I spend so many hours researching my travel, and I do this because I think it’s fun. I understand it may be overwhelming for some and I often get asked: where do I start. So I thought I’d share a few of my favorite places to start. I usually end up down a rabbit hole and revisit my many Google Maps stars, but outside of that, here’s where I start.
Atlas Obscura
I love this site and corresponding books because it helps me find hidden gems that aren’t always at the top of the Trip Advisor lists. I love exploring the attractions you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Plus the site is easy to use and find what you need based on destination.
Google Maps
I often will just zoom into a location and wander around. I click on restaurants, lodging, museums, bars, parks and so many different types of listings because Google displays different highlights depending on what you are currently looking at.
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
I use common hashtags for those destinations, and find local influencers in that city or country and dig around their recent posts, videos, and websites. You’ll also find hugely popular influencers who have only visited a location once or twice and those are great places to look as well.
It’s a common trend to gatekeep exact locations of amazing places lately for many reasons. If the influencer doesn’t post the location, don’t ask them, check the comments to see if someone else has already answered that question and if not, just move on.
Visitors Bureaus
While you’ll get mostly the touristy locations and maybe not the most hidden gems, you’ll likely use these to gut check and make sure you haven’t missed any of the major stops.
Always Be Planning
Because I’m always keeping an eye open for good spots and mark them in my Google Map with stars and flags, I can spend much less time planning each of my trips because I’ve already got a head start.
Where do you like to find good travel ideas?