How to Travel More Sustainably on Vacation (Real-Life Tips)

If you’re wondering how to be more eco-friendly on vacation, these are the small, realistic changes I’ve tested while traveling with family—what worked, what was challenging, and what I would do differently today.

I began exploring ways to travel more sustainably long before that summer. But traveling with three little boys shaped our holidays in ways I had not fully anticipated. After just a few days in Estonia, I noticed old comfort-based unsustainable habits creeping back. I felt eco-guilt sneaking in again. And yet, despite the challenges, I did find ways—imperfect, but real—to make our travels in Estonia and Iceland more eco-friendly.

Relapsing into Less Sustainable Habits

I have noticed that with many behaviour changes, vacations are often the time when I slip backwards and struggle to maintain the routines I have built at home. Sustainable living is no exception.

As during past holidays, I found myself using more single-use plastic while grocery shopping. My showers grew longer. And when my environmentally friendly razor was confiscated at the airport, I gave in and bought a disposable one instead.

It was time for some extra self-care. Instead of judging myself, I tried to accept the reality. These holiday “relapses” into old, comfort-driven habits are, perhaps, temporary—and understandable. When traveling, I am already far outside my comfort zone, and the impulse to restore balance through small comforts begins to make sense.

It became easier when I shifted my focus. Not on perfection, but on small, positive steps. How could I become more eco-friendly on vacation—even imperfectly?

Sustainable Holiday Reading

Both my husband and I decided to change our reading habits during the holidays. Instead of buying and packing a pile of new books, my husband opted for a Kindle e-reader.

I chose a different path. At Tallinn airport, I discovered a small library

where passengers can borrow books for the duration of their trip. I decided to trust that I would find something there—and I did.

Although I had brought a few new books with me, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this small shift. By the end of the trip, I had returned more books to the shelf than I had borrowed.

Greener Transport on Vacation

Our initial plan that summer had been to travel by car through Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania—avoiding flights altogether. But plans shifted. When my parents’ visit to us was cancelled, we chose instead to fly to Estonia to be with them. Otherwise, it would have been more than a year since we had last seen each other.

In a similar vein, the short trip my husband and I had planned together earlier in the year was also cancelled. So we decided to travel to Iceland from Estonia, leaving the children with their grandparents.

I had hoped we might rent an electric car in Estonia or Iceland. In the end, given the distances we were covering, we chose not to—but it remains something we would like to try in the future.

We also looked into taking an electric boat for carbon-neutral silent whale-watching in Iceland, but those trips were not operating at the time.

And yet, there were small wins. With my parents, we visited the island of Kihnu in Estonia and spent three days getting around entirely by rental bikes. In Pärnu, too, we chose simpler, lighter ways to move through the town.

Eco-Friendly Accommodation

I have to give credit to my husband, who found a beautiful eco-conscious hotel for us in Reykjavik— Eyja Guldsmeden. I fell in love with it almost instantly, and our stay there remains one of the highlights of the trip.

The breakfast buffet was entirely organic, with plenty of vegan options.

The sustainable hair and body care products—I Love Eco Essentials —were so good that I ended up buying one to use at home. And the room in the hotel was cute.

Even the gym stood out, with wooden equipment replacing the usual metal machines.

What I appreciated most was not just the design, but the feeling: sustainability woven into every detail.

And the good news is that Guldsmeden hotels are not only in Iceland—they can also be found in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Berlin, Oslo, Bali, and the Côte d’Azur.

In other accommodations throughout Estonia and Iceland, we tried to carry that awareness with us—recycling where possible, turning off unnecessary lights, and reusing towels.

Greener Holiday Activities

Sustainability can also shape the activities we choose while traveling. Instead of fuel-intensive options like snowmobiles or monster-truck rides, I opted for horseback riding in Iceland.

No extra fuel used for leisure activities. In a similar spirit, in Estonia we spent time kayaking and paddle boarding along the coast—simple ways of moving through nature without leaving much trace behind.

We had also hoped to try rafting in Iceland, but that did not work out this time.

Eco-Friendly Swimwear

Our efforts to be more eco-friendly on vacation also extended to the small details—like what we packed. Instead of buying disposable swim nappies for our little one, we chose this reusable option for Rick:

It was a simple switch and he loved his new swimming gear.

A More Sustainable Approach to Food

Taking leftovers home from restaurants is a standard habit in our family. Yet it is something we rarely do while traveling. Often, there is no fridge or microwave, or we simply want to enjoy as many local dishes as possible in the moment.

This time, we made a small but conscious effort. In both Estonia and Iceland, we took leftovers with us when we could. In Iceland, some supermarkets even offered microwaves for public use, and we were able to warm up food at our hotel.

We also carried our reusable water bottles throughout the trip, which meant we did not need to buy water in plastic.

Eco-Friendly Souvenirs

We love bringing back small souvenirs—both for ourselves and for family, neighbors, and friends. This time, we tried to choose more thoughtfully: things that could be eaten, or that are made from more earth-friendly materials.

For instance, instead of plastic, one can buy a ceramic magnet, one made from wood—or, in the case of Iceland, from volcanic stone. I thus try to think of something that is needed to be bought anyhow, and pay attention to the materials used.

On Kihnu island, for instance, we bought handmade soaps to share with loved ones.

Offset Your Carbon Emissions

For the first time, we also offset our carbon emissions. As our flight to Estonia was with Lufthansa, we used Compensaid. More precisely, thanks to our contribution, new trees have been planted in Nicaragua to compensate for our use of 1.41 t of CO₂.

Reflections from 2026

Looking back, this was the first time I felt called to explore how my two big passions might come together: my wish to live sustainably and my desire to travel the world.

Here, I was only planting the seeds of what would later become my way of thinking about it—a gradual, moderate, and gentle approach. At the time, though, there were periods when I felt the two simply could not coexist. There were even moments when I traveled in quiet secrecy, carrying a sense of eco-guilt I did not yet know how to resolve.

Over time, something shifted. I began to accept that it is not about perfection, but about progress.

These days, when I pass through Tallinn airport, I still find myself drawn to that small library. I sometimes choose greener forms of transport—like an RV trip—or lower-impact activities, such as snorkeling from a sailboat.

And yet, I have to admit: I do not always think about how eco-friendly the souvenirs I buy are, and offsetting carbon has not become a reflex.

Perhaps this is what sustainable travel looks like for me now—not extremes, but awareness. Not perfection, but a willingness to return, again and again, to a more intentional way of moving through the world.