Most people have heard about the Pokémon go craze. Basically once you download the app you walk around the streets using your phone as a guide to find Pokémon that you “capture”. It doesn’t matter what the age, many individuals are exploring places that they never thought they’d go thanks to this app. Can Pokémon Go be good to use while you’re traveling?
The Good
Users are finding themselves everywhere from the popular touristy areas to lesser known spots. It’s a great place to see a place that you never even knew about. Many people walk miles every day just to find Pokémon eggs which gives them a lot of opportunities to see new places. Another good thing about using this app is it easily allows you to meet new people with the same interest. It’s not hard to spot a Pokémon go user roaming around searching for these creatures. You might even create a lifelong friend to help you in your quest. Some cities like New York and Los Angeles have encouraged users to get together with one another and have created meeting places for players.
The Bad
One of the drawbacks of using Pokémon go on your travels is that even though it might encourage you to visit a new place, your eyes will probably be glued to your phone the whole time. What’s the point of exploring a cool destination if you aren’t even seeing it? Also, some countries have actually banned this app so if you are caught using it you could face a fine or even worse- your phone could be confiscated. It’s also important to be mindful of your surroundings while using the app. Some users have been seriously injured because they have walked into oncoming traffic, ran into things or fallen because they are too busy staring at their phones and not paying attention to the potential dangers that are all around them. If you are in a foreign country this also sets you up to potential muggings as you will be seen as an easy target.
If you do plan on using Pokémon go as part of your traveling, try to balance it out. While capturing a rare Pokémon at your destination can make for a memorable experience, remember to also enjoy the destination in other ways. Put down that phone and do some exploring that’s not centered around Pokémon as well. You’d hate to miss out on most of your vacation because you are too busy caught up in a craze that will probably be old news in a few months.
You may want to check out our post on Best iPhone Games for Airplane Mode
