Traveling is an exciting adventure that opens the door to new experiences and cultures. To help you navigate your journeys more fluently, we’ve compiled a list of 20 idioms and phrasal verbs related to travel. These expressions will enhance your conversations and make you sound like a seasoned traveler.
1. Hit the road
Meaning: Start a journey
Example: Let’s hit the road early tomorrow morning.
2. Catch a flight
Meaning: Board an airplane
Example: I need to catch a flight to New York.
3. Travel light
Meaning: Pack minimally
Example: She always prefers to travel light.
4. Off the beaten track
Meaning: Uncommon travel routes
Example: We found a village off the beaten track.
5. Get away
Meaning: Escape or go on vacation
Example: We decided to get away for the weekend.
6. Live out of a suitcase
Meaning: Constantly traveling
Example: He has been living out of a suitcase for months.
7. Hit the ground running
Meaning: Start energetically
Example: We hit the ground running as soon as we arrived.
8. Red-eye flight
Meaning: Overnight flight
Example: I took a red-eye flight to save time.
9. Break the journey
Meaning: Stop temporarily during travel
Example: We decided to break the journey in Paris.
10. Go off the grid
Meaning: Disconnect from modern life
Example: They went off the grid for a month.
11. Take in the sights
Meaning: Visit attractions
Example: We took in the sights of Rome yesterday.
12. Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: Join a trend
Example: He jumped on the bandwagon of eco-travel.
13. Travel bug
Meaning: Strong desire to travel
Example: She has the travel bug since her last trip.
14. Pack up
Meaning: Prepare luggage
Example: It’s time to pack up and leave.
15. Hit the hay
Meaning: Go to bed
Example: After the tour, we hit the hay immediately.
16. Get the travel itch
Meaning: Urge to travel
Example: I get the travel itch every summer.
17. Road trip
Meaning: Long car journey
Example: We planned a road trip across the country.
18. Call it a day
Meaning: Stop for the day
Example: Let’s call it a day after this hike.
19. Jet lag
Meaning: Tiredness from time zone changes
Example: I’m still dealing with jet lag from my trip.
20. Set off
Meaning: Begin a journey
Example: We set off early to avoid traffic.