25 Travel Conversation Questions for ESL Learners
- Alex
- Oct 9
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 10
Go to the English Conversation Questions Hub for more discussion topics you can use for self-study or for the ESL classroom.
25 Travel Conversation Questions for ESL Learners
Level: pre-intermediate (A2) / intermediate (B1)
Download and print the 2-page PDF for your classroom:
Most people like to travel. They also like to talk about their travel experiences. For example, a friend might ask you, "How was your vacation? Did you go anywhere?"
Do you know how to answer a question like this? Can you talk about your past travel experiences, including the places you visited, the food you tried, the activities you did, and the people you met?
That is the purpose of this page: to practice asking and answering common questions about travel with confidence and accuracy.
The travel conversation questions below are ideal for the ESL classroom or for self-study. They are meant for pre-intermediate (A2) and intermediate (B1) English learners, but more advanced learners can enjoy them as well. This resource is meant to help learners practice their speaking skills, and to learn and use some new vocabulary. With these conversation questions, students will activate the present simple, past simple, and the present perfect tense.
Are you ready to go? Grab your suitcase and let's take a trip together!
Warm-up
When was your last real vacation? Did you go anywhere?
Example answer: My last real vacation was six months ago. My family and I went to Greece for two weeks. It was great!
How often do you travel outside your city, town, or village for pleasure?
Example answer: I travel outside my city once every two or three months. Sometimes I drive to a place that's one or two hours away, and I spend the weekend there.
Travel history
How many countries have you visited in your life?
Example answer: I have visited three countries in my life. I've been to Spain, Brazil, and Egypt.
Tell me about one of your favourite travel experiences.
Example answer: Five years ago, I took a trip to Ireland. I loved hiking near the ocean. It was windy and the hills were so green and beautiful.
What is the hottest place you have ever been to? What about the coldest?
Example answer: The hottest place I have ever been to was Cairo. The coldest place was the north of Spain.
Types of travel experiences
Have you ever taken a bus tour? What are the positives and negatives of this kind of travel experience?
Have you ever been on a cruise ship? If not, do you think you would like to take a cruise?
Have you ever stayed at a resort? Do you think resorts give tourists an honest picture of a country?
Do you like traveling by plane? Can you tell me about a good experience and a bad experience you had on a plane?
Accommodations / Hotels
What is important to you when you book a hotel? (price, pool, breakfast, customer reviews, location, etc.)
Have you ever had a bad experience at a hotel? What happened?
What is the most money you have paid for one night in a hotel?
Travel preferences
Do you like exploring new places alone or with other people?
Do you prefer adventurous trips or relaxing trips?
Do you like to have a plan when you travel, or do you prefer to explore and just "see what happens"?
Traveling close to home
Where do you like to eat in your hometown?
Imagine that I am a tourist in your hometown. Where should I go? What should I do?
What are the most famous places to visit in your region (city, province, state, or country--you choose)?
Pictures and souvenirs
Do you take a lot of pictures when you travel? Do you look at the pictures again when you come back home?
Do you like to buy souvenirs when you travel to a new place? If so, what do you usually buy? (A souvenir is something that reminds you of a person, place, or experience.)
Dream destinations
What's a country or famous place that you would love to visit one day?
Is there a city that you would like to live in for two or three years?
Food and culture
Do you like trying new food when you travel? Can you tell me about a good experience and a bad experience you had with local food?
Do you like visiting museums, art galleries, and historical sites when you travel? Can you tell me about one of the most memorable places you visited?
What words, sentences, or phrases are important to learn in the local language before you travel to a new place?
Travel conversation questions picture exercise
You are going on vacation! Where do you want to go? What do you need to bring? What do you want to do when you are there? Use your imagination to answer the questions.
Example:
"I want to go to Italy. I need to pack my summer clothes. I definitely need sunscreen. Of course, I need my passport. Oh! When I am in Italy, I will need a new SIM card for my phone. I'm going to take a lot of pictures around Rome and Milan. Also,..."
Have a good trip!
If you enjoyed practicing your English with these conversation questions, and you would like to support my work, please consider buying one of my books. Thank you for your support! Until next time, keep learning, and keep practicing.
Related pages
How to Talk about Yourself (video lesson and quiz)