Trip Planing using ChatGPT

We recently returned from a seventeen-day driving tour of the Gaspé Peninsula. It’s the first time we have been there.

In preparation for the trip I used ChatGPT to identify sites to visit, and hotels to stay. I asked it the following questions:

• Which are the popular locations in the Gaspé Peninsula?
• What are the historical locations?
• Are there any archeological sites?
• Which are some of the most highly-rated resorts?
• What events take place in early June?
• What is the history of the Gaspé Peninsula?
• Can you list the areas known for their natural beauty?
• Where can I find the best cliffs?
• Which are some of the picturesque fishing villages?
• List the historical sites dating back to 1500
• List the archeological site in the area
• Are there any UNESCO sites in the Gaspé
• How does one get to Bonaventure Island?
• Are the any hotels on the island?
• List the Lighthouses in the region
• Summarize the tours and attractions on Bonaventure island
• Where is … ?

As I have noted in other posts on the use of AI Chat Bots, there is alway a question of completeness, and with travel, one might add currency. Having said that, the questions above help me identify candidate locations to visit. This list was then refined, based on our interests, and sorted by location. I then drafted a schedule that included each candidate. My intention was to provide a rough guideline rather than an unmovable itinerary.

In general, I think the tool provided a good starting point for planning purposes. However, while most of the sites we planned to visit where open, many restaurant and other seasonal services were still closed. Therefore it would have been a good idea to ask questions that would uncover when seasonal services open and close. Regardless, based on our travel experience, I don’t think it missed anything important.

The results of such tools are completely dependent on sources available through the internet. I don’t think the tool uncovered anything more than what I would have found using regular search tools, but it did summarize the potentially hundreds or thousands of results into fairly concise replies, which tended to make planning easier.