Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary
Don’t Let Rain Ruin Your Trip
This horse farm in Romania was the setting for a Sonoro Musikland music-festival concert that was a highlight of my family's trip. This was the scene before a thunderstorm hit. Photo: Timothy Baker With severe weather growing more frequent, the chance that rain may impact a trip is increasing. You already know the obvious solutions:
- Have an indoor Plan B for each outdoor day or activity.
- Pack wisely: Ultralight rain jacket with hood, quick-dry socks, waterproof shoes….
But here’s the not-as-obvious antidote (which you’d know as well as I do if you’d read as many hundreds of trip reviews as I’ve read): When it rains, spend that time connecting with local people!
Whether you find those people in a cozy indoor spot, or outdoors stuck in the same situation you’re stuck in, the rain is something to bond over. You may find yourselves helping one another and laughing together, and it could end up being the highlight of your trip.
That’s what happened when I was in Romania, on the horse farm that you see above. I was there for a Sonoro Musikland concert of classical music by instrumentalists from all over Europe. Two minutes after the outdoor concert began, a torrential rainstorm struck. Drenched, we all squeezed into the barn…and built a makeshift theater out of bales of hay.
This barn was our haven from the rain at the Sonoro Musikland music festival in Romania. Photo: Timothy Baker
The musicians played valiantly, despite the heavy beat of raindrops that went on for hours. Everyone in the barn felt a visceral sense of connection, knowing we had overcome a challenge together, and excitement that we were reaping the reward. No matter what language we spoke, we had bonded because we were all in this together. And there has never been a more joyous concert.
The musicians played valiantly despite the thunderstorm a few feet away. Photo: Timothy Baker
My point is: When it rains, turn lemons into lemonade. If you didn’t book through a WOW travel fixer (they know the best back-up rain plans and implement them daily), then spend your rainstorm connecting with local people in a pub, a food hall, an art gallery, a department store, a cooking class, a library, a community center, a wine cellar, a cheese cave, a crafts workshop, a church concert…. Not sure what’s on offer? Check the local newspaper’s website, or ask your hotel’s concierge.
If you did use a WOW travel fixer, then you won’t need to worry: They, and the private guides they connect you with, will have back-up plans (and umbrellas) ready before you even ask. Read the traveler reviews below to see how a WOW travel fixer rainproofs a vacation.
VIETNAM: “The weather was rainier than expected, so we had to pivot from the plan some days…”
Carol Zuckerman and Barry Goldstein at a private cooking class in Vietnam.
“We just returned from nearly three weeks in Vietnam. Sandy and Ethan were indispensable through the planning of our itinerary, choice of wonderful local hosts, and flexibility so that our days were seamless and stress-free.
Unfortunately, the weather was rainier than expected, so we had to pivot from the plan some days. Rather than hiking in Ba Vì in the rain, our guide Trang took us to a yogurt manufacturing shop, then arranged a visit to a village with lunch in a historic home. In Huế, our guide Ngoc suggested a rickshaw ride and arranged a visit to a calligrapher’s home where we were able to try the art; we loved our private cooking class at a hotel restaurant. Ngoc also was instrumental in pointing us to the right tailor for sport coats to be made in a day in Hội An. In Can Tho, when we asked our local host Sue An to recommend a restaurant where locals go, she pointed out a place and was kind enough to come order for us. The impromptu visit she planned to a cacao farm, with a tour by the owner, also was a real treat. And in Saigon, the Củ Chi tunnels, which we reached by speedboat on the Saigon River, and the evening Vespa food tour were some of the trip’s most memorable highlights.
We highly recommend experiencing Vietnam with the assistance of Sandy and Ethan. We weren’t sure what to expect with the flexibility built into the itinerary, but the spontaneity it allowed clearly enriched our trip. It allowed us to visit art galleries, an herbal medicine museum, and several markets on the last-minute recommendations of our local hosts, or just because we passed by a place that seemed interesting.” —Carol Zuckerman and Barry Goldstein
Read more reviews of Vietnam trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
ITALY: “The BEST was our day in Pompeii and climbing Vesuvius in a rainstorm…”
Pompeii, Italy. Photo: Shutterstock
“Outstanding 12-day trip to the Italian Riviera. Andrea was so patient with me, listening to what I was looking for and helping me design the ideal trip. Outstanding day in Milan getting to see The Last Supper when it opened, with a driver who waited for us, then on to the Serravale Designer Outlet for great shopping before arriving in Santa Margherita. Yacht tour of the coastline canceled and refunded with one phone call when the weather forecast looked rough. So easy. Great food tour with Guido in Ravello, amazing drivers, spectacular day with guide in Cinque Terre and loved Sorrento with yacht day in Capri. Amazing hotels chosen by Andrea.
The BEST was our day in Pompeii and climbing Vesuvius in a rainstorm with guide Carmine. Storm front came in suddenly and somehow he found us a ride down the mountain…literally the only car on the mountain! What is that worth? I would have bought a car!
I felt like every day we were being watched from a distance by Andrea’s office to make sure we were safe and on schedule. We felt so well taken care of, and every time I called Marianne in the office to confirm something, she picked up the phone on the first ring. Best guides, best drivers, and always on time. What is that worth?” —Stephen Lichtenstein
Read more reviews of Italy trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
PERU: “There is something truly magical about watching the clouds part, on a misty, rainy day high in the Andes, to reveal the dramatic mountain peaks of Machu Picchu…”
Machu Picchu, near Cusco, Peru. Photo: Brook Wilkinson
“There is something truly magical about watching the clouds part, on a misty rainy day high in the Andes, to reveal the dramatic mountain peaks of Machu Picchu and the extraordinary Incan ruins! From our trip to Machu Picchu, our travels through the Sacred Valley, our boat trip on the Amazon, and our Belmond train trip across the Andes’ high-altitude plateau, we can only offer gratitude and applause for everything that Marisol and Mark did to make our month-long trip to Peru one of our best ever!
The weather didn’t always cooperate (we were traveling at the end of the rainy season), but we had exceptional people experiences and really appreciated the knowledge and warm personalities of all the guides and drivers Mark selected for us. The detailed pre-planning with Mark, the beautiful boutique hotel choices (and many much appreciated room upgrades), and incredibly fast communication with the team while we were on the ground in Peru all contributed to make this an exceptional trip.
In the Sacred Valley we had a fabulous picnic organized by our guide, Juan, with a beautiful vista and great food from the highly rated Cicciolina restaurant in Cusco. A hike and lunch high in the Andes made for us by villagers from the Lamay community, whose elders still wear their traditional dress. A four-night small-boat cruise (Delfin 1, with four cabins) on the Amazon River out of Iquitos, where we not only got to visit several remote communities, we had the opportunity to develop new friendships on the boat.” —Catherine Olsen and Paul Bennett
Read more reviews of Peru trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
IRELAND: “We experienced rainy, cold, blustery winds….Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!”
Sheila Morse and husband Dick Smith at Killarney National Park’s Torc Waterfall.
“My initial approach was to downplay the importance of nice hotels, as we intended to spend so little time in our rooms. Thank goodness Jonathan convinced us otherwise. Each of the three hotels reserved for us were not just great places to sleep. The ambiance, breakfasts, locations, special welcomes in each room, staff—all were superb and much appreciated after a full day of exploring and learning.
- Windows in our room in the Great Southern Killarney hotel opened onto an inner garden. We thoroughly enjoyed an Irish whisky tasting one evening after dinner.
- Mount Juliet near Kilkenny was beautiful! Our ‘windows’ were doors opening into beautiful green spaces. It was lovely to have a delicious cake and local honey waiting for us in the room!
- The Dylan Hotel in Dublin was extraordinary! Again, superb breakfasts and drinks on the house one evening. It was within walking distance of every place we wanted to see.
We had naively thought that it was possible to drive far greater distances than the itinerary we finally settled on. Again, Jonathan’s gentle guidance proved wise. We traveled from Shannon to Killarney and ventured out from there for three days, then to Kilkenny for two days, and on to Dublin for three. That, in fact, was a lot to take in.
Weather was the only thing that didn’t synch up with all these extraordinary arrangements. We experienced rainy, cold, blustery winds, and moments of sunshine. Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! (See wet slickers and cold noses in the photo!)
Brendan Glynn was our driver/guide for all but Dublin. He met us at Shannon and spent five full days with us. When we parted company, I felt that we were saying goodbye to a brother. Brendan took us to Dingle Crystal, a small, seemingly out-of-the-way artisan craft shop where we saw some of the most beautiful crystal designs we’ve ever seen. Despite the fact that this place seems to be on at least a few tour guides’ itineraries, we were made to feel uniquely welcome by Sean Daly, the owner, and his sons. We spent time in the glass cutting room, getting a glimpse of how they ply their craft, and my husband purchased two beautiful whisky-tasting glasses.
The drives and views were incredible, all day every day!” —Sheila Morse
Read more reviews of Ireland trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
ITALY: “When our boat trip was rained out, Maria pivoted nicely and toured us through a historic villa…”
Town of Menaggio on lake Como, Milan, Italy. Photo: Shutterstock
“Maria put together a wonderful trip for us to northern Italy. We were coming to Milan for the Italian Grand Prix and wanted to be sure to see some of the sites after the race.
Highlights include visiting the Duomo and The Last Supper in Milan. The Ferrari museum in Maranello was so fun, and my husband was like a kid doing simulation drives around the Monza track. We fell in love with the city of Bologna, and our guide Tamara was an absolute riot. Then we headed to Parma for tours of Parmesan and prosciutto factories.
Finally, we ended in Lake Como. When our boat trip was rained out, Maria pivoted nicely and toured us through a historic villa and arranged for a lovely lunch. An absolutely fantastic trip.” —Christina Taylor
Read more reviews of Italy trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
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