Planning for a trip can be overwhelming. How do you know where to go or what to do? If this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, you want to make sure you don’t miss a thing. So where do you even start? In this blog, I have broken down travel planning into four easy steps. By going through each of these I guarantee you will have the best vacation ever and will be prepared to plan for many more future trips.
Determine Length of Trip
The first step I like to take is deciding on how long I want to explore a new destination. Ask yourself, do you want to stay in a specific city, or do you want to travel to a few different cities around the country? Looking at how much PTO you have is also a deciding factor. Are you flexible and can stay a week? Or do you like to save those days and can explore in a long weekend?
Another good factor to consider is the best time to go to this location. Should you travel in the summer or winter? Off-season or peak season? If you are going in peak season I recommend adding a few extra days to explore. If there are more crowds it may take more time getting into places. If you are going during the off-season it is good to have a flexible schedule in case of bad weather.
Once you have decided how long your trip will be and what time of year you are visiting, it is time to decide what pack. Packing is one of my favorite parts of the travel planning process. It gets me hypes for my vacation! I have many packing guides including London, Iceland, Scotland, Arizona. And if you struggle with packing a carry-on, I have the perfect solution for you!
Plan Your Budget
This might be the most important step of the travel planning process. However, it does depend on your length of trip, the final destination, and how you want to travel. Meaning, are you a more luxury traveler? Do you care more about the experience rather than where you stay? These are key factors to keep in mind as you determine your budget. I am more of the experience or anything sort of traveler. But in some places, the hotel or where you stay is part of the experience.
Now starts the saving process. Once you have determined your budget, it is time to get saving! I know it can seem difficult at first, but here are a few tips to help you save!
Create a goal (and stick to it!). Meaning I will save $10 a week, $40 a month, etc to put towards my trip
I struggle with this the most, but pack your lunch and make your coffee at home! If you are eating out a few times a week or getting those lattes every morning. They can add up quickly.
Another great way to save is looking up travel deals. My Points Guy has amazing tips on how to save on airline tickets. Hotel points through credit cards is another great way to save. Plus some even offer free nights. (I personally have the Hilton and IHG credit card).
One last thing to keep in mind is, if you are traveling outside your country, what is the local currency of your final destination? Is the exchange rate higher or lower than yours? Keep in mind, there is a fee when exchanging your cash. So bring a little extra to make up for that.
Research Things To Do
I have a massive travel bucket list and so many saved destinations on my Instagram. Most times I know exactly what I want to do at a specific location. But even if I know what I want to do I always like to research places in case there is something I missed. Blogs and Pinterest are great resources when researching things to do! Look up things like unique places to visit, top activities, and bucket list things to see. I promise you will have a massive list by the time you are done reading.
Of course, I always like to look up the most beautiful spots to take photos. By doing this you can find some hidden gems. Or locations only locals know about!
Coordinate Logistics
Last, but not least: Logistics. How are you getting to this destination? Now, most of the time question one is answered either by plane or car, possibly train. Make sure you are booking those tickets in advance. (And if it is an international destination. Please make sure you have your passport and the expiration date is six months away from the date of your return). Also, do you have transportation from the airport/train station to your hotel?
Where are you staying? Research hotels in the area and book these next. You don’t want to have to spend the night at the airport. I like to contact the hotel the night before I leave just in case there are any miscommunications with the dates.
And is food and drink included? This is important to note. Because if it is not, you will need to research the top restaurants in the area just to get an idea of what is around.
Travel Tips:
A few other things to keep in mind as you are planning. The time zone of the final destination. Will you need to plan for extra time to overcome jet lag? Also, the language of the location. Do you need to learn a few helpful phrases? Do you need to download Google translate? These are so important to keep ins mind and help your vacation to be as smooth as possible.
Thank you for reading!
If you have any specific questions, do not hesitate to comment down below! Or you can email us!
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