Start Off The New Year With Meaningful Travel Plans
By the time the calendar flips, most of us feel pretty similar. We want this year to mean something. Not a “do more, hustle harder” something, either; more like “live on purpose” something.
We want something meaningful, and that applies as much to our travel plans as anything else.
At Stoney Creek Farm, we’ve always been big believers in setting intentions that support the whole person (and the whole household). And if one of your intentions is to travel more, let’s make sure it’s the kind of travel that actually fills you up, whether that means one big trip or a handful of small ones
Below are our favorite tips for planning meaningful travel, plus a few practical ways you can turn that vague “we should go somewhere” feeling into a trip you’ll remember for the right reasons.
Define Your “Why” Before You Pick A Place
Meaningful travel starts with one simple question: Why do you want to go?
Maybe you’re craving:
- Rest: real rest, not “I answered emails by a pool” rest
- Connection: this could be with your partner, kids, friends, or even just yourself
- Learning: a new skill, a new culture, a new way to see the world
- Adventure: the kind that wakes you up (and helps you sleep better)
- Simplicity: fewer inputs, more quiet, more space to breathe
Define your “why,” and you’ll stop planning generic trips and start designing trips that mean something to you (whoever “you” might include).
But what if you’re not sure why you want what you want? Finish the sentence…
“We want this trip to help us feel ________.”
Then let your answers guide where you go, how long you stay, what you say “yes” to while you’re there, and what you don’t do and where you don’t go.
Travel Slower So You Can Go Deeper
The world trains us to collect experiences like souvenirs, and that the only vacations worth taking are those that leave you breathless because you did so much. But meaning usually doesn’t come from collecting or rushing around until you drop. It comes from taking your time and connecting with the place and people at more than a surface level. That’s why we’re big fans of slow travel.
Slow travel doesn’t have to mean spending a month in Italy. It can be as simple as:
- Choosing one home base instead of bouncing around
- Staying two or three nights instead of one
- Building in unscheduled time (the real secret to slowing down)
- Going to the same coffee shop, trail, or downtown street twice, so it feels familiar
When you travel slower, you give your nervous system time to settle. You switch from “tourist mode” into something that’s more open to exploring and understanding.
Support Local Communities With Every Choice You Make
One of the best ways to make travel meaningful is to make it mutual, so your trip supports you, but also the places (and people) that host you. In our state of Tennessee, TN vacation, is a great site to visit for local, stay-cations or outdoor adventures. Every state has a helpful site to highlight their treasured spots.
Here are a few easy ways to do make your travel meaningful:
- Stay local when you can. Look for family-run stays, small inns, farm stays, or locally owned properties instead of hotels or corporate-owned rentals.
- Eat local on purpose. Farmers markets, neighborhood restaurants, and small bakeries are the best options if you want to both support locals and experience authentic local flavors.
- Buy from makers. Skip the mass-produced souvenir wall and find a local artisan, bookstore, crafter, or farm store.
- Choose experiences that give back. Guided walks, workshops, and community-based events are more meaningful than big-ticket attractions.
Plan Ahead (But Don’t Over-Plan)
Meaningful trips usually take a little more thought because you’re trying to create space for the right experiences without overloading your schedule to the point that you feel like you’re on a treadmill.
Here’s what we recommend planning early:
- Your stay (especially if you want something unique)
- One or two anchor experiences you genuinely care about
- Transportation basics (so you’re not stressed before you arrive)
Leave room for the best parts of travel, like conversations with the people you meet, unexpected finds, extra-long walks, and the “let’s just sit here a while” moments.
A Simple Framework For Meaningful Travel Planning
If you want a practical way to map out your trip, here’s a framework we love. It keeps things intentional without getting rigid.
1) Pick A Theme
We touched on these earlier. Here are a few examples:
- “Rest and reset”
- “Local food and slow mornings”
- “Outdoor time every day”
- “Family connection”
- “Learn something new”
- “Local festivals and events”
2) Choose A Home Base That Matches The Theme
If your theme is rest, you probably don’t want a loud hotel in the middle of everything.
If your theme is learning, you might want a place that offers workshops or hands-on experiences.
3) Build Your Days Around Three Anchors
- One morning ritual (coffee on the porch, journaling, a walk)
- One daily “meaning activity” (a class, a hike, a museum, or a farm visit)
- One evening wind-down (a home-cooked meal, a local restaurant, early bedtime)
Why A Farm Stay Can Make Travel Feel More Meaningful
Want to plan a slower, more grounded kind of getaway? A farm stay can be a perfect place to start your year.
Stoney Creek Farm is located in beautiful Franklin, Tennessee, on a peaceful 15-acre farm, just a few miles from I-65 and about 14 miles from Nashville, which is close enough for exploring, but far enough that you’ve got room to breathe.
Our Peaceful Farm Stay Loft Apartment is designed for exactly the kind of trip we’re talking about. It’s a 650 sq. ft. upstairs loft with one separate bedroom, a fold-out sofa, and a bathroom, plus practical comforts like a small refrigerator, microwave, coffee/tea, and essentials.
During your stay, you can slow down and reconnect with the basics:
- Explore the creek and hiking trail
- Spend time with our goats and chickens
- Learn about how we raise food and care for the land
- Visit during the season and watch the gardens grow (and, in summer, enjoy our U-Pick garden)
- Register for farm classes when they line up with your trip.
Before You Book Anything, Ask These Three Questions
If you want your travel plans to support your year (instead of draining you), ask:
- Will we come home rested or needing a vacation from the vacation?
- Does this trip match our “why”?
- Are we leaving space for real connection?
Ready To Make This Year’s Travel More Meaningful?
If a slower, more meaningful getaway is on your list, we’d love to host you at Stoney Creek Farm. And if you’re visiting, don’t forget that we also have a self-service farm store with goodies like fresh eggs, sourdough bread, cinnamon rolls, and honey (availability varies).
Wherever you go this year, make it meaningful. Take your time, dig deep into what makes the area special, and connect with the people you meet.
