We (my husband Paul and I) travel a lot. If it’s not a planned vacation, it is a work trip. Most of Paul’s work trips allow for us to add on vacation days before or after. As a perfect example, we took vacation days following a conference in London and saw a bit of Europe which made it less expensive than booking a separate trip. This is just one of the ways you can save on a vacation if you have the freedom to take your vacation before or after. But where does one begin the process? If you are a seasoned traveller, you have probably had first hand knowledge of these travel planning tips, but if you are new to travel or just want to read how I plan my trips, then read on. Many people use travel sites/agents, or friend recommendations to plan a trip. I’m writing this post to share how I go about creating the best vacation and why these steps are helpful and necessary to make a trip great. Even if you use a travel agent or book an all inclusive, these tips should help you communicate what’s important to you and give the planner guidance.

1. Who is going and what do they like to do?

2. How much time do you have to be there?

3. Consider time of year and heavy tourist season or seasonal weather conditions.

4. Gather information about your destination.

5. Book your travel and hotel well in advance.

6. Take care of who and what you leave at home. (Dog, cats, plants, mail. appointments)

7. Pack lightly and have a checklist

8. Safe travel

9. Relax and Enjoy the journey

10. Document with photos, but don’t forget to just enjoy the sights without the camera.

Who Is Going and What Do They Like to Do?

I remember the first Europe trip my husband and I took around our fifth anniversary, written about in another blog post: What I learned on that trip altered the way we would travel for the rest of our lives. We didn’t really have a plan and thought “winging” it with our Eurail pass, one small suitcase each and making decisions of what to see on the fly would be freeing. If not for some wise council along the way, we would have missed some of our favorite memories from the trip. Knowing what we both enjoy about travel has definitely helped in future trips. Paul works very hard and long hours at his job, so it takes him a couple days to unwind and relax on a vacation. Scheduling a full first day would be exhausting for him. He also likes to have an itinerary and prides himself on seeing everything on the list. I, however, am a bit more spontaneous and have no objection to a last minute detour or revision if it means I get to experience something new. Together we know we have to balance our personalities with what works best for both of us. Now if you are traveling with others you may not know as well, then I say, “good luck!” Seriously, we have had some of the best times with friends that we have traveled with for the first time, as well as groups where we hardly knew anyone. It all works out. Just know ahead of time that everyone will have differing expectations and you have to be more flexible. There will be plenty of time for you to get off by yourself or with your spouse/partner and enjoy some time doing what you want to do.

How Much Time Do You Have to Be There?

Most would love a leisurely ten to fifteen day vacation. The American dream seems to be, “I want to see it all!” We may have brought some laughter to the friends we have made in other parts of the world when we tell them our itineraries. All of Europe in 15 days! But little did we know on our first trip, that we would have opportunity to return and taking time to see each place has it’s advantages. What fun is it to be watching the clock, hoping to get to see three more cathedrals before days end? Or hike a mountain in record time so you can get to your next destination for dinner. The best planning happens when you evaluate what you want to see and do and realistically how much time you should allow to experience it. My best advice is to make a complete list of activity/sights for each day and then read up on how much time the average person takes to enjoy that experience. If you only have five days, then you might want to stay in one place and see surrounding areas verses staying a different place each night. On the contrary, we did a whirlwind driving trip with friends and covered the Southeast parts of Ireland in five days. We did stay in a different B & B each night, and had a wonderful time, but all four of us were seasoned travelers and we called it our “preview” trip in hopes of returning to explore more some day. Just be aware of what time you have and don’t exhaust yourself over seeing it all. After you have a good knowledge of time allotments for each activity, prioritize with those traveling with you and rank order what you will do each day. Keeping in mind tour times, and best light for pictures, and much needed nap time for kids and possibly adults in your group.

Consider Time of Year, Heavy Tourist Seasons, and Seasonal Weather Conditions

When should you go? If you’re not tying this trip to a set date (like a work trip), then take the time to research the best time to go for your destination. Hurricane season may not be the best time to go to the Gulf Coast, or to plan Alaska when all the excursions are closed for the season, or Europe during the height of busy tourist season and the crowds are not your thing. Prices for lodging can also be seasonal and you can avoid crowds and save a little money if you are flexible with your schedule. There is no guarantee that weather will be perfect, so plan for what you might experience. Don’t let a rainy or cold day keep you in your hotel room. Juggle your schedule and find some indoor activities. A movie, live theatre, a museum, cathedral or local shops can make a tough weather day doable.

Gather Information About Your Destination

Start with Pinterest and collect all those beautiful photos of places you long to go. Make a board for each place. Then with the help of TripAdvisor or other sites, check out their top tourist picks from hotels, to restaurants and things to do. Read some reviews and look for commonalities that match your situation: families with young children, empty nesters, honeymooners, or groups of friends. There will always be negative reviews, but don’t “throw out the baby with the bath water!” Pay attention to why they wrote the negative review and evaluate if it affects your particular situation. Unless there are multiple negative reviews of the same topic, I tend to go with my gut and evaluate for myself if it’s worth doing. Example: The Blarney Castle in Ireland. Reviews of long lines and a winding difficult staircase to the top. Kissing a stone upside down that millions of other people have kissed. Did I go for it? You bet I did! And I have no regrets. We arrived at the end of the day, with no line and the attendant let my husband and I capture more than one pic of the moment. Priceless! Another example closer to home is to wait out the storm at Disney. Florida summer showers tend to be short, so grab your umbrella or duck under safe cover if there is lightning until it passes. When the shower is over, a lot of people will have left for the day and you will be looking at shorter lines.

Book your Travel and Hotel well in Advance and Get the Best Deal

Paul is usually in charge of booking airfare and I handle lodging and any excursions or entry tickets for tours, etc. Our preferred airline is Southwest for domestic flights. They offer the ability to change your flight without any fees and you are allowed two checked bags per person free. If you travel as much as we do, you will earn enough points to gain “companion status.” I am the companion and I fly with no cost except the taxes which is about $11.00 per flight. Can’t beat that. We were able to quickly add points by choosing a Southwest Visa card as our primary credit card option. Also consider days of travel. Flights tend to be cheaper if you avoid Friday and Sunday travel when most business travelers are flying. They also say Tuesday is a good day to book flights, which may or maynot be true today, but check it out. Regarding hotels, I have booked through the hotel websites and occasionally on discount sites such as Booking.com. However, the best deals I have acquired have been by calling the hotel directly and asking for any discounts or specials. I have also leveraged a good price by asking for a price match of a cheaper rate from a competitor’s hotel. Also, if you have a preferred hotel with a point system, it will eventually pay to frequent that brand. Don’t bypass the option of an Airbnb, Bed and Breakfast, Inn or Hostel. We have experienced all of the options, and actually prefer the Airbnb to any of the others. If you do your homework: read reviews, check location, and amenities, you can experience the best stay. The advantage of an Airbnb, is that you have options of “home” including a kitchen, laundry, and the place to yourself. Again, the sooner you book, the more choices you will have.

Take Care of Who and What you Leave at Home

On more than one occasion, I have gotten to the day before we are leaving on a trip and forgotten to stop the mail. It’s pretty easy to do a “stop mail” online, but I suggest you put a reminder in your calendar the week before you leave. Also, if you have pets or precious plants that need attention, don’t forget to book a sitter or boarding option for your pet and ask a friend to water your plants. There are also some great self watering gadgets out there that may save a thirsty plant while you are gone. If you will not be reachable by phone or choose to let your email build up, it’s nice to create an auto-reply that you will return calls and email when you return. We also leave contact information with other family members or neighbors should an emergency arise.

Pack Lightly and Have a Checklist

This may be the hardest planning item on the list. Packing lightly takes some serious planning and thought, but the rewards are worth it. The key to making it work is to pack coordinating outfits in no more than two colors. Black is a staple for travel for me. Anything goes with black, it doesn’t show stains, and looks good on everyone. If you are traveling to a hot climate, consider lighter fabrics and/or colors. Always pack items that don’t easily wrinkle and are washable. You can wash halfway through your trip if it is more than a week. Don’t forget proper outerwear for the weather, including shoes, gloves, hat or umbrella if needed. At the end of this blog post, you will find my suggested packing lists.

Safe Travel

The last words we hear from our family before taking off is “Be Safe!” We all intend to be safe, but do we really take the necessary precautions. Recently my husband and I were boarding a Chicago train to get to the airport. Paul offered to carry my luggage onto the train. As I stepped on ahead of him, a man that was on the train approached my husband as he was trying to step onto the train with two bags. He did a little shuffle to get around him and another man approached my husband from behind and pick pocketed his wallet. The man on the train was clearly the distractor and they got off the train together. It wasn’t long before we started getting notifications for large purchases. They had used our credit cards in two places before we were able to stop it. Paul usually switches his wallet to his front pocket when travelling; but forgot this time. Now he keeps it there all the time. There are many common sense safety tips, and they cover many aspects of travel. I will mention a few more here: Carry as little cash as needed and consider placing it in two safe places instead of all in your wallet. Wear a passport holder that hangs from your neck and can be tucked inside clothing. Consider packing a few outfits in your travel companions suitcase and carry the same amount for them in yours. That way if luggage gets lost, there is a chance one of you will have a bag with clothes for both. Be cautious about online purchasing or browsing unsecure networks. Keep an extra photocopy of your passport, license, credit card, phone numbers and emergency contact information tucked safely in your carry on and also with someone you trust back home. Having this information when items are lost or stolen can save you a lot of time and headache. The last and most important note is to always be aware of your surroundings and if you sense danger, your instincts are probably right.

Relax and Enjoy the Journey

After the last paragraph, you may be thinking travel is not easy and there is too much to worry about. If you do your homework, and follow some simple safety precautions, there is no need to worry. There are good people all over the world that will make your travel worthwhile and memorable. Whether you are a risk taker or play it safe, there will be adventures and sites to take in no matter where you go. Relax and enjoy the journey! Let your senses take in everything! The sights, the smells, the feel of your surroundings. When we visited Hong Kong, I remember the scent of the markets and touching the Pitaya and Lychee fruit as well as seeing beautiful lily pad ponds and the incense smoke billowing out of the many temples we visited. Whether it’s sand in your toes or the chill of mountain air, make the adventure yours.

Document with Photos but Don’t forget to just Enjoy the Sights without the Camera

I love photos and the cabinets full of photo boxes and my digital storage capacity confirms that. When I’m taking photos, I try to envision the trip as a story. It has a beginning and end and lots in between. I like to take photos of where we stayed, the highlights of what we saw and make sure I have plenty of people pictures so I know whom was there and the culture we visited. It’s fun to take food pics and I also love photos of markets and local shops. From my digital photography classes, I remember to get lots of close ups and keep my focal point framed so that my eye goes to what is important in the shot. There are lots of tutorials for taking great photos. If you are not a great photographer, don’t worry. Ask someone to take the photo for you or consider postcards of the places you visit. One of my fondest memories with a camera was when we visited the Grand Canyon and I was able to take a Kodak Photo class at sunrise. It was a class to help you take better pictures of the canyon in different light. What surprised me was the time spent learning to observe and shoot not just the canyon, but the scenery behind us on the rim. If I only focused on the canyon (which was easy to do), I would have missed the deer that cautiously approached us and the rain drops that glistened through the trees or the way the trees texture was so gnarly and interesting. It was a lesson I have remembered in many iconic places. Look behind you, take the camera off your face and see the beauty with your eyes and burnish that into your memory. I usually take a few minutes to acknowledge the beauty and to be grateful for the privilege of the moment. A picture is worth a thousand words, but a memory will last forever.