anne taylor

As the world gears up for spring and summer travel, I’m starting to see a lot of advice and opinions being shared about traveling. And let me be clear—I am not saying that my opinions are the only ones that matter. Everyone has different experiences and desires that affect how they travel and what kinds of things annoy them. That being said, everyone can (and should be) a kind and courteous traveler, regardless of these differences.

So what are my credentials to talk about travel? I’m 27 years old and I have been to 20 countries across six continents so far. During that time, I’ve traveled solo, with friends, and with family. While I have nothing against luxury travel, I tend to go on budget-friendly trips with a few splurges thrown in if I can afford them. I’m a “the hotel is just a bed because we’re going to spend most of our time sightseeing” kind of person.

Here are some of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to planning travel and actually traveling.

1. Not Respecting the Local Culture

This one is pretty obvious, so I’m not going to spend too much time on it. Every country’s culture is going to be different than yours, and you need to respect the culture when you visit a new location. You’re not going to assimilate to a new country the moment you land, but you can do some easy research ahead of time to make sure you are aware of the biggest dos and don’ts in the country you’re traveling to.

Not only is this respectful to the local people, but it will also save you from many embarrassing situations.

2. Telling People They Shouldn’t Visit Popular Tourist Destinations

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across travel bloggers telling people their top tip when visiting a new city is to avoid the touristy spots. This drives me crazy for two reasons. First of all, that person has already visited those touristy spots, so of course it’s easy for them to tell you they’re not worth the hype. It’s fine if someone feels like there are “go just to say you’ve seen it” destinations, but you as a traveler who has never been to that spot deserves to go just to say you’ve seen it too.

And second, touristy spots are touristy for a reason! Whether it’s the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Times Square in New York, or even Disneyland, there’s a reason that millions of people flock to certain locations around the world. These places are often super fun, beautiful, or full of history that make them worth the visit, even if the spot is crowded or expensive.

If someone is visiting a country for the third time, sure, they probably don’t want to revisit the most popular tourist spots. But don’t tell someone on their first trip to Paris that they shouldn’t visit the Louvre because the Mona Lisa is overhyped—it’s not, and you will not regret seeing it through the crowds.

3. Projecting Your Bad Experience Onto Someone Else

This discussion is slightly nuanced, but nothing makes me more annoyed than someone talking excitedly about a trip they have planned and someone else jumping in to say, “oh, I really didn’t like it there, I would never go back.”

Aside from a couple of exceptions, travelers have visited almost every country in the world and have had a great, safe time. Your bad experience may be valid, but it doesn’t mean that everyone else is going to have the same experience. Like, way to put a damper on that person’s trip before they even go.

Yes, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, some countries have laws that discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals and therefore may not be safe for certain people to visit. If you think that information needs to be passed on, it’s totally fine to share.

Also, if you had a specific experience, like you were pickpocketed or assaulted, it is also fine to share that if someone is going to the destination. However, unless that kind of thing happens regularly, it doesn’t necessarily mean that destination should be avoided at all costs.

Let me give you an example: I have been to Paris twice. During my first visit, I watched as someone tried to pickpocket my mom, and during my second visit, my dad’s passport was actually stolen while we were on our way to the airport. The second experience in particular was incredibly frustrating and stressful. I’ve also come across a few rude people in France, like I do when I go pretty much anywhere.

But I love Paris! Yeah, those experiences happened, but I know not everyone is rude and not everyone’s passport will get stolen. If someone tells me they’re visiting Paris for the first time, I do tend to tell them about these experiences to help them avoid the same thing, but I also tell them all the cool aspects of the city. I would never tell someone not to visit Paris because I’ve had some bad experiences there.

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Those are my top three. I can think of a few more specific ones, but they all pretty much revolve around people getting really negative about traveling based on their personal experiences.

My advice? Do it for yourself! Every trip will be what you make of it, so go where you want to go and do what you want to do. Just be sure to do your research and be safe, too.