As summer quickly approaches, we find ourselves returning to some sense of normalcy after 2020. People around the world are getting vaccinated and many states are lifting travel restrictions so we can travel more. We’re so excited to travel again and our first trip is to Hawaii! This will be our first visit there and we’re going to Kona, the Big Island.
As we prepare for our trip, we are reminded about our past travels. We’ve visited so many places since our first time out of the country together in 2013/2014 when Long proposed to me in Paris. I have a story about how Long tricked me into carrying my engagement ring on the plane on my journey to meet him in Germany, but that’ll be a post for another time.
For our honeymoon, we went to Costa Rica (loved it!) and for Long’s 30th birthday, we visited London, Budapest, Amsterdam, and Iceland. We had so much fun, we were sure to capture every moment. You can check out our travel videos on YouTube.
If you’re wondering how to plan a vacation, check out these helpful travel tips.
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25 Top Travel Tips to Plan Your Next Vacation
1. Start saving money now
I’ve heard it before from friends who wish they could travel but say they could never afford it. If travelling is something that you really want to do, then make it a priority for yourself. As a priority, you can make it a part of your budget. Budgeting is more than just bills, you get to have the fun stuff too!
In our household, we find joy in making memories with our friends and loved ones. And some of those memories include travelling. We make travelling one of our saving goals every year and set a savings goal of $5,000 for our next vacation. If you want to do more travelling in your life, start saving money now while you look for your destination and activities to finalize the final costs.
2. Shop around to find the best prices
Travelling costs will add up quickly without realizing it so any way you can find the best deals on literally anything will work in your favor. Here are some of our favorites that we use all the time to find the best deals!
Google Flights
We like to use Google Flights as a starting place and set up a search that will notify us for the cheapest flights. If you’re feeling adventurous and don’t have a set place in mind you can even explore destinations, select a date and Google will show you destinations and prices all around the world.
SkyScanner
Another popular choice among travelers is SkyScanner. This is another great tool to use if you want to travel anywhere around the world and their results will populate prices and locations for a specific date or for a whole month.
Rakuten
Rakuten or formerly known as Ebates is a free site where you can get cash back from businesses that you already shop at! We’ve been using Rakuten since 2011 for all of our online purchases. If you download their browser extension, they’ll even alert you which websites will give you cash back and how much.
Trip Advisor
Trip Advisor has come a long way from just reviews from travelers. They teamed up with Viator and you can find some great deals for activities during your stay! I love this website for looking up things to do and places to go. This is a place you can get cashback using Rakuten.
Groupon
This is another way to save on deals for restaurants, activities, and even vacation packages. Signing up is free and you can purchase a deal for a percentage of the cost. If you haven’t tried it before, check it out to see what deals you can save on your trip! This is another place you can get cashback from Rakuten for your purchase on Groupon.
Costco Travel
If you’re a Costco member, you can benefit from their Costco Travel section and get some pretty great deals on their vacation packages. A friend of ours booked this Hawaii trip for a family of four including flight, accommodation, and car rental for less than $5,000.
To get this great deal, she booked it around the Black Friday Shopping special. If you have the Costco Credit Card, you will get 4% cash back on all travel related expenses. We’re all about saving money in this household!
Local Travel Websites
This one will require a little more research by looking up “things to do in ____________ (fill in the blank),” and you could find local websites that have free travel guides for your destination and even offer packages and special discount cards.
3. Book directly with the business
When you’re researching flights and accommodation through certain multi search engines such as Google Flights, Expedia, and even Hotels.com, we like to compare the prices directly with the company (United Airlines, Marriott Hotels, etc.). If the price is the same or cheaper, we tend to book directly with the business. This will guarantee any potential refunds and better customer service when you work directly with the business.
We stayed at a hotel that we booked through hotels.com once, and our rooms didn’t have hot water for 1-2 days and the hotel couldn’t comp us anything since we booked with a third party company.
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4. Research travel restrictions and requirements
Wherever you’re traveling, it’s a good idea to check any potential travel restrictions such as area closures, health exams, vaccinations, etc.
For our upcoming trip to Hawaii, although we’re vaccinated for COVID-19, they are still requiring their visitors to test negative 72 hours before boarding our flight to avoid the 10-day quarantine.
5. Save money by skipping the fancy hotels
Ultimately, it’s your trip so do what works best for you. In our experience, we are hardly in our rooms because we’re busy exploring the area. We try to aim for accommodation that’s at least a 3 out of 5 star rating and also read through the reviews before booking. We generally don’t need all the fancy things that higher rated hotels have. If it fits within our budget, that’s what we go with.
Don’t overlook the hostels! We stayed in a hostel for three days during our visit to Prague and it was great! It only cost us $10/night per person!! I was scared at first but we stayed in a 4-person room with our friends. Staying in a hostel is a great way to meet new people and save money during your stay.
6. Consider alternative accommodation
When you’re booking a package deal or searching on travel websites, it’s easy to just book a hotel. Don’t forget about the other places that you can stay. Not only do hostels make a great affordable option, but there are also homes and rooms you can rent out during your stay.
Websites like Airbnb or VRBO are great places to find a room with a host or a private house to yourself with a full kitchen and living space. Sometimes you can find great deals on here that are the same or even cheaper than a hotel.
If you’re feeling adventurous, why not reserve a couple nights on a campground. Some campsites and $20-50 a night and is a great way to explore the natural area if your a nature lover!
7. Decide on the type of activities everyone wants to do
Depending on the destination, there will be different activities to do in the area. Some places can be known for their amazing street food, while others are overpriced and you’re really there for some outdoor fun (ahem, Iceland). When you’re researching your attractions, get a feel for the types of activities that may interest you and your travelling companions. I really like using Trip Advisor for this.
8. Make a list of must see/do and nice to see/do attractions
While you’re researching different attractions, start making a list of all of the potentials. It doesn’t mean you’ll do all of the things but it will help you go back to the list later to compare the different attractions so you can make your final decision.
Whenever I’m researching attractions, I like to use google sheets as a way to organize everything. I like to know the location, hours of operation, any costs associated, and a hyperlink to the website. This document will be helpful for your travelling companions to click through the list and everyone can rate their level of interests.
9. Look for free tours, events, and museum days
Don’t forget all of the free stuff you could see! Just like your own hometown, I’m sure wherever you’re travelling there is a free local event or attractions you can go to. I like to visit the city’s websites for these. Think “Events in Downtown Denver,” or looking through other local event pages. If you’re looking at a museum, check to see if they offer free days or offer free entry for certain ages or students.
10. Make restaurant reservations
You won’t need a reservation for everything, especially if you’re just exploring the area and happen to stop by the nearest local eatery. But if there’s a restaurant that you really want to try or is known in the area, be sure to make a reservation. If you’re travelling with a large group, reservations are highly recommended so you and your crew aren’t waiting 2 hours for a table!
11. Plan an itinerary and map your routes
When all of the attractions, restaurants, and events are listed down, start planning out the itinerary for your trip. Planning out your activities during your stay will help keep you organized for the most efficient travel and help you stay on track for the must see items on your list.
Mapping out your route will give you a more realistic idea of travel time and how long you may have at each attraction. It may be fun to also see the map of your route at the end of your trip so you can share with your friends all of the cool places you’ve seen!
12. Check the weather
This may be so obvious, but not everyone does this. The weather can impact your daily activities and how you plan your whole vacation. As it gets closer to your trip make sure to check the weather so you can be prepared. Whenever we pack, we bring a few different jackets to cover our basis. Choosing clothes that you can easily layer up on will make your packing attire more versatile and reduce the bulk from that one down parka jacket that you save for that snow storm. Unless of course, that’s what you look forward to on your trip.
13. Leave time for free-roaming and exploring
Planning an itinerary is great, but make sure to leave some time blocks for free roaming and exploring. You might find hidden gems where you’re going that aren’t found on any traveller’s guide or websites. Do what the locals do and just walk around the area and enjoy where you are! These time blocks for free-roam are also great opportunities for your travelling companions to spread out and do whatever they want to do.
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14. When travelling in large groups, remember this trip is yours too!
As we’ve grown older, we appreciate traveling in smaller groups and if we travel in a large group, we don’t always do the same things. By making it very clear at the beginning of the planning process that everyone is welcome to do what they want, your travelling companions can choose to join on some of your activities or venture on their own.
There may be some activities where the whole group may come together and others where they branch out and explore the things that they want to do. Remember, this means that you get to do the things that you want to do too without someone saying they don’t want to!
15. Get your personal affairs in order for when you’re away
Before you can really start enjoying your hard earned vacation, make sure to get all your business in order before you leave. If you have pets that won’t be joining you, find a reliable pet sitter to watch your furbaby; check out rover.com. Same thing goes for your little humans who can’t join you. Leave behind any information for contact, emergencies, and leave cash to cover their care.
When we’re preparing for a trip, we share our itinerary with our family members so they know exactly where we’re going and for how long. They can also check to make sure our planes have landed safely. If you’re going international, it’s a good idea to have a photocopy of your identification (IDs, passport, etc.) with someone you trust. You never know what can happen when you’re away, so it’s good to be prepared.
16. Make a packing checklist
When you have finalized your itinerary and activities for your trip, you begin to think about packing as time gets closer. I know we always forget something while we pack for a trip or we’ve broken something from our last trip that needs replacement. As you’re packing for your vacation, check all of the items you are bringing to make sure they’re in working order.
It also helps to make a list of all of the things you’re bringing. Making a packing list will not only help you stay organized, but when it’s time to come back home, you can check your list again to make sure you didn’t forget anything! Check out this packing checklist that you can use for your next getaway!
17. Use packing cubes
Packing changed when we started using packing cubes. It’s a game changer when it comes to organizing and compartmentalizing all of your things you want to pack. With packing cubes, you don’t have to deal with messy clothes in your luggage from the tossing around at the airport and through the luggage return. You can buy a set of cubes for an affordable price with a variety of sizes. We only bought one set and now after packing for this trip to Hawaii, I wish we bought one more. It’s especially helpful to keep all the ladies undergarments together and the silky blousy tops from sliding around.
18. Prepare entertainment on the way
If your travel time is going to be more than a quick nap on the plane, you’ll get pretty bored without some type of entertainment on the way. You can bring a deck of cards to play with your travel buddy, bring a good book, pre-download an audiobook or even a movie to your phone. Did you know that you can download movies and shows from web streaming services like Hulu?
Try Audible Premium Plus and Get up to To Free Audiobooks, click here for a free trial!
Long likes to load his phone up with a ton of music that he can listen to on our flights. Personally, I like to binge watch my favorite tv shows or maybe a good Asian soap opera!
19. Make trip details and reservations easily accessible
If you’ll be in an area where the internet might be spoty, print out any trip details or reservations you have so that you can refer to them when you need them. You can also take screenshots on your phone for easy access. Same goes for any maps you might need. Although some rental cars may have a GPS included, if they’re in another language it may be harder to get around the area.
20. Download offline maps to your phone
Sometimes going old school with printouts can be cumbersome, so before we travel anywhere we always download an offline map to our phones. We have android phones so we use Google Maps. Downloading an offline map is easy and you should do it when you have good access to internet service. We zoom into the area that we need and also download surrounding areas for when we’re traveling to different places. This has been a lifesaver when our phones had zero cell reception.
21. Share your location with family back home and travel companions
Sharing your current location is for security and for letting your travel buddies know where you are when they’re done with their free roaming. We did this with our friends during our Eurotrip in 2018. It was really helpful to see in real time where everyone was so we could find a nearby meet up area. When you’re travelling internationally, this is a big safety plus. We might be overcautious, but when you’re in another country it doesn’t hurt to be safe!
22. Don’t sweat the small stuff
Travelling can be really stressful. Especially right up to the day when you’re about to leave the house. You’re high strung and worried you might have forgotten something, only to remember the thing you forgot when you get to the airport. You might find yourself arguing with your travel buddy over little things that really just don’t matter when you think about this vacation you’re going on. Whatever it is that is ticking you off, let it go. You don’t want to bring all the bad energy with you on your vacation.
23. Start your day early to make the most of your vacation
Remember when I said that a vacation is more running around than anything? If you want to make the most out of your trip, start the day early so you can get ahead of your day. If you finish it early then you can always head back to your hotel room and take a nap. Also, start your day earlier, earlier in the travel week. Near the end of your vacation if you’re feeling tired you can sleep in a little for some rest but at least you made the most of your trip.
24. Take lots of pictures
There are two kinds of people when it comes to travelling. Those who don’t take any pictures because they want to just enjoy where they are in the moment and those who just capture everything. At the end of a trip, those who didn’t take the pictures are thankful for those who did.
When you’re looking back at your photos, you’ll be reminded of what took place during your stay. As a hobby photographer, I love taking photos and on our vacations, I am the “travel photographer,” and our travel companions are also so grateful to have those memories.
25. Find that special memento to remember your trip by
This may seem cheesy, but instead of going to the nearest souvenir shop to pick up anything just for the sake of bringing something home, find that special piece. As a tradition on our travels, we like to find a Christmas ornament from the places we visit and we also pick a postcard. We mail the postcard with some of the highlights from our trip and send it to our home address. By the time we get home, we’re greeted by it and already reminded of the fun that we had on our vacation!
Conclusion
Planning a trip can be stressful. You start with searching for “things to do in ____________ (fill in the blank)” and you peruse through the list of attractions and activities. You reach out to friends who have been there and scour social media. You look at cost and timing. You schedule what you want to do on what day.
We certainly like to pay for experiences and creating memories, but if you aren’t ready for such expenses, it can trickle down into your future finances. We like to set aside money every paycheck so that our travel expenses are more manageable. If you need help saving for future travel, check out our budget planner.
Here’s all the tips without the commentary! Enjoy!
- Start saving money mow
- Shop around to find the best prices
- Book directly with the business
- Research travel restrictions and requirements
- Save money by skipping the fancy hotels
- Consider alternative accommodation
- Decide on the type of activities everyone wants to do
- Make a list of must see/do and nice to see/do attractions
- Look for free tours, events, and museum days
- Make restaurant reservations
- Plan an itinerary and map your routes
- Check the weather
- Leave time for free-roaming and exploring
- When traveling in large groups, remember this is your trip too!
- Get your personal affairs in order for when you’re away
- Make a packing checklist
- Use packing cubes
- Prepare entertainment on the way
- Make trip details and reservations easily accessible
- Download offline maps to your phone
- Share your location with family back home and travel companions
- Don’t sweat the small stuff
- Start your day early to make the most of your vacation
- Take lots of pictures
- Find that special memento to remember your trip by
Wishing you a Little Peace of Happiness on your next get-away!
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