How to Drink Enough Water When You’re Exploring a City

Traveling makes for long days. I want to see as much as possible in a city. But where in the heck do I go to the bathroom? 

It almost feels like you have to dehydrate yourself in order to make it through sightseeing. I’m here to say you can stay hydrated with some smart thinking!

Five tips for drinking enough water while traveling:

If you’ve explored cities outside of a road trip, you know it’s complicated to just drink enough water and find a toilet. Maybe you’re dehydrated from flying on an airplane. If you care about your health at all, you want to drink water. If this post makes you uncomfortable, try to remember: we all need “the facilities” and you might learn a new travel tip here.

1. Plan your day the night before.

Walking around and taking various forms of transportation often takes you far away from your hostel or hotel for several hours at a time. 

Even if you don’t know where you will end up in the city, plan out what time you will start exploring the next day. 

Will you leave the hostel early in the morning? Will you be eating packed snacks until you go out to dinner? Will you go back to the hostel to shower midday?

Bottom line: You want to chug some water an hour before you will be near a restroom.

If I’m only going to a restaurant once a day (backpacker’s budget!), then I will drink a lot right before I arrive and while I am eating there.

If I’m not leaving my hostel until 11 am, I will get up at 8 am and drink 8–16 oz of water. That way, I can do what I need to do before I leave for the day.

This is not an obvious concept for someone who is new to backpacking or traveling on a tight budget. Don’t underestimate planning out simple moves.

2. Drink a lot of water at night.

Don’t be afraid to change your routine. When we’re at home, we can drink water whenever we want! We don’t have to strategize like we do when we’re, say, backpacking. 

I assume you are sleeping somewhere with a bathroom, so instead of drinking water all day, drink a lot of water before bed.

If you’re saying, but Sam, won’t I have to wake up to pee in the middle of the night? Umm, yes.

You have to change your routine if hydrating is important to you. You will still sleep enough hours. Just pretend you have a newborn baby, and it’s your bladder.

3. Spend $2 more per day.

Some countries have “public” restrooms that cost money. Those cities might have designated free toilets as well as paid toilets. The paid toilets are often much cleaner. If there is a choice, I’m telling you, you want to pay (especially if you are a human who prefers to sit down).

My favorite country, France, is a country that has both choices in some cities. I have used a free toilet there. The one I used was a tiled square on the floor with a drain. Can you imagine? I’ll say one word: splashing. 

Never mind a lady’s rule to not sit on the seat. There is no toilet bowl! When you gotta go, you gotta go. Now, I prefer using these tips. 

Those who can stand, you can read about France’s history of public urinals here.

Note: If you pay for a toilet in Europe, there probably will be a bowl but no seat anyway. The concept of a public toilet seat is considered unsanitary.

My first yoga teacher, Cat, made this squatting analogy whenever we did chair pose.

4. Delay buying snacks or coffee.

Oftentimes, when backpacking on a tight budget, you stop at a grocery store when you arrive to grab snacks that will last you several days. 

I’m going to say something weird: Don’t buy everything at the grocery store. 

And I don’t mean you have to go to restaurants constantly. I mean, when you’re exploring a city, don’t buy a snack or coffee until you need to use the toilet. 

Wait to drink coffee?! Believe me, I understand. But, you can delay drinking coffee a couple of hours until you need a toilet from your morning water or until you know where your next restroom stop is (since coffee is also a diuretic).

If you have a tight schedule or budget but you need to…relieve yourself, stop at a cafe to buy a coffee or snack. Use their restroom while you are there.

5. Wet Your Whistle.

I always carry my own water bottle. It’s convenient and it saves me money. 

If I’m thirsty, but I will not be near a toilet soon (planned out from tip #1!), I will only take a couple of small sips. It doesn’t quench my thirst, but it quiets my thirst until I am free to glug-a-lug. 

I hate carrying things, by the way. I want to be hands free. When you drink a little throughout the day, you have the added bonus of lightening the weight of your bag as the day goes on.

In all seriousness, what water bottle should I carry?

Sometimes I buy the tallest water bottle at the grocery store and keep filling it up in the hostel sink. Why? A tall (and not wide) bottle fits better in my bag. I can even let it stick out of the top zipper, while leaving room for my other belongings inside.

When I am able to pack it, I prefer to be sustainable and bring my own small mug. I can keep hot or cold drinks in it, sealed with a tight lid. Of course, remember to dump out the liquid and store the mug away if you are getting on a plane.

I hope these tips help you stay hydrated during your next backpacking trip!

Much love,

Sam