From Greece to Rome, repeat visitors say returning to favorite destinations offers deeper connections, richer experiences and a true sense of belonging.
As a kid, Adrienne Lee dreamt of traveling the world.
“We didn’t have a lot of money for travel, but I always had my little National Geographic (magazines), and I was traveling on the page,” the owner of Here2There Travel told USA TODAY. “Once (I) got old enough, and I married a husband who has a passion for travel as well, we said, ‘We got to go see it. We really do.'”
She remembers the wonder of finally experiencing the places she’d previously only read about, like the Colosseum in Rome and the Tower of London.
Of all the places she’s visited, she keeps going back to a few: Barcelona, Paris, Rome and Istanbul.
Many travelers enjoy visiting the same destinations again and again, even when they can easily go elsewhere.
Priceline’s 2026 “Where to Next?” report found 73% of surveyed travelers are drawn to trips that reconnect them with their past, while Hilton found 49% of surveyed travelers return to the same destination year after year.
Familiar faces
Niki Holis, CEO of Rove and Roam Travel, has two such destinations: Cayo Espanto, Belize and Paros, Greece.
She first fell in love with Greece while studying there in college.
“It’s the people. Greek people are so incredibly kind,” she said. She said she likes who she is in Greece, too.
“It brings out the best in everyone,” Holis said.
Over the years, she’s visited multiple islands but says there’s something extra special about Paros, where her family has spent every summer since 2021.
“We’ve created a community there,” she said. “Every summer, we’re going back to see all of our friends.”
One of them is Courtney Murdoch, whom Holis met on a beach four years ago.
“She was like, ‘It’s amazing. I’m already wanting to come back,'” Holis said. “And I was like, ‘I mean, I’ll be here again.'”
Their families now spend most of their summer days together.
Familiar spaces
Similar to Holis, Murdoch said Greece first stole her heart on a backpacking trip the summer after college. She too loved the people, the beaches, and laid-back way of life.
But what she loves most now is what Paros provides her young family.
Practically speaking, she said it’s easier to travel with kids to a destination you’re already familiar with. Beyond that, “Because we’re so comfortable with the island, we give our kids immense freedom over there … And the amount that they mature and grow during those six weeks is honestly amazing.”
Her group of friends on the island look out for each other’s kids like their own, and she said her kids feel welcome everywhere.
“Whereas in America, we don’t take our kids to the best restaurants because they may not be as well behaved,” said Murdoch, who is head of school for Trellis Academy near Austin, Texas. “In Greece … they just say bring your kids, and we’re going to create an environment where everyone can thrive.”
Her family loves Paros so much, they’re building a home on the island and plan to use it as a launch pad to explore other destinations as the kids get older.
Depth over breadth
Lee has a similar approach when visiting her favorite destinations.
“We’ll use the city as a home base and dig a little deeper and go a little further in that same region,” she said.
“I’m a history buff,” she added. “Each time we go, we unearth … another part of that history.”
She knows some travelers may prefer collecting passport stamps, but suggested even within the same city, “Try a different restaurant. Try a different tour. See a different neighborhood.”
Consider revisiting at a different time of year or even a different time of day.
“The Parthenon looks amazing by day, but even more so after sundown,” Lee said.
She, Holis and Murdoch shared the following tips for travelers:
- It doesn’t always have to be some huge vacation, but there is a difference between a trip – which can be exhausting – and a vacation.
- Don’t rush. Instead of rushing from site to site, sit down and watch a city go by you.
- If you find something that is that special, keep it.