The Reality of Travelling as a Neurodivergent Woman

You may have guessed that I am a total travel lover, but I’ll be the first to admit that travel causes a huge amount of stress. My AuADHD brain might crave the unpredictability, but it also quickly overwhelms me and crashes my nervous system.

Over time, I’ve developed specific workarounds to stop the worry and the panic, here are some of my tips:

I use my research time as a sensory deep dive special interest. It’s not a chore, it’s part of the travel experience. In fact, research makes the trip last longer, you get to enjoy it in the lead up for months. It might seem counterintuitive to neurotypical people that I would want to ruin the element of surprise, but familiarising myself with the place before I go makes me feel safe and comfortable. Once I have that baseline, I can explore comfortably from there.

I’ve also learned to run with my body clock. I accept that I am never a morning person, and even if it is the most beautiful sunrise, I will regret trying to wake up early (and so will my travel partners lol). So I build in slow mornings and plan for afternoon tours or wandering. I pre-plan places for sunset viewing or dinner ideas, but I never get so rigid that everything is planned out. It takes out the spontaneity and fun, but also avoids disappointment and overwhelm if plans have to change, like if a restaurant is closed or full.

I stick to self guided or small or private tours because honestly groups are an absolute nightmare for me, even though the knowledge on tours is hard to pass up.

I check menus ahead of time to work out a strategy, like finding a base meal in Italy, and scout local snacks. I look at alternatives to crowded areas so I can enjoy a taste of the place, not the rush and overwhelm of trying to see it all.

I wander the local areas away from the main crowded tourist places. Back streets are full of local gems, the smell of local cooking and always end up better! Plus there are usually cats to pet...

By protecting my nervous system and leaning into my workarounds, travel becomes a nervous system reset rather than an overload. I can actually be present for the experience and come home buzzing instead of frazzled. It’s about quality over quantity, giving myself the permission to slow down, stay safe, and get my world back on my own terms.

Hope this helps you to plan your trips in a way that works for your brain, check out my e guides for planning hacks & sensory friendly travel tips!

Made with ♥ by Kelly