Confession time: Riga wasn’t exactly on my travel bucket list.
In fact, it wasn’t even on my travel Post-it note.
Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Sydney were scribbled in big, bold letters, but Riga?
Nowhere in sight.
Yet, destiny, and a well-timed club meeting, intervened.
How I Riga-ed Up My Plans
One day in the no-so-distant past, I was, sipping lukewarm coffee and ‘celebrating the moments of my life.’
If you were born in USA during the 20th century, you know what that phrase means. If you weren’t – Google it. LOL!
Out of nowhere, (okay it was during one of my travel rants), Christine, a fellow ‘Have Passport, Will Travel’ club member, said,
“You know, you should consider Riga for your next adventure. It’s got more than just cold weather and cool accents.”
That offhand comment hit my wanderlust button like a free premium economy seat upgrade.
Latvia leaped onto my radar, and before I knew it, I was down the Google rabbit hole, spiral-searching Baltic beauty like a detective with a suitcase to pack.
April, another club member, added,
“How about Vilnius, or Andorra?”
And that ignited a firestorm.
Some suggestions from other club members:
- Georgia (The country, not the state)
- Cyprus (Maybe?)
- Luxembourg (Logistics didn’t work out)
- Thailand (Getting there would take my entire vacation time)
- Iceland (Been there, seen that)
- Bermuda (Is the triangle real?)
- Turks and Caicos Islands (So not budget-friendly)
A few suggestions were logistical nightmares from my departure city, some were too expensive for the timeframe, and the rest didn’t offer enough activities to my liking to justify the time and cost.
I finally narrowed the list to five choices, of which Riga emerged the victor.
Adventurer’s Tip: Never underestimate the power of a good travel club. Half my favorite escapades started with someone tossing out a destination I’d never even heard of, let alone pronounced correctly. Sometimes, the best adventures are sparked by someone else’s offhand daydream, and a little bit of FOMO.
Planes, Pillow Forts, and Pro Tips
During the planning phase, I stuck with my methodology and chose the first non-stop flight from my departure city to Riga.
On my last adventure, I broke this rule and paid dearly. I lost an entire day waiting at the airport for my flight.
As a result, I lost precious exploration time in my destination city.
Hotels are my home base, and my checklist is airtight: comfy bed, WiFi that doesn’t make me want to weep, 24-hour security, and a shower with enough water pressure to double as a Latvian massage.
But in Riga, location climbed to the top of my priority list.
In cities I know, like London & Paris, I’ll happily stay off the beaten path.
Yet, in cities where my knowledge of public transit is limited to what I can Google on the tarmac, I aim to stay in the heart of the action.
That means more time sightseeing, less time deciphering bus routes with jet lag.
If it’s your first time in a city, don’t be afraid to embrace the ‘tourist zone.’
You’ll be grateful when you can stroll to sights and stumble home from late-night dumpling runs.
Next time, I might get brave and book a spot farther from the center.
For now, I’m striving for the best easy-access life.
Packing Insanity: Confessions of an Overpacker
With tickets in hand, it’s time for my favorite travel ritual: overpacking.
I’ll be honest, I haven’t traveled ‘carry-on only’ since 2019, and I don’t plan on breaking my streak now.
When booking my flights, I always click the ticket option with a checked bag.
This is because my version of “packing light” involves at least two pairs of shoes, a backup raincoat, and practically all my techno gizmos like travel adaptors, surge protectors, and my big bottle of Lysol (yes, I still do a lysol wipedown even if I know housekeeping has clean the room).
My suitcase is a portable closet filled with thick socks, plenty of underwear to last at least a month, one extra pair of jeans, and only a few t-shirts.
Funny how I overpack with the techno gizmos, but not so much with clothes.
Guess the thought is that I can buy emergency clothes if needed.
Same with travel toiletries. Besides my Lysol and travel sanitizers, I only pack an emergency toiletries bag in case I’m stuck at the airport.
Now, I live by my checklists – see my infamous ‘Packing Insanity’ entry. Every item gets crossed off with the dedication of a travel-obsessed librarian.
And yes, my checklist starts with the most important thing: my passport.
‘Have Passport, Will Travel’ doesn’t work if you forget it, right?
Ask me how many times I’ve triple-checked before leaving home.
Number two on my list? Shower shoes.
No matter how sparkling the hotel looks, there are biohazards lurking on those bathroom floors (and let’s not even talk about the hotel room carpet).
The “Not” Top Ten: My Riga Game Plan
Let’s talk plans.
I don’t travel just to frantically check popular sites off a top ten list.
Sure, I’ll snap the occasional selfie at a famous landmark, but my favorite adventures are the ones where I learn, wander, explore and discover what makes a destination truly unique.
Latvian National Museum of History
History always tops my itinerary, so first up is the Latvian National Museum of History.
This museum is a deep dive into all things Latvian, from ancient tribal days to the 21st century. If you want to understand the country’s roots, culture, and the twists and turns of its national story, this is the place.
General admission is around €8. Students and seniors are eligible for discounts.
The exhibits wind through Latvia’s epic history, with artifacts spanning from ancient jewelry to Soviet-era memorabilia. It’s a history buff’s dream, and a great way to get a feel for the country beyond the postcard views.
Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
Next up is the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia.
This place offers an eye-opening look into Latvia’s 20th-century struggles and resilience.
Tickets are around €8, and you’ll want to visit early in the day for smaller crowds. The museum offers audio guides at €4.
Riga Motor Museum
Of course, I can’t resist the Riga Motor Museum. This isn’t just a hall of classic cars—it’s a full-on celebration of wheeled history.
Think: everything from pre-war limousines and rare motorcycles to Soviet-era curiosities and vehicles that look like they belong in a Bond film.
Don’t miss the presidential car collection or the bizarre experimental prototypes (seriously, some are so weird they could be straight out of a sci-fi set).
Entry is €12.
Since the museum is a bit outside Old Town, I’ll factor in about 30 minutes for the trip.
The easiest way is to hop on bus 5 or 21, which drops you a short walk away.
Adventurer’s Tip: Go right when they open for crowd-free browsing and the best photo ops.
House of the Black Heads
And then there’s the House of the Black Heads, which is basically the ultimate medieval party mansion.
I was introduced to the ‘Black Heads’ during my Tallinn Bound Adventure.
It’s a legendary guild that once united wealthy, unmarried merchants for business, parties, and city defense.
At least that’s how Tallinn describes them.
Looking forward to learning about the Riga Chapter.
Tickets start at €10, plus €4 for an audioguide.
The afternoons tend to be a little quieter if you want your photos minus the tour groups.
Adventurer’s tip: Pre-book your museum tickets online whenever possible. Not only does this save you time, but it also saves your sanity. Lines in Riga can get long, especially in peak season or on rainy days. If you only remember one thing, let it be this: your time is better spent exploring than waiting.
Ready, Set, Baltic!
So, Riga it is: unexpected, unplanned, and utterly intriguing.
Bags are almost packed, Google Maps is loaded with pins, and my sense of adventure is set to full Latvian throttle.
I’m almost ready to swap prep planning for tall tales, one quirky museum at a time.
If you’ve got insider tips, local contacts, or favorite hidden nooks, let me know. I’m all ears and open tabs.
Until next time…
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