The place you stay in during your travels makes all the difference in the world. It determines how much you will be able to adhere to your chosen or prescribed diet, how much you get to experience the country like a native and how much money you’ll spend!
Renting apartments in guest houses is the best way our family has found to mingle with the locals, learn the language and culture, eat the foods we love and discover new favorites, save time while siteseeing (who needs a restaurant at lunchtime when you have a picnic lunch?), and save a ton of money (that of course goes towards future trips)!
Here are a few things you may want to keep in mind when choosing a location:
- Do you need a kitchen? This is particularly important in places like Central America and even Europe, where fast food might actually be pacing what’s available in the US. It is also useful for any trip with children.
- How close is it to where you think you’ll be spending most of your time? Will you need to take a train, bus, taxi or car to see the sites every day? This can add up depending on how many of you there are. But it can also make the place you stay a sanctuary, far away from the bustle, if that’s what you want.
- Will you need a car? While many countries in Europe have very clearly marked roads, driving in some countries can be dangerous or just plain scary. Just make sure you’re up to the task. Read some of my pages where I tell you what you can expect in the countries we’ve driven in.
- Once you get to your hotel or apartment, will you be able to leave every day? Some places are not so much for the people who want to shop and go to restaurants in town, but are more conducive to the traveler who would rather spend the day birdwatching. So check if you need to rent a car in the location where you’ll be staying and, in some cases, if it’s even accessible by car.
Along the way, you’ll find our best picks for places to stay. Sign up for my RSS feed to be updated when those pages are available.
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