It depends on the duration of the trip but overall, I like some variety and places I haven't been. I like both exploring new places and putting some structure on the ride. Often that structure indirectly helps along some goal.
My long trips (over 2 months) have all had some form of a goal attached to them, e.g. crossing a continent. That gives some overall structure to where I am headed and then I'll otherwise take things from day to day.
Shorter trips of a week or two, I enjoy going some place new and also adding enough "float" so I can make some variety along the way. Good example was my last overseas pre-pandemic ride to Guyana/Suriname/French Guyana. Terrain was flat, weather was hot/humid but it was fun coming through areas where one got the impression of not too many cyclists. After getting to Paramaribo, we stashed our bikes and took a mini-bus to Cayenne - explored the town and even saw a rocket launch take off from Ariane space port to launch satellites in orbit.