Whether it is for pleasure or business, traveling can be a lot of fun. It can also be more than a little bothersome. Planning for transportation, packing and finding a place to stay can add up and become incredibly stressful. Here are a few helpful tips to ease the burden a bit.
Don’t over-schedule your vacation. While it is important to plan some activities, especially ones which require tickets or additional travel, leave yourself plenty of free time. There is no better way to see a location than to just wander around. Take the time to explore and see where you end up.
If you’re going to be travelling by air, make sure you don’t put any valuables or electronics in your checked luggage. Luggage handlers aren’t known to be gentle and any electronics may end up damaged during transport. Airlines are also known to lose luggage and you don’t want to take a chance of losing something valuable.
Packing your suitcase smarter will enable you to bring more fun! The best way to maximize space in your luggage is to lay an item flat and roll it up. Roll as many things as you can and fit them closely together. Stuffing socks and underwear into your shoes will save you even more space.
If you have plans to travel, the most important preparation you should do is make a checklist of everything you need from toiletries to extra articles of clothing. Before you leave, make sure that all of these items are packed because most likely if you forget something, the gift shops available to you will overcharge for simple things such as toothpaste or shampoo.
If you are traveling overnight or into the early morning, get your doctor’s permission to take a sleeping pill after you board. Eat your breakfast and then drift off to dreamland, and you’ll sleep comfortably through the whole flight. Wait until you are airborne to take your pill though, in case your flight is delayed or must return to the gate.
Call the airport ahead of time to receive your seat assignment. Without a seat assignment there is a chance that you might be bumped from a flight. If this happens, you could find yourself stuck in the terminal waiting for the next flight. This could take several hours.
If you want to bring back souvenirs with you, make sure you take an extra empty suitcase. You should also research ahead of time if there are any restrictions on certain products, such as alcohol. You might be allowed to bring home with you only a certain quantity of food and beverages.
Show your loyalty. Even if you are only planning to stay one night, if your hotel has a loyalty program, it can be worth it to join. In addition to additional amenities, such as garment pressing or free meals, a guest who is perceived as a loyal customer is less likely to be chosen if the hotel is overbooked and needs to cancel a reservation or needs to substitute a lower quality room.
To save money when booking flights, see if you can fly to or from an alternate airport. Airlines often charge much less for different routes, so check out all your options to see which one is the cheapest. Even if you have to rent a car, it could still be cheaper to fly into a different airport.
There are many large families that would like to travel to popular vacation destinations, but are afraid they cannot afford it. You can book trips with time sharing and save money each year by already having the lodging. If you plan trips when gas prices are low, you will also save money on your travel expenses.
When going on vacation with younger kids, try to get a room where it would be easy to eat in. This will make it easier on you and the kids. After a long drive to the destination, the last thing they want to do is sit still and eat. It is nice to be a bit free, even during meal time.
If your destination has a visitors bureau, call them at least three months before travel to inquire about coupons or special packages. To attract more tourists, many of these locations have made deals with local attractions and service providers to offer steep discounts and special rates to visitors. You can save a lot of money and plan your time accordingly.
When taking a long road trip, it is important to know where the service stations are. During these long road trips you may go for an extended period of time before encountering a service station if your car should need one. If this is how you decide you wish to travel, ensure that your directions are planned early, you flag locations where repairs can be made and you give a copy to someone not going on the trip. You can then retain a list of contact numbers on your person so that you can handle these situations more easily if anything happens.
Check out different travel blogs that have articles or posts dedicated to your destination. Asking the blogger for some inside tips on the area is a great idea if they’re willing to cooperate with you. Also, let your friends know where you’re going on Facebook, Twitter, or any other networking sites. They might have advice for you too.
Always be sure to bring an extra shirt with you on the plane when you are traveling with a baby or toddler. It is easy to remember to bring one for your loved one, but you never think of one for yourself! In a confined space like the plane, you never know what kind of an accident could happen, so it is good to have something else to change into.
Hopefully, these tips have given you something of value – or at the very least – something useful to mull over. Above all else, it is important to stay safe while traveling. Aside from that, try to just push the stress aside and have fun. Enjoy!
