In this post, I want to share my advice for planning active adventure trips with Airbnb so you can have an amazing adventure! Some love it and some hate it but Airbnb’s here to stay. Airbnb is infiltrating the tourism industry and doing an incredible job at it. It’s disrupting the traditional way we think about booking travel – and that’s what I love about it!
Many of you know that I have been a guide and adventure manager for the last 12 years. My last job was vetting local partners and guides, developing itineraries and travelling to destinations on inspection trips. And you know what, most people and companies offering adventure activities are trained professionals who are passionate about their homeland and sport. We know adventure travel brings many benefits like a business argument for wilderness and wildlife conservation, it provides economic development in rural areas and it leaves a deeper impact on the traveller, who often returns home with a fresh perspective.
Its for these reasons that Airbnb is a force. So now, how about those tips for planning active adventure trips with Airbnb?
Why should you be planning active adventure trips with Airbnb?
REASON #1: You are supporting a local person and community directly. Air bnb’s rating system will help you determine if a place or host is right for you. You can read other travellers feedback and reviews from their stay and hosts get to accept you too.
REASON #2: Unique accommodations and experiences! Yes, not every place is ‘up to code’ but as a free person, I want choice! Air bnb requires properties to provide a tonne of details about their amenities, often more than you’ll ever see on the average hotel website. You can always choose from a wide variety of amenities and levels of service to fit your needs and budget.
REASON #3: Travel Support is provided. I have been travelling with air bnb for over 3 years. Yes, it’s not always worked out but Airbnb had my back. They have refunded me when my room in La Spezia was inaccessible and when Will couldn’t physically get to his room due to road closures in B.C.. They’ve called us when we’ve been late and they’ve always answered the phone – even at 2am EST!
Choosing Accommodations
There’s something for everyone on Airbnb. No matter your budget, you can find a nice place to stay with everything YOU need.
As a budget traveller, I start my search with:
- Selecting Location + Dates + # People + Price
- I search using the map feature to determine a location that will work best for us.
- I click places that are the right price and in the right location to read more.
- Once I have a good feel for the place, I read about the host and scan the reviews. If it all looks good, I book. If I get a weird vibe, I’ll move to the next place.
This process has worked well for me for personal trips (like our trip to Italia!) and when I needed a place to crash after work.
Day Experiences
You can enhance your travel experience by participating in guided tours and activities. Spending a day with a local is priceless. You will learn more than you imagined.
To start adding things to do to your trip, I would start with;
- Selecting the location and dates (so you see only what’s available when you will be there)
- I would next, filter by price and review the options
- Choose an experience that fits your interest and click to review the details
- If it all looks good, book your spot.
Be sure to review any details provided now and again before the excursion since you might have to bring some stuff with you (like hiking boots or lunch) and you want to be prepared.
Book an Experience
Multi Day Trips
You can now also choose a packaged adventure, which simplifies the active adventure planning even more. Air bnb launched, AirBnB Adventures in June 2019. Rest assured, AirBnB Adventures is reviewing all tour guides and using the ATTA developed Guide Standard to ensure safety and experience quality. You can read more about the partnership here. And the tours look juicy!
If you decide to go the package route, be prepared to have the details taken care of for you. Tips for choosing the right adventure:
- Review the “Things to Keep in Mind” in detail and be honest with yourself about your capabilities.
- Understand ‘What’s Included” and not included. Will there be additional costs? Usual extras are airfare, some meals, travel insurance, personal purchases such as souvenirs and alcohol, and tips for guides and support staff.
- Know what you need to bring and what you don’t. My tip: go as light as possible!
- If you have questions, you can message the host directly. Which is so much more personal that going with a larger organization.
Going with a packaged active adventure is certainly a nice way to travel. You show up, meet your host and then enjoy the ride. You get to do all the fun stuff while someone else manages the logistics. Plus you get that local hosts special touch, insider knowledge and personal stories from living in the area.
And because we use Airbnb ourselves when we travel, summer 2020 we will be offering both accommodations and experiences on the platform! Stay tuned for more updates on our big plans for rural Newfoundland coming in the new year.