The Benefits of Pursuing a Specific Hobby: Travel There are numerous benefits to enjoying a hobby: hobbies allow one to take a break from the daily grind and find relaxation and enjoyment in a sphere that is of personal interest. Hobbies can help to eliminate stress, can serve as a challenge in which an individual tests his or her wits, skills, or ingenuity. Hobbies serve as means of getting to know other people or of finding like-minded people and bonding over the hobby. Hobbies promote mindfulness and the concept of living in the now. And hobbies can have plenty of physical benefits: they can keep the mind sharp, can keep the body in shape (especially if one’s hobby is something like hiking), and so on. There are plenty of different hobbies—from singing to playing the piano to gardening to learning languages to volunteering at a local non-profit (Stebbins, 2007). This paper will look at the benefits of pursuing the specific hobby of travel, which include (a) getting to see the world, (b) getting to create new memories, (c) discovering one’s own backyard, (d) getting to enjoy another pastime like reading while on the go, (e) enjoying new foods from different cultures, and (f) having some serious straight up pleasure. Because of these benefits, travel is a good hobby to take up.

Nothing says being alive letting getting out and seeing the world. Unfortunately, a lot of people never get off their couches anymore...

This is unfortunate because they are missing so much of what the world has to offer. The world is full of attractions: the beauties of nature and the wonders of big cities; the glorious seas and the awe-inspiring mountains and hills. Foreign lands, foreign peoples, foreign languages and foreign foods; cultures, experiences, ideas, and entertainment—all of this and more can be enjoyed by one who takes up travel as a hobby.
Traveling is most commonly associated with tourism, which is a kind of destination travel: people pick a place they would like to explore and go directly there—say, Rome or Venice or Singapore. They see the sights, take photos, buy souvenirs, and bring back items for loved ones. As Swanson and Horridge (2006) note, travelers can have multiple motivations for going out to different parts of the world and bringing home souvenirs. One reason is that they help to create memories and stories that can be shared with others, no matter where they are. The experiences that are lived when traveling can give one a sense of joy, a sense of graciousness for being alive, and even a sense of purpose.

Travel, however, does not have to be done with tourism in mind. One can set out on foot and simply wander around the local countryside, or visit the small towns within a 50 mile radius of one’s home. One can explore the foothills of the Appalachians all…