I want to go see some places my ancestors came from (Ostrobothnia region of Finland, parts of Scotland, England and Ireland, the Alsace/Baden area of France and Germany. Not all in one trip though!) I'm not looking to do a ton of research on these trips, although I would probably do some. I'm more interested in just seeing the landscape, visiting burial places, churches they attended that may still be standing, etc. Getting the feel of the place, basically, and enjoying what they have to offer today.

I am not a very experienced traveler, however, and this kind of travel would mostly be outside major tourist areas, so it's a bit daunting. I'm interested in hearing from those who have taken a trip to an ancestral area that's not necessarily a popular travel destination. How was your experience? Was it better than you hoped or was it disappointing? Was it hard to travel there? Was language a big problem outside of large cities? Anything you think I might be wise to consider. I really want to see the Ostrobothnia Finland region the most, but perhaps I should start with one of the English-speaking countries.

Looking forward to hearing whatever folks have to share!