8 surprisingly practical travel activities you'd never think to put on your itinerary

Travel doesn't necessarily have to be a break from real life either where we aim to escape our to-do lists, routine and life admin. In many cases, it can actually be a shortcut through our pile of responsibilities. If planned right, you could use your trip to check things off your list… in a way that actually feels fun, not mundane. This is especially the case if you're from Canada where an increasing cost of living issue means the cost of everyday services can quietly shape your budget and lifestyle.

Here are a few non-obvious things to do while travelling that turn time abroad into something both practical and unexpectedly memorable.

Book a professional photo shoot

You might be an entrepreneur, a creative with a side hustle, or just needing a refreshed portfolio or website. Maybe for this reason, getting new professional photos is on your to-do list for this year. 

Why not book that as an activity during your trip? While travelling, a professional photo shoot often becomes far more accessible—and with a prettier backdrop too.

Working with a local photographer usually means wandering through neighbourhoods, markets, or landscapes you might not otherwise explore. By doing this, you're checking something practical off the list, supporting a small business, spending time in the city beyond the highlights, and ending the day with images that feel natural rather than staged. The photos double as documentation of your trip, but with a professional purpose that lasts long after you're home. 

Get a manicure (or haircut)

You've arrived at your destination and now it's time for a makeover. Personal care services are another area where travel quietly changes what feels reasonable. In many destinations, things like manicures, haircuts, barbershops and other grooming services are both affordable and culturally embedded.

These appointments offer something simple that gets left off most travel itineraries: time spent in everyday local spaces, doing something ordinary. Conversations with locals can happen more easily here, and after an appointment, you might get better context and recommendations than you'd get after a week’s worth of tours. You observe routines rather than performances. It's a small way to step out of tourist mode and into daily life. Plus, you'll leave your appointment drop-dead gorgeous, and who doesn't want to look their best while travelling?

Book a massage or physiotherapy session

Similar to the above recommendation, this one is all about pampering. Assuming your lifestyle is an adventurous one, a little self-care is probably even necessary by this point in your trip. Travel is physically demanding, even when it looks relaxed from the outside. Long walks, rigorous treks, overnight buses, heavy bags, and unfamiliar beds take their toll.

In destinations known for wellness or bodywork, massages and physiotherapy are common, affordable, and taken seriously. A single session can reset your body, loosen those knots, fix that small injury, and extend your energy for the rest of your trip. It's less about indulgence and more about sustainability—especially if you're moving often or travelling long-term.

Take a fitness or art class

Dropping into a yoga class, pilates session, or local art workshop is one of the fastest ways to feel part of a place. This is a way to have a fun activity to look forward to that isn't going to feel touristy or performative. These aren't experiences designed for visitors; they're part of weekly routines for those who live there.

Classes are usually easy to find by following studios or community spaces on Instagram or checking local Facebook groups before you arrive. You don't need to commit long-term. One evening is enough to meet people, learn something new, get a sense of the place, and experience a side of the destination that doesn't revolve around sightseeing. Simply put: these activities happen without tourist eyes or expectations in mind.

Volunteer with local guidance

Not all volunteering needs to be formal or long-term. In many places, locals know which organizations genuinely need extra hands, even for a few hours.

Whether it's an animal shelter where you walk or play with street dogs, a community kitchen where you help prep ingredients, or an environmental group where you lend a hand on a new campaign, volunteering can open up meaningful conversations and connections. The key is listening first and following local recommendations rather than seeking out packaged experiences.

Learn how to cook a local dish

So you've been wanting to shake up your batch cooking routine for the year anyway. Here's what we're suggesting: head to the market, grab a bunch of local ingredients, and keep an eye out for a cooking class (videos by local creators will work too). 

Both the market day and the process of cooking a local dish will offer you so much more insight than a day at the most photographed spot nearby. Walking through stalls, chatting with vendors, asking questions, and picking up locally-grown in-season produce reveals more about a place than most menus ever could too.

If you're lucky enough to book a class, you get the chance to see how everyday meals are built, how ingredients are used, and which flavours matter most. After the trip, you'll have something to cook in your own kitchen to keep your weeks and steady rotation interesting.

Spend an afternoon in a park or main square with no plan

Some of the most memorable travel moments come from doing very little on purpose. This one should be one of the easiest days of your trip. Seriously, keep the entire day or afternoon open to do very little… just for the plot. Buy food from a nearby market, find a bench, park, soccer field, or main square and stay longer than you intended. See what happens and be open to whatever comes your way. 

People watching, conversations with strangers, or simply observing how a city moves can be more revealing than any guided tour. These slow hours often become the emotional anchor of a trip. If nobody crosses your path, just journal, take photos, and soak up the sunshine. 

The bottom line

You don't have to abandon the classic backpacker route to travel differently. Sometimes it's enough just to weave in activities that support your life as much as your curiosity.

When travel helps you take care of yourself, check everyday responsibilities off the list, reduce bills back home, learn something practical, and step into everyday rhythms, it becomes more than a break. It becomes a part of your lifestyle. While many people save up to splurge on luxury and relaxation abroad, you're doing things the other way around: saving abroad to feel more comfortable back home. Using your time away from home to be better off once you return is just smart, savvy travelling.