Some travelers have discovered that having a purpose or goal associated with their adventures makes the experience all the sweeter. Combining a love of travel with another interest can not only be loads of fun, but it can help you learn more about yourself and develop deeper friendships. Be inspired by these travelers who have discovered that purposeful traveling is the way to go.
Purpose: Literary Pursuits
In 2018, Denver resident Marilyn Robbins, 63, became involved with Divine Destinations, a book club that reads books about a certain location for a year and then visits that location. “We pick our own books, reading one a month for a year, until we set off on the trip,” Marilyn says.
In May 2024, members of Divine Destinations came to Kentucky for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. They got to see firsthand a “rolling hill,” a concept they couldn’t fully imagine given their homebase near the Rocky Mountains. “We were thrilled to see Lexington’s skeleton at the Kentucky Horse Park and Lincoln’s birthplace in Hodgenville,” Marilyn says. “Our hidden gem we stumbled on was Nettie Jarvis Antiques in Bloomfield.”
Divine Destinations has made an effort to travel in a different direction each year. They’ve been to the east (Charleston, South Carolina), to the west (Pacific Grove, California), and to the far south (Key West, Florida). In 2025, Marilyn says the group will head to Mackinac Island in Michigan. To prepare for the trip, they have read a biography on Betty Ford, as well as Mary Doria Russell’s novel The Women of Copper County. In 2026, Marilyn and the Divine Destinations will head to Rhode Island.
Through books, travel becomes even more meaningful because the members of Divine Destinations learn so much about where they are heading — and they get to do it together as friends. “The best thing about intentional travel is immersing ourselves in books that explore the past and define Americans that have truly made a difference,” Marilyn says.
Purpose: Sports Enthusiasm
Anna Norris, 52, and a friend set a purpose for travel in 2013 when they attended a San Diego Chargers game against the San Francisco 49ers in San Diego, California. “I mentioned that I was really enjoying the game and atmosphere, and that I would like to set a goal to see all the teams play,” Anna says. “A girl has gotta have goals!” Then and there, they decided to see all 32 NFL teams play live (although not necessarily in their home arenas).
When it comes to deciding where to visit, Anna says, “There are certain cities or stadiums that clearly stood out to visit, such as Dallas for the Cowboys, Seattle for the Seahawks, and Green Bay for the Packers.” But the friends have visited the same cities several times simply because getting there is relatively easy. “We have seen the Indianapolis Colts play several times at their stadium because the city is just a couple hours away from home,” Anna says.
The NFL has 32 teams on its roster, and Anna has eight teams left on her list, as well as a plan to go to the Super Bowl. “It has not been hard planning a trip when we can look at the NFL schedule when it comes out and narrow down the must-see games for the season to check off our list,” she says.
Purpose: National Parks
In 2018, Kathy Belcher, 71, and her husband were visiting Glacier National Park in Montana when they kept hearing about Greenough Glacier. But it’s strenuous, and we’re not hikers, Kathy thought at the prospect of doing such a formidable hike. Despite her reservations, they ended up hiking all the way to the top, although Kathy notes that they stopped frequently to take photos of the gorgeous scenery. “It was so exhilarating for us because we did a strenuous hike; it just flipped this switch for me,” she says.
Later that year, Kathy’s son won a lottery to camp at the bottom of Grand Canyon National Park in January 2020. That was the nudge Kathy needed to join a women’s hiking group so that she could prepare to join her son on the trip. She met women who had experience doing long hikes, including the Appalachian Trail and the Camino de Santiago, so she was gaining knowledge and camaraderie as well as improving her endurance.
The January 2020 Grand Canyon trip was extended so that Kathy and her son could travel to Utah and see six more national parks (Petrified Forest, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, and Capitol Reef). The following year, she went to California and hiked in Yosemite, and she hasn’t stopped since. Now that she’s been ‘bitten by the hiking-in-national-parks bug,’ she’s hiked in Yellowstone, the Tetons, Acadia, New River Gorge in West Virginia, and more. Her US national park number right now is 14, but she has also visited national parks in other countries, including Banff in Canada and Plitvice in Croatia.
Purpose: Ancestry
Diane Meister, 67, has a leg-up on lots of people who travel to discover more about their ancestors because she worked as a research librarian and genealogist at the Kentucky Historical Society for two decades. Along with her husband, Doug, 73, she has traveled extensively both in the US and beyond its borders to find documents and distant relatives.
One of the best things about genealogical travel is that it takes you beyond the touristy locations into unexpected situations. During a trip to Germany, Diane and Doug stopped for ice cream and began chatting with locals about why they were visiting such a small town. They were introduced to a woman who worked for the local government. “She unlocked the city building, took us into this room, and asked what family name we’re looking for,” Doug says. She handed them a book of church records from the Black Forest dating from 1500-1930, which they were able to purchase. “It was a gold mine,” Diane says.
The next day, they visited the tiny town of Seitzental, Germany, by way of one road winding through the Black Forest, which was pitch dark at 10am due to the densely packed trees. When they saw a man leaving the local beer garden, Doug asked if he knew any Hermanns. “Third house on the left,” the man replied. A few moments later, a woman opened her window to call for her sons, which gave the Meisters the opportunity to ask her a few questions. They learned that Diane’s great-great grandfather had built the Hermann house, and they were able to meet some of Diane’s distant cousins the following day.
By Carrie Vittitoe
P.S. Located in one of our neighboring states, you may also find this well worth the drive: Renew Your Spirits With A Road Trip to The Wisteria Tree House
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