Many people often interchange vacation and travelling. However, they represent two separate ideas. The former signifies luxury, comfort and relaxation. Picture an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas where you sip on strawberry daiquiris and lay on a beach all day. It could be a trip to Las Vegas with your buddies where you have a night you won’t remember. It could even be a weekend getaway with your parter to the vineyard to sample different wines. Ultimately, a vacation symbolizes a recreational time to relax and de-stress from your hectic life at home.
Vacations are fun and a great way to experience a different culture or lifestyle with minimal risk. Everything is usually pre-planned to eliminate stress and optimize enjoyment. You can go sightseeing, eat delicious foods and relax on a beach while drinking from coconuts. It's the perfect way to unwind from your everyday life.
On the other hand, travelling refers to a journey across distant locations. It's stressful, exhausting and uncomfortable. It could be a global backpacking trip across different countries, a cross-country road trip or an athletic adventure tour around the world. Travelling reflects self-development through experiencing the unknown, confronting unexpected barriers and learning about unfamiliar cultures. It can be very challenging mentally and physically and may push you to the edge.
Travelling is never planned completely, which can lead to an exciting adventure. You never know where you’ll end up. You might be sitting on a gorgeous beach overlooking rock formations one day and the next day could be spent hiking up a volcano. Plans can change in an instant, so you're forced to go with the flow. Because of this, it offers a sense of liberation that you won’t experience anywhere else. You gain a tremendous amount of perspective which makes it a very rewarding experience.
In the end, one isn’t necessarily better than the other. It’s based on personality, time and money. Some people want to forget about their everyday stresses by relaxing in luxury while others crave adventure.
To each their own.