subject: Add A New Dimension To Your Vacation This Year - Meet New People [print this page] When you're considering your next vacation, there are so many options to consider. Do you want an exotic location, a physical adventure or a daiquari and sunscreen by a hotel pool somewhere? One thing to consider when you're booking that vacation is the people factor. A new way to get something a little different on your trip is to plan a way to meet people and connect with others who are enjoying the same kind of vacation you are. You might find you also share personal interests and have lots in common with them. Who knows, maybe you can meet that "special someone" or make a new friend for life. Here are some ways you can plan to connect with other people on your next vacation.
Join the local tours where you're visiting: Pick a destination city like Tucson, Arizona and then do a little research on the local points of interest. Tucson has a little known destination called Sabino Canyon that gives tram tours every day up a beautiful canyon with a running stream and all kinds of flora and fauna. The tour is full of information about Tucson, the Sonoran desert and local history. It's a popular attraction for locals and you'll find that if you enjoy the outdoors and local, unique attractions that this is also just right for you. Every town and city has local attractions that are unique to their area, and if you dig deep enough you're sure to find treasures of this sort wherever you go.
Design your vacation around a hobby: Whether you love to knit or write short stories, building your vacation around your hobby is sure to help you connect with people who enjoy what you do. Travel through New Mexico, visiting local yarn shops and touring livestock farms all across that state that raise sheep, alpaca and many other types of animals whose hair is turned into yarn. Look for local story writing guilds or clubs who might be open to a visiting guest attending a workshop and meet people who write like you do, but can be remote penpals or beta reviewers for you. They'll have a different perspective than your local writing friends and can bring something fresh to your writing. Not only will you be supporting local businesses and groups wherever you go, but you may find something new to add to your hobby that brings more enjoyment for you. No matter what you enjoy doing in your spare time, there is a way you can work it into your vacation plans in a way that guarantees you'll meet people who enjoy what you do.Fan-based travel: Everyone has a favorite sport they like to follow in the news or watch on TV. Have you ever considered building that into a vacation? Look at the upcoming National Football League schedule and plan to rent a car with your buddies and drive from Chicago to New Jersey and bookend your trip with games at the Bear's home field and the Jet's stadium. If golf is what you love, plan a trip to walk in the PGA gallery on Sunday instead of sitting on your couch watching the players and fan gallery from home. Look up the Women's Tennis Association, the USA Rugby Association or any other sport you follow and plan to go to some games in another city. The 2012 Olympics are coming up in London, England, and there is no better reason to dust off your passport and book a flight across the pond than to go watch Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps try to win a gold medal.Voluntourism: After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana and the rebuilding efforts began, the term "voluntourism" became better known and now is a popular way to add to your vacation. What better way to truly experience a new city than to get your hands a little dirty and help by volunteering in some way while you're there. Not only will you get a chance to meet other like-minded people who want to give back, but you leave a little piece of yourself there long after you've gone home and back to your own life. Be sure to find ways to play while you're on your vacation, because after all, a vacation is meant to be a bit of an escape from your every day life at home, but consider finding a way to help make the community you pick for your R&R a little bit better as well. Whether you go somewhere that needs help in a major way like New Orleans or Haiti, or just find a way to connect with Habitat for Humanity or a local food bank in the city you pick for your trip, finding a way to volunteer and help improve the lives of others is rewarding in so many ways.Stay at a local bed and breakfast: Perhaps there is no better way to connect with a local community than to stay at a bed and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are more cozy and quaint than chain hotels, and are designed to allow you to meet people. Community meals, sometimes a community bathroom and that "at home" feeling as you walk down a historic home's hallway to your own bedroom suite are some of the perks of staying in a bed and breakfast. Big cities are almost always surrounded by charming smaller communities and a Galena, Illinois bed and breakfast or a Grapevine, Texas tavern with rooms to rent upstairs can be just right for your trip. The proprietors are almost always very friendly and have a great story if you have the time to ask why they started a B&B. Better than any hotel concierge service, these owners can give you restaurant references, hints at what's fun to do in their community to fill your free time, and tips on what to avoid while you're vacationing in their community. There are many ways to try to meet new people, and following one of these ideas when planning your next vacation could be exactly what you need. It just might add that needed dimension to your life that you didn't know was missing. A Galena bed and breakfast or a road trip between two football games might be just what you need.by: Burt Webbs
