Tips for planning the trip of a lifetime
Pick what type of trip you would like to take - Domestic, international, National Parks, beach, new city, etc. Unless you have a specific location you would like to visit, there are an endless amount of destinations that you may be interested. Try to narrow it down with picking one of the above and run with that idea.
Be flexible with your dates. If you have kids in school, try to utilize all summer to get the best deals for your tip. Often times the first two weeks in June are very expensive along with holidays. Spring/fall break are always more busy and expensive to travel if you’re going to a typical tourist destination. Try to think outside of the main tourist areas to get a better experience.
If flying, try to look at destinations that you can fly into International airports. There are usually more flights a day, direct flights, and you can usually save on flights. If this is not an option, we often do “reverse planning” where we look at the best deals for that specific location then plan our trip around those travel dates. It does not work for everyone but it is something to look into.
A quick Google search will usually give you a lot about that particular place and/or area. Websites like TripAdvisor will give you a list of items that are most famous wherever you may be going.
Pick your hotel or stay based on others reviews. I know many people like the name brand Hotels, especially when going abroad, but we like to look at the reviews over anything else. Just because you have not heard of the Hotel does not mean it is not a fantastic stay. Utilize hotels.com or similar website to get ratings of hotels and trust the hundreds of people that have stayed there before. We have not really had a bad experience with this logic.
Once you have the large items finalized - flights, hotels, activities - make sure you finalize the small details as well… Will you need a rental car? Where will you park at the airport? How will you get from the airport to the downtown area? How will you utilize cell service if going abroad? There are a lot of logistical items that could make traveling much easier if they are figured out before you leave.
Lastly, enjoy the planning stage as much as possible! There is so much to see, smell, taste, and enjoy in this world and planning is the first part of that excitement. Take your time, don’t get overwhelmed, and enjoy knowing you are getting closer to another great trip!