Best ways to get in the mood for a trip

As a kid I loooooved travel. And being excited for the trip lasted at least a month in advance of our departure date, even if it was just our annual trip Up North (Minnesota code for going to the cabin/lake house). I would make packing lists for myself and my sister, research the hotel we were staying at to see how many pools there were, and went so far as to lay out my clothes a week in advance. If the trip included a long drive or plane ride, then there was also an activity packet complete with themed crossword puzzles and coloring pages (I was the definition of extra as a kid).

I noticed as I got older, however, the excitement was a little harder to conjure up on trips. They almost seemed like imaginary events that would take place in the distant feature, like rain clouds floating a mile away, ready to pour as soon as I stepped away from ordinary life and entered into travel mode.

Through traveling Europe, I’ve found some new ways to bring my excitement level up for upcoming travel just as I did as a kid. I wanted to share because I think preparing and being excited to travel is just as much a part of the journey. Aside from repeating “we’re going to [insert destination] tomorrow!” to your travel partner, here are a few ways to get in the mood for upcoming travel.

ONE. Research things to see, do, and eat.

I like to make an itinerary with lists for these three categories, and have found listing restaurants to be especially helpful. Making decisions on an empty stomach while traveling is hard, and eating is when some of the best memories of a trip can happen so you want to be at the right places. My favorite sources for this are:

• Afar.com
• Bloggers I love (The Stripe and Jess Ann Kirby to name a few!)
• Instagram
• Friends/Family

TWO. Watch movies to help you visualize the city.

So this may not be the best option in terms of realistic-ness but I mean why not see Paris through the eyes of teenage Mary Kate and Ashley before arriving there yourself? You may be on the metro and they may be in a private embassy car on the Champs de Elysse, but does that hardly matter?

Here are my movie picks for a few different cities:

• Rome: The Lizzie McGuire Movie
• Verona: Letters to Juliet
• Paris: Passport to Paris, Midnight in Paris
• Barcelona: The Cheetah Girls 3
• Warsaw: The Zookeeper’s Wife
• Vienna: Woman in Gold

THREE. Read books that take place in the city or country you’re traveling to.

I love knowing the history of places I travel, so I tend to read books that are set during a certain time period in a city I’m interested in. I have a lot of recommendations on this topic, so I’ll be writing a separate post on these!

FOUR. Shop (in your closet if possible) for outfits that will fit the place you’re traveling.

I think there’s something to be said for dressing for the city or country you’re in. What you’d wear on the streets of Paris will differ drastically from what you’d put on in a mountain town of Switzerland. Dress to blend in, and if following trends is your thing-do that. Also consider the weather, and how you can be stylish yet comfortable and ready to hit the town head-on.