Why I Keep Going Back to That One Weird Place

Ever had that spot that keeps pulling you back like an ex who texts at 2 AM? Yeah, we all have our "weird places." Here's why mine won't let me go...

That Place Has Me in a Chokehold (And I Like It)

Listen up, travel junkies. We need to talk about something we all experience but rarely admit: destination obsession. You know what I'm talking about – that one bizarre, off-the-beaten-path place that has absolutely no business being your favorite, but somehow keeps dragging you back year after year.

For me, it's a tiny coastal town in Portugal where the locals still look at me like I'm an alien, the Wi-Fi works approximately 12 minutes per day, and the best restaurant is someone's grandmother cooking in her kitchen. And yet? I've been back SEVEN. TIMES.

So why do I – why do WE – keep returning to these strange little corners of the world? Let me break it down with all the sass and wisdom of someone who's wasted entirely too much vacation time in one spot.

It's Not Basic, and That Matters

Let's be honest – there's something deeply satisfying about loving a place that isn't plastered all over Instagram. While everyone else is posting the same Santorini sunset or Bali swing photos, you're over there with content from a place people have to Google.

When planning my trips back to my weird spot, I use [WayAway](https://wayaway.tp.st/a3ky7N3D) to find flight deals that other travel sites don't show. Because if you're going somewhere unusual, you might as well save some coin getting there, right? Their membership gives me cashback on bookings, which basically funds my obsessive return visits.

The "Remember When" Factor

Normal tourist spots give you stories like, "Remember when we saw the Eiffel Tower?" Yawn. But weird places? They give you stories like, "Remember when that old man mistook us for his long-lost children and invited us to dinner, and we ended up dancing to accordion music until 3 AM?"

For capturing these bizarre moments, I always book unique experiences through [WeGoTrip](https://wegotrip.tp.st/YVL5ihrF). Their self-guided tours have introduced me to the strangest local traditions and hidden corners I'd never find otherwise. Plus, no awkward tour groups – just me making questionable decisions at my own pace.

The Comfort of Strange Familiarity

There's something oddly comforting about returning to a place where you know exactly which streets smell like fish on Tuesdays, which cafés have bathroom doors that don't lock, and which local characters will inevitably tell you the same stories.

When I go back, I always book my accommodations through [Hotellook](https://hotellook.tp.st/eTR4sPTY) or [Intui.travel](https://intui.tp.st/XbIyNJNl). They've got those weird little family-run B&Bs and quirky apartments that big booking sites don't list. Nothing says "I'm basically a local" like staying in someone's converted chicken coop with questionable plumbing.

Transportation Choices That Would Make My Mother Nervous

Getting around my weird place involves transportation methods that would give my insurance agent heart palpitations. Ancient buses held together by hope? Rental cars with mysterious fluids leaking? Scooters driven by actual children offering rides? Sign me up!

For slightly less death-defying transportation, I use [LocalRent](https://localrent.tp.st/BWSEer3z) to book cars from local companies. Or [Bikes Booking](https://bikesbooking.tp.st/lzXnwZrC) for bicycles when I want to feel the wind in my hair and bugs in my teeth. For airport transfers that won't involve someone's cousin's friend with an unlicensed taxi, [Kiwi Taxi](https://kiwitaxi.tp.st/cI2Zkn9s) and [Get Transfer](https://gettransfer.tp.st/7ugUWF39) have been lifesavers.

When I need more legitimate transportation, [Economy Bookings](https://economybookings.tp.st/bRR16EhB), [Qeeq](https://qeeq.tp.st/fZzvdFjb), [Get Rent A Car](https://getrentacar.tp.st/8lPV1jXk), and [Auto Europe](https://autoeurope.tp.st/w4hzS21n) all offer solid options. And for those coastal weird places, [Sea Radar](https://searadar.tp.st/r6KgoTXH) helps me find ferries and boats to even more remote spots.

The Food That Ruins You For Life

Every weird place has that ONE dish – you know, the one that permanently destroys your ability to enjoy similar food anywhere else on earth. For me, it's a seafood stew that I've tried recreating at home so many times my neighbors now think I'm running some kind of fish-based cult.

While I'll never get that recipe (I've tried bribing, begging, and fake marriage proposals), I've discovered other culinary gems through [Trip.com](https://trip.tp.st/LGkRYPEA). Their local restaurant recommendations have led me to places where menus don't exist and you eat whatever someone's grandmother decided to cook that day.

The Locals Know Your Name (And That's Terrifying and Amazing)

The first time you visit, you're just another tourist. By visit three, the café owner has your drink ready when you walk in. By visit five, you're invited to local weddings and people start asking why you haven't moved there permanently yet.

To keep in touch with my weird place besties between visits, I use [Airalo](https://airalo.tp.st/YSJ1DHLl) or [DrimSim](https://drimsim.tp.st/Y3raNHJt) for affordable international data. Nothing says "I'm definitely coming back" like being added to the town's private Facebook group where they post about road closures and whose goat escaped this week.

The Weird Rituals You've Created

Every return visitor develops personal rituals. Mine include visiting a specific beach rock that vaguely resembles Nicolas Cage's face, buying pastries from a woman who refuses to tell me what's in them, and leaving a shot of local liquor at a tiny shrine dedicated to a fisherman's dog (don't ask).

For tickets to local events and festivals that form the backbone of these rituals, [Ticket Network](https://ticketnetwork.tp.st/8YnYe4QJ) has been clutch. And for those "I-can't-believe-this-exists" attractions nearby, [Tiqets](https://tiqets.tp.st/h8P2EGQI) lets me skip lines and book in advance.

The Frustrating Flaws You've Made Peace With

Every weird place has deal-breaker flaws that somehow transform into "quirky charm" by visit two. The sporadic power outages? Romantic candlelight opportunities! The aggressive local roosters that crow at 4 AM? Nature's alarm clock! The fact that every store closes randomly for four-hour lunch breaks? Work-life balance goals!

When things go sideways (and they will), [Visitors Coverage](https://visitorscoverage.tp.st/YjSIozxi) travel insurance has saved my butt multiple times. Because nothing kills your weird place vibe like a medical evacuation that bankrupts you.

And when flights get delayed or canceled – which happens constantly because weird places rarely have convenient airports – [Compensair](https://compensair.tp.st/hmqeYcEY) helps me get compensation. That money goes straight into my "return to weird place" fund, obviously.

The Alternative Life You've Mentally Created

Be honest: You've imagined an entire parallel life where you move to your weird place permanently. In this fantasy, you run a small business (probably a café or bookstore), learn the language fluently, marry someone local, and become that interesting expat character in someone else's travel story.

While I haven't made the leap yet, I keep my options open by networking on [Millionaire Match](https://www.millionairematch.com/millionaire-dating.html?tid=af100006542-pr). Hey, finding a wealthy partner who shares my obsession with this random locale could fast-track my alternative life plans. Don't judge my strategy.

It's Where Your Soul Feels at Home (As Cheesy as That Sounds)

At the end of the day, we keep returning to these weird places because something about them resonates with parts of ourselves we don't fully understand. It's like the geographical version of dating someone your friends don't get but who somehow makes perfect sense to you.

When booking flights back to my soul place, I use [Aviasales](https://aviasales.tp.st/1OvJR03a) or [Kiwi.com](https://kiwi.tp.st/IHgvmtaV) to find connections that make zero sense on paper but somehow get me there faster or cheaper. Because when you're obsessed, you'll take that 3 AM layover in a city you can't pronounce if it means saving $50 for more weird place souvenirs.

The Practical Stuff (Because Someone Has to Be Adult Here)

If you've found your weird place, here are some practical tips for making repeat visits easier:

1. Store luggage between visits if you go frequently enough. Services like [Radical Storage](https://radicalstorage.tp.st/tIES5ra9) let you leave non-essentials behind, making packing way less stressful.

2. Join local Facebook groups to stay updated on changes. Nothing worse than returning to find your favorite weird café has closed (RIP to that place with the cat that could predict the weather).

3. Make friends with one reliable local who can be your emergency contact and occasional package recipient. (Shoutout to Miguel, who currently has a box of my winter clothes and probably thinks I'm in a witness protection program.)

4. Consider building a travel website about your weird place. [Hostinger](https://hostinger.com?REFERRALCODE=PLTMISSYAIJA) makes it easy with their website builder, and you might even monetize your obsession through affiliate marketing like I'm doing right now. (See what I did there?)

5. Try your luck with travel competitions like those on [MPL](https://referral-mpl-pro.onelink.me/eMpV/lv7hkty0) (use code 1ACI5FB9QU8R for $1 FREE when you sign up), [McLuck](https://www.mcluck.com/lp/raf?r=45c16cc4%2F880700519), or [Hello Millions](https://www.hellomillions.com/lp/raf?r=e183aa02%2F986444174) to fund your next trip back.

6. Use [Scrambly](https://go.scrambly.io/xvXSCb) to find error fares and hidden deals specifically to your weird place. Their alerts have helped me snag flights for nearly 70% off regular prices.

7. Consider group tours for exploring new areas around your weird place. [Ekta Traveling](https://ektatraveling.tp.st/IsyRQNjP) offers options that even a repeat visitor might not have discovered yet.

The Ultimate Weird Place (If You're Ready to Level Up)

If you're looking for the weirdest of weird places, consider the ultimate destination that few get to experience: Antarctica. [G Adventures Antarctica Cruises](https://gadventures.sjv.io/c/6182393/2958561/14092) offers expeditions that will make your current weird place look positively mainstream. I'm saving up for this one myself – the ultimate weird place pilgrimage.

<img height="0" width="0" src="https://imp.pxf.io/i/6182393/2958561/14092" style="position:absolute;visibility:hidden;" border="0" />

Embrace Your Weird Place Obsession

So there you have it – my slightly unhinged defense of returning to the same bizarre location over and over instead of checking new countries off my bucket list like a normal person. But here's the truth: Travel isn't about collecting passport stamps or Instagram locations. It's about finding places that speak to you, even (especially) when they're weird as hell.

Maybe your weird place is a mountain village where the internet doesn't exist. Maybe it's a city neighborhood that tourists never visit. Or maybe it's a coastal town where you've been mistaken for a local so many times you've stopped correcting people.

Whatever and wherever it is, own it. Book that return flight. Again. And again. And again.

Life's too short to pretend you want to see the Mona Lisa when what you really want is to go back to that place with the weird tree and that one restaurant where the waiter always remembers your name.

See you in my weird place,

[Your Name]

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This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you book or buy something (at no extra cost to you). Think of it as buying me a thank-you drink for introducing you to these amazing travel resources. I only recommend services I actually use and love – because my reputation is worth more than a few commission dollars. (But also, the commission dollars help fund my weird place addiction, so everybody wins.)