The 15 People You'll Run Into On Vacation

Everyone loves a good vacation, but have you ever taken the time to observe the people around you? Are you one of those people that employees avoid or are you someone that honeymoon couples seek out as their personal photographer? Maybe you're an instagram husband, and that's okay too.

1. The First Time Vacationers

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The first time vacationers rarely get out of the house. They literally drove 50 miles to vacation there and they’ve been living near the spot for 30 years. They are probably drinking a margarita at a chain Mexican restaurant they thought was authentic.

You’ll recognize them right away because they will tell everyone they are new to the area. They start many sentences with “I didn’t know that..”. They will also ask the bartenders heinous questions they’ve heard a 1,000 times. Super. Duper. Excited to be here.

2. The Seasoned Vacationers

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Of course, you’ll run into vacationers who have seen it all before. They’d love to tell you stories about “this one time” on “this one trip” trying to somehow tie it into their current vacation. These well-traveled individuals are normally chatty and can hold an interesting conversation- as long as they are talking to you and not at you.

3. The Romantic Couple

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The couples are probably on their honeymoon or escaping their kids on their anniversary. They can be seen taking copious amounts of ‘selfies’ together and sharing their dinner plates. They are the most common vacationers and could fall under category 1 or 2 as well.

If you don’t like taking pictures STAY AWAY! Innocent bystanders are commonly asked to take their photos. However, this could be an advantage if you would like a picture with your significant other in the same spot. In fact, I’ve seen couples develop friendships with other couples this way. It’s nauseatingly cute.

4. The Solo Traveler

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There’s always a solo female who is finding herself, or already found herself and needs no man. These women can be hard to distinguish from the crowd because they make friends ridiculously fast. They might as well stamp “talk to me” on their foreheads because if they aren’t talking to the couple on their honeymoon or the seasoned vacationers they could be confused as a local who is chatting it up with the bartender.

The solo male travelers are a little easier to pick out. They typically will say they are at the location for a specific reason (think hiking, climbing, road trips) and usually won’t strike up a conversation unless talked to first.

Both of these solo travelers are likely to have a dog and an active travel blog.

There are also solo travelers who are there for business. Look for a laptop, coffee, headphones, and business casual attire. They probably don’t want to talk to you.

5. Employee Part 1: The College Student with Big Dreams

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Depending on their age, there is a 50% chance they will actually get that degree they are working on. If you frequently visit the location, you may see them again in following years- after they got the degree and couldn’t find a job or if they turned into category 6. These college students have strong passions and can even inspire the elderly to follow their dreams.

The study abroad students are more likely to finish, but may look slightly confused with a large grin on their face- you know, to show citizens they come in peace.

6. Employee Part 2: The College Drop-Out

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These former college students were originally getting their degree in something which would have paid less than their new hip bartending gig (think education, geography, hospitality, and political degrees). Thing is- they are probably not wrong. The average wage for a bartender is somewhere between 25k and 30k a year, but not in a tourist hub. I’ve met bartenders who make 40k or more during the busy season which usually runs about 6 months.

They found a beautiful place where they made friends and will inevitably turn into category 11 (the not-so-local locals). You won’t be able to keep track of them in the offseason though. They are taking all that money they made and blowing it on traveling the world.

7. Employee Part 3: Drifters

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Drifters tend to be college graduates who just finished, but are not ready to settle down just yet. They jump from seasonal job to seasonal job always looking for a new adventure.

You can spot them easily because many of their sentences begin with, “when I lived in such and such town..” or “this reminds me of when I lived in..” You can tell which place was their favorite because they’ll talk about it the most, but you can get them to talk about any location they’ve ever been.

They are usually charming because they have to constantly make new friends in the new places they go. They are also the poorest of the employees because they have to save up enough money to travel to their next gig and their priorities generally center around location rather than wages.

8. The Road Trippers

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The drifters aspire to be one of these hippies. Road trippers biggest concerns are figuring out where to park their converted live-in van and finding a place to shower. These true vagabonds can range in age, but the younger bunch will call themselves climbers and will love their adventure gear.

You are never sure how they make money, but they have figured it out somehow. They are constantly downsizing and are going to change your life with this extra book they’re giving you- that you’ll probably never read.

9. Incognito: On the Run

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They are wearing sunglasses and generic clothing. They keep to themselves and look too scary to talk to and you really shouldn’t. You have no idea why they want to remain anonymous and it’s not worth finding out. However, it can be fun to play the game famous or felon from a far distance though. A very far distance.

10. The Locals

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Some of the locals will complain about the tourists. It’s ironic because that’s how they make money, but they wish their town was small “like it used to be”. These are the people who put up with the in-season crowds so they can have their private community in the offseason. However, many locals do enjoy the busy season because the hustle bustle provides new people to meet.

They have generations of ancestors that have been born and raised there and inevitably the cycle will continue. The eldest locals still own many of the restaurants and businesses. The younger generation will typically swear they’ll never leave or swear only to leave.

You can spot the locals because they seem to have this place “figured out” and it’s unlikely they’ll be sightseeing. They have the best means of transportation and have headphones in when they’re not working.

11. The "Not-So-Local" Locals

Imagine you are in a town for over 10 years, but you weren’t born there so others refuse to call you a local. You even raise a family, established a business, and bought a house! Nope, not a local yet. The “not-so-local” locals never mind it though and respect the “true locals”.

They look and act just like the regular locals so they are impossible to tell apart- unless they tell you.

12. Insta-Infamous

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You will never see an insta-infamous person without their cell phone. They’ll be moving plants and tables around to get the “perfect shot”. Someone is usually with them to take their plenteous photos (think Instagram husbands). You’ll catch them posing for a few and then running to their phones double checking to make sure all the aesthetics are right.

You’ll hear the words “sponsors” and “likes” roll off their lips quite a lot. After they post it, the insta-infamous people are constantly checking their phones to see if they’ve gotten over 100 likes or not.

13. The Teenage Wolf Pack

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Packs of 4-8 teenagers running around without adults are usually harmless. They are already getting into some trouble so they don’t want to draw too much attention to themselves. However, this can dramatically change if there is another teenage pack around-for some unknown reason the volume of each pack will increase dramatically.

14. The Senior Citizen Group

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Walking lanes will definitely be clogging up when the senior citizens arrive at the end of the season. The discount tickets are phenomenal for them and they are ready to explore (very slowly). It’s actually for the best because the employees have some downtime to cool off from the busy season rush and are happy to accommodate the elderly.

They are really excited to hear about the hip new things the young people there are doing and the seasonal employees will hear, “You’re doing it right! Travel while you’re young!” Which is reassuring for the drifters and college dropouts as they pour Louise another gin and tonic.

15. School Groups

Think very little adult supervision and 20-30 small children screaming in matching bright shirts. You wonder from a distance what caused any parent or teacher to be in this situation as you move further away. Other adults all avoid being around the school groups because they will inescapably become another caretaker.

You’ll see kids climbing on statues, running out into the road, or provoking dangerous animals. If witnessed by the average person, they will inevitably feel inclined to save their lives. Try not to take trips in late May-early June if you’d like to avoid this.