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Ways I Found Myself Truly Experiencing A Place
What does it mean to “truly” experience a place when you travel?
When I visit a new place, I arrive eager to “truly” experience it. But what does that mean? Is it about taking photos of famous landmarks, tasting local cuisine, or connecting with the locals? Or is it something deeper — something that transforms us? There’s no easy answer, and every traveler likely has their own perspective.
From my experience visiting nearly 40 countries, I’ve learned that truly experiencing a place requires more than just sightseeing — it takes intentional effort to make each journey unforgettable. Here are a few things I’ve found essential for creating remarkable travel experiences.
To truly experience a place, learn to let go of expectations
I think the most important thing to do when traveling is to let go of expectations. Too often, we go to a place with big hopes, and those hopes can shape not only how we see it but also how we feel about being there. We want it to be just like the photos we see online — perfect. But real places aren’t perfect. They have bad weather, traffic, and crowds. That’s just life everywhere.
I get frustrated when I see videos or read posts from people visiting New York City or Paris for the first time…
