Everyone wants to make the most of their vacation. However, vacationing can be an artform. That’s why I asked a friend, Carina Clark from the U.K, to share her expert advice on how to make the most of your vacation.

Enjoy Carina’s two cents and your next unforgettable vacay!

Each year vacation time comes around, and more often than not we decide to book ourselves a trip away that we are fairly familiar with. You probably go through the rigmarole of heading to your local travel agents, booking an all-inclusive vacation and the job is done. While this is a still fantastic and you’re going to have a great time, some people want to get more out of their vacation time. Sound familiar? Take a look at how you can make this year’s vacation like no other.

Live like the locals

More often than not, you will probably shy away from the locals of your chosen destination because you’re on holiday and you feel out of place. However, in most cases, the locals are welcoming and like getting to know the tourists that visit their hometown. So why not live like the locals while you’re there? There are two ways you could be doing this:

Food

One of the greatest ways of relating to someone is through food. So, even if you’re struggling with a language barrier, simple gestures like trying their specialty dishes and complimenting them for it will make you a new friend. Plus, it’s an amazing experience trying new dishes each and every night.

Lifestyle

An option would be to stay with a local family as your accommodation. More often than not this is a free to stay option in return for working on their farm or doing some work for their business. It’s the perfect chance to live exactly like the locals do and truly have an amazing experience on your vacation!

Consider a different kind of hotel

We’ve all been in the generic hotels with a bed, shower, toilet, and TV, and while they do exactly what you need it for, they’re really boring to spend time in. Consider going for an art deco hotel that offers specialist rooms full of artwork and unusual layouts that will have you entertained for hours. Perfect for relaxation and also some opportunities for some insta worthy snaps!

Drive to your destination

Rather than doing the usual and jetting off to your destination, why not drive there? It will of course, take longer to arrive and you will need to arrange this, but you have the chance to see even more incredible sights along the way. Most of the time, driving to your destination will work out much cheaper than flying too, so you’re saving money at the same time!

Take an extended vacation

Finally, rather than sticking to the regular one or two weeks of vacation, why not take an extended one? If you do choose to drive your journey, it would pose the perfect opportunity to continue travelling for a little longer than usual so that you can pack as much into your break away. Just don’t forget to pack your camera!

**Post contributed by travel and fashion writer, Carina Clark, who is based in the U.K.**