06/25/2019

How to Ditch an Itinerary and Discover a City

Stop scheduling your travel itineraries from dawn to dusk

I’ve always been a planner. That means my travel itineraries were packed with rushing from one coffee shop to another while visiting every museum and plaza from dawn to dusk. It was exhausting, and by the end, I’d need a vacation from my vacation. It’s how I traveled to almost 70 countries and more than 250 cities.

Maybe it took marrying someone resistant to schedules, or simply slowing down as I age, but over the past several years, I began to travel differently. I learned to wander — to be curious, take in my surroundings and discover parts of a city that go beyond the typical sights.

It’s a mind-set shift that requires throwing out a strict schedule. But, perhaps ironically, even the best wandering requires a plan. Here’s what to do before and during your time in a new city.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.