Look Up, Not Down: How to Be Truly Present When You Travel
Trade the doomscrolling for strolls that will stay with you long after you return home.
At its best, travel is about being fully present. But for many of us, the biggest obstacle to that isn’t jet lag, language barriers, or even logistics. It’s that little omnipresent device in our pocket.
Leaving your phone in the hotel (even just for a few hours) can change the entire way you experience a place.
Without the constant buzz of alerts, you’ll notice the rhythm of conversations around you, the smell of food stalls drifting through a street, or the way the light hits a building just before sunset. You won’t be pulling your phone out to check messages…you’ll be tuned in to the world instead.
And when your eyes aren’t glued to a screen, they’re free to wander. You’ll see things you might have missed otherwise: old men playing dominos in the corner, a local saying hello to their neighbors, a trail that tempts you to explore off the main road.
The best part? People notice. When you’re not half-distracted, you’re more approachable. A shopkeeper might linger to chat, another traveler might strike up a conversation, or a local might share a tip you’d never find online.
I tested this myself on a run recently. Normally, I’d have my phone with me for photos of things I’d see along the way. This time, I left it behind. Instead of trying to capture the perfect picture, I carried the moment in memory…and it meant more than any snapshot could. Sure, I can’t pull it out and show someone later…but who do we ultimately travel for? I can guarantee our friends aren’t as interested in our pics as we are!
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Try it in small doses: a morning walk, a dinner out, or even just the time it takes for a coffee. The world has more to offer than what fits on your screen. Extra bonus? You might discover you prefer this approach to the world, and will find yourself leaving your phone behind even when not traveling.
I had a group of friends that used to regularly do dinners together at someone’s home, and the rule was that all phones got stacked in the middle of the table the minute people sat down to eat and chat. These dinners are some of the fondest friend memories I carry with me.
Because sometimes, the most meaningful travel stories aren’t the ones you share online. They’re the ones you carry with you.
✨ Your turn: Have you ever left your phone behind while traveling? Did it change the way you connected with the people or the place?