While planning for your upcoming vacation, you’ve found just the place: a hotel with a stunning view of a Costa Rican volcano.
But when you arrive months later, you realize the photo was a fake. You can’t even see the volcano from where you are. The hotel was not what you expected.
It’s a situation that has happened to many, including Jamie Kurtz, an associate professor of psychology at James Madison University in Virginia, and the author of a new book, "The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations."
"If you only look at the Pinterest boards and the glossy images, you can get a little disappointed," Kurtz said.
Setting a high bar for your vacations isn’t a bad thing. Vacations are often expensive and rare, and a good thing to look forward to.
But Kurtz said many fall into a trap while on vacation, asking themselves: "Is there a better view I could be enjoying right now?"
"And if we get ourselves trapped in that mindset, it can absolutely spoil our good time," Kurtz said.
She said the personality type travelers should emanate is the "satisficer," an individual who pursues what they like, but doesn’t have an inner voice telling them it’s not good enough.
That’s easier said than done. Kurtz offers a few tips to enjoy your vacation to the fullest:
-
Travel with other people. When you are forced to compromise and think about others, your inner negative voice is naturally quieted, Kurtz said. You become more satisfied with what you’re doing. "When I’m with other people, it can’t always be about me and what makes me happy," she said.
-
Don’t stay on your vacation as long as possible. Kurtz said there’s a tendency for people to stretch out their vacation and then immediately go back to work. Don’t do it. "The relaxation that you gained on that trip is pretty much wiped out," she said. Plus, those relaxing views on your trip only become less effective as time goes by. "More time doesn’t buy more happiness," Kurtz said.
-
Make planning and research part of the fun. There’s no harm in letting the anticipation build, Kurtz said. Research has found that pre-trip anticipation can be just as positive or better than the trip itself. Cook some local food. Watch a movie or read a book set on the location. "That’s a way to build the location without setting an unrealistic bar for yourself," Kurtz said.