When I’m about to vacation, I easily get caught up in the excitement. However, many aspects of planning a trip can make or break the experience, especially with a pandemic abruptly shifting travel plans for so many. Fortunately, preparing for a trip doesn’t have to be stressful or time-consuming; my tips will save y’all the hassle. Here are the most important travel preparation tips so you can enjoy every vacation moment.
Choose the Perfect Destination
Choosing the perfect destination is one of the most important things you can do before leaving on vacation. Make sure the destination is safe, affordable, and fun for your family. It should also be as relaxing as possible. If you want to save money, try visiting your chosen destination off-season. For example, Denver, Colorado’s peak tourism season is the summer. Try planning a trip in the fall instead if you can make it work with your schedule. You can take advantage of discounted flights and accommodations while enjoying the milder weather.
Prepare Your Home
Before leaving for a long trip, I like to prep my home and make sure it’s in tip-top shape when I return. I suggest putting away all valuables, taking out the garbage, and cleaning up any messes around the house so that I can come back to a pleasant space.
Make sure someone trusted has access to the house if necessary and that they know how to reach you in an emergency. You may also want to leave a car parked in the driveway and set timed lights inside to deter any criminal activity.
Prepare Your Luggage
Another important travel preparation tip for your vacation is to ensure your luggage can carry all the items you and your family will need while staying within the airline guidelines. Most airlines won’t allow bags over 50lbs; if they do, you will have to pay a fee. Pack only the essentials and allow space for any souvenirs you want to bring home.
Pro tip: I highly recommend adding an airbag or similar product to your luggage for tracking purposes. You may also want to consider packing an extra outfit and a few days’ worths of necessary medications into your carry-on in case your bags get lost in the shuffle.
Book Lodging
When it comes to booking your lodging, you have many options to choose from. You could always go with traditional hotels, but nowadays, everything from castles to boathouses are available.
Find a place that is central to the activities you have planned. For example, if you take a trip to Oregon’s wine country, you could easily rent an Airbnb; however, there are additional benefits to lodging in Willamette Valley, where the experience is curated for you. Find a place that offers everything on your list of desires. Check reviews online to learn more about their customer service and cleanliness. Don’t forget to ask about important amenities for your trip! If it falls on a birthday or anniversary, share that information at the time of booking to explore any upgrades or added services available onsite.
Prepare for an Amazing Vacation
I hope that these tips help you prepare for an awesome vacation! Us moms take on the majority of the planning and prep required for our vacations to run smoothly. Let’s not forget there are memories to make, which is why we do what we do.
