Decide Where To Go

You can’t do much vacation or traveling planning without first knowing where it is you want to go. What do you want to see? What do you want to do? Will this be international travel or are you just going to a mountainside town a few hours out of the city? Are you dreaming of a tropical Florida escape or are you planning a wedding in New Orleans? The whole point of taking a trip is to make memories and to have fun, so be sure you’re picking the destination that feels the best to you. Ignore the Instagram pictures of Suzie’s trip to Paris if you’d rather go to somewhere like Costa Rica and adopt a raw food diet or something. Be you, is what we’re saying, and stay away from travel trends that don’t actually appeal to you. If you want to experience luxury in your vacations, consider luxury villa rental companies like St Martin Villas.

Plan Your Budget 

Once you’ve got the basic ideas covered, turn your vision into a reality and start planning your budget, and set a practical time for this trip to commence. Find hotel deals that work with your budget but don’t stop there. If you know you’ll need 5k to make this happen, how long will that take you? What percentage of your paycheck are you setting aside for this experience? You really need to plan out the financial end of things carefully. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you’re coming up short.

Determine Your Timeframe

How long do you plan on being away? Is this the kind of destination that’s worth staying for a month (or two) or are you happy with a few days away just to check out that amazing bakeshop you heard about? Establish the time limit that makes the most sense to you and your finances before committing to a travel package that might not work for you.

Who Are Your Traveling Partners?

Unless you’re traveling solo, you’re going to want to consider the preferences of those you plan to travel with. If you love camping but your wife wouldn’t be caught dead sleeping in a tent, maybe reconsider your destination, or see if turning this into a boys' trip is more ideal. 

What experiences are you looking for?

Do you want to find yourself relaxing on the beach, hiking up an ancient trail, or exploring the nightlife of a busy city? Look for the destinations that match your mood and plan your itinerary accordingly. 

Prepare For the Worst

What if your flight gets cancelled or the car rental falls through? You need to have the financial backup and the ability to take care of yourself if you find yourself in tricky situations. Always keep a portable charger with you so that you’re able to contact someone for help if you get stuck. 

Traveling requires planning and there is really no way around that. If you want your trip to be amazing, follow these steps wherever you go. All adventures are unique, but they truly require the same planning process to work. You need time, money, and a disaster preparation kit ready to go before you book a flight and head out somewhere new. The sooner you get your ducks in a row the sooner you’ll set foot on that sandy shore.