Finding the Hidden Gems

Have you ever started planning a trip, had one booked, or debating where to go and wonder: how can I experience this like a local? Is there enough to do in this one town to last us a week? Maybe we need to add a few more cities to our itinerary?

Trust me when I say, you are not alone in these thoughts. I asked this myself multiple times while planning our trip to Monaco and Italy. Even more recently, when my husband and I did an overnight trip to Bowling Green, KY.

*Franklin, Kentucky Beef Farm. Randomly came upon during our KY trip with a Sunflower maze & HUGE Playground (for adults and kids!)*

Whether traveling abroad or in the US, I honestly believe there is so much more to see within just a few hours of the focal destination. And you do not need or want to overwhelm yourself with too much to do.

As you may have seen in one of our recent posts, we shared a realization some have but many do not understand, and that was of how big a world we live in but how little most of us have seen of it. Included in this was a comment from a follower and close family friend discussing her experience living abroad in Europe for a few years. While everyone else travelled to the big cities, she would do day or overnight trips only up to three hours from the city she was in. All her friends missed out on the little European towns, local exposure, and the beauty of these surrounding areas where they lived (and yes they still had a wonderful time in the cities they visited!). But she would not trade her local exploration for anything!

My goal today is to provide you tips in choosing the best way to experience the hidden gems of a city, not overwhelm yourself with day in and day out travel & activities, and truly enjoy learning about cultures and life in other areas of our world.

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#1: Research OR Hire a Travel Planner

This should be very straight forward but I do think it is important for EVERYONE to hear my perspective on this.

When it comes to finding the ideal destination and itinerary for your trip, it takes a lot of research. From where to stay, where to eat, what to do, after a few hours of researching, you are lost on what is the best choice. But I promise, doing the research is the key to knowing what to expect and what all there is to do. And know going into the research, what kind of travel are you wanting to do (i.e. adventure/outdoors, relaxation, history, mix, etc.).

There also is such a thing as too much information. When you start to feel overwhelmed, take time away from what you've read or watched. Sleep on it, take a few days to process, and then make a list, prioritize the musts, and filter out the unnecessary. Planning and decision making is not easy for everyone (decision making for myself) so this time and process is important. YOU have to figure out what you want out of the trip!

Now if researching, filtering, and planning begins to overwhelm you, that is what I am here for! Or any other travel agent/planner out there. We take care of all the researching, filter it down for you to just a few options based on what you are wanting to experience, and also provide advice to ensure your travel is stress-free.

I may be a little biased on travel planning and would love everyone to work with me, but it is up to YOU again to decide what the best path when planning your trip is for you.

*Walking around Monterosso, Italy, experienced a live opera concert in the square, and this restaurant off to the side!*

Now, what if you want to continue on your own, not overwhelm yourself with researching, and find the hidden gems? Keep reading!

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#2: Book One Small/Private Tour

Now, some of you may be thinking, small/private tours are expensive, I want to do the exploring on my own, or maybe even there is no time for that.

I promise you now, the time and even money to go on just ONE tour (small or private) is worth every penny to find the hidden gems.

Best example I can give you is this past trip to Italy. Our family has never been big on private tours, but last minute planning to Europe in the summer, it was our only choice. For $450, just the 3 of us, our tour guide took us around Santa Margherita and Portofino. Along the way, she got to know our preferences, paid for all the ferry rides, bought us ice cream and coffee, found my sister a nail salon to fix her nails before we left the town, and rode the train partially back with us. By the end of our 9 hour tour (it was only supposed to be 7), she knew we were heading over to Cinque Terre the next day and had provided us a plethora of options of things to do, see, and restaurants. We went two more days of exploring the area, not needing a guide and getting to experience places we would not have known or gone to.

*We even treated her to lunch as we all needed food & had to try her recommendation*

I know this is only one example, but you can ask many people that will recommend this same tip. I've spoken a lot about Europe but this holds true for even here in the US.

So my recommendation, find at least one small/private tour, learn about that city/town and ask about the area surrounding it, and then have at least one day unplanned to explore what you have learned from the locals (I would even recommend two days)!

How did we have the time to do this extra exploring? One more tip for you all!

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#3: Have Only One or Two Focal Destinations

Think back to my comment earlier about the post we made recently and realization (Go back to the 3rd paragraph of this blog if you need to refresh your mind!). The more destinations you have, in a condensed time period, the less you will get to see and experience.

The key is to plan only one, maybe two focal destinations during your trip. This goes for both US, Canada, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, the list goes on and on. No matter where you go choose one or two max!

The reason why: Overwhelm & Hidden Gems. Yes, go see the city, do a tour, stay at a hotel, relax on the beach, spend a day or two doing those things. But what about that little town 30 minutes or an hour away that has the best restaurant in the area OR the best view of the mountains/ocean. It could even be two blocks down the road where you didn't walk the day before. So give yourself the extra day or two to explore around the city/town you are visiting. It will be 100% worth staying in those areas and you will come out seeing and doing things others have never done!

*Funny enough living in Nashville for 1.5 years, I had never experienced Rustler Hat Co. until just recently. Hands down will recommend to anyone traveling to the area, has time, and is interested in designing their own hat. Prime example of how you can live in an area and still be learning what you can experience!*

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All in all, it is truly up to you what you want to do. Cram three or four cities in a week long trip or explore the hidden gems in more depth with only one or two cities. No matter what you choose, you will see and do new things along the way.

Just remember, do your research or hire a planner, book at least one small/private tour, and consider having only one or two main destinations. Life is short and we want to see it all, but don't rush through experiencing the places you go to their fullest!

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