Travel Goals for Women

This article first appeared on the Darling Magazine blog

Our culture offers many ideas about what women can do and should have. These unwritten messages reach into all parts of life — including travel. They whisper, “backpack Europe before you graduate college,” and “make sure you land the right job so you can vacation often, or work overseas.” The media tempts us to think that the best honeymoons happen in glass bottom huts in Bora Bora, and that to be good parents we need to expose our children to European cities and the Hawaiian Islands, respectively. All of these messages subtly imply that travel is all about leisure and extravagance. Some of us will have amazing opportunities and others won’t. For those who don’t, our travel goals should not be reduced to family reunions, and spring breaks on the beach. In the event that you are discouraged about your travel prospects, here are a six goals that every woman should aim for:

1. Get a passport; have it stamped.

This can be accomplished easily with a family vacation or a semester abroad or at sea. The location isn’t important; it’s about starting. According to the U.S. State Department, less than half of Americans hold a passport, which is a sad statistic. For a minimal investment, you can have a ticket to explore the world and obtain an education in international relations and communication.

2. Move away from your hometown.

Even if you love the urban vibe, or small-town feel, or your goal it to raise a family and grow old there, choose something different for a season. It can be as simple as relocating from the country into the city, going to college out-of-state, or applying for a job in another town (or country!).  Move with the intention to explore and stretch yourself; you can always go back to what’s familiar later.

3. Road trip for at least 1,000 miles.

Driving twenty miles from your home to the beach doesn’t count as a road trip. Buy an atlas and chart your course. Don’t plan so much that you can’t stop to hike the trail to the waterfall or venture into the quirky town and eat at the hole-in-the-wall diner. Whether you camp, glamp, couch surf, or Airbnb, gather your closest (and most adventurous) friends, create a playlist, and hit the road. Memories and stories will quickly ensue.  

To continue reading and discover more travel goals that every woman should be making, click here to read the full article on the Darling Magazine blog.