Book The Boat Tour
10 ways to find inspiration when traveling ✈️✨
I’d like to quickly note that while for this piece I’m mainly focusing on international travel, all of this applies to domestic experiences as well, and even wandering around your own city!
I’m never happier than when I’m on a boat.
The first thing I do when planning any trip is to see if where I’m going has boat tours. It's a running joke that I geek out the minute I’m water-bound. I infamously took the Chicago River architecture boat tour twice in one day. Ben’s convinced I was a sea captain in a past life.
As you’re reading this, I’m somewhere in the middle of a 30-hour travel day to Thailand, where I’m spending the next two weeks. So far, I have four boat tours booked.
There’s something about being on the water — whether it’s a sunset sail, a speedboat around the lake, or a ferry across the bay —that cracks me open creatively. The change in perspective, the movement, the welcome feeling of being untethered—it’s the perfect recipe for inspiration.
But creativity doesn’t just strike on boats - Travel, in all forms, is where I find boundless inspiration. New experiences spark new ideas, and over the years, I’ve learned how to tap into that.
So if you’re looking to fuel your creativity on your next trip, here are some ways to find inspiration while exploring.
While boat tours are my ultimate travel hack for unlocking creativity, it’s not really about the boat. It’s about getting the lay of the land (or water), seeing a place from a fresh perspective, and letting yourself take your hands off the wheel for a bit and fully sink into the experience. Gliding past a city’s skyline, drifting through hidden canals, or watching the coastline unfold makes everything feel a little more magicsl. It’s a reset for my brain. And honestly, it’s also about embracing the dorky tourist thing. Sometimes, the most “basic” activities—hopping on a river cruise or taking the cheesy guided tour—are the ones that surprise you with the most inspiration. So book the boat trip, grab the guided headset, and let the world show itself to you.
Below are nine more recommendations for fostering creativity, stumbling across inspiration, and commemorating your travels.