People often ask me how I plan my adventures. "Do you use a travel agent?" "How do you know where to book everything?" "How do you know if a source is reputable?" Realistically, it is easier than a lot of people think to plan a trip. There are so many valuable resources out in the internet universe nowadays (this blog for example 😉).

The guide below is intended to hopefully ease your concerns, answer all questions, and help you plan your ultimate bucket list getaway! If you have any specific questions that aren't answered below, feel free to contact me here.

Booking Flights-

Ah... the dreaded process of booking a flight. Full disclosure, I don't even like this process, it stresses me out 😂. That being said, there are several tips and tricks that I find helpful in making the process a little easier. These tips are also geared towards finding the most cost effective flights.

• KAYAK -- I am a huge fan of using Kayak to book my flights. I've often found the best prices on this site after comparing the same flight on other sites.
  • ➡ Kayak offers a price alert feature. You can sign up with your email or phone number, and will be alerted of any price changes (decrease or increase).
  • ➡ Kayak will advise on when the best time is to buy your ticket based on price and previous trends.

• If you are traveling multi-city -- If you are doing a multi-city trip (traveling to several cities, not a direct or round-trip), DO NOT automatically book those one way or multi-city tickets offered on the booking site. Fun fact, you can often save some $$$ by booking a round-trip to (1) or each of the cities you are traveling to. No one will know or care that you don't show up on the return trip plane.
  • ➡ example; Say your trip looks like this: New York City --- Chicago --- Los Angeles. Even though you are not returning to New York, consider looking at round-trip flights from New York to Chicago. Believe it or not, sometimes these are cheaper than a one way ticket.

• Flexibility -- Unless you have a hard set itinerary, try to be flexible with your travel dates. Often times, simply changing your departure/arrival dates by one or two days can save you hundreds.
  • ➡ Kayak has a drop down option when you select your date on the calendar, which allows you to +/- up to 3 days from your selected date. They will then automatically filter the flights, and offer you the best flight/best price combination.

Finding a Place to Stay-

So, I'm going to be honest. For the modern traveler, personally I feel that the day of the "hotel room" is over. There are so many rental properties available now. In most cases, they are comparable in price to a hotel room, with much more amenities and space available. All in all, using an online booking source such as Airbnb or Vrbo are much more worth your while.

• Airbnb -- this is my personal go to. I pretty much always book my stays through here.

➡ Sometimes, people are uneasy about booking an Airbnb, or feel it may be unsafe. Here are some of my tactics for solving this. Utilize the filters on the site or app. I always filter the rentals by "Super Host". There will be a verified badge on their user profile, meaning they were research and certified by Airbnb. They are experienced hosts with extremely high ratings. Also, read the reviews. Previous guests will often review the location in addition to the place itself. This should give you an idea of the location and surrounding areas.

➡ Airbnb also allows you to apply various filters such as price, and even certain amenities you might be looking for (such as a hot tub!)

➡ Price point --- as mentioned previously, the price for an Airbnb stay is typically comparable to a hotel stay, if not cheaper.

➡ Using Airbnb for the first time?? Use this link to get $65 off of your first stay!

• Be sure to book well in advance, as popular rentals will book quickly and you may not get your first choice!
• As with most things centered around the tourist industry, be cautious when booking around a holiday, as prices may be inflated.

Packing-

You might be wondering why I included a section about packing in here.... Believe it or not, packing efficiently for a trip is something that people often struggle with. I hope that the few tips below can help you when you are ready to dig out that suitcase for your next adventure!

Organization:

• Lay items out on a surface (floor, bed, table, etc.) prior to putting them in your suitcase.

➡ This helps you to see everything at once, and also helps ensure that you do not forget anything.

• If you travel often, or are OCD with your organization in general, it may not be a bad idea to invest in a suitcase that fits your needs. There are many out there, but I personally love my Away suitcase.

➡ The Away suitcase offers various sizes. Their carry-on bag comes with a rechargeable battery pack for charging your electronics on the go.

➡ The Away suitcases are also separated into (2) compartments. One side is primarily meant for clothing, and the other actually zips shut to keep loose items (such as shoes) in place. It's a really neat design, and makes packing/organizing SO much easier. It is a hefty price point, but one of my favorite purchases. I encourage you to take a look at their website! (click here).

image courtesy of Away.com ^

Over/Under Packing:

• If you utilize the "lay-out" method that I mentioned above, this makes it easier to see everything at once and eliminate as needed. Remind yourself how many days you will actually be away for. Go through each day in your mind and make up an outfit for that day. Envisioning your trip in your mind will help determine whether you have enough, or too much, and will help you adjust as needed. Don't just frantically toss a bunch of stuff in without thinking! 😫 (unless of course you are late for your flight....in which case well...may the odds be ever in your favor 😉).

Carry-on vs. Checked Bag:

• There are two major things to remember when considering a carry-on bag in addition to your checked bag;

➡ They are NOT always free of charge.

➡ Think about your destination. Will there be someone to help transport both bags? Will surfaces be smooth or will you have to walk over rocky/uneven surfaces? You want to make your getaways as stress free as possible, so be sure to think ahead when packing your bags. Weigh the pros and cons of having additional luggage. When I traveled to Peru, I unfortunately had not thought about the road surfaces. They were very uneven, and there were a lot of steps. In hindsight, I would have been better off packing a duffel or large backpack.

• Always double check the size and weight restrictions of the specific airline you are traveling with. Tip for checking how much your suitcase weighs -- weigh yourself on a scale. Then, hold your suitcase and weigh yourself again. Subtract your individual weight from the weight calculated when you held the suitcase, and you will have your total (approximately) suitcase weight! 🙂

• Always pay for your carry-on ahead of time if you can. Some airlines really take advantage, and will charge you an astronomical fee.

Activities & Excursions-

Last but not least, one of the most important parts of trip planning. What will you do when you get there?? Often times, people already have an idea of why they are traveling to a specific destination, and may already know what they want to do. However, sometimes people choose a trip based solely on the destination, and plan activities afterwards. SO...how do you plan activities and excursions, and how do you know that your sources are reputable? Well, let's dig in to that a little more. ⏬

• One of my favorite resources to utilize when planning a trip is Tripadvisor.

➡ Tripadvisor is a great starting point to search for pretty much everything and anything related to your destination. They offer general travel advice, things to do both outside and inside, and dining. Along with their activity suggestions are ratings and reviews by traveler who have already been there. It's an awesome way to gauge and decide what would be best for you.

• Do your research. If you are ready to book an excursion or activity, look for reviews and make sure you are booking through a reputable source. Be aware of people who create fake websites just to scam people for money. This has thankfully never happened to me, but I have heard some unfortunate stories. Just be aware and use your best judgement. 😊

• One thing I would like to add is don't feel like you need to have everything planned and organized. Some of my best trips have been when I leave some days completely open and just wander around. If you have a set itinerary or schedule, you remain so focused on those items that you become blindsided...and you end up missing some amazing opportunities. Don't be afraid to go out and explore without a plan. You never know what you may find.
  

Overall when planning a getaway, you want it to be as stress free as possible. I hope some of these tips are helpful to you, and of course if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Happy adventures! 🍻