How I Plan My Trips (in America
A. Start with Google Search
I begin by searching “[destination] things to do.” Google’s “Things to Do” tab is a solid foundation for popular attractions. While those top results give me the usual tourist spots, my tip is don’t stop scrolling too early! Some hidden gems appear further down the results but can be just as enjoyable.
I copy and paste all interesting places into a document or spreadsheet, and categorize them as indoors, outdoors, or evening events. At this stage, I aim at building a comprehensive list rather than search each attraction in detail, that comes later.
Most cities have official tourism websites with curated guides. These sites usually show up in the same Google search results from step A. Like the “Things to Do” tab on Google, they have information about local attractions and seasonal events. When I see places that also appeared in my initial Google search, it reinforces their importance, sometimes confirming spots I definitely want to visit or making me reconsider others.
C. Explore Individual Attraction Websites
With my list in hand, I visit the websites of those places I’m still unsure about, to check what they offer, current exhibitions, opening hours, admission fees, and special events. I may remove places that don’t interest me, while confirming the reservations, open dates, and hours for those I definitely want to prioritize. Sometimes I combine this with steps A and B for efficiency.
The following steps D, E, and F are my personal interests, but you can swap them for whatever you’re into. Xiaohongshu is definitely giving me artistic destinations that Google or City websites often miss. For example,
- Early atrium architecture by John Portman includes the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, and the Coda building at Georgia Tech. The Atlanta Central Library also has architectural significance.
- Mill Valley Public Library near San Francisco.
- Edgar Degas’s residence in New Orleans.
- Simpsons mural and graffiti in Springfield, OR.
- Frank Lloyd Wright houses are spread across the U.S. Many can be viewed from the outside, while some even offer tours.
I ask both Google and ChatGPT about company HQs in my destination city. For interesting companies, I check whether they have public access, museums, special stores, or tours. For example,
- Chick-fil-A’s backstage tour and Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta,
- Hamburger University in Chicago,
- Boeing’s Museum of Flight and the first Costco in Seattle,
- Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.
For Presidential Libraries & Museums, I keep a mental note of which states have them and check for details if I’m traveling nearby. The National Park Service’s “Find a Park” (browse with map) tool is also useful and can be searching by state. I always take a quick look. Aside from the “real-real” NPs, National Historic Sites, National Historical Parks, National Seashores, and more beyond that (474 in total as of Feb 2025) are also incredibly cool places to visit. Plus, I collect maps and passport stamps from these visits!
G. Watch Travel Vlogs and Videos
I typically don’t watch travel videos during early planning stages but use them later as supplements. I search for the destination on Youtube or Bilibili, or check out my fav travel influencers’ channel (e. g., 唧唧歪歪的平行世界，街头小小小霸王，史食事馆). Some vloggers may express their likes or dislikes toward a city, which could influence my impression of it. I would still prefer to experience a city for myself before being influenced by too many other opinions. But the factual information from those videos is still helpful.
H. Consult Travel Books
Last but not least, I sometimes flip through books to see if they mention cool spots. Kids’ non-fictions about the 50 states (any version or series found at the public library) are fun resources. Some other travel books include:
- Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck,
- Deep South by Paul Theroux,
- 边境·近境 by 村上春树, etc.
If I randomly come across a place in my reading, I keep it in mind or add it to my travel list so I can check it out if I ever visit. Some examples include:
- Green Bank Observatory, WV;
- Republic of Molossia, Dayton, NV;
- LIGO Hanford Observatory and Exploration Center, WA, and LIGO Livingston, LA;
- Bretton Woods Omni Mount Washington Resort, where the World Bank and IMF were established in 1944;
There are also experiences and tours offered by TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and similar platforms. I never do them in the U.S., but they can be very helpful in other countries like in Central America or Europe.
Google Maps is my (& my partner’s) invaluable travel companion. tbh, many times, I have no idea how he finds the places he does!! For road trips, we zoom in on towns along our route and spot unexpected attractions. I also love finding towns with fun names (or unique shapes), such as Truth or Consequences, NM; Texarkana, TX and AR; Arkoma, AR and OK; Welcome, MN; Blue Earth, MN; Calexico, CA, which is just north of the Mexicali, Mexico; and perhaps one of the more than 23 cities named Paris in the U.S.
Some state parks and villages can also be spotted on Google Maps with their designated icons, such as the Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Florida, and the Jemez Hot Springs in New Mexico.
There are more places open to the public than we might expect.
- SPAM Museum (Austin, MN)
- Walmart Museum (Bentonville, AR)
- Birthplace of Pepsi-Cola (New Bern, NC)
- Ben & Jerry’s Factory and Flavor Graveyard (Waterbury, VT)
- Hershey’s Chocolate World (Hershey, PA)
- Jerry Siegel’s Childhood Home (creator of Superman, Cleveland, OH)
- Thomas Edison’s Birthplace (Milan, OH)
- Michael Jackson Family Home (Gary, IN)
- Helen Keller’s Birthplace (Tuscumbia, AL)
- Mascot Hall of Fame (Whiting, IN)
- World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet (Burlington, VT)
- World’s Largest Rocking Chair (Gulfport, MS)