How to Discover Your Travel Personality
When dealing with short vacation durations, time is of the essence. So you really want to know yourself and your travel style to plan activities and select destinations that suit you best.
After all, Socrates said it best, "To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom."
Do you love shopping? Hit a big city!
Do you love nature and hiking? Visit a serene national park.
Yes, it sounds like common sense, but a lot of times, we just go with the travel flow and we don't ever stop to ask ourselves what it is that we really like best, especially when we are traveling with others.
It’s important to explore and discover your own travel personality so that you can experience the best possible travel experience that’s right for you.
In order to have the best possible micro-vacation, you need to know what you value in travel and what is important to you.
By knowing your travel personality, you can travel smarter, cheaper, and in a more meaningful way.
It means that you won't sign up for a group travel trip if you prefer lots of alone time, and you won't spend a ton of money on a hotel that your friend recommended, but it's not really your cup of tea.
All travelers share a passion for traveling. But what you do and see can be very different from one traveler to the next.
Travel can open up new cultures, ways of life, and perspectives to you, but it's important to do it your way. Why? Simply put, you won't enjoy it as much.
The whole point of traveling and going on micro-vacations is to thoroughly love them and know that it is time and money well-spent. That way you can come back to work feeling rejuvenated and ready to share your amazing travel stories!
Take this quiz below to find out your travel personality - there's no wrong or bad travel type - this quick quiz will only share with you what your travel values are, what types of activities or locations suit you best, and what travel scenarios you should probably steer clear from.
Okay, now take a few minutes to take the quiz below then come back to this post!
What was your travel style? I'd love to know! Feel free to share it and tag me at @thejetsetblonde on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook so I can see your results!
Want to know what my travel personality is? I'm a bit of a mix - I have the planner tendencies of an Urban Uptowner but the cultural desires of the Exploring Localist.
I think too that my travel personality adapts somewhat depending on if I'm traveling by myself or with close friends or with my partner or with my family. And that's ok too!
It's really just about being self-aware enough to understand what your needs and wants are so that you can have the most epic micro-vacation as possible.
The Introspective Retreater
The Introspective Retreater uses travel as an opportunity to grow as a person and learn something new. You are a bit of an escapist, so you seek relaxing, simple, and comfortable places when you get away. You prefer worry-free travel but time to hang out and see where the day takes you - whether that's a tasting tour, shopping downtown, or having an alfresco lunch at the local market. You may be found signing up for a class or workshop on something that betters yourself, like meditation, cooking, yoga, or clean living. Relaxing beach trips or an invigorating spa days do your soul good.
You are:
Conservative
Reliable
Solitary
Fun-loving
Thoughtful
Spiritual
Most likely to be found at:
Branded hotels
Hotel pool
Spa
Cottage
Organized tour
Main attractions
The travel values you seek:
Comfort - you seek familiar surroundings.
Package travel - you like organized tours with down time built in that leave decision making to others.
Selective - you desire luxury, exclusivity, and pampering.
Structure - you prefer pre-planned trips as long as they have time for you to see where the day takes you.
Nature - you like the purity and serenity of open spaces.
Travel values to avoid:
History - you are less interested in understanding the historical relevance of the places you visit.
Cultural immersion - you express less interest in interacting with the local people while on vacation.
Lack of aesthetics - you value beauty and will weigh it in your decision making over pure functionality.
The Thrill-Seeking Adventurist
The Thrill-Seeking Adventurist uses travel as an opportunity to satiate your need for the exciting and the exotic. Because of your high energy, you want to see and do everything. You prefer less planned out trips because of your spontaneity. You may be found eating the craziest foods, riding the longest rollercoaster, and climbing the tallest mountain. The outdoors do your soul good.
You are:
Bright
Animated
Energetic
Spontaneous
Fun-loving
Adventurous
Social
Most likely to be found at:
Luxury hotel
Tourism hot spot
Top restaurant
Night club
Group tour
The travel values you seek:
Sampling - you like to see and experience a bit of everything.
Constant exploration - you always have your next trip in mind.
Companion experiences - you prefer traveling with like-minded people.
Indulgence - you seek the best you can afford.
Travel values to avoid:
Simplicity - you have a zest for life and are not intimidated by changes or complexities in society.
Comfort - you have a higher penchant for risk, so you are not afraid to try something new or have an adventure.
Solo travel - you are attracted to groups where you can socialize and share experiences with others.
The Backpacking Pilgrim
The Backpacking Pilgrim uses travel as an opportunity to unplug and just "get away from it all." When you explore, you use all of your senses. You want to get in touch with yourself to recharge, and renew. You appreciate and understand the beauty of natural and cultural environments. You may be found hiking or swimming all around nature, whether that's lakes, mountains, or oceans. You quickly adapt to personal challenges and risks. Invigorating hikes and visiting serene places like religious shrines and secluded cabins do your soul good.
You are:
Relaxed
Serene
Patient
Independent
Active
You are most likely to be found at:
Nature reserves
World heritage sites
Hiking trails
Museums
Home-stays
Campsites
The travel values you seek:
Shared experiences - you like sharing experiences with close friends/family.
Escape - you seek a getaway from everyday stresses and responsibilities.
Nature - you enjoy vast natural settings and wonders.
Personal development - you seek self-improvement through challenging yourself.
Travel values to avoid:
Comfort - you do not shy away from living like the locals do.
Group travel - you prefer to do your own thing.
Luxury - you are unlikely to seek out luxury amenities or gourmet experiences.
The Urban Uptowner
The Urban Uptowner uses travel as an opportunity to get the best out of what life has to offer. You value the finer things in life and want to be pampered in a luxurious setting while seeing all the main sights of a destination. You may be found dining at a trendy place, on the golf course, or going on a tasting tour. You like to read reviews before making plans to ensure that you get your money's worth on every trip!
You are:
Organized
Polished
Social
Extroverted
You may be found at:
Luxury hotels or resorts
City hubs and tourism hot spots
Top restaurants
Night clubs
Group tour
The travel values you seek:
Shared experiences - you like sharing experiences with your close friends/family.
Indulgence - you seek the best you can afford.
Constant exploration - you always have your next trip in mind.
Sampling - you like to see and experience a bit of everything.
Travel values to avoid:
Nature - you are not as interested in exploring the great outdoors.
History - you are not as interested in the history of the places you visit.
Unstructured travel - you regard travel as a social event, best shared with others.
The Exploring Localist
The Exploring Localist uses travel as an opportunity to discover hidden gems and meet new people. You like to immerse yourself in culture, people and settings of the places you visit. You appreciate the history, but also look for experiences of the modern day culture. You prefer leaving the beaten path to explore out-of-the-way places - locations like mountains and historical sites over resorts and amusement parks. You may be found showing your friends a 'secret' swimming hole or making new friends with the locals at the coffee shop.
You are:
Free-spirited
A conversationalist
Spontaneous
Quirky
Positive
Open-minded
Most likely to be found at:
Heritage sites and museums
Cultural events and festivals
Standard hotels or staying with friends
Off-the-beaten path
The travel values you seek:
Constant travel - always traveling or planning for the next trip
Nature/history/culture - immersion in local sights and sounds
Shared experiences - enjoy sharing travel experiences with family/friends
Travel values to avoid:
Conformity - you like to be unique and different from others and you love to share your ideas and creativity.
Exhibitionism - you are not highly materialistic and do not care for ostentatious consumption.
Luxury - you do not want a luxurious or comfort experience to interfere with the authenticity of a trip.
Beyond the quiz results, there are also a few other questions that you should probably ask yourself:
Do you like planning trips yourself or do you prefer someone else doing it?
Are you an introverted traveler or an extroverted traveler?
Do you like to follow a plan or do you prefer to be more spontaneous?
Do you like traveling solo, in a small group, or a larger group?
Do you prefer luxury hotel accommodations or would you rather save some money and opt for an Airbnb or hostel?
All of these questions should be addressed before any research for a trip.
Micro-vacations are focused by nature, so you need to be able to hone in on your specific likes and dislikes before you can efficiently research and make decisions about your future trip.
It's important to really be honest with yourself - there's no point in wasting a ton of money on a 'recommended' tour guide experience if you don't like to have a structured schedule.
Once you understand your travel style and values, you can select places and activities that align with your wants and needs perfectly.
What was your travel style? I'd love to know!
Feel free to share it and tag me at @thejetsetblonde on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook so I can see your results!
Travel well and often,
author bio
Known as The Jet Set Blonde, Brittany Ryan inspires others to add more adventure to their childfree travel experiences. Brittany has visited 23 countries (and counting!) Connect with her to get access to detailed childfree travel itineraries, travel guides for weekend getaways, and updates on adult-only hotels, resorts, cruises, and other travel amenities.
