The opportunity to plan a vacation can be exciting but stressful. Follow these steps to help plan a well-rounded vacation and prevent anything from falling through the cracks. Have confidence in your schedule before you leave for vacation.
Choose Your Location
The first step is to choose your location. What do you need most? If you want adventure, maybe you want to plan a ski or snowboard trip to Sierra Nevada. If you need relaxation, get away to a California beach or an all-inclusive Hawaiian resort. Only you know what you most want out of your vacation. Decide what it is, choose a location and time of year, and go from there.
Plan Your Travel Accommodations
If you want to fly and are conscious of your finances, plan this part of your travels first. Look up flights to your chosen destination. If the flights there are out of your budget, you may want to consider a different destination that still fulfills your desires. Nothing is worse than choosing a destination, planning your trip, and then discovering that plane tickets cost more than a week’s worth of travel.
If you’re driving, look at a map ahead of time and decide which route you’d like to take to your destination. Plan where your pit stops will be and book accommodations for along the way—better to catch some Zs than drive tired. You may also want to plan your meals. Pack food items to bring in your vehicle so that you’re prepared.
Plan Your Activities
This may be the most time-consuming but enjoyable process. Make a list of attractions you simply can’t miss in the area you’ve chosen to travel to. Check out apps that can help you find the most popular local sites during your travels. Microsoft Excel is an easy, simple tool you can use to keep track of these activities. Keep track of the days an attraction is open, the entry price, and any other limitations you need to keep in mind.
Once you have your activities planned, you can export them into a calendar. This is a great way to share vacation plans with anyone who’s traveling with you.
Don’t let the process of planning a vacation overwhelm you. Remember that lists and spreadsheets may be your best friends. Enjoy the process and enjoy your vacation even more by keeping these steps to help plan a well-rounded vacation in the forefront of your mind.
Image Credit: FILE #: 425653713 By nikkimeel “Packing suitcase for travel vacation in new normal, top view.”
