Why choosing curiosity on the road is a good thing 

Photo credit: Ralf Weiser Restaurant Cafe Foxy Loxy

There is a good reason why franchise restaurants and hotels work so well. Any established brand suggests you get a predictable service and/ or product. That is usually true no matter where you travel. Our hasted lifestyle sometimes doesn’t allow an awful lot of wiggle room for experiments.

While convenience and predictability are great time savers, they come with a big bill. We lose diversity and with it a ton of potentially great experiences. There are so many great sites and tastes out there to experience. All it takes is a little curiosity and courage trying out new and untried things.

Using the free time that come with the holidays I drove around to a local museum taking a scenic route. Along came a cute little café called Foxy Lofty (if you are ever in the area, here is the address) offering anything from ice cream, to sandwiches, and of course all sorts of coffees. Set up in a lovely old home in a historic village in South East PA it was a sight and taste to behold. The decoration was so lovely you could easily think you had been invited by some good friends to come over. Don’t get me wrong, I do like Starbucks and WAWA coffee, but they couldn’t match this experience.

Make good use of times like the holidays and take some time to explore the richness of diverse restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and many a hole in the wall places. Choose diversity over convenience – at least once and a while. You will not regret it.

Ralf