On a solo trip to Mexico City a few years ago, I found the perfect souvenir at the flea market La Lagunilla: a modern ceramic art bust of a chic woman with dramatic, flowing brown hair. I couldn’t wait to display the piece. Back at home, I carefully unwrapped her, only to discover she had suffered a horrifying hair mishap in transit. Those luscious locks had snapped clean off, leaving her head in two pieces—and me heartbroken.
As I went down an internet rabbit hole in search of the best way to repair her damaged do, I stumbled across kintsugi, or “golden joinery,” the traditional Japanese art of mending broken ceramics with lacquer mixed with gold powder. Rather than disguising imperfections, kintsugi quite literally illuminates them. The fracture becomes the focal point, with the idea being that flaws can add interest and even beauty to an object.
That resonated with me. I became obsessed with kintsugi, and last year, that battered bust from Mexico led me halfway around the world to Tokyo, where I found myself in a workshop mending shattered bowls under the guidance of a local master. I learned how to re-create something meaningful from what I might otherwise have discarded. The old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” really rang true for me that day.
It turns out I’m not alone in wanting to scratch that curiosity itch with these kinds of deep-dive learning experiences when traveling—and now there’s even a name for them: skillcations. Read on to discover what these trips entail, why they resonate so much with solo travelers and how to plan your own, whether stateside or around the world.
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What is a skillcation?
A skillcation is a vacation designed for personal growth and, as its name implies, focused on developing an expertise. Instead of just lounging face-down on a beach or racing through an endless sightseeing checklist, travelers dive into a personal passion along the way, which could mean picking up a new skill or honing one they already have.
The appeal of skillcations is clearly resonating right now. Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report found that 72% of respondents would consider taking time off work to go on one.
Interest in these trips spans generations, but Gen Z, generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, is leading the charge. According to a study from Priority Pass, 40% of travelers in this age group seek out solo getaways centered on special experiences (compared with just 27% of Boomers). And 35% of these younger travelers are prioritizing wellness-focused travel that allows them to digitally detox, helping to explain why purpose-driven trips may be on the rise.
What’s so great about a skillcation?
One of the most obvious benefits of solo travel is that you get to do exactly what you want, when you want, and a skillcation ups the ante since it includes exploring and developing proficiency in an area of interest that’s uniquely your own. There are some other notable perks to these on-the-road self-improvement journeys:
Hands-on trips can deepen your connection to a place
Focusing on learning something while on vacation offers a nice opportunity to connect with both yourself and the locale. “Travel today is no longer just about seeing a destination but about engaging with it in a meaningful way,” says Lubosh Barta, regional vice president and general manager at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.
At his property, guests can try their hand at everything from the art of folding lotus petals or creating jasmine garlands with a local florist to mastering the basics of calligraphy and writing their names in Thai script. “We create moments where guests can truly understand the culture, not just observe it,” he says.
They turn a vacation into something that’s meaningful and lasting
In Mexico, I discovered the art of making mojigangas—giant, whimsical puppets traditionally used in celebrations, parades and festivals—alongside one of the craft’s foremost experts at Casa de Sierra Nevada in the artsy town of San Miguel de Allende. That day remains etched in my memory, more vividly than almost any other part of the trip. As we shaped and painted these figures, we talked for hours about the area: its history, its art and everyday life there.
Later, seeing mojigangas in the town square took on an entirely new significance; having made one myself, I felt a deeper connection to what they represented, and my own experience became intertwined with their cultural story.
Skillcations cultivate long-term creativity and overall wellness
Science backs up the long-term benefits of taking a skillcation. Most people would probably agree that just about any time spent away from work can help you relax. But one study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that routine-disrupting novelty and hands-on challenges—what psychologists often refer to as “mastery experiences”—during a vacation boost creativity, confidence and overall well-being in ways that stick with you well past your scheduled days off.
Jeanette Lorandini, a licensed clinical social worker in New York who specializes in dialectical behavior therapy, explains that when someone practices a skill, even in a low-pressure environment like travel, they create a sense of competence and capability. “That feeling tends to last longer than passive relaxation because it changes how people see themselves and interact with their surroundings,” she says, adding that when stepping out of your usual environment, you’re more open and willing to try something new without the same level of self-judgment or self-invalidation. “That combination of novelty and skill-building can increase confidence and creativity in a way that carries back into everyday life.”
What’s the best way to organize a skillcation?
Planning a skillcation can be fun and rewarding—and just as easy as setting up a standard sightseeing trip. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Choose your focus
You can pick a location first and see what local experiences spark your interest. Or choose a skill you want to explore—like I did with kintsugi—and find a destination that offers it.
I once became fascinated with Stradivarius violins after learning that one worth millions of dollars had been stolen. Digging into the instruments’ history, I discovered that they were crafted centuries ago by Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy. Say less. I booked a ticket and headed to the town in Lombardy, immersing myself in its many artisan workshops and the Academia Cremonensis, an international school for violin- and bow-making housed in an 18th-century palace that offers beginner and advanced courses.
Do your research
Once you have your skill and location set, there are a lot of ways to find the right experience. Check specialized tour companies that offer immersive learning opportunities, such as Viator or Booking.com. Many hotels and resorts curate excursions and in-house workshops. You can also look for private lessons with area experts or specialized schools offering classes for travelers.
Consider timing and seasonality
Some skills-based experiences are dependent on the time of year, so plan accordingly. A great way to enrich your trip is to align it with seasonal festivals or artisan fairs connected with your skill. For me, going to San Miguel de Allende during its Day of the Dead celebrations would have made the mojiganga experience come alive even more.
What are some skillcation ideas to jump-start a learning adventure?
Remember, skillcations are all about diving into a destination, exploring a new skill and growing personally along the way. Here are some fun skillcation ideas to inspire your next learning getaway:
Photography
Professionals guide photographers of all skill levels on Aurora Expeditions polar voyages, helping them capture some of the planet’s most dramatic scenery during their Through the Lens Photography Expeditions to Antarctica, Iceland and Greenland.
Travel specialists at Untamed Travelling can organize photography-focused journeys to places like Patagonia in Argentina or Arctic Canada, designed to help participants develop and elevate their skills.
Beekeeping
At the Inn at Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island in Michigan, a local beekeeper invites guests to pick up some sweet honey-making know-how through hands-on lessons in the property’s orchard.
For something even further afield, travelers can help harvest honey from wooden hives and learn about conservation alongside expert beekeepers at Segera, a 50,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in Kenya.
Sailing
At the Inn at Perry Cabin on the Chesapeake Bay in St. Michaels, Maryland, the Sailmate Experience is a private captain-led session on the Miles River designed for beginners. It covers navigation, rigging and other sailing fundamentals.
Meanwhile, The Moorings, a yacht charter adventure company, gives more advanced sailors the chance to learn by doing at sea in over a dozen locations. Options range from chartered boats, where you can take the helm as much or as little as you like, to fully skippered vessels, where an experienced captain shows you the ropes.
Music
Regional music is a powerful way to experience a destination, and many hotels help novices tap into the local rhythm. Grand Wailea and Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort celebrate Hawaiian culture and the aloha spirit with ukulele lessons.
For a more immersive experience, North Carolina’s John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown provides hundreds of weekend and weeklong courses, including how to build and play a three-string guitar or banjo.
Frontier skills
What better way to go wild than by dusting off some cowboy skills out west? Arizona Cowboy College in Scottsdale runs multiday sessions that teach attendees what life is like as an American cowboy, from practicing skills as varied as roping and horseshoeing to setting up a traditional cow camp.
Further north, the Rocky Mountain Folk School in Grand Lake, Colorado, gets technical with functional crafts like saddle making, blacksmithing, leather tooling and woodturning.
On the East Coast, travelers can tap into their creative side with an Art of Whittling workshop at the Inns of Aurora in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
Culinary arts
Foodies seeking a genuine cultural exchange can join a locally run, immersive Exodus Signature Collection excursion with Exodus Adventure Travels. Recent itineraries include Signature Vietnam, where travelers master culinary traditions—everything from foraging forest botanicals to cooking alongside a guide in their family’s mountain home.
For a taste of French gastronomy, Ritz Paris invites chefs of all ages to elevate their skills at Ecole Ritz Escoffier.
In the U.S., resorts in Las Vegas are a winning bet because of their top-tier culinary experiences: at Paris Las Vegas, students at The Bedford by Martha Stewart Cooking Class work with the executive chef to prepare the domestic diva’s signature Big Martha’s Pierogies. At Connoisseur by Wynn, Winnie Yee—one of only a handful of female pitmasters in the country—teaches her unique barbecue techniques, blending Chinese, Malaysian and American traditions.
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Sources:
- Collinson Group: “From Stadiums to Spas: Unlocking the Explosive Growth of Sports and Wellness Travel”
- Hilton: “Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report”
- Frontiers in Psychology: “Well Recovered and More Creative? A Longitudinal Study on the Relationship Between Vacation and Creativity”
- Lubosh Barta, regional vice president and general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River; email interview, March 2026
- Jeanette Lorandini, founder and director of Suffolk DBT; email interview, March 2026
The post I Take Skillcations on My Own—And They’ve Totally Changed the Way I Travel appeared first on Reader's Digest.
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