plan a trip yourself

Solo Traveler

Solo travel tips, destinations, stories... the source for those who travel alone.

The Ultimate Solo Travel Guide: Travel Alone & Love It

January 4, 2024 by Janice Waugh

What is solo travel? After 15 years of traveling solo, I've concluded that it is two things. Solo travel can be done independently or on a group tour. Essentially, solo travel is when you leave behind everyone you know and embark on a trip. Independent solo travel is when you plan and navigate the travel yourself. Group solo travel is when you join a tour or cruise alone. Both provide the unique experience of exploring the world without family and friends who have expectations of you. It's about discovering who you are when no one (that you know) is looking.

Traveling alone delivers access to the world in ways that other forms of travel don't. It is an essential mode of travel, at least some of the time.

However, not everyone takes to it naturally. Some worry about traveling solo. There are concerns around loneliness, safety, and more.

While we have hundreds of articles on the site that get into the details of how to travel solo, here, in one place, is the ultimate guide for those who want to travel alone. The tips in this post will help you have the best experience possible. They will help you travel alone and love it.

If you are traveling independently, read on.

If you plan to go on an organized tour, don't miss our page of tours with no or low single supplement . It's updated at least once a month and if you'd like to receive it via email you can sign up here .

Table of Contents

Why You Will Love Solo Travel

When you travel alone, you travel on your terms. You get to do what you want, when you want. You can connect with people if you wish or avoid them completely. Those are the obvious benefits for going solo as a traveler.

But there are many benefits of solo travel that affect your whole life. The experience encourages you to stretch and grow as a person. You gain confidence and get better at problem solving. You understand yourself better, become more independent, and become a more interesting person.

For more, read Why Travel Solo? 15 Reasons Going Alone Makes Travel Better . Now, let's get on to the ultimate solo travel guide.

Your Guide for Planning to Travel Alone

Planning a solo trip takes a bit of time and thought. To cover everything, this would be an extremely long article. Instead, I'm pointing you to some of the basic planning posts on Solo Traveler. There over 600 posts on Solo Traveler. This just takes you to the ones that cover the fundamentals.

• Solo Travel Planning Guide with Trends, a Checklist, and Insider Tips
• Solo Travel Safety: 50+ Proven Tips to Keep You Safe
• Carry-On Packing List That Makes Sense: Traveler Tested
• Best Accommodation for Solo Travelers
• A Complete Guide to Travel Insurance for Solo Travelers
• Eating Alone Is Easy When You Know How

Ultimate Tips to Travel Alone and Love It!

Let's get into the experience of traveling alone.

For some people, enjoying a solo trip comes naturally. Others have to work at how to travel alone. Most who do, fall in love with it. Here are a few things you can do to ensure a great solo adventure.

1. Visualize the trip you want. It's all about you.

Start thinking about the opportunities that are present when you travel alone long before you leave. Is it down time you really want? Build that into the plan. Are you after a creative travel experience ? Research the opportunities before you go and then dream on them until you get there.

2. Gather firsthand knowledge before you go. Personal stories tell you more.

Talk to people who have already traveled to your destination. Doing this was so incredibly helpful when planning my trip to Patagonia. At the time, no amount of research helped me plan the logistics. Talking to people who had made a similar trip gave me insight into the travel options and tips on how to avoid the mistakes they had made. Use your social network to find people. Join online meetup groups based in your destination. Find expat groups at your destination. By talking to people you will learn more about things to do as well as things that are not really for you.

3. Learn to chat with strangers.

Starting conversations with strangers can be a challenge, especially when you're an introvert like I am. However, these conversations can be trip-changing, if not life-changing. There are many skills that can be developed for this and one is never too old to learn them. In fact, it was only when traveling alone after my husband passed away that I learned how much I had grown and taken on the techniques of an extrovert. I learned that I could talk to strangers easily.

4. Tap the experience of the people you meet. Get current information.

As a solo traveler, you'll meet more travelers and locals than those who travel with a partner. Ask a traveler about the best thing they've done so far or a local for the best hidden gem restaurant in the area. The people you meet and the advice they offer will greatly enrich your trip.

5. Be flexible with your plans. Opportunities arise!

When suggestions or opportunities arise from these chance encounters, be flexible enough to act on them. There are times when flexibility must reign and the schedule should be thrown away. I do this most often on road or rail trips.

6. Don't over-plan. You will absolutely need relaxing time.

Managing your travels yourself takes more energy than if you are with someone else. It is important to have extra time in your itinerary to wander a market leisurely, linger over a coffee at an outdoor café, or take that trip into the mountains you hadn't considered.

7. Be patient. Take time to settle in and learn how the city works.

It can be difficult arriving in a new city alone. Take your time. Take a day to relax, watch the city function, and settle in. Read Solo Travel Confidence: How to Be Strong, Capable, and Safe .

8. Explore your destination at different levels. Gain different perspectives.

In London, it's natural to take the Tube. However, riding on the top of a double-decker bus gives you another perspective on the city. But you still wouldn't want to miss the Tube as it's an experience unto itself. My point is, explore the city in as many ways as possible: on foot, by bicycle, via public transit. Take a taxi and talk to the driver. Rent a car and learn what it's like to park or drive on the opposite side of the road. Every mode of movement offers new perspectives.

9. Take in local events. Get to know the daily life of a culture.

Whether it's a street festival or a sporting event, these are opportunities to rub shoulders with locals, offering insight into the culture and, potentially, fun conversations. Events made for tourism will not be as successful for this as events created by and for locals.

10. Be proactive if you’re unsure of yourself.

Ask for help. Standing around looking dazed will not get you where you want to go and it may get you noticed by the wrong people. Go ahead, smile, and ask for help. It's one of the fundamentals of staying safe as you travel solo .

11. Eat locally! Discover the culture through food.

There is nothing like exploring the local cuisine. It gives you a new path into your destination's culture, history, and geography. There is always a reason, historical or geographic, for a specific cuisine that can be explored through your tastebuds and your mind.

12. Shop where the locals shop.

Are you into home renovations? Then a hardware store in another country could be quite interesting. Are you a foodie? Go to the grocery store or the street where all the specialty vendors are located. Are you into fashion or interior decorating? Again, explore (you don't have to buy) where the locals shop.

13. Know which way is up. An old-school map is your friend.

Study a map of your destination. Get to know it. Get a sense of direction using major landmarks like Central Park in New York City or the CN Tower in Toronto. This will help you explore cities happily, with greater confidence. Read How to Navigate a New City Solo .

13. Find people who share your passion.

Whether it's chess or poetry or badminton or books, there will be hubs or groups that share your passion at your destination. Many destinations have an English bookstore which is typically a great resource for events you will want to attend. Google search or find them on meetup.com. What a great way to combine your love of travel with your love of other things.

14. Take day tours and classes.

There are many benefits to punctuating your independent trip with local tours such as cooking classes . You have new ways to better experience your destination, enjoy some social time (after all, solo travelers are not necessarily loners), and you get to take a break and let the tour company run the logistics and planning of the experience.

15. Have great evenings out.

Just because you're traveling solo doesn't mean you have to stay in at night with a book. There are many options for things to do in the evening. If you're in a country where you don't speak the language, music is a good bet. Read What to Do at Night When Traveling Alone and How to Enjoy Going to a Bar Alone When You Travel .

What If You Don't Love Solo Travel?

Let's face it, not everyone likes the same thing. Some people will travel alone and, for one reason or another, not enjoy it.

The first thing I suggest is that you be patient. You're not going to find your solo travel groove on the first day of your first trip. You need to give yourself some time to settle into your destination and apply some of the many travel alone tips above.

If, then, you're still not loving it, read  What If You Travel and You Don’t Love It ? and the advice of other solo travelers in Feeling Overwhelmed? How to Conquer First-Day Solo Travel Anxiety .

Round Out Your Guide to Solo Travel with These Resources

Here are a few posts to explore to help you plan your best solo trip.

• How to Save Money for Travel
• How to Plan Your Travel Budget: Luxury or Frugal
• Best Solo Travel Destinations: Real Solo Travelers Love These
• Feeling the Pinch? Solo Travelers Save Money at The Airport
• How to Get Through an Airport by Yourself with Ease
• Carry On Packing List That Makes Sense: Traveler Tested
• Checked Baggage: Top Planning and Packing Tips.
• Best VPN for Travel: What, Why, How & New Recommendations
• Road Trip Alone with Confidence: 10 Tips for a Great Trip

Sharing is caring!

Publisher Janice: info @ solotravelerworld.com

Editor Tracey: tracey @ solotravelerworld.com

Sales Simon: simon @ solotravelerworld.com

Get Solo Travel News & Deals

• Create Your Advertiser Account
• Login to Your Advertiser Account
• Solo Travel Statistics
• Media & Speaking
• Privacy Policy & Disclosure

The content of Solo Traveler and any resources published by Solo Traveler are meant for entertainment and inspiration only. Please note that while we have advertising clients promoting destinations, products, services, trips and tours on Solo Traveler and that we endeavour to only work with companies in which we have confidence, we are not responsible for the delivery or quality of their products or services. Every person and every travel situation is different. Your safety, satisfaction and fun traveling solo are your responsibility alone and not that of Solo Traveler, its publisher, editor and/or writers.

PRIVACY POLICY & DISCLOSURE: In accordance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize links located throughout the content on this site. Additionally, some posts might be sponsored to support this site. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers. All opinions are my own. Please read our full Privacy Policy here.

You'll never travel without our trip planner again

Travel planning at its best. build, organize, and map your custom itineraries in a free travel app designed for vacations & road trips, powered by our trip planner ai.

Your itinerary and your map in one view

No more switching between different apps, tabs, and tools to keep track of your travel plans.

What travelers are raving about

Features to replace all your other tools, add places from guides with 1 click, collaborate with friends in real time, import flight and hotel reservations, expense tracking and splitting, checklists for anything, get personalized suggestions, plan like a pro.

Unlock premium features like offline access, unlimited attachments, flight deals, export to Google maps, and much more

Offline access

Unlimited attachments, optimize your route.

4.9 on App Store, 4.7 on Google Play

Discover your next favorite destination

Have tips of your own? Write a guide to share with other travelers like you!

Ready to plan your trip in half the time?

For every kind of trip and every destination, the best road trip planner, the best vacation planner, the best group itinerary planner.

Turn your road trip into an adventure .

Find amazing stops along your route.

• What are you looking for?
• Local Favorites
• Places to Camp
• Pop Culture
• Veg Friendly
• Unique Stays
• National Parks
• Activities & Experiences
• I'll decide when I get there

The Gemini Giant

Wilmington, IL

World's Largest Catsup Bottle

Collinsville, IL

Blue Whale of Catoosa

Catoosa, ok.

Golden Driller

Albuquerque

Albuquerque, NM

You’re always a short detour from an

Extraordinary place.

Our collection of more than 300 Extraordinary Places will take your trip to the next level. Look for the illustrations on our maps and read our takes on what make these places so special. We’ve been there, and we think you should go, too.

Yellowstone National Park

Mammoth, wy.

Salvation Mountain

Walt Disney World

Lake buena vista, fl.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Keystone, sd.

Graceland Mansion

Memphis, tn.

Glacier National Park

West glacier, mt.

World's Largest Buffalo Monument

Jamestown, nd.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite valley, ca.

Cadillac Ranch

Amarillo, tx.

Acadia National Park

Bar harbor, me.

Mothman Statue

Point pleasant, wv.

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand canyon village, az.

Statue of Liberty

Liberty island, ny.

Las Vegas Strip

Paradise, nv.

The Fremont Troll

Seattle, wa, build your perfect road trip.

Tell us where you want to go and what you'd like to see and do. Roadtrippers will help you find all the best stops along the way.

• Sights & Attractions
• The Great Outdoors
• Bars & Restaurants
• Hotels & Unique Stays
• Fuel & Rest Stops

On all your devices

Any trips you've saved or places you love will sync automatically across devices.

In-app RV navigation

Hit the road with safety and ease by using turn-by-turn directions, designed specifically for your RV. Simply enter your rig’s size and propane restrictions, and we’ll find the best routes to your next destination.

Ready to start your adventure?

• Trip guides
• Voices from the Road
• Destinations
• Trip Planner
• Sign up Log in Sign out
• Log in Sign out
• ROADTRIPPERS MEMBERSHIP

Plan your journey, find amazing places, and take fascinating detours with our app.

We couldn't find an existing Roadtrippers account using that service. Please try signing in with another option or create a new account with Roadpass.

We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates.

How To Plan A Trip: Easy 15 Step Travel + Vacation Planner

By: Author Mark and Kristen Morgan

Posted on Published: July 17, 2019  - Last updated: December 31, 2023

Categories Travel Planning Blog

This ultimate how to plan a trip guide will transform your destination daydreams into travel reality within just 15 easy-to-follow steps.

Adventure is calling! But where should you go? How do you get there? And what do you need to organize before you leave home?

This one-stop travel planning resource covers all you need to know about preparing for any trip.

But how can you trust us to cover all of the important travel planning aspects?

The goal is to walk you through 15 simple and stress free steps, from ideas to bookings and from packing to walking out the door. We’ll take you on a journey from idea to reality.

Personally, when we plan a trip, we know that breaking the process up into sections works best. We feel less overwhelmed when we plan in manageable pieces.

Follow the steps in this guide and you’ll see just how easy planning a trip can be. Let’s travel plan!

The Travel Planning Rollercoaster

Planning any vacation is like being on a rollercoaster called the Emotion Overload. In the beginning the rollercoaster climbs slowly, building your excitement before plummeting into overwhelmed anxiety.

The second climb is determination and hard work, followed by a loop de loop as information spins around your brain in circles.

And just when it seems the ride will never end, the carriage comes to an abrupt halt: your plans are finally ready.

Break Up Planning A Trip Into 3 Sections

We are all different. Genetics, personality traits, habits and attitudes make us all unique. But although we are all unique, common patterns emerge among travelers.

Most long term travelers tend to book the first week or month in detail. Once comfortable with the whole idea of backpacker life, they tend to plan just a few days in advance each time they move.

Because who knows what might come up? Those taking shorter trips, such as a 2 week vacation, typically plan almost all specific details in advance.

Because who wants to lose valuable time planning what to do that day with just 2 weeks away from work

No matter how you prefer to travel or how long you intend to travel, the planning process can always be broken down into 3 manageable sections. You will make life easier and less like your brain might explode.

Plan, Book And Pack

These 3 travel planning sections encompass the same repetitive processes we all follow, every time we travel. When we repeat them enough times, they become autonomous.

You plan your travel goals, you book the essentials, you pack your bags and you go.

But even when taken back to basics, each travel planning section can be time consuming, frustrating and overwhelming. We know from first hand experience when planning multiple long term travel routes.

The key is to break down each travel planning section into smaller, easier to accomplish steps. That way you will eliminate stress and feel the positive reinforcement each time you complete a step.

Follow the easily achievable steps listed below within each travel planning section. Begin to plan your trip in advance, take each step one at a time and we guarantee you will avoid feeling overwhelmed.

All you need to do then is watch your dream trip create itself before your eyes.

Need help with packing? You might like to use our ultimate travel packing resource .

Section 1: Establish Your Travel Goals

Let’s start at the beginning, the daydream stage.

You know it’s time for a vacation or a long term trip but right now you’re just floating ideas around.

Ask yourself these important travel planning questions (H and 5 W’s):

• How much time will you spend traveling?
• When do you want to leave?
• Who will you travel with?
• What shape are your finances in?
• Where in the world do you want to go?
• Why is it so difficult to save up for your trip?

This is one of our favorite parts of planning a trip because everything sounds wonderful! But before you can book or pack for your potential trip, you need to figure out the basics.

Research Is Key To Planning Effectively

The fundamentals of how to plan a trip begin and end with research.

Every aspect of your plans will require research, from booking flights to buying travel insurance and from packing your bags to visa requirements.

But research starts all the way back at the beginning, before e-tickets arrive in your iPhone wallet and you’re debating between packing your tan vs black shoes.

Research begins with deciding on the most basic of travel planning principles. But don’t confuse basic with a lack of importance. The goals you set at this stage will consequently shape your entire trip.

You will spend a lot of time on google, the same as we do before every trip. If you embrace the research you will do just fine.

By reading this post you are already well into establishing your travel goals and researching travel planning techniques.

That gives you a hand up over other travelers.

You will be more prepared and ultimately have a better trip. The first section of travel planning is designed for you to turn daydreams into actionable reality.

By the end of this section, you will know everything you need to know about the trip you’re going to take. Then, you can start booking!

Consider Your Travel Limitations

We don’t want to rain on your parade but it is critical at this point to manage your expectations and be aware of your travel limitations.

Every one of us is guilty of getting carried away in life, but when it comes to travel planning, be very careful not to take on more than you can chew. Or afford.

Our advice at this stage is to be honest and realistic about what you think is achievable.

• Can you realistically finance a trip to country X and city Y with your budget?
• Is it safe to go to hiking in National Park Z in Winter?
• Do you really want to travel solo or would you prefer company?
• Can you quit your job sooner and still afford your year around the world?
• Are you able to squeeze and extra few holiday days out of your job?

1. How Much Time Do You Spend Traveling?

The thrill of choosing where you want to go on vacation or long term travel is by far the most exciting part of planning a trip. There’s no question about that.

However, before you conjure up your dream Vietnam itinerary or US road trip route , the first piece of the planning puzzle is determining how much time you have on your side.

Time is one aspect of life no amount of money can control.

• On a short beach or hiking vacation from work, will you travel for 7 days, 10 days or 14 days?
• Are you able to take a 3 month sabbatical to backpack South East Asia?
• Or maybe you’ve been thinking about quitting your job to travel without an end date in mind?
• Are your dates flexible or do you have to stick to specific timeframes?
• Do you work remotely or at a physical location?
• Are the kids back in school on Monday morning?

Carefully consider the time you have available and remember there are implications to consider with the amount of time you allocate for your trip.

Example : You will need more money to finance a 4 month trip when compared to 2 months. It sounds obvious, but the point is to ensure you get the balance right between time and travel funds.

Once you establish the amount of time and any specific dates you have to play with, move onto the next planning steps.

2. When Do You Plan To Leave On Your Trip?

The date you are aiming to leave on your trip is vitally important to your personal travel planning process.

Are you planning a trip way in advance? Or are you last minute planning? The subsequent steps will change focus depending on the answer to those questions.

For those planning a last minute spontaneous trip, you will need to double down and get to work.

Conversely, if you are planning a summer vacation that’s 6 months out, you can relax and take each of the plan a trip step slowly.

It is important to remember that people work more efficiently in different ways.

For us, Kristen works more efficiently when planning early and taking things at a gentle pace, whereas Mark works best under pressure with the clock ticking.

Timing Is Crucial

Consider the timing of your proposed trip.

You will have to account for high, shoulder or low season as well as weather conditions for the time of year you visit and finances will be impacted by how well you plan your leaving date.

Example : Your trip is shaping up to be a 3 week European adventure in Summer. You better believe it is going to cost you! Would you be better off planning to leave in Spring or Fall to suit your budget more appropriately?

If you plan to quit your job in 6 months and travel the world for a year, now is the time to get stuck into planning. A year is a long time and the world is a big place.

Leaving a trip like this until the last minute means you could risk missing out on once in a lifetime opportunities.

Working out the most effective time leave on your adventure gives you the framework to set achievable planning and financial  goals . 

Remind yourself of the 7 P’s of planning: Piss Poor Planning Promotes Piss Poor Performance.

3. Who Do You Plan To Travel With?

Chances are high you already know exactly who you will travel with before you begin to plan a trip. Maybe you’re going on a family holiday or a romantic couples weekend getaway ?

In which case, your travel partners are nailed on. The same applies for us. We always travel as a couple which makes Step 3 obsolete when we plan a trip. 

However, many travelers planning trips are undecided between exploring solo or with a friend.

Our world adventures have enabled us to meet hundreds of others traveling. Solo travelers and those traveling as couples or larger groups.

There are pros and cons to all types of travel, just like most things in life.

The important thing to understand for first time travelers who feel anxious about traveling solo is that you will meet people along the way. Even as a couple, you will meet dozens of other couples on longer trips, particularly in Asia and South America.

So, don’t be afraid to plan your dream trip if you don’t have anyone to travel with initially, you will make a ton of friends on the road.

4. What Shape Are Your Finances In?

Working out a rough travel budget is arguably the most important aspect of planning any trip. That remains true if you are leaving tomorrow or in a year.

Take a cautious approach rather than an overly optimistic approach. You will spend more money than you think, trust us on that one.

It’s better to have money left over than run out of cash a long way from home. We’ve seen it happen.

• How much money do you currently have saved up for your trip?
• How much money can you save between now and the date you plan to leave?
• Do you need to get a second job or a second income to bulk your budget out?
• Do you have any cash in reserve in case of emergency?

Before you start dreaming of your 2 week luxury beach vacation to the Maldives or 3 months backpacking through Australia and New Zealand, you need to be realistic about your budget.

Travel Smarter, Not Harder

A good rule of thumb is to consider yours destinations around your budget.

Instead, consider your budget and travel to a place where that same amount of money will allow you to have a much better experience.

See how much we spent in 1 month in Vietnam to use as a reference for travel costs.

If you are planning a short vacation, you will have much more control over finances. You know you’re going to get paid from your job again, so a splurge isn’t out of the question.

In contrast, long term travelers will constantly be checking finances. Once they leave for their trip – that digital bank balance value will decrease every single day until the end.

Travel Tip : When planning a trip around your budget, always always always leave some room for buffer in case of emergency. We’re all used to living to our means and it’s easy to plan down to the last penny but trust us, you never know when you might need a spare US$ 100.

5. Where Do You Plan To Travel?

Now and only now, despite wanting nothing else but to start planning your travel itinerary. It is time to plan your travel destination and route.

You will thank us for leaving you hanging this long because now you have a firm grasp on your travel budget, whether you will be traveling alone or with a group, how long you can travel for and when you want to leave.

Here are some of our top travel inspiration suggestions :

• Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in Wyoming, USA.
• Budapest is a wonderful European city break.
• New York State Parks like Letchworth and Buttermilk Falls are perfect day trips.
• The Atacama Desert in Chile is mind blowing.
• Los Angeles , San Francisco and San Diego are awesome cities to discover.
• Andalusia in Spain is a stunning region to explore.
• Pacific Coast Highway , Utah and South Dakota  are epic road trips.

The beauty of leaving this step until you know your budget is having the ability to plan your vacation or itinerary with a clear understanding of which places are feasible and which places you will have to exclude based on price, distance, safety and so on.

Planning travel itineraries takes a lot of work. We find it to be our favorite and least favorite part of traveling – in equal measure! Excitement and frustration.

It is vital you consider public transport routes, airports, safety, hotel availability, time of year, activities on offer, food and so much more.

Choosing A Travel Route

A question we often get asked is: “How do you know where you want to go?”

We do something our ancestors have been doing for over 2000 years: Look at a map!

Seriously, buy a huge map and stick it on your wall. Study each continent and indicate places you would love to visit using pins or colored sticky notes.

If looking at maps doesn’t help, here are some excellent alternatives to find travel inspiration:

• Read the wide range of destinations we write about on our travel blog !
• Read other blogs too. There are hundreds of fantastic first hand resources on the internet written by people who have been to the places you want to visit.
• Change up your google searches to ‘the best place to travel in X year’ or ‘the most obscure travel destinations’.
• Be creative, look for specific events, festivals or concerts around the world.

Once you have a shortlist of dream destinations, fire up google maps and prepare to lose yourself for hours. Design mock travel itineraries lasting 10 days, 2 weeks, a month, 3 months or however long you plan to travel.

6. Why Is It So Hard To Save For Your Trip?

You’ve meticulously planned your next adventure. Now, you need to stump up the cash to pay for it.

Whether you are going on a one week trekking holiday, a one month live aboard scuba diving course or traveling through Africa and the Middle East for six months, you will need to save up enough money to pay for the pleasure.

You already worked out your finances and travel plans in steps 4 and 5, so you have an actionable target to reach. Is your departure date 3 months away? 6 months? A year?

However far ahead you plan to leave, you might need to put a savings process in place to make up the difference.

Saving for vacations or long term travel is HARD. Your excitement is at fever pitch but time seems to stand still. Days at work start to drag more and more the closer you get to the big day.

Be Disciplined

The key to financial success can be found in one simple word, Discipline .

It’s easy to start well with the best intentions but it’s equally as easy to lose focus. Put yourself on a strict no-spending regime if you don’t have the money in savings to pay for travel costs in advance.

Make judgement calls on every single expenditure – is it want or need? Do you want that thing or do you genuinely need it?

If it’s a want, don’t spend the money, save it. Be disciplined .

Once your bank account begins to swell, fight the temptation to ‘treat yourself’. If you think you won’t be tempted, think again. 

That 80″ TV you wanted is only US$ 1,000 and you now have 10 of those saved for your trip – can you get by on US$ 9,000?

No you can’t! Put the TV back! Be disciplined .

Plan A Trip Section 1 Complete: Your Tentative Travel Plans Are In Place

You are officially one third of the way towards being travel ready.

There are more challenges to come but you’ve nailed down the hardest part of travel planning.

Narrowing down where to visit and formulating the perfect itinerary is by far the most difficult part of planning a trip for us.

The word perfect was used for a reason, we both have FOMO (fear of missing out) so it takes us an age to finalize our trips.

With the whole world as your travel option, deciding where to go and where not to go can be overwhelming.

Personally, we just take it one step at a time based on our budget and places on our travel bucket list. We systematically include and exclude places, activities and routes until we agree on a winning formula.

Do not feel disheartened when you think you’ve cracked your route and budget but for whatever reason it just doesn’t work out. Go back to the drawing board and start again fresh. You will end up with an even better itinerary.

Section 2: Take Action + Book

We can all daydream about vacations or backpacking the world for a year. Or imagine ourselves lounging on a beautiful powdery white sand beach in Thailand  and hiking into the Grand Canyon .

But until you bite the bullet, until you commit by clicking the buy now button on flights and hotels, a dream is all it will be.

Once you take that giant leap, it becomes tangible.

How many times have you planned a travel route mentally and thought about how amazing it would be and all the things you would do on your trip only to snap back to reality in the office?

Be brave and courageous. Take the plunge and book the important elements of your travel plan. Does this sound like a good story?

“Well, I was going to book a life changing 3 month backpacking trip through South America, but didn’t bother in the end.” That sounds like missed opportunity to us!

Myths About Booking In Advance

Like many other things in life, travel planning gets easier with experience. You learn which aspects of the way you planned and booked your trip worked and which aspects caused problems or lost you money.

However, one thing even the most savvy or accomplished traveler doesn’t always get right is how much of the trip to book in advance.

Here’s the problem travelers face on every trip:

If you book in advance, you plan ahead, book all hotels, buses, trains, activities and flights on your trip.

But what happens? You have no flexibility. If you love a place, you can’t stay longer. If you hate a place, you can’t leave immediately.

And if you don’t book in advance, you plan nothing and have complete flexibility. But you spend all of your travel days booking the next place to stay that night or your flight the next day.

Last minute flights and hotels will have far fewer options and may have seriously inflated prices.

How To Successfully Book A Trip

Here are a few tips to help you book your next trip:

• Find the perfect balance between being organized and flexible.
• Book all of your major trans-continental long haul flights before you leave home.
• Book any hotel splurges you have identified.
• Book any bucket list activities (such as W Trek in Chile) in advance.
• Leave the rest of your trip open ended.

We meet travelers with binders full of confirmation documents who prefer to plan the entire trip down to the ground, even dinner reservations.

Then there are those who prefer to book nothing more than a one way flight and decide everything on the fly (pun intended).

There is no one size fits all best practice or answer to this relentless travel quandary. It depends entirely on your own preferred travel style.

7. Book Your Major Flights To Seal The Deal

Now the real work can begin.

Booking your first flight is the single most exciting and nerve racking moment of travel planning. In one single moment of commitment, you turn your daydream into a reality.

There are numerous flight searching platforms and you can use any you prefer. We personally use – every time we fly and recommend to our friends and family:  Skyscanner .

We’ve used each of the major flight search engines and we find Skyscanner to offer the easiest user experience, have the most flight options and consistently lowest prices.

But our favorite aspects of Skyscanner are having the ability (and flexibility) to search for flights by whole month and whole country.

Example: Let’s say you want to fly New York to London.

Instead of selecting an exact date with +/- 3 days (which is what most flight searches offer) you can select by whole month of May for example.

A flight calendar will show the prices of flights on every day that month and between all airports in New York / London.

Check flights with Skyscanner here and start searching for your next flight.

Avoid Flight Price Myths

Booking flights can go one of two ways:

• You prefer to search for a flight, find one at a price you feel is fair and book it. 
• You are the type who prefers flight price roulette, playing the algorithm game.

But the thing is you can save money on flights if you put in some research and effort. That being said, there are a lot of myths and legends about booking flights.

Booking International flights on a Tuesday or domestic flights on a Sunday will save big money. Not necessarily true. Prices fluctuate many times a day, week and month.

Clearing cookies and searching incognito will save money. Unfortunately not, no evidence to support that.

Quick Tips On Booking Flights

Our number one tip for booking flights is to be flexible. That’s the way you will save big money.

Look at prices around the dates you want to fly using Skyscanner, you will see how drastically different they can be.

Book your long haul flights as far in advance as possible. The last thing you want is a mammoth cost on your flight home.

Keep an eye on prices 9 months in advance, 6 months 3 months in advance, 1 month in advance and last minute. Watch how much they fluctuate over time.

Research thoroughly, search regularly and build up patterns of prices.

Put flight alerts on specific flights of interest to you. You will receive notifications of changes.

If you see a flight you want and it’s cheap, book it! Don’t wait for it drop by US$ 5 because you’ll find it will go up by US$ 50 instead. Know the right time to pull the trigger.

Flight booking search engines are built on algorithms like everything else online. The key is not to outsmart them, just work them to your advantage.

READ MORE : How to book cheap flight when you travel

8. Book Ground Transport

Booking ground transport in advance depends on where in the world you are traveling, the timing of your trip, the length of your trip and how rigid and flexible you plan to travel.

Example : When we traveled 3 months in South America, we booked a 24 hour bus from Bariloche to El Chalten in Argentina before we left the UK. But we did not book any sleeper buses or trains in Vietnam in advance.

We visited Argentina in January, during Peak Season. Flights from Bariloche to El Calafate were expensive (and a bus to El Chalten is required) so we took the much cheaper bus.

The bus books up in advance and we wanted to guarantee seats so we booked in advance.

Conversely, we visited Northern and Central Vietnam in October and knew we would be able to jump on any bus or train we wanted. No need to sacrifice flexibility.

Most Cost Effective Transport Methods By Region

• Europe – Cheap budget flights with Ryanair, EasyJet etc between countries / Trains within countries.
• SE Asia – Cheap flights with Jetstar, VietJet, AirAsia, Scoot, LionAir, TigerAir etc between countries / Sleeper Trains & Buses within countries.
• South America – Flights hit and miss for price. We found Chile and Peru had cheaper flights than Argentina. Best way to get around is by Bus but be aware, some of them are LONG!
• North America – Road trip is the best way to explore. Buy a cheap second hand car or hire a car drive point A to B. Trains and domestic flights are expensive. Traveling by bus is a cheap option but not a great one.

The take home is to understand the region you plan to travel through.

How are public transport prices impacted by season? Variations in prices if booking in advance vs last minute?

Example : Let’s say you’re traveling Europe by train but not Interrailing. Booking trains in advance WILL save you money. Do not leave European train bookings until the last minute.

By researching and understanding these things, you can quite literally rescue your travel budget from total annihilation.

If you prefer to drive yourself around a new place to taking public transport, always check prices for hire cars with Rental Cars for most options and best value.

9. Book Accommodation

Booking accommodation can be both extremely rewarding and extremely frustrating.

Some travelers embrace the best deals hunt, whereas others despise losing time trawling through endless lists of hotel prices.

As with all other aspects of travel planning, the key is to find the right balance between how much time you invest and how much money you can save.

There are a limited amount of flights you can choose between, right?

It’s the opposite for accommodation, there are SO many options for where you will sleep at night, no matter where you travel.

If you let it, this process will overwhelm you within seconds. How do you choose between 1000 hotels? When do you stop searching for an even better deal?

The scenario of your trip will affect the benefits of booking hotels in advance.

Example : Beach vacations and resort hotel complexes can go either way. Sometimes you can pick up big money saving last minute deals. It’s a risk but it can pay off.

However, if you’re on a tight budget and backpacking for a month through Thailand in low or shoulder season, it would be worth turning up in person to negotiate a better deal.

Use Hotel Booking Search Engines

Something we find fascinating when we meet travelers on the road is the diversity of platforms everyone uses to book accommodation.

Some swear by Airbnb, others use Agoda or Hostelworld and a high proportion use Booking.com. Personally, we use Booking.com to book our hotels.

We have been using Booking for years and still to this day we are staggered by how many hotel owners pull faces at us or make comments like ‘wow, you guys must have that booking genius thing, this is the lowest price I’ve seen.

We do have Booking Genius Level 3 and you can have it too by simply creating a free account and booking your hotels with Booking.com .

The same applies to Hotels.com, Agoda, Airbnb, Priceline and many others. Find a hotel booking service you like, create an account and reap the loyalty benefits.

That’s not to say hotel search engines have the best prices period.

We ask certain hotels for a price directly and if it’s more than what we can see on our Booking.com app, we simply book a room on our app right at the check in desk.

Quick Tips For Booking Hotels

Similarly to booking ground transport at the trip planning stages, we only book certain hotels in advance before we travel.

Typically, we will book hotels as we go to allow total flexibility. However, there are three scenarios when we book hotels in advance:

• If we plan to visit a big city like London, New York City , Hong Kong or Dubai in shoulder or high season.
• When planning itineraries including rural N ational Park s with limited hotel options.
• Big splurges on a luxury hotel so our travel budget doesn’t take a huge mid-trip pounding.

When searching for hotels, always use filters and sorting to cut through the crap and display exactly what you are interested in.

Search engines by default will display hotels based on featured. So what is featured?

It is hotel search engines listing hotels in their own order, but we like to sort by user rating and review count.

If a hotel has 2,500 reviews and a guest review score of 8.7, we would add it to our shortlist.

Once we have enough hotels in a shortlist we look at their locations, nearby amenities, nearby major attractions and transport hubs etc.

READ MORE : How to book cheap hotels for travel

10. Book Bucket List Experiences

Your final bookings at this stage of planning your trip are reserved for any bucket list experiences.

You’ve planned a route through a country or continent, so you should know all of the bucket list places you will be visiting. However, unless you research thoroughly, there’s a small chance you might miss something.

Life is about learning from mistakes.

One of ours when traveling Europe was when we visited Interlaken and Grindelwald in Switzerland but we hadn’t researched things to do before hand.

So we didn’t know about the Jungfrau rack railway line through the Eiger to the top of Europe at 3,454m. Once we discovered it, we’d already spent our allocated budget which isn’t difficult in Switzerland.

Plan major activities ahead. Make a spreadsheet or a checklist, even book some ahead of time if you have to or prefer to plan your whole trip in advance.

The more planning you do in advance, the less you will miss on the road. There are times when you will have no choice but to plan months ahead.

A few examples are the W trek in Torres del Paine (Chile), Half Dome hike at Yosemite National Park (California) and hiking down the Narrows at Zion National Park (Utah).

Not planning ahead will result in missing something epic. If you don’t typically plan things like this in advance, now is the time to learn some new core skills.

Section 2 Complete: Major Bookings Are Made

You’re almost over the hill and it’s plain sailing from here. The hard work has paid off, now all that’s left is preparing and packing for the adventure that awaits you.

Booking flights, transport, hotels and activities is part of the travel planning experience.

Try to enjoy the process. If you feel overwhelmed at any point, step away for a few hours or days. That is a tried and tested method of successfully planning a trip.

There have been times where we’ve had to walk away from planning for a day or two.

Remember, you can book hotels anywhere at any time, you don’t always have to book your entire trip before you leave. 

If there’s one particular leg of your journey where you can’t quite make transport work or there are no cheap hotels available, just go back a few steps and alter your route accordingly.

This is a common travel planning stumbling block. 

It can be infuriating to have a route perfected, only for something not to work and find yourself back at the drawing board.

But consider this, would you rather be at home with this problem? Or in a foreign city with no idea where to go next, how to get there or where to sleep that night?

Section 3: Prepare And Pack

You’re on the home stretch. There are just a few important admin tasks to complete before you can finally say you are ready to leave on your trip.

Get stuck into these last few steps as soon as possible, tick the boxes, put your feet up and enjoy a nice cup of Yorkshire tea.

Section 3 of travel planning is about giving yourself the best return on your expenses, travel safety, insuring your property and packing the right gear for your trip. 

It would be easy to switch off once you’ve secured your important bookings but you would be shooting yourself in the foot.

Instead, keep the ball rolling into this final section. Use the momentum to make the best choices possible as you complete your travel planning process.

11. Travel Rewards Credit Cards

You might be from a country where paying with debit and credit cards is the norm. Heck, you probably even pay for things with your phone these days.

However, when you travel through certain regions, such as parts of South East Asia, you won’t always be able to pay for goods and services with your cards.

Cash is often king in developing countries or countries with few tourists.

Example : We spent a month traveling North/Central Vietnam and can count on 1 hand the amount of times we paid for anything using a credit card. In order to withdraw cash from ATM’s without incurring a fee, we used our travel rewards credit card.

So, aside from always carrying a handful of US dollars in cash as a safety net, here’s the best money saving advice for any trip you ever take abroad, limit the amount you use your debit card.

If you use your debit account, you can kiss goodbye to your travel budget. The local bank will charge you a fee and your bank at home will charge you a hefty fee. Double whammy. Not fun.

What To Do Before Your Trip

Sign up for a no foreign transaction fee on all withdrawals and purchases travel rewards credit card.

On longer trips you will be taking money out of ATM’s regularly. Local ATM withdrawals will yield better exchange rates than airport exchanges.

Always choose local currency when withdrawing money, not your home country currency.

Research the best travel rewards card before you leave on your trip. Residents of the US are fortunate because competition is fierce, which drives fantastic offers on travel credit cards.

At a minimum, you should be able to pick up a travel rewards credit card giving you 1.5% cash back on all purchases and withdrawals.

Some offer points instead of cash back, which can be saved and used to pay for a flight later in your trip. Look for any special points and bonuses for spending X amount of money in Y amount of time.

Choose the card that offers the best perks for your travel style.

Example : Bank A will give you 1,500 points bonus if you spend US$ 3,000 within 90 days. Those bonus points equal US$ 150 that you can put towards a flight.

12. Tell The Bank About Your Travel Plans

It would blow your mind if we told you the amount of people we meet traveling the world who have experienced blocked credit cards.

Blocked cards in turn lead to no money and expensive phone calls back home to unblock said cards.

The banks are doing it for your protection but when you’re stuck in the back of beyond and can’t pay for anything or withdraw money, you will be in trouble.

Example : You have a Bank of America checking account, a Capital One Venture travel rewards card and an American Express travel card, you need to tell every one of those banks what your rough travel plans are.

It doesn’t hurt to keep them updated as you travel because plans can change.

We will contact our banks each time we move to a new continent and give them a rough idea of the countries we intend to visit, plus an estimated duration. Remember the 7 P’s of planning.

13. Get Travel Insurance

We’re not going to frighten you into buying travel insurance with gruesome tales. We’re simply going to say it is not worth the risk to travel without insurance.

You may be debating running the risk because insurance can be expensive.

We understand, it’s a bit of a blow when you think all your costs are nailed on the head and you see how much travel insurance is going to set you back.

But believe us, skipping it is not the smart move. Especially if you are backpacking for longer periods. Knock on wood, nothing serious has happened to us yet on the road.

No lost backpacks, no serious injuries, no muggings. But that could change at any moment, all it takes is being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Travel Insurance Is Worth The Peace Of Mind

Could you imagine the cost involved in being repatriated to America with a serious illness or injury sustained on the other side of the planet? No insurance would leave you in financial despair for years.

Example : You’ve just bought a brand new Sony A7R IV mirrorless camera for US$ 3,000 for your trip and you lose it or have it stolen on your first day traveling. You don’t have insurance. Imagine the pain!

There are plenty of travel insurance providers, such as Allianz, AIG and Travelex but right now we use and highly recommend World Nomads.

The company was created by travelers for travelers and they will tailor an insurance plan to suit your trip. You can get a free quote and choose between Standard or Explorer plans.

Be sure to do your own research but use World Nomads as your reference. See if you can get better coverage.

14. Check For Last Minute Travel Bargains

This is where we hope you don’t find an amazing last minute deal that’s US$ 200 cheaper than what you booked back in section 2.

Last minute deals are a gamble. Sometimes they pay off but mostly, they don’t. Never leave any of your major flight routes or bucket list activities until the last minute.

It’s always worth keeping an eye on hotel and flight prices, even for things you already booked that may include free cancellations or free changes to the booking.

If you can pick up the odd money saving last minute bargain, great. But don’t leave your entire trip to chance.

In the days leading up to your departure, check prices on (non-major) flights, trains, hotels and tours that you are interested in taking.

There are always flash sales on things, it’s often a case of being fortunate enough to stumble across them at the right time.

Here’s something important to remember if you started planning your trip months ago. High season might have moved into shoulder season or low season in a place you want to go.

But be aware that the opposite may also occur.

You could have planned on last minute deals because when you were researching the prices looked amazing, only to have unwittingly transitioned into peak season for the place you are visiting.

Last minute deals are going to cost you and your options will be greatly diminished in peak season.

15. Pack Yours Bags It’s Time To Leave

Your travel plans are in place, you’ve booked the important things and prepared efficiently. All you need to do now is pick the perfect backpack and fill it with the right gear for your destination.

If you think you can handle traveling with just 40L of space which means you can carry on to flights, don’t miss this review of our top rated travel backpack, Osprey Farpoint 40 .

For those who will carry a larger main pack and need a second smaller backpack to carry on, read our review of the innovative and versatile backpack perfect for travel photographers:  Peak Design Everyday Backpack .

We won’t go into a huge amount of detail with this planning step. Instead, you can find all you need to know about packing for your trips in our detailed  Travel Packing resource.

Here are a few addition packing tips for your trip:

• Be sure to pack according to where you’re going. If there are varying climates on your itinerary, pack for warm and cold weather conditions, even if that means taking a bigger backpack.
• Pack carefully, make sure every single item is fit for multi-purpose use. Do not pack fancy shirts and jeans if you will only use them once, you will end up throwing them out half way through your trip.
• We all have our own dress styles and preferences but our best advice for packing is to take plenty of comfortable gear.

Just remember, the most successful travel planners are the ones who can accept when they need to take a few steps back in order to take many steps forward.

More Travel Resources

• E-Books – Shop our travel guidebooks
• Packing List – The ultimate travel packing list
• Gifts – The best gifts for a traveler

Want more travel content?  Head to our  Travel Blog to discover new destinations around the world.

We hope these 15 steps help you plan the perfect trip!

Please let us know if you have any questions about this trip planning guide in the comments below.

Happy Travels ,

Mark and Kristen

Enjoy This Trip Planning Guide? Pin It For Later!

Note : This article contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

All Rights Reserved © Where Are Those Morgans, LLC. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, maps, graphics, etc.) in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.

Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us .

Share this article!

• Work with Me
• Start a Blog
• Yearly Roundups
• 101 in 1001 Goals
• how to start a travel blog
• tips for new bloggers
• write me a guest post!
• Work With Me

A Passion and A Passport

Proving Travel is Possible with a Full-Time 9-5

How to Plan a Trip Like a Pro: The Only Trip Planning Resource You’ll Ever Need

last Updated: December 8, 2022 travel tips

FYI: Affiliate links may be sprinkled throughout the awesome, free content you see below. I’ll receive a small commission when you purchase from my links (at no extra cost to you), which I’ll totally blow on adult things like boba tea and avocado toast. As always, thanks for the support.

Wondering how to plan a trip without all the headaches? Yeah, travel planning can be quite the doozy.

It’s time-consuming, overwhelming, and downright confusing; there’s flights to book, currencies to convert, time to take off, and activities to plan. And that’s not even considering all the getting around once you actually arrive!

Don’t let the stresses of travel planning get in the way of heading to your dream destination. I get it, though, I really do, there’s a lot to do. Planning a trip can seem like a daunting task. But I’m here to help with my travel planning tips! 

Luckily, I’ve planned dozens (and dozens) of trips, from quick weekend jaunts to Napa Valley and Lassen Volcanic National Park , to faraway exotic destinations like Bali and Morocco (with ridiculously detailed itineraries).

After lots of trial and error (and making tons of mistakes on my part) I’ve figured out a way to ease the travel planning process. I’ve narrowed it down to an easy 18 steps on how to plan a trip, so you, too, can take the trip of your dreams. Whether it’s a 5-day beach break or a culturally diverse 2-week trip to Thailand , follow my advice below and you’ll be off before you know it.

I’m kinda known for my crazy-detailed itineraries, and get lots of people asking me for help on others. I haven’t been everywhere, so wanted to provide this trip planning resource so you can plan epic trips of your own!

This is my exact trip planning method – it’s kinda ingrained in me now, but after getting it all down on paper, I realized I actually prefer doing things in a set step-by-step basis! Perfect for you because you can copy how I plan my trips!

So if you’re looking for a STEP-BY-STEP guide (made for busy professionals like you), continue reading, because this trip itinerary planner is juuuust the thing you’re looking for. Don’t blame me if you plan too many vacations. :p

→ Read Next: How to Travel More (with a full time 9-5 job)

How to Plan a Trip: Actionable steps to planning a trip of your dreams

Step 1: inspiration + fun/general research.

Before we get started on the specifics of how to plan a trip, start with some travel inspo! And sometimes, just getting inspired is half the fun of actually booking the trip (at least it is for me). 

I like to use Pinterest , Instagram , good old fashioned travel mags (at the dentist/doctor or when strolling through my favorite store Target), and of course, travel blogs.  I constantly find myself swooning over photos I see, and sometimes even book a trip based off of one photo alone, like that time I begged my sister to head off to Chefchaoen with me (I’m a highly visual person if you haven’t noticed). 

Since my mind goes into overload during the inspiration phase, I make sure to organize what I find right away as efficiently as humanly possible.

Enter, Google Maps. As soon as I find a spot I wanna visit (whether it be as specific as a restaurant in a little town or a country as a whole), I type it into Google Maps and hit Save → Want to Go. This way, all my finds are kept neatly in one place, and already plotted on a map to see general locations. You should see my Google Maps – it’s covered in those little green pin markers.

A few posts for some inspiration right over here:

• My Life-Long Bucket List
• Most Beautiful Places in California
• 25 Perfect Week-Long USA Itineraries
• Where I went in 2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , and 2018
• 35+ Winter Weekend Getaways in the USA (snowy and warm)
• My Travel Bucket List: USA Edition
• 14 Adventurous Places to Travel 
• The Best Beaches Around the World
• The Ultimate South East Asia Bucket List

Specific Bucket-list worthy experiences:

• Meeting the Dragons in Komodo
• Bobsledding in Park City, Utah
• Sailing the Greek Islands
• Staying in an Overwater Bungalow
• Beach bumming Hawaii

Once you’ve narrowed down your list to a few places you wanna go, figure out how much time you’ll need and the best time of year to visit. Make this quick – no need to do intense research just yet. We’re still in the beginning phases of how to plan your trip. They’ll be time later for lots and lots of googling, reading, and finalizing.

Jot it down on paper in 3 columns: Places I Want to See, Time Needed, and Best Time of Year to Visit (based off of weather). I quickly google “best time to go to ____”. Example here:

Step 2: Decide on your Destination and Trip Length

How much time are you allocating to this trip? Are you able to use a bunch of PTO and make it an epic adventure? When can you travel? Before you even begin to plan your trip, you’ve gotta know where you’re going and for how long!

Be as specific as possible. Instead of saying “I want to go to Europe”, specify the exact country, and then cities within. “I’m headed to Barcelona and Valencia!” sounds much more real, and you’ve got a much more specific goal to work towards. 

Think about the type of trip you want – are you a “see-as-much-as-possible” and “cross-it-off-the-list” type of traveler, or do you want to take a few days to really get to know a place inside and out? I’m more of the first type (hey, yolo, right?), but I’m starting to appreciate spending ample time in destinations I really love.

What kind of weather do you want? Are you looking for a frozen, ice-filled fantasy or longing for a few days basking in the sun ? How do cultural and foodie experiences sound? Are you looking to stay close-ish to home or are you prepared to travel far? All questions you gotta ask yourself when choosing a destination.

TIPS FOR SHORTER TRIPS (up to 7 days)

If you know you’ll only have a few days, don’t pick a place that’ll take you 2 days to get to. We want to maximize the amount of time you’ll actually have in your destination.

And Psst – don’t think there’s much around you? Think again. There’s likely loads within a few hours.

• For example, from NYC, you can get to London in just under 7 hours, the Caribbean/Central America in 3/4 hours (depending on where), Iceland in just 5 ½, and the other side of the country in 6.
• From San Francisco, you can get to Japan in 10 hours, Mexico City in 4 ½, and Hawaii in 5.  Cliche, I know, but the world really is your oyster.

Only have a few days? Check out these sample itineraries I’ve created to see exactly how much I’m able to fit in in just a few days!

Coming from the States:

• Long Weekend Trips from San Francisco
• Long Weekend Trips from New York City
• 5 Days in Maui / 3 Days in Kauai
• 3 Days in Mexico City 
• 3 Days in Las Vegas
• 3 Days in Washington DC
• 3 Days in Portland, Oregon

Coming from Europe:

• 3 Days in Vienna
• 3 Days in Barcelona
• 2 Days in Venice
• 3 Days in Santorini
• 2 Days in Athens

Coming from Asia:

• 3 Days in Ubud
• 3 Days in Tokyo
• 3 Days in Taipei
• 2 Days in Bangkok
• 3 Days in Singapore
• 3 Days in Hong Kong

TIPS FOR LONGER TRIPS (1 week+)

Longer trips are undeniably much harder to plan, since there’s a bunch of logistics involved in getting from place to place. You probably won’t be staying in the same exact spot for all 7+ days. But as long as you start your research early and follow my itinerary planning advice below, you’ll be a step above everyone else blindly crafting their schedules. P

ractice really does make perfect, so the first long, multi-destination trip you plan will be the hardest. Expect a few hiccups, but just go along with it; that’s just part of traveling!

If you’ve got a longer amount of time, check out these bucket-list worthy destinations for inspiration (and plus, I already planned out the bulk of these itineraries = less leg work/heavy research for you):

• 2 Weeks in Thailand
• 10 Days in Japan
• California Coast Road Trip
• 10 Days in Norway
• 2 Weeks in Croatia (+Bosnia)
• 10 days in Panama
• 2 Weeks in Spain and Portugal
• 10 days in Bali + Komodo National Park
• A Week in Iceland
• 10 days in Greece

And right after I decide on a destination, I always research to see if a visa is involved. Some you can get upon arrival at the airport, while others you need to apply and wait for.

Don’t book a ticket without knowing the visa situation, as airlines don’t check for proper documentation before you book your flight (and it’s possible you’ll get turned away at the airport and need to go back home just as soon as you arrive into the country which requires a visa – not fun!).

Step 3: Choose your Approximate Travel Dates

If you’ve done your due diligence and filled out your own travel planning worksheet above, you already know the best time to visit your dream destination. However, when considering the best time to travel, there’s quite a few factors to think about. 

No one wants to get to their destination after planning for months only to realize they forgot to look into the weather patterns. Will it be rainy season? Hurricane season? Ridiculously over-the-top blazing hot (sweating profusely is no fun for anyone). I’ve had friends visit Bora Bora (a wildly-expensive once-in-a-lifetime trip) in the rainy season and I crossed my fingers for sun for them.

I always like to visit a destination in either the high season or shoulder season, for the best chance of perfect or near-perfect weather. I’m someone who despises rain with a passion (some may like it, but just think about if your activities will be dampered because of some precipitation). This is extra important to me, and I’d rather pay a bit more money for higher possibilities of sun and no rain/clouds.

Of course, you cannot predict the weather months from now, but I always look at the expected weather trends in my intended travel month and stay away from the rainy/hurricane season.

For the best combo of pleasant weather and minimal crowds, it’s wise to travel in the shoulder season (weeks/months outside of high season). This will of course change from destination to destination, but in general, late April-early June and September-October is shoulder season in many parts of both Europe and the USA.

Think about when kids are back in school – if you visit when school is in attendance, you’ll have less families traveling and therefore fewer overall people.

Note that high season typically sees higher costs (but hey, it’s high season for a reason!). If you can visit when kids are back in school, you’ll have higher chances of finding a good deal. Visiting during a holiday? If you can plan your travels bypassing Christmas and New Years, you’ll automatically save a whole bunch, as this is the most expensive time to travel to most places.

Attending a Specific Event

Is there a specific festival/event/animal migration you want to attend/witness? For example, Oktoberfest in Germany, whale watching in Monterey, safari in Africa, and Burning Man in Nevada. Full Moon Party in Thailand and the Day of the Dead in Mexico are two other examples.

You’ll need to obviously plan your trip around these dates/months. Do note that it’ll most likely be one of the most costliest times to visit, so plan to book flights and accommodations way in advance.

No need to plan exact dates just yet, just know the general timeframe of when you want to go. For example, this could be 1) early June 2021, 2) between Thanksgiving and Christmas, 3) birthday month, etc.

Step 4: Decide on your Travel Partners

Are you planning on traveling solo or with friends/family/significant other? 

Traveling with Friends/Family/Children?

Traveling with other people can be a bit more difficult to plan (you’ve got other people’s interests and budgets to cater to), but the memories will be even sweeter when you can reminisce about your fantastic trip together in a few months.

Planning a trip with family? You’ll likely be deciding on your destination together. Remember – it’s all a compromise. If I want a few days of running around a major city, we always make sure to head to smaller towns/spend a day or two relaxing on the beach for my husband later on in the trip. Everyone should be part of the decision-making process.

When I’m traveling with friends, I like to have my desired destination in mind as well as approximate dates. Don’t go to your friend and say “wanna travel next year?”. It’s way too open-ended, especially if you have a general idea of where you wanna go. I just started planning a trip for Spring Break, so asked my friend if she wants to accompany me on a trip to Jordan in late March. See, much more specific.

Always know the type of accommodation you both prefer, if this will be a budget/mid-range/luxury trip, and how the other person feels about spending some time solo (if one person wants to do something but the other really doesn’t want to). Your bestest of friends may make the worst travel buddies – be upfront about as much as possible and you’ll have the greatest chance of a smooth trip.

Traveling Solo?

Never traveled solo before? Don’t fret – I just started traveling solo a few years ago and fell in love with the whole concept ! It’s all so freeing! You can pick and choose all your activities, have cupcakes for breakfast (guilty!), and take as many photos as you want (64597 or 0)! Things do end up being a bit more expensive because you’ve got no one to split the bill with, so I typically stay in hostels and eat tons of street food to help with costs. 

When traveling solo for the first time, I recommend heading to a country that speaks your language, has an easy currency conversion, and is known for being safe and with a good tourist infrastructure. I loved traveling solo in Iceland , London, and Croatia solo, and would highly recommend these countries for first-time solo travelers! 

→  All my female solo travel tips over here (useful for you men as well, but it’s catered towards women, just FYI). 🙂

Step 5: Research Trip Costs

Before you can you do research on trip costs, you’ve gotta know where you’re going (obviously, because places all cost a different amount of money), how long you plan to travel for (more days = more money, usually), and when you aim to go (high season vs. low season can be wildly different in terms of financials). 

See, this is why you need to figure out how long you’re planning to travel for before you do your research on trip costs. Every night at a hotel, plus food and activities per day, will add up quickly. 

But it’s true – a vacation is only as expensive as you make it. Don’t expect baller champagne on a beer budget. That being said, you still can have a hell-of-a-time without spending a fortune.

Everyone told us that Japan would be over-the-top expensive, and we found it pretty in line with other trips we’ve taken. Must have been those inexpensive AirBnBs we found and eating cheap street food everyday.

If you’re traveling solo you won’t have many opportunities to cut these costs down (hostels are great for solo travelers), but if you’ve got a travel partner and are planning on sharing accommodation, you can automatically save 50% on hotels, car rentals, some activities, etc. 

Make a rough outline of how much you think the trip will cost, approximations of course. Be sure to note flight, hotel, meals, activities, transportation, and any possible extras. The more research you do, the fewer surprises you’ll have later on.

In addition, when thinking about your budget, think about areas in which you could save some money, and what hotels/activities/experiences you feel comfortable splurging on. Would you rather stay at that posh 5 star resort for 2 nights or take a helicopter ride in Maui ? Do you prefer a fancy spa treatment or a night out at the opera? It’s wise to pick and choose a few things you know you can’t live without, and try and cut corners in other areas. 

For example, we sometimes stay at airport hotels if we’re arriving late into our destination, which saves us money as they are typically less expensive than hotels in downtown. The next morning we check into the more expensive hotel, but have already saved a bunch of money by spending a night at the less expensive hotel, without impacting our travel plans at all!

Make sure to think about transportation costs too, as these can vary greatly depending on where you’re going. I’m not talking about transportation to your first destination, but how you’ll actually get around once you’re there. You can get anywhere in NYC for $2.75 (which I miss greatly), but if you wanna take day trips outta the city it’s a whole other ball game.

Think about if you’ll be traveling to different cities/places during your trip – be sure to account for a car rental, trains, buses, public transit, Uber, taxis, domestic flights, etc.

*** Always overestimate the cost of travel. There are lots of unexpected and unforeseen costs involved (unfortunately).  It’s always best to over over prepared, especially when it comes to finances!!! And if you don’t use all the money you save, you can always allocate the funds to your next trip. Boom!

And once you’ve figured all this out, you can set a rough budget for yourself. I say rough, because things are gonna change. Travel can be wildly unpredictable (especially if you haven’t done enough research).

Step 6: SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!

Time to get saving, my soon-to-be world-traveling friends. Because, well, hate to break it to ya, but you need a large chunk of change to pay for all your fun. You don’t need to save up enough cash for your entire trip all at once, but make sure you have a plan as to how you’ll do so before your trip arrives.

As you’re booking flights, hotels, activities, and as other trip-related expenses come up, you’ll want to have a sufficient amount of money to cover these things straight away.

NEVER go into credit card debt to travel. Just please don’t. Wait an extra few months/year to travel if you need to. The world ain’t going anywhere, but the credit card companies will charge you a hell of a beast of interest, that’s for sure.  

To make your finances black and white, write down all the things you spend money on each month (rent/mortgage, car payment/insurance, groceries, gym memberships, etc). Then look at your credit card and write down all the miscellaneous stuff. You may be surprised to see that you’ve spent ~300/month on coffees or ~$80/month on that pilates membership you haven’t used since February.

See if you can split the cost of Amazon Prime/Spotify/Netflix with a friend/family member, as even saving an extra $40 per month can get you a few nights in some places.

Think about ways you can slightly alter your everyday life to save for your trip. Every time you forgo that expensive morning latte or night out at the club/bar, you’re a few dollars closer to your dream trip.

Your friends don’t understand? Get new friends. Haha – but really, explain to them that a night out can cost as much as entry to the Vatican or a few days bumming around in Belize.

Get rid of those weekly/monthly subscription boxes, make your morning coffee at home, and save dinners out for special occasions. There are a billion ways to save money, you just gotta be creative sometimes.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll already have some extra cash lying around to plan your trip- but just remember, never take money out of your emergency fund to go off traveling. Set up a different bank account, with the sole purpose being money saved for travel.

Step 7: Apply for a no-fee ATM card

And since we’re talking cash, now’s the time to apply for a no-fee ATM card.

If you want to avoid those pesky ATM fees every time you take out cash while away, simply look into a no-fee debit/ATM card, such as one through Charles Schwab (which I have and love). You can use the card at any ATM in the world, and Schwab will reimburse you all the ATM fees at the end of the month. Pretty neat, right?

It’s by far the best debit card for traveling Americans. We transfer some money into our Schwab account before a trip, and use that as our spending money (do note that it takes a few days for money to transfer between banks, so do this a few days before jetting off).

More info on Charles Schwab here.

ATM fees quickly add up, with many banks charging around $5 or so per transaction. When traveling, I don’t like to keep a whole lotta cash on me at hand, so rely on local ATMs to take out small amounts when need be. Why shell out money when you don’t have to, right?

Step 8: Apply for a travel rewards credit card

Not all credit cards are created equal. I repeat. Not all credit cards are created equal. If you plan on traveling quite a bit (or even just once), it’s wise to look into a travel rewards credit card for the bonus miles and perks that come along with it.

There are many to choose from, including more general travel cards as well as airline/hotel/brand specific. 

We currently use and love the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which not only gives us $300 a year statement credit for travel, but grants us access into Priority Pass airport lounges worldwide, provides free auto insurance when renting cars, lost luggage reimbursement, and even a concierge service, (and oh so much more).

Don’t let the $450 annual fee scare you; it’s actually only $150 once you spend $300 on travel. Chase typically has great promotions, so be on the lookout for ones providing ~50k+ bonus miles (good for a roundtrip flight to almost anywhere in the world). There’s also the Chase Sapphire, which still comes with heaps of benefits, but you don’t get lounge access and other perks.

In addition, we also use an airline specific credit card, the Delta American Express, since my husband’s airline of choice is Delta. Whenever we book Delta flights using this card, we get extra bonus miles, which we can put to use for future free flights. I wouldn’t recommend only traveling with AMEX though, as many places around the world only take VISA/Mastercard. Hence our need for both.

Other recommended cards include Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express, and the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card. 

When looking for a travel credit card to apply for, check to make sure it has no international ATM withdrawal fees, no currency conversion fees, and reward points for travel (airlines/hotels/cars/etc).

And just FYI, Travelers Checks are kiiiinda a thing of the past, so be sure to have a credit card ok for international use.

Step 9: Book Flights

Booking flights is one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the travel planning process for me. And why? Because not only do flight prices fluctuate daily, but once you book, you only have 24 hours to cancel (as long as you’re booking from the USA). I find it incredibly intimidating, especially because I’m always trying to get the best possible price. And all those options! So confusing!

I rely on Skyscanner and Google Flights when looking for the cheapest possible flights, and sometimes also look on Kiwi . I tend to sway towards Skyscanner the most because it allows you to search an entire month (or time of year) to find the absolute cheapest flight available.

If I ever purchase a flight through a third-party, I make sure to call the airline and confirm my reservation number. 

However, 99.99% of the time I book directly through the airlines themselves. Once you find a good deal on Skyscanner or Google Flights, go directly to the airline website to book the flight. And don’t forget to input any airline numbers you are a partner of to rack up those skymiles for later use!

→ Psst – check out Skyscanner and set up price alerts to snag the best deal.

However, always be sure to check low-cost airlines, as they are not always included in third-party sites.  A good list can be found here . Southwest and Frontier Air are good options in the USA.  More tips on getting the best price on airfare here . 

Don’t be that person who paid the most on a flight → be flexible, use miles if you can, and sign up for email notifications (I like to use Skyscanner and Google Flights for this). If you’re a bit more flexible with your destination, make sure to sign up for Scott’s Cheap Flights and The Flight Deal, as you’ll receive insane flight deals. The more flexibility you have, the better your chances of scoring a great price. Be willing to fly midweek and off-hours, at the least, if you can.

Search for low airfares and hit BUY when you feel comfortable (don’t wait as flight prices can drastically change within hours)! Here are some additional tips on finding cheap airfare ! I’m a serial advanced planner when it comes to expensive, long-haul flights, but some of my friends score good deals by waiting until a month or two before. It all depends on your comfort level. 

Before booking, you’ll want to have a general idea of your travel route, as this may impact your flights. Will you be flying into one city and out of another? Are you booking a round trip ticket? 

An important note on Passports : Traveling internationally? Can’t leave the country without a valid passport, am I right?! Many countries require at least 6 remaining months on passports before you leave or in order to even enter the country.

If you need to order a new passport, you can check out this passport guide for help, and if you’re traveling within 6-8 weeks (amount of time it usually takes to process passports), you’ll need to get an expedited passport which you’ll receive in approximately 3 weeks for an extra $60. Well worth the money if you find yourself in a pinch and desperately need that passport ASAP.

Step 10: Book Hotels/Accommodations

I like to book hotels relatively early on in my planning process. Why? If you’re traveling during high season (which happens to be me more often than not), there’s a chance your desired hotels could be all booked up! We tend to book hotels that we can cancel, just in case our travel itinerary changes or we find accommodation that suits us better. Most of the time refundable rooms cost a bit more, so just something to keep in mind.

When searching for rooms, I typically do a quick check on HotelsCombined , since they find the best price by checking dozens of booking sites.

→ Search for the best hotel prices on HotelsCombined 

When booking accommodation, think about how far the hotel/apartment is from the city center and the activities you want to do. Sometimes, booking a hotel that’s way cheaper will end up costing more than a slightly-more-expensive hotel if you need to shell out extra dough to get yourself places.

Think about how much time you’ll be spending in the hotel. If you’re planning to be out and about all day, why book a fancy room when all you’ll be doing is sleeping and showering there?

We book over-the-top resorts/hotels when we know for a fact that we’ll be able to enjoy all the amenities. Like that time in Bali we stayed at a resort with our own private pool, lush jungle views, and multiple infinity pools. But we were planning on spending an entire day taking advantage of the hotel so it made sense. In Tokyo when we’re out stuffing our faces all day? Not so much. 

A few additional places we look for accommodation:

Hotel Tonight : My go-to for last minute deals.  Think road-tripping and spontaneous weekend trips.  We once paid $23 for a (really nice) hotel in Reno, Nevada.  You can now check and book up to seven days in advance. Top tip: download the app in advance in case you’re stuck without wifi for a bit.  Use my promo code JKLEINER for a free $25 towards your first booking.

AirBnB : In some cases, we find ourselves wanting a more local experience, so we look to AirBnB for an apartment or condo. With AirBnB, you can rent out private rooms, entire apartments, and even full houses! We’ve had some fantastic experiences and wonderful hosts, and saved a ton of money!  Save an additional $40 off your first stay here !

My number 1 tip: heavily research where you are staying – read all the reviews and make sure the property owner is readily available to contact. Always check the cancellation policy. 

→ New to AirBnB? We’re giving you a coupon of $40 off your first stay of $75 or more !

Expedia : So great for package deals, as you can literally saves 100’s by purchasing flight and hotel together.  Plus, with their rewards program, you can store your points for even greater savings down the line.

Step 11: Get Vaccinated/Medications if Needed

It’s always wise to schedule a travel appointment with your doctor so you can decide what’s best when it comes to vaccinations and precautionary medications with trained medical staff. In addition, I always check the CDC website for recommendations on the such.

Some are more standard vaccines you can get with your primary care doctor, but others (like Yellow Fever for our upcoming trip to Africa), you’ll need to arrange for in advance.

It’s wise to know which vaccines you’ll need early-ish on in the travel planning process, as some need to be specifically ordered and other vaccinations you’ll need multiple, specifically timed spaced-out appointments. Some vaccines are only recommended if you’re visiting particular parts of a country, so don’t feel like you need to get them all if you aren’t even visiting the infected areas.

In addition, research if you need to show proof of vaccines upon arrival into a particular country (they may not let you in without the proper documentation). Ack! 

It’s also a wise time to talk to your doctor about any medications (like Malaria pills we took in Thailand and Bali) you may want to bring along.

Step 12: Decide on WiFi/cell service

Some like to be away from it all and go wifi-free, while others will feel more safe and secure knowing they can use their phones. It all comes down to personal preference. I rely on my phone way too much to go completely data-free, so always make sure I have a set plan in place before leaving on any international trip.

Personal Wifi Hotspot

Although you will most likely have wifi at your accommodation, it’s a good idea to bring along a pocket-sized personal WiFi hotspot , to keep you connected during your time abroad. WiFi hotspots are a cost effective option to ensure you can use GPS apps like Google Maps, check your emails, and catch up with friends and family while away.

With this portable device , you’ll have WiFi wherever you go (even if your phone doesn’t have service), unlimited internet (on up to five devices at a time!!!), and it’s fast and reliable. At less than $9 a day, this device can’t really be beat.

Note that some cell phone plans allow for international use, but many of these are costly. I accidentally turned on my phone service for LESS THAN 2 MINUTES once and got charged $150 by my phone carrier! I desperately wished I had a personal WiFi hotspot with me then!

Find more information and plan options here . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED especially when you don’t speak the native language of the country you’re visiting. A true life saver.

Other Options

Other options include bringing along an unlocked phone so you can use local SIM cards, and looking for plans which include international data.

If you’re thinking about doing a bunch of international travel over the next few years, it may be worth switching to T-Mobile if the service is decent in your home area. My husband and I currently use T-Mobile, and get access to free data in over 210 countries (excluding the one country I was charged an obscene amount of money in – but that was my fault).

Some teched-out cities even have free wifi throughout the city – need to check beforehand (don’t count on this as it’s a relatively new thing, and I wouldn’t rely on the free wifi in case an emergency occurs).

Psst: I always bring a portable battery charger to recharge throughout the day since I rely on my phone heavily for directions!

Step 13: Research + Map Out Activities/Restaurants

Ohhhh, this is where it gets really fun in my eyes. Activities are the bulk of your trip, and probably the main reason you’re visiting the area (besides the food, of course).

Here’s how I like to do it:

1. First, I do some research on things to do in the area (this includes food tours, beaches, museums, popular attractions, hikes, etc), day trips which peak my interest, and anything else I find exciting on Get Your Guide , Viator , and AirBnB Experiences (use this promo code for $15 off your first AirBnB experience). 

I’m a BIG FAN of Get Your Guide and Viator when it comes to perusing activities and signing up for tours (they have SO many options). I’ve been using both of these sites for years, and can honestly say 99% of the time the tours are downright AWESOME and a good bang for your buck. I like to plan in advance (sometimes too far in advance), and being able to book specific activities (with the ability to cancel if need be) is something I love about Get Your Guide and Viator.

I recently started using AirBnB Experiences , as they offer some more local-type experiences, such as cooking classes in chef’s homes (I learned how to make macarons in Paris this way!), photography sessions, and more niche city walks.

I also like to use travel blogs from those writers I trust (not all travel bloggers have the same credibility unfortunately, so if something sounds odd/wacky, I do further research/cross reference facts). In order to do this, I usually google  destination + “blog”, and pick them out one by one in the search results. You tend to get additional tips and insights you normally wouldn’t have on other large-party sites.  

Depending on the destination, I’ll peruse Lonely Planet for even more must-do’s. I used to rely on TripAdvisor, but after I learned that many reviews are fake/bought, I stopped using them entirely. 

2. Plot each “attraction/museum/beach/restaurant” on a map → I’ve been using Google Maps lately and love it! If you prefer to use paper maps, get a large one so you can easily see all the spots! But why waste paper and money?

3. Look at the map, and take note as to where these activities fall. I then separate the activities into different areas. This helps figure out which attractions you should see together on a particular day. You don’t wanna be running back and forth across the city/town/destination out of stupidity silliness. Group attractions together that are in the same proximity/close distance.

4. Think about how much time each activity will take. Some attractions will only take a few minutes, while others you may want to devote entire hours. Don’t aim to see a whole bunch of super-intensive things in the same day; try and space them out if you can.

5. Star your top “things to do” in each location. These are the things you’ll aim to see on your trip, while the others will be extra bonuses. Because, lets face it, if you only have 3 days in Paris, you probably won’t have time to see all 235232 museums.

At the end of this process, you should have a handful of main activities you wanna check out, as well as a bunch more less time-intensive ones, listed out by location/proximity to each other. 

Depending on the type of traveler you are, you may want to book a few guided tours of the city/area you’re visiting. When I travel (especially on my solo jaunts), I tend to book a few guided tours and day trips. I always meet a few chatty people and end up hanging with them the entire day!

It’s also nice to have someone guide me around for a bit (solo travel gets exhausting). Guided day trips are great if you don’t wanna worry about getting lost on public transport and/or don’t wanna rent a car.

Inspiration for Things to Do/Tours/Day Trips

• Get Your Guide 
• Viator  
• Airbnb experiences
• Travel Blogs (like mine !)

If there’s a particular + popular restaurant/dining experience your longing after, it’s wise to make a reservation in advance. When we went to Mexico City , we had to book our table a few months ahead of time, and there still wasn’t much availability! 

Step 14: Plan Your Day-to-Day Itinerary

Don’t overplan , but definitely keep track of the tours you booked and other sites on your wishlist. I tend to make exceptionally long Google Docs (for easy access without wifi), and roughly plan out my days. This makes sure I don’t forget what’s going on each day; especially helpful if your trip consists of a few different towns/cities/etc.

I always put the date, day of week, and location in the left column, then details about my day in the right.

Some tours are only offered on certain days, so you may need to play around with your day-to-day itinerary until it works out. 

The example below (a random few days during my two weeks in Croatia ) is not as crazily detailed as my normal ones, but you get the picture:

Once the itinerary is all set, I then go ahead and book all tours and skip-the-line tickets for popular attractions (imagine not booking a ticket in advance for Frida Khalo’s House in Mexico City, the Louvre in Paris, or the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona). Don’t waste your time waiting in line. Spend 3 minutes booking your tickets now and you’ll be thanking yourself later on during your trip.

Step 15: Book a Car Rental (if need be)

Heading off on a road trip (one of my favorite types of trips)? Don’t forget to book a car rental for the duration of your stay! 

In order to save some money, think about if you’ll actually need the car for your entire trip. Are you staying put in your first destination for a few days? Can you get around on foot or inexpensive public transport? Will you really need a car then? Book the car rental for the night before/morning of your first real road trip day.

→ Search for the cheapest car rentals over here !

And if you’re primarily visiting one city and doing a few day trips, can you move all your day trips to the beginning/end of your trip to only book the car for 3 days, instead of say 7? It’s silly to pay for an extra day if the car will just sit there all day.

But always check how much a weekly car will cost – sometimes there are deals, and a rental may end up being cheaper in total if you book for longer (crazy, huh?)! It’s wise to think about parking fees and such before getting too excited though.

Additional Reading: Tips and Tricks for your Next Roadtrip

Step 16: Buy travel insurance

Confession time:  I was always that girl who never really understood the value of travel insurance.  Honestly, I thought it was a complete waste of money. After checking out the highly recommended Safety Wing , I finally came to the realization that it really is worth the (small) extra cost, and it’s just plain stupid to travel without. 

Safety Wing is not just for medical insurance, but also helps when luggage is lost, you need to cancel a trip, or when your gear is stolen or damaged when traveling. 

Even better, you can purchase at home or overseas (while already traveling) & make claims online from anywhere in the world. There’s really no excuse, especially since the insurance only costs a few dollars a day. You’ll be kicking yourself mid-trip if something goes wrong and you’ve got to pay tons out of pocket.

They say if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.  Now I won’t travel without it. Get a FREE quote . Planning a trip abroad? Just get the insurance. No excuses.

Step 17: Before you go action items

Thought you were done? So close, just a few more things to do when planning a trip! These last-minute items can literally be done in the few days leading up to your trip. Some only take a minute, but are oh-so-important.

• Tell your credit card companies you’re traveling (you don’t want any cards to get denied because of suspected fraud/theft)
• Arrange for pets to be watched and plants to be watered.
• Get familiar with currency rates. They obviously vary from country to country, and can sometimes be as easy as moving the decimal point a few spots, or as confusing as dividing everything by 7.3. Download a currency converter for your phone for easy conversions on the road (I like Currency XE).
• Learn a few important words/phrases in the local language. I find Duolingo quite fun!
• Do some research on safety, common scams, and any areas to avoid in the destinations you’re visiting. It’s also wise to check out any cultural norms/basic manners in your destination.
• Let friends and family know you’re traveling. Be safe – someone at home should always know exactly where you are, especially if you’re traveling solo.
• Transfer money into Schwab account: remember, this takes a few days, so be sure to transfer as much cash as you think you’ll need for the beginning of your trip. I like to make it easy and just do one bulk transfer before we leave. Remember, using Schwab saves you all those precious ATM fees!

• Buy necessary items: Depending on where you’re going, you may need to pack something specific. Traveling internationally? You’ll most likely need a plug adaptor ( this one works in all countries ) and possibly a converter for voltage. You’ll probably wanna pack a wide-brimmed hat and reef-safe sunscreen for warm-weather destinations. A sarong to cover up with for visiting temples in Asia. 
• Credit cards you are bringing
• Travel insurance documents
• Rough itinerary
• Flight/Hotel/Activity reservations 

I also like to print out a copy (or 2) of my passport and keep in a separate place. If I’m keeping my passport in my purse with me, I also put a copy in my suitcase/husband’s carryon just in case.

A REALLY IMPORTANT EXTRA TIP: Figure out how you’ll get to your accommodation/into the city from the airport before you take off. The last thing you wanna do when you’re completely drained from sitting on the plane for 10 hours (with potential jet lag) is to figure out how to get to your first stop.

Be kind to yourself and at least write it down (on your handy-dandy Google Doc) beforehand. Consider the time you’re arriving, as public transport may not work all hours of the night.

Step 18: Start Packing!

Phew – so close! I suggest starting to take things out a few days before your trip so you don’t forget anything important. Make sure you’ve got your passport, additional form of ID, copies of credit cards and other documents, and your itinerary. You’ll also want to check the plug/socket type and make sure you have one/a few which fit.

A few of my top packing tips:

• Know your airline’s baggage fee policy. Don’t wanna show up at the airport expecting to get 2 huge suitcases for free and end up having to pay $$$ for them. A great list can be found here , but it’s always wise to triple check on the actual airline website.
• Pack light. Most people take way more than they actually need. Think about the activities you planned earlier, and pack according to that. Put everything on your bed and take out half of the clothing you think you need (yes, half). Not only will this reduce potential fees at the airport, but it’ll make it easier to get around with less baggage.
• Keep all your absolute essentials and one change of clothes in a carry-on. Lost baggage happens; don’t let it ruin your trip. Always keep medications and expensive electronics on your body, as well as a toothbrush!
• Come prepared. We always take along something for motion sickness, altitude sickness, stomach bugs (anti-diarrheal), and other general over-the-counter meds including fever-reducers, pain reliever (Tylenol or motrin), an antihistamine, and antibiotic ointment. Throw a bunch of band aids in your bag as well. You just never know what’ll happen and if you’ll have access to these quickly and easily on the road.
• Use packing cubes. I don’t know how I managed to travel before packing cubes came into my life. They are oh so helpful for organization and to keep my bag from exploding. And if you haven’t ordered packing cubes in time, you can always use large plastic bags. Better yet, roll your clothes into packing cubes and you’ll be golden.

Step 19: And you’re off!

You did it! You planned your trip! Now go enjoy the fruits of your labor and have the time of your life! Just remember to stay safe and take lots of photos! Be sure to read how to stay entertained on long flights before you leave so you’re first 3, 7, or 10 hours of travel isn’t a complete bore!

Hope this ridiculously detailed guide on how to plan a trip helped! Where are you hoping to travel soon?! Now, go help a friend plan a trip, pronto!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

June 15, 2020 at 5:27 am

This is so so so helpful! I am a hyper planner as well so this is pretty much exactly what I do. Love this!

June 16, 2020 at 9:15 pm

Yassss! Planners unite! Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but then I go ahead and plan the best trips!

August 5, 2020 at 12:33 pm

Planners unite! Everyone thinks I’m crazy!

September 22, 2020 at 5:24 am

Hi jess, Amazing post! You share some useful blog every time. I appreciate your planning and Your planning always working for me. Thank you for sharing your travel plan.

January 24, 2021 at 4:18 am

An informative read Jess. You’ll have to visit Tenerife one day and do a review of the island.

March 21, 2021 at 9:55 am

I plan to travel to Croatia in 2022. Yes it is more than a year upfront. I like your blogs a lot and will definitely use them. Any suggestions for traveling the Croatian coastline. Want to fly to Rome and travel per train to Venice and from there with a bus/train to a destination in Croatia where I can rent a car. Preferably Poreč then Pula and all along the coast to Rijeka to Zadar, Split and all the way to Dubrovnik.

December 29, 2023 at 6:34 pm

Hi Jessica! Thank you so much for this article – it was very informative! My husband and I are planning on taking a trip to Japan in Spring of 2025. Do you speak Japanese? If not, did you find it difficult navigating the county? I am trying to figure out if I should book a tour group, or if we would be okay just going by ourselves. 🙂 Thanks so much for your help!

December 29, 2023 at 6:36 pm

Sorry! This comment was supposed to be on your Japan article! I don’t know how to fix it. LOL.

You may also love...

Subscribe To The Newsletter

FOR TRAVEL INSPO   and   FUN

No spam, only fun!

Favorite Destinations

• About Jessica
• How to Plan a Trip
• Fave Travel Companies
• Shop My Faves

Destinations

• World Travel
• San Francisco
• Northern California
• Southern California
• Central Coast

Encouraging women to try adventurous travel

Tools to Plan a Sensational Trip for Yourself

Traveling soon?? Or maybe you want to? I always try to have something on the horizon to look forward to – plus, there is always plenty to explore! And although it’s tough with Covid, it’s never too early to start planning, dreaming, or doing local explorations. There are essentially three ways to plan a trip:

1. Plan it Yourself

I believe you can plan a trip perfectly suited to you with memorable adventures along the way. With a little bit of research and organization, you can take the stress out of decision-making in person and feel fully immersed in the destination. Plus, I have tools and resources to make it fun and stress-free, such as:

• Over 200 blog posts packed with travel information!
• Free worksheets to get you started. (Scroll down)
• A trip-planning template to keep everything organized. (Scroll down)
• An email accountability series with weekly tips to book each trip step. (Scroll down)
• An email newsletter with weekly inspiration.

2. Use a Travel Agent

How nice would it be to simply show up to your vacation with everything already booked?? Well, that’s the job of a travel agent! They will take care of all the details, including helping you through all the pandemic hoops. Travel agents specialize in your type of travel and/or your ideal destination.

I love sharing my experiences, tips, and resources as a travel blogger. But I’m not going to be the best person to plan your trip. However, I am actively developing relationships with travel agents, so I know who to recommend. Sign up for my email newsletter to be the first one to hear about how it’s going!

3. Go on a Multi-day Group Tour

Multi-day group tours are a lovely mix of someone else handling the bulk of the trip logistics, but you still have the freedom to plan things in your downtime. Group tours are fantastic for complicated destinations, when you want support on outdoor adventures (rafting, trekking, etc.), or want an exceptional experience.

• Check out the Travel with Me page to see if you want to go on any multi-day tours with me! They are public tours that I will be writing about for the company, and I would love to have you!
• Or you can also read reviews of my previous trips by visiting my Group Tour Reviews .

Trip Planning Template

When you’re planning a trip, how are you currently keeping it all organized? Is it a hot mess of different emails and a jumble of details in your head? Haha, that’s how I started too.

After a few trips, I started to crave a structure during the trip planning process and began to create a single document to pop in all my notes, links, confirmation codes, and addresses. The initial trip planning document was born.

After even more trips, a particular structure emerged where I can now keep and find information easily. If you are currently planning a trip, a single document you can keep coming back to will be KEY to keeping everything organized. This template was created as a tool for the trip planning accountability email courses below. Even if you do not take an email course, I WANT you to use this template for your trip planning, which is why the template is only $5.00.

It is set up as a Google Doc that you edit as you go and is not automatic. I love Google Docs because of the ability for more than one person to be editing the document – this is how you can more easily plan trips with friends or family! Also, you can have accessibility to your research and links while on the trip. If you prefer, you can also download the template as a Word Document.

I also have a blog post that will help you utilize your trip planning temple. Check it out here.

Price: $5.00

Email Accountability Series

Plan a Weekend Trip

If you’ve never planned a trip before or want to be better at it, why not start with a weekend trip?

In this email series, I will walk you through the steps of planning a wonderful weekend getaway. It is packed full of tips and recommendations for each step of the planning process for a 3- to 5-day trip. You can expect an email every 3 days, for a total of 15 days. Purchase and plan your weekend trip in advance, so you can enjoy while you’re there! At the end of the 6 emails, you will have planned a delightful little weekend trip.

Includes: 6 Emails, Google Doc Planning Template, Choose a Destination Worksheet, Packing Worksheet, and Guided Tour Checklist

Price: $27.95

Plan a Trip in 1 Month

If you’d like to plan a trip taking place in 1 or 2 months but don’t know where to start, this is the product for you!

I’ve created this email series that walks you through each step of planning a trip entirely from scratch. We will strike a nice balance of doing a little research while recognizing the pressure to move forward and book items each week. You can expect an email every 3 to 4 days for the next four weeks, with a specific checklist to complete each email’s tasks. You will have a complete trip structure at the end of one month and feel ready to travel.

Includes: 9 Emails, Google Doc Planning Template, Choose a Destination Worksheet, Packing Worksheet, and Guided Tour Checklist

Plan a Trip in 3 Months

You have the ability to plan a life-changing trip for yourself.

Enjoy the luxury of planning a trip from scratch over three months! We have time to dive into each topic, research, and watch prices during this email accountability series. The extra time allows you to consider more things and take each step a little slower. You’ll receive one or two emails each week to keep your trip planning on track. You will have a complete trip structure at the end of three months and be entirely ready for travel.

Includes: 15-20 Emails, Google Doc Planning Template, Choose a Destination Worksheet, Packing Worksheet, and Guided Tour Checklist

Please note that I am not able to issue refunds at this time. Be ready to start planning a trip because the email series will begin as soon as you purchase the item. However, you can reference the emails in the future for as long as you’d like!

FREE Worksheets

Free Worksheet:

Choose a destination.

Choosing where you want to go is the first step in planning any trip. But it can also feel impossible to make a decision and commit to it. With this worksheet, I will walk you through the steps to brainstorm and narrow down your options to ultimately choose a destination.

Set aside 30 minutes with your travel partner (or alone) and you will be that much closer to making your trip a reality.

Free Checklist:

Make the most of a guided tour.

I’ve taken a few multi-day group tours (like in Cuba and Peru) and what feels like a hundred single-day guided activities. I’ve had great tours and I’ve also had not-so-great tours. What I’ve learned along the way is that we can influence how great an experience is by carefully choosing a company, preparing ourselves before the tour, and being present in the moment. Get the free checklist today to ensure you’re getting the most from each guided tour.

Read more about the Guided Tour Checklist in this Blog Post . Or click the button below to get it emailed to you immediately!

Stop Overpacking For Your Trips!

This free worksheet is perfect for travelers who dread packing and over-or under-pack for trips. If this is you, then maybe it’s time to try a NEW packing system that leads you through a step-by-step process to pack exactly what you need for your trip. This is NOT minimalist packing, but perfect for those tired of carrying around too much luggage when traveling.

Read instructions for the individual steps in this Blog Post . Or click the button below to get it emailed to you immediately!

Moderately Adventurous participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a small commission if you purchase an item linked on this site.

• Kale by LyraThemes.com.

Plan, Ready, Go

How to Plan a Trip for Beginners (5 Easy Steps)

Planning a trip can seem overwhelming to beginners, but I promise you that it’s simple. You only need to do a few things to plan a trip…and a great trip at that!

Keeping things simple will help you keep the nerves at bay and make your overall experience more smooth.

There’s no need to overthink your travel plans. You don’t need to follow an 11- or 18-step plan to learn how to plan a trip.

So if you want to easily plan a trip without any drama, just keep reading!

To get started planning your trip, grab your FREE printable travel planner here.

This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  See disclaimer.

#1. Choose your trip destination

First, you need to decide on where you want to go…which can sometimes be a difficult task since there are thousands of travel destinations all over the world.

Keep in mind that certain destinations will require a little (or a lot!) more research or pre-travel prep than other destinations (such as visa or vaccination requirements). They make for more complicated travel planning.

If you’re planning your first trip, I highly recommend that you keep your first destination simple. You can always make more complicated plans for your next trip.

Consider trying:

• A domestic trip
• A destination just a few hours’ drive from your home
• A simple weekend getaway

When choosing a destination , cost is often going to be a major factor. You can choose your destination and then set your travel budget or choose your destination based on a travel budget you’ve already set.

Either option is a viable choice.

We tend to start planning trips up to two years out and we’ll set our budget based on where we want to go and how much time we have to save up the money we think we’ll need.

This leads me to one of my favorite travel tips (which also doubles as a personal finance tip: do not go into debt to travel. Only spend the money that you have.

For more help with budget travel, see my article outlining all my best practical tips for affording more travel .

For more help with building your travel budget, check out this post on creating a travel budget that works for you . It includes basic guidance for how much of your travel budget to allot for certain expenses such as transportation, accommodations, food, activities, etc.

Or sometimes we find we have some extra time and money and we’ll choose our trip destination and trip length based on the money we have available.

For help with choosing your travel destination, you can:

• Brainstorm a list of places you’ve always wanted to visit. Inviting your travel companion(s) to give their input is a great way to get them involved in the planning process.
• Check out Pinterest for inspiration
• Read your favorite travel blogs (hint hint)
• Ask friends and family about their favorite trips
• Do Google searches for ideas such as “Affordable beach vacations in the U.S.” or “best family vacation destinations in Europe.”
• Consult with travel guidebooks

Once you’ve chosen your destination for your perfect trip, you’re ready to get on with planning your trip.

#2. Decide how you want to get there

Once you’ve chosen your travel destination, you’ll need to make arrangements for getting there.

Now, sometimes there will be only one obvious transportation option for your destination. But sometimes there are non-obvious options such as taking a cruise to Hawaii instead of flying or traveling by bus or train.

If you live in the “lower 48” in the U.S., more often than not you’ll be flying or driving to your destination. We generally prefer to stick closer to home and drive for short trips. For a long trip, we’re always willing to fly.

Google Flights

My go-to site when I start my trip planning is Google Flights .

Use the “Explore” tool to browse for great deals from your chosen departure airport. You’ll get the best results if your travel dates are flexible…though this can be said of any cheap flight tool. 

See my post on how to use Google Flights for more information.

Formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights,  Going  is a flight deals subscription service that sends travel deals straight to your email inbox. And Premium members get weekend getaway deals in addition to amazing deals on international and domestic flights.

In my opinion, a  Going Premium subscription  is well worth the money and is the best way to get the best deals on flights especially if you have flexible travel dates and want to see a new place. I especially highly recommend Going for international travel (from the U.S.).

You can even try it for free for two weeks to decide if you think it’s worth the money.

For more about this service, see my full  review of Going .

Secret Flying

Another great resource for finding amazing deals on flights (including error fares) is Secret Flying . Secret Flying is totally free.

You sign up for alerts on their website , but they don’t offer alerts from any airport you want in the U.S. But they do offer alerts from airports outside the United States, unlike Going

Another tool in my trip-planning arsenal is the Hopper app . Hopper predicts prices to help you decide whether you should book now or wait for a better deal to come along. I like to use Hopper when my travel dates aren’t as flexible, but I have time to wait for prices to improve before I book.

For more details about all the options for pricing flights, see my full post on how to save money on flights .

I love driving to our travel destinations whenever we can. No airport security. No worrying about missing connections, etc.

I also love that I can be a lot less fussy about my packing. If it fits in the car, it can go.

Not to further complicate things, but you might also want to fly to your first destination and then road trip from there to see a few cities. This does make travel planning more complicated, but if you opt to do that you’ll want to look into renting a car.

A less complicated option is to choose one destination to serve as your “home base” and then day trip from that one location to see more of the area.

AutoSlash Find a great deal on rental cars with  AutoSlash . You can also use AutoSlash to track your rental, and they’ll notify you of price drops. 

Costco Travel If you have a Costco membership, you can also find great deals on rental cars through Costco Travel . I always check both.

I used to always get the best deal through AutoSlash, but lately, Costco has been offering me the best price.

Employee or association discounts Check with your employer or your alma mater’s alumni association to see if they offer any rental car discounts you can take advantage of.

For more help with your road trip, check out:

• Things to do on a long road trip to pass the time
• Great road trip questions to spark fun conversation
• Entertaining road trip trivia & questions

#3. Figure out where to stay

Now that you know where you’re going and how to get there, you can decide where you’re going to stay once you’re there.

Unless you want to travel on a shoestring, you can bypass the typical “gap year” options like hostels and couchsurfing.

Your main options then will be to stay in a hotel (or resort, inn, or bed & breakfast) or use a vacation rental through a platform like Vrbo or Airbnb.

The choice of staying at a hotel, inn, or resort will depend a lot on how you like to vacation and what you’re looking for as far as amenities.

Those who travel regularly might choose a major hotel brand to frequent so that they can earn points for their stays and loyalty status for access to more amenities and upgrades.

Vacation rental

Using a vacation rental can often (but not always) save you money.

Keep in mind when looking at options on Vrbo or Airbnb that the added fees can be significant, meaning that at some destinations or for shorter stays a hotel might cost you less money per night.

And there are plenty of affordable hotels that offer helpful amenities like free breakfast.

On the other hand, your vacation rental will typically come with a full kitchen, allowing you to bypass eating meals out at restaurants if you wish, which can also mean significant savings in your travel budget.

Vacation rentals are also a great option if you’re traveling with a large group that would require multiple hotel rooms. Dividing the cost of a larger vacation rental home with several bedrooms will very often save money over booking multiple hotel rooms.

There are websites (like booking.com ) that allow you to look for a wide variety of accommodation options at the same time: hotels, inns, B&Bs, condo rentals, homestays, etc); however, a downside with using a site such as booking.com is that choices can be overwhelming, making it difficult to make a decision.

My recommendation for new or anxious travelers who are having difficulty choosing a place to stay is to:

• Use a map to choose an area or two in your destination where you would like to stay
• Set your budget
• Do a little research to find 3 or 4 accommodation options in a location you like and that are within your budget then stop searching there
• Compare the amenities of those options and book

#4. Choose what you want to do

Now that you’ve settled on where you’re staying at your destination, you need to make some decisions about what you want to do on your trip.

What do you enjoy doing when you travel?

• Popular tourist attractions
• Theme parks
• Guided behind-the-scenes tours
• Walking tours
• Arts performances
• Outdoor activities
• Historical sites
• Natural sites
• National parks
• Scenic drives

There are so many options!

Depending on your destination this may require a fair amount of research and pre-booking tickets or tours. Or it could be as simple as just brainstorming a few ideas for things to do if you get bored.

Here are a few tips for building out your itinerary:

• Be honest with yourself about what your “must-do” attractions and activities are. Prioritize the most important thing early in your itinerary then add in any lower priority items.
• Don’t overbook your itinerary. Make sure to give yourself some breathing room between activities to account for travel delays, rescheduling for bad weather, etc.
• For longer trips, give yourself half a day or a full day with no pre-booked activities so you can get some extra rest, go back to a spot you enjoyed, or accommodate any extra sites/activities you discover at your destination.

See my post on planning a travel itinerary to learn about the exact process I follow when I plan my trips.

#5. Build your packing list

With your itinerary built, it’s time to figure out what you want to take with you on your trip.

Your packing list will be a reflection of your destination, the season/weather during the time of year you’re traveling, and your planned activities among other things.

And don’t forget to pack your important documents such as your passport, etc.

Here’s more help to get you packed and out the door:

• Travel Light Packing List for a Week (in a Carry-on)
• The Best Carry-on Packing Tips for Traveling Light
• How to Pack Toiletries in a Carry-on Bag
• Weekend Packing List (For Any Kind of Getaway)

Other things to consider before you travel

While we just went through all the major steps you need to take to plan your trip, depending upon your destination and personal life situation there may be other things you may need to take care of before you leave town.

Visa, travel advisories

If you are traveling out of the country, you must understand what the entry or visa requirements (if any) are for your destination.

Don’t be like the honeymooning bride who didn’t know that her passport needed to be valid for three months beyond her planned date of departure from France at the end of her trip. It would have taken her literally two minutes to find that information and avoid the heartbreak of not being able to take her honeymoon. 

You’ll also want to be aware of any travel advisories or health requirements/recommendations. U.S. citizens traveling internationally should check the U.S. Department of State website for helpful information.

Travel insurance

When you travel, it’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance in case something goes wrong.

We use World Nomads for peace of mind whenever we travel internationally.

Miscellaneous considerations

Other things you may need to think about as you plan your trip could include:

• Arranging care for pets
• Arranging for your mail to be picked up or held
• Making sure that you don’t miss any bill due dates while you travel

Final thoughts on planning a trip

Traveling for the first time or planning a trip yourself for the first time can seem scary, but it’s actually a pretty simple process.

Certainly, some kinds of trips are more complicated than others or destinations that require more advanced prep before you visit, but beginners and anxious travelers can still plan wonderful trips on their own.

Just remember that you only need a few things to have a great trip: a destination, a way to get there, some place to stay, and things to do.

More articles to help you plan a trip

• Essential travel planning resources
• The best travel guides (books and online resources)
• Find the best personal item bag for you
• Checklist of the last-minute things to do before you leave for your trip

Pin this post!  

Darcy Vierow is a busy professional and travel planning expert with years of experience maximizing travel with limited time and on a less-than-average salary. Her tips have been published by Forbes, MSN.com, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, Aol, Newsbreak and GOBankingRates. Read more about Darcy Vierow .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

Privacy Overview

How To Plan a Trip: 13 Step-by-Step Instructions

Pin this post for later!

If you’re wondering how to plan a trip, you’ve come to the right place. I think I can say I’ve mastered the art of planning trips since I’ve been doing it consistently for myself around the world since 2011!

I absolutely love finding a destination, seeing all the possibilities for exploration, finding out about all the cool things to do, see, and learn about a place, and putting all the puzzle pieces of a trip together.

I’ve conquered the art of trip planning, and now I am here to help you become a pro yourself! I’ve thought of all of the possible things that you need to put together—step-by-step—for a successful trip!

Here’s everything you need to know on how to plan a trip, PLUS some things you may not have even thought of!

Table of Contents

How to Plan a Trip— 13 Step-by-Step Directions!

Clueless about how to plan a trip without a destination in mind, keep in mind the seasons, wrapping up planning your destination, research costs, 4. how long is your trip, 5. choosing travel credit cards for your trip, tips for banking abroad:, tips on booking flights:, don’t need a flight, how to get around, are you staying for longer, planning your trip with these booking sites:, finding free accommodation, 9. planning things to do on your trip, 10. packing for your trip, 11. traveler insurance—don’t forget this when planning your trip, vaccines, meds, etc., getting things “done” abroad, how to stay in touch, download helpful apps, safety reminders, how to plan a trip: last minute stuff, save and sell, automate everything you can, find work abroad or online, 1. how to plan where to go on your trip.

Honestly, this might be the most challenging topic of them all! Choosing WHERE TO GO?! And of course, you won’t know how to plan a trip when you have no idea where you want to go… because you want to go everywhere!

If you already have clarity about this, that’s amazing! However, there still might be a few important points in this post for you to consider when planning a trip, so hang tight and read through this section anyway.

So, how to plan a trip when you’re not sure where to go? Let’s help you narrow down your possibilities…

• Deals – Sometimes, you can let the deals show you the way! If a place is on your list and is sporting some very attractive flight deals, then perhaps the destination has chosen YOU!
• When to go – Sometimes, a destination is best visited during a certain time, and maybe you have set dates in mind. Planning a trip around specific times and seasons will help narrow down your choices.
• Budget -Sometimes, figuring out your budget will be an easy indicator of which countries can rise to the top of your list, and which will fall off because the budget won’t allow for it.
• How long – How long are you planning for your trip to last? This will likely depend on your budget and how many days you can get away for, and it definitely plays into planning a trip. Unfortunately, a road trip around the entire US isn’t going to fit into a long weekend.

Don’t worry, we’re going to go into all of these in a lot more detail so buckle up. I’ll help you figure out how to plan your trip by helping you think of everything needed to have a successful and epic getaway!

Are you indecisive like me? Is everything on the list and you have decision paralysis? I get it! And I have a fun option to help you choose. I call it Destination: Anywhere.

This “game” is best “played” if your dates are flexible – more on this below. But the idea of the game is very simple. I use Skyscanner’s “everywhere” feature to help me choose my next destination.

I type in the airport that I’m leaving from and put “Everywhere” as my destination. Skyscanner will now spit out a list of destinations from cheapest to most expensive. I look down the list and choose one of the cheaper destinations as my next destination!

If your dates are not flexible, you can do this, but choose the month you need to travel in for a list of the cheapest destinations for that month.

This is my favorite “game” to play when I’m in the first phases of how to plan a trip, being indecisive, and obviously, it’s a great way to find deals to the cheapest places if you can be flexible!

Are you mega flexible and want to play more? I also play this game on Kiwi because they allow multiple continents and countries in the “leaving from” and “going to” boxes, which gives you tons more options to play around with when planning a trip.

Google Flights also has a great option for exploring deals, with flexible dates and flexible destinations too! Their map allows you to zoom in on specific continents and countries or zoom out to get a worldview of the best deals.

2. Choosing When To Go On Your Trip

Choosing when to go on your trip is pretty darn important, and you will need to go about it in one of two ways:

• Either your dates are fixed and can’t be moved – Which means you can choose destinations that are best *insert your time frame.*
• Or you can choose a destination that you want to go to and accommodate your dates to fit that country. In other words, *insert country* is best in XYZ months…

This is an easy one to forget when you’re first figuring out how to plan a trip, but we have hemispheres. Don’t bring a bikini and some tank tops to New Zealand in June; you’ll be freezing! Your summer is someone else’s winter.

Next, you’ll want to be sure to search for a country’s shoulder seasons. Simply Google “shoulder season for XYZ country” and you’ll find the info you need. Shoulder season is the border months between high and low seasons.

This is when the weather is still pretty good, but the prices have started to lower, and the crowds have thinned out. This is an ideal time to consider visiting when planning a trip.

If you come during the low season, prices will be even lower, but the weather might not be the best. Alternatively, if you come during high seasons, prices will be at their highest and everything is crowded.

You can expect great weather, though—So it’s a trade-off! That’s why aiming for shoulder season is a great option if you can make it happen.

Lastly, you’ll want to double-check check there aren’t any holidays that you are not aware of happening for your dates! If you accidentally visit Mexico during Dios de Los Muertos, it will be an epic visit but you will be shelling out more cash for reservations and buses, and flights might cost more or be booked up!

If you’re purposely traveling during a holiday, book early!

SO! I think that gave you something to chew on. Hopefully, by now, you have an idea of WHERE you want to go. Get some inspo on travel blogs (see my fav destinations ), on social media, or by literally just clicking around on a map and looking at Google Images! Yes… I do this too!

Again if you’re flexible, letting the destination “choose you” can be a great way to go. This is when you allow your dates to be flexible and see where’s good to travel for the lowest cost rather than solidifying a destination and certain dates and then being “stuck” with whatever it’s going to cost for that specific time.

3. How To Plan a Trip Budget

Your budget will have a massive effect on planning your trip, and this can only be determined by you!

There are tons of ways to save money while on the road like:

• Getting travel credit cards to earn miles (which equals free travel)
• Ways to find free accommodation
• Lists of budget tips around the world
• And tips to travel for *almost* free

Other things to think about:

• What kind of traveler are you? Do you backpack? Flashback? Are you a luxury type of traveler?
• What types of things do you want to do? Lazing on the beach is usually free, but you’ll need a bigger budget for tours if you want to hike mountains and zipline.
• Are you squeezing in a lot? We will talk more about this later, but the more you squeeze in, the faster you go… The more money you spend!

Hopefully, by now, you’ve decided where you’re going so you can try to find out if your budget is going to match the costs this trip will take.

Don’t try to find out every single nickel and dime you will spend—just give yourself some roundabout numbers. Here’s how I do it by simply Googling:

• Accommodation – Look up the costs at the main areas you will be going to, find a place you’d actually book, and then take an average. Times this number by the number of nights you’ll be there.
• Food – Find average costs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (or groceries!). Get an average for the day and multiply it by the number of nights you’ll be there.
• Transportation – Grab the flight cost, and then find out how much buses, trains, or rental cars cost around XYZ country. Find out a rough number here.
• Fun – Find a few tours you’d want to do or find out the cost of a few activities. Add these up, then tack on a bit extra for surprise fun and get a total.
• Extra – There should always be a misc category of money when thinking about how to plan a trip. Set aside a few hundred bucks to accommodate anything random.

Total all this up, and you’ll have a rough budget for your trip! Make sure to go higher rather than lower with your numbers. Inflated numbers are better, so you can be happily surprised when you’re under budget.

A huge thing you need to know when trying to figure out your budget is how long your trip is going to be. This makes a massive difference. Are you going for a long weekend? A couple of weeks? A few months? Never-ending?!

If you’re here looking for long-term trip info, I got you! Everything I’m going over will help you on how to plan a trip, and I’ll have extra sections for you on other things to consider with resources too.

For the rest of you wanting to travel for a few days, weeks, or a few months— Deciding how to plan a trip according to length will be is an important factor in figuring out your budget.

If you plan on squeezing in five countries around Europe in two weeks, you’re going to spend a heck of a lot more money than if you only did two countries in two weeks. So keep in mind if you’re trying to keep your budget down, one of the biggest things you can do is not move around too much.

Of course, there are always going to the more affordable countries in the world, but then you have to accommodate for the flight, which may be more expensive. That being said, if you’re traveling for longer, you could accommodate a more expensive flight IF you’re staying in the region for an extended period.

I can’t always get a deal on a flight, so when I’m paying a bit more, I make sure I’m really using it! It doesn’t sting so bad to pay $1000 for a flight when I’m staying in that region for 4-5 months. But only 4-5 weeks? Ouch!

When doing this exercise, it’s important to remember that it’s just a rough estimate, so don’t go TOO deep yet and always highball yourself. I always guesstimate on the high end of things, so when the numbers come out lower, it’s a good day!

Or at the least, I spent a bit more, but I had overbudgeted anyway, and the numbers aren’t a total shock.

Here are some budget articles to help you plan your trip better…

• 11 Budget Travel Tips for Thailand
• New Zealand Travel Tips + A Budget Breakdown
• How to Travel Europe for Cheap! How Far a $2k Budget Can Get You
• How to Travel on a Budget: My Best Budget Travel Tips
• 27 of The Cheapest Countries to Visit in the World
• 31 of The Cheapest Places to Live in the World: Under a $1000!

So if you’re about the hit the “book it!” button, hold on for a quick second! You might want just wait a bit and make sure you get a really good travel credit card.

Before you finish planning your trip and start booking, grab yourself a perfect travel card and put everything you book ON this card. I use the Capital One Venture X credit card —this is one of the best travel credit cards right now.

You can review and compare travel credit cards here , and when you finally receive your travel card, you can start racking up the points on your new card, start receiving benefits from day one, and get to use those points to save on your travels!

Aside from points, if you use a travel credit card, you can get other perks like a few hundred bucks in travel credits, access to Priority Pass Lounges at tons of airports, as well as a host of other extras!

Remember you can just set your credit card up to pay for things you are already paying for like gas, groceries, your phone bill, etc. Then just set up auto pay. You don’t need to buy anything extra, you can earn points from your daily and monthly purchases that you’d be making anyway.

You might be thinking, SO WHAT’S THE CATCH!? And there isn’t one… EXCEPT:

If you’re not great with credit cards and have difficulty paying your full amount each month on your credit cards, SKIP THIS STEP. This step is ONLY for people who can pay their credit card balance off IN FULL each and every month.

Otherwise, you’re paying interest which means you’re essentially paying for the perks and more. If you pay off your card every month, these perks will remain FREE.

READ MORE: The Best Travel Cards (For Any Traveler) That Save and Earn You Money!

6. Dealing With Banking Abroad

We’re going to make this quick and painless my friend—Don’t you dare go abroad without an ATM card that doesn’t charge you fees. You can search for one, or just do what I do: Get a Charles Schwab checking account!

You won’t be charged fees when using ATMs abroad, and you will be reimbursed each month for any ATM fees you are charged. Easy! Now you can access your cash from abroad for $0! This is choice advice for how to plan a trip with a budget in mind!

• When going to the ATM abroad, it’s wise to use an ATM attached to a bank for safety.
• Always wiggle the card in and out in case there’s a skimmer.
• Apply for TWO accounts so you have a backup account and card with you.
• Always “cancel” the currency conversion that pops up on the ATM. It looks like you’re canceling the transaction, but really, you’re canceling their conversion and leaving it up to your bank, which will give you a worse rate. (This is common at ATMs in Europe)
• Don’t exchange money if you can avoid it. You should really only use the ATM to get cash, and that’s it. Exchanging money is a pain and can be rife with scams. Plan on only using your ATM card to get cash.

7. How to Book Your Flight for Your Trip

It’s time to start actually BOOKING! How exciting… So let’s recap a few things and talk about some tips before you hit purchase.

• Skyscanner is fun to play around with if you’re flexible on where you’re going and when. Set your destination to “everywhere,” or at the least set your dates to just specific months to find the best dates to book.
• Kiwi also has some features. You can set your “from” and “to” to be continents or multiple countries, so it gives you tons of flexibility.
• The map feature on Google Flights is also a great tool to play around with.

• Sometimes using a VPN and incognito can help mask your searches and interest and therefore display better rates.
• Play around with your flights if possible. For example, if you’re heading from Portland to Bangkok, you may find cheaper flights going from Portland to Seoul and then Seoul to Bangkok. And now you get a bonus trip to Seoul!
• Sign up for Airline Reward programs—It’s an easy way to rack up points easily from carriers which can be equal to upgrades and other perks if you collect enough.
• Don’t forget to book with your new credit card for those miles and extra perks!

Not every trip takes you up in the air, and there are plenty of ways to get around on the ground, especially abroad! If you need to get around by bus, boat, or train you can use:

• For getting around Central America and Mexico, check here .
• Need to get around Europe? Check here .
• Hopping around Asia? Check here .
• Interested in seeing any given country by bus? Check here .

If you’re traveling by car:

• You can find car rental deals here .
• Should you want to rent a van or RV to forgo the hotel room when road-tripping around the world, check here .

READ MORE: One Way to Everywhere: The Intrepid Souls Guide to Fly Anywhere on Cheap Flights

8. How to Book Your Accommodation

Depending on the type of traveler you are and how long you’re going for, whether or not you should book everything ahead of time will be up to you to decide.

If you’re going on a trip for a few weeks, you might want to book everything out so you don’t waste time on the ground trying to figure out where to stay each night. You may also miss out on some deals.

However, if your trip is a bit longer and you’re trying to be a bit more flexible, you may want to hold off on booking out too much. Perhaps you can book your first few nights, then slowly book out as you move along your trip.

Planning your trip TOO much and booking too many things out can be constricting, especially if you have the flexibility not to do this.

With this in mind, how and where does one book?! I got you! Here are some things to consider when choosing a place to stay.

Massively important! Where can you stay that agrees with your budget while also being safe and practical? You might want to book in the city if you want to walk around a lot, but if prices are too much for you, you may decide to book further out.

I usually choose this when I start to dig deeper into the things I want to do so I can make sure I’m in a centralized location.

Somewhat related to the above, you will want to know how to best get around. If the city is expensive but has easy and cheap transportation, then it might be worth spending the extra penny to stay closer to a metro station, for example.

If it’s cheap and easy to get Ubers, then you might just choose the space that’s the coolest… There’s a lot to consider here depending on where you are in the world.

If you’re staying for a decent chunk of time, then you’re going to want to think about comfort for the long term. You will most likely want something homier.

You should find a place that has a kitchen as it would be crazy to eat out consistently every day for all of your meals.

There is usually a “conflict” when finding a long-term place. You have to choose between these two main methods:

• Convenience  – Sometimes, booking a month online can give you a hefty discount as it’s an extended stay. It’s also super convenient to land and have a home for the next month. If I’m staying longer than I booked for, I extend my reservation in person to cut out all the fees. This is often not the cheapest option, though, as either way, you’re paying a bit more because you’re booking online.
• Cheapest  – Book a week using anything I mention below, and then shop for a spot on the ground! Ask in specific local Facebook groups, walk around, ask around, look for signs… It’s actually pretty easy and definitely gets you the best deal. Plus, you can see the place before paying, which is always nice.

So after considering everything above, it might now be time to actually book a place!

To book a hotel, apartment, or holiday home, these are the main sites I use:

• Booking.com – Genius discounts!
• Hotels.com – 11th night free!
• VRBO / Airbnb – Longer-term spots/most likely to have kitchens.
• Expedia.com – Easy and has deals.
• HostelWorld – Mostly hostels, not for me, but good for those on a budget.
• Agoda – Great site for booking around Asia.

Oh, surprise! Hi, yes, there are ways to get FREE accommodation! If you’re only traveling for a couple of weeks, I’d say this isn’t really for you. But if you’re traveling for a few months or indefinitely, this is for you!

FREE Accommodation!

Yes, it’s true, there are ways to get FREE accommodation! Here are my top favorites:

Trusted Housesitters

Get FREE accommodation by house and pet sitting around the world! Use this link for a 25% discount (auto-applied at checkout).

Not sure if this is for you? ➡️ Check out this review to read more about it.

Worldpackers

Get FREE accommodation and immediate local friends! Trade some of your skills to help a local and get a free room (and sometimes food and activities too!). You can do this around the world! Use this link for a $10 discount!

Not sure this is for you? ➡️ Check out this review to read more about it.

Credit Cards

Get FREE flights and hotels through your credit card points! Grab my fav credit card here , or read more about travel credit cards here .

Other ways on >>> HOW TO TRAVEL FOR “FREE” /LESS!

Other ways on >>> HOW TO GET FREE ACCOMMODATION!

Now another difficult decision—what do you want to do on your trip?! There are probably a ton of possibilities no matter where you’re going. But breathe, and focus!

Don’t run yourself dry on your trip and book too many activities. Alternatively, if you’re not looking for a 100% relaxation type of trip, don’t hold back and miss out on the fun activities!

It’s a fine line to walk… I know…

So what I like to do is simply Google “Things to do in ____” and go from there. You’ll get a huge list of things from Google, check out blogs from travel bloggers (ehem… Hello!), and even dip into Google Images to find inspiration for cool things you can do and see!

While a lot of times you can explore the country yourself or even do certain activities on your own, sometimes getting a few tours under your belt will be the best thing.

• If you’re traveling solo, I encourage you to book a tour on your first or second day! I promise you, you’ll meet some friends!
• You can speak to the local that’s running your tour for extra tips and tricks while you’re in their country, and you’ll be able to use that advice while planning the rest of your trip!

Tours are a great way to get a bit of deeper meaning while traveling a country. I know we sometimes think they can be a bit cheesy, or maybe you want to explore and have the place to yourself. But there’s definitely a layer missing when you don’t have a knowledgeable local telling you what’s up!

So with that said, I’m sure you’ll find a nice balance of using tours and adventuring on your own when planning a trip.

If you do want to book a tour and get your spot booked up, here’s where to book:

• GetYourGuide

I don’t know about you, but I hate packing. Yes, even though I’m a traveler, I can’t stand packing! And if I’m being totally honest with you, I still kind of suck at it after 11 + years of experience.

BOO! Pakcing sucks! I can do it, but still somehow, miraculously and weirdly enough, I always end up bringing a few extra things that I don’t use. It’s inevitable!

BUT the good news is, I know the basics of what you should bring. I’m not great with choosing my clothes, but the basics and the other stuff? I got it down!

• Best Anti Theft Backpacks, Bags, and Purses + Tips for Keeping Your Stuff Safe!
• 16 of The Best Travel Backpacks for Women—For ALL Trips!
• Choosing the Best Hard Shell Luggage for Your Trip (+ 11 Great Suitcases)

Packing Tips:

• The Essential Beach Packing List (+ Fun Items and Tips!)
• Your Road Trip Packing List—Tips + PRINTABLE Checklist!
• 54 of the Best Travel Accessories for Women

Packing lists for certain destinations:

• The Ultimate Europe Packing List, What NOT to Bring & The Best Bags to Use
• Southeast Asia Packing List: Everything You Need (for Men and Women!)
• Iceland Packing List: What to Wear in Iceland No Matter the Season
• Your Mexico Packing List: What to Pack for Mexico + What NOT to Pack!
• The Ultimate Philippines Travel Packing Checklist
• What to Wear in Morocco Packing List: All Your Must-Have Items
• What to Wear in Thailand: Your Thailand Packing List
• Read more about packing lists here .

Hey, wait a sec! Don’t go anywhere without travelers’ insurance. It can be pretty cheap and save you tons of money in case something happens.

I know we don’t like to think of the negative things that could happen to us while we’re having fun around the world, but it can happen! And these types of surprises are never fun.

Make sure you’re covered with travelers’ insurance when planning a trip. The one I use is for almost everyone, but especially long-term travelers. I use Safety Wing because it’s the easiest. It’s subscription-based, so it covers you until you turn it off (or you can set certain dates if you know.)

They cover all the major emergencies you’d need and are affordable. Get your quote here!

READ MORE: A Guide to Finding The Best Long Term Travel Insurance

12. Misc Stuff You Should Think About When Planning a Trip

There are so many little things you can forget while thinking about how to plan a trip. There’s only so much you can remember! I hope these reminders are helpful…

Hey, have you thought about visas yet while planning your trip? Or are you ignoring this part because it’s scary? I know this can be daunting, but if you’re from the USA, Australia, Europe, and Canada, you can probably go almost anywhere without needing a visa!

You’ll most likely get a visa on arrival, or the country just stamps you in—so it’s really nothing to worry about. But you still need to make sure!

So, simply Google “tourist visa for XYZ country for US citizen” and you’ll probably get your answer in two seconds.

If you do need to apply for a visa, I can guarantee that you need to do that before you get on a flight – so don’t forget to do that!

If all of this is scary, doesn’t make sense, you don’t understand what the Schengen Visa for Europe means, or if you want to get a working holiday visa or something else—You’ll want to read my guide to visas for US citizens .

RELATED: The Longest Tourist Visas for U.S.A Citizens, How to Extend Visas and More

Does your destination require any vaccines upon entry? Do you need to get any prescription refills to bring with you? Do you require anything special that you may need to order before your trip? Or to see if you have access to it abroad? Go speak to your doctor!

Here’s a weird one you may not have thought of, but aside from souvenirs, is there anything you want to bring back from the place you’re visiting?

What about procedures? Like going to the dentist or buying a year’s supply of contact lenses for less?

These can often be much cheaper abroad and a relatively easy thing to throw into your getaway.

For example, if you’re going to Thailand and know you flying in and out of Bangkok, you could join Facebook groups for Bangkok aimed at travelers or expats, and inside those groups, you’ll find suggestions for dentists in the area.

Stay an extra day in Bangkok before your flight out, and you can get some easy dental work done for less before heading home! I’ve done quite a few things abroad, including dentists in three countries, LASEK in South Korea, and even going to a dermatologist in Mexico.

If you’re going on a trip for just a few weeks, double-check with your carrier and see if they have a decent international plan they can put you on temporarily. T-Mobile usually has a decent plan for trips under three months if you’re already with them.

Another option is to pick up a SIM card on the ground. This is usually pretty cheap and very easy to set up. You can do this in almost any country in the world, and they usually have stands for picking up a SIM card in the airports, too.

Lastly, you can check here for more SIM card options . There are other plans and even e-SIMs you can purchase to make sure you’re able to get data and phone usage on the ground anywhere in the world!

READ MORE: Best International SIM Cards & How to Keep in Touch When Traveling

• Google Map – Obviously! But also, make sure to download maps for offline use.
• Maps.Me – Offline maps that are a good backup, great for trails, as well as other offbeat roads.
• Google Translate – Invaluable! Especially its camera feature to translate signs and menus.
• Money Lovers – I like this app for keeping track of my spending.
• AllTrails – My fav hiking trail app!
• WhatsApp – This is the ultimate texting app when you’re abroad. It’s not mega popular in the USA, but you’ll definitely use it abroad!
• Regardless if you’re on a short or long trip, you’ll want all crucial documents scanned and emailed to yourself and a loved one in case of an emergency.
• Always Google safety tips for whatever country you’re going to. You can also check here for safety tips you can use worldwide.
• We spoke about travel-friendly cards already, but you’ll need to make sure you have a backup in case you lose one! Personally, I have two ATM cards and two credit cards and I don’t have them all in my wallet. They are spread throughout my bags in case I get robbed or somehow lose a piece of luggage.
• Keep everything you have protected! I like using anti-theft backpacks , a hidden pocket scarf , and an AirTag to keep track of checked luggage.
• Another reminder for travel insurance !
• Call your banks and make sure they know you’re traveling. You don’t want to be stuck abroad without the usage of your cards because you got locked out!
• Double-check their customs and some cultural differences. Certain gestures might be offensive. Something that you can do to show you’re well mannered as a guest in the country. Knowing these things can go a long way.
• Look up the basic phases of the places you’re visiting. Hello, Thank You, Bathroom – the most useful ones!
• Do you have everything booked? If not – don’t worry! You can sort the rest as you go along. Booking things while on the go doesn’t have to be scary! With that said, maybe book your first few nights and make sure you know how to get to and from the airport before jetting off.
• Confirmations should be double-checked. If you do have some things booked, triple-check the dates, places, things needed, etc.

13. Extra Things To Think About—How To Plan a Trip for Long-term Travelers

Are you planning a trip for an indefinite amount of time? Amazing! Everything above will help you along your journey, and I’ve been sprinkling in some tips for long-term travelers But, there are a few other miscellaneous items you should wrap up and think over before jetting off.

If you’re thinking of making big moves and traveling for the long term, then this section is for you!

Start SAVING! Here’s my story on how I left the US and saved for two years by working three jobs . Cut back where you can. Part of this lifestyle is to learn that you can actually live with less than you think.

Pick up odd jobs, start looking for freelance work online , and do whatever you can to make or save an extra buck or two.

Another thing to do is to sell. it. all.

Yes, sell all of your stuff! Avoid a storage unit if you can. They will suck you dry every month while your stuff gets older and dustier. You probably need to get rid of everything save for a few boxes you can hopefully leave with a family member or friend.

One of the smartest things I did when I was planning a trip and left home was NOT store my stupid furniture, TVs, and clothes—I sold or donated it all, made a few bucks, and didn’t accrue any monthly storage fees.

If you’re planning a trip, put auto bill pay on everything you can think of. Honestly, do this anyway! Traveling or not! It’s too easy.

Click “go green” on everything you can so all the institutions sending you mail stop doing so, and you get everything via email.

If you’re heading off into the world to live, work, and travel indefinitely—WOO! Go you! But uh… You’re going to need some income, I’m guessing? I got you! We won’t get super detailed here because this is a massive topic, but I have resources for you to look into so you can take your next steps to find work.

You can check out my massive how to live around the world resource page and also check out these other great guides that go into great detail on tons of other options for finding work abroad.

• 73 Travel Jobs—How to Make Money While Traveling!
• How To Work Abroad & Travel The World
• Working Holiday Visas for Americans and Other Ways to Work Abroad (That Nobody Talks About)
• 20 Online Jobs With No Experience Needed (So You Can Travel More)
• 18 Digital Nomad Visas for Remote Workers

Phew! I hope this guide on how to plan a trip helped you! I know it’s a lot, and you’re welcome to refer to this guide as you flow through your trip process. It gets easier, promise!

TAKE THE SHORTCUT

Want to know how to live abroad without being rich.

Get my shortcut! It's THE ONLY guide you'll need on how to sustain a life abroad—NO BS!

Nina Ragusa is an adventurer, messy bun master, breakfast fan, and full-time travel blogger. She's been abroad since 2011 and blogging on Where in the World is Nina? for nearly as long. Nina helps people like you move around the world while making money. She loves talking about how to work abroad and online to travel longer! Read more about Nina

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Work With Us
• Blogging Bootcamp

• Van Conversion Academy
• Campervan Shop
• Campervan Rentals
• Plan a Trip
• Itineraries
• Destinations
• Responsible Travel
• Family Travel
• Budget Travel
• Scuba Diving
• Travel Credit Cards
• Digital Nomad
• Teach English Abroad
• Blogging Resources
• Income Reports
• Travel Shop
• Meet Katie & Ben
• About Two Wandering Soles
• Personal Stuff
• Portfolio & Press

How to Plan a Trip: Your Step-by-Step Travel Planning Guide

Home » Blog » Travel Tips » How to Plan a Trip: Your Step-by-Step Travel Planning Guide

Planning a trip overseas, whether long or short, can seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! In this article, we’ll show you how to take the stress out of travel planning, by laying out a simple step-by-step guide on how to plan a trip that’ll ensure you don’t forget anything.

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the idea of planning a trip because it seems too, well…  overwhelming ?! 

There’s a lot to think about when planning travel: from getting a visa, to figuring out transportation, to booking accommodation and getting local currency, it can be downright stressful.

And it’s a bit contradictory, right? Stressing out over planning what is supposed to be a relaxing vacation. We’ve definitely been there. Many times , in fact. 

But we’ve learned our share of lessons along the way and now we’re here to help. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to plan a trip without the stress by laying out a simple step-by-step guide that’ll ensure you don’t forget anything.

Here’s exactly what you need to do to take a travel daydream and turn it into reality.

So whether you’re planning a 2-week getaway or a journey with no end date in sight, these steps will take you from the brainstorming phase to stepping foot in your destination. We think you might actually   have fun  planning your next trip.  That’s a dare .

Alright, take a deep breath, because we’re digging right in!

How to Plan a Trip

• Step 1: Figure out your travel budget
• Step 2: Decide on your travel style/partner(s)
• Step 3: Choose a destination
• Step 4: Book flights
• Step 5: Book accommodation
• Step 6: Research things to do
• Step 7: Get travel insurance
• Step 8: Minimize travel risks
• Step 9: Pack your bags
• Step 10: Last-minute prep

Step 1. Figure out your travel budget

Before you can even begin to plan a trip, you need to take a good look at your finances and figure out how much money you have to spend on your adventure. This will dictate a lot of the future steps including where you can travel to and for how long. 

This step might sound scary, but we’ve broken it down for you so you can create your very own customized travel budget. We’re even sharing  exactly how we afford to travel and stay on budget .

If you have the time before you go, follow these  simple steps to save money for your travels .

Step 2. Decide on your travel style / partner(s)

Is this a short vacation, a 3-week trip overseas or long term travel that you are planning for? 

…And who’s coming with you?

Take a moment to answer this question… Are you going to be traveling solo or with a partner? A group of friends, or with your family and children in tow?

The answer to this question can help shape your trip quite a bit. For instance, a solo trip to Tahiti may not be the best choice, as this popular honeymoon destination is going to be swarming with couples on romantic getaways. Likewise, party-centered Ibiza might not be the best place for a wholesome family vacay.

• Traveling Solo? Traveling solo is an incredibly freeing experience, and there are  many great cities around the world for solo travelers .
• Want a romantic getaway? Romance isn’t just limited to beaches and resorts. Check out our roundup of some of the  top romantic destinations for every type of traveling couple , some of which might be a little unexpected.
• Looking for a perfect family vacation spot? There are destinations all over the world that are  amazing spots to bring your kids !

If you are planning on traveling with a partner, don’t book your flights without  asking them these questions first…

Step 3. Choose a destination

This step may seem obvious for some, maybe you already know exactly where it is you want to travel and that’s why you’re planning this trip in the first place. For those of you that have a destination nailed down, there are still a few things we’d suggest you consider, you can skip right down to the research step.

For those of you that have the itch to travel, maybe even the vacation time set up, but still have no idea how to narrow down just one place, we suggest looking at a map. No really! Hear us out…

Literally look at a map, and start circling all the cities, towns or attractions you want to visit. Look on  Instagram  for inspiration. Don’t limit yourself. What do you want to do? What do you want to see and experience? When planning a route, we typically look at other trusted bloggers’ recommendations.

And no need for paper maps anymore, go digital! Here’s a great tutorial on  how to use Google My Maps . It’s game-changing. 

We figure out how many nights we can stay in each city and how we’re going to get from city to city. We have many itineraries on our  Itineraries page  where you can see examples of our travel routes and recommendations. We also suggest taking a look at  Lonely Planet travel guides . 

Once you think you’ve nailed down a place, or places…

Do your research

Don’t forget to do a little digging and make sure that the time of year you plan to travel is optimal. We have failed to do our research a few times and it ended up really affecting our trip.

Asking yourself the following questions can really save you the troubles or headaches down the road:

What will the weather be like?

• Will it be the wet season? Hurricane season? Super-duper-unbearably hot?

Example:  We traveled in India during the hottest months of the year and literally could not do much outside some of the days because it was 110 °F (43.3 °C). After that, we vowed never to make the mistake of traveling without really understanding the weather first.   

Is it peak tourism season? Low season?

• Will it be hard to get a hotel because it’s peak season? Will the lines and crowds at tourist attractions be ridiculous? 
• Likewise, if you are traveling during low season, should you expect a lot of the businesses to be shut down? Will closures hinder your chance to see and experience everything you were hoping to?

Example:  We visited Croatia in July – its busiest month of the year – and found ourselves super frustrated with the crowds and jacked up prices. We ended up shortening our time there because we were not enjoying it as much as we expected.

Hold up! Before you start a Googling storm, we’ve got some good news: there are some resources out there that make this process for researching so much faster!

• If you know WHERE you want to go,  Travelendar  (combination of travel + calendar) will tell you what time of year is best to visit.
• If you know WHEN you want to travel, check out this list that breaks down  which destinations are best to visit each month of the year .
• We’ve also done the research for you, nailing down the pros and cons of visiting during different times of the year for a number of popular destinations such as  Japan ,  Bali ,  New Zealand  and  Iceland .

But don’t worry if you don’t know where OR when you want to travel… check out this  calendar of events around the world  for inspiration!

How cool is that?!

These events span all destinations and interests: from European music festivals (like Sziget Festival in Budapest, pictured above!) to cultural celebrations to naturally occurring events like the migration patterns of wildlife in Africa. 

When you find an event that interests you, click on it to learn more.

Pace yourself

Thinking about your pace will determine how many of the places you circled above you’ll realistically be able to see.

Do you want to pack in as much as possible, or do you want to choose a couple places and really get to explore them? Do you want to travel slow and take in the culture to really understand how locals live?

Or do you want to tick places off your list and move from city to city, seeing as much as you can? Maybe a happy mixture of slow and fast? This all depends on the amount of time you have and your budget.

Find out visa requirements

Investigate if you need to obtain a visa for the country or countries you’re thinking of traveling to. You may not need one for the first country you arrive in, but will you need one for the other countries in your itinerary? Can you get a visa online, visa on arrival, or do you need to get it in your home country?

For instance, if you’re traveling to Vietnam, Americans need to apply for a visa ahead of time (and  here’s the best and cheapest way to get one ).

If you don’t know if you need a visa, check out your home country’s visa websites:

• USA citizens
• UK citizens
• Canadian citizens
• Australian citizens
• Singaporean citizens

Step 4. Book flights

You know where you want to go? Check. Have your visa? Check. 

Now here comes our favorite part: It’s time to book a flight!

First, you’ll need to answer these questions: What airport will you fly into? Are you going to make a round trip and fly out of the same airport? Or are you departing out of a new place? 

Tips for getting the best deals on flights:

• Know when to buy.  Depending on where you are flying to and from, there are different recommendations for how far in advance you should buy your flight.

• Play around with breaking the flight up.  For example, instead of searching for a flight from Minneapolis to Japan, we’ll search Seattle to Japan. Then we find a flight from Minneapolis to Seattle. This allows you to have a layover in a cool city, and can be a lot cheaper. 
• Another good gateway into Asia is flying through China. You can usually find one way tickets to China from major US cities for around $350! 
• Sign up for price alerts.  Many search engines allow you to sign up for alerts between destinations. You’ll get email notifications when the fare goes down, so you can jump on it!
• There are tons of credit cards that give you miles for purchases.  Find the  best travel credit card for you here . If you’re inclined to get an airline credit card, think about the major airlines at your home airport. You’ll most likely be booking flights with that airline so might as well rack up the points.

Don’t forget to sign up for the frequent flyer miles program  with flight you choose! Many airlines are part of a broad network and the miles are sometimes transferable.

Understanding WHY a flight is cheap is important. Make sure you think about the arrival time at your destination. The cheapest flight might get in at 2 in the morning and you’ll have to wait for hours for your guesthouse to open, or hotel check in time. 

On the flipside, if you depart super early in the morning, you may have a difficult time hailing down a taxi that early (and have to pay a premium for the ride). Sometimes the absolute cheapest fare will actually cost you more in the end.

If your trip doesn’t involve taking a flight,  check out these  tips for planning an epic USA road trip . 

When searching for a flight we like to use  Skyscanner  first because it allows you to search across the entire month to find the cheapest flight.

Want more tips for finding the best deal on airfare?  You’re in luck, because we have an entire article dedicated to  how to find cheap flights !

Are you a nervous flyer? Don’t let the anxiety of flying prevent you from traveling. Check out these  tips for fearful flyers  that will help put you at ease.

Step 5. Book accommodation

Depending on how long your vacation is you may choose to book all your accommodation ahead of time or none at all.

For instance, if you only have two weeks, it might be best to arrange your hotels or hostels online so you don’t waste precious time trying to figure out accommodation when you’d rather be exploring. Plus, you don’t want to run the risk of everything being booked up! 

If you’re traveling long term, however, you may just book a few days at a time. Or you may prefer to wing it and walk into hotels once you arrive in a town.

We put a lot of consideration into where to book our accommodation when planning a trip. 

First, we want to consider location. We may start to research things to do in a destination before this step so we have a better idea of where we will want to visit and what the most central location will be for us. 

If a city is known for its nightlife, we might consider staying in a quieter neighborhood. If accommodation costs skyrocket the closer to the city center you get, we may consider saving money to stay somewhere further out. 

Transportation

We also consider transportation in a new city. If the city is very walkable, we’ll want to stay right in the center. If Ubers or public transportation is easily accessible, we may consider saving money by staying further outside the center. We recommend doing plenty of research on transportation options and costs before nailing down your accommodation. 

Length of stay

If we are planning to stay in one location for a longer period of time (a couple weeks or more), we like to have a place that feels a bit more like “home” than a hotel. We love to cook, so a place with a kitchen allows us to enjoy our passion and save money on dining out at the same time! We usually use  Airbnb  or  Booking  to find apartment-style rentals in new cities. 

If we have a short layover in a city, or are staying just a few nights, we might splurge on a hotel, or even try to save money by booking a hostel.

Everything you need to know about Airbnb :  You’ll find loads of info on how to book Airbnbs, red flags to watch out for when booking, and our favorite Airbnbs.

Booking resources

Depending on where in the world we’re traveling, we switch up our booking sites. Here are our favorites:

• Asia:  Booking  or  Agoda  (we find Airbnb is only available in certain cities/countries and not in others in Asia)
• Europe:   Booking , Airbnb or  Hostelworld
• USA:   Airbnb  (we rarely stay in hotels in the US and Hostels aren’t nearly as prevalent in the US as elsewhere in the world)
• South & Central America:   Hostelworld ,  Airbnb or  Booking

Step 6. Research things to do

When talking about how to plan a trip, this is where the fun really starts … We LOVE doing research to find out what kinds of adventures we can have in a new destination. 

Here are a few of our favorite resources for researching travel destinations:

Pinterest :  Probably the first place we look when we get curious about a new place. We use Pinterest as a search engine (just like we would use Google!) and we have found in our experience that there is TONS more helpful content on travel there than if we were to try and sift through the first page of Google. We love that you can save articles in organized boards as well to return to later (you may have noticed the Pins we create at the bottom of all of our own articles). 

Bloggers:  We are constantly looking to other bloggers we trust for advice on new destinations. We have some we follow closely so we always know where to check if they have information on a place. We like to read a few different suggested itineraries for new cities to figure out what the can’t-miss attractions are and get ideas on how to plan our own itinerary. We leave comments on posts and reach out via social media if we are still left with questions after reading a blog post about a new place. 

Airbnb Experiences :  Sometimes just checking out what’s offered on Airbnb Experiences is a great way to get ideas of cool things to see and do in a new place. You might even find an experience or 2 you want to sign up for!

Trip Advisor:  We like to check reviews for things on trip advisor to see what other travelers have to say about certain experiences or attractions. There can be some seriously good advice on there! 

Step 7. Get travel insurance

Even though you might be safer abroad than in your home country, accidents happen everywhere and you should always be covered. We never leave home without travel insurance and neither should you.

One of the most popular travel insurance companies is  World Nomads . They cover anyone worldwide and are extremely easy to use. We were covered by them when we trekked to Everest Base Camp  and were very happy with our experience. Fill out the info below to get an instant quote:

For more information on how to pick a policy and what we look for in travel insurance,  check out our detailed travel insurance comparison article .

Be sure to read our  essential travel safety tips  for more detailed advice about how to stay safe and protect your belongings while traveling.

Step 8. Minimize travel risks

When breaking down the steps for how to plan a trip, this is an important one. There are plenty of steps you can take before you even set foot in a country to minimize your risk of something going wrong. 

Register on your country’s Smart Traveler program

For Americans, you should sign up for the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  (STEP). Through STEP you’ll get emergency updates that would affect your travels, such as bad weather or civil unrest or protests.

It will also give you easy access to your embassy in the country you’re visiting. Lastly, if anything bad were to happen to you on your travels, you’d be easier to track down. Check your country’s travel department for similar programs. 

Get all necessary Immunizations ahead of time

Before setting foot in a new country, you’ll want to be sure to protect yourself from foreign disease. Use the  CDC website  to research vaccinations and medications you might need in the destination(s) you are planning to visit. We’d also advise visiting your doctor before a longer trip to make sure all of your health concerns are taken care of. 

Scan your documents and email yourself a copy

Scan a copy of your passport and any credit cards you’re bringing, and email it to yourself. Do the same for your travel insurance documents and receipts of the valuables you’re carrying. If anything happens to these while you’re traveling, you’ll have an electronic version.

Know common scams

While you’re in research mode, do a quick search of common scams in your destination. Being aware of popular scams is often all you need to avoid falling victim. 

We have run into plenty of known scams on our travels, especially in bigger cities like  Bangkok , and have even fallen victim to some ourselves. Unfortunately, scams are a risk you run in traveling, and sometimes unavoidable, but the more informed you are, the better prepared you will be to avoid getting caught in a tourist trap. 

Bring backup credit cards

If you are traveling in a group or as a couple, you have a bit of a support system (assuming you each bring at least one credit card). 

This tip is particularly geared towards solo travelers. 

You will always want to bring a backup credit card (and perhaps a backup debit or ATM card as well) in case of emergencies. We’ve been in situations abroad where our cards have been stolen (sometimes it’s not always obvious as it happens with a swipe and we still have the card in our possession) and if you don’t have a backup, you will have a very hard time accessing your money. 

For this reason, we like to keep our back ups in a separate location in our luggage (one in our hand luggage, one in our suitcase) and then leave one behind at our accommodation in case we were to be mugged. It may sound a bit extreme, but it’s always good to be prepared!

Secure your belongings

It should go without saying that you’ll want to keep your belongings, and especially your valuables in secure places while traveling (you know, use a purse with a zipper for less-easy access and don’t hang it on the back of your chair on a crowded street corner cafe). There are some items you can purchase ahead of time to help keep your belongings safe while traveling. 

• Basic travel locks
• Bluetooth tracking luggage locks
• Hidden pocket scarf
• A camera bag disguised as a purse

Step 9. Pack your bags

It’s starting to feel real now isn’t it?! Your trip is coming up fast and it’s time to get packing!

Packing for a trip can be quite the puzzle. You want to be prepared and make sure you don’t forget anything, but at the same time, don’t want to feel weighed down by too much stuff.

If you’re a self-proclaimed over-packer, or someone who always ends up using only half the things in their suitcase on every trip… I’m right there with ya! We recommend planning out your packing ahead of time so you are not rushing at the last minute to get everything you need stuffed into your oversized suitcase. 

One tip is to lay everything you think you will need for a trip out on a flat surface (your bedspread works great for this) and then take away half — yes half! — of it. That is how much stuff you should realistically be trying to pack. 

Another rule of thumb we like to try and stick to is packing in a carry-on for any trip shorter than one month .

This may seem incredibly daunting to some, but trust us when we say, you’ll be much happier trying to navigate the cobblestone streets of Europe or lifting your luggage onto a train if it’s smaller than a 50 pound bag!

Below are some essentials you’ll want to make sure you pack for any trip:

• Passport/Identification
• Wallet/credit cards (and backups!)
• Chargers for  all  of your electronics
• Kindle  or e-reader
• Travel pillow
• Insulated water bottle

Think about your electronics

This is a big one not to forget! If you are traveling abroad, you’ll want to look into the outlet situation you can expect in your destination and how it compares to that of your home country. 

A quick Google search will show you what type of outlets you’ll find in the country you’re visiting. Here’s a great  website for electrical outlets . Look at the voltage too, and check the compatibility with any electronics you’re planning to bring along. A great purchase is the  travel converter with adapters . 

Packing resources

Use these packing resources for tips and ideas to help you pack for your next trip:

• How to Pack for 3 months in a Backpack
• Ultimate Packing Guide for Long Term Travel
• Eco Friendly Travel Gear Packing List

Step 10. Last-minute prep

You’ve made it to the final step! Your trip is just around the corner and all that’s left is doing a little research and making some last-minute arrangements.

Data/Internet access

Research the best way to gain access to data or Internet while you’re in your destination. If you’re traveling within your home country, this shouldn’t be a problem.

However, if you are traveling abroad, you might want to consider purchasing a prepaid local SIM card when you arrive. This will be the cheapest way to gain access to data abroad. 

Use our  ultimate guide to getting an international SIM card , including helpful tips for using your phone abroad.

Download some helpful apps

• Google Translate:  Type in something you want to say, and it’ll translate the phrase into any language you select. You can even take a picture of a menu written in an entirely different language (like Korean, for example), and it will translate what is written. It is amazing!
• Google Maps:  Before going to a new location, we typically download the offline map for our destination in our Google Maps app. If you have your GPS turned on, the app will show your current location with a blue dot even when you don’t have data or WiFi turned on. This is super helpful if you’re on a long bus ride and want to know exactly where you are, or when you’re lost wandering around in a big city. 
• GlobalConvert:  This app makes it easy to convert anything from currency to distance to temperature. (Super handy for Americans unfamiliar with the metric system.) And the best part is, it works offline!
• Time Buddy:  If you’re traveling on the other side of the world, this app makes it super easy to figure out time difference between where you are and your home country.
• Trail Wallet:  Yeah, yeah, I know, we’ve talked about this one a lot. But it has seriously changed how we travel. This app converts seamlessly through currencies and shows you exactly where you are in regard to your budget. Download this app and you’ll be able to travel longer. Seriously. 

Have a plan for currency

On long-term trips, we typically withdraw money from a local ATM as soon as we enter a new country. We NEVER use currency exchanges as these tend to take a big percentage (like 30%). Plus ATMs are much more efficient.

Our Charles Schwab card ( more info here ) reimburses all ATM fees, so we only take out small amounts at a time.

Tip: Just remember to decline the currency conversion rate offered by the ATM. When you do this you are referring to the conversion rate set by your bank instead. And in our experience, the banks always give a more fair conversion rate and than the pre-set ATM conversion rates.

Notify your bank of your travel plans

This is a step that can sometimes be overlooked, but can put a serious damper on your travel plans when you enter a new country only to find your bank has automatically shut off your debit card because it thinks you are attempting a fraudulent withdrawal. 

Learn the language (at least a few phrases)

We’re not insinuating that you must be able to have a conversation in the local language before visiting a foreign country. But learning a few key words or phrases shows locals that you are trying, and people usually respect this.

You’d be surprised how far learning “hello” and “thank you” can get you. Some other helpful words to learn no matter where you are traveling are: “bathroom”, “delicious” and “beautiful”.

And don’t forget about numbers. Write down the numbers 1 through 10 in a small notebook and translate them. Knowing a few numbers makes it a lot easier to order at restaurants. 

If you have any allergies or medical conditions, it’s a good idea to write it out and translate it to the language of your destination country. For instance, “I am a vegetarian,” or “I am diabetic”. Print it out in the local language (and the phonetic spelling) and carry it in your wallet. It will definitely come in handy. 

Refine your manners

A little research can go a long way. Certain gestures you might use everyday, like a thumbs up or okay sign, are offensive in some cultures. Avoid awkward situations by researching some basic manners in the country you’re visiting. 

Where to first?

You’re ready to take the leap! However, the first few hours in a new country can be a little overwhelming (and the most likely time to get scammed). That’s why you should have a plan of how to get from the airport to your hotel (or wherever you’re headed first).

We typically write down the address (in the local language and in English) of our first hostel/hotel in a small book or in the notes app on our phone so we can show taxi/bus drivers, that way we don’t fumble over mispronouncing street names.

It’s also helpful to save the locations of your accommodation, local embassy, hospital and attractions you want to visit in your maps (that you’ve downloaded offline of course!) before leaving.

Book transportation ahead of time or get specific instructions on how to find public transport. Read our  travel tips , other blogs, or guide books on what is the best means of transportation in the specific country you’re visiting. If you have a plan and know what you’re doing, you’ll start off your vacation on the right foot.

Confirm reservations

It’s easiest to call or write to confirm reservations for things like accommodation and transportation before you find yourself in a foreign country with a canceled Airbnb reservation and nowhere to go. Confirm all your important reservations and keep copies of your confirmation receipts in your email.  

And there you have it, 10 simple steps for how to plan a trip to anywhere in the world. 

Following these steps will take some of the stress out of trip planning, but it is important to remember that even the best laid plans often go awry. This is particularly true with travel as there are just too many factors outside of your control.

And that’s okay.  In fact, that is half the fun of it! It’s what makes travel such an incredible  learning experience  and why we keep going back for more.

Need help planning the perfect trip?

Be sure to check out our  Travel Planning page  for resources on everything you need to know about how to plan a trip, from packing to budgeting and more! Or you can read some of our favorite articles about planning your next trip below. 

• How We Afford to Travel & You Can Too!
• How to Find Cheap Flights: 17 Expert Tips
• How We Pick the Best Travel Insurance
• Cheap Travel Hacks to Save You Money

Save this article on Pinterest for later!

We want to hear from you!

If you still have more questions about how to plan a trip—both international or otherwise—leave your comment below and we’ll do our best to find you the answers you’re looking for!

Comments (15) on “ How to Plan a Trip: Your Step-by-Step Travel Planning Guide ”

What considerations should you make regarding the timing of your trip, as recommended in the article?

It’s great that you talked about how we’d plan a trip and choose the things we want to do. We’re excited about traveling for our next vacation, and we’d like to start booking hotels and tours, so we’ll follow your tips to help us out. Thanks for the insight on finding all kinds of adventures for our vacation trip.

Bautiful blog and very informative ! Thanks for sharing

Hey guys! Honey is here. Two days back I returned from my vacation and enjoyed myself a lot there. I didn’t face any booking issues regarding stay and tickets reservation. This time I have got 10,000 off on my bookings through the usage of BOB cards and I gained that offer info from Saveplus. You guys must fly! Go on.

Thanks for reminding me to check out my finances first before planning a trip. I have allotted a part of my monthly budget last year so I could travel overseas but it might not be too safe because of the pandemic. I think it would be better to visit something local and just book a Kentucky bourbon tour.

This is a wonderfully structured article! Loved reading it!

Thank you very much for your very pragmatic info. May I have some names of reliable bloggers for my research please? Nic

Your blog is very informative. You have written every thing in deep.

Thank you for great information !

I like that you shared your thoughts with us. I am living in my camper van and I like to read more thoughtful articles like this one. Thanks for the amazing and beautiful post….

Thanks so much for the kind words!

What a wonderful post on how to plan a trip! You have some good points and tips! I also wrote a post on how I planned for my East Coast Trip, check it out on my blog http://innapishtoy.com/2018/05/19/planning-packing-trip/

Thanks for sharing Inna.

Good one content katie. I am impressed. It is very useful for my winter holidays.

So happy to hear it was helpful!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

How to Plan a Trip: A Month-by-Month Guide

Trip planning can be a daunting task. Flights, insurance, gear, itineraries, accommodation, and so much more all need to be considered and sorted out before you go.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed , especially when you haven’t done something like this before.

After over close to twenty years of traveling the world, I’ve planned countless trips and vacations for myself, friends, and family, even group tours. In the beginning, it was trial by fire. I learned a lot of lessons the hard way . However, that helped me develop an efficient checklist that ensures I don’t miss anything important during the trip-planning process.

One big question I get asked a lot is when to start planning. To answer that question, this post breaks the planning process down into month-by-month steps so you can plan your next trip with ease.

Here’s how to plan a trip:

Table of Contents

12 Months Out: Decide on Your Destination(s)

12 months out: start collecting points & miles, 8 months out: visa requirements, passports, and vaccines, 4-6 months out: book your flight, 3-4 months out: book your accommodation, 2 months out: plan your activities, 1 month out: get travel insurance, 7 days out: pack.

If you already have a dream destination in mind, great! If not, here are some posts to help you get started:

• 11 Cheap Places to Visit on the US Dollar
• 10 Places to Travel on a Budget
• The Best Tropical Islands in the World
• My Favorite Cities in the World
• My 31 Favorite Places to Visit in the USA

But, this far out, the real thing you want to do is start saving money and figuring out your costs. Accommodation and flights are the obvious ones, but how much do restaurants, attractions, and other activities cost? Knowing these costs will allow you accurately estimate how much money you’ll need. Here is how to research costs:

• Buy a guidebook
• Check out my free travel guides (we break down all costs for each destination)
• Skim the cost of living on Numbeo.com
• Google prices for major activities you want to do, such as scuba diving, winery tours, etc. ( Get Your Guide is a good place to start)
• Use Skyscanner or Google Flights for flight prices and sign up for alerts to get emails if the price changes
• Use Discover Cars to price out (and book) a rental car if you need one
• Use Booking.com and Hostelworld to research accommodation costs

That may seem like a lot but you just want to get a general idea of how much you need to save. You can head to this page to see all my articles on how to save money for your trip .

These days, most cards have welcome offers of 60,000-80,000 points (some can be as high as 100,000) when you meet their minimum spending requirement (generally $2,000-5,000 USD within a 3–6-month time frame). That’s enough miles for a free round-trip economy flight to Europe from the East Coast of North America.

For more information on this subject, check out these posts:

• Points & Miles 101: A Beginner’s Guide
• How to Pick the Best Travel Credit Card
• My Favorite Travel Credit Cards
• How to Earn Points by Paying Your Rent
• The Ultimate Guide to Points & Miles
• How to Collect Points & Miles in Canada

In addition, get a fee-free ATM card. I use Charles Schwab, but there are lots of other banks that don’t charge ATM fees (don’t forget to check your local banks and credit unions too). Here’s how you can avoid bank fees while traveling .

While you likely won’t need a visa to your desired destination, you should still check to make sure. If you’re a US citizen, use the State Department’s search tool to learn about your destination’s entry requirements. (Canadians can use this search tool .)

Additionally, make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after your trip ends. Many countries require this for entry. Passport application and renewal wait times can be long (the standard is 6-8 weeks in the US), so do this as soon as possible.

Also, research if you need any vaccines for your trip as many countries require vaccines to enter (and I don’t mean COVID). You can learn more about country requirements and recommendations at the CDC’s website . They can help you find a clinic near you as well (if you’re in the US).

Here are two articles on how to score a cheap flight:

• How to Always Find Cheap Flights
• 5 Steps to Booking a Cheap Flight

If you’ve signed up for a travel credit card and received your sign-up bonus, use your miles to book your flight and/or hotel. The further out you book, the more availability there will be. Use tools like Point.me and Awayz to help you find the best redemptions on your points (for flights and hotels, respectively).

But even if you aren’t using miles or didn’t find a cheap flight deal, there are still many ways to avoid being the person on the flight who paid the most for their ticket. My two favorite sites for finding cheap airfare are Skyscanner and Google Flights .  

Here are my go-to sites when it comes to finding the best deals on accommodation:

• Hostelworld – Hostelworld has the largest selection of hostels and is my go-to site for finding affordable hostels.
• Booking.com – Booking.com is the best overall platform for finding budget hotels and guesthouses.
• Agoda – Agoda has the best results if you’re heading to Asia (though it sometimes has good US deals too).

I recommend checking the cancelation policy of wherever you book. I like having the flexibility to cancel if something comes up.

If you’re on a tight budget or you want to connect with more locals during your travels, consider joining platforms like Couchsurfing or BeWelcome . These communities allow travelers to stay with residents for free as a sort of cultural exchange.

Long-term travelers can also try housesitting or WWOOFing as well, as they both offer free accommodation (in exchange for pet sitting or farm work, respectively).

Now it’s time for the fun part of travel planning! That means reading books about your destination, learning general travel tips, connecting with online communities, and pre-booking any necessary activities.

Pre-booking ensures you don’t miss out on things that you really want to do on your trip. If you’re going to a popular destination, tours and activities fill up quickly, and if you’re going to a smaller place, activities or tours might only run on certain days and have limited availability.

Either way, Get Your Guide the best place to search for and pre-book activities, tours, and tickets. Local tour operators and attractions can list their offerings on this online marketplace, so you can find tons of stuff here, from food tours to museum tickets with skip-the-line entry.

Get travel insurance . That way, these purchases are protected should something happen that makes you cancel your trip.

A lot of people think, “I’m healthy. I don’t need travel insurance.” But travel insurance is much more than just medical protection. It covers you when your camera breaks, your flight is canceled, a family member dies and you have to come home, or something gets stolen. (That’s why you’ll also want to familiarize yourself with any common travel scams to look out for, as well as how to conduct yourself in order to blend in to avoid looking like a target for petty theft.)

Yes, it’s an added expense. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I never leave home without it, because I’ve seen firsthand just what can happen on the road.

I never thought I would pop my eardrum while I was scuba diving in Thailand, break my camera in Italy, or get knifed in Colombia.

Unfortunately, bad things can happen when you’re traveling. True, these events are few and far between. But they can cost tens of thousands of dollars. If you’re not prepared to pay out of pocket, buy travel insurance.

Here are some posts on travel insurance to get you started:

• How to Buy Travel Insurance
• The 5 Best Travel Insurance Companies
• The Best Travel Insurance for Seniors

I never leave home without travel insurance. You shouldn’t either.

I travel with a 45L REI bag and then a smaller day bag. Here’s my suggested packing list to help you take just the right amount of stuff and avoid overpacking ( here’s a list for female travelers ).

Additionally, bring any prescriptions you need for the duration of your trip. Try not to rely on filling those abroad (though bring a prescription and doctor’s note just in case).

With everything taken care of, it’s time to go on your trip and have fun! Make a list of last-minute items you need to pack the day of (your toothbrush, glasses, phone charger, etc.) and check in online beforehand (you can do so 24 hours in advance). (If you’ve got lounge access through a premium travel rewards card , you might find yourself looking forward to getting to the airport early.)

If you’re feeling nervous, don’t worry. That’s perfectly normal. Feeling anxious or unsure is something every traveler experiences. But you’ve made it this far. Trust your planning and follow your instincts. You’re about to have the trip of a lifetime.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

Related Posts

Get my best stuff sent straight to you!

Pin it on pinterest.

Welcome to Epic Travel Plans!

Epic Travel Plans

Destinations that will leave you Breathless. Plans to make it happen

How To Plan a Vacation You’ll LOVE in 10 Steps

Follow the step by step travel planning process below to plan a trip you will LOVE. These 10 steps help you define the experience you want, build your travel itinerary, and then get ready to go.

Grab your notebook and pen, and let’s get started!

Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links to excellent travel-related products. If you use the links below to make a purchase, we’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

How To Plan a Trip You’ll LOVE in 10 Steps: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: start with the experience you want.

Where do I start with planning a vacation? With the EXPERIENCE you want to have. Start by asking yourself, “When I get back, what will make me say this was a fantastic trip?”

SO many bloggers completely miss this all-important first step for planning a trip. Some start with the budget, but this can hamstring you before you get started. Some start with the destination, which makes sense at first, but can be disastrous if you go with the wrong people.

The first step for planning a trip is to define the REASON you want to travel. Then you have a much better chance of actually getting it!

Do you need to wind down? Wind up? Stretch your mind, or your physical boundaries? Spend quality time with family or friends?

Whatever you want the most, write this at the TOP of your trip planning documents.

For more on this step, check out Trip Planning Step 1: Define the EXPERIENCE You Want .

Step 2: Identify your PRIORITIES and constraints (time, money, activities)

The second step in how to plan a vacation you’ll love is to consider your priorities and constraints. This second step for planning a trip will give you your boundaries, so they don’t distract and frustrate you from getting that experience you defined in step 1.

How much TIME do you have? Are your dates and length of trip flexible or pre-defined?

How much BUDGET can you set aside for your trip? Again, is this pretty flexible, or is it strict?

Are there certain ACTIVITIES you must do, or really want to do? Do they only happen during certain seasons, or in specific locations?

Once you know your priorities and constraints, EMBRACE them in the travel planning process. Even if your time is limited or your budget is tight, you can still plan a fabulous trip that gets you the experience you’re after. Use these priorities and constraints to guide your most important decisions.

Step 3: Clarify what you KNOW (where, when, who)

Next, clarify what you KNOW about your trip and let it guide what you don’t know.

Do you already know WHERE you’re going? If yes, when would be the best time to go, and for how long? Who would you most want to experience that place with?

Do you already know WHEN you’re going? If yes, what type of destination is best to experience in that season, or within the amount of time you have? Who could go with you then?

Do you know WHO you’re going with? If yes, what type of destination would be most fun for both of you, together? When can they go?

Use what you already know as inspiration in the travel planning process. Be careful not to “put a square peg in a round hole,” by mixing up where, when and who. For example, when your kids are going with you, pick a destination they’ll enjoy, too, and give yourself extra time to get there.

Step 4: Understand your travel STYLE (preferences, rhythm, limitations)

The next step in how to plan a vacation is to understand your travel style. This includes how you like to travel, and how you don’t like to travel.

If you’ve traveled a lot, you probably have a pretty good sense of your travel style. Ask yourself questions, like:

• How busy do you like to be? 
• What’s your typical sleeping and eating schedule? 
• What luxuries do you want available?
• How much walking or driving do you like on vacation?

Every trip is unique, depending on the experience you most want, your constraints and what you know. But even then, you have default preferences. So, take note of them.

And compare your travel style with those going with you. How similar or different are your travel styles? When traveling with other adults, it’s a very good idea to chat about your styles before your trip and how you can accommodate each other. 

For example, my family likes making simple breakfasts and picnic lunches on trips, but I hate going into mega stores on vacation. So, we plan our itinerary to include a visit to a farmer’s market or local grocer.

As another example, my mother-in-law likes relaxing mornings with her coffee. So when traveling with her, we know to relax too or to plan morning activities she doesn’t want to do.

Explore travel styles in more detail at Trip Planning Step 1: Define the Travel EXPERIENCE You Want .

Step 5: RESEARCH your destination

Steps 5 to 9 in how to plan a vacation are all about building your trip itinerary. Start by putting on your detective hat!

My favorite way to research a destination (or destination options) is to get a Lonely Planet travel guide and colorful erasable highlighters and pens , and head to my favorite coffee shop. Lonely Planet travel guides are written by local experts, and include hidden gems and super-useful tips for visitors.

Go through your travel guide, marking up places you definitely want to see and maybe want to see. Once you have a sense of your must-do and maybe-do activities, check out reviews online to confirm what’s most important to you. My favorite places to research travel reviews are Google and Tripadvisor .

Want more ideas on researching your destination and building your itinerary? Check out How To Build Your Travel Itinerary .

Step 6: MAP out your interests

As you research your destination, hopefully a natural itinerary begins to emerge. That’s what you want! It’s much easier to start building your travel itinerary once you have a sense of where things are that you want to see and do, and how much time they’ll take.

If your travel book has a map, highlight places you want to go. If it doesn’t, create a Google Map to plot out these spots. Create a layer for must-do and maybe-do activities, color-coding each one. (Later, you can drag-and-drop activities into a layer for each day of your travel itinerary.)

Choose one or two main activities per day, with a few backup options depending on how you feel that day. Then, pull these into a calendar view, and you have a rough travel itinerary for your trip. Done!

Tip: For a more relaxed travel experience, plan a free day at home before and after. This gives you mental space to transition from (and back into) everyday life. Whenever I’ve done this in my travel planning process, my trips have felt SO much more relaxed.

Step 7: Pick ACCOMMODATIONS for your trip

I’m always amazed when travel bloggers down-play the importance of fabulous accommodations in how to plan a vacation you’ll love. Even if you’re on a budget, pick a place you want to go back to at night.

Make a quick list of what your travel accommodations MUST have or be. Safe and without bed bugs. In a good location (whatever that means for your trip). Within your budget. Comfortable for everyone in your travel party.

Then, make a list of what you really want, too. A rooftop pool and bar, perhaps? Onsite restaurant, spa or golf course? A beautiful beach, view or kids club?

Start your travel accommodations search with a picture of what you WANT, to help you find a great fit.

My process for finding fabulous travel accommodations is this:

• Start by searching Google to get a sense of locations, prices and reviews. 
• Then, check guest photos and more reviews on Tripadvisor . Look for any concerning patterns, like bed bugs or bad customer service, and trust your spidey sense.
• Find the best price on Google. Booking.com is my favorite place to book, as it’s usually the cheapest price and easy and friendly to use.

This is actually my favorite step in how to plan a vacation. My husband wants to relax in the evening, so I’ve learned to find travel accommodations I enjoy, too. A romantic lighthouse inn. Charming historic mansion. Or a classy boutique hotel with a great pub downstairs.

For more on finding great travel accommodations, visit How to Find BETTER Travel Accommodations .

Step 8: BOOK the critical pieces

By now in how to plan a vacation you’ll love, you defined the travel experience you want and acknowledged the factors that’ll help you get it. You found activities and travel accommodations that fit that experience you want. The next step for planning a trip is to book it!

Four travel essentials to book as soon as possible:

• Transportation : Including flights, car rentals, and train tickets. My favorite place to research and book is Expedia .
• Accommodations : Even if you like winging it, book the first and last nights, plus any nights you know where you want to be. My favorite place to reserve accommodations is Booking .
• Must-do activities : Make sure you get the days and times that work best with your travel itinerary. For tours, check out GetYourGuide .
• Insurance : Recommended if you’re traveling internationally. A helpful post on buying travel insurance is by fellow travel blogger  NomadicMatt . 

Save confirmation numbers in your travel itinerary.

Step 9: Deep breath … then fill in the gaps

The hard work in how to plan a vacation you’ll love is done! Woohoo!!

Now is a good time to take a deep breath and walk away for a bit until trip planning is fun again. Then, revisit your must-do and maybe-do activities and fill in any gaps. Chat with those going with you to make sure everything’s still good to go.

This is also a great time in the travel planning process to look into highly-rated restaurants, pubs and short excursions. These are icing on the cake, to take your travel experience to that next level. Slot any you definitely want to check out whenever it fits best in your itinerary, and book them.

Step 10: Count down to a vacation you’ll LOVE!!

Ideally, give yourself three months to leisurely get yourself ready for your vacation. This gives you plenty of time to enjoy the anticipation … and to remember all those little details.

Like travel documents. Child care and pet care. Travel gear and essentials. Emergency contacts. Foreign currency, electronic gadgets, and playlists. And packing those bags!

For much more detail, check out Your ULTIMATE Vacation Countdown Checklist .

Get your FREE trip planning template

Ready to start the travel planning process? Use this FREE trip planning template to plan a vacation you’ll love. It’s a 6-page fillable PDF that’s easy to use, and has lots of space for notes. Includes pages for brainstorming, building your itinerary, and a 3-month countdown checklist.

Enter your email below to get this template PLUS our travel bucket list template, too.

First Name:

Email address:

You may also like:

• How To Plan a ROAD TRIP
• How To Plan a ROMANTIC GETAWAY
• Build Your Travel BUCKET LIST

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Plan your ROMANTIC getaway with our eBook, available in our TRAVEL PRINTABLES store Dismiss

Sign up now to receive your fillable PDF templates for building your travel bucket list and planning those epic trips! Plus, monthly inspiration and tips to make those "wow" trips happen.

Unsubscribe at any time. But we don't think you'll want to.

49 Things You Need to Do to Plan Your Best Trip (Free Travel Research & Planning Checklist)

• Updated: 04/06/2024

Before you jet off on your next adventure, ensure you have all your travel research and planning in order. To help, use this ultimate travel research checklist  to guide you through the necessary steps for more enjoyable planning and a stress-minimized trip.

I love to travel, though I do not necessarily enjoy all the tedious steps required to get out the door and start having fun. So, I rely heavily on checklists like this planning list , a packing list , and a prep and close-the-house list  to streamline my departure. Leaning on these saves me time and money and helps to avoid unexpected situations, making for worry-free trips. I hope they can do the same for you.

So, whether you are a seasoned traveler or a first-time adventurer, I have designed this travel research and planning guide to cover the things you must cross off your to-do list before leaving for a trip. 

From the fun stuff like flights, accommodation, and local attractions—to the necessary details, especially for more complicated international travel, like getting visas , knowing about local customs, and purchasing travel insurance , use this list to explore the world confident you have things covered. 

Table Of Contents

Download your free travel planning checklist here.

Prefer not to print? Jump to my explanation of the 14 stages of trip planning  with 49 separate things you should do below. Otherwise, click the image beneath to access and print my free Travel Planning Checklist .

The Importance of Travel Research

Before setting off on any adventure, it is crucial to do your research. Travel research helps you gather information about your destination, allowing you to make informed decision s and avoid unnecessary stress. By taking the time to research and plan, you can uncover hidden gems, know about local events, find the best deals, and arrange your itinerary to maximize your trip enjoyment. 

Plus, conducting research helps travelers be more thoughtful and respectful visitors by being aware of local customs.

Sign up for my monthly Discovery Newsletter & get a free Trip Budget Calculator !

Learn how to further simplify your trip research, planning, and organization for every stage of your trip in “ 5 Proven Ways to Simplify and Organize Your Travel Research .”

When to Start Planning a Trip

When is the ideal time to start planning a trip? Whenever you decide to go! Though—several months, or at least six months in advance , is generally best. However, some destinations, like high-demand national parks with limited visitor and lodging capacity, may require planning up to 12 months or more in advance. 

Plus, it depends who is traveling . Solo or couple travelers can more easily plan last-minute trips as they tend to have more schedule flexibility (i.e., not following family school break schedules) and can choose from more affordable double or single-room lodging options, which tend to be more abundant.

Because families usually require more of everything , from plane tickets to more spacious lodging and even bigger rental cars, planning further in advance becomes more necessary, especially as it allows them to secure the best of these resources at the best pricing. If you are a family traveler or part of a big multi-generational group, you will want to begin planning further in advance—six months to a year is ideal.

14 Stages of Trip Planning & 49 Tips

How you follow these 14 stages of travel planning depends on how long you have before you depart for your trip and your comfort level with leaving things to the last minute. 

Because I do not enjoy the feeling of big to-dos being undone or last-minute scrambles, I aim to complete all 14 stages of travel planning anywhere from one to several months in advance. Alternatively, you may feel more comfortable playing your timeframes looser. 

Step 1: Decide on Your Destination (7 Questions)

Step 2: International Travel: Understand Visa & Vaccination Requirements & Travel Restrictions/Warnings (4 Tips)

Step 3: On Budgeting, Know What You Can Spend (Budget Template)

Step 4: Set a High-Level Itinerary (Get Shortcuts)

Step 5: getting there, find the best deals on airfare (3 resources).

Step 6: Getting Around, Rental Cars & Local Transportation Options (6 Tips)

Step 7: Choose Where to Stay (Shortcuts & Resources)

Step 8: Decide, Save & Book the Things You Want to Do (4 Tips)

Step 9: Focus on Food, Reserve Restaurants & Learn About Local Dishes (2 Recommendations)

Step 10: Create, Update & Finalize a Detailed Trip Itinerary (Resources)

Step 11: Plan for Emergencies & Unexpected Situations (3 Tips)

Step 12: Packing & Prepping Your Home Before Your Trip (Resources)

Step 13: Make Your Finances Accessible on Domestic & International Trips (13 Tips)

Step 14: Stay Connected While You Travel (Resources)

You may have several destinations in mind for an upcoming trip—or none at all. To get assistance narrowing down your options, consider your travel wants, needs, and limitations by answering the seven questions below to help you figure this out.

How long do you have to travel?

Your work and school schedules or family obligations may dictate the duration of your travel. Or perhaps budget  constraints cap the number of your away-from-home vacation days.

So, before you choose where to go, know how long you can spend there. If your holiday break is limited, you will want to minimize the time or expense of transportation, guiding you to pick closer destinations or places with direct flights.

What do you want to do?

Do you want a warm week lounging on the beach within reach of an easy and affordable nonstop flight? Or are you looking for a city trip with cultural activities? Perhaps the pull of nature is strong, and you want a hiking adventure? Or a bit of all of the above? Know what experiences you or your group would like to have during your time away and pick a place that meets it best.

This question is linked to the one above but digs deeper. Confirm your potential destination offers the right breadth and depth of activities and cultural or culinary highlights. Are there enough things to do and experience to last your trip and meet your wants and needs? Determine whether these options will make for an ideal visit. 

How to get there?

Explore how to get to your potential destination. Does getting there require a multi-day drive? Or a flight with a long layover? Gain a high-level idea of the time and cost involved with the “getting there” part of travel and confirm your time off can easily accommodate long transit times if required. Then, further dive into this step by learning your best options for getting around  once you arrive, here .

When is the best time to go?

To avoid destinations during their rainy seasons and less ideal temperature times, look up historical weather averages for your potential vacation spot before you commit. Use a helpful site like SunHeron  to look at month-by-month temperatures and rainfall for nearly any destination. Doing this will give you a better chance of having the weather be a helper for a great experience instead of a hindrance

What do you want to pay?

It is never fun to start digging into a trip to an incredible place only to realize a few steps in that you cannot afford it. This exact situation happened to us. Several summers ago, we did not plan far enough in advance for a family summer trip to pricey Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Limited availability and expensive lodging options forced us to backtrack and find a more budget-friendly alternative destination—surprisingly, Vail, Colorado.

So, before committing to a spot, set your budget , then do quick hit searches on the costs of available transportation, lodging, activities, and dining to confirm they fit what you can afford.

Is it safe?

Ensuring your health and safety during your trip should be a top priority, especially when visiting an international destination and you are unfamiliar with the customs and language. Before you go, look up travel warnings , read recent traveler accounts on blogs or social media channels, and even message the account owners with your safety questions. Then, check the local news sites. Gathering information about recent on-the-ground experiences will help you decide if this destination is right for you.

Step 2: International Travel: Understand Visa & Vaccination Requirements & Travel Restrictions/Warnings (4 Tips)

This step is for international travel. Before buying your plane tickets, understand entry requirements related to passports and visas, if applicable. 

Ensure you have an up-to-date passport & learn about visa requirements.

For international travel, always ensure your passport will not expire soon and it will be valid for your dates of entry. A good rule of thumb is your passport should be valid for six months after entry . However, sometimes it is less. Confirm exact entry requirements by researching this with the official government customs and tourism organization for the country you plan to visit.

A quick online search should get you the answers you need. For US travelers, check and confirm destination requirements on the helpful “ Learn About Your Destination” page of the US State Department website.

If your passport is expired or set to expire within a validity window, like six months, take immediate steps to renew it. In the US, obtaining a new one can take weeks, if not several months. Get all the details you need about obtaining and renewing US Passports here .

Review travel advisories, security alerts, vaccination & other health requirements.

For US citizens planning to travel abroad, search for your destination on the US State Department website , look for travel advisories, security alerts, and detailed information about health matters, including links to vaccination requirements. Or go directly to the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Destinations page for extensive health recommendations.

Additionally, maintain your safety by booking lodging  in busier and well-known areas and following the tips I recommend here  to prepare for unexpected emergencies .

If traveling to Europe, know about EITAS, a coming-soon travel permit requirement.

Also, if you plan to travel to Europe, learn about the new electronic travel authorization (ETIAS) for visiting Europe. This coming-soon authorization is not a visa. It is a travel permit. As non-EU Schengen members, US travelers must eventually apply for this new travel authorization before entering Europe.

US travelers, enroll in STEP.

For US travelers for an extra measure of security and safety, consider enrolling your trip with the US State Department as part of their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP . Doing this will share your travel status with the US government which will allow you to receive important safety information about your destination country and help the US Embassy contact you in an emergency. Enroll here. 

Step 3: On Budgeting, Know What You Can Spend

Does your budget determine where you can go? Or does your destination determine your budget?  An essential part of your travel planning is being realistic about what you can afford . There are few better ways to ruin the effect of a top-notch vacation than to return home after it, realizing you overspent, and then having to contend with the pain of outsize credit card debt and the regret that comes with it.  Instead, book a trip to a place that meets you where your money is. Memorable travel experiences do not have to cost a fortune.

Use a budget calculator like the one I provide for free with signups to my monthly Discovery travel newsletter , shown above. Or create your own budget that includes the major expense items like transportation, lodging, activities, meals, and incidentals that cover anything from souvenirs to travel insurance to pet sitting.

Once you decide on your destination , determine if you will stay in one place or move around and make multiple stops. Will your path of travel be circular—where you end up in the original place you began so that you are flying into and out of the same airport? Or will it be linear? A linear path means you will fly to one destination and return home from another—requiring plane tickets commonly referred to in the travel industry as open jaw tickets. 

Your budget and available vacation time may dictate staying in one place. Or it will allow you to include several different stops in one trip.  Get shortcuts to quickly determine a high-level itinerary for any destination in this article .

Flights and related on-the-ground transportation costs can often be the most significant expenses of any trip.  To find the best airfare deals, compare prices across multiple airlines. Consider flexible travel dates to take advantage of cheaper fares and rates. Additionally, look to redeem frequent flier miles or sign up for travel credit cards that give you miles bonuses.

Maximize your savings by learning to find the best fare deals using Google Flights Explore and Google Flights price tracker . Or read this overview of how to track down the best airfare deals .

Step 6: Getting Around, Rental Cars & Local Transportation Options (6 Tips)

Familiarize yourself with these six transportation tips for taxis, public transit, rental cars, and safe walking routes applicable to any new destination.

Plan for how to get around.

Knowing in advance how you plan to get around your vacation spot will impact where you decide to book your lodging . If you plan to rent a car and drive, you will want vacation accommodation that provides easy vehicle access—and ideally nearby and free parking. Or, if you plan to rely on ride shares and public transportation, you may want to ensure close lodging proximity to taxi stands or train or bus stops. 

Familiarize yourself with local transportation options.

Before you arrive at your destination, familiarize yourself with the local transportation . Research different options, such as public buses, trains, ride shares, and taxis, to determine the most convenient and cost-effective ways to get around. These alternatives can be very different in international destinations. 

For example, the most recommended rideshare in Malta, which we visited for a spring break trip , was Bolt, followed by a few others I was unfamiliar with, like eCabs and Ryde.

If you learn about these things in advance, you can pre-download the apps , set up an account, and link payment methods before you arrive. Additionally, consider purchasing local transportation cards or passes, as these often offer discounted rates for multiple journeys.

Get rental car tips & gather resources.

If you plan to rent a car, review these 15 rental car tips which will save you money, reduce potential hassles, and explain how to get complimentary upgrades. Then, understand whether you need to buy rental car insurance —something that even the most experienced travelers get confused by—with this thorough overview .

When traveling internationally, research to find out if you need an international driving permit for your destination. If you do, get this permit in advance, as sometimes the paperwork may take a few weeks. Check to see if you need an international driving permit via this helpful article . 

Learn the (local) rules of the road.

For any international travelers, you will want to familiarize yourself with the local driving rules in the country you plan to drive in advance. Doing so can help you avoid unintentional penalties and minimize the chance of on-the-road incidents. 

US travelers can understand driver safety abroad by referencing this State Department page . This page provides helpful country links and outlines local driving rules—from default speed limits to signaling requirements to where to park.

Consider pre-booking an airport pickup.

Especially for international trips, if you do not feel confident about your understanding of local transportation options, make things easy for yourself upon arrival. Consider requesting your lodging to arrange a pickup for you . This reserved ride will likely be more expensive, though it will give you peace of mind that you will not get things “wrong” when you arrive.

Then, when at your destination, ask for assistance from your accommodation manager or concierge to help better explain your on-the-ground transportation options .

After an international overnight flight, our family sometimes pre-books airport taxis, as we did on a visit to Rome . When exhausted and running on empty from a long and likely sleepless flight, it is a relief to know our in-town transportation is reliably taken care of. 

Know safe walking routes.

If you plan to explore a new destination on foot, familiarize yourself with safe walking paths . Research this ahead of time. Or ask once at your accommodation. The front desk staff and management, who generally live locally, are a valuable resource for sharing the best routes, areas, and times for moving around safely.

Step 7: Choose Where to Stay (Shortcuts & Resources)

Pinpointing the right location for lodging is never easy. To figure it out fast—my first stop is to use the “ Where to stay ” button on Google Hotels , which will show neighborhood-by-neighborhood descriptions and ratings for all major destinations, allowing you to quickly zero in on the right neighborhood for you to stay in. See where to find it in the quick clip below.

Alternatively, run an AI or online search on “ best places to stay in [your destination] ” and review the results. Or, reference up-to-date travel guidebooks , which generally provide a helpful point of view on the best areas to stay. 

Additionally, since I find great lodging in top locations has an outsize positive impact on our travel experiences, I put a lot of effort into finding the best places to stay.  Get tips on how to do this for your lodging searches in this article .

Step 8: Decide, Save & Book the Things You Want to Do (4 Tips)

Now that you have the framework of your trip set, it is time for the most fun part—figuring out things you want to do once you get there.

Search for things to do online.

If your best trip experience includes seeing top attractions and activities, you will want to research the top things to do in a destination that best fits your interests. Run AI searches or look online for “things to do in [your destination].”

Travel blogs, social media, and sites like Pinterest or Reddit are helpful for this. Or read a guidebook  or visit Google Travel , searching your destination to get an idea about the top attractions and get recommendations for more things to see or do.

To determine what you want to do most, read reviews from fellow travelers to understand what to expect. Then, consider purchasing tickets or making reservations for the most popular attractions to avoid long queues and secure your spot.

Save your favorites.

My preferred way to keep track of things I want to do in a destination is to save them to a custom list in Google Maps . Doing this gives me quick access to my favorites on my mobile phone via my Google Maps app while traveling. I share why and how to create similar custom lists in this article . 

Check out the guided activity and tour options.

Another good way to round out your research for what to do in any area is by checking out tour booking sites like Viator , Get Your Guide or Airbnb Experiences . Use them to look at the top-rated experiences for your destination. You might discover a cooking class, photo tour, guided hike, history walk, and so much more—activities that could be one of the more memorable parts of your vacation.

Ask for recommendations.

Before your trip, ask your friends, family, and acquaintances for suggestions for what to do in your planned destination if they have already been there.  T hen, when your trip is here, and you finally and excitingly arrive— connect and chat with your lodging managers, taxi drivers, tour guides, servers, and any other locals you can befriend to ask for their recommendations. 

By doing this, we have learned about many things we would have missed if we did not connect with locals, like off-the-radar restaurants, event-related parades, holiday processionals, or the best spots to catch sunsets. While traveling, we value these local recommendations so highly that we often will reshape our entire plan for how we spend a day to accommodate them. 

Step 9: Focus on Food - Reserve Restaurants & Learn About Local Dishes (2 Recommendations)

Does your culinary experience matter to you on vacation? I have a food blogger and cookbook author friend who makes researching places to eat and reserving restaurants her immediate third activity after booking airfare and lodging for any trip. So, if incorporating an epicurean experience into your travel is important, include the two steps below in your pre-trip planning.

Make restaurant reservations.

Search online to get a list of top eateries in your destination. Reference Google Maps, articles, blog posts, or run AI inquiries. Or ask other travelers who have been to the area recently, as they are always happy to share their favorites. Prioritize the places you want to eat and make reservations. If you cannot do this in advance online, do not sweat it. Do it in person when you arrive. Or ask your lodging for dining recommendations and assistance with booking reservations.

Learn about the food before you go.

Although international trips provide ample opportunities for new food experiences, you do not have to go far from home to indulge in regional food specialties while on vacation. For example, on a fall getaway to Door County, Wisconsin , near our hometown of Chicago, we were sure to order cheese curds, a Badger State specialty, paired with local brews. 

Before your trip, search online for “best food to eat in [your destination]” to see what tops the list. On a spring trip to Rome , it was Jerusalem artichokes. When in Malta , it was a rabbit dish and many other unfamiliar foods.

Eating at different places and trying new dishes, drinks, and snacks can be one of the most memorable aspects of your travel. To get a head start, take a global tour from these food guide and cookbook recommendations .

Step 10: Create, Update & Finalize a Detailed Trip Itinerary (Resources)

Now that you have your transportation, lodging, activities, and possibly even your dining planned or loosely set, it is time to put it all down to paper.  Use an online app like TripIt to keep track of your bookings and day-to-day plans. Or go semi-old school like I do and put it in an Excel document . Since I have yet to find an app that functions exactly how I want, I created my own itinerary framework that includes all the elements I prefer.

I share this free framework  downloadable in four file types in this article . In it, I also link to more places to find free or affordable trip itinerary templates. 

Then, for safety purposes , share your itinerary with family and friends so they know where you will be when you are away from home.

Step 11: Plan for Emergencies & Unexpected Situations (3 Tips)

Follow these three recommendations to help you avoid or quickly recover from emergencies and unexpected situations while traveling.

Conduct practical safety prep.

Before each trip, familiarize yourself with local emergency service numbers and healthcare facilities in your planned destination. When traveling internationally—particularly to an area at risk for conflict, know where to find your local embassy or consulate.  Additionally, ensure your family and friends know where you are going and how to reach you. If you created a detailed itinerary  share it with them. Then, continue to check in throughout the trip.

Buy travel insurance.

It is an extra expense every traveler would love to skip. However, given the cost of your vacation and what is at risk—your trip budget, your health, and your property—the cost of travel insurance should be considered an essential and non-negotiable expense, especially for international trips. Read about why to get travel insurance and where to find it in this article .

My preferred resource for buying travel insurance is InsureMyTrip.com , an online travel insurance agent and search engine that I use to shop policies from different insurers, buying from the ones with the highest user ratings.

Know what to do in case of theft.

Do you have a plan for what to do in case your wallet, phone, computer, or passport is taken or goes missing? Do you know how to protect your sensitive data? Or how to quickly replace credit cards or a phone? Or get a replacement passport so you can get home?

If not, familiarize yourself with these steps in case your phone goes missing , or read this account of a traveler who had to navigate getting her phone stolen out of her hand in Cartagena, Colombia.

Then, make front-and-back print and digital copies of all IDs, passports, credit cards, and travel insurance policies, keeping copies easily accessible in case of emergency, theft, or loss. Share copies of all items with a trusted friend or family member who can quickly send them back to you if needed.

Step 12: Packing & Prepping Your Home Before Your Trip (Resources)

Taking care to pack efficiently will make your trip a more comfortable one. Before you go, research weather conditions at your destination and plan accordingly. Make a checklist of essential items, such as toiletries, medication, electronics, and travel adapters. Pack versatile clothing items that can be mixed and matched for different occasions and temperatures. And remember a travel first aid kit with essential medical supplies.

Because I bring many repeat items every time we travel, I spent a year carefully crafting, updating, and tweaking a universal and printable packing list to reuse for every trip. Using this helps me avoid “recreating the (packing) wheel” every time I leave home, which helps save time and minimizes prep. 

Access, download, and print this universal packing list , which includes a comprehensive medical kit, here . 

Additionally, since I am a fan of checklists and streamlining tasks, I created a second checklist to close the house and prep for packing—that includes to-do items like buying trip-specific gear or picking up medical prescriptions in advance to avoid last-minute scrambles. Check out the list here. 

If you are new to traveling and packing, get 25 of my best packing tips that I follow for every trip.

Step 13: Make Your Finances Accessible on Domestic & International Trips (13 Tips)

Before you go on any trip, be sure to have a plan for how to pay for all expenses, access your cash, and use your credit cards.

On domestic trips: two tips on spending and cash.

If your getaway is domestic, this step should be relatively easy, as how you spend will be similar to what you do at home. However, there are two things you may want to consider before you leave. Getting extra cash from a local no-fee ATM and ensuring you have up-to-date logins with mobile pay apps like Zelle or Venmo. 

Even in this age of high connectivity, it is still relatively easy to encounter a market vendor, fair, or pop-up snack shop that does not accept credit cards. So, you will want a cash supply handy . Doing this will help you avoid unnecessary and out-of-the-way stops at high-fee and out-of-network ATMs. Sometimes, vendors will also accept mobile payments from apps like Venmo or Zelle. 

For example, during a recent domestic trip to New Orleans, our family enjoyed listening to musicians who accepted tips via Venmo, allowing us to scan their QR code and drop some cash—in appreciation of their talent and time. So, before you leave for your trip, if you use these apps, ensure you are actively logged in and can access your accounts.

On international trips: 11 tips for spending, credit cards, cash, and safety.

Prearranging and maintaining comprehensive and secure financial access requires a few more steps when traveling internationally. Here is a list of 10 things you will want to plan for: 

1. Determine which credit card(s) you plan to use . Ideally, choose the one(s) that offers the lowest, or zero, foreign transaction fees.

2. If you use a mobile hands-free payment like Apple Pay, ensure your default credit card linked to your mobile payment account is the card with the lowest foreign transaction fees. 

3. For travelers who do not already use a hands-free payment method like Apple Pay, consider setting it up, as it is a convenient wallet-free way to pay when traveling. Keeping your wallet tucked away may also make you less of a target for potential pickpockets who tend to mark international travelers.

4. If you plan to use a credit card while traveling internationally, process your transactions in the local currency . At the point-of-sale, avoid converting the transaction to your home currency since this often translates into a less advantageous exchange rate. 

5. Know the currency exchange rate between your home and destination country before you leave home—this will help you better manage your spending and budget. Download a currency converter app like XE , to easily translate local prices to your home currency.

6. Plan to take out the local country currency from an ATM when you arrive. Some travelers prefer to pre-buy foreign currency at their local hometown bank before they leave for their trip. However, we are always comfortable doing this at the airport upon arrival.

Know which local ATMs offer the lowest fees for international visitors for cash withdrawals and which charge the highest—and should be avoided. Visit traveler forums and social media groups , or read guidebooks  to learn this information.

7. Bring back up cash in your own currency , which you can exchange in an emergency. Include small bills if you can. You can often use these in a pinch for tips and when you run short on small denominations of local cash. However, local currency—depending on the country—is generally preferred.

8. Remove all unnecessary credit , identity, membership, and banking cards from your wallet that you do not plan to use while traveling and store them safely at home. Doing this is preventative in case of wallet loss or theft. Keeping so many cards at home means you will have fewer to cancel or replace.

9. Make copies of both sides of your banking and credit cards . Keep print or digital copies accessible. For a backup— share them with a friend or family member who will be staying home and can send them to you in the event of loss or theft. 

10. Have a plan for keeping your wallet and valuables safe while on your trip. Assume on an international trip, you may be a target for pickpockets. Make it difficult for would-be thieves by using secure carrying bags and backpacks with zippered pockets.

Practice never leaving your personal items unattended or on the back of chairs. If you need to set a bag down, wrap a strap securely around a leg or arm. Also, ensure all openings are fully zipped and face inward toward your body. Depending on your destination, consider sewing hidden interior pockets to pants or using money belts under clothes to keep cash and IDs secure.

Another helpful step you can take includes being aware of your surroundings and avoiding being distracted in public by your phone while traveling. It is relatively easy for a cyclist or motorcycle rider to whip by and grab an unlocked phone from unsuspecting hands.

11. Finally, before you go, move ample cash into your checking or ATM-linked account to fund your trip and to fully process automatic bill withdrawals to eliminate the possibility of overdrafts or other unpleasant financial surprises that could happen while you are away. If you do not have auto bill payments set up, pre-pay all upcoming bills before you leave.

Note: Many credit cards and banks no longer require you to alert them when you plan to leave the country as they track trip-related purchases like plane tickets, taxis, and hotel bookings. 

However, check with your banking and credit card companies before you go to understand their travel recommendations and to avoid possible suspicious-activity freezes on your accounts.

This step is easy for domestic journeys, as depending on your data plan, you can ideally use your mobile phone to text and call to stay in touch like you would at home.  However, constant connectivity gets more complicated for international trips. When traveling abroad, you want to determine how you plan to use your mobile phone .

Will you stay off-network and use it only when connected to Wi-Fi? Or pay a daily network international roaming fee—up to a pricey $10 per day with networks like Verizon? Or, instead, buy a data plan from a local network using e-sim technology?

Does this feel complicated? Even to me, a regular international traveler, and others—it does also. Based on your budget and connectivity needs, you will want to figure out which way of staying connected is right for you. To decide, price out international plans from your mobile carrier and then learn more about going the eSIM route with info in this helpful article .

Once you know how you plan to stay in touch, download apps you anticipate you may need to use. When traveling internationally, this may include downloading What’sApp , a global messaging app and voice-over-IP service heavily used outside of the United States.  When abroad, I frequently use this app to communicate with lodging contacts and tour guides and to confirm reservations.

Additionally, be sure to have all lodging or tour booking apps downloaded and updated on your phone. You will want to access the messaging functionality within apps like Airbnb, Booking.com, or other hotel apps, which you may need to use to send and receive communications. 

Hands-down, thorough travel research is the key to a stress-free adventure. By taking time to gather destination information so you can make informed planning decisions, you can ensure a smooth and memory-making journey. 

From researching your destination and finding the best deals to understanding local customs and preparing essential travel documents, each step plays a vital role in creating your best travel experience.

So, before you embark on your next adventure, check off the items on this ultimate travel research checklist. With research and planning complete, you can explore the world with confidence and peace of mind. The more you know, the better prepared you will be for any unexpected challenges or opportunities that come your way. Happy travels!

Related Reading

If you are searching for more travel planning assistance to help you save time and money and to stay organized, check out the related articles below.

• Google for Travel: Plan Better with These 8 Tools
• Why You Will Love Google Maps for Trip Planning
• Travel Better: How to Best Use Google Flights Explore
• How to Save Time & Money with Google Flights Price Tracker
• 5 Proven Ways to Simplify and Organize Your Travel Research
• Rental Car Insurance: When You Need It & When You Don’t
• Pack Faster & Better with This Universal Printable Packing List
• 25 Expert Packing Tips to Help You Travel Better
• Pre-Trip: A Practical Checklist to Close the House & Pack

Additional Trip Planning Resources

To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below. 

Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here . 

Google Hotels . Use its “ Where to stay ” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.

Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.

Viator , Get Your Guide , & Airbnb Experiences . Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.

Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps . Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list. 

AllTrails . Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.

Guide Along . 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour .

Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here . My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com . 

Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks , and my free customizable travel itinerary template , downloadable in four file formats.

About the author:  Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog,  Gather and Go Travel . Check out  her bio , learn how she became  a blogger , and discover how to  work with her . Sign up for her monthly  Discovery Newsletter  to get her latest travel recommendations and  how-to’s .

Love to travel? Sign up for m y monthly Gather & Go Travel Discovery Newsletter and get a free trip budget calculator .

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. And the income goes to keeping the site community-supported and ads minimal.

35 Places You Will Love for Your Next Ladies’ Trip

How to Make the Most of Missoula in 3 Days

39 Amazing Ideas for Things to See & Do in Missoula

The Best Places to Eat Around Glacier National Park

The Best Places to Stay Near Glacier National Park

Glacier NP: Ultimate Guide Where to Stay in the Park

Leave a reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Gather and Go Travel , a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, an experienced traveler to over 50 countries and a travel writer, book lover, and blogger. Learn more about me , read our story , and how to work with me .

Need an Itinerary for a Spring Trip to Europe? Here are 25 Amazing Ideas

Rental Car Insurance: When You Need It & When You Don’t

Your Family Will Love These 30 Road Trips Near Chicago

Pack Faster & Better With This Universal Printable Packing List

How to Spend 10 Days In Rome, the Amalfi Coast & Sorrento

Instagram....

gatherandgotravel

📍US & 🌎 travel for families, friends + couples 📝 Itineraries, destination guides and ideas + tips ❤️ hiking🥾, mountains + 📚books 🏡 Chicago

love this info?

And receive our F REE Budget Trip Calculator .

© 2023 All Rights Reserved

Travel planning.

Amazeballs Better Travel Guide

Travel Planning Tips

Destinations

Travel Learning

Conversations With Travel Pros

Blogs I Love To Follow

Work With Me / Contact Me

Journey From 100 To 10K

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

Get A Free Trip Budget Calculator

Sign up for my monthly gather & go travel discovery newsletter packed with tips and vacation ideas and get my trip budget calculator for free..

How to Plan Your Own Trip (& Save Big Travel Bucks)

E ven for the biggest of wanderlusters, trip planning can be a keyboard-head-banging task. Where to go? When to book? How much to schedule ahead?

The “oh crap” moment of having 8,000 tabs open in your browser and virtually nothing booked is an all-too-familiar  blah . For far too many, this makes tours and all-inclusive vacations a tantalizing lure. It's easy to see why; they just seem EASY .

But what if you could save yourself major cash and take that dream trip? What if you could see the same sites as a tour, at a fraction of the cost? Spoiler alert: YOU CAN! In this post, we'll show you step-by-step exactly how to plan and book your own trip, and save HUGELY.

Step 1. Choose a destination

The slightest of research can help you understand which countries will serve your travel budget best. $50USD/day in Paris will hardly stretch beyond activities and food, while the same budget in Bangkok will more luxurious travel for days. Here's some factors to consider when deciding where to head.

Pick countries where your dollar will go far

Aim for places where your home currency is high against the native dollar. Need inspiration? Check our top budget destinations for 2020 , plus our other list of budget countries here .

Another point to consider is current events and currency deflation (e.g. Britain's “Brexit” made England much more affordable for some travellers). Curious about how expensive a place is? Numbeo provides a quick snapshot of average prices for every country. Need destination ideas? Here's some suggestions to start.

• South Africa
• China (check our guide here )
• Philippines

Eastern Europe

South america, consider shoulder season travel.

Off-season travel is a simple but effective money-saver – just make sure that your destination is still safe and won't be entirely ruined by weather. Google your desired destination and find its slower months. Tripadvisor forums can be a good place to get local opinions.

Keep open eyes and ears for deals

Flights are often the biggest ticket item of any trip (we've got plenty of hacks on flight booking  here ). Keep an eye out for error fares,  which aren't always last minute and regularly pop up on international (and even business class) routes.

Travel deals on hotels and package vacations can be found on sites like  Travelzoo  and  Groupon (always check reviews & read the fine print). Don't forget to follow airlines & travel sites on social media and newsletters to hear about sales.

Step 2. Find out travel visa requirements

Once you've chosen a destination and before booking anything , check if you require a visa for your visit and how long it's valid for. Check your country's government travel advisories online, such as here below:

• Australia (click on country of choice for info)
• Canada (click on the country of choice, then “Entry/Exit Requirements”)
• Europe (info for Europe-based travel here , worldwide visa requirements viewable on the map here )
• United Kingdom (select country and click “Entry Requirements”)
• United States (type your country of choice in the search box, click it, then select “Entry/Exit Requirements”)

Step 3. Plan a (rough) itinerary

Once you've chosen a place, you'll want to familiarize yourself with it. Where do you want to go? What do you want to see? How long is your visit? The amount of pre-planning here is up to you. There are benefits to having loose travel plans (or none at all), you just have to decide what suits you best.

If you want to plan a route, here's some ways to do it!

Check tour company itineraries

Tour companies like G Adventures and Intrepid Travel have itineraries freely listed on their website. These are handy for getting a snapshot of destination highlights, duration, and modes of transport. If you've decided on a country, Lonely Planet writes great guidebooks with detailed information. Travel blogs *ahem* are also a handy source of information.

Note: when viewing group tour itineraries, keep in mind these are often  fast paced.  You may wish to add more buffer room and lazy days for your own trip. You don't need to copy sample routes & durations to a tee.

Read trip summaries online

Many travellers share extensive itineraries and trip summaries on forums like  TripAdvisor . This is a great way to hear ups and downs, get itinerary critiques, and genuine local advice.

TripHobo is another service where people share detailed day-by-day itineraries, and you can actually earn money by posting your own.

Pinterest is a great place to find sample itineraries and tips on destinations. Many regions of the world have expert bloggers with extensive destination-specific knowledge and experience. Simply use the search bar with terms such as your country of interest and “itinerary”, and pin away!

Step 4. Book ahead (or wing it!)

For those with limited flexibility in dates or destinations, waiting last minute is an absolute gamble. If you're travelling openly or long-term, then booking as you go based on deals can certainly work (and is what we did during our 2+ years of nomadic travels). Regardless of your trip style, here's how to get booking.

Use broad search engines with flexible cancellation

As a general rule of thumb, your best bet when possible is to book ahead and “hold” a good price on sites with fee-free cancellation policies. Here's our recommendations.

If you do a broad search (ideally searching for “entire month” as opposed to specific dates), you can identify the cheapest dates to fly. In addition to our flight-booking hacks , keep watch for error fares , and try to book flights 4-6 weeks ahead.

Our recommended broad search engines to use for booking flights:

• Airfare Watchdog (good for error fares)
• Secret Flying (good for error fares)

Car rentals

Nearly all major car rental search engines offer free cancellation. For this reason, a car rental should be one of the first things you book for a trip , as prices tend to increase as supply goes down. For hacks on getting the best car rental price, check our guide here . These are the search engines we use for car rental bookings:

• Booking Buddy (lets you search many car booking sites at once)

Accommodation

As with car rentals, most hotel-booking booking websites offer free cancellation ( always  double check!). This means you're best to snag a bargain in advance, even if your plans change . For tips on booking the cheapest accommodation, check our article here . Broad search sites to use for hotel bookings include:

• Booking.com
• HotelsCombined
• AirBNB (always check hosts' cancellation policies as these can sometimes incur a cost)
• Hotwire  and Priceline (good for Mystery Deals on major cities for bargain rates on swanky hotels. Note: You CANNOT cancel mystery bookings!)

Step 5. Find cheap & free activities

Once you've chosen a place, route, and places to stay, you'll want to scope out activities for your trip. You needn't plan every minute, but it can be wise to get some ideas in advance.

WikiVoyage and Lonely Planet are good resources for quickly finding a list of ways to keep busy in a new place, including free things. Walking is one of the best ways to do this, and is definitely the local approach to experiencing a place. Here's some more tips & tricks to explore for less!

Check walking routes and/or free walking tours

Nearly every major city on earth offers free walking tours, and this can be a great way to explore a place on foot while getting a bit of history. Note: “free” walking tours are not  actually free (you are meant to tip at the end), but they usually provide great value and interesting information about a place.

Don't have the time or patience for a group tour? You can still scope out walking routes from Free Walking Tour websites, or simply search Google or Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. Lonely Planet books will often include self-guided walking tours as well.

Seek out free or discounted museum days

Read ahead to see if a city has free or discounted entry dates to attractions. Sometimes museums and art galleries offer free admission in the last hour, or a discounted day of the week. Having an ISIC card can pay off big time if you're a student, especially in Europe where students (with ISIC ID) gain free entry to many sites.

Explore sharing economy options

The sharing economy or peer-to-peer lending has created infinite activities and events for travellers offered by locals themselves. We've compiled a comprehensive list  of sharing economy services around the world and there are MANY on offer! After all, what's more alluring than dinner with a local, or a city tour from someone who's lived there their whole life?!

Visit local markets & events

Tripadvisor  and Lonely Planet are good places to read up beforehand on markets, events and happenings that locals know of. TimeOut Magazine and Metro News (often available for free in public transit stations worldwide) are also great at listing free/current events and activities.

Stalk group buy sites for activity deals

Sites like  Travelzoo  and  Groupon  frequently offer attractive discounts on activities and tours. Always double check expiry dates and the fine print (especially for use on weekends)!

Step 6. Keep your plans organized

If you aspire to be as tidy as a travel agent with your plans,  TripIt is a great and free service we recommend and use. We've been active users it since 2012 during our initial jam-packed once a year trips. As a bonus, this service also tracks travel points by linking with accounts like Aeroplan or AirMiles (note: this is a paid add-on).

You can of course use your own alternatives like Google Docs, but TripIt is great for the “lazy” (or disorganized!) planner. Once you make an account, it will coordinate any relevant info for your trip, no uploading required . Either give TripIt access to your e-mail, or forward each of your booking confirmations to [email protected] , and it will automatically build your itinerary. That means flight tickets, hotel and car bookings, etc. are all kept track in one place . Another plus is being able to share access to trip itineraries (simply add a friend's e-mail address). Definite bliss for planning group trips!

TripIt does have an upgraded membership that offers attractive features like texting you real-time updates of flights, gate changes, etc. We paid for this account in 2016 when I was doing some extensive travels with a friend. All of our planning was done while we were on opposite sides of the globe, so it was quite helpful. I also received realtime updates on her (repeated) flight delays and cancellations, long before she could notify me herself.

All that said, the basic (free) account definite suffices for regular planning. But the paid upgrade does have its perks and is handy for group trip planning.

The Thrifty Gist

• Consider travelling to budget destinations and/or in the off-season to reduce costs
• Use existing itineraries ( Tripadvisor , tour websites) to get a quick snapshot of highlights and routes
• Book refundable trip items (e.g. hotels, car rentals) ahead of time on broad search engines
• Search broadly for flights and keep eyes peeled for error fares
• Check out the sharing economy , walking tours, and online resources like Pinterest for activity ideas
• Keep your plans organized in one place with free services like TripIt

Whew, you did it ! You've now got the basics on how to plan your own trip. With even a slightly organized approach, sorting your own travels can be a breeze. Happy planning!

What tips do you use for planning your own trip?

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game New
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Planning Travel

How to Plan a Trip

Last Updated: January 29, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Amy Tan . Amy Tan is a Travel Planner and the Founder of Planet Hoppers, a boutique travel design team founded in 2002. Planet Hoppers specializes in brainstorming and creating itineraries for dream vacations, honeymoons, exotic adventures, family reunions, and group trips. Planet Hoppers is a TRUE accredited travel agency and a member of the Signature Travel Network, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and Travel Leaders. Amy earned a BA in Communications and a BS in Physics from the University of California, Davis in 2000. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 94% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 552,538 times.

Before planning a trip have a current passport. Purchase traveler's checks. Keep the receipt in a safe place in case of being stolen. Whether for travel or pleasure, schedule some fun. All trips are meant for adventure, relaxation, and enjoyment. By planning well, you can ensure you that you and your family or friends can enjoy a hassle-free trip with only the good kind of surprises to ensue.

Planning Help

Choosing the When, Where, and How

• Keep in mind weather and climatic conditions, merits and demerits of the place, types of recreation (beaches, culture, shopping), and facilities (transport, eating out, etc). What clothes are suitable? How removed from civilization will you be? What does your destination require?

• Do you want to go during the off-season or while tourism is booming? The off-season will offer discounts, but it will also mean closed doors and reduced availability.
• When it comes to weather, do you want to deal with winter or the rainy season? How about when it's hot and muggy?
• And then there's ticket prices – if you're flying, when is it the cheapest to fly? If you are planning to fly on a long weekend , then you should book the tickets well in advance to get the best deal.

• Make a list. Write down the places you want to visit, including restaurants, museums, malls, and other places of interest. This will help give you ideas and prevent being completely lost when you arrive and do not know what to do.
• Include how you're going to get around. Does your itinerary involve cab rides? Using the subway? Trekking on foot? If you are taking public transportation, make sure you know how that's done wherever you're going.

• Companies that help you in the actual "planning" phase of your trip, would be like Gap Travel Adventures, Get A Trip.com, the Automobile Club of Southern California Travels Division (and their counterparts in each of the 50 States), and the American Express Corporation, whereas the giant travel conglomerates, such as Expedia, Travelocity ,Orbitz.com and Priceline (the 4 largest travel vendors in "gross profits" within the United States), aim at the end booking process.
• The five things you can do to help yourself and your budget (that you don't need a travel agent for) are the following: 1) Book your flight and hotels at the same time, not separately 2) Be willing to fly mid-week and off-hours 3) Be willing to fly or land at a neighboring airport within 30 miles (48 km) of each other 4) Pay an all-inclusive price when possible, so that meals and gratuities are included, and 5) The actual season you travel – i will differ the rates by 30-40%.

Figuring Out the Logistics

• Always add some wiggle room, overestimating rather than underestimating. There are always costs you don't foresee or things you want to do that you haven't accounted for.
• If the trip is more than you are willing to spend, make cuts where you can. If it ultimately means cutting the trip short, so be it.

• Ditch that daily sugary latte. If you get a $4 coffee drink three times a week, that's $12 a week, and about $50 a month. That's $300 in six months right there.
• Eat from home more. Restaurants are great, but they're expensive. If you cook at home, you can save money not only because it's cheaper, but because you'll have leftovers that can last you days.
• Quit the luxuries for a while. That last drink on Saturday night? Pass. A movie next week? Nope. Heck, cable? Who needs it when you have Netflix? Take a look at what little things are fun, but that you could live without.

• It is said that you should book airfare around two months out for the best deals – this is that happy place where airlines start discounting their trips to sell tickets, but haven't yet jacked prices up because they're last-minute.
• If you're going somewhere that speaks a different language, take the time to brush up on the basics. You'll be glad you did, and the people you interact with will be, too.

• Many airlines also pair with major retailers, like Target, Amazon, and Apple. If you buy from those stores, you get miles. What's not to like? You're shopping there anyway – you might as well get a free flight for it.

Setting Your Plans in Stone

• And anything else for that matter, too. Many attractions have ticket sales online where you can skip the lines and go right in. Sure, the idea of waiting in line right now doesn't sound so bad, but for three minutes of work right now you can not waste hours of your vacation standing in a line with strangers wishing past you would've had better sense.

• Only you know if you are one of these people that changes their mind often, or often does re-scheduling – or if you are one of these people that will fly out in a hurricane, no matter what!

• Keep your passport, travel documents, visas, and similar items in a safe pouch. You may want to make copies, too, and keep them in a safe place. It will make it so much easier to replace anything that you lost.

• If applicable, put vacation notices on your e-mail, and remember to set your answering machine. Those messages will just have to wait until you get back.

Wrapping Up the Details

• Traveling in a car? Make sure to get lots of foodstuffs, water, and things to do. A CD on tape about a road trip or your specific destination will be great to get you in the mood. Consider "On the Road," " Lost in My Own Backyard," "A Walk Through the Woods," or "Washington Schlepped Here," amongst others. Good music is a must, too.

• Stick to basic pieces and a couple pairs of shoes – it's really all you need in terms of clothes regardless of how long your trip is. A few basic shirts and a few basic pants, shorts, or a skirt will do the job. You can then mix and match as necessary.
• Roll your clothes when packing. This will save you a ton of room and mean you can buy that authentic-looking tiki torch when the mood strikes.
• Create and use a checklist for packing, which helps consistently remind you of all the odds and ends of packing. You don't want to arrive at the airport and remember you forgot the needed documents at home.

• Don't be tempted to take work or home problems with you – then all this planning will be for naught, making it feel like you're still mentally back home. Leave that laptop and your phone off – now is all about exploring and going on an adventure.

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

• If planning a trip on a severe budget is your number one priority, there are literally hundreds of money saving tips for the actual daily travel plans, that can save you in the hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If peer reviews are more important than shopping by rates, than websites like Trip Adviser.com and some of the top ranked travel blogs, like with Budget Travel and Travel Zoo.com all have stellar reputations for providing unbiased reviews. In Europe, a similar counterpart would be found within Auto Europe.com (full service European travel vendor, not just cars) The Asian markets probably have the widest variety of travel providers. The only reason mentioning names is relevant, is according to Forbes Research many of the other smaller affiliate travel resources have been known to delete from their databases the low-25% of the negative reviews, thus obstructing true peer review analysis. This does not mean however, that one should not consider one of these smaller travel affiliates, though one should do their research and due diligence on that company's trust factor. Many have value-added services the larger companies do not have. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Start learning the language of the country you are going to if you are traveling overseas. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Don't keep sharp objects in your luggage. Security has been greatly beefed up, and your luggage may be checked. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
• Traveling can be hectic. If traveling to a new place, make sure you keep medication (especially for children). Keep your documents and precious possessions safe. Mugging and theft is common. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.theglobetrottingteacher.com/how-to-successfully-choose-your-travel-destination/
• ↑ Amy Tan. Travel Planner. Expert Interview. 12 March 2020.
• ↑ http://www.seat61.com/spreadsheet.htm#.VBx5XvldUss
• ↑ https://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/how-to-budget-for-a-big-trip/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d2772aa0
• ↑ http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/planning-a-trip/
• ↑ http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-tips/how-to-find-a-cheap-flight/
• ↑ https://www.travelpulse.com/news/features/the-importance-of-travel-insurance-3.html
• ↑ http://www.roadtripamerica.com/tips/How-To-Plan-A-Great-Road-Trip.htm

About This Article

To plan a trip, start assessing your costs by determining where you will stay, like a hotel or a hostel. You should also go online and compare flight prices a couple months in advance for the lowest rates. Additionally, be sure to consider ways of getting around your destination, like rental cars or subways, based on the place you’re traveling to. If you’re traveling internationally, get your necessary documents in order 6 months in advance, like a passport and travel visa, and keep them in a safe place. For more tips on planning a vacation, like how to make a budget, keep scrolling! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Angela Heart

Apr 20, 2017

Did this article help you?

Sep 2, 2016

May 5, 2016

Benjamin Hsieh

Alex Walker

Nov 15, 2019

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

• Trip Planner

Trip Planner | Travel Itinerary Planner | Plan a Trip

Are you looking for an itinerary planner to plan your next trip? We know creating a customized travel itinerary manually is an overwhelming task. You have to put a lot of time into selecting destinations, booking hotels, flights, and comparing prices. On top of that calculating budgets & booking hotels and flights is another challenge that makes itinerary planning tough.

But what if all of this is done within a few minutes for you? Yes with TripHobo trip planner you can do this smartly. We have observed that many travelers end up spending more time in researching information than enjoying the actual trip. Not only first-time travelers but also experienced travelers struggle in creating perfect travel plans.

Even though it is a tedious task to create a customized itinerary, everyone agrees on the importance of itinerary for an enjoyable holiday. So Triphobo came up with this easy to use automatic itinerary planner.

How Trip Planner Works / Steps to Plan a Trip

Do you want to create your travel itinerary quickly & easily? Are you ready to use this tool now? TripHobo's trip planner plays a major role to ease the itinerary creation process and helps you overcome the pain in the trip planning .  Follow these 4 simple steps to plan a trip & let us know your experience.

1) Choose Your Destination & Dates when you want to travel

Visual algorithmic trip planner lets you choose destinations you want to travel to. You have the freedom to choose the real dates from the calendar. After selecting travel dates, planner runs algorithms to optimize a trip. It starts suggesting activities, sightseeing spots, tours and transport options with the details. For every attraction, it suggests open/close timings, time to spend, and nearby restaurants.

You can drag & drop activities and complete your itinerary within a matter of minutes. You can book yourself a nice vacation once you are sure of all the details, making you plan your trip very easily.

2) Refer to User Created Itineraries

If you have a lot of travel ideas but confused about where to start? Don't worry. Thousands of other people have visited the same destination before and created itineraries with us. Choose from a pool of more than 1 million user-generated itineraries around the globe. You can view other travelers’ itineraries for any location and duration to inspire yourself and then customize them to suit your own preferences.

3) Book Hotels and Flights

TripHobo always tries to offer the best from the travel industry to our valued planners. It has formed alliances with Expedia , Skyscanner, Zomato and Booking.com. Its ratings and reviews come courtesy of TripAdvisor whereas Google (as well as other partners) powers its location data.

TripHobo aims to cater to travelers at every stage of the travel planning process. It provides one platform to create personalized itineraries and hassle-free bookings .

4) Get Ready with a Perfect Itinerary

Once you’ve created your customized itinerary, you can print it. Save your plan for future reference or share it with your friends. When you’re ready, you can finalize and have a perfect travel itinerary ready.

Why Is TripHobo a Smart Trip planner?

There are few things included in the Triphobo planner algorithm & app which builds itinerary within minutes.

• A free virtual map-based trip planner with a smart algorithm
• International trip planner with about 1,50,000 popular destinations
• The largest repository of user-generated itineraries
• Hassle-free booking options for hotels, tours & flights
• Provides local transit options like metro, rail, bus, and car
• Calculates an estimated budget
• Provides options to save, print and share itinerary
• Strategic Partnerships with leading travel companies

TripHobo: Around the Web

• Trip of Your Own
• Traveling made easier with TripHobo
• Making The Southeast Asian Travel Connection
• Ex-HCL employee’s led ‘TripHobo’ is on a mission to become a global brand – a goto place for travel planning!
• Interview: Praveen Kumar, Founder & CEO of TripHobo
• TripHobo inks partnership with Zomato
• How a trip planning startup can succeed
• Karthik Ramachandram Co-Founder COO, TripHobo - Phocuswright Conference

Here's what travelers have to say about our travel planner

• Excellent 238

Great and genuinely wonderful website that makes a proper vacation plan simple, like it should. All reviews are 5 stars. The only suggestion I have to enhance this fantastic website is to include a mobile application. Even paying for a version without ads wouldn't bother me.

Every traveller should use this!

So much easier & more helpful than a travel agency, given lots of fantastic ideas, and was extremely helpful for planning the trip. Would strongly advise my family and friends to use this!

Great tool for trip planning. Impportantly it's free and automatically tailors travel plans to your preferences and is completely customisable. The integration with skyscanner and booking.com, and other OTA like priceline and expedia makes it very easy to plan the whole trip along with the bookings in one place.

Ready to plan that trip?

We've got everything you need to complete your trip plan, so you can relax and enjoy your upcoming travel.

Bring your plan together

Simplified trip planning.

Update your itinerary without rebuilding your calendar and trip map - everything works together.

Plan with friends & family

Share with others or collaboratively build a trip in real-time with live updates.

Everything in one place

Gather the pieces of your plan: itinerary, budget, & important documents.

Plan That Trip is here to take the hassle out of your trip planning process.

We eliminate the clutter of traditional planning methods by combining various planning aspects into one intuitive interface.

You're in good company

Your ticket to efficient planning, skip the data entry.

Automatically add flights to your trip itinerary from confirmation emails or other documents.

Plan on your terms

Access anywhere, anytime. Download a PDF for convenient offline access, or use our mobile-ready web app.

Kick-start your research

City-level information about locations. Find out average temperatures during your visit, currency, time zone difference, and more.

Budgeting made simple

Easily manage your travel expenses. Track spending, split costs among travelers, and view a comprehensive breakdown of expenses to keep your budget on track.

Your travel documents, organized

Access all your trip-related documents. From tickets to hotel bookings, keep everything in one secure, accessible place. Forward confirmation emails to a synced address, and we'll include them with your trip-planning documents.

How it works

Chart your course.

Plot your destinations and build your itinerary.

Fill in the details

Add your stays and activities.

Organize your documents

Gather all your travel documents and notes in one place.

See your plan come together!

Can i plan trips for free.

Yes! Our free plan offers you everything you need to plan a trip. Trips with itinerary, calendar, and map views are saved for a year. You can also track expenses and attach notes. However, there are no sharing or collaboration tools, and you cannot upload or sync documents from email with the free plan.

Can I share my trip plan?

Absolutely! Plan That Trip allows you to invite friends, family, or colleagues to collaborate on your travel plans. They can view, edit, and add to the itinerary in real-time, ensuring everyone involved has the latest information. Collaboration and sharing require a Premium plan.

How do I add flights?

Plan That Trip lets you add flights in lots of ways. You can specify the destination and arrival location, or flight number and date. With the Premium plan, you can automatically load flights from any document.

Can I track my spending and budget?

You can assign a cost to any part of your itinerary, and we'll tracks all expenses across the entire trip. Cost splitting lets you determine who owes what for various activities and is a good way of keeping tabs on individual expenses. The complete budget view requires a Premium plan.

Is my data secure with Plan That Trip?

We take your data security very seriously. All your information, including personal details and travel documents, is stored securely and is only accessible to you and those you choose to share your itinerary with. We also give you the ability to download your data or delete your account, so you are always in charge.

Want to learn more?

Plan that trip.

• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Attribution
• [email protected]

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

Planning a Trip to Europe: Your 10-Step Guide

Caroline Costello

Caroline Costello's travel accomplishments include surviving a 2 a.m. whitewater rafting excursion in the Canadian wilderness, successfully biking from Dusseldorf to Cologne without a map, and gaining access to a covert pizza speakeasy in New Orleans.

Caroline is an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). Her work has appeared on USA Today , the Boston Globe , AOL.com, MSNBC.com, ABC News, TODAY Travel, and CruiseCritic.com, among other publications.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Before you can experience authentic Spanish tapas, piazzas in Rome, or rooftop terraces in Prague, an important to-do list stands between you and your European vacation. The logistics involved in planning a trip to Europe may seem tedious or overwhelming, but the more prepared you are, the greater your chances of a successful trip that lives up to your expectations. That’s why it’s important to do a bang-up job creating an itinerary, arranging transportation, and tackling the brass tacks before you’re off to the Continent.

The following guide explains how to plan a trip to Europe in 10 simple steps—so you can spend less time worrying about your travel arrangements and more time staring at pictures of castles and men in kilts.

1. Get your documents in order.

If you don’t have a passport, it will take at least four to six weeks from the time of application for you to receive one. Expedited services—either through the State Department or an expeditor such as Travel Visa Pro —can trim the process down to a week or so, but it will cost you an additional fee, so it’s best to take care of this well before your trip.

Already have a passport? Check its expiration date. The last thing you need is to find out your passport has expired while you’re in line at airport check-in. Keep in mind that some countries require your passport to be valid for six months beyond your trip dates.

All car rental companies require drivers to have valid licenses in their home country, so you’ll also want to check the expiration date of your license. Some car rental companies also require an international driving permit for European rentals in addition to a valid driver’s license. For U.S. citizens, these can be obtained through the American Auto Association (AAA); in Canada, try the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA).

Depending on length of stay, some destinations require valid visas in addition to passports; obtaining one is a complicated process that can take weeks even after you have been approved—so start early.

2. Establish a budget.

When planning a trip to Europe, establish a budget as early as possible—even before you know your destination, travel dates, or itinerary. Some destinations are generally cheaper than others, but there are ways to save everywhere: travel in the off-season, pick budget accommodations, plan a shorter trip. For example, London is an expensive city, but many travel providers and airlines offer affordable vacation packages to the city, and it’s not hard to find cheap air deals to London, especially during the winter.

Set your budget early on, and you’ll avoid any disappointment that could come from forging a fabulous itinerary, like two weeks in Switzerland during summer, and then discovering you can’t afford it. Travel budget apps such as TrabeePocket ( iOS | Android ) can help you keep track of your expenses once you start making bookings.

The Most Expensive Cities in the World

3. Pick a destination.

Now that you know how much you can spend, where do you want to go? If you’re like many travelers and you have a humongous list of places in Europe you want to visit, this could be tricky.

One strategy is to pick a particular site that’s on your must-see travel list, and plan your vacation around that. Last year I planned a trip to Ireland centered on an excursion to remote Skellig Michael Island , a UNESCO World Heritage site I’d dreamed of visiting. The excursion turned into an unforgettable two-week Emerald Isle road trip.

Another option is to pick someplace timely. Visit countries’ tourism websites and search for seasonal events like festivals or local holidays (which you may want to either avoid or join, depending on how you feel about crowds). Don’t forget to check the weather before you decide on your destination.

4. Create a rough itinerary.

So you want to go to France, eh? Don’t go ahead and buy a roundtrip flight to Paris and a hotel room—at least, not yet. Planning a European vacation takes a lot of prep work. You’ll want to sketch out a day-by-day itinerary of your perfect trip to France before you book a thing. Research sites and cities you really want to explore, and then figure out which ones you have the time and budget to get to.

Check out alternative ways to travel in Europe. If you want to see multiple countries or cities but are on a tight budget, you may want to consider a cruise (exchange rates are naught for U.S. citizens onboard American ships). If you’d rather not do the work of creating your own itinerary, continue booking a group tour with a company such as Intrepid Travel , G Adventures , Trafalgar , or Rick Steves’ Europe .

5. Book your airfare.

Because airfare will probably be the most expensive part of your trip, you’ll want to book it before anything else (car rental, hotel, etc.). This will allow you to be more flexible with your dates, which is a great way to save money on your flight. You can often spend less by flying on international discount airlines like Aer Lingus or Norwegian . Check multiple booking sites , including meta-search sites such as Skyscanner and traditional booking sites such as Expedia , to make sure you’re seeing a wide range of options. You can also set up fare alerts using Airfarewatchdog , SmarterTravel’s sister site, so you’ll be notified when the price of your flight drops.

Consider spicing up your trip with a layover in a different country. Icelandair has a long-running program that allows passengers flying elsewhere in Europe to take a free stopover in Reykjavik for up to seven nights.

Where to Find Premium Airfare Deals on First Class and Business Class

6. Book your accommodations.

It’s time to go back to that rough itinerary you jotted down and fill in some places to sleep. As is the case with pretty much everything you book for your trip, the earlier you make arrangements, the better—especially during summer high season.

Sure, you can just book a room at the local Hilton and be done with it. But do a bit of research and you could discover some funky lodging that’s almost as exciting as the attractions you plan to visit. Keep your eyes open for historic castles, tiny bed and breakfasts, houseboats, eco-friendly hotels, or organic farms. Budget travelers take note: Vacation rentals , homestays, farm stays, and house-swapping are accommodation options that can be shockingly affordable … or even free.

As with airfare, you should shop around on multiple hotel sites to make sure you’re getting the best deal, and read reviews from past guests to see what the experience is like. TripAdvisor , Booking.com , and Hotels.com are a few good places to start.

7. Consider travel insurance.

There are several kinds of travel insurance: trip cancellation insurance, flight cancellation insurance, medical insurance, etc. The best time to buy insurance is right after you put down the major deposits on your trip, whether that entails airfare, a package, or prepaid hotels. Once you know how much money you’ve paid upfront, you can ensure your trip if you so choose. Many airlines and travel providers sell insurance that you can purchase along with your flight or tour package. Always, always read the fine print in your policy and compare it with other travel insurance policies before you make a purchase.

Check your medical insurance coverage to see if you’re covered overseas. If not, you may want to purchase supplemental medical insurance to cover situations like the cost of transportation back home for emergency care.

Reputable travel insurance companies to consider include Allianz Travel and Seven Corners .

Travel Insurance Coverage: 18 Things Your Policy Won’t Cover

8. Book local transportation and day tours.

When in Rome, ride the Metropolitana. Find out how the locals get around the destination to which you’re traveling and act accordingly. You won’t need a car rental in places like bike-friendly Amsterdam or London with its convenient underground Tube, unless you plan to go outside the city.

A car rental is your best bet if you’re traveling to locales that can’t be easily reached by rail or plane (such as the Irish countryside). Be mentally prepared to drive in a foreign country, which can be a frightening experience when faced with incomprehensible traffic signs, narrow streets, or sheep roadblocks.

To get from city to city or country to country, examine your rail options in comparison to routes and prices offered by European discount airlines like easyJet  or Ryanair . Travelers embarking on extensive travel within Europe may save money by purchasing a rail pass from Rail Europe that permits unlimited train travel within a specified region.

Check out Viator to book day tours, especially if you want to take advantage of skip-the-line options.

9. Tackle last-minute logistics.

A few weeks before your departure date is the right time to start taking care of a number of key logistics: money, phone, house-sitter, pet-sitter.

Call your credit card companies to let them know you’ll be traveling abroad. While you’re at it, find out if you’re going to be charged a fee for using your card overseas. Research the locations of ATMs in your destination, especially if you’ll be relying on cash.

Does your cell phone plan allow you to make calls overseas, and if so, how much will it cost you? Many cell phone companies offer temporary international plans that you can purchase for the month you’re traveling. You might also want to consider a mobile hotspot device to keep you connected.

5 Ways to Use Your Phone GPS Without Data

Packing for Europe requires both different items and a different mindset in comparison to some other types of trips. After all, there’s no arguing that Parisians are more stylish than your typical North American tourist. Most of central and western Europe have milder climates throughout the year, but that doesn’t mean you won’t encounter rain or a heatwave. You should pack clothing that’s easy to layer , and always include a packable raincoat or travel umbrella in your suitcase when traveling to Europe. Think about how you’ll be carrying your money —pickpocketing schemes are more common abroad, so it’s important to carry your money and personal belongings securely. When researching your European destination of choice, consider the overall climate and time of year you’ll be traveling. Then, about a week before your trip check out the forecast, mobilize a packing list , and ensure your suitcase is in working condition and meets your airline’s size restrictions.

Pro packing tip: If you’re tight on packing space, invest in a packing cube set . They do wonders, especially if you’re stopping in multiple destinations as they make repacking a breeze.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Porto to Lisbon: 7-Nt, Small-Group Portugal...

Indus Travels

Luxe, 12-Night Spain, France, Monaco &...

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

Trending on SmarterTravel

How To Plan a Road Trip That's Both Fun and Affordable

When you plan a road trip on a budget, it doesn’t have to be stressful. With the right tips and tricks, you can schedule an enjoyable, affordable vacation. From discovering less well-known destinations to taking advantage of discounts and special offers, there are many ways to plan your next trip without breaking the bank.

Putting together the perfect road trip, like taking a scenic ride from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon , doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Start by researching potential destinations while keeping your budget in mind.

Many affordable locations can provide a great experience without breaking your budget. Research the costs of lodging, attractions, or other activities to find the best deal.

Consider packing meals and snacks from home to save money on food costs while traveling. Also, map out your route before setting off and plan for plenty of rest stops during your journey.

By doing some research and planning, you can create an enjoyable and inexpensive road trip for yourself and your family or friends.

Researching the Cost of Your Destination

Researching the destination and the path to get there is critical when planning a road trip. The first step should be to determine where you want to go. There are plenty of cheap vacation spots for Americans to go.

Next, determine the best route to take. Consider the weather, time of year, and attractions available in each location.

Look online for helpful reviews on activities, restaurants, and places of interest within your budget. Research lodging options and compare prices to get the best deal for your money.

Fuel cost is also an essential factor when planning a road trip on a budget. Be sure to check gas prices along your route in advance, so you'll know how much it will cost to fuel up along the way.

Additionally, some states have toll roads that may add up if you drive long distances. Research these fees before hitting the road so there aren't any surprises later.

Consider renting a car instead of using your own if it will save more money over time:

• Better fuel efficiency. Rental car companies often offer vehicles with better fuel efficiency than your car. By renting a more fuel-efficient car, you can save money on gas.
• Less wear and tear on your car. You may need to get your car serviced before or after the trip. By renting a car, you can avoid these maintenance costs and save money on oil changes, tire rotations, and other routine maintenance tasks.
• No depreciation. When you drive your car on a road trip, excess mileage can depreciate its value. By renting a car, you avoid this depreciation and can save money in the long run.

If you want to rent a car, research rental fees and insurance costs associated with rentals before making any decisions.

Low-Cost Accommodations

Hotels can be a convenient and luxurious option for road trip accommodation. Staying in a hotel allows travelers to recharge comfortably with amenities like air conditioning, TVs, and comfortable beds.

Hotels usually have additional amenities such as swimming pools, spas, and fitness centers that allow relaxing after long days of exploring the area. Additionally, some hotels offer free breakfast buffets or other discounts on meals at their restaurants. However, staying in hotels can be expensive compared to camping. They can also be more challenging to find when traveling through remote areas.

Camping is an affordable alternative for road trip accommodation that allows travelers to explore nature while sleeping under the stars. Tents are lightweight and easy to transport, making them ideal for travelers who want flexibility with where they sleep each night.

A campground also offers excellent opportunities for cooking outdoors over a campfire, which can save money on eating out during travels. Furthermore, camping fees are often cheaper than hotel rates, but this varies from place to place, so it’s essential to research before leaving. However, camping areas may not be available in places that aren't near specific destinations or attractions, making camping less practical than hotels in certain situations.

Keeping Transportation Within Budget

Vehicle rentals are an ideal way to save money on a road trip. Renting a car can be inexpensive, especially if you book in advance or use online search engines to find the best deals.

For large groups, renting a car is usually cheaper than taking public transportation or driving your car for long distances. Additionally, car rentals come with amenities such as GPS and roadside assistance that could help make the journey smoother and more enjoyable.

When planning a road trip, one should also consider fuel costs. It's wise to prepare by looking up gas prices along the route you’ll take so you can budget accordingly. If possible, try to fill up your tank when gas is cheaper (e.g., away from major cities).

Pick a rental car that is energy efficient and runs on regular rather than premium fuel whenever possible. This will help cut down on overall costs drastically in the long run.

You also want to consider the weight of your stuff. Excess weight in a vehicle can use more gas or fuel. The effect of excess weight on fuel consumption may not be noticeable for small loads, but it can become significant for heavier loads or when traveling long distances. Only bring traveling essentials that you really need. There are also some great packing hacks for travel to help you fit in everything you need.

Inexpensive Meal Options

When planning a road trip, budgeting for food and drinks is essential. To save money and still eat well, consider packing snacks like trail mix, granola bars, and sandwiches from home.

Dining out can get expensive quickly, so finding ways to limit the number of restaurants you visit is vital. Bring an insulated cooler with cold drinks and meals easily reheated or eaten cold. Or, invest in a mini electric car cooler to keep things cold even longer.

Also, try to take advantage of local stores or fast food restaurants that offer discounts or promotions whenever possible. Check if any discount chains in the area offer reduced prices on snacks or meals. Finally, buy food from grocery stores where you can buy items in bulk for a lower price than at restaurants.

Free Entertainment on The Road

In-car entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive. Many people are surprised to learn that various free options are available. Here’s how you can keep the whole family entertained without going over your budget:

Music is always a great choice on long drives. Create an entertaining playlist beforehand - or make one together as a family. If everyone can access their device, let everyone take turns playing DJ for the ride. Internet radio apps like Spotify and Pandora can provide endless entertainment with their free versions.

Podcasts are another great way to pass the time in the car. They come in all different genres, and there’s something for everyone - from hilarious comedy shows to gripping true crime dramas.

Download a few podcast episodes onto your phone before you leave so you don’t have to rely on spotty service during your drive. Audiobooks are also perfect for road trips; many libraries now offer digital downloads, so they won’t cost you anything extra. Another fun thing to do is play fun road trip games . These will keep everyone entertained during long boring stretches of highway. There are plenty of other road trip hacks you can use to make the time fly by if you aren't into games.

Benefits and Resources for Planning Ahead

Planning has several benefits when it comes to organizing a road trip. First, you can often find better deals on transportation, lodging, and attractions if you book far enough in advance.

Early planning allows you to compare prices and ensure your budget is realistic. Secondly, planning a road trip itinerary can help save time while traveling.

With advanced research, you can ensure that the detours are needed and that all locations on your list are within proximity. Finally, scheduling stops along your route gives you something to look forward to each day and helps structure the trip.

Regarding resources available for planning a road trip, numerous options exist online or even with apps that help make travel easier. Travel websites such as Expedia or Trip Advisor provide information about flights, hotels, car rentals, restaurant suggestions, and reviews from other travelers at every destination.

Many cities also have tourism websites sharing upcoming events and local attractions worth checking out. Additionally, apps like Roadtrippers offer custom route recommendations based on travelers’ interests so that they can take advantage of hidden gems! Kara from Whimsy Soul says, "I've been using Roadtrippers for years to plan the nitty gritty details of road trips. This handy planning app and desktop version allows you to set your known spots like hotels and major sights, plots the distance, time it takes to drive and gas required between them. It also allows for comments so you can jot down things like ‘remember to bring cash for the park gate' and gives you a holistic view of the trip in one easy place. The really cool part of this app though, is they'll suggest sights for you to visit, many which I miss while planning a trip. Using this app I never have to ask my husband ‘where are we headed next?' since it's in the app."

Final Thoughts

Planning a fun and affordable road trip can be quite a task, but it can be done with little time and research. Proper research is vital, as it allows you to secure the best deals on accommodations and activities while giving yourself plenty of time to find coupons or discounts that may help lower costs.

Additionally, being flexible when choosing travel dates or times can save you money on everything from gasoline to lodging. Finally, remember that while the goal is to save money without sacrificing fun experiences, if something doesn't fit your budget, alternatives are always just as enjoyable. With some careful consideration and proper planning, you will have no problem creating an unforgettable road trip experience at an affordable price.

This article originally appeared on Food Drink Life .

The post How To Plan a Road Trip That’s Both Fun and Affordable appeared first on All the Best Spots .

How to Plan a Road Trip and Have an Epic Adventure

A road trip is the perfect chance to bond with your crew while immersing yourself in the journey. Check out our tips to plan a road trip!

A road trip can be a marvelous adventure or an unmitigated disaster. You could build memories that last a lifetime, or you could come home with a few new enemies. It all depends on how you prepare and approach the journey! In this ultimate travel guide, we’ll give you all the tips to plan a road trip that your whole crew will love. We’ll hook you up with the ultimate playlist, give you some specific road trip itineraries, help you choose your travel companions, and even make sure you have the tools to eat healthy along the way. Whether you’re traveling as a family, a group of friends, or solo, these tips will help you design the perfect road trip!

Adding Let’s Roam to Your Road Trip Itinerary!

With hundreds of scavenger hunts , urban art walks , and bar crawls scattered across the United States, we’ve set you up for an easy and fantastically fun road trip! When you roll into a city, pull out your Let’s Roam scavenger hunt app , and explore with one of our sightseeing hunts or maybe a creepy ghost tour ! You’ll also get access to Let’s Roam Local , which features local recommendations for restaurants and attractions.

Pros and Cons of a Road Trip

If loading up your wild crew and hitting the open road sounds like an epic adventure to you, you aren’t wrong! It absolutely can be. Taking a road trip has excellent advantages and can be a great bonding experience, but it’s not for everyone. Here are a few pros and cons.

Immersion: A road trip puts you in the mix of nature, small towns, and landmarks that you miss when flying.

Intimate Conversations: Long scenic drives offer the perfect atmosphere for deep convos. For a little help with your road trip chats, check out our list of “ 150 Riveting and Relatable Road Trip Conversation Starters .”

Budget Friendly: If you’re sharing prices with a group of friends, a road trip can save you big bucks!

Lasting Memories: Road trips offer nostalgia, a carefree vibe, and one-on-one time that you don’t get with other travel methods. You can create some epic memories on a road trip!

Boredom: If traveling with kids or adults with a short attention span, road trips can be monotonous if not planned correctly.

Time-Consuming: Road trips should be considered a journey, not a drive to a destination. If you don’t enjoy the “getting there,” then a flight is a better option for you.

Takes More Planning: A good road trip may take more planning than other trips. You’re going to need a route, multiple accommodations, road trip games, and plenty of planned breaks.

How to Plan a Road Trip: Step-by-Step Guide

Designing a fun road trip is so much more than picking a starting point and taking off (unless that carefree vibe is the goal for you). If you follow these helpful steps, you can pretty much ensure that your travel plans will be a hit!

1. Pick the right people.

Just because someone is your best friend (or your closest family) doesn’t mean they’re an ideal travel partner for you. If you and your spouse are taking the kids on a road trip, then choosing travel companions isn’t an option. But for everyone else, when planning a road trip, you want to choose wisely.

You need to be able to agree on attractions, style of accommodation, and all the major stuff, but it’s also nice to have someone who thinks differently than you and who can bring a fresh perspective to your travels.

2. Ask pre-trip questions.

The laundry list of things that can feasibly go wrong on a trip is a big one, but you can hedge off most of these with proper planning. Sitting down and having strategic pre-trip conversations can save you days of heartache. Here are a few topics that you need to hash out before you plan a road trip.

What is the overall vibe you’re looking for?

If you were imagining a road trip filled with adventure, quirky roadside attractions, long hikes, and rousing scavenger hunts but you never have this conversation with your travel companions, you might end up in a rut.

They may be dreaming of spa visits, resting on the seashore, and long talks over nightly wine. Are you looking for adventure, a cultural experience, or rest and relaxation? Make sure you agree on what kind of vacation you’re taking.

What is your overall budget?

You should have a good idea of what everyone is comfortable spending on this trip before you begin planning. There should always be a little wiggle room in the budget for unexpected costs, like tolls. If you know the maximum budget, you can plan a trip that fits comfortably within the parameters.

How long do you want to be on the road each day?

Perhaps your idea of a road trip is bopping 2-3 hours to the next town and finding a luxury hotel or casino to spend the afternoon in. Your travel companion’s idea of a road trip may be 12-hour days, stopping at every roadside attraction and taking long roadside hikes. You might need to make a schedule and compromise on drive times each day.

What kind of traveler are you?

This is a loaded question because it encompasses so many facets. Some road-trippers are all about a tent campsite, while others choose a luxury camper, and others take the hotel route. Accommodation is only one aspect of this conversation. You also need to talk about

• Packed itinerary or a lot of free time
• Get up early each day or sleep in and rest
• Make detailed plans or wing it
• Experience new things or stay in your comfort zone

What are your must-do items for this trip?

Road trip planning is flexible, but you want to make sure that each person gets to do one or two things at the top of their list. Have everyone write down the list of attractions they want to add to the itinerary, and have them designate them a 1, 2, or 3. Ones are absolute must-dos. Twos are highly preferred, and threes are possible if you have some extra time.

What gets on your nerves when traveling?

Even the people we love most can really push our buttons on a long road trip. Make sure you know the little things that get under your companion’s skin, and try to be aware of them as you travel.

Do you want to share everything or have time to yourself?

Some people choose to spend their entire vacation together. They share rooms, book all the same activities, and eat in the same restaurants. Other travelers may prefer to have their own space at night, drink their coffee alone in the morning, and schedule a few activities to do solo. There’s no right or wrong way, just make that decision before you plan the trip so no one’s feelings get hurt in the moment.

3. Start planning your epic road trip.

Many of the potential problems we’ve discussed above are easily avoidable with open communication and proper planning. Here are a few travel tips for making sure your next road trip goes as smoothly as possible.

• If you’re traveling with a new travel companion, make it a short trip until you know you’re compatible travel partners.
• Plan your trip together, ensuring that everyone gets their favorite things on the itinerary and that major expenses are agreed upon.
• Schedule alone time each day for everyone to clear their head and have some rest.
• Choose the best route for your trip. It should be somewhere that fits the overall vibe you have agreed on, fits in the budget, and offers a variety of attractions along the way. Beautiful scenery never hurts either!
• Download helpful apps (more on this in a sec) like Google Maps.
• Make sure to create a massive road trip playlist full of songs to keep you upbeat and ready for exploration. Check out “ Road Trip Sing-Along Songs for Every Type of Adventure ” to get your playlist rolling!
• Pack healthy snacks. Hungry friends become hangry friends, and hangry friends are no fun! Check out our list of “ Healthy Travel Snack Ideas to Keep Your Belly Full ” to avoid the trappings of fast food and all the consequences that come along with too many gas station corn dogs.

On the Trip

• Remember to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. Don’t get so caught up in getting there that you miss the gems of the journey.
• Pull your weight! Travel companions should be helping one another along the way and make the trip easier for each other, not harder.
• Don’t gossip. There’s always a point in a trip where one person separates a bit, and it’s easy for the others to feel ostracized or gang up on the third person. Keep any negative thoughts about your travel mates between you and them, and don’t bring it up with the rest of your crew.
• Be sensitive to the vibe. There’s a time for laughing until you cry, a time for deep conversation, a time for wild nights of drinking, and a time for quiet contemplation. Try to feel your companions’ needs and be respectful of the moment.

Helpful Road Trip Apps

Let’s Roam: You can access bar crawls, sightseeing hunts, urban art walks, and more!

Google Maps: Plot all your destinations using the My Maps feature, and share it with everyone on the trip. Once you’ve lined out your route, download it so you have access to offline maps. Cell service can be a big issue when traveling across certain sections of America.

Roadtrippers : This is a very user-friendly and well-rated road trip planner. If you’re struggling to line out the best route, download it immediately!

Route 66: There are several Route 66 apps for iPhone and Android, but honestly, none of them are an amazing product on their own. We recommend downloading both Route 66 Ultimate Guide and Explore Illinois Route 66 .

AllTrails : If you’re planning on taking some day hikes on your trip, then AllTrails is your best friend.

iOverlander : If you’re traveling by camper van or RV, iOverlander is extremely useful for finding the best deals and giving detailed explanations of campsites and parking options.

AAA Mobile : The AAA app offers roadside assistance, trip-planning help, and access to discounts along your route.

iPad Games: Make sure to download a few games for the kiddos as they will likely need at least a little screen time.

Where to Go on Your Road Trip: A Few Suggested Itineraries

Whether you’re looking for a fun-filled day trip or an ambitious cross-country journey, we’ve got the perfect road trip for you! Check out these awesome options.

1. National Parks of Utah

Utah is a natural wonder with massive and unusual rock formations around every turn. From canyoning in Zion National Park to wandering the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, nowhere beats Utah for an adventurous road trip. There are so many great spots on the side of the road to just pull off and explore a slot canyon, take a short hike, or rest in a stream. If you and your crew are adventurous souls who just want to get lost in nature for a week, Utah is your best bet!

From the otherworldly landscapes of Yellowstone National Park to culturally important sites like Mesa Verde National Park, the U.S. is loaded with incredible national parks! Check out our guide to “ The Ultimate National Park Road Trip .”

2. Pacific Coast Adventure

The dynamic northern Pacific Coast of the U.S.A. is an absolute stunner! Starting in northern California and working your way up the coast of Oregon to Washington State is an excellent journey full of incredible coastal cliffs, odd seaside rock formations, idyllic lighthouses, and delicious seafood. From visiting seal caves to exploring tidepools, going sandboarding, and experiencing Lewis and Clark historical sights, there’s a little bit of something for everyone, and the scenery is to die for!

Be sure to check out our “ Seattle by the Sound ” scavenger hunt for a riveting adventure through Pike Place Fish Market and the beating heart of Seattle.

Equally awesome but with a totally different vibe, the cities of the California coast make great options. Start in San Francisco and work your way south through Los Angeles to San Diego. This would afford you day trips to bucket list spots like Alcatraz, Napa Valley, Sequoia National Forest, Catalina Islands, and Joshua Tree National Park.

3. Themed Road Trip

If you’re traveling with kids (or you’re young at heart), consider a themed road trip. Include costumes and themed food, and even decorate your car with the theme! You could be astronauts in flight and take a trip from Houston to Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Hit up the Johnson Space Center in Houston, the Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi, and the Solar Walk in Gainsville, Florida. Once you reach Cape Canaveral, explore the Kenny Space Center , and visit the NASA launch site. You can even take a ride on Space Mountain at Disney World as you pass by!

For a full list of fun themes like this one, check out “ 20 Remarkable Road Trip Theme Ideas .”

4. Nostalgic Route 66

The original American road trip, Route 66 is an adventure full of quirky roadside attractions and cute Midwest towns. The official route runs from Chicago to Los Angeles. For all the details on planning this massive journey, check out our Route 66 road trip guide !

5. Local State Parks

We’re convinced there’s not a single state in the Union that isn’t worth checking out in full! If you’re on a tight budget this year, check out your own state parks. From ancient Native American sites to natural wonders, every state has something fun and educational to offer.

Check out your state parks websites as well. They often run special events for families in the summer, ranging from cultural and historical history lectures to hands-on animal conservation seminars.

6. International Options

The iceland ring road.

A flight to Reykjavik is usually one of the cheapest European flights from the continental United States, and Iceland is one of the most dynamic landscapes on Earth. Its legendary Ring Road encircles the island and treats the adventurous traveler to black sand beaches dotted with ice diamonds, flocks of adorable puffins, snorkeling with humpback whales, active volcanoes, and ice-blue hot springs.

If that all sounds good to you, check out our guide “ Driving the Ring Road of Iceland .”

Campervan Through Canada

Our neighbor to the north has some pretty incredible scenery! It’s huge, so you’ll likely have to choose a region. You could set your sights on Niagara Falls and check out both the New York and Canadian sides or spend a week roaming Vancouver Island and ogling all the amazing wildlife!

You will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization to enter Canada.

Fun Things to Do on a Road Trip

No matter where you roam, you’re going to spend a lot of time in the car. Here are some fun ways to keep yourselves awake and entertained along the way!

• Download podcasts or audiobooks on a shared interest so you can listen to them during the morning hours.
• Check out our list of “ The Best Road Trip Games for Kids, Teens, and Adults ” to fill your car with hours of fun!
• Stop along the way to make some funny roadside TikTok videos or upload wacky pics to social media.
• If you’re traveling through the United States, make sure to seek out the quirky roadside attractions !
• Enjoy a new adventure each day with Let’s Roam !
• Challenge yourself to spend 24 hours in Buc-ee’s or Wall Drug, living off the gas station amenities.
• Spice up the long drives by trying something new and adventurous each day. Maybe you eat the weirdest local cuisine, stop by an amusement park and ride the coaster, or join a local arts and crafts class!
• Visit educational sites like Native American pueblos, historic buildings, or UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Spend a day in the Jr. Ranger Program at one of the national parks!
• Try wild swimming or soaking in a hot spring.
• Test out the local food by researching the best traditional restaurants on your route.
• Look up a band from each state that you pass through, and listen to their music.
• Find an author who lives/lived in your destination, and read one of their books on the trip.
• Make frequent pit stops for friendly competitions like three-legged races, push-up contests, or jump rope competitions.
• Picnic along the way. Pull the car over, throw out a blanket, bust out the healthy foods you packed, and enjoy the moment!

Closing Thoughts

We sometimes look at road trips as secondary options to a bigger vacation we can’t afford or don’t have time for. However, a well-planned road trip can be the adventure of a lifetime! So, don’t hesitate. Call your gal pals, gather the fellas, round up the kids, plan a road trip, and pack the snacks. Then, hit the road! Adventure and a lifetime of memories are waiting for you and your crew!

For more tips and tricks to help you successfully travel as a group, check out “ The Dos and Don’ts of Traveling With Friends .”

Frequently Asked Questions

When planning a road trip , pick your companions wisely , decide on a trip vibe , map out a route , add in some fun adventures for pitstops , and ensure a good time with a fun playlist!

The original road trip, Route 66 is considered the best road trip in the United States, followed by a trip up the West Coast Highway One from California to Washington State.

Road trips are a really fun vacation if they are planned appropriately. Make sure you have a good group to travel with , a route with plenty of visual interest , and fun stops along the way !

For a long road trip , get plenty of exercise on your pit stops, pack some healthy snacks , download your favorite podcasts, and plan some fun adventures to take as side trips!

There are several apps that are great for road trips. Making a trip-specific map on Google Maps is a good idea, and Roadtrippers is excellent for helping you with organization.

Featured Products & Activities

• 2 Weeks for Couple
• 2 Weeks for Family
• Thailand Lantern Festival
• Indonesia(Bali)
• South Korea
• China (HK, Taiwan)
• Itinerary Ideas
• Asia Highlights Travel Reviews
• Thailand Travel Reviews
• Vietnam Travel Reviews
• Cambodia Travel Reviews
• Japan Travel Reviews
• Myanmar Travel Reviews
• China Travel Reviews

How to Plan an Affordable Luxury Trip to India 2024/2025

What would your ideal luxury trip to India be like? You could have one with all the most expensive hotels, Michelin-starred food, and private jets to take you from city to city. But you could also have luxury choices in India without burning a hole in your wallet.

A budget-friendly luxury trip would allow you to travel stress-free with top-notch smiling guides and drivers, stay at deluxe boutique hotels, and enjoy fine dining. It would also help you to immerse yourself into real India with private exclusive activities, ranging from high tea with a late veteran’s family at their bungalow to an exclusive vintage car ride. 

Check out our guide to planning a luxury trip to India.

• 1. The Top 5 Ways to Have Luxury Experiences
• 2. How Many Days to Spend
• 3. Choosing an India Itinerary for a Luxury Trip
• 4. How Much Is a Luxury India Trip?
• 5. Best Times to Visit India

The Top 5 Ways to Have Luxury Experiences in India

As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, India is renowned for its vast historical landscapes and rich cultural heritage. You could have diverse luxurious experiences seamlessly integrated into your India journey of discovery.

From indulging in lavish dining to pampering yourself in glamping experiences, here are the top five ways to infuse luxury into your touring experiences in India.

1. Explore the City Highlights in an Exclusive Way

To unlock the real India, go beyond the regular sightseeing. If a rickshaw ride in Chandni Chowk in  Delhi is not impressive enough, how about traversing the pink city ( Jaipur ) on a pink e-rickshaw with a female driver in pink?

In Agra , dress up in a sari or kurta pajama, unveil the love story behind the splendid Taj Mahal with our local experts, and capture awesome photos at the best spots.

In holy Varanasi , take a heritage walk along the ghats and through the temples to experience millennia-old spiritual life on the banks of the Ganges.

A private sunset boat ride at Lake Pichola would create serene and romantic moments in Udaipur .

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family 's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

2. Savor India Beyond a Candlelit Dinner in a Local Restaurant 

Food is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in exotic India. You could take a private guided foodie walk with a local chef in Old Delhi, have a private cooking class in a local family’s home  in Jaipur, and enjoy a private sunset tea with a view of the Taj Mahal or at a majestic fort.

For milestones, enjoy a private dinner at Jagmandir Island Palace in Udaipur or a desert dinner with a campfire among the sand dunes in Jaisalmer.

3. Have a Luxurious Stay in an Indian Way

If you’re seeking an unparalleled luxurious stay in India, why not immerse yourself in the royal charm of Rajasthan ? The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur is one of the best examples. With views over Lake Pichola to the spectacular City Palace, you would take a private boat ride to enter this palatial hotel, where you could relax in their spa and enjoy a yoga experience.

Glamping would offer you and your loved one more intimate hours and an unrivaled wild atmosphere. There are glamping sites in Ranthambore National Park, the Thar Desert in Jaisalmer, and the Himalayan range in Ladakh.

You could get some inspiration from our 14-day Golden Triangle and Rajasthan tour .

4. Celebrate the Immersive Festivals with Locals

What could be more culturally engaging than celebrating India’s festivals with locals? If you like this idea, choose from the top festivals:  Holi in March and Diwali in October/November .

Color fights are the top highlight of Holi. Full of joy, you could try on local costumes, throw Holi colors with locals in the streets, or have a private Holi celebration at your hotel.

As for Diwali, you could indulge in the New Year atmosphere of the festival markets, paint your hands and feet in henna (using Indian traditional body art called mehndi), and have a Diwali feast with a local family.

Read further about the sample itineraries:  8-Day Diwali Festival in India's Golden Triangle Tour  or  11-Day India Holi Festival Tour .

5. Immerse Yourself in Nature with a Private Safari Experience

Wildlife enthusiasts would love India’s  tiger safari experiences . Ranthambore National Park is the most convenient place to spot big cats. Hop in a private safari jeep, go on jungle game drives at sunrise and sunset, and track the wild animals among the scenic views.

Besides the safari, you could unwind in the serene backwaters of Kerala in a traditional houseboat that’s just reserved for you.

How Long to Spend in India for a Luxury Trip

A popular amount of time to explore the icons of India is 10–15 days. If you choose to focus on the north, you could discover the Golden Triangle cities (Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur) in 7–8 days.

For the remaining days, you could consider 2 days in Varanasi for cultural immersion, 2–3 days in Ranthambore for tiger safaris, or 7 days in the Rajasthan region for desert scenery and magnificent palaces and forts.

If you focus on the south, you could consider 2–3 days in Mumbai for an insight into the lives of the rich and poor as well as Bollywood, 5–10 days in Kerala for backwaters and tiger safaris, and 5–10 days in Tamil Nadu for temples and historical immersion.

For a well-rounded experience, you could also consider traveling from the north to the south. Spend 1 week in the Golden Triangle, then 2–3 days in Mumbai, and conclude your trip in Goa for 3–4 days of beach relaxation. 

Choosing an India Itinerary for a Luxury Trip

If you’re seeking luxury experiences during your first visit to India, North India is the top choice, particularly the Golden Triangle (Delhi–Agra–Jaipur) and Rajasthan region. If historical North India is not really for you, the landscape-filled south, such as the Kerala region, is a great alternative. 

To showcase incredible and unique royal experiences, we’ve specially crafted a classic 2-week luxury itinerary covering North India. Contact us and we’ll tailor-make an exclusive itinerary per your specific interests.

2-Week Luxury India Tour

• Days 1–2: Delhi city tour
• Days 3–4: Fly to Varanasi, Varanasi sightseeing with a sunset boat ride on the Ganges, and fly to Delhi.
• Days 5–6: Drive to Agra, Agra sightseeing including a visit to the Taj Mahal alongside an Indian clothing experience, and rooftop drinks.
• Days 7–8: Drive from Agra to Ranthambore and enjoy private tiger safaris at sunrise and sunset.
• Days 9–11: Drive to Jaipur, go sightseeing, enjoy high tea inside the City Palace, and interact with elephants.
• Days 12–13: Fly to Udaipur, have a city tour with an exclusive boat ride on Lake Pichola, and enjoy a lakeside candlelit dinner.
• Day 14: Back to Delhi

On  this 2-week luxury tour , you would stay at diverse luxurious hotels with unique experiences, from palatial hotels to a luxury tented camp and colonial-style resorts.

To truly indulge in the real India, you could dress up like an Indian to visit the iconic Taj Mahal, take private tiger safaris with glamping experiences, and partake in a regal journey in a vintage car circling Lake Pichola.

Fine dining experiences are not to be missed . You could have a rooftop breakfast watching a sunrise over the Ganges, enjoy afternoon tea in a royal palace, and have a lakeside candlelit dinner together with your loved one.

If your time is limited, you could consider an all-inclusive luxury train journey to effortlessly tour the essential highlights without changing hotels. See our  7-Day Maharajas’ Express Luxury Train Tour .

If you're more interested in South India, check out the itinerary of the  12-Day Historical and Idyllic South India Tour .

How Much Is a Luxury India Trip?

Compared with luxury trips in Western countries, India is a good-value destination. For example, the daily cost of a private luxury trip in Italy in the peak season would start from US$1,800 per person, while you could expect the same trip in India to start from just US$900 per person. You could benefit from a 30–40% decrease in the low season (April to September) in India.

Typically, with luxury trips to India, 40% of the cost goes toward palace heritage hotels. To stretch your budget wisely, consider picking one or two palatial stays that captivate you, and then explore deluxe options from international brands to local boutique hotels.

For further insights into pricing details, you could check out our 2-Week Luxury India Tour , priced at US$5,859 each.

Best Times to Visit India

With pleasantly warm, dry, and sunny weather, December to February is the best time of year to travel throughout most of India, except for the chilly Himalayan and Ladakh regions. Hot temperatures hit most of the country from late March to May. Then, the monsoon prevails from June to September in northern India (including Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur) and extends to mid-December in the south (such as in Goa and Kerala).

With the best weather comes larger crowds. If you seek good weather with fewer crowds, you could consider early March, October, and November in North India, and March in South India. They are also the best times to experience traditional Indian festivals, as Holi falls in March and Diwali is celebrated in November.

Exploring India with Us

As one of the leading tour companies in Asia, we have been providing travel services for more than 20 years to thousands of satisfied customers. To fulfill your South Asia travel dreams, let us know your requirements and interests for a tailor-made tour of India .

Here are some popular itineraries for your reference:

• 9-Day India Golden Triangle with Tiger Safari
• 12-Day India and Bhutan Tour
• 14-Day Classic Rajasthan Tour

Why Asia Highlights (10,000+ reviews & 98.8% 5-star rating)

• Save Your Time:
• Less research, more enjoyment!
• Real-time 1V1 expert planning
• Maximize Your Flexibility:
• Personal local guide and ride
• Explore at your own pace
• Celebrate Your Journeys:
• Specially-crafted family adventures
• Celebrate milestones with style!
• 7-Day India Golden Triangle Tour
• 9-Day India Tiger Safari and Golden Triangle Tour
• 14-Day India, Nepal, and Bhutan Tour
• 11-Day India and Nepal Tour
• India Itineraries 2024: from 5 Days to 1 Month
• 2 Weeks in India 2024/2025: Top 4 Itineraries
• How to Plan a Trip to India 2024/2025 for First Timers
• Plan an Awesome Trip to India, Bhutan and Nepal (6 Tips)
• Weather and Where to Go in India in Janurary 2025
• Weather and Places to Go in India in February 2025
• Weather and Places to Go in India in March 2025
• India Weather & Best Places to Visit in April 2024
• Weather in India in May 2024 & Travel Tips for First-Timers
• Weather in India in June 2024: Temperatures & Travel Tips
• Weather in India in July 2024: Temperatures & Travel Tips
• Weather in India in August 2024: Temperatures & Travel Tips
• September Weather in India & Tips (Places+Crowds) 2024
• October Weather in India & Tips (Places+Crowds) 2024
• Weather and Where to Go in India in November 2024
• Weather in India in December 2024 & Tips for First Visits

Get Inspired with Some Popular Itineraries

At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.

More Travel Ideas and Inspiration

Sign up to Our Newsletter

Be the first to receive exciting updates, exclusive promotions, and valuable travel tips from our team of experts.

Why Asia Highlights

Where can we take you today.

• Middle East
• African Safari

• Travel Agents
• Our Differences
• Privacy Policy

Address: Building 6, Chuangyi Business Park, 70 Qilidian Road, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, China

Make Your Own Rose Quartz Jewelry

Celebrate spring in dc all week long by combining cherry blossoms and science.

Come make a pretty rose quartz necklace OR pair of earrings. We'll provide all the materials and show you how to make it yourself. 

This activity is great for adults and kids over 6. 

Advance registration is not required, but does help us make sure we have enough materials for everyone who wants to get crafty! As a make-and-take activity, you're welcome to stop in anytime during activity hours to make your collage. We highly recommend NOT coming at the event start time as that's when everyone else arrives, which creates a waiting time. 

This event is part of our Blossoms & Beakers Series taking place April 12-18. 

We're also running a daily scavenger hunt with prizes and 20% off all pink and plant items for the event duration.

1759 Columbia Rd NW Washington , DC 20009 United States

Because science, (571) 549-8028, [email protected].

View Gallery

Nearby Favorites

Waldorf astoria washington, dc.

An Iconic Address For An Unforgettable Stay

Monuments by Moonlight Night Tour

See DC In A Different Light! The Monuments by Moonlight Tour knows jus...

Le Pain Quotidien of Washington DC