If I am not on a trip, I am usually trying to plan one!
Here are some helpful travel tips to make the most of your vacation,
big or small.
Get a book - The first thing I do when planning a new trip is buy a guide book. This is a great way to start learning about the particular city/country you want to visit. I prefer books over pure internet searching because you may not have great internet access where you are visiting, but you will always have your book to reference. My favorite travel books are Frommers and Eyewitness Top 10.
Develop an itinerary - Lay out the days you will be traveling in some form of a document. This is helpful so you can keep track of what you want to do each day. Go through your travel guide and pick out the places that you want to visit. Find the ones that are close in proximity that you might be able to do in one day and write it on the itinerary. This itinerary can be structured in a manner that is followed strictly or loosely to remind you "Oh, that church that we wanted to see is near the park where we are going. Let's see them both today." This also helps so you don't spend your time traveling to and from places all over the city in one day. Planning ahead saves time and makes your time more efficient. I always keep my itineraries for my friends as well - people ask for them a lot!!!
Search for unique experiences - Uncover what is unique to that city or country and try to experience it. For example: In Japan, go sake tasting. In Brazil, take a Samba class. In London, have high tea. Take the time to experience another culture. If you are staying within the United States, you can still do this. For example: In Baltimore, try the crabcakes. In New York, go see a Broadway show. You will get much more out of your vacation by trying new things.
Use your miles - The best way to collect miles is to always book with the same airline. Even if a ticket is a little more expensive every once in awhile, the additional cost may still be worth it if you are accumulating miles. Never use your miles for non-vacation flights. Save them for vacation! A ticket to Mexico will likely be more expensive than a ticket to your grandmother's birthday party so save the miles for the more expensive ticket. Book mileage tickets early - they do have black out days, and the earlier you book, usually the less miles needed to purchase the ticket. Also, don't be afraid to fly coach on international flights using your miles. A free ticket to Paris flying coach is better than not going to Paris - you'll survive.
Take a cooking class - I began doing this a few years ago. Not only is it a fun experience, but you truly learn about different cultures. Then, you can return home with this knowledge. I have taken cooking classes in Africa and China, and whenever I make something from one of those classes at home now, it takes me back to my vacation. These classes are easy to find on the internet - it's more common than you think and what a great memory!
Get organized - Keep a folder with your printed itinerary and other pages that you may need while away. Sometimes internet is hard to find, so don't depend on it. I always print copies of our hotel reservations and tour reservations as well. Also make copies of your passports and put them in the folder. If your passport gets stolen, it will be a lot easier at the American Embassy if you have a photocopy of your passport as you try to prove your US citizenship.
Find a place to sleep not stay - Don't get me wrong, I enjoy staying at nice hotels, but keep it in perspective to where you are visiting. If you are going to Hawaii, then yes staying at fancy beach resort probably makes a huge difference. In London, on the other hand, I doubt you will be in your hotel room that much, so don't waste your money on the Four Seasons. Also, if you are staying in a city for extended amount of time, it is sometimes fun to stay at two hotels to see more of the city. For example, in Hong Kong, my husband and I stayed on the Kowloon side for two nights and on Hong Kong Island for another two nights. It was a totally different experience at each location. If you really love to travel, get a "hotel" credit card. For example, I have a Hilton AmEx. It is my go to card that I use all the time. When we travel, we usually stay at Hiltons for free!
Keep your money - Do not use traveler's checks! Use ATMs or use your credit cards as you will get a better exchange rate. My husband and I have a special credit card for travel (Capital One doesn't charge foreign exchange fees) and a special ATM card / saving account for traveling. Only transfer the amount of money you will need for your trip into your travel savings account. This way if your card is lost and/or your account is hacked into, only that amount is lost. This happened to us in Brazil! Keep your other ATM and credit cards back at hotel in the safe just in case you need them. When you return home, transfer the money back and empty out the account. Fraud happens even after you have returned home.
Start searching - Check out all the best travel sites.
www.viator.com has amazing tours. This is a safe site that works with smaller agencies in international cities.
www.frommers.com I love their planned itineraries. These can help guide you to your own plan.
www.tripadvisor.com has great reviews from other people.
Travel Safe!
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