose, even on a budget, and with limited time.
This guide is designed to help you:
Reflect on what kind of travel feels meaningful to you
Discover ways to make your experiences richer and more intentional
Try simple, low-cost activities to connect with different places and cultures
Go deeper with resources and support when you’re ready
Step 1: Reflect on what you want to experience from the world
FREE Workbook: Discover how YOU want to travel the world.
The Find your travel and culture style workbook will help you nail down what you want to get out of your exploration of the world, even if it’s without having to leave your house.
Reflection activity
Intentional travel starts with awareness. Awareness of your reasons for going, the stories behind the places you visit, and what you hope to walk away with.
Ask yourself these questions:
Why do I want to travel right now? What do I hope it gives me?
What kind of moments or memories matter most to me when I explore?
How can I engage more deeply with the places I visit (even locally)?
Articles for inspiration
Step 2: Take action
Intentional travel: How to make every trip truly memorable
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.
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.
Take a baby step
You don’t need a plane ticket to experience purposeful travel. You can begin right where you are.
Try one of these:
Take a local “street art” tour and learn the stories behind the work
Visit a museum you’ve never been to, even if it’s 10 minutes away
Choose one neighborhood or cultural group to explore intentionally this month
Articles for ideas on how to get started
Resources worth exploring
15-Day Challenge: Cultivate culture on a budget
Books to rekindle your sense of wonder
*The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker
A brilliant collection of 131 prompts to help you pay attention differently. Great for anyone trying to see the familiar with fresh eyes.
*On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation by Alexandra Horowitz
The author walks around her New York neighborhood with experts—a geologist, an artist, a dog—and sees the world anew each time.
*Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit
A more literary take, this book explores walking as a way of thinking, seeing, and connecting with yourself and the world.
*Heads-up: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools and resources I genuinely believe are helpful. Thank you for supporting the work I do here.
Step 3: Get serious. Follow a blueprint.
Do you feel stuck in the “someday” phase of your travel dreams? Or maybe you’ve traveled before but came home feeling like you missed the deeper connection you were craving. This Blueprint is your step-by-step guide to creating meaningful travel and cultural experiences. It’s designed to take you from dreaming to doing, whether you’re planning an epic trip abroad or exploring new cultures closer to home.