Imagine weaving your way through the world of travel, where idioms act as colorful threads. In this article, we’ll unpack the suitcase of travel idioms, exploring their meanings, sharing sentences to illustrate their usage, and navigating the roads less traveled with a casual and conversational tone.
Idioms for Travel
1. “To Hit the Road” – Starting the Journey
Meaning: Embarking on a journey or starting an adventure.
In a Sentence: After months of planning, it’s finally time to hit the road and explore the unknown.
2. “To Be on the Move” – Traveling Between Places
Meaning: Actively traveling from one place to another.
In a Sentence: Our itinerary is packed; we’re constantly on the move, discovering new wonders.
3. “To Pack One’s Bags” – Preparing for a Trip
Meaning: Getting ready to leave for a journey.
In a Sentence: She took a day off work to pack her bags for the spontaneous weekend trip.
4. “To Be on a Roll” – Experiencing Successes
Meaning: Having a series of successful events or experiences.
In a Sentence: Ever since we arrived in Paris, it feels like we’re on a roll with amazing discoveries.
5. “To Be on the Right Track” – Making Progress
Meaning: Making progress or doing something correctly.
In a Sentence: Learning the local customs is essential; it keeps us on the right track while traveling.
6. “To Be at a Crossroads” – Decision Time
Meaning: Being at a point where a decision must be made.
In a Sentence: Standing at a crossroads, they had to choose between the bustling city or the serene countryside.
7. “To Be a Rough Road” – A Challenging Journey
Meaning: Referring to a difficult or challenging journey.
In a Sentence: Crossing the desert turned out to be a rough road, but the experience was unforgettable.
8. “To Be Well-Traveled” – Experienced Explorer
Meaning: Having a lot of experience traveling to different places.
In a Sentence: His stories reveal he’s well-traveled; he’s been to every corner of the globe.
9. “To Be a Long Haul” – A Tiring Journey
Meaning: Referring to a lengthy or tiring journey.
In a Sentence: Preparing for a long haul, they stocked up on snacks for the road trip.
10. “To Be on the Go” – Constant Movement
Meaning: Being busy or constantly moving.
In a Sentence: In the bustling markets of Marrakech, everyone seems to be on the go.
11. “To Take the Scenic Route” – Leisurely Travel Choice
Meaning: Choosing a more leisurely or interesting route rather than the most direct one.
In a Sentence: Despite the extra time, they decided to take the scenic route through the mountains.
12. “To Be a Bumpy Ride” – Ups and Downs in the Journey
Meaning: A journey with many ups and downs.
In a Sentence: Starting a new business is always a bumpy ride, but the rewards are worth it.
13. “To Be a Smooth Ride” – An Easy Journey
Meaning: Referring to an easy or uneventful journey.
In a Sentence: The well-paved highways made the road trip a smooth ride from start to finish.
14. “To Be in the Driver’s Seat” – In Control
Meaning: Being in control or in charge of something.
In a Sentence: After years of hard work, she’s finally in the driver’s seat of her own destiny.
15. “To Be Off the Beaten Path” – Less Traveled Location
Meaning: Being in a less traveled or unknown location.
In a Sentence: Exploring the hidden gems off the beaten path adds a sense of adventure to any journey.
16. “To Have Wanderlust” – A Strong Desire to Travel
Meaning: A strong desire to travel and explore new places.
In a Sentence: Her constant daydreaming about far-off lands is a clear sign she has wanderlust.
17. “To Be a Jet-Setter” – Frequent Traveler for Pleasure
Meaning: Someone who frequently travels to different places, often for pleasure.
In a Sentence: Meeting interesting people is a perk of being a jet-setter, hopping from one exotic destination to another.
18. “To Fly by the Seat of One’s Pants” – Making Decisions on the Fly
Meaning: To make decisions or solve problems on the fly, without much preparation or planning.
In a Sentence: In the world of travel, sometimes you have to fly by the seat of your pants and go with the flow.
19. “To Be on a One-Way Ticket” – Committed to a Course of Action
Meaning: Being committed to a course of action with no intention of turning back.
In a Sentence: Starting this business is like being on a one-way ticket; there’s no looking back.
20. “To Be a Road Warrior” – Frequent Work Traveler
Meaning: Someone who travels frequently for work.
In a Sentence: With a suitcase always in hand, he’s become a true road warrior for his company.
21. “To Have the Travel Bug” – A Desire to Travel
Meaning: A desire to travel and explore new places.
In a Sentence: Once you catch the travel bug, there’s no cure; it becomes a lifelong passion.
22. “To Take a Detour” – Deviating from the Planned Route
Meaning: To deviate from one’s planned route or course of action.
In a Sentence: Despite the GPS insisting on the highway, they decided to take a detour through the charming countryside.
23. “To Be a Backpacker” – Budget Traveler with a Backpack
Meaning: Someone who travels with a backpack and stays in budget accommodations such as hostels.
In a Sentence: Being a backpacker is not just a way to travel; it’s a lifestyle of exploration on a shoestring budget.
24. “To Be a Globe-Trotter” – Traveling Worldwide
Meaning: Someone who travels to many different countries around the world.
In a Sentence: She’s a true globe-trotter, having visited every continent in search of diverse cultures.
25. “To Be a Nomad” – Traveling Without a Permanent Home
Meaning: Someone who does not have a permanent home and travels from place to place.
In a Sentence: Embracing the nomadic lifestyle, they find home in the journey, not a fixed location.
26. “To Be a Tourist” – Pleasure Traveler for a Short Time
Meaning: Someone who travels to a place for pleasure and typically stays for a short time.
In a Sentence: In the heart of Rome, they blend in with the tourists, exploring the historic city for a short but memorable visit.
27. “To Be a Traveler” – Extended Period of Travel
Meaning: Someone who is traveling, often for an extended period of time.
In a Sentence: Becoming a traveler is not just a phase; it’s a way of life for those seeking constant exploration.
28. “To Be a Pilgrim” – Traveling for Religious Reasons
Meaning: Someone who travels to a holy place for religious reasons.
In a Sentence: The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is a transformative journey for every pilgrim.
Summary
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| To Hit the Road | Start a journey | After months of planning, it’s finally time to hit the road. |
| To Be on the Move | Traveling from one place to another | Our itinerary is packed; we’re constantly on the move. |
| To Pack One’s Bags | Prepare to leave on a trip | She took a day off work to pack her bags for the spontaneous weekend trip. |
| To Be on a Roll | Having a series of successful events or experiences | Ever since we arrived in Paris, it feels like we’re on a roll. |
| To Be on the Right Track | Making progress or doing something correctly | Learning the local customs is essential; it keeps us on the right track. |
| To Be at a Crossroads | At a point where a decision must be made | Standing at a crossroads, they had to choose between the city or countryside. |
| To Be a Rough Road | A difficult or challenging journey | Crossing the desert turned out to be a rough road, but the experience was unforgettable. |
| To Be Well-Traveled | Have a lot of experience traveling to different places | His stories reveal he’s well-traveled; he’s been to every corner of the globe. |
| To Be a Long Haul | A lengthy or tiring journey | Preparing for a long haul, they stocked up on snacks for the road trip. |
| To Be on the Go | Busy or constantly moving | In the bustling markets of Marrakech, everyone seems to be on the go. |
| To Take the Scenic Route | Choose a more leisurely or interesting route | Despite the extra time, they decided to take the scenic route through the mountains. |
| To Be a Bumpy Ride | A journey with many ups and downs | Starting a new business is always a bumpy ride, but the rewards are worth it. |
| To Be a Smooth Ride | An easy or uneventful journey | The well-paved highways made the road trip a smooth ride from start to finish. |
| To Be in the Driver’s Seat | In control or in charge of something | After years of hard work, she’s finally in the driver’s seat of her own destiny. |
| To Be Off the Beaten Path | In a less traveled or unknown location | Exploring the hidden gems off the beaten path adds a sense of adventure to any journey. |
| To Have Wanderlust | A strong desire to travel and explore new places | Her constant daydreaming about far-off lands is a clear sign she has wanderlust. |
| To Be a Jet-Setter | Someone who frequently travels to different places, often for pleasure | Meeting interesting people is a perk of being a jet-setter, hopping from one exotic destination to another. |
| To Fly by the Seat of One’s Pants | Make decisions or solve problems on the fly, without much preparation or planning | In the world of travel, sometimes you have to fly by the seat of your pants and go with the flow. |
| To Be on a One-Way Ticket | Committed to a course of action with no intention of turning back | Starting this business is like being on a one-way ticket; there’s no looking back. |
| To Be a Road Warrior | Someone who travels frequently for work | With a suitcase always in hand, he’s become a true road warrior for his company. |
| To Have the Travel Bug | A desire to travel and explore new places | Once you catch the travel bug, there’s no cure; it becomes a lifelong passion. |
| To Take a Detour | Deviate from one’s planned route or course of action | Despite the GPS insisting on the highway, they decided to take a detour through the charming countryside. |
| To Be a Backpacker | Traveler with a backpack, staying in budget accommodations such as hostels | Being a backpacker is not just a way to travel; it’s a lifestyle of exploration on a shoestring budget. |
| To Be a Globe-Trotter | Someone who travels to many different countries around the world | She’s a true globe-trotter, having visited every continent in search of diverse cultures. |
| To Be a Nomad | Someone who does not have a permanent home and travels from place to place | Embracing the nomadic lifestyle, they find home in the journey, not a fixed location. |
| To Be a Tourist | Someone who travels to a place for pleasure and typically stays for a short time | In the heart of Rome, they blend in with the tourists, exploring the historic city for a short but memorable visit. |
| To Be a Traveler | Someone who is traveling, often for an extended period of time | Becoming a traveler is not just a phase; it’s a way of life for those seeking constant exploration. |
| To Be a Pilgrim | Someone who travels to a holy place for religious reasons | The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is a transformative journey for every pilgrim. |
Conclusion
Embarking on the winding roads of travel idioms is like unlocking a secret language that travelers share. From hitting the road to being a pilgrim, each phrase weaves a unique story of exploration, decision-making, and discovery.