The questionnaire
Every question we ask, before you pay us anything.
A custom guide is only worth $29 if the questions behind it are better than the ones a template asks. So here is the whole form — all 40 questions and 148 answers, exactly as they are put to you, with nothing held back for after the sale.
How it works, and when you fill it in
You answer this after you order, not before — it takes about three minutes and almost all of it is tapping. It saves as you go, so you can put it down and come back. Nothing on it is required reading; the questions marked optional genuinely are.
Two things worth knowing about how it is built. Nothing is a 1–5 importance scale. Asked to rate how much food matters, everyone says it matters a lot, and a question everybody answers the same way tells us nothing. So the form makes you choose between two concrete afternoons instead, and both of them have a catch. And the questions about taste ask what happened, not what you prefer — what you actually did the last time a menu was unreadable, rather than the traveller you would like to be. The two answers are often different, and the first one is the one that makes a guide you will use.
This is the live question set, version 5, published in full. If you would rather see the other end of it first, the finished sample guide is free too — no email required.
The 40 questions
Grouped the way the form groups them. Nine steps.
First, the basics.
Most of this we already have from your order — just check it's right.
Your first name
So your guide isn't addressed to “traveller”.
Email
Where your guide lands. It's also how we keep your answers if you stop halfway.
Where are you going?
City, region, or a few stops — whatever's true.
For example: Whitefish and Glacier, Montana
First day of the trip
The real dates matter more than you'd think — half of what we check is season-dependent.
Last day
Getting there, and the first day and the last.
All optional, and all of it changes more of the guide than it looks like it should. Roughly is fine — you don't need the booking in front of you.
Where are you setting off from?
A city is plenty — or the airport code, if that's easier. If it's complicated, leave it and we'll write the journey without assuming one.
For example: Seattle, or SEA, or Vancouver BC
What time of day do you get there?
A band is plenty. If it isn't booked yet, say so — that's a real answer and we'll write day one to work either way.
- Overnight — we land early — Off a red-eye, in before breakfast, probably wrecked.
- Morning — There before lunch.
- Afternoon — In and settled by late afternoon.
- Evening — In around dinner time.
- Late night — After nine — day one is getting in and going to bed.
- Not booked yet
And on the last day, when do you leave?
Same again — the band, not the flight number.
- Very early — Before eight — up in the dark.
- Morning — Out before lunch.
- Afternoon — A slow last morning, then off.
- Evening — A whole last day first.
- Overnight — A night flight — the last evening too.
- Not booked yet
Know the exact times? Put them here.
Only if it's to hand. The two above are enough on their own.
For example: land 9.40pm Thursday, fly out 6.05am the next Wednesday
Where you'll be based.
This is what decides how far afield we can send you.
Have you sorted somewhere to stay?
- All booked
- Some nights booked, some not
- Not booked yet
Whereabouts?
Hotel name or just the neighbourhood — either is plenty. We never publish it.
For example: Downtown Whitefish
One base, or moving around?
- One place the whole time
- Two or three bases
- Moving most nights
How will you get around?
Pick up to two.
- Rental car
- Our own car
- Trains and buses
- Mostly on foot
- Taxis / rideshare
- Bikes
- Haven't decided
How far from where you're staying is worth going?
This one changes the guide more than almost anything else on here.
- Walking distance — If we can't walk to it, we're probably not going.
- A short ride — Twenty minutes or so, door to door.
- Anywhere in the area — Forty-five minutes is fine if it's worth it.
- We'll go out of town for it — A drive or a train, and a whole day if needed.
How the days should run.
Two taps.
How much fits in a good day?
Numbers rather than adjectives, because everyone thinks they're “balanced”.
- One main thing — And the rest of the day left open.
- Two things — One in the day, one in the evening.
- Three or four — Moving between them, but not running.
- As much as fits — We'd rather come home tired than miss things.
And how much of it do you want booked in advance?
- Book everything — We want to know where we're eating each night.
- Book what needs booking — The rest stays open.
- Book almost nothing — We'll decide when we're there.
This or that.
No wrong answers, and they tell us more than anything else on here. Go with your gut.
One free afternoon. Both of these have a catch.
- The thing the city is famous for — Expect a queue and a lot of other visitors. Worth it anyway.
- The neighbourhood nobody told you about — Twenty-five minutes out, and you'd never have found it.
The morning.
- Up early to beat the crowds — Worth it. Every time.
- Slow start, we're on holiday — Plan around a 10am us.
You've got one evening left.
- A long dinner — One place, three hours, no rush.
- Out seeing things — Eat somewhere on the way.
What you're into.
Pick three to five. Constraining it is the point — everything selected is nothing prioritised.
The things you'd actually be glad we found.
Three to five.
- Food and eating out
- History and landmarks
- Art and museums
- Architecture and design
- Nature and scenery
- Hiking and the outdoors
- Water and beaches
- Wine, beer and spirits
- Bars and nightlife
- Live music and shows
- Markets and shopping
- Spa and wellness
- Sport and live events
- Things the kids will love
- Wandering good neighbourhoods
On a good day, how far are you happy to walk?
- A mile or two on the flat is plenty
- A few miles with some hills, no problem
- All day, big climbs, bring it on
It rains for a whole day. You'd rather…
Every guide gets a wet-day page. This decides what's on yours.
- Museums, galleries, anywhere indoors
- Eat and drink our way through it
- Shops, markets, browsing
- Spa, hot springs, pool
- Go anyway — we've got jackets
Food.
The part most guides get wrong, so we ask properly.
What's a normal dinner out for you on this trip?
Per person, food only, before drinks and tip. Not a budget — just where you'd naturally land.
- Under $20 — Counter service, taquerias, noodle shops, the good bakery.
- $20–35 — Solid neighbourhood places.
- $35–60 — A proper dinner out.
- $60–100 — The better end of town.
- $100 and up — No ceiling on dinner.
And how should the week feel?
- Casual all week — Good food, no fuss, no dressing up.
- Casual, with one or two special — Most nights easy. One night booked properly.
- Go big — The eating is a main reason we're going.
Last few trips: when you didn't recognise anything on the menu, what usually happened?
What actually happened, not what you'd like to happen.
- We found somewhere with food we knew
- We ordered something recognisable from the menu
- We asked what was good and ordered that
- We ordered the thing we'd never heard of
One night you'll want a break from what's local. Which way do you go?
Optional — “stay local” is a real answer.
- No break — keep it all local
- Italian
- French
- Spanish or Portuguese
- Greek or Balkan
- Middle Eastern
- American, barbecue or steak
- Mexican or Latin American
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Korean
- Thai, Vietnamese or South-East Asian
- Indian or South Asian
Anything we have to work around?
Tap everything that applies — there's no limit on this one. It's a hard filter, not a preference: we won't send you somewhere that can't feed you.
- Nothing at all
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Pescatarian
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut allergy
- Peanut allergy
- Shellfish allergy
- Fish allergy
- Egg allergy
- Soy allergy
- Sesame allergy
- Halal
- Kosher
- No pork
- No beef
- We don't drink
Who's coming.
Most guides ignore this. It changes almost everything.
How many adults?
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6+
Any children?
- No
- Yes
Roughly what ages?
Tap every band that applies.
- Under 2
- 2 to 4
- 5 to 7
- 8 to 12
- 13 to 17
Anything else that changes what we should suggest?
Tap everything that applies — no limit here either.
- Nothing to work around
- We can't walk long distances
- We need places to sit and rest
- Stairs are a problem
- Wheelchair or mobility scooter
- We'll have a pushchair
- We do better away from crowds and noise
- We eat early
Is a dog coming with you?
- No
- Yes
How strictly should we stick to dog-friendly places?
Three levels rather than a yes/no, because in a lot of towns the best picks are not dog-friendly and 'only' would quietly shrink your guide.
- Dog-friendly only — If the dog can't come in, we're not going.
- Prefer dog-friendly, not required — Flag which ones are, and keep the best places on the list either way.
- No preference — we'll work around it — We can leave the dog at the rental.
What do you need us to find for the dog?
Tap everything that applies — no limit.
- Somewhere to stay that takes dogs
- Restaurants, patios and cafes that take dogs
- Dog parks and off-leash space
- Walks and trails that allow dogs
- Daycare or a sitter for a few hours
- The nearest emergency vet, just in case
- Getting around with a dog
Anything about your dog we should know?
Size, temperament around other dogs, how long they'll tolerate a restaurant — whatever would change what we'd send you to. Optional.
For example: 70lb lab, brilliant with people, hopeless with other dogs. Fine under a table for an hour, not two.
Two questions a template can't ask.
Then you're done. These two do more work than everything above combined.
Anything still to book?
If it's all done, say so and we'll leave the booking pages out entirely.
- Nothing — it's all done
- Somewhere to stay
- A rental car
- Trains or transfers
- A big one — tour, permit, timed entry
When do you need it?
- Standard — Within 48–72 hours. Included.
- Rush — Under 24 hours, $9.99. Tick this and we'll email you a link — nothing is charged here.
The best meal you remember from a trip — where was it, and what made it good?
Any trip, any year. It doesn't have to be fancy and it usually isn't. Skip it if nothing comes to mind.
For example: A tiny place off the square in Seville — we sat at the bar, nobody spoke English, and they just kept bringing things…
What would make this trip a win for you?
However you'd say it to a friend. Vague is fine — “not to feel rushed” is a genuinely useful answer.
For example: Honestly? One dinner where nobody looks at a phone, and my dad getting to see the park properly before his knees give out.
Anything else? Anything at all.
Optional, and genuinely open — including “you never asked me about X”. If the form missed something that matters to your trip, this is where it goes.
For example: We’re celebrating my mum’s 70th on the Thursday. Also she can’t do stairs, which I don’t think you asked.
That is the entire form. If something about your trip does not fit any of it, the last question is a blank box and a real person reads it.