What do you do in the evening on your travels?

In the evenings, I’ll transfer my day’s photos from my phone to my iPad and spend a little time deleting some. I take a lot of pictures, so it’s way more manageable to go through them each day instead of ending up with thousands when I get home.

Edited to add: I also send a few photos each evening to friends and family back home.

First, how awesome to be on the road for that long! But also a challenge to pace yourselves I imagine. As a solo traveler my evening activities tend to fall in the boring department, but I usually work on my travel blog, sort through and clean up photos from the day, do laundry/packing tasks for the next day. I enjoy turning on local TV even if I don't understand the language. For whatever reason I got really captivated by the Iceland news especially the weather coverage which seemed to be a fair chunk of the evening broadcast. And it's always kind of fun to watch familiar shows dubbed in other languages. FWIW, I think it's perfectly ok to have quiet/uneventful evening - with that long of a trip, you're going to need some down time!

Hi, Tammy. I am usually so tired from all the steps I've taken that day that I read, enjoy a glass of local wine, go through my photos taken that day (and weed them out), catch up on Fbook, this Forum and email and breath deeply enjoying this moment. I love to just stop and say to myself "I'm here and isn't it glorious."

We usually have a very light lunch so dinner is the main meal. We eat early though, so in the evenings we like to just wander. Usually no real agenda, just head out and see where we end up. On some trips though, we are on the go from 7am until after dinner and if the weather is not great, we will go out for just a bit. Location really matters though. Like our more recent trip to Iceland meant that every evening was a walk in the snow along the water and we actually caught the aurora twice. Other trips, in more normal climates, we will do a cruise (Paris), or just walk and see the cities lit up. We tend to go to bed early compared to many people (9 or 10pm), but are often up no later than 5am. I don't really care for evening activities per se, as our days are usually loaded with those. So evening is time to relax but not sit, if that makes sense.

This is one of the interesting differences between Brits/Europeans and Americans. You eat so much earlier than we do.
I can remember being amazed on my first visit to Florida in the 80s, when our US poolside chums would get up and go to get ready for dinner at 5pm!
Years later, when I worked for a US based but international law firm, it was always an entertainment to watch the cutlures adjust, depending on where we were.
So, to answer the question, my husband and I eat at 7pm at home, and not usually much later on hols. Although we do always go out for a drink or two before dinner when away. After dinner we saunter for a bit, then back to the room for some computer or tv time.

I shift into siesta mode. I have my downtime (nap, phone, book) in the afternoon and eat dinner later than I would at home. An evening "consumed with meal time" sounds like heaven to me!

We either eat dinner and go back to our apartment, or we go back to our apartment and have a nice dinner. Then we might watch something in English on YouTube, or something in the local language on TV. (Italian TV is very entertaining even if you don't understand the language.) Then we go to bed early, like 9:00 PM. Going to bed early is great if you want to see a city without all the tourists, because you can get up early in the morning and have the city to yourself.

Tammy - I find that I am staying in at night more often these days. When I’m on a tour, it’s different of course, but for the two extended times I’ve had alone so far, I tend to eat early and then hang out in my room. I think that - especially on these long trips - you’ve got to just have a bit more down time:)

When I'm traveling solo, unless I have specific plans for the evening, I spend the evenings on my laptop catching up on my blog or sifting through photos and trying to cull some of the bad ones.

Once I'm done with that, I might go through my plans for the next day to make sure my itinerary is still what I want to do, and make changes if it's not. Or I might just read a book. Sometimes I will go out for a drink in the evening and/or walk around a bit, but that really depends on the weather and the location.

Of course the above is usually if I'm traveling solo. When I was traveling in Romania with TexasTravelMom and CWSocial, I spent a lot more time out and about in the evenings. And that was a good thing. It taught me that maybe I should get out more in the evening and not just hibernate in my room. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the hibernation, but sometimes I feel like I have a tendency to do that too much. 😊

I néed a Diet coke/Diet Pepsi (or two) to get me up in the morning. (I never learned to drink coffee. ) So we take an evening walk to find a local grocery store. Since we are walking, we can't carry too much, so it's an almost daily activity. I love local grocery stores, so we usually also pick up chocolate bars and snacks for the next day.

If we are changing locations, we need to review the transportation details for the next day. One year in Haarlem, I realized we had never booked our trains to Bruges for the next day. I'm not sure how that happened!

Overall, we are usually too weary to be very exciting. Thanks Tammy for a great topic!

Being a night owl, I look for evening activities. They vary by country. I think one of the reasons that I love London so much is that I have something to do every single evening.

In English-speaking countries, I almost always go to the theatre. In other countries, I look for concerts, ballets, and opera. They are often very reasonably priced as compared to major venues in the U.S. The venues themselves can be incredible. I enjoy seeing both classic opera houses (e.g., Budapest, Vienna, Stockholm) and contemporary concert halls (e.g., Philharmonie in Berlin, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester).

I’ve been to the movies in a number of countries. Usually I look for films in English but I have seen a few American films dubbed in German (I studied German in school). On one of my early European trips, I saw ”When Harry Met Sally” in Germany and the Meg Ryan deli scene was just as funny dubbed into German. It can be interesting to see some of the different things sold at the concession stand. The cinema I went to in Berlin sold beer. There was ice cream in German cinemas. You have a choice of sweet or salty popcorn in England.

I look for late night museum openings. Many museums are open late at least one night a week and it is often less crowded.

I’ve taken evening cooking classes where we have prepared dinner in France and Spain.

Lots of cities have activities that are unique to that city. In Wellington, New Zealand, I did a night-time nature walk which was fantastic. In Oamaru, I went to see the penguins return at dusk. In Kanazawa, Japan, I went to the garden on one of the evenings where it was open late and lit up; it was gorgeous and they had a string quartet playing on the water. I’ve been other places in the evening like the Tivoli amusement park in Copenhagen or evening archipelago tours in Stockholm. In Vienna, I visited a heuriger and in Munich a beer hall.

In places where dining outside is an option, I love an leisurely meal in a nice setting.

There are usually a good number of evening options in cities. Small towns can be a bit more of a challenge.

Great question, Tammy! My husband and I love to walk from our hotel to a nearby restaurant for a leisurely dinner. We try to adjust our dinner time to the typical eating times of the country we are visiting. If we are lucky, we end up eating with the locals.

After dinner we enjoy taking a “digestion walk” and admiring the city/town/village at night. Often landmarks and churches are beautifully lit up at night.

Back in our hotel or apartment, I write in my travel journal every evening and include any mementoes I may have collected from the day.

Happy travels!

Of course depending on weather, if I'm lucky enough to have a balcony or rooftop bar, I enjoy sitting and watching the end of the day. OR perhaps sit in the lounge and watch and relax. I also love an evening stroll, but no real "activities" as such. When we had extended stays (Cortona for three months in an apartment or Paris a month in an apartment) we relax as we do at home - a bit of TV and footrubs!!!!! Have an incredible stay!

"I'm not knocking the hibernation, but sometimes I feel like I have a tendency to do that too much. 😊"

Yikes, nail....head. I am definitely a hibernator as a solo traveler. I do usually have dinner unless I've had a bigger lunch later than usual. As an introvert I sometimes just need to be away from people.

"This is one of the interesting differences between Brits/Europeans and Americans. You eat so much earlier than we do."

Is it because Americans get going earlier than many European cultures do? It drives me nuts that breakfasts are so late in Europe. IF I'm going to eat breakfast I'm ready for it at 6-630. Ditto a big coffee. I naturally wake up between 530 and 6A so ready for bed by 9-930. That means eating at 7 has me sleeping with a full stomach. Before I retired, in winter my brother and I would be out shoveling snow at 430A before he left at 6 and I left at 7. I am able to sleep in later than 430 now, lol.

(And that reminds me....need to stop for Starbucks VIA packets for my upcoming trip so I can have room coffee at 530-6!)

Fun topic Tammy! I hope you get some suggestions for yourselves! I know you guys are having a wonderful time!

Cull pictures, take a hot shower, watch TV or read.
I always travel with a paperback mystery.

Shower at night as it relaxes me.

Sometimes enjoy a cup of decaffeinated tea.

Early riser so often dressed and out the door before dawn. Love watching sunrise when on the road.

I'm an early riser and 4am is ingrained pretty hard, then since my accident in 2022, I've not been able to sleep a straight eight I tend to sleep in 2-4 hour increments. So im a hard morning person.

In afternoons I may go back to my hotel for a power nap. I always leave evenings open and let things fall in place. Back in 2017 in Canterbury, I took in an late evening showing of Dunkirk. Last October in Prague I did a food tour that started at 3:30 and finished at 8:30. Sometimes I may have a late evening supper. I may use evenings to plan out the next day and secure tickets. In Europe at 10 or 11pm its evening back home and I may call home to check on dad.

"This is one of the interesting differences between Brits/Europeans and Americans. You eat so much earlier than we do."

Lin C, I think this depends greatly on where you live in the U.S., your age, your work status, whether you have children, etc. Living in a big city, working full-time, having a long commute, running errands after work...honestly, sometimes I'm just getting home at 7pm if that and haven't eaten yet.

To Tammy's question, Laura had a great suggestion with the cooking class and cultural events. If travelers are staying in a big city for a while, something to look into are expat or walking Meet Up groups that have evening or "after work" activities. I'm sure some events tend to attract a younger crowd, although the walking events and coffee & conversation groups seem to appeal to a variety of ages. For example, in DC there are British Meet Up groups and events. Likewise, I think there are U.S., Canadian, English-speaking, etc. Meet Up groups in cities in Europe and other parts of the world. An idea!

When my husband was alive, the evenings after I was back in my room for the night, we would have a fun conversation through FaceTime. Now I occasionally do the same with one of my adult kids.

I’d alternate with a dinner outdoors later in the evening, eating with the locals or sometimes I just ate some veggies picked up at the grocery store earlier in the day.

I do like the ambience of the historical centers in the evening, so I will take a passeggiata when in Italy’s southern region.

And some evenings are just for relaxing in the room, reviewing the nice day I had with my photos & doing a first delete for duplicates, etc. I look at Facebook & our forum. I update my journal/trip report on the iPad each evening. It’s rare that I turn on a tv when traveling, but I would for your length of trip. I usually wash my clothes in the sink before going out to eat, or during a break in the day, if it’s hot outside.

For your length of trip, I’s probably be reading some books & purposely choosing lodging with a bathtub for an occasional evening soak.

Thanks everyone for the interesting replies. We try to just eat out once a day when we travel for 2 reasons. My digestive system does not like late meals. We typically go to bed about 9pm, so 7pm dinner is too late. The other reason is to keep costs down. We are team hotel and do not prepare food when we travel. Eating out only once a day keeps budget in check. Tonight we watched an episode of Chef’s Table on my husband’s ipad. Oh and I usually take my shower at night too. It’s relaxing after a long sightseeing day. And of course, I usually read the latest threads on this forum!

We try to schedule two activities between 8:30 and 3 broken up by pausing for lunch somewhere in there to eat AND rest the legs. 3 to 4/5 read = nap. 5-9 walk and a nice dinner. 10 bed. Check for nearby evening concerts/late museum open times for the next evening.

It's kind of telling that we now only book apartments with one or more couches. We never watch TV when traveling, but we are looking at our phones, either working remotely, studying, emailing, googling about a restaurant or museum, reading a book, attending a zoom art history lecture, playing with our photos, or watching videos on youtube. In the olden days we would have been reading actual books that weighed down our carry-on suitcases, so we are very grateful for our phones.

We are early birds no matter how hard we try to match our schedules to local custom. Also, I sleep badly if I don't have at least 3 hours without eating or drinking before I go to bed. So we have a long late lunch and then a tiny dinner or snack in the apartment or at a street food or sandwich place. My husband will go out walking after dinner, but as others have said, I have had enough of people and activity (and walking) by sunset. Oh, and we do laundry.

"This is one of the interesting differences between Brits/Europeans and Americans. You eat so much earlier than we do."

Lin C, I think this depends greatly on where you live in the U.S., your age, your work status, whether you have children, etc. Living in a big city, working full-time, having a long commute, running errands after work...honestly, sometimes I'm just getting home at 7pm if that and haven't eaten yet.

This. On workdays im getting home about 6 or just after, so supper is closer to 7.

I need that down time with a book to unwind from the day.

Speaking for myself, I dont think many Americans are used to having big lunches, so an early dinner is good timing. Plus many of us grew up hearing that eating a lot later in the day was not healthy.

Tammy, that's going to be a real thick photo book you're going to have to put together after this trip. My wife and I are going to be gone for 3 weeks in October which will be the longest we've ever been away and were nervous about that. I'm not sure how I'd do with 83 days away from my creature comforts.

Like some of you, we prefer two meals per day while away with the 2nd being before 6pm. After that our travel routine is to aimlessly wander the streets for a couple of hours before heading back to the hotel. We've started booking larger rooms with either a balcony or comfy seating to make evenings more enjoyable if we don't wander that long.

It drives me nuts that breakfasts are so late in Europe.

A few years ago in Miami we chose a hotel that offered a free breakfast. We didn't know that breakfast was served from 9 until 11. That was way too late and we were never able to take advantage because we were long gone by then.

I'm into my 2nd year of retirement and I'm still up and out the door at 5:00 four or five mornings a week, then I come back for breakfast. Same as while we're away; I'm out exploring and then come back to collect my wife to start our day. I really dislike starting my day at 9:00.

In the evenings, I like to relax and reflect on my day and do what many here on the Forum do, upload/ synch/photos to IPad, watch a downloaded movie, catch up on Fbook post or FaceTime calls to family members. But, I also sometimes seek out traditional music at a pub or enjoy a sunset from a high perch. It’s also nice just to walk around like many Europeans do. Enjoying some night atmosphere..

Interesting topic, thanks Tammy.
It seems that many of us are the hibernate-in-our-hotel-or-apartment-creatures.
Is it because a lot of us are mature in years, perhaps?
As a mostly solo traveler, that’s me.
I like to be up and out early, and after walking all day the last thing I want to do is get ready and go back out again in the evening.
I have a big breakfast, a decent sized lunch, perhaps in a restaurant , and then yogurt, fruit or a salad for dinner.
If I’m in a hotel, my room must have a fridge just for the purpose of keeping some “evening” food there.
I’m usually yawning way before 10 pm.
I organize my stuff for the next day, call a friend , sort my photos, read.
If I’m not solo , then we will go out, perhaps to a concert or other event.
I was solo in Paris recently, and went to a Meet-up wine and cheese evening organised by the couple who are Les Frenchies.
It was interesting, and they organized a ladies lunch for a few days later for eight ladies, which was also interesting hearing different perspectives from other travelers.
Otherwise: “Do Not Disturb” me by 10 pm.

Oh to be so fortunate to be on an extended trip with sooo many evenings.
My husband and I are older than you, so after going all day, I like to be back in the room…after a short walk after our evening meal.
I always think we’ll have lots of time to relax, but there’s so much to do at the end of the day.
We both shower at night, have sink washing to do, send a short daily report to family, try to edit photos, go over plans for the next day, etc.
I also keep a travel journal so I like to write in it nightly. IF I’m lucky, I’ll have time to read.
But..after doing what needs to be done, it’s often 11:00 pm when “lights are out!”
Edited to add:
One thing we never do: We don’t turn on the television at all.

Allan, I print my photobooks using Shutterfly and the max is 110 pages, so I am going to have to be very judicous about which photos make the cut!

This is our longest trip ever, so we shall see how it goes. On our 6 week Asia trip last fall, I realized I am in the minority in that I love packing up and moving to a new location. To me, it’s exciting and we use cubes and carry on luggage so not much to pack up really.

We are in the eat a larger meal in the middle of the day group when traveling for budget and digestive reasons. So to fill our evenings and relax on our 4-6 week European trips we enjoy a stroll in the evening to find a casual music venue, reading, planning a few days ahead with the iPad and movie or series watching in our home away from home. We typically identify a couple of movies we’d like to watch together and save a series or two for watching during our trip. We bring our small Apple tv device plugged into the TV to stream things we pay for at home.

Edited: We also like to plan for upcoming travel when not distracted at home. We are taking a 3 week trip this week followed by a 5 week European trip the following month+. I’m taking planning material for both trips. We are also trying to decide on a warm location for a winter getaway so we’ll keep working on that in the evenings on our upcoming trips.

It's interesting how little booze seems to feature in people's plans. For many Europeans, putting away a bottle or so of red, or going out with the intention of having a drink or six seems to feature.

It all depends on who I'm travelling with. Food is a big part of my travelling so a nice, relaxed dinner always after 7 pm will take a few hours either if I'm with my family or solo. After dinner it's usually a return to the hotel for a nightcap, read a book or watch a bit of Netflix/Amazon.

If I'm with friends then it's a different beast altogether. A good dinner is always sought after which we hit the bars and generally return to the hotel in the early hours. However the days of leaving a club in Ibiza at 8 am and then sleeping the rest of the day on the beach are long gone unfortunately.

Look for live music like jazz, wherever I am in Europe I usually find some live venues.

Is it because a lot of us are mature in years, perhaps?

Speaking only for myself, it is not so much age as much as its my introversion. I can spend all day out and about, but there does come that moment where I need solitude. By extension the room becomes importan5.

It's interesting how little booze seems to feature in people's plans. For many Europeans, putting away a bottle or so of red, or going out with the intention of having a drink or six seems to feature.

I'm not a drinker, I don't like wine and ale or beer isn't my first choice, however when I arrive in England I absolutely enjoy cider.

The trips since 2023 have all been a total of 12 weeks plus minus a couple of days. This summer's is 88 days total, all in Schengen.

In the evenings, it depends, mostly by then I am too tired or had enough to still be out and about, but I do a variety of things: laundry in the sink, write postcards, especially if catching up is needed, rearrange and take account of my "stuff", rest, look at the camera shots taken on the last few days.

Definitely, this is the time say 8 to 9PM or so to walk over to the train station, if still not in the restaurant, to get the tickets from a machine for the next day trip excursions, check for future reference (in Germany and France) on train departure times and routes, which I could use by tailoring how to get to my destinations instead of relying on the quickest way A to B. I watch TV, the news obviously, plus other shows in Germany and France.

Following the news is almost a daily either in the evenings or mornings in France and Germany on different channels. I use the evening time to get groceries, ie mineral water, a few other items, if need be. What I don't do is drink at the hotel bar and socialize as an evening activity.

Plus many of us grew up hearing that eating a lot later in the day was not healthy.

I still hear that, Stan. I just read an article the other day in the New York Times about how it's healthier to eat a big breakfast, a good-size lunch, and then just a light dinner and not too late. I usually eat around 5:30-ish. But last night I had Easter dinner with my daughter, son-in-law and their kids, and they are late eaters (mostly because they are disorganized, but I won't go there).

At any rate, we didn't eat until around 7pm, and by the time we got to dessert, it was around 8:30. So of course, I woke up around midnight due to stomach issues and it took me a while to get back to sleep.

Maybe if I was a night owl, it would work out, but I'm like Pam; in bed by 9:30 or 10pm and up around 6.

We have always eaten dinner around 7:00. When we were working it would have been impossible to eat earlier, and now that we are retired it is still our usual dinner time. When in Europe, we sometimes eat a bit later, depending on how full the day is, or earlier if we are tired from the day!

We occasionally go to a performance or go out for a drink, but most of the time we take a short walk or return to our room/apartment to finalize plans for the next day and perhaps read a bit before going to bed.

It's interesting to hear what others do--great thread Tammy.

Like Lin, we always go out for dinner and drinks. We’ll have a bit of time back at the hotel to rest and get changed, then enjoy the evening. Going out at night is an important part of the holiday for us.

We are like Pam and VAP as we are normally up around 4am, 5 at the very latest. I too wish that hotels offered breakfast earlier for those of us that are up at the crack of dawn.

I think our "normal" meal times are impacted not just by things like region or commuting hours..... in my work life with non profits I frequently have an evening mtg w volunteers at 6pm or 7pm, so I'm grabbing a small sandwich before those start.

In Florida and other retirement areas, remember that there are usually early bird dinner discounts at 4pm!!!!

On our bus trip thru greece and turkey we were on our feet for loooong days. Lunch we did on our own, but dinner was an included buffet at the hotel, almost always with a 6pm start. (Perhaps because they knew we were an American group). We changed hotels almost every day, so evenings meant laying out tomorrow clothes and jamming every thing else back in the suitcase, I think I was. unconscious by 9pm. I think our breakfast window tended to be 7-8am while our luggage was loaded.

It's been interesting to read how others spend their evenings during travel. I am still working, so my vacations are never longer than a couple of weeks at most. In a large city, it is easy for me to fill evenings with a lot of activities (theatre, concerts, late nights at museums, shopping - especially bookstores, bus rides). Due to health reasons, cannot drink alcohol anymore so no nightcaps, although I will go with my husband when we are traveling together. In small towns or the countryside, I generally retire earlier. I do have an evening routine no matter where I am - prepare for the next day, shower (and wash clothes if needed), write my journal, organize photos, touch base with family. Reading is a very important part of my vacation, so I always devote some time to it each day. Food/meals vary depending on the activities for the day and who I am with. I am not an early riser at home, but due to jet lag and excitement, I tend to be up and about a lot earlier while on vacation.

GerryM-while we don’t put away a whole bottle of wine, we do enjoy a glass of red in the early evening hours. I have been pleasantly surprised here in Istanbul that we have been able to find some decent red wine.

Laura, if you return, the city has both playhouses and movie theaters with English presentation or with English subtitles (in the playhouses too); some if pretty wonderful venues.

GerryM-while we don’t put away a whole bottle of wine, we do enjoy a glass of red in the early evening hours.

It's been a while since I drunk a bottle of wine or more in one sitting. I just thought it interesting how ideas about night time activities differ between cultures. Its not an age thing either. I'm in my 50's, but my Mum is almost 80 and enjoying a little more alcohol on holiday than she would do usually at home is a thing for her too. I think Helen put it best further up with

Going out at night is an important part of the holiday for us.

I think that's much more common amongst Europeans than North Americans.

I like evenings, because the photography can be so fantastic. Sunsets, candles in churches, reflections in the water. The Blue Hour.

In my room, I like to edit my iphone photos, make little movies, post them on insta or FB and honestly, play a lot of candy crush. Maybe see what is on TV.

I have been pleasantly surprised here in Istanbul that we have been able to find some decent red wine.

Tammy, I'm glad to hear that. When I was there, I could not find any decent red wine, which was a disappointment. I loved the food so much, it would have been nice to have had a good red wine to go with it, but everything else was so incredible that it was a small price to pay for a wonderful trip. That was back in 2007. Obviously things have changed since then. 😊🍷

We are in our late 70s and don't stay up past 10pm. We now take group tours. Some evenings we have entertainment.
On a recent 10 day tour of Ireland, we had 3 nights were we had great shows with Irish music and dancing along with our evening meal.

Most of my recent travel has been solo.

Once I've had dinner, I may go for a short walk in the neighbourhood around my hotel. Then I'm happy to settle in my hotel room for the evening. I may do some hand washing if it's the first night in the hotel - I plan for multi-night stays. I like to feel settled in one city for several days. Next I settle into my bed with my legs and feet propped up as more than likely my legs and feet are aching and sore from a day of walking. I'll review my travel notes for the next day or two and may make slight adjustments based on weather or other reasons, look at photos I've taken that day, check and send email, watch some TV- English if available or foreign language- it's interesting to see a bit of TV in another language and maybe work a bit on a small simple knitting project that I may have brought.

If it's my last night at the hotel then I pack up everything except for the clothing and other essentials I will need in the morning.

Hi Tammy, it’s interesting to read everyone’s responses; thank you for asking the question.

I’ve been thinking more about my travel internal clock when I’m in Europe because it’s been changing the last five years. Previously I was “go go go” all day & then like many here, I didn’t want a heavy meal before bedtime.

I’ve morphed into a different style & timing. I still like to get up early & explore with a stroll in a new city before it’s busy. And I prefer to stay up late, I.e. midnight. But to enable this timing, I take an hour nap sometime in the afternoon. Maybe I’ve fully embraced the southern Italy Il Riposo without realizing it! ; ). Anyway, that’s how I eat at 8pm and still go to sleep without feeling stuffed.

I'm both old and an introvert. I rarely drink, since it really doesn't agree with my digestion anymore, and I've always disliked wine and beer. So, I'm not much for nightlife or partying. (However, I can remember, in my misspent youth, just going out for the evening at 9, 10, or even 11 pm (I used to work until 11 some evenings).)

My DH has a condition that gives him severe reflux, among other issues. Avoiding meals too close to bedtime can help a lot with that, and give him (and me) a more solid and comfortable sleep. So, even in countries where it is uncommon to eat before 8 pm, we do so, unless we have no choice. (In Orvieto, for instance, nothing was open until later.)

We also tend to have very busy days in which we do a lot of walking. By evening, our feet are tired, and my back is often sore (as I have spondylitis and scoliosis). So, not only do we usually stay in, but we will often eat in, too, having our main meal at a restaurant for lunch, instead.

We go through our many, many photos from the day, choose our favourites, and upload the favourites online as a backup, if we have internet. DH usually makes notes that I ultimately use to help me write trip reports, so he does that while I am editing (if necessary) and uploading photos. We'll get our clothes, etc. ready for the next day. We'll do any last-minute planning for the next day, if need be, such as double checking walking or transit routes, opening times, etc. We'll shower and do laundry. If we will be changing locales the next morning, we'll pack our carryons and make sure we have any tickets and such ready. We might Face Time with our grandbaby or play Terraforming Mars on my iPad. We'll read or listen to audiobooks.

And then we'll sleep, perchance to dream.

Usually a solo traveler here, and typically sightseeing by the saddle of my bicycle - I mostly bikepack my way around Europe and North America when I travel.

The nice thing about getting around solo by bicycle is that you meet many great people, many of whom are just locals out for a spin or a workout, and they often become the go-to folks for evening fun. After a late-afternoon freshening up (and sometimes a 15-20 minute power nap), it's off for drinks, dinner, possibly a small concert, hanging out at a friend-of-a-friend's house, etc.

The big lesson: meet some locals if you can, they'll often know the fun places and will often be game to partake of favorite restaurants, bars, event venues, parks, etc. It's a great way to learn the "vibe" of a place.

And yes, sometimes the evenings are just for the simple things: a meal and hanging out at the hotel or inn, catching up on emails, backing up photos and videos, doing laundry (I pack extremely light, so clothes need to be washed more frequently), reading, sometimes getting to bed early - it all depends. The evening meal will often be at a local bar where the food is filling and affordable, the drinks refreshing, and the locals almost always willing to have a chat.

But I realize that I expend a lot of energy during the day with my riding. There are days off the bike, too, but there's a lot of time when I'm going from town to town, taking in the scenery, stopping at little sights that are off the beaten path. And when I'm in a city the bike will often be whatever the local bikeshare system is: no worries about parking, etc., and pt plays nicely with buses and trains as a mixed-mode way of getting around.

I'm probably an outlier on this board but as the question was asked: there you go!

On my last trip sometimes I was with other people (family, work colleagues), but mostly I was travelling alone. I love TV and for some of it I was in self-catering accommodation so my evenings were taken up with TV watching (following a series that I had started at home; some of the local channels had the story at a different stage but I could still follow along), cooking dinner, washing laundry, repacking, calling and texting with my family, and creating posts of what I had done that day for the WhatsApp group for my extended family. When I was with other people of course I had dinner with them and even a drink but as a solo female I am wary of drinking too much and then having to get myself back to my hotel. And when I am not with others I don't go out at night, for reasons of safety and I guess also introversion. I also had to answer work emails (bo-oring) for some of the time. And whatever time I had left was probably consumed by my internet surfing habit (free wi-fi included in cost of room). And sometimes I was just plain old exhausted and crept into bed and read. I don't think of any of these as guilty pleasures, but pretty much what I would do at home except for repacking and WhatsApp.

Lavandula