It’s almost that time of year. The time of year, where people grab their suitcases, bathing suits, and find their way to the beach. Vacations can be the ultimate relaxation session, or they can send you into a blind panic. How will I pay for this? How will we get there? How much should I pack? Where should we go? These are all valid questions, and below I’ve listed my top six tips to make your vacation a little less stressful.
Photo by Sai Kiran Anagani on Unsplash
1. Research your Destination – “Everyone is going to ___ I want to go too” Great! But did you do any research about that location? A simple google search, will tell you what the weather is like, local attractions, and their best restaurants. You want to thoroughly research these topics, especially if your traveling in a group. Everyone is going to have different tastes, and without research it could be a disaster.
2. Choosing your Transportation – Now that you’ve selected a destination, it’s time to decide how to get there. There are several different modes of transportation that I will discuss below:
– Plane: Flying is usually the fastest route to your destination but it’s definitely not the cheapest. I would recommend using websites like kayak.com or skyscanner.com. These websites help you find the cheapest flight for your time of travel. Southwest Airlines also often offers cheap fares. Remember airlines increase prices during peak times of travel. These peak times including the middle of summer, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Memorial Weekend. Also if you do fly, this means that you will have to rent a car, when you arrive, depending on your destination.
– Car: Driving is not the fastest option, but it can be the cheapest way. You do have to consider gas as a factor. Like with airlines, gas prices increase during peak times of travel. You will need calculate the distance of travel, and how much gas that will cost you. The bonus to driving, is that you have a vehicle when you arrive. This will make nativagting your trip that much easier. Also note that most hotels charge you for parking on their property, so add that fee to your budget.
– Train: There are still several destination where you can get their by train. It is a slower option, but can be exciting. You can buy an upgraded ticket, where you have your own room on the train.
– Bus: There also several busses that will take to popular destinations such as New York, City, Atlanta, and Orlando. This of course depends on where you are leaving from, but this could be an option. It’s much cheaper, but just slightly uncomfortable. You will be on a bus for several hours, with strangers, in tight spaces.
– Uber/Lyft: If you’re planning a Staycation, and are going to a destination just a few short hours away. Uber and Lyft could be an option, but cannot accommodate long distance of travel.
3. Packing – This is probably the hardest part of going on vacation. Remember to check the weather for your weak of travel. If it’s hot during the day, it does not mean it will stay that way. Bring extras of things like shoes, jackets, and bathing suits. It’s okay to overpack, especially if you’re going to unfamiliar location.. If your flying, check the weight limits of your suitcases, and note how many checked bags are allowed.
4. Deciding Where to Stay – This can make or break your vacation. You want to be comfortable and relaxed while your there, so research is key. There are several options of places to stay, that I will list below:
– Hotels – Hotels can be wonderful, if you want a work-free vacation. Somebody is there to clean-up after you, and all you have to is relax. There are also several amenities such as pools, free wifi, free breakfast, and spacious rooms. There are several hotels where they have shuttles that will take you to local attractions. This will all depend on the hotel you pick, and what is the budget you are working with. The downside to hotels is that not every hotel has free wifi, breakfast, or free anything. The food at hotels can be expensive, and not that great. Again, there are many hotels that charge for parking. If you need help finding a hotel websites like priceline.com or hotwire.com can help you find cheap rates for your days of travel.
– Airbnb – Airbnb is websites that offers short term leasing or renting of homes. This can be a much cheaper option than hotels. You simply enter your destination in the website, it will show a list of homes near that location. You can rent that location for up to certain number of nights, and the home is essentially your home for that time. The downside to this is that these homes don’t often provide as many amenities as hotels. You will have to cook your meals unless you eat out, some of them don’t have pools, and not everyone offers wifi. Some people just don’t like the feel of staying in someone else’s home, which is okay too.
5. Attractions – Vacations are all about having fun. The places you travel too, will usually have several options for you to enjoy. People tend to only focus on major attractions, but there are several other local attractions to enjoy. People think Orlando, they think Walt Disney World. People think New York City, they think the Statue of Liberty. There are so many other things to do in these locations, without spending an excessive amount of money. The best thing to do is ask a local “what is one thing I should do while I’m here?” They will give the best advice, and you might end up doing something you never considered.
Remember that vacations are about having fun. I know that the planning can wear on you, but try to enjoy it. Hopefully, these tips will make your vacation a little smoother.
Featured Photo by Vicko Mozara on Unsplash