For many, a new year brings thoughts of new places to visit and new experiences to consider. So, this time of year, I am often asked to help friends with travel planning and this post is for those who are looking for some basic insights. If you have some thoughts about where you'd like to go/ what you want to do to expand your horizons in 2024, but aren't sure how to make those happen, read on.
First of all, please know you aren't alone if you are overwhelmed by all the possibilities and can't figure out how to start moving the needle on making your travel goals a reality. Even seasoned travelers have a hard time planning their trips at times. I happen to be one of those, in fact, right now; which is why I'm writing this piece. I thought it might be helpful to share how I deal with the vast amount of information and logistics which can be immobilizing. In a nutshell, the key to successful travel planning is breaking things into baby steps and tackling them one at a time. By getting some key things set early, you can mull over and refine the other details over time.
Before any actual travel planning can happen, there are several things you need to establish up-front. For some trips, these are easy; for others, not so much -- and may require some soul-searching and prioritization (how MUCH do I want to do/visit X??). Here are the absolute key questions you need to be able to answer before you can hope to plan a trip, in my opinion:
WHY do you want to go to this destination? Is it to visit friends, share a family trip, relax, hike a specific trail, see a specific site/ natural landscape, eat at a specific restaurant/ certain cuisine? Without doubt, this is the single most important consideration and needs to be clearly determined before anything else. (It can evolve over time, but there must be something spurring the trip.)
Once you have the why, you can move on to the WHEN. If you are hoping to travel with kids, then you need to keep school calendars in mind. If there are specific things you want to do, keep in mind seasonality as not everything can be done when the calendar is free. For example, you probably shouldn't plan a trip to see the northern lights over summer vacation (in the northern hemisphere). If you can only get away at peak travel times or are planning to travel to popular destinations, you're going to want to start your planning as soon as possible. Many National Park Hotels/ Lodges in the US, for example, book up more than a year out! So, try to be flexible and be willing to postpone a trip for a year if need be. (I've done this -- and it is so much easier as the hard decisions were already made!)
Once you know where and (roughly when) you want to travel, it's time to think about HOW you will travel. How you travel means two things here -- the mode of transportation (road trip, train, fly, whatever) AND what level of service you are trying to find. Level of service speaks directly to budget and comfort. Most of us are limited by budget (sadly), and knowing how much we are willing to dole out for transportation and lodging is one of the first things which need to be addressed.
Admittedly, at times numbers 2 & 3 above can swap places, but number one is always the most important consideration in the development of any trip, and the basis for any itinerary. FYI, I recently got stuck on some of these questions and subsequently cancelled the trip (which had not been booked since I couldn't adequately answer all of these.)
Now that you've (pretty much) got an idea of the trip you want to take, it's time to start the planning! As many of us want to get the most bang for our travel buck, we want to see/ do as much as possible so that if we don't go back to the area, we will not have kicked ourselves for missing a certain something. And it is this FOMO (fear of missing out) which I believe is the culprit of much of our travel planning anxiety and paralysis. If we keep our eye on the WHY (above), the rest of the details can addressed later.
Book That Trip Yourself or Use a Travel Advisor (<-- link)
Get your lodging in place first. I know, this doesn't seem intuitive, but I would argue this is one of the hardest decisions to make and one which only gets more expensive the longer you wait. Plus, most accommodations have pretty generous cancellation policies, so if you end up not being able to find a flight which works, you can cancel without a fee (most of the time -- always check the cancellation policies). (Don't forget to check any loyalty points you may have which can help determine where you stay.) Lucky you if you will be staying with friends or family!
Part of selecting your lodging requires you to determine what the MUST-SEE/ MUST-DO items are in the area you plan to visit. Only then can you determine how long to spend in each place (or in the one one place). You do not need to book or reserve these activities super-far in advance, but definitely keep a list so that you can get around to it and remember what you had in mind.
If you aren't sure of what some of the MUST-SEE/ MUST-DO things are, I find that looking through escorted tour brochures and checking Viator are good first strategies. Through them, and travel bloggers, I am able to get a good sense of what the top tourist things are which I can then decide to incorporate (or not, if the pricing is out of my budget) into my itinerary. Why reinvent the wheel?!
Book your transportation. Now that you have decided and committed to the dates of travel, as determined by your lodging above, go ahead and book your transportation. Should air travel be part of the plan, recognize that airline reservations cannot be made more than a year in advance, and also that most airlines offer calendar views of their rates, so if you see it is way cheaper to start your trip a little earlier (or later), and your timing allows for that change, hold that reservation and immediately see if you can revise your lodging dates without needing to stay in more expensive rooms. (Remember, most hotel reservations can be changed/ cancelled without penalty as long as it's far enough in advance and you haven't booked a rate which doesn't allow for any changes). Also, don't forget to book your modes of transportation at the destination (i.e. car rental, train ticket, etc).
Once you have your transportation and lodging confirmed (and likely paid for), you can relax for a bit! Assuming these plans are made well-ahead of your travel dates, you can now sit down and think about what you want to do on each day and figure out how to make that happen. If there are specific tours you want to take, book them; if there are walks or drives you want to take, note the route you'd like to follow. This is where you can decide the PACE of your trip and how much you want to accomplish in the limited time.
Not sure how to keep track of everything? First, I'd recommend having a file with any relevant paperwork/ print-outs/ articles. Then, I think it is extremely useful to keep a write-up of things booked and things you are simply planning (to do and/ or to book) in an itinerary which is accessible on your phone, tablet, or computer. I have not found what I consider an ideal version, but I have been using TripIt lately which I can make work for me. I add walks and ideas so I remember what I was thinking of doing on each day. What I like about it is that I can access it on my devices and print out a copy to have with me with all the relevant information at hand. That said, I often just make an itinerary in excel or word; either using templates which exist or make my own.
As you decide what you want to do, exactly, or where you want to eat, make these reservations. If you cannot make a restaurant reservation yet, just add a reminder to your calendar so that you can be sure to get in when you want.
If all of this is just too much for you, once you have answered the three key questions above (the WHY, WHEN, and HOW), feel free to contact a travel advisor and let them do the booking, planning, and research for you. Just be up-front about your goals (sites/ experiences/ BUDGET), and see what they come up with! If you aren't sure where/ how to find a good travel advisor, just ask friends/ family who they use/ have used, and you'll get some names to contact. And, FYI, asking what travel advisors charge for their services is NOT rude or inappropriate. Many make sufficient commissions on their bookings that they don't charge you anything; others charge a fee. Just know in advance so you aren't surprised.
Travel Insurance
When friends ask about this, I always say that they need to weigh their situation and risk tolerance. Now, sometimes, your tour/cruise operator will require you to get the insurance, so that is that. Otherwise, it is a matter of very personal opinion and comfort level. Typically, I say that if a family member is very ill or you have reason to believe you/ a member of your travel party may need to be sent home early, trip insurance could make sense. Also, if you are taking a really BIG (expensive) trip, far away, and/ or to an exotic land, I often recommend taking out a travel insurance policy. Also, if you are especially concerned about travel connections or luggage being lost, trip insurance might be a good call. If you decide to get trip insurance, get it earlier rather than later (prices go up A LOT as you get closer to the departure date), and here is something that Forbes published on January 3, 2024 with their recommendations of providers based on specific priorities:
Travel Insured International – Best for Non-Medical Evacuation
WorldTrips (Atlas Journey Premier and Atlas Journey Preferred) – Great for Add-On Coverage
Nationwide (Cruise Luxury) – Best for Upgrades
TravelSafe – Best for Missed Connections
AIG – Best for Customization
AXA Assistance USA – Best for Baggage
Generali Global Assistance – Great for Pre-Existing Medical Condition Coverage
HTH Worldwide – Best for Trip Interruption
Nationwide (Cruise Choice) – Great for Cruise Itinerary Change/Inconvenience
Seven Corners – Best for Medical/Evacuation
Travelex Insurance Services – Best for Families
Hopefully, this has been helpful and not overwhelming. As with everything else, take baby steps and figure out what you want before doing anything. If you keep your eye on the reason you want to go wherever you want to go, and ensure that you plan for that one thing, you'll set yourself up for a successful and memorable trip. And then the rest is icing!
Happy travels, everyone -- be they near or far.