10 Types of Vacations to Consider for Your Next Trip

There are so many different types of vacation trips you can take throughout the course of your life. Whether you’re all about the chill vibes, seeking epic adventures, or just need some solo soul-searching time, the universe of travel has got you covered. Trust me – it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.

Having travelled so 36 countries together, my husband and I have managed to undertake a number of unforgettable getaways. Short or long, we’ve mixed and matched various styles in a single trip, creating a symphony of travel experiences. But regardless of the travelling styles we’ve experienced together, there’s still a world of vacations out there that we miss doing with our friends and family! Spoiler alert: that’s one type of vacation we can’t forget about!

So, buckle up as we explore 10 different vacation vibes that will have you itching to pack your bags for the next adventure!

1. Relaxing Vacations

If you are looking for a vacation that will allow you to relax and unwind, then a vacation dedicated to resting and recuperating is likely the best choice for you. There are many different types of relaxing vacations, such as beach vacations, spa and yoga retreats, or even city staycations.

We’ve had our fair share of relaxing vacations. Between our honeymoon in the Maldives, a group spa retreat in the Canadian Rockies and a staycation at the Sheraton Suites Calgary, we honestly can’t get enough of rejuvenating getaways. I need at least one every year!

2. Adventure Vacations

You might be the adventurous type and want to explore a destination by taking it to the next level. We’re the same way! Our focus for any trip is to try and incorporate some outdoor adventure. We’re very much attracted to natural sceneries and love doing activities we don’t always get the chance to do at home.

Nothing says adventurous like going paragliding over the blue lagoon in Ölüdeniz, Türkiye, hiking up a volcano in Guatemala, swimming with manta rays in Nusa Penida, Bali or testing your fear of heights along a via ferrata in Switzerland. We’ve done all of those things and they are by far our most memorable travel experiences!

Pretty much every destination around the globe offers incredible landscapes for an active and adventurous vacation. One of our favourite destinations for active exploring from sea to sky was Madeira, Portugal! Hiking above the clouds at Pico do Arieiro was a memory that will stick with me forever.

3. Cultural Vacations

If you are interested in learning about other cultures and history, you could totally visit a destination with a cultural focus. There are many different types of cultural vacations that you could do all around the world, whether in large established cities or in remote regions.

It can be incredibly invigorating and humbling to visit a remote village where no one speaks your language and vice versa. As you eat what they eat, sleep where they sleep and live how they live, that piece of the people’s culture will live with you forever. We’ve met some friends who’ve managed to experience this with remote tribes in Africa as well as in the Amazon of South America.

Though we have yet to do something as immersive, we love undertaking cultural vacations in small doses around the world. From exploring the musical history of Salzburg while enjoying Austrian eats to discovering the spiritual side of Bali in nature, we’ve opened ourselves to see a destination for its people and traditions.

Cultural vacations can look so different from one trip to another. For us, we like to focus on architecture, food and unique traditions that give us an outlook on the people’s history. But food is definitely the biggest priority for our cultural learning journey!

4. Family Vacations

If you are looking for a vacation to share with your loved ones, then a family vacation might be one to consider! When organizing a large group trip for your family, keeping it simple with an all-inclusive stay, a trip to a theme park (any Disneyland fans out there?) or even a cruise, will be easier to coordinate.

When my brother and I were much younger, my parents took us on our first family trips and it was kept simple. During a two-week trip, we would stay at two or three different hotels, fit in a short family cruise and go to Universal Studios.

It was only when we were in our teens that they took things to the next level by launching us on a four-week long summer trip, city and beach hopping across a continent. By then, my mom was a pro at coordinating such a trip and we would be able to explore lesser travelled places like India, Mozambique and more, while combining adventure, luxury, budget-friendly and relaxing trips all in one.

5. Group Vacations

Much like a family vacation, a group vacation consists of finding the common interests of a group and experiencing new things and new places together!

Group trips are incredibly difficult to plan because everyone needs to be onboard. Travelling with others can be hard enough already. Add in more people, and it can become a whole mess. People have different schedules and travelling styles, so trying to please everyone can be difficult.

I’ve had the pleasure of planning a group trip for nine people, but my friends are incredibly easygoing, patient and are always down for a good time together. We personally enjoy just booking a resort for a week and then going with the flow when it comes to booking activities. We’ll cook together, play games late at night and enjoy one – or a few – drinks at the pool and beach before we think to book a catamaran cruise or rent a van for the day to explore cenotes.

And every year, we have a large group cabin weekend trip to Invermere, Canada, either in the summer or winter! Even a small getaway like that can make the greatest memories.

What I do love about group trips is that it’s much easier to book private excursions and transfers. With a large group, it’s much more affordable to split the private group cost than you would as a couple. From a cooking class in Thailand to a wildlife safari in South Africa, you can enjoy it all to yourselves and no one else!

6. Romantic Vacations

If you are looking for a getaway with just your significant other, then a romantic vacation may be the ideal choice for you. My list of romantic trip ideas goes on and on and it totally depends on what you and your boo are into! If you talk to any newlyweds about their honeymoon destination, you’ll get all sorts of answers. We’ve had friends go to South Africa, Patagonia, Colombia, Switzerland and Iceland among others!

Romance can be found anywhere, even in your own hometown. It’s more an attitude than a destination! We’ve had some of our best romantic getaways in Banff and Jasper, just a drive away from our home in Calgary. Especially during the winter when the daylight hours are short and you spend more time cuddling by the cabin fire with a hot cocoa in hand. It definitely gives a couple the quality time they’re looking for!

7. Solo Vacations

If you are looking for a vacation that you can take by yourself, then a solo vacation may be right up your alley. For self-discovery and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, solo trips are the way to go.

I’ll be honest, solo travel is the only type of vacation that I have yet to experience! It’s not something I seek because I am not open to making memories without others by my side. That might change! I am willing to learn about myself if I travelled on my own. But at this time, I couldn’t imagine going anywhere without my best friend (i.e. my husband), my girlfriends or my family.

To tell you the truth, I think I would be a much lazier traveller if it weren’t for others. But I am always so intrigued by others’ stories of their solo trips! We meet a ton of them throughout our travels and every story is so different from the other!

8. Luxury Vacations

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a bougie trip for yourself. I find myself often craving luxury vacations, even if I don’t have the means to go on one every time I want to! But regardless of our tighter budget, we’ve been able to go on some amazing luxury experience with miles and points!

From our Business Class flights on Etihad and other airlines, to getting five nights on our overwater bungalow in the Maldives for free, and so many more point stays across with globe with Marriott, we’ve been able to use rewards points to our advantage. We love a swanky experience every now and then!

Two of our favourite luxury vacations was our cruise in Ha Long Bay with Paradise Vietnam and our phenomenal stay at Capella Bangkok. One of the best destinations for a variety of five-star hotels and experiences is UAE. Dubai is the home of the high life and the best hotel service we’ve ever had was during our honeymoon at the St Regis Abu Dhabi.

9. Budget Vacations

If you are looking for a vacation that is easy on the wallet, it’s very doable to make a vacation budget-friendly! There are countless destinations that offer affordable accommodations, transportation, food and excursions like you wouldn’t believe.

Southeast Asia and part of South America are two of them. Of course, if you’re located quite a ways away from these continents, the flight cost could put you over budget. That’s why we capitalize on earning travel rewards points to pay for our flights for us!

From our experience, two of the most budget-friendly countries to visit and explore out of the 50 I’ve been to, are Vietnam and Bolivia. A $2 well-rounded and filling meal and a $12 private and clean hotel room in a beautiful city is music to my money-saving ears!

But if you’re not yet in the position yet to fly to these countries, there are still so many ways to have an incredible travel experience that is low cost. Planning to take a road trip? Consider combining your vehicle and accommodations into one. We love camping in our own 4Runner while exploring the Canadian Rockies and beyond! We even got a customized mattress to fit in the back and we’ll bring our own camping cookware with us and go grocery shopping along the way.

Sticking to shared dorm hostels is another way to save on travel expenses, though many private rooms at hostels don’t typically cost much either. Tons hostels and guesthouses also offer the option to cook in a shared kitchen which is great to have when dining out is on the pricey side!

There are a million and one tips we’ve learned to save on our travel budget since we’ve started travelling full-time. Points hacking is one of them, as well as minimizing unnecessary costs like foreign transaction fees, but a little sacrifice and research goes a long way.

10. Unique Vacations

Unique vacations include experiencing things that are one-of-a-kind that you likely can’t find anywhere else! You might already have your own world bucket list, where there certain are destinations that are THE spot to experience xyz.

Witnessing the hot air balloons rise above Göreme in Cappadocia, Türkiye was a huge one on our list! Or witnessing the immense Iguassu Falls collapsing across 275 different waterfalls in both Argentina and Brazil! That was a heavenly memory for sure.

Whether it’s about chasing the aurora borealis in Lapland or witnessing incredible wildlife on a South African safari, the choices are endless for unique vacations around the world!

Conclusion

And there you have it! There are many different types of vacations that you can undertake. Each one of them has their own subcategories as well, and you can mix and match as you like! Most of our long-term trips pretty will encompass many of these vacation types.

With some budget-stays here and splurges there, relaxing, adventuring and culture-immersing, you can tick many of the boxes at once! Consider your interests and preferences and think about who you want to go with – if anyone! And make sure to start putting together that bucket list. You just never know when you’ll have the opportunity to check some of your dream items off!

Happy travel planning!