5 Mistakes New Travelers Make
Greetings from Rome! Today I’m sharing five ways that tourists tend to mess up when they travel for the first time, so that you don’t make those mistakes when you travel.
First Time Travel Mistake #1. Overplanning & Overpacking
I see a lot of travelers to try over-plan and see nine countries in 12 days, which is way too much! If you try to pack too much into your trip, you’re going to get burned out. You’ll also miss out on a lot in each destination because you’ll be spending so much time traveling from place to place, plus unpacking and repacking every time you move. Give yourself some extra time in different cities, and plan some free days, especially if you have kids.
Overpacking is another big travel mistake! You don’t have to pack so many things when you travel. Most likely, there are stores where ever you’re going, so leave some room to shop during your travels. Not only will you be less of a target for thieves if you are traveling light, it will be so much easier on you when you’re not toting enormous suitcases around cobblestone streets. If you are taking trains in Europe, the overhead spaces can’t accommodate large luggage.
Read: How to Save Money While You Travel So You Can Travel Longer
First Time Traveler Mistake #2. Underplanning & Not Researching
This is the exact opposite of mistake #1, but I see a lot of folks who don’t do any research at all for their travels. Sure, backpacking by the seat of your pants can be fun, but you should at least prepare a little bit. If you think you can just show up in Dublin for St Patrick’s Day, without hotel reservations, you might be out of luck. You can’t get a table at Oktoberfest after 6pm because they are all reserved for companies. If you’re visiting major cities during big events, you have to plan ahead for hotels and restaurants. If you are set on wandering freely on your travels with no plans, then at least make a reservation for your first night and your last night. Some countries will even ask where you are staying upon arrival, so it’s easier if you have a place arranged that you can mention.
First Time Traveler Mistake #3. Seeing the Sights, but Missing the Culture
It can be difficult to experience the local culture when jetting around between all the major tourist sights. This is extra difficult if you only spend a few days in each place, and try to hit all the highlights. Try to mix in a few cultural activities, like a cooking class or a market tour, that allow you to interact with locals and learn about the culture. You’ll appreciate Rome so much more if you learn a bit about Italian culture.
Read: 6 Places Pickpockets Like to Rob Tourists
First Time Traveler Mistake #4. Eating Familiar Food
Especially in Italy, people come and eat pizza or try to find spaghetti and meatballs (which is served separately in Italy.) Make sure you branch out and try other dishes during your travels. Just because it’s not on the Fazoli’s menu back home, doesn’t mean it’s not Italian. I will often ask what is the local specialty at a restaurant so I can try new things. Now, on longer travels, you can get homesick and want to stop at a familiar place. That’s okay; just try to balance it out with new food experiences along the way.
First Time Traveler Mistake #5. Not Using Public Transportation
Maybe you aren’t used to public transportation, or just think it’s easier to take a taxi. Public transportation is cheap and easy to use throughout Europe. If you take taxis or Uber everywhere, you miss out on a lot of the local culture and people watching. You’ll also spend a lot more money if you don’t take public transportation.
So, these are just the five most common travel mistakes I see. We even make these mistakes sometimes when we travel. We put out new videos every week, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel! For more travel tips, check out some of our other videos: