Travelling is a tapestry woven with threads of adventure, discovery, and unexpected detours, and idioms for travelling add vibrant colors to the stories we share about our journeys across the globe. These figurative expressions capture the essence of exploration, from the thrill of new horizons to the challenges of navigating unfamiliar lands, making conversations about wanderlust more engaging and vivid. In this comprehensive listicle, we’ll explore 51 idioms related to travelling, unpack their meanings, and illustrate each with a long sentence that brings the phrase to life. So, buckle up and join us on this linguistic expedition through the world of travel idioms!
What is an Idiom for Travelling?
Idioms for travelling are creative, figurative phrases that describe various aspects of journeying, such as the excitement of setting out, the hurdles of getting lost, or the joy of immersing in new cultures. These expressions make travel-related discussions more dynamic and relatable, whether you’re recounting a backpacking odyssey or a weekend escape. Let’s dive into each idiom, unravel its meaning, and see how it can add a spark of flair to your travel tales.
Idioms for Travelling
1. Hit the Road
Meaning: To start a journey or begin travelling, often with enthusiasm or urgency.
In a Sentence: With their backpacks stuffed and the car brimming with snacks, they hit the road at sunrise, eager to explore the winding highways stretching across the vast American Midwest.
2. Off the Beaten Path
Meaning: To explore lesser-known or unconventional destinations, avoiding mainstream tourist spots.
In a Sentence: Choosing to venture off the beaten path, they discovered a quaint hillside village in Tuscany, where locals welcomed them with warm smiles and homemade wine.
3. Catch the Travel Bug
Meaning: To develop an insatiable desire to travel after experiencing the joy of exploration.
In a Sentence: After her transformative backpacking trip through South America, she caught the travel bug, immediately planning her next adventure to Asia before even unpacking her bags.
4. On the Road
Meaning: Actively travelling or embracing a nomadic lifestyle, often with a sense of freedom.
In a Sentence: For months, they lived on the road, driving through rugged mountains and serene valleys, collecting memories from every corner of the continent they traversed.
5. Get Away from It All
Meaning: To escape daily routines or stress by travelling to a relaxing or remote destination.
In a Sentence: Overwhelmed by the demands of city life, she decided to get away from it all, retreating to a tranquil cabin in the woods where the only sounds were birdsong and rustling leaves.
6. Take the Scenic Route
Meaning: To choose a longer, more picturesque path to enjoy beautiful scenery during a journey.
In a Sentence: Instead of speeding down the motorway, they took the scenic route along the coastal cliffs, marveling at the turquoise waves crashing against the rugged shoreline.
7. Wanderlust
Meaning: A strong, innate desire to travel and explore the world.
In a Sentence: Fueled by an unquenchable wanderlust, she sacrificed her savings to embark on a year-long journey through remote villages and bustling cities across the globe.
8. Blaze a Trail
Meaning: To pioneer a new route or destination, often inspiring others to follow.
In a Sentence: The adventurous couple blazed a trail through the untouched forests of Borneo, uncovering a hidden waterfall that later became a must-visit for intrepid travellers.
9. Travel Light
Meaning: To pack minimally for a trip, carrying only essentials to remain unburdened.
In a Sentence: To make their hiking expedition through the Himalayas more manageable, they chose to travel light, packing only a small backpack with versatile clothing and basic gear.
10. In the Middle of Nowhere
Meaning: Being in a remote or isolated location, far from civilization or amenities.
In a Sentence: When their car broke down in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by endless desert sands, they realized they were hours away from the nearest town with no signal to call for help.
11. Go the Extra Mile
Meaning: To make additional effort to enhance a travel experience or achieve a goal.
In a Sentence: To ensure their guests had an unforgettable adventure, the tour guide went the extra mile, organizing a private stargazing session under the clear desert sky.
12. Off on a Tangent
Meaning: To deviate spontaneously from a planned route or itinerary during travel.
In a Sentence: While wandering through the vibrant streets of Barcelona, they went off on a tangent, stumbling upon a hidden flamenco performance in a tucked-away courtyard.
13. Burn Rubber
Meaning: To drive or depart quickly, often with excitement or urgency.
In a Sentence: Eager to kick off their cross-country road trip, they burned rubber out of their hometown, the open highway beckoning with promises of adventure and discovery.
14. Get Your Kicks
Meaning: To find enjoyment or thrills, often through adventurous travel experiences.
In a Sentence: They drove along the historic Route 66 to get their kicks, stopping at retro diners and quirky roadside attractions that captured the spirit of classic Americana.
15. Smooth Sailing
Meaning: A journey or experience that proceeds easily without obstacles or complications.
In a Sentence: With perfect weather and no delays, their Mediterranean cruise was smooth sailing, allowing them to relax and enjoy every moment on the sparkling seas.
16. Roughing It
Meaning: To travel or live without modern comforts, often in a rugged or natural setting.
In a Sentence: They spent a week roughing it in the Amazon rainforest, sleeping in hammocks and cooking over an open fire while surrounded by the sounds of wildlife.
17. Jump on the Bandwagon
Meaning: To join a popular travel trend or destination because it’s widely praised or fashionable.
In a Sentence: Everyone was jumping on the bandwagon to visit Santorini, drawn by its iconic whitewashed buildings and breathtaking sunsets over the caldera.
18. Live Out of a Suitcase
Meaning: To travel frequently or for long periods, relying on minimal possessions packed in a suitcase.
In a Sentence: As a freelance photographer, she lived out of a suitcase, moving from one exotic location to another to capture the world’s beauty through her lens.
19. Bite the Bullet
Meaning: To face a challenging or unpleasant travel situation with courage and determination.
In a Sentence: Despite her fear of flying, she bit the bullet and boarded the long-haul flight to Australia, determined to experience the Outback’s rugged beauty.
20. Pack Your Bags
Meaning: To prepare for a trip or journey, often with excitement or anticipation.
In a Sentence: When they found a last-minute deal to Paris, they hurriedly packed their bags, thrilled at the prospect of strolling along the Seine and visiting the Louvre.
21. Miss the Boat
Meaning: To miss an opportunity to travel or join an experience due to delay or hesitation.
In a Sentence: By procrastinating on their bookings, they missed the boat on the exclusive safari tour through the Serengeti, left only with regrets.
22. All Roads Lead to Rome
Meaning: There are many ways to reach the same destination, encouraging flexibility in travel plans.
In a Sentence: Taking different trains and buses to reach the music festival, they proved that all roads lead to Rome when you’re committed to the journey.
23. Fly by the Seat of Your Pants
Meaning: To travel or make decisions spontaneously, without a detailed plan.
In a Sentence: With no fixed itinerary, they flew by the seat of their pants through Southeast Asia, letting local tips and chance encounters shape their unforgettable adventure.
24. On a Shoestring
Meaning: To travel with a very limited budget, requiring frugality and resourcefulness.
In a Sentence: As broke college students, they travelled Europe on a shoestring, staying in budget hostels and savoring affordable street food to stretch their euros.
25. Break the Ice
Meaning: To initiate conversation or create a friendly atmosphere, often with fellow travellers.
In a Sentence: Sharing a laugh over a language mix-up helped break the ice with their hostel roommates, leading to lifelong friendships formed during the trip.
26. The World Is Your Oyster
Meaning: You have endless opportunities to explore and experience the world as you choose.
In a Sentence: With her newly earned degree and a thirst for adventure, she felt the world was her oyster, ready to explore any destination that sparked her curiosity.
27. Take a Hike
Meaning: To go on a walk or trek, often in a scenic or natural area, or humorously to tell someone to leave.
In a Sentence: They decided to take a hike through the breathtaking trails of Yosemite, where towering sequoias and cascading waterfalls left them in awe of nature’s grandeur.
28. Get Lost
Meaning: To lose your way while travelling, sometimes intentionally to embrace spontaneity.
In a Sentence: Choosing to get lost in the labyrinthine alleys of Venice, they discovered hidden gelato shops and quiet canals far from the tourist crowds.
29. Set Sail
Meaning: To begin a journey, especially by boat or ship, often with a sense of adventure.
In a Sentence: With the horizon calling, they set sail from the Caribbean port, ready to explore a chain of idyllic islands shimmering in the turquoise waters.
30. In the Driver’s Seat
Meaning: To be in control of a journey or travel plans, making key decisions.
In a Sentence: As the group’s organizer, she was in the driver’s seat, meticulously planning every stop of their epic road trip through the Pacific Northwest.
31. Backseat Driver
Meaning: Someone who gives unwanted advice or directions during a journey, often annoyingly.
In a Sentence: Despite not knowing the route, he played backseat driver, constantly suggesting turns that frustrated the actual driver navigating the unfamiliar city.
32. Road Less Travelled
Meaning: Choosing a unique or unconventional path, often for a more rewarding experience.
In a Sentence: Opting for the road less travelled, they trekked to a remote Andean village, where they were welcomed with traditional dances and warm hospitality.
33. Make Tracks
Meaning: To leave quickly or start a journey with haste.
In a Sentence: Realizing the last train was about to depart, they made tracks to the station, sprinting through the crowded terminal to catch it just in time.
34. Out of Your Element
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or unfamiliar in a new travel environment or culture.
In a Sentence: Navigating the chaotic streets of Bangkok left her out of her element, but she soon embraced the vibrant energy and spicy street food.
35. Globe-Trotter
Meaning: A person who travels frequently and widely around the world.
In a Sentence: As a seasoned globe-trotter, he regaled his friends with tales of climbing Kilimanjaro, diving in the Great Barrier Reef, and dancing at Rio’s Carnival.
36. Jet Set
Meaning: A group of wealthy or fashionable people who travel frequently for leisure, often by plane.
In a Sentence: She joined the jet set, flitting between Monaco for yacht parties and New York for exclusive art gallery openings with effortless glamour.
37. Kick the Tires
Meaning: To inspect or test something, like a vehicle, before embarking on a journey.
In a Sentence: Before committing to the RV for their cross-country adventure, they kicked the tires, ensuring it was sturdy enough for the long haul.
38. Run Out of Steam
Meaning: To lose energy or enthusiasm during a journey, often needing a break.
In a Sentence: After hours of exploring the sprawling temples of Angkor Wat, they ran out of steam and retreated to a shaded cafe for refreshing coconut water.
39. At a Crossroads
Meaning: Facing a critical decision point during travel, often about which direction to take.
In a Sentence: At a crossroads in their European itinerary, they debated whether to head to the historic charm of Prague or the sunny beaches of Barcelona.
40. Hitch a Ride
Meaning: To get a freeride from someone, often by thumbing a lift or joining another traveller.
In a Sentence: Stranded after missing the last bus, they hitched a ride with a kind truck driver who shared stories of his own travels across the country.
41. Go Walkabout
Meaning: To wander or travel aimlessly, often inspired by the Australian Aboriginal tradition of exploration.
In a Sentence: Feeling a need for introspection, he went walkabout in the vast Australian Outback, finding peace in the silence of the desert under a star-filled sky.
42. See the Sights
Meaning: To visit and explore the notable attractions or landmarks of a destination.
In a Sentence: They dedicated their first day in London to seeing the sights, from the majestic Big Ben to the historic Tower of London, soaking in the city’s rich history.
43. Cross That Bridge When You Come to It
Meaning: To deal with a travel problem or decision only when it arises, rather than worrying in advance.
In a Sentence: Unsure about transportation options in the next country, they decided to cross that bridge when they came to it, focusing on enjoying their current destination.
44. Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Meaning: Mistaking the wrong destination, person, or approach while travelling.
In a Sentence: Thinking the small tavern was the famous pub they’d read about, they were barking up the wrong tree and left before discovering the real gem nearby.
45. Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Meaning: Avoid assuming a travel plan will succeed until it’s confirmed or completed.
In a Sentence: Excited about their dream trip to Japan, they reminded themselves not to count their chickens before they hatch, as flight schedules could still change.
46. A Home Away from Home
Meaning: A place where you feel as comfortable and relaxed as you do at home while travelling.
In a Sentence: The charming bed-and-breakfast in the French countryside became a home away from home, with its cozy rooms and hosts who treated them like family.
47. Out of Gas
Meaning: To run out of energy or resources during a journey, needing a rest or refuel.
In a Sentence: After a full day of sightseeing in New York City, they were out of gas, collapsing onto park benches to catch their breath before dinner.
48. Footloose and Fancy-Free
Meaning: Travelling without responsibilities or commitments, enjoying complete freedom.
In a Sentence: With no job or obligations tying them down, they travelled footloose and fancy-free, chasing sunsets and new experiences across South America.
49. When in Rome
Meaning: To adopt the customs or behaviors of the place you’re visiting, as the locals do.
In a Sentence: Embracing the saying “when in Rome,” they joined the locals in a lively tapas crawl through Madrid, savoring every bite of authentic Spanish cuisine.
50. The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step
Meaning: Every big travel adventure starts with a small, initial action or decision.
In a Sentence: Nervous about her first solo journey, she took comfort in knowing that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, confidently booking her flight to Thailand.
51. Lost in Translation
Meaning: Misunderstandings or confusion arising from language or cultural differences while travelling.
In a Sentence: Attempting to order a vegetarian meal in a rural Chinese village led to a moment lost in translation, resulting in a surprising dish of spicy pork instead.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Quiz 1: Hit the Road
What does the idiom “Hit the road” mean?
a) To end a journey
b) To begin a journey or start travelling
c) To get lost while travelling
d) To stay in one place
Quiz 2: Off the Beaten Path
What is the meaning of “Off the beaten path”?
a) Visiting popular tourist attractions
b) Travelling to lesser-known destinations
c) Following a crowded route
d) Staying close to home
Quiz 3: Catch the Travel Bug
When someone says, “Catch the travel bug,” what are they emphasizing?
a) Getting sick while travelling
b) Developing a strong desire to travel
c) Avoiding new destinations
d) Planning a short trip
Quiz 4: Smooth Sailing
What does the idiom “Smooth sailing” suggest?
a) A journey with many obstacles
b) A trip that goes easily without problems
c) A difficult travel experience
d) A delayed journey
Quiz 5: Roughing It
What situation is described by the idiom “Roughing it”?
a) Travelling with luxury accommodations
b) Living without modern comforts in a rugged environment
c) Planning a detailed itinerary
d) Staying in a city hotel
Quiz 6: Live Out of a Suitcase
If someone is “living out of a suitcase,” what does it mean?
a) They are staying at home
b) They are travelling frequently with minimal possessions
c) They are packing heavily for a trip
d) They are avoiding travel
Quiz 7: The World Is Your Oyster
What does the expression “The world is your oyster” imply?
a) Travel is expensive and difficult
b) You have endless opportunities to explore the world
c) The world is a dangerous place
d) Travel should be avoided
Quiz 8: Fly by the Seat of Your Pants
When is it appropriate to say, “Fly by the seat of your pants”?
a) When following a strict itinerary
b) When travelling spontaneously without a plan
c) When booking a luxury vacation
d) When staying in one place
Quiz 9: On a Shoestring
What is the meaning of “On a shoestring”?
a) Travelling with a large budget
b) Travelling with a very limited budget
c) Packing heavily for a trip
d) Choosing luxury destinations
Quiz 10: When in Rome
When someone advises you to “when in Rome,” what are they encouraging you to do?
a) Ignore local customs
b) Adopt the customs of the place you’re visiting
c) Stay in familiar surroundings
d) Avoid new experiences
Answers:
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
Conclusion
Idioms for travelling are like a well-stamped passport, each phrase adding a unique mark to your stories of exploration and adventure. Whether you’re hitting the road, embracing wanderlust, or navigating moments lost in translation, these expressions bring creativity and depth to your travel narratives. Next time you’re sharing tales of your journeys, sprinkle in a few of these idioms to make your experiences as captivating as the destinations you’ve explored.