Melissa Noble
I've been obsessed with travel since I was young, and so far, I've ticked off more than 40 countries on my bucket list. Before I leave for a trip, I usually research the destination beforehand and put together a rough idea of the key sites I don't want to miss.
However, I try not to map out every moment in advance. Although planning can save time and money, some of my best travel experiences have resulted from just winging it.
It turns out I'm not alone in this thought. In an American Express survey of over 7,000 adults from seven countries who said they traveled at least once a year, 78% of respondents said spontaneous trips appealed to them.
Here's why I like to embrace spontaneity and travel without a detailed itinerary.
Abdul_Shakoor/Shutterstock
One of my favorite things to do in a new place is to walk the streets without an agenda and see where the wind takes me.
Although it's nice to tour a monastery or learn about a piece of art, I prefer just watching the locals go about their lives. When I visited London, for example, I loved getting off at random Tube stations and meandering the streets for hours.
I like to take my time in new places, so for me, exploring on foot without an agenda is half the fun of traveling.
Cramming each day of a vacation with activities and to-do lists often leaves me feeling stressed.
A trip shouldn't feel restrictive or like a chore. It's about enjoying the journey and making lasting memories.
I hate commitment, and I'm not a creature of habit, so having a regimented routine bores me. I prefer to fly by the seat of my pants and leave plenty of room for spontaneity.
Traveller70/Shutterstock
Some people like to go to restaurants and order the same thing every time. However, I prefer to ask waiters for their personal recommendations. After all, they've usually tried everything on the menu and know what's tasty and popular.
The same is true when I travel. Rather than relying on guidebooks, I'll ask locals for advice. For instance, on a road trip from Paris to Andorra, we asked locals for recommendations on where to stay.
Per their suggestions, we ended up in the charming towns of Loches and Rocamadour — some of our trip's greatest highlights.
If we hadn't asked locals for their suggestions, we probably wouldn't have even considered these destinations.
When traveling, I sometimes feel exhausted and just want to chill out. Other days, I'm full of energy and want to see as much as possible.
And of course, I never know when a thunderstorm might hit and derail certain plans.
Leaving room for the flexibility to adjust plans based on my mood or external factors like the weather works best for me.
Of course, this type of approach to travel is not for everyone. Some people prefer to have everything locked in before they set foot on a plane, keeping a detailed itinerary in their back pocket when they arrive.
However, I've found that some of my favorite travel memories were due to spontaneity.
