Feeling the itch to travel, but don’t know where to go? Want to add more meaning to your vacations? Heritage travel might be just what you’re looking for!
Heritage travel (also known as heritage tourism) is the act of visiting the cities, regions, or countries where your ancestors lived. Heritage travel can be as simple as visiting your childhood home or enjoying a museum about your heritage. In fact, heritage travel can broadly include any kind of travel that connects you to your cultural identity and family history! As you discover more about where your family is from, here are some heritage travel ideas and activities the whole family can enjoy.
1. Try Traditional Cuisines
Explore your culinary heritage by eating the traditional foods of your homeland, in your homeland!
Before your visit, research and write down the names of the local dishes you want to try, including the cuisine’s name in the original language. This will make it easier to scan menus and order traditional cuisines when you visit restaurants during your travels, especially if there are language barriers. You can find a few of these traditional recipes and more on FamilySearch’s World Cuisine hub.
2. Visit Historic Towns and Cities
Throughout the world, organizations and governments help preserve historic buildings, landmarks, and, in some cases, whole towns. Some of these locations have become open-air living history museums where people may dress up in historical clothing, share information about local history and culture, and even demonstrate what life was like hundreds of years ago.
Even if the historical town or city isn’t the exact location your ancestors lived in, these ancestral sites can provide a unique, immersive way to learn more about your ancestors’ day-to-day life.
3. Time Your Visit for Local Holidays
Many people time their trips to avoid major holidays. However, they may be missing out on rich heritage experiences of their homeland that occur during the holidays. Research some local and national holidays, and watch for celebrations that have historical or cultural significance.
For example, the end of October is a fantastic time to visit countries like Mexico to celebrate Día de los Muertos, a nationwide holiday steeped in traditions and a love of family. In China, New Years’ celebrations (which occur on different dates depending on the year) feature bright red decor and traditional lion and dragon dances. And on May 17 each year, Norwegian citizens fill the streets for parades and wear traditional bunads to honor their Independence Day.
Wherever you go, find ways to engage with local traditions and customs, whether that’s attending local festivals or celebrating a major holiday the way your ancestors did.
4. Visit Family Gravesites
Even if the physical buildings your ancestors lived in no longer exist, chances are high that their grave marker is still standing and in desperate need of some flowers! To find the right cemetery, you can search your ancestors’ names using Find A Grave.
5. Stop by the Local Library
The library may not be a top-of-mind attraction when you’re traveling, but visiting local archives and family history libraries can provide access to photographs and records about your family that are otherwise unavailable. Plus, many librarians and historians are thrilled to share local history and answer questions about the area.
6. Re-Create Historical Family Photos
If you’re lucky enough to have historic photos of your ancestors and their homes, consider re-creating the photos with your family!
For example, if you have a photograph of an old family home, take a photo of the same location in the same angle to highlight the changes over time.
Better yet, if you have old photos of family (even those as recent as photos of your children or yourself from years past), consider photographing and posing family members in the exact same way as the reference photo. Have fun with it!
7. Photograph and Record Your Ancestral Homeland for Others
Speaking of photographs, find ways to share your genealogical records of your heritage trip with others—even beyond posting to social media.
For example, you can add images and information to Find a Grave, post your photos and share your experience in a Google review of the location, or upload photos and descriptions of your ancestral homeland to your FamilySearch memories.
Not only will you have personal records of your trip, but you may inspire others to embark on their own heritage journey.
8. Create a Family Story Map
Places take on a whole new meaning when you know the story behind them. As you plan your trip, consider printing or creating an annotated map that includes stories and information about the significance of each place you’ll visit. As a family, you can get crafty and purchase or print out a map, write down stories on a notecard, and tape or tack it to the corresponding location on the map.
You can also use a service like Google My Maps to not only plan your trip but write personalized information about each place. If you have a Google account, simply visit mymaps.google.com and create a new map (see detailed instructions here).
Type in one of the locations you plan to visit, and click the pin icon to write some information about the place. You can share this map with the rest of the family, so they can read the stories while they visit!
9. Take a Hike Down Memory Lane
Many hiking trails throughout the world have been used for hundreds of years and have unique historical significance. For example, some hikes are sections of age-old pilgrimage routes. Other trails were originally created as part of trade routes or old railway lines.
Depending on your ancestors’ occupations and interests, these paths may have been a regular part of their lives and an opportunity for you to walk in their footsteps.
10. Visit Historical Museums
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the importance of visiting museums! In many cases, museums are the best place to learn about local history and culture in an engaging and visual way.
As you research museums that you want to visit, keep in mind some of the smaller, specialty museums that may not be highlighted in “top 10” tourist lists. Try to build in some extra time in your travel to visit any niche local museums you discover.
11. Explore DNA Travel
Many organizations specialize in heritage tours or DNA travel (such as helping you travel to homelands that were identified in your DNA tests). While sometimes expensive, these tours may be able to add rich, immersive experiences that you might otherwise miss.
Tip: If you recently took a DNA test, you may have discovered some new cousins throughout the world. Consider reaching out to one of these relatives and asking if they’d be willing to give you a tour of the local history and culture.
12. Heritage Travel from Home
While not everyone can travel outside of the country—or even to another part of the same country they live in—many people still want to connect with their homeland and heritage. The good news: some of the above activities, like creating a family map or trying traditional foods, can also be done at home.
If you’re having a difficult time determining where your ancestors came from, consider using a tool like FamilySearch’s Surname Search tool or a Surname distribution map, which can help you pinpoint where your last name or other surnames in your family tree came from. It’s almost like taking a virtual tour of your name!
RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, also provides a wealth of free videos and resources on how to discover the specific regions, towns, and even homes your ancestors dwelled in. Check out our favorites below!
There's more where these came from! Each year, RootsTech adds more videos about exploring cultures, getting to know your ancestors, and more. If you want to tailor your travel to the specific locations where your ancestors lived, we highly recommend searching the RootsTech's On-Demand library. Just click on the link below and search for your family's homeland or culture in the search bar to see what might be available.
Research Your Family History
You don’t have to travel the world to connect with your heritage or family history! The act of researching your family tree is a journey unto itself. For help researching your family history, you can search and explore many videos and guides from RootsTech. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Safe travels!
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At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
