There are many terrible stories associated with people taking vacations. Many times you will find that what happened in those stories was because the person was not properly prepared. This article will give you the advice you need to help you plan ahead for your next vacation.
Always know where your luggage is. Airline and bus employees have been known to steal items out of cases when they are checked in. Additionally, other travelers might “accidentally” pick up your bag in hopes of finding expensive items. This also allows you to move between transit options faster, instead of standing around waiting for your luggage.
Do not travel with wrapped gifts. When traveling for the holidays, it is tempting to get things done ahead of time and wrap all of your gifts, but don’t! The TSA does not allow wrapped gifts onto airlines and they may need to unwrap the gifts to inspect their contents.
If you plan to travel for more than a weekend, inform your bosses two weeks prior to leaving so that they can find someone to cover your responsibilities before hand. This way, you are not relying on someone who merely says they will cover for you and you have respectfully informed them the reasons of your absence.
Keep a photo journal of a beloved stuffed animal When traveling with kids, make great memories and an awesome souvenir by taking pictures of your child and the stuffed animal doing fun things throughout the trip. At home, you can collect all the pictures and make them into a photo adventure book to remember your trip.
Whenever you are flying to your travel spot, make sure to use the airport limo or a possible airport pick-up service. This ensures that you do not have to wait in line for a taxi and that you can promptly arrive at your hotel with the least possible frustration.
If you are traveling by airplane, take advantage of the in-flight entertainent. In most cases, it is free to watch a movie or TV show from your seat and you can even pick which shows you want to watch. It’s a great way to escape the noise of other passengers and the airplane.
If you want to get the best price on a cruise vacation, either book your cruise early or at the very last moment. With booking early, you get the widest selection of accommodations plus you save 25 to 50 percent off the published price for each traveler. With booking at the last moment, you will not have the best choice of cabins but you can sometimes save more than 50 percent off the published price of your cabin.
When booking a hotel online, don’t forget to search the web for discount codes or promotions for that hotel chain. If you are a AAA (American Auto Association) member, don’t forget to request the rate, which most hotels in North America have. There’s no reason to pay list price for a hotel room, so shop around and ask for better rates.
When you get back from a trip with a baby or toddler, do not expect them to be back to their schedule as usual the very next day. Children this age like to follow schedules and theirs was disrupted for some time. By realizing this, it will help you understand them better and make this transition period a little easier for all.
Before spending hundreds of dollars on a plane or train ticket, consider traveling by bus. Especially for regional trips, you may find the bus is a very economical alternative that adds very little to your travel time in comparison. Often times bus tickets are thirty dollars or less, giving you more money in your pocket to spend.
Compare and contrast multiple flight options using a mega-search website like kayak.com. Sites like kayak.com save you a lot of time by pulling intelligence from the biggest travel sites into one convenient location. More importantly, it can save you a lot of money by making sure you get the best price possible for your tickets.
If your travel plans involve visiting various attractions, buy the tickets in advance whenever possible. Although it may be slightly more expensive, you will save a tremendous amount of time and frustration since you won’t have to wait in lines. Particularly pay attention to see if they allow timed entry; you can avoid both the purchasing line and the admission line that way.
Purchase an inexpensive prepaid cell phone in your destination country if you travel abroad. Many phone companies have very high fees for international use. Instead of racking up a large bill, purchase an inexpensive prepaid cell phone when you arrive, so you can stay in touch without the massive bill.
Do not be afraid to try to negotiate a better deal at the front desk of your hotel. This is not just a tactic to get a better rate but a way to get some of the amenities that are not included in your room package. They may throw in a free breakfast or a room upgrade for you.
Plan in advance if you will be traveling overnight. Many international destinations have very long flights. You will want to bring a few things such as a pillow and a small blanket. Sometimes airlines have them available but this is not always the case. Better to look after your own comfort.
The reason people have bad vacation experiences is because they did not plan ahead. Use the tips in this article to plan ahead so your vacation time can be as stress free and as enjoyable as possible.