Why I’d Rather Explore Than Lounge by the Pool
Hidden Gems, Hard-Earned Views, and the Way I Love to Travel
I fully respect a good beach vacation—but it’s never been where my best memories are made. For me, the magic of travel happens on the trail, on the water, and in the quiet moments you have to work a little harder to reach.
I’ll start by saying this clearly: there is absolutely nothing wrong with a beach vacation.
Laying by the pool, reading a book, ordering a drink, and doing almost nothing can be exactly what someone needs in a certain season of life. I get it. I respect it.
But it’s never been where my best travel memories are made.
For me, the magic happens when I’m moving.
Give Me Hidden Gems Over Tourist Traps
Of course, sometimes you have to do the “big sights.” They’re popular for a reason, and occasionally they really are worth it. I’m not anti–tourist attraction.
I just don’t want that to be the whole story.
What I love most is going a little deeper—finding the trail just outside town, the quiet viewpoint you actually have to work for, the small café where locals linger and no one’s rushing you out the door. Hidden gems almost always require a bit more effort, and that effort is what makes them meaningful.
Less spectacle. More connection.
Comfort Isn’t the Goal—Connection Is
The moments that stay with me aren’t the perfectly curated ones.
They’re the moments where I’m a little tired, slightly uncomfortable, and completely present.
A challenging hike where your legs are burning but the view makes it worth it. A bike ride through a beautiful area where you notice things you’d never see from a car. Kayaking in rough seas where you feel small, capable, and wildly alive all at once.
Those experiences pull you into a place. You’re not just observing it—you’re participating in it.
Nature Is Where Everything Clicks
If I had to narrow it down to one thing, it’s this: nature is my reset button.
Mountains, coastlines, forests, quiet trails—this is where my nervous system settles and my perspective widens. I don’t need luxury when I’m surrounded by something that reminds me how big the world is and how lucky we are to move through it.
A hard-earned view will always beat a poolside lounge chair for me.
Why I Travel (and Plan Trips) This Way
This is exactly why the trips I plan look the way they do.
They’re active, but not extreme.
Challenging, but supportive.
Designed to help you connect—with the place, the people, and yourself—without pressure to perform or “keep up.”
You don’t have to be the fastest hiker or the strongest paddler. You just have to be open to trying, exploring, and going a little deeper than the surface.
Travel Doesn’t Have to Look One Way
Travel is personal. Different seasons of life call for different styles, and there’s no one “right” way to do it.
But if the idea of moving through a destination excites you more than sitting beside it…
If your favorite memories come from effort, immersion, and connection instead of lounge chairs and pool bars…
You’re very much my kind of traveler.
Check out all our upcoming trips at chicasabroad.com. Or reach out to me directly if you’d like me to help you plan a private custom itinerary that includes outdoor adventure at melanie@chicasabroad.com.