How To Travel To The Same Place & Make It Feel New

Last week, we ventured south to Marco Island, Florida. A destination we’ve frequented because T’s family has owned a condo there for years. We’re so very lucky to have a place to escape to. Especially in a tropical location. I can’t stress that enough. But I will admit, I can struggle with the idea of traveling to the same place over and over again.

When you’re taking time off work, it seems very valuable. We only have a set number of days away from the office and I prefer to use them wisely. And to me, that typically means exploring new frontiers, trying things we’ve never done or seeing sights we’ve only dreamed of. Like when we took 10 days off to explore Iceland and Norway – I would do that sort of trip over and over again.

I certainly don’t want to sound pretentious – I would never complain about a trip, especially when lodging comes at no cost. I’m simply saying, when we do visit a destination for the 4th or 5th time, there’s opportunity to make it feel new. When my mom and I went down to Marco Island last spring, we made sure to do a couple different things. We walked the beach, we spent time at the pool, shopped at some local boutiques and we even drove the entire island. Something I’d never done by car. Going into this year’s trip, I started thinking about more ways to make the same destination feel new yet again. Not just in Marco Island, but anywhere, really. I’ve got a few ideas for you below.

Try a new restaurant

I feel like this one is kind of obvious. Especially if your travels revolve a lot around food like ours do. The quaint size of Marco Island doesn’t allow for too many restaurant adventures, but we did try a new local Italian place this trip and it was delicious. And maybe you’re not the switch-up-locations type, and in that case, I recommend ordering something new at your favorite spot. Why not?!

Change up your routine

I feel like especially on beach vacations, it can be easy to fall into a routine. Wake up, have coffee on the deck, order or make breakfast, head to the pool, happy hour, dinner, etc. We had a lot of fun switching things up this time around. We woke up one morning to play pickleball (ever heard of it?) instead of sipping coffee. Then we walked down to the beach for sunset instead of watching from the condo. Different activities, different sites… it all makes the destination feel new!

Stay somewhere new

This probably won’t be the case for us ever in Marco Island, but we do try to rotate hotels in other destinations we’ve frequented. For instance, we’ve never stayed in the same place in Vegas. And when we recently ventured to Minneapolis for a quick weekend, we tried a new boutique hotel. I’m a believer that your accommodations play a huge role in your trip experience, so switching that up can make it a whole new trip!

Visit during a different time of year

Florida is a whole different beast in July. We found that out the hard way – way too hot! But in April? Not so bad! We’ve also gone in November and each time, it’s something new. I think what makes the most difference is the weather back home. In the summer, I’m looking to escape the humidity. In the winter, it’s a nice contrast to the cold at home. If it’s a non-beach destination, the scenery and temperatures can change with the seasons. I always think how amazing it would be to travel to Maine in the fall but then also again in the summer. So many different things to do and see!

Time to plan another trip? I think yes.

xoxo. B