Experts Say ‘Slow Travel’ Might Be The Key To Your Best Vacation Ever — Here’s What That Means

“If you want to really unplug and relax without the stresses of traveling then slow travel may be for you,” said Mark Wolters, the creator of the popular YouTube travel channel Wolters World. “You get to unpack your suitcases less, take fewer planes, trains and automobiles and just relax in a destination.”

He noted that slow travel is excellent for practicing foreign language skills, as there are more opportunities for meaningful conversations with locals.

“If you are traveling with children, slow travel is a good way to introduce them to international travel and getting them to see the differences in cultures,” Wolters noted. “When your kids are playing at the local playground with other children they see that there are not too many differences between themselves and the kids in this new country you are visiting.”

He said his children have also learned how to make pupusas in El Salvador, pasta in Italy, and sandwiches in Portugal because the family likes to return to the same eateries and make connections with the people working there. 

“There is nothing like going back to the same restaurant a few times and the waiters and owners start to see you as a friend instead of a tourist looking for a quick bite to eat,” Wolters said. “Slow travel also gives your family a chance to focus on spending time together doing tourist activities, but also just being together as a family instead of just trying to get in as many museums as possible.”

There are practical upsides to this approach to travel as well.

“I love slow traveling for its environmental benefits,” Lau said. “By staying in one location for longer periods of time, there are fewer carbon emissions associated with transportation such as flights and buses.”