Travel has always been a source of happiness for me throughout life. During the course of research when I was working on a thesis for my Masters in Sociology, I realized how sociologically important travel was not only to the traveler, but also to the host (or town, culture, etc). Travel changes us in significant ways and we also change the places we travel to through our interactions.
I feel that the travel-happiness connection is so important that I even named our blog after it because I have experienced the joy and power of travel in my own life!
My travel experiences are a constant source of joy and learning for me through these interactions and exposures to new cultures, foods, people, and spaces.
Travel also brings a sense of happiness for me from the very beginning of just thinking about planning a trip to researching it, planning it, anticipating the trip, and finally the actual experience on the trip.
It doesn’t stop there! Remembering the good times that were had during a trip or looking at all of the photos that guide the path down memory lane also bring happiness. The great part is that you can repeat the process and start a new adventure!
Tip: One way that I keep the happy travel memories around is to have my favorite trip photos put on large canvases (especially sunsets and sunrises!) to display in my home and office. Check out how inexpensive it can be to surround yourself with your own beautiful travel memories! Your Photos as a Canvas Collage from $21.00!
So, can travel really make us happier?
The researchers involved in the 2022 Beach Happy Report found many connections between travel and happiness. The main takeaway from their data revealed that not only the more we travel the happier we feel, having keepsakes that remind us of travel also makes us happier!
They also found that if we plan travel it increases our brain endorphins and also makes us happier. The key is to use a combination of planning travel, reminiscing about travel, actually traveling, and discussing it either in person or online!
Some ways I use the exact findings above is to plan more travel, of course, but I’ll also have a dessert or cocktail that reminds me of a place (hello, Key Lime Pie), go through vacation photos and think of the past, but also think of a future trip, and talk about travel experiences with friends and loved ones (and of course write blog posts about travel).
See our trip planning tips article to help plan your next vacation and find out ways to pack with only carry-on luggage for a less stressful airport experience!
Here are some more specific ideas and research on how travel can make us happier:
How does travel make us happier? Current research data.
Travel has been shown to prolong happiness.
Prolonging joy and happiness with travel is a great benefit! Tourism Research findings in a 2020 longitudinal travel study by Jangwook Kwan and Hoon Lee found that subjective happiness actually rises in the 15 days before and a month after a trip or vacation (Tourism Management Vol 76, 2-2020). That is exactly when the anticipation for the trip is at it’s peak and the “looking back” period when you return and reflect on the joy of an amazing trip. I usually use this time to plan another trip, of course.
Yet another study found that interactions with others during a trip, rest during the trip, and how one gets around influence happiness (Chen, et al, Travel Behavior in Society, Vol 16, 7-2019). This reinforces the idea of planning a vacation with an enjoyable pace so that stress doesn’t creep in on your adventure.
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Travel doesn’t just make us happy, it can even rewire our brains.
A Forbes article by Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, “This is Your Brain on Travel”, compiled even more research and described how the act of travel can rewire our brains by using learning experiences to enhance neuroplasticity even longer than science had previously thought. She also discussed the research showing that travel can help people reset and lower depression.
So, not only do we love to travel, science supports the idea that it can actually make us happier! The simple act of travel is taking positive action that will enhance our well being beyond just staying in one location. There are so many options for joyful travel experiences! It is a way to embrace everything the world has to offer!
Travel is also great for empty nesters (we have a guide)! It is great for weekend girls trips to Charleston too!
Studies also show that those who travel are less depressed.
Taking our mental health seriously is an important part of staying healthy and travel even helps in this area. A recent study of women in rural Wisconsin found that those in the study who took two or more trips a year reported to be less depressed and were even happier in their marriages compared to those who took less trips during a year. As trips decreased depression and marital unhappiness increased. Yet another recent travel study found that respondants who had not traveled over the previous year were 71% more likely to suffer from depression the following year.
These results just underscore how important travel can be and how connected our experiences are to happiness.
Exploring new places can have positive effects on our psyche and enhance our personalities by getting us out of our comfort zones. Even WebMd has a section on how travel can improve our mental health.
Research also found that planning a soul-nourishing beach vacation can be good for us too!
Bottom Line on Travel and Happiness
I love travel and new experiences! Reading about how science supports the connection between traveling and happiness makes me even more excited for new adventures because it’s doing something that may benefit us in more ways than we realize.If a big trip isn’t in the travel budget why not try a staycation? A day or camping trip to a national or state park can also make you feel like you are far away!
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to plan a trip and test out the travel and happiness connection!
Does traveling make you feel happier? Scroll down and let us know in the comments below.
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