Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary
How to Find Local Travel Experiences You Can’t Book Online
The author got to pick olives with a local family in Morocco. Have you ever had a travel experience that sounded great when you booked it online, but it turned out to be canned and generic? The internet abounds with such offers, and all too often they’re a sad disappointment. That’s why I count on humans, not algorithms, for guidance on which travel experiences will be most authentic, and for connections with local people who will welcome me as a new friend rather than a stranger to recite a stale script to.
The trip planners on our WOW List of Trusted Travel Experts are constantly creating fresh experiences and cultivating new hosts who reveal the most special aspects of a place. Take, for example, a lesson I got in olive picking when I was in Morocco: The grove I visited was a small family plot owned by a friend of my trip planner, and the family had invited outsiders to join their harvest only a couple of times before. The result was an afternoon of laughter, learning, and genuine connection—and ended up being one of my favorite moments of the entire trip.
For me, the key characteristics of an authentic travel experience are:
- local people sharing aspects of their daily lives or cultural traditions
- an interaction that isn’t advertised widely online
- a connection that runs in both directions, with the traveler not just an audience but an active participant
As you can see from the trip reviews below, I’m not the only one who’s discovered that it’s the human touch that makes a trip truly WOW. No Google search or A.I. prompt can reproduce the local relationships that lead to the genuine connections many of us travel for.
If you click on the button below, we can introduce you to the right humans at your travel destination who are better connected locally than any software code can be.
“Everyone knows and loves Iván, and he is as embedded in Andalusia as anyone could possibly be…”
WOW List expert Iván Ricoy has friends all across Andalusia.
“Every planner has a repertoire of places, tours, and experiences they draw from to create an itinerary; the quality of that selection—and the intricate network of providers that make it work—depends entirely on how well that planner is embedded in the region. Iván planned our tour of Córdoba, Sevilla, Cádiz, Ronda, and Granada, and every element fit together like a beautiful puzzle. We enjoyed many activities: a market tour and cooking lesson with a chef; a tour of a horse estate and delicious lunch with the owner; a private tour and tasting at a highly rated sherry bodega in Jerez; and seats in the royal box for a performance at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, plus meetings with the performers and horses.
Everyone knows and loves Iván, and he is as embedded in Andalusia as anyone could possibly be. Every driver, every guide, every host and experience provider considers him a good friend and spoke glowingly of him. The net result is a very efficient tour process that runs like clockwork, with perfect results in every respect.” —Brian Catts
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
“Each of our experiences was private, and more importantly, it never felt like it was a commercial enterprise…”
Traveler SueAnne Robinson gains hands-on experience in the art of Ikebana.
“Our 15-day trip to Japan was fabulous! Andrea did a wonderful job finding a balance of shrines and temples, museums, food markets, cooking, and special artisan experiences for us.
Our ‘hands-on’ experiences included shaping bonsai trees, woodblock printing taught by a master printer who has presented at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, cooking where we got to make tempura and miso soup, and ikebana (flower arranging). Each of our experiences was private, and more importantly, it never felt like it was a commercial enterprise.
We can’t recommend planning with Andrea and his team more. The design process is so detailed—we didn’t have a wish or expectation that wasn’t met.” —SueAnne Robinson
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
“Due to his relationships, we had the most unique experiences…”
Witnessing the rituals of daily life is one reward of a smartly planned trip. Photo: Ethan Crowley
“We had an incredible time on our trip to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Every one of Ethan’s suggestions (from hotels to activities) was spot-on! In Chiang Mai we did a cooking class with Pea and we met a monk to learn more about Buddhism and the life of a monk. Both were fun and eye-opening.
We took a private boat from Thailand to Laos, observing village life along the way. This was definitely a trip highlight! The ride itself was beautiful, relaxing, and it was interesting to see people fishing or panning for gold. The true value of our local guide was evident when we arrived in the local villages. Due to his relationships, we had the most unique experiences. In one village, we joined in a drinking party with a group of women taking a break from the fields. In another village, we participated in preparing for a ceremony honoring a deceased family member.
In Laos we went to our guide’s house for dinner with his family. We ate traditional foods, were blessed by all his relatives, traded off singing Lao and American songs, and danced together! Our final morning, we woke up early with our guide to give alms to the monks. Another really authentic experience.
Our last trip highlight was our Wendy Perrin WOW Moment—we had a private dinner at a world-renowned Cambodian chef’s home. Chef Nak sat with us during our five-course dinner and explained how she is traveling around the world trying to elevate Cambodian cuisine and culture. It was a really special night!” —Debbie Kasle
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
How to Find Local Travel Experiences: Frequently Asked Questions
How can travelers find experiences that aren’t listed online?
It’s all about who you know. When you work with a destination expert like the folks on The WOW List, their local relationships and personal connections will open doors to experiences that purposely aren’t advertised online so that they remain meaningful and authentic. You’ll find examples among these trip reviews: Real Connections With Locals.
Do you need a local guide to have authentic cultural experiences?
Sometimes a spontaneous encounter turns into an authentic cultural experience. But when your time is limited and you don’t want to leave things up to fate, a well-connected guide can introduce you to the most charismatic locals, help you avoid any cultural gaffes, and act as translator so that the conversation flows. These trip reviews show the many ways that hiring a top local guide can enhance a trip.
How do travel planners arrange special local experiences?
Savvy travel planners cultivate relationships with local people who have interesting stories to tell and traditions or expertise to share. Special local experiences don’t materialize overnight. It can take months, or even years, of conversation and building trust before someone is willing to open their kitchen or workshop to strangers (soon to be new friends).
Be a smarter traveler: Sign up for Wendy’s weekly newsletter to stay in the know. Read real travelers’ reviews, then use the black CONTACT buttons on Wendy’s WOW List to reach out to the right local fixer for your trip.
Stay in the Know With Our Newsletter
