12 Must Know Steps For Planning Your Next Vacation

You have decided you want to get away and take a relaxing vacation, maybe to a tropical island or maybe just to New York City for a little fun and retail therapy? Planning a vacation can be the hardest part and if you haven’t got all your plans set up just right, the fun vacation could become a glum vacation very quickly. If you are not good at making all the plans for your trip yourself, you could visit your local travel agency. However, if you really want to save money and stick to your own budget, there are many sites on the web that offer great advice on different destinations, as well as help picking out accommodations. Let’s rundown some easy steps you, as the tourist, can set up yourself.

12. Checklist

Sit down and make a checklist of the things you need to do in order to set your trip up. Keep this checklist in a safe place and refer to it often. Checking off the tasks as you succeed in making them will make planning the vacation much less stressful and help keep everything well organized.

11. Destination

It’s all about where you end up. Picking the destination for your vacation is probably the biggest part of setting up the plans for your trip; it’s the main focal point of all the rest of your plans. There are plenty of ways to pick your vacation destination, the number one suggestion would be to research different places you would like to go and pick from there.

10. How Long

Do you know how long you will be on vacation? This is important to figure out, how much to pack, how much money to bring, and many other important things that will depend on the length of your stay.

9. Costs

After picking a destination and deciding the length of the trip, you should research to get a general idea of what things cost in that particular area. If you are planning an international vacation, the currency will be different; you will need to know how to switch monies to the correct currency.

8. Saving

You may have money already saved for your trip, but it never hurts to save up until the very day. Instead of spending your money on unnecessary wants, try putting your extra money into a vacation piggy bank.

7. Book it!

You should now have your destination, how long you will stay, and an idea of how much money you should take with you. The next thing to do would be to go ahead and book in advance. At least make it a month, maybe more in advance, in case you run into unexpected setbacks. You may find a better deal later and want to cancel and reschedule. Always keep an eye out for online deals.

6. Travel Insurance

This is a tip I’m going to throw in after the book it tip, because, you will probably be asked in advance when purchasing your hotel, flight ticket, and rental cars if you would like to buy travel insurance? This is one that will be totally up to you the traveler. Some people are all for spending the extra cash for the insurance, especially if the trip will be a long one. Some travelers do not want to spend the extra money to purchase the insurance for fear it will decrease the amount of spending money while on vacation. This is an optional tip; it will be up to you.

5. Activities

You are all set as far as reservations and how long you will stay, as well as a basic knowledge of what things will cost. You should now plan some activities that are in your budget. No doubt your destination location has lots of different places to explore and things to do; picking things to do while on vacation is the fun part of setting the trip up.

4. Keep positive

Keep in mind the wonderful time you will have on your vacation. Keeping the conversation going with your family and friends about all the fun you plan to have on your vacation, and talking about all the things you plan to do while on vacation, will keep your spirits high after the stressful part of making all the plans are finished.

3. Housesitter

You have set up the vacation and it’s about time to take off. Wait! Don’t forget about the plants and animals. Make sure you have a trustworthy friend or family member to come by on a daily basis to feed the pets and water your plants. Don’t forget the mail piling up; have your trustworthy friend or neighbors leave it on the kitchen table.

2. Packing

Have you packed the right clothing and the right amount for the duration of your vacation? It’s now time to concentrate on doing so and advisably a couple of days before the trip. Check the weather forecasts in the location you will be in so there will be no surprises. It never hurts to get the car packed up the night before; you will want a cleared mind in order to rest easy with no last-minute running around the day of your send-off.

1. Checklist

We started with a checklist and you should end with your checklist. Double-check if you have arranged everything on your list. Did you make any changes to your initial checklist? A lot of times we will add or delete things from our list as we plan, so double-checking your list would be a good idea. If you are all checked off and ready to go, there is only one last thing to do…Enjoy Your Vacation!!!

Pick your destination, save your money, book your flights and activities, follow these few easy steps, and have a wonderful vacation. These tips are easy but very efficient in planning a vacation. However, if you feel you need a little more help, consult your local travel expert.