Common travel activities to always include on your international trip
Balance your travel itinerary with these activities to include on every trip
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After planning travel to 20+ countries, we’ve noticed a pattern.
No matter where we’re going — or how different the destination seems — we almost always end up planning a similar mix of travel activities. And it turns out, we’re not the only ones. When we browse tour sites, like GetYourGuide, many of the same experiences show up again and again.
If you’re planning your first international trip (or your 15th), starting with these tried‑and‑true activities can save you hours of research — and help you build an itinerary that balances sightseeing, culture, food, and fun.
Bonus tip: At the end, we’re sharing our personal sightseeing must‑dos — the little rituals that make a trip feel complete for us.
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Common travel activities worth building into every trip
See the view from a high place
Whether it’s a skyscraper, mountain, tower, or ancient ruin, most travelers seek out at least one high vantage point in every destination.
Standing above it all, looking down at a city, coastline, or countryside, adds perspective in the best way. Whether you’re gazing at Paris from the Eiffel Tower or admiring the Andes mountains from Cerro San Cristóbal hill in Santiago, Chile, these views have a way of reminding you how vast (and humbling) the world really is.
If there’s a way to see your destination from above, it’s usually worth it.
Take a food tour
Culture and food go hand in hand, which is why food tours show up on so many itineraries worldwide. When we travel, we always make a list of local foods we want to try — and cross them off as we go.
One of the best food tours we’ve ever done was a Little Havana food tour in Miami. It was the perfect mix of history, storytelling, and genuinely delicious food.
Food tours are especially great at the start of a trip. They help you get your bearings while eating your way through local favorites.
Book a cooking class
If a destination is known for a specific dish or a style of cooking that’s hard to find elsewhere a cooking class is one of the most memorable ways to experience it.
We love how hands‑on these classes are, especially when traveling with kids. Over the years, we’ve made baguettes and croissants in Paris, dumplings and ramen in Osaka, pasta in Rome, and grilled meats for an asado in Buenos Aires.
Beyond the food, it’s the passion of the instructors — and their willingness to share their culture — that makes these experiences so special.
Plan a day trip outside the city
We tend to stay in major cities because public transportation makes things easier. But honestly? Some of our favorite memories come from smaller towns and rural areas nearby.
That’s why we often book day tours that take us outside the city by bus or train with a guide who adds context along the way. It’s a great way to experience a more well‑rounded version of a destination.
If you prefer more flexibility, services like Daytrip let you hire a driver between cities and stop wherever you’d like along the way.
Experience a unique cultural activity
Every destination has something you won’t find anywhere else, and we always try to include at least one experience that feels deeply rooted in local culture.
Some favorites:
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Watching gondola-making in Venice
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An olive oil farm visit in Greece
These experiences often become the stories we tell long after the trip ends.
Wander an Old Town or historic neighborhood
There’s something magical about old towns — the architecture, the charm, the sense that you’ve traveled not just across borders, but through time.
Places like Old (Viejo) San Juan, Staré Město in Prague, or historic districts during European Christmas market season instantly transport you. These neighborhoods are perfect for slow wandering, photos, and soaking it all in without an agenda.
Take a mini vehicle tour (bike, eBike, Vespa, & more)
One of our favorite ways to kick off a trip — or power through sightseeing without wearing out our feet — is a mini vehicle tour. Think bike or e‑bike tours, Vespa tours, golf cart tours, Segways, or even themed experiences, like the Mario Kart tours in Tokyo.
These tours are perfect for covering more ground than walking while still being immersed in your surroundings. You get to see neighborhoods, landmarks, and hidden corners you might miss on foot — without feeling rushed or exhausted. Plus, having a local guide narrate along the way adds helpful context and stories you wouldn’t get otherwise.
Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Before we started traveling regularly, we didn’t realize how many places are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Now, we actively look for them. They offer a deeper understanding of what makes a place culturally, historically, or naturally significant. Many tour descriptions will note if a UNESCO site is included, making them easy to spot during planning.
Explore a local market
Markets are one of the best ways to experience everyday life.
From Nishiki Market in Kyoto to Mercado Central in Santiago, or holiday markets across central Europe, you get a glimpse of how locals shop, eat, and interact.
Bonus: They’re great places to try new foods and bring home edible souvenirs.
Spend time in a park or outdoor space
Even the most bustling cities usually have a signature outdoor space — and they’re often just as iconic as major attractions.
Think Central Park in New York City, El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, redwood forests in northern California, whale watching in New England, or dune buggy rides on the Oregon Coast. The more unique the setting, the better.
Our personal sightseeing must‑dos
These aren’t on official itineraries, but they’re what make a trip feel ours.
Pose with statues
A trip isn’t official until one of us poses with a statue. The sillier, the better. Check out Carrie's poses for inspiration.
Visit a grocery store
Even a quick grocery stop reveals so much — local staples, packaging design, snack options, and flavors you won’t find at home. We never pass up biscuits (aka cookies) when traveling through the UK — even if we’re just in the airport.
Visit McDonald’s for local menu items
Okay, we wouldn’t dream of doing this before we had kids, but now it’s part of the plan. Every country puts its own spin on McDonald’s — and comparing menus is part curiosity, part tradition, part snack break.
Find a nearby café for coffee
Because … coffee. Enough said.
Choose one tourist trap
The Hollywood Walk of Fame. Times Square. A gondola ride in Venice. They’re popular for a reason — and sometimes you just want to see what the fuss is about.
Lean into movie stereotypes
Ride a Vespa in Italy. Eat a gyro in Greece. Enjoy tea time in the Cotswolds. Sometimes leaning into the cliché makes the experience even more fun.
Watch local TV
When your feet are done for the day but curiosity isn’t, turn on the TV. We’ve loved watching soccer matches in Irish pubs, game shows in Greece, and sumo in Japan, trying to guess what’s happening even when we don’t understand the language.
Ready to start planning?
Having a list of go‑to travel activities makes trip planning easier — and helps ensure your itinerary balances sightseeing, culture, food, and rest.
If you want a simple way to start organizing your plans, we’ve put everything together in one place:
Get your free First International Travel Checklist >
Photo credit: Carrie participating in a baking class in Paris.
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