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For some people, planning a getaway from reality comes naturally. For others, it’s a struggle. For those of you that aren’t detail-inclined, let me help you out! Here’s how to plan a vacation from start to finish in 6 steps. Swimsuit not included.
What’s your budget?
Before you do anything, set aside some time to talk with your spouse/traveling companions about how much money you’re willing to shell out for that vacation. The worst thing you can do is come home from a wonderful trip to a mound of debt you can’t pay off.
What’s the climate you want to experience?
Do you want to see snow? Or is laying on a beach more what you’re looking for? Pick a climate a temperature you want to luxuriate in and then you can start narrowing down your search.
When do you want to go?
Is Spring Break the only time you can get away? Do you need to avoid all family responsibility and go during the holidays? The choice is yours!
How are you going to get there?
After you’ve selected when and where you’re going, you need to figure out how you’re going to actually get to that location. Is it only accessible by car? Do you only have enough time for a short trip, so you need to fly? Planes, trains, and automobiles – what’s your plan for reaching your destination. As far as flights go, I recommend Skiplagged. Skiplagged works out deals for you with the travel companies and show you flights, hotels, and rental car deals that may be available for a short time.
Where are you going to stay?
There are so many different options of places to stay! You can choose anything from a 5-star hotel to renting someone’s RV in their backyard. The options are truly endless. Some of my favorite sites to go through are Booking.com and AirBnB. Booking.com has a great assortment of hotels for all different price ranges. I like using their map feature so I can see exactly how close each hotel is to the difference attractions I’m looking to go to. AirBnB is especially great for those groups traveling with a large family. You can get a large home with a fully functioning kitchen and that will really help enhance the relaxation and save a little cash.
What are you going to do while you’re there?
I like researching activities and things to do before I leave. I don’t schedule a ton of activities ahead of time, but I do like to take that list of options with me so that we’re not bored or scrambling while on vacation. My husband and I love packing tons of activities into our trips, but we also know that we’re going to need some down time built into our days as well. You can also save money by booking your experiences through companies like Viator. Viator is operated by TripAdvisor, so you know the places they are recommending are legit. They also tend to work out special deals with the museums, tourist attractions, etc. so that you can save money if you book those activities through them.
So there you have it! Have a great trip!
