Planning a Trip

Hey guys, I'm excited to be a new member of this forum. I have read some great posts and am excited to share some of my travel planning tips and would love to hear about how you plan for your trips.

* One of the first things I do before I book my trip, is decide where I want to go and when. Sometimes where I am going is already decided on (family trip or event) but usually I get to decide. I will choose a specific place or general area and compare flight prices. This is usually going to be the most expensive part of my travel (when travelling with just me and a companion) so I weight this a lot more. I make sure I consider factors that would affect my trip for example work, holidays etc. and try to find the best time to go. I also take in account the time of year I am going and the pricing. I make sure before I book my trip, that I know the breakdown of costs. The worse is booking a part of your trip then realizing the trip is going to cost way more than you want to pay or afford. Be smart and look ahead and if you have to put off your trip for a few months, it's better than running out of money or not being prepared.

Here is a breakdown of things to consider before travelling.

Adding up total costs: * flights * vacation rentals (hotels, houses, etc) * food * other transportation * activities * emergency and insurance * souvenirs

You hear it over and over again from inexperienced travelers, they just want to let their vacation unfold as it will. While it can benefit you to leave some parts of your vacation up to chance, you will be far better off if you spend time learning about your destination before you go and plan ahead.

Travel abroad can seem daunting what with all the preparations involved with your journey from the very start. Planning what to pack and making sure that you have all the correct paperwork is just the beginning. Throw in communication barriers, culture differences and other just getting around and you can easily have a logistical nightmare if you are not prepared. Preparation can make or break your trip, so it is best to begin planning early, especially for the longer vacations and those outside of the country.

If you are staying in the country, you are still well advised to plan ahead as well as the U.S. is a quite diverse area. If you are from Midwest for example, you may be completely unprepared for what to expect in Hawaii or the US Virgin Islands as they are culturally and climatically, very different from your home. Therefore, researching what to expect can be the most important step to ensuring that you can know what to expect and further enhance your experience.

Making The Most Of You Vacation

We work very hard to get both the time and the money to travel to all the destinations we want to explore and for this reason, it is in our best interest to do what we can before we go to make sure that we get the most from our vacation. Make sure you pay attention to all the ways that you can prepare before you go including:

What to bring What is your budget Where are you staying What do you want to see Where are you going to go How can you be contacted in case of emergency Have you traveled without preparing? How did it impact your trip? How do you better prepare now?

Whether traveling for the weekend or the summer, it is important that you research topics to help you. Do not leave everything up to chance when you travel. Make more of your vacation by being prepared.

One way to help make your vacation experience more enjoyable is by simply packing the right things Although your packing list will vary from destination to destination and based on many other factors as well including what you plan on doing as well as the time of year, there are just some items that you MUST consider bringing with you no matter what your vacation. Getting you started, we would like to offer you a list of the basics. Make your next trip simpler by getting your packing list started now and make sure you have everything you need to make your vacation truly the best experience possible.

The Basics

First Aid Kit – You never know when you will need a band aid or some anti nausea medication when you travel. Fill it with the basics and rest easier knowing its there whether you need it or not.

The Right Clothes – This may seem all to obvious, but when it comes to travel, do not choose to suffer for the sake of style. Make sure you pack according to what the locals wear as well as the temperatures, weather patterns and then make sure you have a few extras just in case. Best advice, pack to fit in and for comfort and you should be good to go.

Technology – This is a general category and can vary based on where you are going, why you are going and what you enjoy. Typically it will however include things such as: smart phone and charger, adapters for currency differences, a camera with extra memory card or a way to empty the one you have, laptop and apps to help you get around.

Personal Hygiene – If you are traveling to another country, this will be a must have, likewise if you are picky you may also want to make sure you have this. Items including shampoo, soap and toothpaste are a good start. Makeup, hair products and deodorant as well you and your companions will all appreciate. A note: we put in the “if you are traveling to another country” disclaimer because many travelers choose instead to buy these items when they arrive to save money and space in their baggage, it is a matter of choice.

Packing According To Your Needs

Sit down and think about other items you will need based on where you are traveling before you go. Most importantly, don’t wait till the last minute to pack, start planning and make sure you have everything you need to make your vacation amazing.

These tips are great and very useful for every tourist who like to visit out side the country. Planning help to increase the enjoyment, fun, spend better holidays in great time. I also give suggest every one who like to visit any spot with family or with out family members, he should work some things on their tour plan before to leave house.

when you are on traveling you have to plan that trip. without plan your trip can not be successful.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I went to Orange beach Alabama and had a great trip a awesome place to visit beautiful beaches with all the beach fun and adventure.And Luxury beach condos to stay.

Hi. Things to be done for planning a trip: >The first thing which I use to do is a number of days for vacation >Keeping all essential things in my bag before starting a trip >Book Tickets >Start saving money.

I just joined Red Week but it is quite expensive. I have found better deals through Flip Key or Airbnb. I expected better deals here than you could find in these other places. It is disappointing.

autumnm19 wrote:

I just joined Red Week but it is quite expensive. I have found better deals through Flip Key or Airbnb. I expected better deals here than you could find in these other places. It is disappointing.

You did not have to pay to browse prices, only to contact owners. And the annual membership is not that much, only $19. Besides, IIRC, RedWeek offers a refund if you do not find what you are looking for.

Another thing to keep in mind when comparing RedWeek to other sites that offer accommodations is that RedWeek is more specific to timeshares whereas Flip Key, AirBNB etc., offer more alternatives. But if you can find a better deal on Flip Key, Travelocity, AirBNB, etc., you are free to use those sites if you want. RedWeek (nor anyone else, for that matter) is not stopping you.

autumnm19 wrote:

I just joined Red Week but it is quite expensive. I have found better deals through Flip Key or Airbnb. I expected better deals here than you could find in these other places. It is disappointing.

A $18.99 annual membership fee is certainly not prohibitively expensive, but perhaps you are referring instead to the price of rentals that you have seen posted on RedWeek.

I'm not sure what you "expected" (or why), but I will point out that timeshares are fully equipped private condo units, available for a full week, with pools, hot tub, often other amenities (such as fitness rooms) as well. It's not a valid "apples to apples" comparison to compare nightly airbNb lodging rates to stay in someone's apartment or home (often while they are there too) to private occupancy of a resort condominium. That being said, it's always individual OWNERS (not the web site) that determine rental pricing, so it's illogical and unreasonable to blame (or credit) ANY individual web site for whatever rental prices you see posted there. Smart owners make the effort to research the market and offer competitive rental pricing. Owners who get greedy and seek considerably more money than other comparable rentals may very well end up just hearing "crickets".

Anyone can (and should) shop multiple sites to find what they want to rent, offered at prices that they are willing to pay. Just compare "apples to apples" --- not "apples to oranges".

I've used airbNb on multiple occasions when travelling and seeking just a night or two of lodging, generally preferring that option over sterile motel rooms with no soul. In my own experience, airbNb accommodations generally cannot hold a candle to timeshare condos. Accordingly, in my opinion, it's not particularly meaningful or valid to compare these two very different lodging options to one another.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have an idea, I want to make a T-shirt with a world map print and paint over every country I've already been to.

That would be an awesome idea. You should get it!

This is very helpful and in addition to this it's also important to checking the weather, local customs, visa requirements, safety concerns, and reviews of accommodations and activities. Notify your bank if you plan to use your credit card or ATM abroad. Have a backup plan for unforeseen circumstances such as flight cancellations or medical emergencies, and essential documents readily accessible.

Good callouts, James! It's definitely important to check things like weather, customs, visa info, etc beforehand too. Having backups and access to important documents is smart planning as well.

There is a process of travel planning. 1. Choosing The Country 2. Finding and booking the best deals on flights 3. Planning Your Itinerary by Area and Day 4. Methods of Traveling Between Areas and Booking Transportation 5. Booking Accommodations Economically I found a reallyy helpful guide on how to plan a trip properly, You can give it a go https://gowithguide.com/blog/how-to-plan-a-trip-5-essential-steps-5730