Anytime someone plans to travel, chances are they have set some kind of expectation. They plan what they are going to do, where they are going to stay, what they are going to see, and even what foods they are going to indulge in. They long for escape and spend hours daydreaming as they run down the clock until their adventure. 

For others, an upcoming trip or experience might leave them with a pit in their stomach. These people obsess over insignificant details concerning what they will experience. 

In most cases, expectations hardly meet reality. Those with grandiose expectations are often left disappointed and those doomsday preppers among us tend to discover that things were far better than anticipated. 

In many instances, we have been in both of those situations. We have highly anticipated visiting certain places, only to be disappointed AND we have found ourselves in ruts where we expect the worst, only to be surprised.

The best experiences though, by far, are the times when we stumble upon a place unknowingly. In these instances, we do not have time to set expectations, we are forced to experience things as they happen. Without fail, it is in these scenarios that we are most happy, most aware, and left in awe of our surroundings. 

The following outlines three locations that we visited and show how our expectations dictated our experiences. 

The Grand Tetons National Park 

The Grand Tetons are iconic. The peeks of this 40-mile stretch of the Rocky Mountains can be seen on everything from calendars to the cover of travel magazines. There is no doubt that the Tetons are magnificent and provide the perfect photo-op for any adventurer.

After spending multiple days camping outside of the park, mesmerized by our unobstructed views of the Tetons, we were excited to finally visit the national park and experience the Tetons up close.

As we drove into the National Park, we anticipated that the views were going to pale in comparison to what we had already experienced. As it turns out, the views up close, while amazing, did not beat the views from our free camping spot only a few miles away. 

Additionally, the multiple lakes within the park, which we had heard so much about, were overcrowded and practically inaccessible due to the traffic and people who could not properly park their vehicles. 

The views of the mountains are worth seeing, but we were not able to fully experience the national park due to the amount of tourism and limited parking. We ended up only spending a short time in the national park and by the time we left, we were feeling unsatisfied. 

Yellowstone National Park 

Yellowstone is one of the most well-known (and most visited) national parks in the United States. The park, itself, sits upon a super volcano (one of only twenty active super volcanos on Earth) and has some of the most diverse landscapes in the nation. There are waterfalls, rivers, canyons, geysers (including, the one and only, Old Faithful), and pristine forests. Yellowstone also has an abundance of wildlife including bears, wolves, moose, elk and tigers (totally kidding).

Growing up, we had always heard about Yellowstone. Naturally, of all the parks we wanted to see, Yellowstone was at the top of the list. 

We were most excited about seeing all the wildlife within the national park. All of the photos we have ever seen of Yellowstone were crawling with animals which made us believe that encountering wildlife was practically a guarantee.

We expected stampedes of buffalo to overtake our van on the roadway, herds of elk and moose meandering in fields, and bears curiously examining our vehicle from a distance. We expected Old Faithful to shoot water into the air, as high as the eye could see, while we watched from the colorful, salt stained, basin edge and we expected to be in constant awe as each hill we would traverse would reveal natural wonders beyond our comprehension. 

 To some, this depiction of Yellowstone may live up to expectation, but this was not our experience. 

After spending three days in the park and driving every square inch that we could, the only thing left trampled was our expectations (from all the wildlife we did not see). To say the least, we were disappointed. No Bison surrounded our van, Old Faithful, seemed to be having an underwhelming day, and the bears and elk must have been on vacation. 

Beartooth Highway

Outside of the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, you begin to climb nearly 11,000 feet on a highway full of zigzags and switchbacks. This highway is known as Beartooth Highway and it is considered to be one of the most beautiful and scenic highways in the United States. We had no idea that Beartooth Highway existed, until some friends made us promise to take it as we departed Yellowstone.

Still licking our wounds from our gashed expectations at both Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, we embarked on Beartooth Highway without expectations or pre-conceived notions. We were simply going to drive. 

To our surprise, we were flabbergasted. 

We travelled 70 miles through Beartooth Highway and felt like we were on a different planet. Up to this point, we had never witnessed such beautiful views. Our adrenaline was pumping as we weaved our way up and down the mountain passes, taking every opportunity to stop and gawk at the crystal-clear lakes and expansive landscapes. We felt renewed. 

What made the difference in our experiences? 

After spending time considering our experiences and the places that we have visited, it has become clear to us that the biggest determinates of our experiences have been our expectations. 

Our expectations clouded our ability to live in the moment and to enjoy life as it unfolded around us. When our expectations were too high, we would be disappointed, and our experience would be marred by the feeling that we were somehow missing out. 

When our expectations were too low, we would spend the majority of our time sulking until our experience ultimately altered our mindset. 

To close, we are not saying that expectations are bad. If anything, they are good – they give us the courage to dream, to push boundaries, and to try new things. That being said, setting expectations comes at a cost.

We have learned that the best life is the one where we cast off expectations, live in the moment, and take life (both the good and the bad) as it comes. 

So, if you plan on traveling, the best advice that we can offer is to turn off your computer, step away from your phone, and to forget what you have heard and the pictures that you have seen. 

 Experience places with an open mind. 

Live in the moment.

 Appreciate where you are and what you are experiencing. 

If you do this, each place you go will offer something unique and exciting.

You will never be disappointed if you allow all of your senses to take in what the world has to offer.