These days, it feels like everyone’s social media is full of pictures from exotic places. But let’s be honest: for a lot of people, travel is more about getting that perfect Instagram post than actually immersing themselves in another culture.
First, plenty of travelers go from one tourist hotspot to the next, barely scratching the surface of what a place has to offer. They’re more interested in getting the shot for social media than understanding the local culture.
Second, many people talk about travel as if it automatically makes you more open-minded or enlightened. But if you’re only staying in fancy hotels, eating familiar food, and hanging out with other tourists, you’re not really experiencing anything new.
Third, the constant need to document every second of a trip takes you out of the moment. Instead of actually connecting with the place you’re visiting, you’re too busy framing the perfect selfie.
Finally, truly meaningful travel is often uncomfortable—it means trying new things, learning about cultures that might challenge your worldview, and sometimes feeling like an outsider. That’s not the glamorous version of travel people like to brag about.
If you love travel, great—but let’s not pretend that hopping from one Instagrammable spot to the next is the same as actually experiencing the world.
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Oh. So you’re gatekeeping what travel is.
In a lot of places, not sticking to the touristy places is how you get kidnapped and worse.
Some people do it that way, npc people
A man of “experience” everyone. Look at all the wisdom his journey has brought him. Marvel at its unique insight.
Your first point alone is silly considering people visiting an area are more than likely going to go for the thing the area is known for.
Anyways, having met plenty of well seasoned travelers while traveling, the way they speak about their experiences once again makes your entire post sound silly.
OP you don’t know most people- you don’t even know many people- it’s possible you know a few people — so stick to talking about what you know
Very very wrong
Ever notice how dehumanizing it feels at airports?
We travel a lot nobody’s know we don’t post anything. You have a very black and white view about traveling. I have no idea where you get your idea of facts from.
How many people do you know irl that like to travel? Is this an opinion you’ve formed mostly following travel “influencers”
I like to travel and meet lots of others around who like to travel. I almost rarely people who like to travel, travel a lot and are huge Instagram people.
It’s impossible to guess someone’s motives for traveling from instagram pictures. But really, I’m not sure I’ve ever met someone who travels the way you’ve described here. I’m sure they’re out there, but if your real motives are trendy pictures and bragging rights I’m not sure it’d be worth the money. Most people who make the effort to travel genuinely enjoy it.
I kinda agree. Sometimes they aren’t. The way you can tell is by how they explore their home country.
Yes people only travel to brag. There no genuine people in the world. Everyone only cares about image. What a delusional way to see the world.
Do you only travel to brag? I don’t know how else you could possibly think this. I personally don’t spend $3k on a trip just to brag. I didn’t even post pictures of my last 5 trips.
Some people don’t document every second of their vacation but taking pics when can
I love how people act like no one took pictures or went to tourist traps before instagram. All because the people you choose to follow on social media post a lot of their travel photos and you insist that they’re all extremely shallow people who aren’t getting the “real” London experience or whatever. Not like you, though. You’d really dive deep by asking some subreddit what restaurant the locals go to so you can be a tourist there and tell everyone back home about how great you are at traveling
I have a sneaking suspicion this awful and ignorant opinion has been formed by scrolling through countless social media posts. And OP really doesn’t see the irony that’s the best part LOL.
I mostly just go from museum to museum. Even did museum studies at university thanks to my passion for visiting museums. Mostly take photos in museums.
Guess it’s all for bragging rights to my NAS full of museum photos
You know people have always taken pictures and captured the moment , then proceeded to show them off, long before social media, right? Traveling is traveling is traveling. Stop trying to gatekeep.
Written by ChatGPT.
“How do you do, fellow humans?”
Of course I take a lot of pictures. Someday soon my I’ll be old and unable to travel, my child will be grown and have a life of her own and I’ll have pictures to look back on. Someday she might even have kids of her own that i can show pictures to and tell them about the time their mom insisted on trying to eat a cloud or tried to swim in the Yellowstone river in March or any number of silly things I’ve taken pictures of.
I don’t know why, but this post seems weirdly British.
Why did people travel before Instagram and social media?
At least you posted it in a proper subreddit – unpopular and definitely an opinion.
Pfft no
I travel to get drunk with strangers in interesting places
A lot of people are resort travelers. That’s alright, you don’t have to eat in restaurants in slummy parts of the city to feel like a real tourist.
Your badge of honor isn’t what you think itnis
You need to make a distinction between traveling and vacationing. Both are fine, they just address different wants
experiences can and will be forgotten. why bother traveling? youll just forget it all.
And if that’s what traveling means to them and they’re enjoying their life, then that’s their opinion on traveling. You don’t get to define what traveling means for other people.
Not me. I’m the genuine type of travel enjoyer. All you other travellers are phonies.
Saying you love to travel is humble bragging about being rich bruh, no more no less.
You just posted this in 2 different subreddits lol. I did a double take when I saw the same title twice on my feed
The fact that when most people go to Jamaica, A Mexico, or wherever they go to some gated resort that is Americanized to all hell and devoid of any of the actual local culture or just visit cruise ports kind of suggests you have a point.
They just want to go to a beach that isn’t the beach near them even though all beaches are pretty much the same.
Ok, you could really apply that to anything though and in most cases you wouldn’t even be close to a supportable argument.
“Most adults who have been outside in the last five days aren’t really looking for outside things, they just like to brag,”.
Supermarket runs? Braggarts.
Hiking? Not real. Used by Big Braggadocio to shame indoor people.
Swimming? Ok, Ariel.
Gym? Have fun casually dropping that in conversation.
Just say you’re too cheap and broke to travel and go
op is either someone who doesnt travel and is envious of people who do or or they do travel but they are the only person in the world doing it the “correct” way 😂 (source: frequent traveler myself) edit: wording
I love to travel. I love to see places and history, to experience them in person. I love to eat local foods from local places, and learn the way locals do things.
Recently learned that real Italians don’t cook with olive oil, and they get pissed off if you mention it. Actually had a chef come out from the back when we asked because of an allergy. You said he wasn’t some Sicilian and that he made real Italian food. Was actually kind of interesting.
They also don’t cook with olive oil in Jordan.
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When I travel, I go to one place, I usually stay a week, and I have never posted any of this on social media. Literally not once. The fact is, I downplay most every aspect of my spending in an effort to not look rich or appear to be bragging. I like to live under the radar.
Obviously there are people who genuinely like to travel and experience other cultures, but I do agree with this take on some level. I know lots of people who seem to be constantly traveling and their Instagram is full of basically just them restaurant-hopping and hitting like the top 3 tourist traps. I think the questions become: a) are you essentially just having the same experience that you could have if you visited a nearby city? b) are you arranging your day around how to take and post the best photos?
It also goes hand-in-hand with my other unpopular opinion which is people are not struggling financially as much as they claim to be. Absolutely millions of people are, just like they always have been. But, being friends with lots of younger people, I feel like I’m surrounded on social media and in the zeitgeist in general with younger people who seem to be flying somewhere literally every other weekend, eating out constantly, drinking at cocktail bars and bougie speakeasies, doing quick jaunts to Europe. I’m not seeing photos of them at cultural sites, I’m seeing photos of them at beautiful American-looking bars and resort hotels. Sooooo much disposable income.
IDK for me it’s just some good time, I never post photos from my trips anywhere, sometimes send them to friends when there’s something they can be interested in. I guess travelling is for curious people, not necessarily anything “meaningful”, I just enjoy seeing new places. And also when you travel with friends you spend a lot of time with friends, you are friends because you enjoy spending time with them and when travelling you get a lot of that.
Imagine gatekeeping travel of all things
I like taking photos, going to touristy countries, visiting “scary” countries, posting on IG, keeping moments to myself, chatting with locals, meeting other travelers — literally, who cares ☠️ let people enjoy things. Maybe you would too if you didn’t care so much
Social Media isn’t life.
You are living in other people’s pictures and mistaking that for reality.
Refresh your feed, spend a week looking at cute animal pictures… Voîla! No more other people’s travel experiences.
You are right. Its only travel if you sleep in a shithole with flees and get a stomach virus while taking a bus on a countryside somewhere
Well, I don’t go for the Insta pictures myself. My last trip with my son we didn’t take a million photos and near the end of the trip we were like “dang” but honestly it was kinda nice to just enjoy the moments and take them in without worrying we got the right picture. We both love photography too. I’m sure it won’t be like that always but it was nice.
TIL taking a few pictures on a trip so I have better memories and can show my friends means I was just there for Instagram.
There are people that genuinely like to travel, and you can easily tell by how they talk about their experiences and adventures.
But it’s also true that instagram culture is so deeply influential in so many people’s lives, there are a lot of people that just see it as a way to keep up with the Joneses and make their lives look far more interesting than they really are.
This behaviour is as old as time.
Lol who said I wanted to travel “meaningfully?”
I just want a break from my regular life routine… Preferably at an adults-only all inclusive resort, sipping on a margarita under the sun, by the pool.
Wtf am I going to do with bragging rights, if it were about that Id just lie and said I went there. I want to see Greece and Egypt because I love their history and other cultures.
I only get annoyed with those types of travellers when they’re taking multiple shots in a variety of poses in busy locations. Like, sure, I won’t walk into your shot if you’re only going to take a couple of seconds. But by pose number 5, I’m walking through.
A lot of these unpopular opinions seem like they are written by people unlucky who can’t travel. And they are trying to justify it in their mind that they aren’t missing out.
I agree, kind of.
On the one hand, if I was going to take my family to Hawaii (or somewhere with warm beaches), I’m doing it strictly for their enjoyment. Im picturing us at the beach and exploring in the sunshine. I’ve traveled with the kids, but they’ve never been to water warm enough to swim and jump in the waves (and we live 5 mins from the ocean). I really want to do that with them. We went to Santa monica last year and it was nice, but water too cold.
I went to Japan years ago, I really want to go back just to experience it again. And I’d like to go to France. I know those are just for me, just to experience them.
But on the other hand, why is it always packed to see the Mona Lisa? Did everyone come to their own conclusion that it was the one painting of all to see? Or are they seeing it to say they saw it?
I took my kids to Disneyland, for their fun, and we all had a great time. But I dont deny that when I hear other parents talk about taking their kids, almost a sense of relief ive provided that. Almost a keeping up with the joneses. So I’m guilty as well. I certianly didnt do it to show off, but there’s maybe 1% in there that is glad i didn’t miss out with my kids. If a whole year goes by and these parents went here, and those went there, if I didn’t do anything I almost feel like im letting my kids down. So there’s certainly a hint of that. But not straight showing off (i don’t have any social media to show off on). Plus I know nobody cares what a middle-aged dad is doing.
But I think that goes with so many things. Why does someone buy a Ferrari when a camry is cheaper and more practical? Or a nice watch, or designer brands, etc. It’s partly to show off. May not be the only reason, but it’s part.
Do you know why tourist spots are tourist spots?
They are literally the places where the history of the world happened. Like the Louvre has the collection it has because of the French Revolution and the grounds used to house where the National Assembly met. Versailles is the place where the tennis court oath happened. So much of our modern era is defined by these places
You seemed to have reframed the only valid travel is to indulge in what a real person living their lives like. But the only way to do that is to live somewhere.
The answer to the question of what to locals due here is Laundry.
Sounds like you felt embarrassed in elementary school when your classmates told stories of their vacations while you stayed at home and now you’re on a vendetta path 😂
I enjoy traveling. No, I don’t feel more enlightened. I just enjoy the time away from my routine in a different place.
The Wander Over Yonder episode The Tourist is the perfect example of showcasing the two different types of people who travel like you’re describing
We see this one every few weeks. While some people curate social media around travel and others stay in fancy resorts and never venture out, that’s a minority of total vacation travelers out there. I learn more about a city in a few days of being there than I do in months ff reading about it. I expand my language skills and try new experiences I literally can’t get at home. I think this stereotype you have about travelers is inaccurate.
You’re judging peoples’ travels. Not the flex you want. Actually it’s quite unflattering.
Yes the people who do it for Instagram posts are indeed just looking for bragging rights. All the people who are actually doing it for expanded worldviews are not visible to you because they don’t shout it from the rooftops like the insta-travelers.
Man this sub really shows what people think of themselves
You know that you don’t have to travel that way right?
I love both. Now what
Get off social media and it won’t be a problem anymore
I notice a lot of people here justifying their travel by pointing out they don’t put pictures on instagram. But that’s ridiculous as well. Why wouldn’t you post a few pics of this exotic place you’ve been to? How would that make you less of a traveler? The whole premise is just absurd.
You’re judging them as posting every second of their trip but… bro they can travel for a month, have a photo op somewhere great and then spend a week exploring. You don’t know what they want, why they are sharing this.
Fuckin enjoy your own life instead of judging others for enjoying theirs
I agree. For many it is about bragging rights. I read this article about a guy who wanted to brag that he was in every country on earth in a certain amount of time. So all he could say about his last country was that it was at war right at the border he wanted to cross. Somebody he befriended helped him cross without getting shot and then he sat it out in someone else’s house a bit further away from the crossfire. He had a few home cooked meals dished to him and that was it. No touring around the country to at least do some sightseeing. Odder yet, a popular travel blogger who tells everyone else you should get to know the culture, was just eating it up (’cause it’s his buddy) like it was the ultimate way “to travel”. More like a global “hit & run”.
Oh my god this is the most eye rolling unoriginal unpopular opinion on travel, like we get it you don’t take any pictures and don’t visit the tourist spots, good for you.
Sounds like you’ve never travelled in your life.
Unless you know someone in the place you are visiting most of the experience will likely be curated.
Your point is only true for a small subset of narcissistic people
You are right but just like anything else everyone isn’t like that
You’re witnessing an incredibly vocal minority, so it feels overwhelming.
Why is culture immersion a more genuine reason to travel than photography? Or food? Or meeting people? You are working under the assumption that it is, but have presented no evidence to support it.
Travel can be meaningful in a number of different ways, you are being incredibly closed minded in my opinion.
Guys, I guess we have to travel and not post any photos for fear of appearing braggy.
>> First, plenty of travelers go from one tourist hotspot to the next, barely scratching the surface of what a place has to offer. They’re more interested in getting the shot for social media than understanding the local culture.
Also redditors: “Tourists looking for “local” spots for an “authentic” experience are ruining our small communities! Leave us alone and go the tourist areas designed to accommodate all of you!!!”
Upvote for unpopular opinion, though I can see where you’re coming from
People can’t immerse themselves in a culture in a 2-4 week holiday. Most people, even Europeans can’t take off more time than that from work.
To immerse in a culture you need to live in a place for 1 or more years. To do that you have to move to a place not just travel there for a short time.
I think you’re just trolling and your premise is tragically flawed. Get off your high horse and join the reality everyone else lives in.
I’ve met plenty of people while traveling who barely even know what instagram is let alone actually use it. Get off the internet and you can find a lot people who don’t do this. There’s also lots of ways to travel that aren’t staying fancy hotels and all that.
Well OP knows apparently a lot of people that can easily pay for expensive travel AND pay for fancy hotels.
Quite a price for a Instagram shot.
Serious question but how much have you traveled?