travel tips for foodies

Food Travel: Best Tips for Planning a Food Trip

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Are you an avid food traveler who loves sharing a meal with locals, looking to try new foods, and mastering cooking classes? If so, food travel is the perfect way to experience the world.

Food tourism is increasingly becoming more popular with travelers seeking unique culinary experiences abroad – from learning Nona’s secrets of Italian cuisine to taking part in a tour of tapas bars on the cobblestone streets of Spain.

Food is a universal language; food and travel can open your eyes to delicious flavors and great food worldwide.

With careful planning and some insider tips, your next food travel trip will be sure to offer an unforgettable cultural adventure that your taste buds won’t soon forget!

Food Culture and Culinary Traditions

Immersing yourself in a destination’s local food culture and culinary traditions is a thrilling experience for any traveler.

From savoring exotic spices to indulging in unique cooking techniques, the culinary scene of a destination offers a window into its rich history, cultural heritage, and amazing food!

Whether sampling street food in Asia , tasting the best tacos in Mexico City, fresh seafood in Japan , or trying the best barbecue in South Korea, each plate has authentic experiences waiting to be uncovered.

With every bite, you get closer to understanding the nuances of the local cuisine and the values that shape the food culture.

So why not take a culinary journey and expand your taste buds on your next adventure?

You might discover a new signature dish that will become a part of your culinary repertoire .

Set Your Culinary Tourism Expectations

Choose the right food travel destination, get hands-on with local cuisine, cooking classes, street food, food streets, day markets, night markets, small family-owned restaurants, food and travel destination restaurants, off the beaten food travel path, don’t forget about dessert, celiac disease, food travel faq, tips for planning a food trip.

So, are you a food enthusiast looking to embark on a culinary adventure? If yes, then great!

Here is our list of essential tips for planning an unforgettable mouth-watering food adventure.

Before you start planning your trip, it’s important to have realistic expectations about what you can achieve in the time and budget you have available.

Consider factors such as the number of days you can spend, the type of delicious food experiences you want, and any dietary restrictions that need to be considered.

This will help narrow down your options and make planning an enjoyable and memorable food trip easier.

When selecting food destinations for your culinary adventure, consider factors such as its cuisine, cultural norms around food, availability of ingredients, and accessibility.

Research ahead to know what food experiences are available in each location and which restaurants or markets are worth visiting.

This will help ensure your trip is filled with delicious meals and unique experiences that make it unforgettable.

Accessing a local food travel blog will help point you in the right direction.

It is also worth seeking out the local food tourism industry boards to see if any food-related festivals or other food tourism activities are taking place while you are in town.

There are many ways to learn and experience local cuisine.

This introduces us to new flavors and dishes and provides an opportunity to learn about the region’s history, traditions, and way of life.

Seeking out local food experiences, whether trying street food from a local vendor or dining at a family-owned restaurant, allows us to immerse ourselves in the local culture fully.

Not only is it an important aspect of travel, but it also supports the local economy and helps preserve traditional cooking and farming methods.

Ultimately, making a point to eat locally when traveling provides a unique, unforgettable culinary adventure while supporting the communities and traditions that make that experience possible.

Taking a cooking class while traveling enables travelers to dive into the local food scene and gain unprecedented insights into the tastes and traditions that define their destination.

Whether solo traveling or with friends and family, these classes unleash the inner chef, unlocking culinary skills that enrich the traveling experience.

These classes are catered to provide a hands-on experience that allows travelers to learn how to prep, cook, and serve exotically rich delicacies – a skill set that lasts a lifetime.

My favorites have included a Thai cooking class and many Vietnamese cooking classes that are generally combined with a trip to the local market and recipes to take back to your kitchen.

An excellent way for food lovers to fully soak in all that a city or country has to offer is by taking a food tour.

While popular tourist areas may have well-known restaurants, food tours offer a more immersive culinary experience.

From savoring local delicacies to learning about the history and cultural significance behind certain dishes, food tours can give travelers a deeper appreciation for the place they are visiting.

Plus, it’s a great way to explore parts of the city that may not be on your itinerary.

A food tour that provided me with fond memories took place on the outskirts of the Mexican city of Oaxaca. We visited a local market for breakfast and a larger market for lunch and enjoyed a private tour of a Mezcal factory.

What better way to experience local cuisine than by trying local street food?

Whether it’s spicy samosas in India, banh mi in Vietnam, or fresh ceviche in Peru, street food is a cheap and delicious way to immerse yourself in the local culture.

Of course, it’s important to be cautious and choose vendors whose food looks and smells fresh and is cooked properly.

A busy vendor is normally a good sign as there will be a quick turnover of food, and it will be cooked fresh.

But with a little care and some adventurousness, trying street-level food can be a highlight of any trip.

So next time you’re traveling, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and indulge in some of the world’s delicious street food.

One easy way to access the true taste of local food is to take a street food tour. These are generally in small groups and visit a few places to try different go-to local dishes.

What better way to experience food travel than exploring local food streets ?

These bustling streets are often packed with vendors offering delicious exotic dishes that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more.

Roaming the narrow alleys and smelling the delicious aromas from every corner is an adventure in itself.

The experience of tasting authentic local cuisine freshly prepared and cooked in front of your eyes is a perfect combination and something that cannot be replicated.

Eating in these food streets satisfies hunger and immerses oneself in the local culture, bonding with locals and making unforgettable memories.

One of Malaysia’s standout local food streets is Jalan Alor, which translates to Food Street. It is the perfect way to taste local hawker and Chinese food and regional dishes from countries such as Thailand, Korea, and Vietnam. I love this street and have written about it here. It is almost the definition of gastronomy tourism.

While restaurants can certainly offer a taste of the local flavor, there’s something special about checking out the local markets.

Not only can you find a variety of fresh, seasonal ingredients unique to the area, but you can also find vendors offering ready-to-eat meals packed with flavor and often prepared right in front of you. 

Eating at local markets can also be a great way to interact with locals, learn more about the culture, and get a sense of what everyday life is like in that particular place.

My main motivation for going to the largest market on my first trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, was to order a Tlayuda de Oaxaca and experience the meat BBQ hall.

The bustling atmosphere and the diversity of street food are the perfect combinations for an exciting cultural experience.

When it comes to the best food, night markets boast a wide array of delectable treats to tempt even the pickiest of eaters.

From savory skewers and piping hot dumplings to sweet desserts like boba tea and mochi, there is something for everyone.

Some of the best night markets I have been to are in Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia, where they provide a unique culinary experience that is not to be missed.

Having a food adventure to new destinations and trying local cuisine is one of the pleasures of traveling .

The immersive experience of dining at local family-owned restaurants, in particular, is a delightful way of getting a taste of the culture and traditions of the people.

Small, family-owned local restaurants are often havens of authentic and homemade meals prepared with love and care.

These establishments are not only unique but very welcoming due to the family’s evident pride and passion for their food business.

So when you are on your authentic food quest, small restaurants offer an array of culinary choices that will excite every traveler’s taste buds.

Eating at an expensive destination restaurant can be one of the trip’s highlights, offering a unique and memorable dining experience. 

From Michelin-starred establishments to trendy fusion spots, these restaurants often showcase local ingredients and traditions in creative and innovative ways, providing a glimpse into the culture and culinary scene of the destination.

While the cost may be significantly higher than dining at local eateries, the quality and presentation often justify the price tag. 

For something different, it’s time to venture off the beaten path and try some local eats .

From hole-in-the-wall diners to bustling food markets, there are plenty of opportunities to indulge in authentic cuisine you won’t find anywhere else.

Not only will you get to experience the local culture uniquely, but you’ll also discover new flavors and dishes that will become the highlight of your next food travel road trip.

So next time you hit the road, be brave and follow your taste buds to some of the best-hidden gems. Your stomach will thank you.

Desserts are often overlooked when traveling, but they shouldn’t be forgotten!

Many countries have their own unique desserts which offer sweet treats and cultural insights into their history and traditions – think flan de leche in Mexico, baklava in Turkey, and the unique three-colored dessert in Vietnam – so make sure not to miss out on these tasty delights while exploring abroad!

Plan Ahead for Dietary Requirements

If you’re planning a culinary trip and have dietary requirements, it’s important not to let that limit your experience.

Before embarking on your adventure, research the local cuisine and ingredients to understand what foods might fit your dietary needs. Once you’ve identified potential dishes and restaurants, contact them directly to see if they can accommodate any restrictions or substitutions.

Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from locals or other travelers with similar dietary needs.

Comprehensive food guides will often have sections covering food allergies.

With the right planning and flexibility, you can enjoy a delicious and unforgettable culinary journey without compromising your dietary requirements.

Regardless of your dietary requirements, it can be a challenge to communicate them with any level of certainty, especially when language is an issue.

If you have Celiac disease , I highly recommend these Gluten Free Restaurant Cards , translated into many languages by a very experienced traveler and someone who needs to use these cards when eating out – Jodi from Legal Nomads. Over 4,000 cards have been sold!

Have a look through the various countries that already have translations and take the stress out of food travel.

I’m often asked about the best way to communicate with vendors or restaurants when language is a barrier. That’s where these Gluten Free Restaurant Cards come into their own.

Have a look at the detailed cards from countries such as Vietnam , Thailand , Malaysia , Latin America , and Japan . They are amazing.

When traveling, it’s important to be cautious regarding food safety. Research the local cuisine and ingredients beforehand to know what foods are safe for your dietary needs. Reach out to restaurants directly if you have any questions or concerns. Additionally, packing snacks or meals from home can provide peace of mind and help you avoid potential risks.

Yes! Don’t forget to take pictures and write down your impressions of each meal, so you can remember all the dishes you tried on this culinary trip. Also, keep an open mind when it comes to trying new things – you never know when you might stumble upon a delicious local dish that you never knew existed! Finally, it helps to be mindful of other cultures while traveling. Enjoy your food experiences, but always remember to be mindful when trying new dishes and respect the local culture.

Conclusion to Food Travel Tips

Food travel is an excellent way to get to know a new destination and explore its culture.

From researching culinary traditions to sampling local dishes on the streets, you’ll find no shortage of delicious experiences when it comes to food travel.

When planning your trip, be sure to research beforehand and make a list of things to do so you don’t miss out on any of the cultural delights awaiting you.

With proper preparation, genuine curiosity, and a hungry appetite, embarking on a food-filled adventure can become an amazing memory.

Happy food traveling!!

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Make Travel Truly Transformational

Foodie Travel Tips – How to Find the Best Food While Travelling

Finding great food can be a tough task for a traveller! It can be hard to side-step bland made-for-tourists food and dig into authentic local cuisine. Our foodie travel tips will help you find the best food and learn about local culture, too!

Why is Food Such an Important Part of Travel?

How did we learn to be foodie travellers, tips for before you leave home, tips for when you arrive, tips to use at the restaurant, tips for eco-friendly eating, a final note about foodie travel.

This post was created in partnership with Eatwith.

This article may contain affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see our  disclaimer  here.

It’s no secret that I’m a little obsessed with food. Not in a gluttonous I’ll eat anything and everything you put in front of me way. It’s more like a I can’t be bothered eating unless it’s utterly delicious thing. When travelling, (as I have done full-time for the last 7 years) that can be a tall order.

There are days when you are just too busy to seek out the perfect meal. And days when exhaustion from a long journey makes the idea of going on the hunt for food unbearable. And days when you are in a small town with seemingly no possibility of finding a restaurant, let alone one with great meals.

Then there are just the normal days, when you’re in a popular area with lots of options, but it’s so hard to cut through the noise and find that ideal meal to satisfy your tummy and your soul.

Finding a great meal is one the biggest challenges — and the biggest pleasures — of travelling.

There are travellers who don’t care about food. It’s true! I have met them! And each time I meet another one, I am utterly astonished.

How can you be interested in seeing the world and not interested in trying its food?

These travellers happily eat at McDonald’s in Paris and Pizza Hut in Bangkok. As long as calories are going in, it doesn’t matter to them where those calories come from.

To me, travelling without seeking out food prepared by passionate locals is missing out on half the travel experience.

That’s why we’re so crazy about foodie travel: the essence of any culture can be discovered through food .

Food is at the heart of almost everything humans do.

Our days are organized around our need to eat. Meal times are when we gather with family and friends. Plus, every big event in our lives is celebrated with special foods, like birthday cake, wedding feasts, and home-made dishes brought to grieving families at a funeral.

Paying extra attention to what we eat when we travel can reveal plenty about the culture.

Ask yourself:

• What are the ingredients, the flavours, the textures?
• How is the food presented?
• Where and how did each dish originate?
• How is it eaten? Forks, chopsticks, fingers?
• What are the rituals around the serving and consuming of food?

Think about the difference between an elegantly presented meal of gourmet sushi in Japan versus a chilli cook-off in the southern United States. That is culture, my friends!

Of course, great foodie travel is much more than just an intellectual exercise.

There’s nothing more satisfying to the senses than sampling a unique combination of flavours and textures, prepared with love and expertise. Each meal is unique. You will never experience that exact combination again!

Want more Travel Tips? Don’t miss our 63 Transformational Travel Tips from 20 Years of Travel ! All our travel wisdom gathered in one place.

After 7 years of full-time travel, we have eaten almost everywhere:

• Uber-hip European restaurants heaving with foodies in the know
• One-burner street stalls in exotic Indian cities
• Family-run holes-in-the-wall in tiny villages
• Silent forests where we cooked on our camp stove
• Home stays in stilt huts with only a charcoal fire to cook on

Once, we even ate at a staff canteen in Chibi, China, having mistaken it for a restaurant!

Admittedly, not all of our meals have been great. Some of them were downright horrifying; others were so incredible I still remember the smell and taste of the food years later.

But each meal has been a lesson learned. Each meal has taught us, little by little, what to do and what not to do to find the best food while travelling.

Read on to take advantage of everything we’ve learned and learn…

How to Find the Best Food When Travelling

Don’t miss our post about slow travel and how to do it, our guide to being a green tourist , and our pro tips on how to beat jet lag .

For those of us who are extra food-obsessed, finding great meals on the road starts long before we set our feet out the door.

Sometimes, I’m a little lazy in the pre-travel research department. But other times, I plan out my eating adventures in detail. I research the local cuisine and learn where I can find all the regional specialities.

Only then do I choose my accommodation, with the first criteria being that it is close to the restaurants where I want to eat.

Even if you don’t go that far, doing a little planning before you leave home will help you find the best food on your trip.

Make a picture-based bucket list

One of our staff writers, Kris, is the ultimate foodie traveller. She picks her destinations based on the type of food she’ll find there. She starts researching her food adventures months in advance.

Kris spends weeks stalking restaurants and foodies on Instagram, drooling over their photos and reading the captions. She’ll even reach out to ask questions if something isn’t clear. Then she saves the most enticing photos into a folder on her phone.

By the time Kris leaves, she has an eye-popping collection of must-eats at her destination — and a plan to fit them all in.

Rely on passionate experts

When we’re heading somewhere new, blogs are my go-to resource for food (and all travel) tips.

Blogging is not an easy business; it takes real dedication and passion to create a blog and keep it running. Plus, unlike journalists for glossy magazines or researchers for the big guide books, most bloggers travel just like average tourists: independently; on a budget; and trying to get the best bang for their buck.

All this adds up to a major trust factor. I trust that other foodie travel bloggers are just like me — passionate about sharing their knowledge to help others have the very best travel experiences.

Pinterest is the best way to find blog posts about food at your destination.

While Google tends to prioritize corporate sites written by people who have never even been to the destination, Pinterest will show you posts by bloggers who have on-the-ground experience.

Just search “Best food in [your destination]” to find blog posts by locals and foodie travellers.

Don’t trust review sites

Though I find review sites and apps generally useless, in less-travelled destinations, they can be handy. If you have to turn to TripAdvisor, Yelp, or Happy Cow, just be aware that reviews are notoriously untrustworthy.

It’s not that the reviews are fake – they usually aren’t. It’s just that some people are a bit crazy when it comes to writing reviews.

To get the most out of them, you need to be able to read between the lines.

First, ignore the outrageously positive reviews .

If you see something like “this is the best pizza I’ve ever eaten” you can be pretty sure the reviewer was drunk or just hasn’t tried very much pizza.

Also forget about the one-star reviews . They are often so ludicrous Stephen and I have a running joke about it.

It goes something like this. “I was shocked to see that my napkin was folded unevenly. One star!” “I got in a traffic jam on my way to the restaurant. One star!” Anyway, it’s funny to us :)

I scan the mid-range reviews and only read the long, descriptive ones. Those tend to be the ones you can trust the most.

Pro tip: If you’re looking for specialty foods, like vegan options or gluten free, you can search within the reviews on TripAdvisor to check if anyone has mentioned those terms.

Book a food tour for your first night

If you love food and culture, the number one way to spend your first evening a new place is on a food tour.

Food tours are not just about stuffing your face with some of the finest hidden food treasures available (though there is a LOT of that).

They are a chance to learn about the local food culture, to meet vendors and restaurateurs who are as passionate about food as you, and to get your bearings in a new place.

Plus, your guide will offer lots of hints and tips to help you find even more great food for the rest of your stay.

I’ve done extraordinary food tours around the world and never been disappointed. So worth the time and money!

How does a Filipino food tour and lunch in New York’s East Village sound?Or how about a market tour and tasting with a French food journalist in Paris? Yes, please!

Use Eatwith to find a unique tour that’s run by a local guide who is even more passionate and knowledgable about food than you are.

Search for pop-ups and festivals

In cities around the world, secret dining events, food festivals and restaurant pop-ups are happening all the time.

Do a quick search on an event site like Eventbrite or on the local tourism board site before you travel to see what’s coming up at your destination. You might just luck into a one-off or annual event that you would never learn about from your guide book.

Here’s a secret only frequent travellers know. Locals often know next-to-nothing about the place they live!

You’ve probably had the experience of hosting an out-of-town house guest who ends up introducing you to the best things in your neighbourhood. I know we have!

So, when we say to ask the locals, that comes with a big caveat. Don’t just ask any random local about where to eat. They will often point you in the direction of the most popular tourist restaurant in town. Yuck.

Be picky about who you ask.

Tour guides are some of the most helpful when it comes to food recommendations. Airbnb owners can be great too, pointing you towards their favourite places to eat. Waiters and bartenders are also great sources of tips — and don’t worry, they won’t mind recommending a competitor’s restaurant if you’re already eating in theirs.

Second, be specific in what you ask.

Instead of asking “Where should we go get lunch?”, try asking about a specific local speciality, like “Who serves the best pizza rustica in town?” That will help you get the most interesting and most honest answers.

Eat with locals

Though we’ve been invited to local’s houses for dinner many times, we often decline because it’s not necessarily safe to head off to a random stranger’s home!

Luckily, there’s a great, safe way to eat with locals.

Eatwith is the Airbnb of food , connecting locals who love to cook with tourists who love to eat!

Hosts range from decorated professional chefs to amateur food enthusiasts and everything in between. The locations are equally enticing, with many hosts inviting you into their home for conversation and sensational food.

If you have a passion for people, food, and unique experiences, check out the amazing food experiences on Eatwith .

Take your time

The worst time to find good food is when you’re hungry. Start your search before you feel those hunger pangs coming on or you’ll end up wandering aimlessly around with a gnawing ache in your belly and a growing case of the hangries.

Looking for food while we’re hungry has led Stephen and I to the worst meals on our travels (and some of our biggest arguments).

Have a back-up plan

This tip goes with the one above. If you’re a serious foodie traveller, you don’t want to leave anything to chance!

If you have a specific restaurant you’re heading to, make sure you have a Plan B. I can’t count the number of times we’ve been heading our for a delicious treat only to:

• Not be able to find the place
• Find the place is closed
• Find the place so unfriendly or so crowded we want to eat elsewhere

Now, I always try to have a nearby second choice in my back pocket in case my Plan A is a no go.

Get off the beaten track

It’s easy to stop in at the first likely looking restaurant you see, just outside a popular tourist attraction or along a main street.

These restaurants are often packed with tourists. Because of their location, they are also often the most popular restaurants on TripAdvisor, even though the food is mediocre at best.

It’s pretty obvious that moving away from busy tourist areas will help you score better food.

But you’ll get even better, more interesting food experiences if you get away from touristy destinations altogether. Go to a neighbourhood where only locals live. Head to a small village you’ve never heard of before.

We stayed in Torino , Italy for three months last year and although the city is full of amazing restaurants, we had our best meals in a family-run eatery in a small village nearby.

Venturing out from your comfort zone is a great way to find the food experiences of your dreams.

Look for locals

Restaurants that are packed with locals are packed for a reason — because the food is so good they keep coming back and bringing their friends.

But what if you’re eating a little early or a little late and nowhere is busy? Look for other signs of popularity.

Are the staff busy prepping and cleaning for the next rush — or are they sitting languidly staring at their phones? Are tables all cleared and spotless or are the staff busy cleaning up after a busy meal time?

While we were cycling in rural China , it took us a while to learn that the restaurants with the most garbage on the floor served the best food in town. Instead of using waste bins, it’s common in small Chinese eateries for customers to throw napkins and other garbage on the floor.

At the end of the day, it all gets swept away, but during opening hours, it was a sure sign that there had been lots of people eating there.

Learn to spot signs of a busy restaurant and you’ll get fed well, even if you eat outside of regular mealtimes.

Travellers often let cultural bias get in the way of a great meal. Where we’re from, a spotless restaurant means the food will be good, a dirty restaurant is to be avoided.

In other cultures, the opposite can be true.

In Vietnam’s popular Ha Long Bay, we met my parents for lunch one day. They didn’t want to eat in the busy local restaurant because it looked pretty grungy. Instead, we ate in a clean but almost empty Western-style place that obviously catered to bus tours.

Guess who ended up with food poisoning?

Not the people who chose the busy local restaurant, that’s for sure!

Be flexible

Sometimes, the best-laid food plans go inextricably awry. Instead of sulking or throwing a tantrum (as I often have when I am hungry), you’ve gotta learn to be flexible.

Was the gourmet pizza place inexplicably closed when you got there? Search for a random street pizza stall instead! Did you get in too late to hit that cafe you wanted to try? Head out into the night for some late-night fast-food.

There are plenty of food experiences that cannot be found through research, review sites, and word of mouth. Sometimes, the best ones are a matter of pure happy accident — so be flexible and let those accidents turn into amazing meals.

Use Instagram to order

Even if you’ve found the ideal eatery, it’s still possible to get a bad meal. Menu descriptions are rarely detailed enough to give you a real idea of what you’re eating, and if you’re anything like me, deciding what to order is so hard!

Enter my favourite use of Instagram ever.

If you’re in a popular restaurant, find their account on Instagram. If you’re lucky, you’ll find gorgeous pics of their food so you know exactly what to expect. Then you can just point at the picture you want and ask the waiter which one it is.

Do a food crawl

If you’ve found too many restaurant options in your destination and you’re not sure where to eat, just choose them all. When Stephen and I are in a city like London , there’s nothing I love more than doing a food crawl.

We share an appetizer in the first couple of restaurants and split mains in the next ones. Finally, we head somewhere else for dessert. Once we’ve had a chance to try multiple places, we often return to the best one the next day for a full meal.

Since we focus on eco-friendly travel , we couldn’t have a foodie travel guide on our site without addressing the issue of eco-friendly eating.

Here are a few tips to make sure your meals are as planet-friendly as they are delicious.

Food is a window into culture, and regional food traditions are often based on what is locally produced and grown.

When you’re travelling, opt for restaurants serving local specialities, which are more likely to include ingredients from nearby.

While it might be tempting to order the Australian Wagyu beef while in Bali, it’s ludicrous to eat imported food when there is plenty of local deliciousness to be had. Skip the homogenous “Western” food and try one of the hundreds of local dishes available instead.

Don’t over-order

Food production is one of the biggest contributors to pollution and climate change. While we can’t stop eating, we can reduce the amount of food that is produced and then thrown away on our behalf.

Almost every time we go out to eat, we see people leaving half-eaten plates of food behind when they leave.

I get it. When you’re eating at a restaurant for the first time, it can be tough to gauge exactly how much food to order.

Start by ordering the minimum you think you’ll need and if it’s not enough when the food comes, just order something else. This is a great way to save the planet, save your wallet, and slow down your meal so you can appreciate each bite.

If you’ve been out doing touristy things all day, it can be tempting to order food to be delivered to your hotel. The problem is, every dish comes in individual boxes and bags that all end up in the garbage. Even if you’re exhausted, go to a restaurant and eat there instead of contributing to excess waste with takeaway food containers.

It will also enhance your travel experience, since you’ll spend the evening people-watching instead of binging Netflix.

Not eating meat is one of the most impactful actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.

Even if you’re not willing to give up meat and dairy 100%, try it for at least one or two meals a day. Be adventurous and seek out a vegan restaurant at your destination!

This will give you the chance to try new foods, improve your health and reduce your carbon footprint.

Even though food experiences are important when travelling, it is possible to get too food obsessed! I have had some seriously sulky moments on the road when the meal I’m served is below par and overpriced, or just not what I felt like eating that day.

I’m not proud of it!

No matter how carefully you plan, not all your food exploits will be a home-run. Some days, you will have to prioritize getting some calories into you over finding the absolute best meal. That’s just the way travel goes.

But if you plan ahead, ask around, and be a little brave, you will almost surely make a few amazing food memories that will last a lifetime.

We hope this guide to finding the best food while travelling is useful. It’s our goal to help people have more satisfying and transformational experiences when they travel — food is a great way to do this! Give us a shout by email or on Instagram if you have any questions.

♥   Happy transformational travels, Jane & Stephen

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About Jane Mountain

Hi, I'm Jane, founder and chief blogger on My Five Acres. I've lived in six countries and have camped, biked, trekked, kayaked, and explored in 50! At My Five Acres, our mission is to inspire you to live your most adventurous life and help you to travel more and more mindfully.

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7 Tips: How to Find the Best Food when Travelling

We leave the comfort of our homes to travel for different reasons.

Some of us want a break from work to relax, others are keen to learn and experience different cultures.

Hi, we’re Rach & Marty!

We’ve visited every country in the world and want to help you get the most out of your travels!

Whether you need an expertly planned itinerary , some experienced hints and tips , or just craving a delicious food adventure , we’ve got you covered!

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Food is an essential part of any trip or journey.

Regardless of your travels’ purpose or budget, finding good food in foreign countries can sometimes be challenging.  See our tips for how to find the best food when travelling.

Table of Contents

1)  Do your research before you go

Our eating habits and types of food we enjoy are common practices to us, however, they can be very different from other countries. Before you go, make sure to read about the food and cultures in the country you’re visiting.

You might find that the type of dishes served in the country and when and where to eat might not be what you are used to at home.

For example in Australia, lunch is often eaten in a café and many cafes close at 4 pm, so it’s often hard to find the kitchen still serving food or coffee after 4 pm.

In Spain, you won’t eat dinner before 8 pm as most places don’t open until late. When dining in the USA, remember that a 15-25% tip is expected on top of the total bill.

In Thailand, the whole country eats on its streets because it’s very affordable and the food is fantastic. For this reason, cooking in the home in this country is uncommon.

Don’t miss our other 26 handy tips for travel in Thailand.

Travel for food? Read our 10 best countries for food lovers

It’s worth noting that if visiting the Middle East during Ramadan, be aware that most food places will be closed during daylight hours.

2)  Ask a local for a recommendation

One of the best ways to find great local food in any destination is to ask someone who lives there. Simply ask a taxi driver or your receptionist for a recommendation.

If you’re after a local flavour, ask them to suggest where they would eat as sometimes a receptionist might point you to a fancy restaurant instead of the simple canteen where they get their lunch.

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3)  Don’t be afraid of the menu in a different language

Don’t speak the language? No problem. Many restaurants might have an English menu or the wait staff can translate for you. If this isn’t the case, Google Translate can help. Download the App to your phone at home and then choose the language pack of the country you are going to visit (ie. Italian) and download it for offline use.

When in a restaurant you can simply type a sentence to translate: “ Can I please order the most popular dish?” or “What would you recommend?”

You can also hover over the menu with the camera feature and it will translate the menu on your screen, it’s amazing.

Now you’re multilingual! If you don’t have a smartphone, simply point at another diner’s dish to order the same.

Some of the best dishes I’ve eaten in Vietnam and China (but I couldn’t stomach many that are on my 10 most bizarre foods in China  post) were ordered this way.

Read more: Our best travel tips from 20+ years of travel

4)  Go to the local market

You will find fresh produce and usually find cheap and tasty meals nearby.

There is nothing quite like going to the local market. Not only is it a great way to interact with locals, but you will get to see the fresh seasonal produce that you should be eating.

Fresh tomatoes and porcini mushrooms in Italy, tropical fruits in Thailand, the best tuna in the world in Japan or fresh fish in Greece, among other amazing Greek foods.

You can usually find some local food vendors near markets… hello, deep-fried langos in Hungary or chicken kebab in Turkey.

Some of the 8 foods worth travelling to Europe for are street food classics!

5)  If there is a queue for food – join it!

If you see locals lining up for food somewhere – join them, it’s always good.

Food places that are always busy are for a reason. So if it’s popular with locals, it will be good.

Read more – The ultimate food map of Europe

6)  Research food bloggers online to see their recommendations.

Turn to the experts when learning how to find the best food when travelling. Bloggers and foodie influencers write about where to find the best coffee, sandwich or cocktails in many destinations. It’s a good source of information.

In the new area of the Internet, getting some hot tips online is a great strategy.

You will find websites dedicated to food everywhere. Every destination will have some food bloggers whose passion is eating and sharing their experiences.

To find them, search for something similar to ‘ best places to eat in Athens ‘ or ‘ best cheap eats in Cairns ‘. We use searches like’ best food in New York City ‘ or ‘ where is the best coffee in Stockholm? ‘

Most blogs are written in English, but if you are not fluent, simply translate them with google translate and note down the name and addresses.

We always use this trick when researching how to find the best food when travelling. More often than not, it always works really well.

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7)  Use Google Maps to mark food places to avoid tourist traps

I like to use my google maps for orientation when in a foreign city. You can also save places on your map (you need to have a Gmail account to log in) which is very helpful.

Let’s say you are visiting Bratislava for the first time, I’d research the places and dishes online as mentioned above and then search for them on my google maps.

You can then click on the name of the bistro or restaurant and hit the save button – you can add it to your favourites or places you go.

By the way, we found the best restaurants in Bratislava, and here they are .

I usually add some places for lunch, dinner or coffee and might even look for a supermarket. This means that if I then visit the old town I won’t just walk into the first restaurant on the main square to have an overpriced, average meal.

If you see a restaurant with signs or menus with the words ‘traditional’ or ‘original’ cuisine, then my advice is to skip it.

The meal will likely be average and you’ll be paying tourist prices of up to four times the price. Many restaurants that do this are only catering to hordes of tourists who they can bet will never be visiting again. Not worth it at all.

I’ll follow directions to the place I’ve already saved on my map to find great food in a local place that is likely to be full of locals eating great food. Win!

Google maps is an amazing tool for showing you how to find the best food when travelling the world.

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Try new flavours and combinations! They might sound strange but they usually work. As eating rice, chicken and cherry compote might sound strange to someone who is not from Slovakia, some dishes you come across might not sound appealing to you either.

Our bonus tip for how to find the best food when travelling is to consider joining a food tour in great foodie cities. We do this all the time and it’s awesome!

We like to search on Get Your Guide or Viator for the best range of food tours.

Either way, I recommend that you try them and you may be pleasantly surprised. Here are some strange combos from around the world that seem to work:

• Pineapple or beetroot in a hamburger – Australia (Read more about 12 Australian Classic Foods you need to try )
• Melon with prosciutto ham – Italy (Perhaps try it as one of the 10 Best Things to do in Venice )
• Waffles with bacon and maple syrup – Canada (and other amazing Cheap Eats in Vancouver )
• French fries with peanut sauce – Netherlands (You can find this on the best food tour in Amsterdam )

Have you tried any of the above food combos? What are your best tips for how to find the best food when travelling?  Please share them with us below.

More Travel Tips

We have so many tips to help you travel more!

These 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you stretch your hard-earned dollars further.

Read our top 6 travel hacks to save money and the  20 best travel apps to make travel easier! 

For food lovers, don’t miss our top 10 best countries for foodies. And, if history is your thing, these 30 amazing historical places worldwide will fascinate you!

We have many tips to save money for travel and consider these 20 jobs that PAY YOU to travel the world to help you travel longer.

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Check out our ultimate packing list for travellers , and remember to pack travel insurance! We recommend these two travel insurance companies for excellent coverage.

Our  12 essential tips for safe travel in any country are worth a read. 

You’ll need to stay connected while travelling the world. We recommend eSIM. It’s easy, reliable and affordable. View eSIMs for individual countries , or consider  a Global eSIM if you travel to multiple countries or regions. This eSIM connects you in 124 countries , offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text eSIM .

The Global eSIM has been a game-changer; we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.

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12 Comments . Leave new

Have you tried some insects in Thailand? It looks quite horrible but tastes so good, haha. I love the street food in Thailand. Anyway, thanks for your post Marty and safe travel 🙂

Yes, we have tried them in Thailand. As you said, there are not so bad after all.:)

Good tips to find best food in travelling… good job.. nice blog

Sounds good!! I have bookmarked and will share these tips with friends. Very useful tips to save the food during traveling. I love to eat in restaurants.

I am always love grill. But now i am change my habit. Now find my best food. Thanks Marty for your blog.

Great post, Marty! These tips are so practical and useful! I am saving your post for when deciding for my next travel!

Thank you so much for all the food items. I found some amazing ones thanks to you ! Keep up the good work !

thanks for sharing those good tips, Marty, Fablose post ;)!

Thank you.:)

I like how you highlighted that asking a local is one of the most excellent methods to get delicious local food in any location. Due to his next vacation to Europe, my partner should consider this. He enjoys dining out and rarely cooks. I’ll be sure to provide him with this page so he can choose an excellent restaurant wherever he’s located, thanks!

Since I’d like to surprise my husband for his birthday this weekend, I’ve been looking for a restaurant to book. I appreciate how you said to ask people for recommendations if you want to experience a local flavor since occasionally a receptionist would direct you to a nice restaurant rather than the straightforward canteen where they grab their lunch. I’ll take this into account because I really want to locate a place that serves wonderful cuisine and local wine that has an amazing romantic feel.

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Road Trip Food List: Easy to Pack Meals & Snacks

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Are you looking for a road trip food list that includes the best road trip snacks and other food to bring on a road trip?

Road trips can range from being budget-friendly to out-of-this-world expensive if you do not plan ahead, especially when it comes to eating food.

The temptation to grab a snack at every gas station, as well as to eat out at restaurants or gorge on fast food, can really start to add up in terms of money and wasted time.

One way to save money and time while road tripping, however, is to bring your own food!

By making a road trip food list and packing fun road trip snacks, you’ll avoid having to stop and spend as much.

Our road trip food list includes easy road trip snacks, as well as portable breakfast, lunch, and dinner options – plus, a FREE Road Trip Food List printable to take with you to the grocery store.

The links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Road Trip Food List: Breakfast

One of our absolute best family road trip tips is to leave bright and early in the morning when starting a long road trip.

As the most important meal of the day, luckily, having breakfast on the road is the easiest meal to eat cold and on the go.

If you decide to hit the road early, or if your hotel en route doesn’t offer a free breakfast, plan ahead by bringing along these simple road trip breakfast foods.

Our tried-and-true road trip food list awaits!

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Yogurt tubes and granola bars
• Muffins, donuts, and scones
• Bagels and cream cheese
• Squeezable applesauce
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Peanut butter, banana, and granola wrapped up in a tortilla
• Make-Ahead Fruit & Yogurt Breakfast Parfaits

Additional planning tip: For added morning fun, use the category “breakfast foods”, “brands or cereal”, or “types of fruit” while you play a road trip word game .

Road Trip Food List: Lunch

When it comes to planning for lunch and beyond, your road trip packing list should always include a reliable portable cooler .

Whether you chill made-ahead sandwiches, salami & cheese, fruits, or veggies, there are so many awesome road trip food ideas when it comes to having lunch on the go.

What we love about these road tip lunch ideas is that they keep us out of congested cities and fast-food drive-thrus during the busy noon hour.

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Premade sandwiches with deli meat and cheese (make them extra fun by using shaped sandwich cutters !)
• Peanut butter sandwiches (skip the jelly to avoid sogginess)
• Pita pocket with mozzarella, tomato, basil, turkey, cheese, hummus, cucumber, and/or tuna salad
• Home-ade Lunchables with summer sausage, cheese, and crackers
• Tortilla with cream cheese, sliced olives, and pepperoni
• Veggies and single-serve packs of ranch dressing, hummus, or guacamole
• Pre-assembled Salad In A Jar

Road Trip Food List: Dinner

If there is one meal that you choose to splurge on, I recommend stopping to have dinner at a roadside restaurant or cafe.

Though this may not be your final destination, experiencing another city in this way will help you check more places off of your family travel bucket list !

If you’re not keen on stopping, however, here are the road trip foods we enjoy that are tasty and hearty enough to serve as dinner.

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Cold rotisserie chicken, chunked and served with a garden salad (package in a disposable salad container )
• Pre-made pasta salad, such as Pizza Pasta Salad
• StarKist ready-to-eat tuna salad in an avocado half or on a bun
• Chicken and pickled veggies in pitas
• Hummus veggie wrap

Additional planning tip: If you’re road tripping in the winter when driving conditions are much more unpredictable, packing extra road trip food is an essential component of your winter road trip packing list .

Road Trip Food List: Snacks

In my opinion, snacks   are the No. 1 way to keep everyone (including you!) happy on a family road trip.

Homemade snack mixes and individual pre-purchased snacks are also a great way to help cut costs associated with buying food on the road.

For this reason, I suggest assembling an entire tub filled with fun and appetizing snacks and surprises that you know your kids will love.

We use these  16-quart storage tubs from Sterilite  that are the perfect size, price, and durability!

Road Trip Snacks Ideas

• Chips and pretzels
• Animal crackers (Suprise them with Barnum’s Originals !)
• Filled crackers (peanut butter, cheese)
• Nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts)
• String cheese, Babybel, Laughing Cow cheese wedges
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Healthy no-bake cookies
• Candy and gummy candy

Be extra organized for your family road trip by clicking the following image to get your FREE family vacation packing list that is both customizable and printable!

Travel Snacks for Toddlers

Road tripping with toddlers presents its own set of challenges and requires additional thought when it comes to toddler-friendly road trip activities and food.

(It’s much harder to keep a close eye on them when they’re in the backseat, and you’re in the front.)

When considering toddler road trip foods, the most important thing is to avoid giving them anything to eat that could be deemed a choking hazard.

In addition, opt for healthy versus overly sweet options that may give them a tummy ache.

Our favorite healthy toddler car snacks and road trip foods include:

• Graham crackers
• Snap pea crisps
• Applesauce and/or yogurt pouches
• Cheese sticks
• Soft mini muffins
• Whole-grain crackers
• Bananas and/or this apple slices

9 Essential Tips For Traveling With Food

As seasoned travelers, we’ve assembled a list of tips for traveling with road trip foods and make-ahead hotel room meals.

• Use up your most delicate fruit first when on long-haul road trips.

In other words, start by eating bananas and berries, then move on to more sturdy produce such as apples and oranges that don’t spoil as easily.

2. Every family needs an organized packing strategy !

When it comes to road trip food, tortillas, pitas, or other sturdy flatbreads work better to bring along than do loaves of bread. They take up a lot less room and do not risk getting smashed.

3. When packing a cooler with items that need to stay chilled, be sure to lay the ice on the top, versus the bottom of the cooler.

This is because cold air sinks and will, therefore, disperse itself more evenly if laid on top of the food.

4. Aim to open the cooler only 1 or 2 times a day in order to maintain its refrigeration and keep the ice from thawing.

5. Also, make all food, including snacks, easily accessible throughout the duration of your family road trip.

This prevents someone (likely mom or dad!) from having to constantly bend over the back seat or stop to open the trunk every time hunger or boredom hits.

6. Avoid bringing anything made of glass on your road trip, including glass food containers. Glass is heavy, bulky, and very dangerous when broken within the confines of your family vehicle.

7. Assemble and bring along a road trip kit with the following road trip essentials for spills, clean-ups, and car sickness:

• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Garbage bags
• Ziplock bags
• Napkins/paper towels
• Saltine crackers and motion sickness medicine

8. Each time you stop while on a road trip, don’t forget to pitch any garbage that has accumulated.

This prevents build-up and smelliness.

9. Head to the grocery store with our FREE printable checklist and purchase all of your road trip food in one shopping trip!

If you enjoyed reading our best Road Trip Food List , click here to check out our Related Posts:

• Top 10 Tips for Planning a Family Road Trip (And Enjoying it Too!)
• 7 Road Trip Word Games to Play in the Car With Kids
• 18 Amazing “Are We There Yet” Road Trip Activity Bags
• Top 16 Tips for Flying With Kids & Ways to Keep them Calm
• The Ultimate Guide for International Travel with Kids
• 8 (Unexpected) Benefits of Traveling With Kids

*Before leaving, be sure to check our  Travel Resources Page  to find our exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

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Thank you for the road trip food list and travel tips.

You’re welcome! Was there something you saw that you hadn’t thought of before? Happy travels!!

This is a great list as we also big in road trip. Snacks is so important especially to keep them from asking are we there yet. Haha… I myself like peanuts to keep me awake when it’s my turn to drive.

Thanks for reading and for sharing your favorite road trip snack!!

This is such a comprehensive list and it is so helpful as I predict a lot of us will be going on more road trips once we can. Prepping these meals will definitely save some money and help the kids feel less bored. I know that my kids are usually pleased munching stuffs during road trips. I also like that it is more likely for the road trip snack to be more healthier than what you’ll buy elsewhere.

Thank you! Yes, the health factor of pre-packing is a big one, as is the enormous cost savings 🙂

I like to have a good mix of healthy (kids like apples, those are easy to eat) and snacky/salty. I am also very particular. about road trip drinks. Big coffees, la croix, iced tea!

I like your ideas! We’d be good road trip buddies!

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Travel | 10 emerging foodie destinations worth traveling…

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Subscriber only, travel | 10 emerging foodie destinations worth traveling for, this year, it’s time to let your tastebuds do the talking..

It’s kind of like devouring a delicious plate of sushi: wrapping up one amazing vacation always leaves you wanting more. But with such a big world to see – and so little time in which to see it – where should you book your next trip?

This year, it’s time to let your tastebuds do the talking. Read on to learn why foodies around the globe are flocking to these emerging travel destinations. How many of these spots have you visited?

1. Tbilisi, Georgia

Cobblestoned Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, is bursting with history – and by the time you leave, you’ll be bursting with satisfying Georgian dishes. Here, you can learn the art of eating khinkali, twisted dumplings filled with meat and broth, or enjoy crisp tomatoes and cucumbers paired with one of Georgia’s many varieties of cheese. Whatever you do, don’t forget to try khachapuri, a boat-shaped dish traditionally filled with cheese and egg, before you have to say goodbye.

2. Oaxaca, Mexico

If you want to eat well, visit Oaxaca: From street vendors to world-class restaurants, this city has so much to offer. Make sure to try at least one of Oaxaca’s seven moles, or thick chili-based sauces, which can take days to prepare. Then, try some of Oaxaca’s most unique dishes, including huitlacoche, a corn fungus similar to a mushroom, and chapulines, a crunchy snack made from deep-fried grasshoppers.

Wash everything down with tejate, a thick drink made from toasted maize and cacao. And for dessert, don’t miss paletas, frosty ice popsicles made from fresh fruit.

3. Medellín, Colombia

Visit Medellín, and you’ll understand why Colombian food is well worth booking that flight. In Medellín, your day starts with buñuelos, fried dough balls that are best enjoyed with a steaming mug of hot chocolate or coffee. Spend the day seeing the sights and devouring plenty of empanadas along the way.

At day’s end, dig into bandeja paisa, a traditional dish that includes a broad array of ingredients. Chorizo, a fried egg, plantain, chicharrón, arepa, avocado, beef, rice and beans are all served together for a hearty meal that hits the spot after a long day of traveling.

4. Ljubljana, Slovenia

Take a hiking tour through Slovenia, and you’ll be rewarded with sights of snow-capped mountains, hidden waterfalls and pristine lakes – but best of all, you’ll get to end every day with a different take on a hearty traditional stew. And if hiking isn’t really your thing, head to charming Ljubljana to sample all those dishes and more.

Obara, golaž and pohorski pisker are just a few of the savory, saucy stews waiting for you to soak them up with a crusty loaf of bread. For dessert, don’t miss potica, a sweet, festive cake that can be filled with ground walnuts, poppy seeds or even Nutella.

5. Havana, Cuba

No trip to Havana would be complete without enjoying ropa vieja, a dish of tender, shredded steak stewed in tomato sauce with peppers and onions and often served with rice and plantains. This dish is a perfect example of why Cuban food is sought out by so many.

Pair your ropa vieja with one of the many iconic Cuban cocktails out there, like the mojito – a Havana classic. Both can be enjoyed at Doña Eutemia, recently named one of the best restaurants and an “Old Havana stalwart” by CultureTrip .

6. Cape Town, South Africa

Visiting Cape Town? Don’t miss the chance to order a Gatsby, a huge sandwich stuffed with french fries, meat and vegetables. If you’ve still got room left over, seek out boerewors, a spiral-shaped mince sausage, best enjoyed with a cold glass of beer.

After all that, think you’re full? It won’t be difficult to find an appetite for dessert if you spot anyone selling koeksister on your way home. These sticky-sweet pastries made out of fried dough are completely irresistible.

7. Bologna, Italy

Bologna is the place to go to enjoy some of the most beloved examples of Italian food in their original cultural context. Try tagliatelle al ragù, and you’ll never think about spaghetti bolognese the same way again. And don’t stop there: lasagna verde, tortellini and gramigna are just three more must-try pasta dishes no visitor to Bologna can overlook. Buon appetito!

8. Tel Aviv, Israel

Before you head out to explore Tel Aviv, start your day with shakshuka, a dish of poached eggs in a spicy tomato and pepper stew with parsley and feta cheese sprinkled on top. As the day heats up, cool down with a sweet treat from Anita Gelato – if you’re lucky enough to stop by when their halva flavor is available, you might just be taking a pint back to your hotel room.

Towards sunset, head to Jaffa for dinner at The Old Man and the Sea, a legendary seafood restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean. You’ll get to enjoy a spread of almost two dozen different little salads included with dinner: the perfect way to sample hummus, tahini, pickled vegetables and other classic Middle Eastern dishes.

9. Osaka, Japan

If you’re craving street food, head to Osaka to see why this city is more than worthy of the nickname The Nation’s Kitchen. There, you can eat your way through the Dotonbori, Shinsekai and Kitashinchi districts, sampling favorites like takoyaki – fried dough balls with octopus – and kushikatsu, or deep-fried meat and veggie skewers. Be warned: you will be thinking about these tasty fried treats for years to come.

10. Porto, Portugal

Whether you’re looking for a satisfying lunch to carry you through an intense afternoon of port tasting, in desperate need of a hangover cure or just curious to discover what might be the world’s most indulgent sandwich, francesinha won’t let you down.

This sandwich, originally from Porto, typically includes multiple different types of meat – sausage, linguiça, steak and ham – drenched in a spicy seafood sauce and melted cheese. Just for good measure, it’s also topped with a fried egg and served with fries.

Final thoughts

Is your stomach rumbling yet? The dishes named in this article are just a taste of the many innovative celebrations of local cuisines that you can expect at any of these destinations. So if you’re hungry for more, don’t overlook these destinations when planning your next trip – because sometimes, there’s no better way to experience a new place than by tucking in your metaphorical bib and diving in.

Kristen Wood is a photographer, writer, world traveler, and creator of the blog. Foodventures Abroad , where food and travel intertwine. She is also the author of Vegetarian Family Cookbook, Fermented Hot Sauce Cookbook, and Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners. Her work has been featured in various online and print publications, including Tasting Table, Forbes, Martha Stewart, NBC and more.

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These Are the Best (and Worst) Times to Hit the Road for July 4, According to AAA

And the best time is sooner than you'd think.

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A record-setting nearly 71 million Americans are expected to travel for the Fourth of July holiday, cementing this as the summer of travel. 

In total, 70.9 million travelers are forecast to head 50 miles or more from home from Saturday, June 29, to Sunday, July 7, according to AAA . Of those, 60.6 million people are expected to hit the road.

This year’s forecast, which for the first time includes the entire Fourth of July week plus the Saturday before and the Sunday after, represents a 5 percent increase compared to last year and an 8 percent increase compared to pre-pandemic in 2019.

“With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” Paula Twidale, the senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement, adding, “We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever.”

For travelers looking to drive over July 4, mornings tend to be the best to avoid traffic. The worst times to travel by car ahead of the holiday are between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m, according to AAA. Travelers heading back on Monday, July 8, should also avoid rush hour traffic during both the morning and afternoon.

Overall, the best day for traffic will be Monday, July 1.

While traffic is likely inevitable, the good news is gas prices are expected to continue dropping leading up to July 4. Currently, gas is averaging $3.47 per gallon nationwide, according to AAA , which is lower than last year’s national average of $3.53 per gallon during the same time period.

Beyond the roads , a total of 5.74 million people are expected to fly over the July 4 holiday, a nearly 7 percent increase compared to last year. The prediction comes as unprecedented numbers of travelers have swarmed airports across the country , setting new records for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

More people may be flying, but AAA said domestic airfare is actually 2 percent cheaper over the Fourth of July holiday than last year. The average price for a domestic roundtrip ticket is currently $800.

In addition, more than 4.6 million travelers are forecast to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises, and trains.

Related Articles

Our 10 favorite travel hacks

Want to travel better? The Upgrade has your back.

The Upgrade is By The Way’s series offering guest writers a place to share their travel hacks and hot takes. For every edition, illustrator extraordinaire Min Heo animates the advice. Below are some of our most popular entries. Some may look basic, but ask yourself: Are you optimizing your travel routine?

Want to write your own Upgrade? See how to submit here .

Dress up for your flight

David Coggins longs for the Cary Grant era of aviation, wishing more passengers would step up their game to bring some dignity and glamour to the experience. The author of “ Men and Style ” argues that making a sartorial effort shows respect to gate agents and flight attendants in uniforms — and your fellow passengers.

“I realize this is a losing battle, but it’s still a good fight,” Coggins writes. “If a sweatsuit is your truth, then there’s nothing else I can say, other than nobody has looked good in a sweatsuit in the history of the world.”

He’s not sure if wearing that checked blazer will really get you upgraded to first class , but it couldn’t hurt.

Visit ‘second cities’ in Europe

Rick Steves is our favorite pétanque-playing philanthropist . He’s a respected travel expert, too. In his beloved Europe, Rick recommends you break up every visit to a capital with a final day in a “ second city .” Think Porto vs. Lisbon , Glasgow vs. Edinburgh and Marseille vs. Paris .

“While lacking the popularity and the bucket-list sights,” Steves writes, “Europe’s second cities tend to enjoy a creative edge, a strong civic spirit, a Rust Belt toughness, fun-loving eateries with cutting-edge menus, entertaining street art … and far fewer tourists, which also means lower prices, a more authentic welcome and arguably a more honest cultural experience.”

Pick your travel uniform

Like Steve Jobs and many practitioners of quiet luxury , travel writer Jessica Poitevien is all about eliminating decision fatigue. Standardizing a set of clothes only for flying doesn’t just help you streamline your packing routine. Poitevien “doesn’t worry about leaving anything important behind, because I have two of everything: one that’s for home and one that sits in my backpack waiting for the next trip. All I add is my passport, laptop and current reading material, and I’m good to go.”

What’s her uniform look like?

“My top is always a long, loosefitting T-shirt or sweater, so I’m covered through all the bending and lifting that happens with luggage and going through security,” Poitevien writes. “I add a jean jacket to stay warm on those freezing planes and use its inner pockets to keep my phone, passport and boarding pass within easy reach.”

Cut your airport arrival dangerously close

It’s not for the faint of heart, but travel writer Brad Japhe wants to waste as little of his life in airports as possible.

“I live about five miles from Los Angeles International Airport,” Japhe writes, “and if my scheduled domestic flight is at, say, 9 a.m., I’m comfortable entering an Uber up until 8:32 a.m.”

Besides some serious bravado, pulling this off requires the use of PreCheck or Clear, among other conditions:

• Traveling solo .
• Express security lanes .
• A familiar airport.
• No checked bags .

Order the Hindu meal

Food and travel writer David Farley thinks we should reject the binary of chicken or pasta in favor of a plant-based meal that exudes spice . By reserving a Hindu meal on your next long-haul flight, you could be treating yourself to dal makhani and naan, or bhindi masala and raita. As long as you reserve your meal at least 24 hours ahead of your flight, airlines told us, you won’t be taking a special one away from anyone else.

Get up early on vacation

Life is short. So take a cue from the dad playbook, and seize the vacation day with an early wake-up call . For Deputy Features Editor Amanda Finnegan , rising with the sun means hours of calm before your travel partners join you. And by 10 a.m., you’re ready for your first nap.

Make a fashion statement in black and blue

Rachel Tashjian ’s job is cooler than your job. As a fashion writer, she flies to Europe three or four times a year for work, watching extravagant clothes appear in fashion shows for weeks at a time . It’s a dream, but there’s an understandable amount of pressure to look amazing every single day. Enter the black-and-blue hack . By mixing a pop of navy in with a collection of dark pieces, you’re making the daring choice to break one of the primary rules of fashion.

Her packing list:

• Two skirts: something that flows and something that hugs.
• Three jackets: a classic blazer, something weird and an open-front wool jacket.
• One pair of trousers.
• One black dress.
• Three T-shirts.
• Black shoes.

Stop eating airport food

Noah Galuten is a hero hubby. By the simple act of making his wife a sandwich to take to the airport, the Los Angeles-based chef and author had the epiphany that we should all swear off precooked egg patties forever .

Sure, you could settle for upcharged coffee, a Dunkin’ wrap or a sad Caesar from “Weirdly Branded Bar & Grill You Have Never Heard Of.” Or, you could be the game-changer for your household, whipping up breakfast burritos or English muffin sandwiches — or just buying a better sandwich in advance in the real world (see: Emily’s Pork Store , Brooklyn).

Take a solo trip

The secret to a happy relationship is compromise. And giving your partner time to travel solo — especially if you’ve got a kid at home.

That’s the philosophy preached by writer Austin Graff , an extrovert who has learned to appreciate the benefits of going it alone: It’s easier to get into top-rated restaurants, there’s time to wander, and you return to your family more thoughtful and present.

Take a buffer day

The weekend-warrior routine is for people in their 20s. Once you’re in your 30s, Rachel Orr writes, you know well enough to quit pushing so hard and to give yourself an extra day to chill before rushing back to work . “Think of it as a mini staycation at the end of your vacation,” she suggests.

More travel tips

Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness . Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.

Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare , including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.

Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario , from canceled flights to lost luggage . Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.

Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas , including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed . Submit your question here . Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves .

More From Forbes

Curtis stone on hong kong’s food scene and why he packs dirty laundry in his carry-on.

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Stone is ready to take us all on a “Field Trip.”

When Curtis Stone isn’t in the kitchen at his restaurants Maude and Gwen in L.A. or Woodend in Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya in Mexico, the celebrity chef traverses the globe seeking culinary inspiration for his TV show Field Trip with Curtis Stone.

You can see his food-filled adventures when the third season premieres July 2 on Peacock. But you can also get a taste of it with a new Hong Kong episode — Field Trip ’s first Asian destination — that’s already streaming on PBS. “This is one of the most fascinating places in the world to eat,” he said during the hourlong special.

We talked to the genial Australian chef about eating his way through Hong Kong, where he’s traveling next and why he only packs dirty laundry in his carry-on.

Chef Vicky Cheng shows Stone around.

Why did you decide to go to Hong Kong for your first Field Trip episode in Asia?

I’ve been to Hong Kong before and I couldn’t wait to return. There is so much history there and an incredible confluence of the old and the new.

What do you like to eat when you’re in Hong Kong?

Everything and anything. I lean into finding ingredients and dishes I can’t get anywhere else. Regional dishes are also key to my choices. Some highlights for me were learning the centuries-old technique for making tofu at Kung Wo Beancurd Factory and trying the sweet version, which I had never tasted; watching chef Vicky Cheng of Vea rehydrate the dried seafood we purchased on Des Voeux Road West and use French technique to make a Michelin-starred dish; and the Ping Yuen chicken prepared by chef David Lai at his restaurant, Neighborhood.

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What inspired you about Hong Kong’s culinary scene?

The diversity of the culinary scene is so inspirational. Eating dim sum in a local spot, frog legs at a hot pot joint, street food and then, Michelin restaurants. There is something for everyone.

I’d love to get to a few more fine dining restaurants on my next trip. The Chairman and Wing , Vicky Cheng’s other restaurant, were just included on the World’s 50 Best list, and I’d like to check them off.

We traveled in April, and I’d plan my next trip in another season to experience different ingredients. Hong Kong’s Wine and Dine Festival is scheduled for October. It’s an epic culinary showcase for all epicureans to experience and enjoy Hong Kong’s amazing food scene during one event.

Stone gets a lesson in wing chun kung fu.

What’s one dish from the episode that you still think about?

ArChan Chan of Ho Lee Fook restaurant took me to a neighborhood dim sum spot that she frequents on her days off. The dim sum master at Saam Hui Yaat has been creating the perfect har gao [shrimp dumplings] for the past 40 years. He is literally tucked away in this room folding hundreds of these snacks a day. ArChan showed such deference for his craft as well. It was wonderful to see the respect shown to an older generation in the kitchen.

What surprised you about Hong Kong’s dining scene?

As I was saying, I was pleasantly surprised about the generational component of the culinary scene. We met a few people who had other careers before returning to Hong Kong to support the family business. Renee So left a career in finance to support her father in growing his tofu business. She used her real-world savvy to expand operations at Kung Wo Beancurd Factory and hasn’t looked back.

Mr. Lee is making shrimp paste with his father. They are one of two makers on Tai O baking these bricks of paste in the sun. It’s an ingredient essential to Cantonese cooking, and it’s a dying art.

Stone learns from Po Po.

Aside from eating, what else did you enjoy doing in Hong Kong?

I really enjoyed my time in Tai O, the fishing village on Lantau Island. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before and felt like being on a movie set. People living in stilted houses, fishermen selling their catch from their boats, women hanging laundry from balconies and men slamming mah-jongg tiles. It’s a life completely reliant on the water.

It was the first location we shot during this episode. We walked the streets on our way to meet the shrimp paste maker and by happenstance met Po Po, a woman in her 80s who was separating the whites and yolks from duck eggs and curing them in the sun. I pulled up a stool and she schooled me — that was all organic and just an incredible experience for me.

We also visited the Sai Kung peninsula with its live seafood markets and waterfront restaurants. I just wasn’t aware of all the nature in Hong Kong. Many of us think of the skyscrapers, neon and bustling city life, and of course, there is the shopping and museums. But nature is, quite honestly, in its backyard.

Where are you traveling next?

I had some business in Amsterdam and, since [my sons] are on break, we spent some time there this summer, with a pit stop in Paris — my oldest wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. Then, we are off to Sweden for a spell.

Catching up with chef ArChan Chan.

Do you have a wellness routine while traveling?

Walking more than anything else. Seeing a city on foot, even with an incredible underground, is the way to go. It also makes me feel a bit like a local and you find more hole-in-the-wall and hidden spots when you’re not zooming past them in a taxi or an Uber.

What do you pack on your carry-on?

Dirty clothes. I know it sounds insane, but I travel so often and prefer to only take a carry-on to hustle through the airport and avoid lines. My trick is to take clothes that I don’t need to worry about getting crumpled and wrinkled and have everything laundered and pressed at the hotel when I get to my destination. Obviously, that’s not something I do when I’m with my family, but it is kind of genius for business travel.

What are you working on next?

I’m hoping to get back to Australia soon and shoot more there. It’s always been a mission of mine to expose people to my roots and have them get to Oz to travel. There are parts even I haven’t been to yet. It’s such a rich culture and vast area to explore.

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An Eater’s Guide to Austin

Unofficial, highly opinionated information about the Texas capital

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Table of contents, - welcome to the land of tacos and meat - where to start on eater austin's best maps - austin food neighborhoods to know - glossary of terms - reservations to make in advance - follow the news - get in touch.

The ever-growing city of Austin is the epicenter of oak-smoked barbecue and the greasy foothold of Tex-Mex fare. There are just so many restaurants and food trucks taking advantage of the surprisingly abundant bounty the hot climate provides. This guide cuts through all the noise out there, delivering you straight to the heart of an incredibly exciting dining and drinking scene in the heart of Texas.

Welcome to the Land of Tacos and Meat

It's no secret that Austin strives to keep things weird, and this sentiment extends to its culinary scene. The ample selection of excellent Tex-Mex and barbecue is given at this point. But not everyone knows that this is the city where everyone tests out ideas with food trucks , which pop up every which way to see what dishes really stick enough to expand with their own physical restaurants. The city also takes pride in sourcing locally, despite the heat and levels of drought and more-often-than-not drastic winters that Central Texas often faces and. It all fuses together to create that specific oh-so-very Austin brand of eating and drinking.

For a quick Austin food snapshot , don't miss Franklin Barbecue 's perfectly tender brisket, the mighty migas taco from Veracruz All Natural ’s food trucks and restaurants, cauliflower tater tots and the ideal queso from Better Half , the craveable gelato from Dolce Neve , and brisket kobasniky from Kerlaches.

Where to Start on Eater Austin's Best Maps

Eater puts out a lot of maps , updating them regularly to guide the hungry and curious. There are the basics, like brunch , cocktails , and coffee , alongside other necessities, like pizza , burgers , patios , and much more. Looking for faster answers? We’ve highlighted several top points from the most popular and crucial maps to save time.

Hot Restaurants : Austin Laotian food truck Sekse Fud Ko turned into a full-on restaurant, Lao’d Bar , and Austin’s the better for it. Through his new far east Austin restaurant, owner and chef Bob Somsith serves up flavorful fiery Southeast Asian fare — don’t miss out on the sweet-savory-refreshing-piquant coconut escolar ceviche nor the nam khao (crispy fried rice).

Essential Restaurants : Kebabs are really fantastic and find the best iterations at North Austin Middle Eastern restaurant Usta Kababgy .

Bars : Go hide out in tiny dark downtown bar Small Victory and have the bartender make you a daiquiri and/or martini and/or both. For a newer spot , embrace the fun truck road stop vibes of Windsor Park neighborhood bar Busty’s Bar and Jukebox for easy pleasing cocktails, draft beers, and shots.

Barbecue : Along with Franklin Barbecue (obviously), check out Eater Austin award-winning food truck Distant Relatives , where pitmaster Damien Brockway and his team explore the African roots of smoked meats and other related dishes.

Breakfast Tacos : For the ultimate egg-filled tortillas, you can’t go wrong with Veracruz All Natural ’s options. Otherwise, head to the no-frills truck El Primo on South First (bonus: you can place online orders for both).

Tacos : Everybody loves tacos and Austin is inundated with such excellent choices. A wonderful bet can be found up in North Austin at Con Todo , a food truck parked at Celis Brewery that focuses on Mexican fare by way of the Rio Grande Valley.

Birria Tacos : The red taco trend is still strong in the city, and your best bet for quesabirria tacos is South Congress truck Sabor Tapatio .

Food T rucks : In a city brimming with food trucks and trailers , look out for the spicy fare from Thai truck Dee Dee and exquisite pasta from Italian truck Patrizi’s .

Margaritas : The tequila cocktail is so very prevalent, and the platonic ideal version of the drink can be found over at North Loop’s Workhorse Bar .

Beer : Beer lovers should head to the longtime brewery Live Oak ’s sprawling home in Del Valle. For those in the South Austin area, Meanwhile Brewing has become a perfect beer destination.

If you only have one day in Austin : here is your perfect eating and drinking itinerary .

If you only have one day in Austin and you just want to eat tacos : yes, there’s a specific guide for that .

If you’re an out-of-towner visiting Austin: scope out these maps and guides, curated just for you .

Austin Food Neighborhoods to Know

It's easy to split Austin into three regional parts: North Austin, Central Austin, and South Austin. But those sections comprise separate neighborhoods — each with its own identity. The following are the areas of the city food lovers should get to know very well, complete with plenty of recommendations.

On the other side of Highway 35, East Austin has changed over the years as the center of rapid gentrification. Developments led to a slew of newer restaurants right next door to older establishments. Go back in time with a simple plate of migas and biscuits from Cisco’s , the still-standing Tex-Mex greasy spoon full of political history . For caffeine, dip down to East Fifth for stellar cafe Wright Bros. Brew & Brew . From the multitude of food trucks in the area, the not-that-far trek to East Cesar Chavez for one of the city’s best and most affordable taco trucks Las Trancas (opt for one of the offal ones). Or if you want drinks, head to Daydreamer for nice cocktails or natural wine bar LoLo ’s for its well-curated list. End the evening at dive bar White Horse , full of two-steppin' and cheap beer.

Should I Trek to Hill Country?

Short answer: yes. Long answer: There’s so much to keep you fueled up for all the hiking, swimming, and scenery-gawking that the  beautiful outskirts  of Austin offers. The Fitzhugh corridor is particularly strong. Beer lovers need to head out to  Jester King Brewery , where the expansive grounds are perfect for imbibing hoppy and fermented beverages, plus there are goats and a bunny. There are nearby breweries like Fitzhugh Brewing and distilleries like Revolution Spirits Distilling Co. Swing by Dripping Springs bakery Abby Jane Bakery for some of the most amazing pastries in the state. Fuel up at  Pieous  for fantastic Neapolitan pizza pies. For sit-down dining and ambiance, snag an outdoor table at New Braunfels restaurant Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar . Plus there’s the magical Texas Wine County . (Yes, Texas wine is in fact great.)

South Lamar

The laid-back vibe of Austin lives on across the Colorado River within the South Austin area. Go straight for the area’s main artery South Lamar Boulevard . Here, you can wake up in the morning with well-made lattes and pastries from Patika . Book dinner at Odd Duck , brimming with local ingredients and bread. New-school sushi might seem surprising for such a landlocked city, but you’d be wrong to write Uchi off. Take advantage of the great deals found during the sushi restaurant’s sake social hour. Line up at Ramen Tatsu-ya for restorative noodle soup in a fun space or luck into a reservation at its next-door tiki wonderland Tiki Tatsu-ya . Duck into Hopscotch for fun wines and smaller bites. Under-the-radar barbecue truck Brown’s Bar-B-Que is worth a stop for stellar smoked meats. Night owls can take a spin through P. Terry’s drive-thru for solid burgers.

As hotels, high-rises, and office buildings go up, restaurants and bars continue to open in the center of the city , feeding the growing crowds of locals and tourists gaping at the Texas State Capitol or waiting for the bats to emerge. Coffee fans should hit up Houndstooth , where the baristas care deeply about every cup poured. A Top Chef fan? Check out the Line Austin Hotel’s flagship restaurant Arlo Grey , from Season 10 winner and now host Kristen Kish. Brave the Dirty Sixth hoards to find your way into hidden-within-a-parking-garage bar Small Victory . Dance the rest of the night away at LGBTQ patio bar Cheer Up Charlie’s .

For a break from the tourist-heavy neighborhoods in Austin, check out Cherrywood , northeast of downtown. It’s home to some excellent casual restaurants like Hoover’s — the place to go for down-home Southern fare like chicken fried steak and pie — and Patrizi’s , a trailer with fresh pasta in an open-air bar (look out for the residen cats). Fans of farm-to-table dining must check out Dai Due — chef Jesse Griffiths runs his own hunting and butchering classes. See if you can snag a table at Mexican seafood restaurant Este for fantastic shrimp and fish dishes or opt for its casual bar sibling Bar Toti .

Austin Glossary of Terms

Bowl of texas red:.

Real Texas chili , no beans at all.

Burnt ends:

The crispy bark from the  often-fattiest portions  of brisket.

Chicken-fried steak:

Beef steak that is pan-fried like fried chicken . Usually doused in white-pepper gravy .

Kolache and klobasniky:

The first is  pastry filled with sweet cheese and fruit, and the latter is a savory pastry filled with meat.

A mix of eggs, fried tortillas, and cheese , with optional vegetables, served on a plate, with tortillas or in taco form.

Mexican martini:

A margarita served in a martini glass , with olive brine.

Heavy, creamy  cheese dip  that is often made with low-grade cheese and served with chips. A Tex-Mex restaurant is often measured by the quality of its queso.

A highly popular sparkling water brand. It works well on its own, mixed in cocktails, or paired with coffee. It’s what many bars and restaurants turn to as their non-alcoholic beverage of choice since Topo Chico was purchased by Coca-Cola thereby making what had been Texas’s go-to sparkling mineral water far too expensive. See also: Richard’s Rainwater, Waterloo, and Rambler.

Reservations to Make in Advance

Barley Swine , Dai Due , DipDipDip Tatsu-ya , El Naranjo , Emmer & Rye , Foreign & Domestic , Hestia , Jeffrey’s , Kemuri Tatsu-ya , L’Oca d’Oro , Lenoir , Odd Duck , Otoko , Small Victory (drinks), Suerte , Tiki Tatsu-ya , Toshokan , Tsuke Edomae , Lutie’s , Midnight Cowboy (drinks), Uchi , Uchiko

Follow the News

Eater Austin is updated multiple times every weekday with breaking news stories (restaurant openings, closings, etc.), features, and more. Here are a few ways to stay in the loop:

• Keep an eye on the Eater Austin homepage . New stories will always show up near the top and flow down toward the bottom of the page as they get older, while important recent stories will stay pinned right at the top. Also, check out our big sibling, Eater.com , for national and international food news.
• Subscribe to our newsletter , which goes out every weekday evening and includes links to the day’s top stories.
• Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates on new stories and more throughout the day.
• Interested in upcoming restaurant openings? All restaurant and bar openings are tracked here .

Get in Touch

Have questions that aren’t answered here? Want to send in a tip or a complaint or just say hello? Here are some ways to get in touch with the Eater Austin staff:

• Email us at [email protected] .
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Do You Have Food Allergies? Here’s How to Travel Safely.

Airlines, restaurants and hotels are all making travel easier for people with sensitivities to foods like peanuts, wheat and milk, but it’s still critical to be your own advocate.

By Lisa McCarty

For the 33 million Americans managing any of the most common nine food allergies — including milk, eggs, nuts, wheat, soy, sesame and different types of fish — traveling safely can be challenging, but it’s becoming easier.

In the air, where carriers say they can’t guarantee fully nut-free flights, the recently enacted Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act will, over the next two years, add epinephrine injectors on planes and provide additional medical training for crew members.

On the ground, hotels and restaurants are also customizing meals, providing menus with allergen symbols, enhancing staff education and instituting better processes for food handling.

But still, it’s critical to speak up for yourself. As a person who is gluten-intolerant and a parent of a child with a serious peanut allergy, I’ve learned simple and effective ways to eat safely and reduce the risk of a reaction while away from home.

Pack to protect yourself

Consider packing allergy-friendly snacks for your trips. Some of the reliable brands without peanuts, tree nuts, gluten and dairy are MadeGood and Enjoy Life . (Make sure to double-check all ingredient labels anyway to be safe.) These portable products include snack chips and granola bars . For travel within the United States you can also store fresh fruit in resealable bags with reusable mini-ice packs, which are permitted in carry-on luggage, but the ice packs must be placed with other liquids when you’re passing through security.

If you travel with an epinephrine injector, insert a tracker like an Apple AirTag or Tile in its case and place it in your carry-on. Then, set an alert to notify you if you forget it at home or misplace it during your travels, so you will never be without it. The Transportation Security Administration limits passengers to two injectors, which should be kept in the original box with a visible prescription label.

The Food and Drug Administration also suggests packing cleansing wipes. Unlike hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes can remove up to 99 percent of allergens, including peanut residue , from surfaces. This can help protect you from cross-contamination. Be sure to wash your hands afterward to avoid direct contact.

Tell your hotel what you need

The Americans With Disabilities Act helps to protect those with food allergies by giving them the right to ask for necessary changes in hotel policies or conditions that place them at a disadvantage. However, hotels and rental properties can’t always guarantee allergy-conscious accommodations. When booking, prioritize establishments rated highly by other travelers with dietary sensitivities in online tools like the Spokin app and blog. The service allows you to search allergy-specific reviews of hotels and restaurants. Walt Disney Resorts, Hilton, Marriott, Fairmont, Kimpton and the Four Seasons are a few highly rated global hotel chains . Additionally, all Kimpton Hotels around the world offer a Forgot It? We’ve Got It program, in which they stock nonallergenic toiletries and snacks.

Most hotel booking apps allow you to limit your search to rooms with a kitchen, should you prefer to have the control that comes with preparing your own meals. If you can’t book a room with a kitchen, you may be able to ask the front desk for a microwave and a mini-fridge to store and reheat your own meals. When you book, personalize your profile with details of your dietary sensitivity and confirm with managers upon arrival. Be sure to ask them to also make their staff aware.

Airbnb and Vrbo properties typically come with a full kitchen, but remember to wash cookware and service items with hot soapy water before use to reduce the risk of contamination.

Fly allergy-friendly skies

The Air Carrier Access Act , like the A.D.A., protects airline passengers with dietary sensitivities by permitting early boarding for travelers to clean the seats and other surfaces. Although many airlines do not currently serve peanuts, a common allergen, there is no guarantee that onboard snacks do not contain traces of peanuts, which could set off a reaction. Some flights have designated areas called buffer zones, where peanut products are not served or eaten by passengers. Contact the airline before booking to learn about the specifics of your flight.

At the airport, Spokin can help locate nearby suitable meal options in 80 countries. You can filter by your specific dietary restriction and view thousands of user reviews for each establishment. The FindMeGlutenFree app searches worldwide airports for celiac-friendly options.

Talk to the chef

It seems simple, but filtering a Google Maps search with the keywords “specialty markets” can reveal a world of allergy-friendly options as well as helpful reviews. Organic markets or health stores are often good alternatives for people with food intolerances.

If you’re planning to eat out, platforms like OpenTable allow you to make direct requests for accommodations in 80 countries. The AllergyEats app lets you search for restaurants with dietary restrictions by state , but it is available only in the United States.

For international destinations, consider carrying a downloadable chef card from the nonprofit group Food Allergy Research & Education to convey, in any of the 10 languages besides English offered on its website, what foods a restaurant must avoid serving you. The iTranslate app can translate from a photograph of a menu or a sign to help you convey your needs to the restaurant staff.

For U.S. getaways, when possible, choose off-peak hours to dine — typically between 2 and 4 p.m., versus during the lunch or dinner rush. At those times, the chef is more likely to be able to speak with you about special meal requests. Also, without orders piling up, the kitchen staff can lower the risk of cross-contamination by taking more time to prepare your meal carefully.

Lisa McCarty is a writer and a women’s health advocate. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter .

For more travel advice, visit our collection of Travel 101 tips and hacks.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly included two brands in a list of those with reliably safe products for people with food allergies. Some products from Goodie Girl may contain tree nuts or dairy, while some from Simple Mills may contain peanuts, tree nuts, gluten or dairy.

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