Feeling overwhelmed by endless travel possibilities? You're not alone. Every wanderluster faces the delightful dilemma of where to go next. Drawing from years of solo travel experience, I reveal six distinct approaches to selecting your next destination – some spontaneous, others deeply intentional.
You could explore trend-based travel, where popular destinations like Paris or Amsterdam beckon with their timeless appeal. I candidly share how social media discoveries have sparked unexpected adventures while cautioning about the carefully curated perfection of travel influencers' posts. For those seeking structure, I discuss how bucket list approaches like visiting all Seven Wonders create purposeful travel itineraries, sharing my personal experience visiting Machu Picchu with my son.
A few playful and truly spontaneous methods – from literally throwing darts at maps to rolling dice for destination selection. Budget-conscious travelers will appreciate practical tips on leveraging flight deals and subscription services that alert you to fare bargains. But the heart of this episode lies in my final approach: creating deeply meaningful travel experiences aligned with your current emotional landscape. I vulnerably share how following this method led me to the solitude of Saguaro National Park after a traumatic period, resulting in a profoundly healing encounter with a horse named Rebel in the desert solitude.
Whether you're seeking adventure, healing, or simply your next great story, these six approaches offer a framework for making travel decisions that truly resonate with your personal journey. And for those drawn to wellness travel, I extend a special invitation to join my European river cruise in 2026, where I'll blend my passions for Pilates and exploration in an intimate setting. Ready to discover where your next journey might take you?
https://www.cherylbeckesch.com
hello@cherylbeckesch.com
Instagram @solotraveladventures50
Facebook community: Solo Travel for Women Over 50
Episode Transcript
With so many beautiful and wonderful places
to see in the world, how do youdecide where to go?
Well, in today's episode, Iwill discuss how I choose where
to travel and some tricks thatI've used, some different
methods as well, that you couldtry.
Welcome to Solo TravelAdventures.
(00:20):
I'm Cheryl Esch, your host.
I'm Cheryl Esch, your host.
Well, there are many ways thatI have chosen destinations, and
there is one particular way thatI feel has produced the most
meaningful and purposeful travelin my experience.
Yes, I've had disappointingtrips and I've had some
(00:42):
incredible experiences, and if Ilook back on how I actually
chose that destination orplanned for it, the last example
that I will give you, the lastway of choosing where to go, I
find is the best way.
However, let's get into some ofthe fun ways.
(01:03):
So if you're willing to exploresome just fun, different ways
to choose where to travel, thenyou might want to try some of
these ideas.
Now, the first way that somepeople choose to travel their
destination they pick a trendydestination.
For example and I've done thisI've gone to Paris, which is
(01:25):
very trendy.
I actually went to Amsterdamintentionally to see the tulips
in April.
So there are times when I havetraveled to sort of fulfill that
, that desire or that spark ofhey, this is a trending place
right now and I want toexperience it and see if it's it
(01:47):
lives up to the hype, right?
Well, I've also created and Ido create these lists every year
.
You know popular places totravel as a solo traveler.
Every year I create a list,kind of based on what research
has shown and what is trending,and there are some trends.
You can look back at some of mypast episodes that kind of
(02:10):
explain why people are drawn tocertain trendy spots.
So that could be a way.
Maybe that is what entices youto get out there and travel.
It's not wrong, I've done it.
So that's one way you canchoose where to go.
Kind of, look at what'strending, what's popular out
there, but keep in mind whatmight be trendy for certain
(02:34):
demographics might not fit whatyou are looking for.
So keep that in mind.
What I mean by that is solotravelers and for women right,
we want to keep that in mind issolo travelers and for women,
right?
We want to keep that in mind.
Number two you may choose whereto travel based on what you've
seen on social media.
Now there are some beautifulInstagram reels I've seen out
there from travel contenttraveler curating them and
(02:58):
making everything look so lovelyand it is enticing and it is a
great way to actually spark someideas and maybe even introduce
you to some places you wouldnever have thought of.
It's even done that for me.
The only thing I would sayabout that is they do make it so
beautiful.
They've whether they've takenpeople out of the photo to make
(03:22):
it look like oh, this isgorgeous, you know, not
realizing actually there was acrowd there, because with
photography we can do that now.
And then I would suggest sayyou get introduced to a new
place that you had never dreamedof going.
Just do your research, asalways, and make sure it is a
(03:44):
place that truly satisfies youor really intrigues you.
So that would be number two.
Number three the wonders of theworld.
Maybe you decide where to gobased on hey, I want to hit all
the wonders of the world.
There are a couple different.
There's, of course, the ancientwonders of the world.
(04:04):
There are a couple different.
There's, of course, the ancientwonders of the world, there's
the natural wonders of the worldand there's what they call now
the new seven wonders of theworld.
So there's a couple differentlists out there that you could
pull different destinations from.
Now I will have to admit we didthis.
My first international tripwith my son is we did that.
(04:27):
We kind of looked at, we wantedto hit one of the wonders of
the world and so we made a listof some of them that were
interesting to us, and that'show we came about deciding on
the Machu Picchu.
So you can utilize lists likethat to spark interest and see
if any of those places are onyour list.
(04:49):
You've got to get to see.
Maybe it's the Great Wall ofChina.
There are so many on thosedifferent lists that you'll have
to decide which one is mostenticing to you.
Or do you want to make it abucket list in which you finish
all the new seven wonders of theworld right In a certain
(05:09):
timeframe?
Certainly can do that.
That would definitely dictatesort of where your destinations
will be for the next few years.
Number four I have used randomways to choose where to pick,
and I've heard other people useeven more random ways, such as
maybe hiring a company torandomly pick your destination.
(05:33):
I have heard people put a mapon the wall and they like throw
a dart at it and that's wherethey're going to go.
Throw a dart at it and that'swhere they're going to go.
So there's many ways where youcan make it fun, as long as you
are open to uh, you know, beingavailable to go where it says to
go and just having thatspontaneous or free spirit to do
(05:56):
that.
Now, if that does not feel funto you, then don't pick your
destination just randomly likethat.
One thing I did kind of in arandom way.
An example of this randompicking also was based on well,
(06:16):
I'll give you the whole scenario.
So right after COVID obviouslydidn't go anywhere in 2020, but
in 2021 was itching to gosomewhere and I was going with
my son.
So I did have someone else'sinput.
So I had to consider that aswell.
But we did make some parameterson our random picking.
(06:38):
Our random picking, we diddecide we didn't want to go very
far, meaning like no more thanmaybe a five hour flight.
I think is what we set.
We only were going to be gonesix days instead of maybe 10
like we normally do, and in theprice too.
(06:59):
So we kind of had a coupleparameters with our random
picking.
We also had to in that in thiscase because it was early 2021,
we, it was narrowed down by whatcountries were open, right, and
allowing travelers to come.
So that was one way we kind ofpicked.
(07:21):
We were able to narrow it downand picked Belize based on all
those parameters.
But in the past, uh, we have,also prior to COVID, my son and
I have also done a little randomkind of fun thing where, since
I was traveling with somebodyelse, they picked a couple of
(07:41):
places and I picked a coupleplaces.
Some ways we've done this iswe've picked one or two
destinations in each continent,right, and then we came together
and we saw what kind of was thesame and kind of went from
there.
So there's some really fun waysthat you could just randomly
(08:07):
pick a destination based on someof these fun things.
Maybe you just want to, uh, youroll a dice, maybe, and you
have what is it?
There's, um, you know, sixnumbers I don't even know, I
can't remember what's on thedice or even two.
(08:30):
You can do two and determineokay, if it, if I roll a one,
it's this place.
If I roll a two, it's thisplace.
You get the idea.
So that would just be a nicefun way of let's roll the die
and see where we end up going.
So just some fun.
I think making traveldestinations and making it fun
also kind of gets you excited.
I think, at least for me.
Maybe this is not who you areand the random idea it just
(08:53):
makes you more anxious thandon't do that.
Number five, how I've chosenwhere to travel, also was based
on the cheapest flights.
So sometimes, and just recently, I have booked a really cheap
flight to Greece for next year.
And why did I pick Greece?
(09:15):
Well, a, it was cheap and it isa destination that is on my
list, so it was not necessarilyrandom.
But when I saw the deal, that'show I chose to decide to go
there next year, and thatdefinitely has you know, even
(09:36):
when I did Iceland, that was.
Another reason why I choseIceland is because I also got a
relatively cheap flight and alsoit was during the timeframe I
wanted to go, so even more of abonus, right.
So that would be another wayyou could kind of if that's
something you're looking at, Ilove to just if you haven't
(09:57):
tried this trick, you know I dosubscribe to, uh, cheap flights,
um, which used to well going,which used to be Scott's cheap
flights, and they send menotices, like every day, of
cheap flights.
So it's very tempting to justbook them all.
But, um, you know, you havingin either writing it down or in
(10:20):
your head, some specific placesthat you've always wanted to go
to might be helpful so that whena cheap flight comes around,
you will jump on it.
And another little trick if youjust want to explore out of
your own airport to, of course,most people know this trick uh,
(10:40):
go to Google flights, put inyour, uh, your, airport for
leaving from, and then, with thegoing to, just put anywhere and
sometimes you can, you know,just do a certain timeframe
maybe, and you can kind of seewhere are the cheap flights from
(11:02):
my airport during maybe this,this month, right, certain month
, and it will give you someexamples that might even open up
some places you hadn't eventhought of.
And then the final way that Ihave chosen destinations and
where to travel.
I have chosen destinations andwhere to travel.
(11:24):
These ideas are what I havefound create the most meaningful
and purposeful experiences I'vehad in travel is creating going
back.
As you know, last episodetalked about different seasons
of your life and the differenthiking terrains.
That metaphor I used in lastweek's episode could be a good
(11:48):
jumping point for you todetermine what type of travel
would be best for you.
And so, looking at how you'refeeling energy wise mentally,
energy wise mentally emotionallywhat do you need right now?
Um, in realm of travel, um, howare you feeling?
And so that will determine thetypes of places you may even
(12:11):
consider going.
Um, I want to give an exampleof how I, in a sense, used a
random way and cheap flight waysand the final way to create a
meaningful and purposefulexperience.
(12:33):
Back in, I had a traumatic eventhappen in 2023.
And I'll just say it was alegal issue.
And so come January of 2024, itwas finally kind of coming to a
close and it had really zappedme emotionally.
(12:58):
I was struggling with somedepression and just other
emotional issues and I knew Ineeded to go somewhere and I
knew I wanted to go in January.
It was kind of like I got sortof kind of it got finalized,
sort of in January of 2024.
And I also wanted to gosomewhere warm.
So I had some parameters wantedto go somewhere warm, I wanted
(13:23):
to go somewhere warm and Ineeded to be in January we do
get, even though I live in Texaswe do get some icy weather.
It seems, you know, lateJanuary, maybe early February
sometimes, and I knew I justneeded to get out of my city and
experience nature too.
So these were some of theparameters I put on, and I was
(13:49):
looking for a cheap flight, andso I started doing some
searching.
The other parameter I put on isthat I do like nature, so
sometimes I gravitate towardsnational parks, knowing that
that's going to be theenvironment.
It doesn't have to be.
It could be state parks, itcould just be some hiking trails
or whatever, or just being innature somewhere.
(14:12):
It definitely was a must-haveduring this, creating this
purposeful travel experience forme, and I also knew I needed
some quiet, some solitude, so Iwanted a place that would allow
that.
That wasn't busy, right, itwasn't, and so I looked at some
(14:33):
cheap flights and, lo and behold, I found a really inexpensive
flight to Tucson, arizona, inJanuary.
I know the weather is alwaysstill really good in January in
Arizona Perfect time, actually,I think, to go to Arizona.
And even though I flew intoTucson, I could drive down to
(14:58):
the Saguaro National Park andspend some time in the desert
which sort of matched how I wasfeeling, and it was so quiet, so
peaceful.
There was hardly anybody around.
Matter of fact, one of my hikes, really out in the desert,
surrounded by these huge cacti,I was alone almost the whole
(15:20):
time until I came across a horse.
It was a black horse.
There was a rider, of course,and the horse just came over to
me and the lady even remarkedthat he doesn't usually do that
and his name was Rebel.
There's some significance toall that, and I knew that it was
(15:45):
like God intended for me tomeet this, this horse as well,
and I've been gravitating to ourhorses lately as well, and just
up until that point I was alonein the desert, walking, so it
was just very significant for me.
It was a perfect trip.
I used some of these ideas thelittle bit of randomness, the
(16:07):
cheap flights but I also putparameters on where was, how was
I feeling in that season rightthen, and it definitely
fulfilled that.
It was an incredible trip.
I definitely needed it, and soI think that final way, number
six, the way you createmeaningful, purposeful
(16:29):
experiences is by reflecting onthat stuff.
You could still, as I did,utilize some of the other tools
to create that.
But I would start there.
I would start with where areyou, how are you feeling?
What does your body need as faras the type of environment or
(16:51):
travel that would support you inthis season?
And that's truly important tohave such a transformative
experience in your travels.
So it's not just going to checkoff a box on a list that you
have and that could be a reason,and that could be a season that
(17:13):
you're in and that's perfectlyfine.
I've done them all right.
So these are just some ideas.
People often ask me well, howdo you decide?
I use some of these tips, butlately more so.
I am utilizing that lastexample as a way to really
create, not just for myself, buteven to help others create that
(17:36):
for themselves, and that thatis what I do in my one-on-one
coaching, my travel coaching,healing through travel.
Go to my website if you want toknow more about that.
That's CherylBeckEschcom and itwill outline the program.
But if you are needing a littlewellness kind of getaway, I am
(18:00):
going to be a wellness host on aEuropean river cruise.
I'm so excited about thisbecause it brings together two
of my passions I am a Pilatesprofessional and, of course, I
love to travel, so I am going tobe having the opportunity to
teach some Pilates or stretchingclasses on the ship during that
(18:21):
time, and it is wellnessfocused because it's got great
food.
There's some activitiesinvolved that you can or don't
have to participate in, and I'minviting you to join me.
There is a discount right nowIf you even just get your $400
US dollar deposit in by the endof September.
They may extend it, I haven'theard yet, but that will hold
(18:44):
the price of saving you $1,250on this.
All excursions are included inthe pricing, guys.
That's incredible, and youdon't have to buy a drink
package like you do on normalcruises.
That's all included as well, so, and your gratuities even
included in that price.
So it's a just one price.
(19:07):
You know you don't have toworry about all these extras
that typically um, which I'mfinding out as I'm going on a
cruise in November, but Iencourage you to.
If you need more information,please email me at hello at
Cheryl Beckashcom.
I will send you the brochure, Iwill hook you up with my travel
(19:28):
agent and let's fill up thisreally intimate ship.
It's only 156 people that willbe on the ship and it will be an
incredible time.
It is August 22nd through 29thof 2026.
Now is the time to startbooking your 2026 travel folks,
so I hope you will look intothat and email me if you have
(19:51):
any questions.
But folks consider using someof these tools If you are not
sure where to go next time.
You got some ideas now on howto pick your next destination or
next travel destination, andI'm excited for you.
Let's get out there, sisters,and have those adventures.
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