27 Comments
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Jeremiah O'Sullivan's avatar

An empty calendar is full of possibilities…

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Sarah Surtees's avatar

I couldn’t agree more. Don’t you always find something that you booked months in advance isn’t quite what you would choose in the moment? Some of my best (and cheapest) travel moments have been found when serendipity has chosen my path. Here’s to a serendipitous 2025!

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Yolanda Edwards's avatar

YES! totally agree!

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Tim Marvin's avatar

I recently added Rome onto a trip to Italy because friends offered me a place to stay and suggestions of a fabulous party... Serendipity, indeed! Other than that I have no plans, reservations or expectations. Couldn't be more excited.

My pro tip... especially for Paris and NY but really anywhere. I am always plugging suggestions (ie YOLO Black Book) into Google maps. I'll leave my hotel and apartment with no plans except maybe a museum or gallery and just wander around for hours. Then see a suggestion in my maps.... and pop in and see if it will work. If it can't, then I ask them for other suggestions. I've had some of my best, most adventurous days that way.

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Liz Callaway's avatar

I couldn’t agree more about the importance of spontaneity. My husband and I live an hour outside NYC and decided to take the train into the city on New Year’s Eve and try to get into Hillstone with no reservation. We arrived, and as luck would have it, a couple at the bar was about to be seated and we got their 2 seats at the bar (our favorite place to dine.) The fact that we took this crazy chance made the evening more fun than if we had had a reservation at a table.

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Yolanda Edwards's avatar

oh Liz great story! love this!!!! thank you for sharing!

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Hannah's avatar

Really loved to read this article. Beautifully written and really inspiring. Will definitely plan to have no-plan days in my next trip.

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Yolanda Edwards's avatar

thank you hannah! and tell us how it goes!!!

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Rebecca Shields's avatar

I just had to cancel travel plans I had made ages in advance because the places I planned to visit will be closed (not info that was publicly available prior to booking). It’s a research trip, so I’m not losing any great sightseeing opportunities, but I’m now pivoting to a backup research plan to visit archives in other cities. I almost never plan anything aside from the bare bones stuff - a place to stay, a flight - and this just confirmed what I knew to be right all along. I’ve always been convinced that life is all winging it, and you can’t plan that. This one attempt at getting my ducks in a row serves as proof. 😂

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Ada's avatar

love this!!!

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Yolanda Edwards's avatar

thank you!

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anna's avatar

This happened to me on our recent trip to Sri Lanka, when I was in a tuc tuc passing through a wonderful landscape of tea fields, and I couldn't even stop to take a photo because there was a train waiting for us... I cannot stop thinking about that landscape so I'm going to have to go back!! So totally agree with those no planned days ;) I’ll try next time!

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Hannah's avatar

I think that happened to us in Sri Lanka too! Mind you, the trains do take some booking!

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Doug Cranmer's avatar

Thank you for the reminder to build some “unplanned days” for serendipity. On our just passed trip to Puglia, we fell victim to packing each day, so perhaps too “regimentedly”.

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Sascha Camilli's avatar

I'm learning this - I struggle so much with not planning. I find the "slow life" unbelievably difficult, as FOMO is so ingrained in me. But I do make more of an effort to chase serendipity.

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Anjali Krishnakumar's avatar

LOVE THIS SHARE!! Being spontaneous and open to anything can lead you to doors that you'd have never imagined. I have had the best memories from my most spontaneous and bizarre plans, rather than any long-awaited ones. 🌍

P.S. Never knew until now about 'Serendipist.'

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Sheila Donnelly Theroux's avatar

And then there are those delicious moments of just silence and loving my own freedom of being alone.

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Brenna's avatar

I always book last minute! Although I’m planning to hike the Dolomites this summer and I know the huttes fill up fast!

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Hannah's avatar

It’s the same in London, spontaneity is all but gone when it comes to eating at restaurants or going to shows etc. it’s a frustrating hangover from 2020.

I’m a holiday planner who schedules in chunks of time to do what you like when travelling. Those itineraries that list activities from morning till night fill me with horror. At the moment I’m working out excursions for our easter trip Colombia & am determined not to get sucked into planning all of it now. Definitely want to leave space for spontaneity!

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Laura A's avatar

I have a service dog (small), that I’ve traveled with throughout the US, but would like to go to Europe this spring, in particular Portugal and Spain, and wondering if service dogs are allowed in shops, museums, cathedrals, restaurants and hotels. Would appreciate any insight you or your readers can share. Thank you!

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Loretta's avatar

This was a great reminder to not overdo the planning. Just let life happen.

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