Vacation! Who doesn’t love to take a vacation? Whether a vacation from the office or a planned vacation with the family or maybe a girls getaway, vacations are always exciting. You can go to a place you have never experienced or go back to your favorite destination again and again.
If you are like me, when I hear the word vacation; I think of relaxation, leisure, and longed for destinations. But not planning, and not being prepared can bring about the unexpected which could easily bring that relaxing and beautiful destination vacation to a screeching halt in an instance.
5 Helpful Tips to Remember when planning your next Vacation!
Tip #5:
Know exactly why you want to visit this location. Before you book a trip to your next vacation destination, talk to friends, to your coworkers, even your neighbors. Don’t be afraid to Goggle or read reviews on Trip Advisor of your desired vacation spot. Be clear on exactly why you want to vacation in the location. Will you be taking your family or is this an adult/couples only vacation? Are you traveling in a particular time of year, are you going for the weather? Are you looking to relax poolside with an umbrella drink or will you be cramming in all the sightseeing adventures the vacation and budget will allow?
Knowledge is the key to being in control and knowing what activities are offered for everyone; the best time of year (for perfect weather, or maybe more budget friendly (seasonal) rates) and to whom the vacation destination caters to go a long way. Is the vacation destination flexible with your travel schedule? Is it all-inclusive or do you need to plan all the excursions? Knowing the answer to these questions will help with your research and ultimately the best vacation experience.
Tip #4:
Research your Destination. Do your research! Now that you have asked all those important questions and have the answers (hopefully), you are ready to begin the research phase. I can not stress enough the importance of knowing what to expect on your vacation to keep it as stress-free as possible. If this will be a family affair, call the hotel/resort to ensure the hotel is able to meet all your family’s needs. Maybe you will need a crib, or a local babysitter for several evenings. Will you be staying in a Condo or in a Hotel Room? What are the free and up charge amenities of your lodging? Will you need transportation such as a car or maybe it would be more affordable to Uber or maybe the Hotel offers a shuttle service to a local visitor attraction. You will need to ensure these accommodations are available; and at what cost. Don’t forget about the seasonal rates. Many popular vacation destinations will have peak seasons and off-season rates. If you are flexible in your travel dates, research what season has the better rates (and are less crowded) for a more enjoyable (and less expensive) vacation. Often times, by simply asking the resort directly for their rates or any discounts they are offering (such as a AAA Membership, or Hotel membership perks, or Costco Memberships) can save you money with those discounts.
Also, don’t be afraid to use Google and social media sites for additional research. After all, most vacation destinations offer the same activity by many different companies and varies price ranges; but always read the fine print. Bottom line is by doing your research, you might just save you loads of savings.
Tip #3:
Stick to a budget. Nothing can crash a vacation high more than going into debt over a week or two in paradise. If you truly asked yourself all those questions above and were honest about the answers, did thorough research in step four then sticking to a budget should be easy. When looking for excursions or a visitor attraction, find a company that offers the right price without compromising the fun (but remember to always read the fine print). Many destination resorts or hotels will offer discounts for persons staying with them as well as make recommendations for your price range and your comfort level. Look for online discount offers, and exploring such discounts of travel associations you belong. AAA and Costco Travel are great resources as well to not only find less expensive adventures and excursions but they are also a great resource for your questions.
I am a firm believer that you can still have a great vacation, enjoy all the adventures you want to do and still stay within your set budget by planning ahead
Tip #2:
Book early (Plan, Plan, Plan). When you can book far in advance, often times you can upgrade rooms at the same price. The key is knowing your accommodations policies. In addition, most often the cost to rent a car or book airfare increases the shorter time period between booking and your actual travel dates. With all your research and knowledge of the vacation destination, it makes it easier to begin planning/booking your excursions as well. If traveling to a popular tourist location, many of the excursions sell out fast. Most companies will allow booking about 6 months before the actual travel dates. Knowing this date is key as I will then pencil in my (calendar) planner (and for the phone calendars, set an alarm on that date) to remind me to call for a reservation. Most likely you will be required to provide a credit card number to hold your reservation, but will not be charged until time of service or redemption. It is also wise to know and understand their cancellation policy or change in reservations policy. This can make for an unwanted expense that could have been avoided. Also when you book in advance, this allows you the flexibility to adjust {and be in charge of} your vacation as needed.
And the #1 Tip:
Pack Light and Pack Appropriately. Yes! This tip far outweighs tips #3, #4 and #5. Doing your research, knowing your destinations and staying on budget will all assist you with packing accordingly. Remember you are on vacation. So why do you want to also be in charge of countless luggage too? Most finer vacation destinations offer some sort of laundry facilities which will allow you to wear an outfit more than once and if planning accordingly, mix and match outfits so they are not exactly the same. Most of the other people on their vacation will likely never see you again so they won’t care what you were wearing or that they noticed you had the same shirt on three times during your trip. Chances are they wore the same clothes more than once as well.
Also be aware and mindful of the weather patterns of your vacation destination. Is it the rainy season? Do you need a sun visor/hat for the hot summer rays? Do you really need to bring ten pairs of shoes for a seven-day trip? Depending on the type of vacation you are planning, you will be wearing the same two pairs of shoes for the duration. Also, if you are flying, remember the airlines charge for luggage over their listed weigh limits {be sure to check your airlines for their restrictions}. Ask yourself if there are items you can purchase once you arrive. If traveling with your family, think about such items as sunscreen, toothpaste, shampoo; it might just be more practical to purchase these items when you arrive. Maybe utilize the mini travel size containers and the travel/trial size toiletries you can purchase for smaller needed items.
Overall, we you have done your research, know your reason for visiting your desire vacation destination, and planned accordingly, all else will most likely fall into place.
Travel on and Sharon the Moments.
