Planning a trip can be an exciting but overwhelming experience, especially if you don’t know where to start. Once you have the right tools mastered, this will come second nature, and it will be one less thing to worry about!
We all have seen at least one social media post and said ” I wish I could go there!” but oftentimes we’re not even sure where to start. This article will hopefully help guide you in the right direction to your next destination.
The world is so vast, and there are so many places to explore, and with these many options, sometimes it’s hard to choose just one.
1. Explore Your Top Destinations
There are so many places to travel to, but try to make a list of your top destinations. Are you the type to relax on a beach and sunbathe? or do you prefer to hike up and soak in the beautiful views?
- Would you rather travel a short distance? (max 2hr flight) or are you willing to take. an long-haul flight for that dream vacation?
- Consider the total cost of flights, lodging, food, and activities. You may want to write these notes in a document or use a travel planner to help compare and contrast.
2.Research Flights
My first piece of advice when booking a flight is to book directly through the airline. I say this because if you come across any inconvenience, they (the airline) can be sure to clear it up depending on their policies. If you book through a third-party vendor then their hands are tied and will re-direct you to them to deal with the situation.
I myself have booked through third-party vendors and haven’t ran into issues, but just make sure to keep your options open.
- Be Flexible: As you know, the more flexibility, the better the prices. Play around with dates/times to see what suits you and your family best. Avoid peak seasons, and try to book in advance.
- Night Owl gets the worm? Shop around for fares late at night, specially on tuesdays/wednesdays. Typically you can find better deals.
- Join Loyalty Programs: There’s usually no fees associated with joining an airlines rewards program, so why not give it a try and take advantage of their possible deals.
- Choose Another Airport: If you can, be linient when deciding what airport to fly into/from as this can result in better fares.
- Compare / Track Fares: I’ve used the following and they have really helped me score great deals. (scott’s cheap flights, Hopper, google flights)
3. Book Your Stay
There are a few things to consider when booking your stay. Are you planning to stay solely at the resort to enjoy your vacation on-premises? Or is this a place to rest your head for the night.
- By all means, if you want to stay in the all-inclusive resort, then shop around for the best deals and make sure they offer all the amenities you are craving for!
- If you are traveling with a group, it’s always best to rent out an AirBnb and split the costs amongst everyone. Not only will you have a great time in the apartment, but you can also save some money on making breakfast, to go sandwiches, or have dinner there at least once.
- Something we always look for is if the premises have parking since the majority of the time we rent a car wherever we go.
4. Book Transportation
It’s important to know your method of transportation once you arrive at your destination.
- Book in advance: ALWAYS aim to book ahead whenever possible, please don’t wait until the last minute. Several times we’ve gotten stuck without a car, or they only rent (manual cars) which thankfully Brian knows how to drive.
- International license: Not all countries require this, but when we tried to rent a car in Barcelona, we ran into this hiccup. Thankfully, we had an updated one.
- Map it out: If you plan to travel by public transportation, familiarize yourself with the routes/schedules so you don’t find yourself stranded.
- Be sure to have a backup: Be sure to have a back-up. When we arrived at Chania airport in Greece, it was past midnight. There were no taxis standing around nor any dispatcher. It was almost deserted. Thankfully we found a woman leaving her shift and she was kind enough to call a taxi company. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication, and she gave him the wrong address. He got really angry when we told him that was not the AirBnB and started driving recklessly back to the correct place. We learned our lesson for sure.
- Ridesharing: Uber/Lyft are not always available everywhere, but there are plenty of other options. Familiarize yourself with their ridesharing apps and download them ahead of time to be prepared.
- Charger cable: This is one of the best tips I can give. Remember to bring a charging cable (USB-A as these rentals are not the latest models) along with a car charger port.
5. Plan Your Itinerary
Some people like to wing it on vacation, while others visit 10 places a day and are on the go because of FOMO. By some people, I mean me. It’s okay to be either or both regardless try to have a list of places to go or an itinerary to make the best of the trip.
- Make your own: Research top spots to visit, hidden gems, best local restaurants, etc. Make a list of these and book reservations if needed. Plan your day-to-day but leave some room for error and it’s okay if things don’t turn out perfect, enjoying your trip is the priority.
- Book Tours: If you don’t know where to start or feel it’s too overwhelming, you can always book tours. This takes some weight off your shoulders, and you can focus on the trip.
6. Prepare For Your Trip
Having worked in the aviation industry, I cannot stress how important the following tips are so you can have a smooth-sailing trip, or at least try to.
- Passports/Visas: Please go to your country of destination’s government website and ensure your passport and visas are all up to date. Be sure your passport is VALID within the timeframe they mention or else you will run into issues.
- Travel Insurance: This covers you during those unexpected events, so it’s always good to be prepared, especially if your trip is full of adventure and adrenaline.
- Stay safe & informed: You can look up travel advisories for almost everywhere you go, but I think it’s best to dig a little more either by word of mouth or forums and research about areas that can be questionable.
- Purchase an eSIM: I have a t-mobile which has luckily given me data almost everywhere I’ve gone, but if your cellphone carrier doesn’t offer international services, make sure to purchase an eSIM or see what available options they have.
- Pack light: As a flight attendant, I’ve learned how to travel with one carry-on rather than two checked bags for a 5 day trip. See my packing guides for more tips. And no, you’re most likely not going to wear three outfits a day and 5 different pairs of shoes on a 3-day weekend trip, but you can still be cute mix’n and match’n!
