Firstly select the things what would you like to view or decide your taste where you want to hangout like you want to go on hilly areas, or you want to see snow fall or want to go on adventure trips etc etc. After finding your taste you will be able to select your destination to travel in better ways. 
How do you choose your next destination for travel?
Hi I often ask my kids where they would like to go. I do a lot of research often checking Trip Advisor. I also google "things to do" for that location. Also, I go by recommendations as well and do the research. I at this time only travel in the states, due to me being a single mom with two kids. Once they're older I will then travel outside the country.
Most of the time I choose from my ever-expanding wish list - places I've heard friends talk about, places I've read about, places I've seen in movies, places where we have friends or family. I like historical sites, museums, and regional food, so I gravitate towards places that can offer me those things.
But sometimes it's completely happenstance. For instance, my husband and I once had enough frequent flyer points to visit Italy ... but that airlines didn't fly to my first choice, Venice. I didn't want to go to Rome, so we chose Milan. An Italian-America colleague cautioned, "Don't go to to Milano. That's like going on vacation to Oakland!" Fortunately, I didn't listen to him, because we had a marvelous time in Milan.
Another time, I won a trip to Fiji. That wasn't even on my wish list, but it turned out to be one of my most memorable trips.
So many places, so little time!
I don't go to other blogs or anything like that to decide where I'd like to go. I mostly go to
a) Places where something is happening that I want to attend (like a wedding or graduation)
b) Places that I've been and want to revisit (I've been to a lot of places)
c) Places that I've always wanted to go (Great Barrier Reef, Manchu Pichu)
d) Places that look interesting
The current limiters on my travel are my own mobility and finding someone to go along with me and help me to overcome my lack of mobility. My husband doesn't want to travel much anymore.
I think like most people on here, I've got a long list of places I want to visit that is getting longer all the time, and an idea of places I'm not so interested in.
In my long summer break, I have the luxury of time to be able to visit places a bit further away or that require a bit more advance planning (visas, flights, vaccinations, etc). I'm a language teacher and learner, so often my trips would be based around the languages that interest me (Turkey, Middle East, North Africa), but recently I'm interested in former Soviet countries. I'll look at interesting flight options to see if I can fit in a stopover en route, and do a lot of reading about the places I'm considering.
Sometimes, there will be other factors involved. A couple of years ago, I had to go on a family holiday in France in August, and had an invitation in Istanbul in July, so I decided to make it into one long trip, and found a good deal on a flight from Istanbul to Algiers and a new ferry route from Algeria to Spain.
Unfortunately, weather is an issue for summer travel...a lot of places I want to go to are just too hot for me!
In my other holidays, I can't guarantee being able to travel until quite short notice...for instance, there's a 2 week break coming up for students, but us teachers have marking and preparation to do, so any trips have to be last minute. I'm usually limited to places I can get a flight to from Edinburgh, generally somewhere in Europe. If I can, I'll try to get a return flight from a different city, so I can do a mini overland trip...doesn't always work.
I choose from the list of countries I have not been to. Its getting shorter.
Is there any way to list the countries we have traveled to on here?
Thanks,
DAO
(Newbie)
Quoting DAOonVT
Is there any way to list the countries we have traveled to on here?
If you map all your trips you'll automatically get a list of the countries you've been to. You'll also get a few stats on how many times you've visited a particular country, the distance you've travelled in total and the equivalent number of trips to the moon and back you could have made. Not sure there's anything simpler at the moment.
Nowadays it is a little different.
I used to just take a notion if I had time off work (in the days before internet) and go to a local travel agent and see what he suggested, usually whatever was on offer! I had some great results that way and some not quite so good.
Now, with the luxury of time, I work slightly technically dfferently but the notion is still the same. Apologies again to all long-serving TP for going on about VT (I am still a bit shell-shocked) members but a dear friend of mine who was a VT member and is, by profession, a pretty high end tour guide (he is on here as well now) sent me a message about two days ago. He is in Madeira, working but he gets time off so we can hang out and drink beer etc. Ed result, when I wake up whenever, I'll probably booking a flight to be flying down there for a couple or three weeks with him as I have to be back at the end of March for a function.
I now tend to choose destinations more by who I am going to meet than just on a whim. I'll be spending the summer in Canada with a dear friend and quite possibly the next arboreal winter in either Sri Lanka or the Philippines with different friends. Yes, I m still financially and physically capable of doing it but I do like to go and visit / hang out with friends.
Alternatively, I may knock back both winter options next year and go to Vietnam where I know nobody at all. It is about the only country in that region I have not been to and I'd love to go.
Bottom line is that I never plan anything in advance. A dear friend of mine is already planning her 2018 holidays. That would drive me crazy. OK, travel solo, until I get where I am going, no kids or anything so I can just more or less get up and go when I want. Lovely way to be. I don't really "choose" as such, I just take a notion or, in this case, an opportunity ho hang out with a friend comes up, usually dependent on their commitments rather than mine.
I don't choose my travel plans, they tend to choose me.
1. Travel photos
2. Blogs like -snip-
3. Research prices for accommodation, flight tickets
4. Weather conditions on the location when I want to visit
[ Edit: No promos please ]
I was so amused to read your post, maykal (and hello, how are you, my fellow VT refugee?).
I also don't particularly enjoy hot (and especially hot + humid) weather - which has been a particular challenge, having spent the last 30 years in Africa and Australia.
We have recently moved to Brussels, and my husband and daughter are craving heat. Meanwhile, I think Iceland is the perfect summer holiday destination. My son is wisely claiming neutrality in the discussion