Helpful Tips for Planning Your Trip

Trip Planning Tips

Are you ready to start planning your trip?!?

I love trip planning. I don’t find it stressful, irritating or unpleasant in any way. In fact, I find learning about new places and cultures fun, exciting and rewarding!

When I arrive in a new city, I like to hit the ground running, ready to see as much as I can. Because I show up with a basic understanding of where I am and what I’m doing, no place really feels that “foreign” to me.

It’s true that luck favors the prepared and research is your BFF.

You Can Never Be Over-Prepared

When you first start to travel, I encourage you to over-plan and be over-prepared.

As a beginner traveler, go ahead and stuff your itinerary full of exciting activities. Then, give yourself permission to cut out anything that seems less interesting once you’re at your vacation destination. It’s also fun to add unexpected surprises to your itinerary. These surprises are usually local or regional events that you stumble into while wandering across town.

While creating your itinerary, it’s to your advantage to read all you can before your trip. Travel books and blogs are a great way to start.

Phone a Friend

It’s a good idea to seek out friends who’ve been to your vacation destination. Ask them what they enjoyed and what they would recommend. It would also be helpful to ask what they would NOT recommend . . . and why.

Based on a friend’s recommendation we rented ATVs in Mykonos. This was a fun and cheap way to explore the island at our own pace. We were on a 12-day cruise with a lot of amazing stops, and our ATV day ended up being a highlight of our trip.

ATV rentals were not listed as a recommendation in any of the travel guides I read. I’m grateful my flight attendant friend offered up this recommendation.

Knowledge is power. While traveling you can never have too much wisdom.

Keep the “Know It All” Between Your Ears

It’s good for you to know everything you can about your destination, but you don’t want to come across as a know-it-all.

It’s far better to be the person who humbly “somehow” has all the answers and “appears” to save the day time and time again. Quietly show off your preparation.

I’m the Planner Amongst My Pals

I take multiple trips a year and none of the people I travel with enjoy research or planning. That’s okay with me because it means I get to have ALL the trip planning fun. During the trip planning stage, I always include activities that I know my travel pals will enjoy.

While researching, I have to constantly remind myself that I have a much higher tolerance for art than most of my friends. It’s also vital that I include activities I know they’ll love.

Trip planning requires balance. You have to keep in mind the:

• Needs of the group
• Factor in all ability levels, especially if walking is involved
• Any food issues
• Their tolerance for art/hiking/sleeping/bar hopping or whatever your trip is about

You can read these other helpful articles for suggestions on planning where and when you should go. I also have recommendations for booking hotels.

It’s Time to Make a Plan

Once you’ve got the date, time, airfare and hotels, it’s time to begin your trip research.

I always get three to four travel guidebooks (try to get the most recent edition). I usually get travel books from my local library. If I bought travel books my house would be overrun with them.

If you prefer to buy books, you can find travel guidebooks at your local bookseller or Amazon. I also like Thriftbooks.com.

Some guidebooks are available as a digital download and I will always go with the digital guidebook if it’s available. When visiting a foreign country I’d prefer to look like a regular person addicted to my cell phone than a tourist trying to decide what to do next.

I don’t rely on a lot of internet sources when I first begin trip planning. I use internet resources when I have a firm plan in place to verify I have the most updated information.

Set Aside Some Quiet Time

With your travel books in hand, get some paper and your favorite pen and set aside some quiet time when you won’t be interrupted.

Read through each travel book, making notes of everything and anything that interests you. Be sure to include:

• The days and times the sites are open

• Estimated length of visit

• How much the entry fee is

• Best time of day to visit

• Best day of week to visit

• Free Days (sometimes it’s best to avoid free days because of crowding)

• Is admission and skip the line privileges included in a City Pass

• Are pre-purchased tickets suggested

• Recommended audio guide or free English tour.

MAKE SURE YOU WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN THAT INTERESTS YOU. 

Write Everything Down . . . You Won’t Remember It Later

Please follow the “write everything down” advice. I’ve repeated it thrice . . . and for a good reason.

Obviously, I strongly recommend you get in the habit of keeping good notes.

You may truly believe that you’ll magically remember everything you read.

Trust me you won’t.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to search back through four very different travel guides, all with similar suggestions, scanning the tiny print trying to find the random “Blood of So-and-So” that’s stored in the dusty back corner of “The Church of This or That”. 

Every guidebook is written by a different author(s) and each author has different interests. If you stumble across something obscure that piques your interest, write it down because other books might not mention it. 

Start Your Own Personal Star Ranking System

I’d also recommend you start your own personal Star System that is specific to your tastes.

• ****Four stars means it’s a place you MUST visit 

• ***Three stars means you won’t miss it

• **Two stars means you’ll swing by if you’re in the area

• *One star can be a place you’ll visit if you have extra time.

Star Rankings Are a Great Guide

If a guidebook gives a site three or four stars, you should make every effort to go see whatever they’re recommending.

These high-starred places earned their sparkles for a reason. 

Treats and Eats

You should also make notes of places you’d like to eat, or treats you’d like to try.

I can tell you from personal experience that you won’t remember any restaurant names later when you’re wandering around town, starving to death.

If you get really hungry while searching for a place to eat, it’s okay to grab a bag of chips and share them with your travel pals. A small bag of chips won’t ruin anyone’s appetite, and it might help ease the hangar.

Let’s not snap at, or eat each other while searching for lunch.

In fact, while creating your itinerary, keep these helpful tips about foreign food in mind.

Make an Itinerary for Every City You Visit

If you’re visiting multiple areas, cities and/or countries on your trip, repeat this process for every place you visit. If you’re going on a cruise, you’ll want to make an itinerary for every cruise port.

Most guidebooks include a day-by-day itinerary, but I prefer to make my own. 

When you have a basic idea of what you want to do, using your thorough notes you can create a firm, but very flexible itinerary.

You’re on vacation, there’s no need to herd your friends around like cows. 

Put Must-See Sites First

If there’s something you absolutely must see or do, do it or see it as early in your trip as possible.

Must-Sees should never be the “Swan Song” of your trip. All sorts of crazy things can happen while you’re traveling. Here’s a very short list of unusual but realistic events that could wreak havoc on your trip:

• Places temporarily close for special events
• Art gets loaned out or goes through renovations
• Terrorists attack
• People commit suicide in strange places, closing the site for investigation
• Fire destroys churches
• Floods
• Earthquakes
• Hurricanes
• Volcanos
• Floods
• Typhoons
• War
• Pandemics

None of these unlikely situations should stop you from traveling. However, if there’s something that you really, really want to see make it first, front and center.

No regrets.

Free Tours By Foot

I’m a great tour guide for my travel pals, but I occasionally like to supplement our travel experience with Free Tours by Foot.

If you’re in a city that offers Free Tours by Foot I encourage you to sign up and take a tour (but ONLY if you plan to leave a fair tip. Contrary to the fancy title, these folks aren’t working for free and their knowledge is invaluable).

Because these tour guides work solely for tips I’ve found they’re fun, interesting and knowledgeable about the area and they have a passion for sharing what they love. I’ve taken these tours in many cities and I’m always happy to leave a big tip at the end. 

Rick Steves is Amazing

If you’re touring Europe and Rick Steves has an audio guide available for the city or site you’re visiting, download it and follow it. His team has put together a lot of great material, and he’s a lot of fun to listen to.

Try Something New-To-You

I encourage you to include in your itinerary experiences that are new to you, including:

• Restaurants you normally wouldn’t eat at
• Sites you would normally find uninteresting
• Unusual experiences you don’t have at home
• Visit a Turkish Baths
• Find a local hot spring
• Schedule a massage
• Have a picnic lunch at a park
• Take time to see a movie
• Go to a local sporting event
• Attend the local theater
• Go to the Opera
• Get tickets to a concert
• Sleep in one day
• Take an afternoon off

It’s fun to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Plus it’ll make for a great story to tell your friends when they ask what not to miss in Budapest.

Time to Share Your Itinerary

Once you’ve developed an itinerary you’re happy with (with estimated costs, if that’s important to you), share it with your traveling companions.

Make it very clear you want their feedback.

If they skim over your itinerary and don’t offer any suggestions, then proceed forward with the trip you’ve created.

You’ve done your part and they’re in the wrong if they complain about your trip later.

I repeat: People who refuse to help plan have no right complaining about the trip later. 

Flexibility is Key

As you proceed forward, keep in mind that it isn’t necessary to complete everything in your jam-packed schedule.

I firmly believe it’s better to over-plan. A schedule stuffed full gives you an “out” if you need some alone time, or if your companions need a break.

Also, be sure to include quiet/alone time/phone time for everyone. It’s not healthy to spend 24 hours a day with ANYONE for long periods of time.

There’s no shame in admitting we need an occasional break from our travel pals. They probably need a break from us too. Haha.

Buy Tickets in Advance

If it’s recommended to buy tickets in advance, BUY THE TICKETS IN ADVANCE.

Even if it costs a few extra dollars AND you’re scared to enter your credit card on a foreign website, these pre-purchased tickets are worth it.

Just make sure you go to the official website and not some second-party reseller.

If you find yourself cringing as you enter your credit card number into the scary foreign website, remember:

You’re going to see the site itself, not the outside of the building.

When you arrive with tickets in hand and see the not-moving line outside the world-famous building, take a picture of the line and laugh because You Won.

Buy These Tickets As Early As Possible

These are sites you MUST buy tickets in advance for if you want to get inside:

• The Accademia (Florence)

• The Uffizi Gallery (Florence)

• The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel (Rome)

• The Church of the Family (Sagrada Familia in Barcelona)

• The Anne Frank House (Amsterdam)

• The Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam)

• The Last Supper (Milan)

• Alhambran (Granada, Spain)

• Colosseum (Rome . . . although I usually buy the CityPass)

City Pass

Most big tourist-heavy cities offer some version of an All-Inclusive Skip-the-Line Admission and Transit pass, usually sold in 2-day, 3-day or 5-day passes.

If money is a concern and you have a little time, it would be beneficial to compare the prices of the sites you plan to visit with the price of the CityPass. Even if the pass is a little more expensive, or the cost breaks even, I’ll buy the City Pass simply for the convenience of skipping to the front of the line. (I’m a flight attendant, I’m always searching for a Crew Line.)  

Planning Your Trip is Fun, Enjoy the Process

I hope as you’re developing your itinerary and learning about the culture and history of the place you’re about to visit that you feel excited, inventive, bold and full of adventure.

Take the time to plan your trip, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, don’t take it for granted.

Thanks So Much for Visiting!

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In fact, while you’re here take your time and poke around the site, see if there are any other topics you’re interested in. If you have any questions or see any typos, please let me know!

If you’re wondering what prompted me to share my travel knowledge, check out the About Me section.

I’d love to hear about your travel experiences, good and bad. We’ll all be better travelers if we learn from one another. 

The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, these awesome photos came from Unsplash.