Start Today to Make Your Dream Trip a Reality
It’s just the start of spring—you may be daydreaming of warm summer weather, perhaps a hike through the woods or a blanket on a beach somewhere. If you’re not, you should be. You don’t want to wait until the end of spring starts popping up all over to start making your plans for a summer getaway. The sooner you start, the more choices you’ll have for lodging, and the more time you’ll have to put away money now to pay for your summer holiday. You’ll discover that it’s much easier to relax if you’ve paid (or mostly paid) for your summer vacation before you leave. If you look now, you’ll likely find lower pricing for hotels, as well as package deals that may include things like airfare, car rentals and even tickets to amusement parks or other attractions.
Let’s look at some other strategies for making this year’s summer vacation the best you’ve ever had:
- Get consensus about where you want to go—The more time you have, the easier this tends to be. Start by asking everyone who’s going where they would like to go. Next, do a little preliminary research to get cost estimates for different excursions—the cost of flights, lodging, activities, meals, etc. While you’re doing that, let everyone else think about their options. While doing your research, keep an eye open for things that will appeal to each member of your entourage.
- Get your plane tickets first—This may be the biggest expenditure of your trip, so be willing to spend time finding the best deals. Don’t rely on a single source…see what’s available through Expedia, Priceline and even Google Flights. Make certain, though, that you understand what your plane ticket covers—will you have to pay for luggage or to choose a specific seat?
- Make certain you’ll have the proper documentation—Know what TSA will require. If you’re traveling outside of the country, make certain passports or other documents are up-to-date, and be knowledgeable about any COVID or similar protocols.
- Put together an itinerary—Sometimes, it can be great to fly by the seat of your pants. Often, though, it ends up costing you a lot more money, and can turn a fun vacation into a nonstop hassle. Know where you’re going, when you’re going there, and what you need to do to make certain you don’t miss a connection.
- Make lists—There are a number of apps that you can put on your phone, so that you can maintain lists for everything. You don’t want to get to your destination without the essentials.
