Rule #1: You don’t have to have ANY goals for your trip other than enjoyment! Here are some things to consider:

Do you have some hobbies that you’d like to encourage? For instance, look up genealogy while you are traveling? Are you a Spanish art buff and must see the Prado? Do you want to take a cooking class in Paris? Are you doing a pilgrimage? Visiting your ancestral home? Exploring Chilean wines?

Is there one particular must-see that you have always wanted to visit? Is there something that you’d like to see before the opportunity passes such as a special exhibit or an endangered animal or natural resource? Is there a must-do that you’ve always had your sights on?

Are you going to visit a family or friend, but would like to do some sightseeing on the side?

You may want to consider a primary goal and then set some secondary goals after your first goal has been met. OR sometimes it is just perfect to have no goals and go with the flow, totally enjoying yourself and leaving yourself open to new experiences that may come your way.

The point is, you don’t have to micro-plan every minute of your trip. It’s much better to leave some time for the unexpected to happen not to mention allowing some rest time. However, if you don’t PLAN on experiencing your “must-sees” and “must-dos” they won’t happen!