Chances are, some of your fondest memories are of experiences that you had while on vacation. But if you're like most of us, you've probably experienced some disappointments too. Some advance trip planning can help turn a so-so vacation into a great one. And it doesn't have to take a lot of time or effort.
There's a wealth of travel planning information online to help you figure it all out. But where, and how should you start to plan your vacation?
Begin by asking yourself a few simple questions.
1) What do I really want to do?
There are lots of travel experiences out there and plenty of trips to choose from. Do you want to shop until you drop in Hong Kong, tour the great museums of Paris, or just relax by the pool with an umbrella drink in one hand and a paperback in the other? If you're having trouble deciding, try to remember the activities you liked best on previous vacations
If you loved being outdoors, getting back to nature and enjoying the scenery, you probably won't like a city vacation with lots of noise and crowds. If you were bored in that island paradise where there was nothing to do but soak up the sun, look for someplace with plenty to do and see.
Do you want to enjoy an absolutely stress-free getaway or do you want to experience something new and exciting that you've never done before? Which is more important -- recharging your batteries or living life to the fullest?
Understanding this is an essential part of planning a trip. The next question you should ask yourself is:
2) How long can I be away?
Getting there isn't really half the fun. In fact, it can be pretty taxing. And depending on how far you travel -- and how many connections you make -- it can take you days to recover. So take that into account when you look at potential destinations.
Overnight flights look good on paper, but if you're traveling in coach, getting a good night's sleep can be a real challenge.
Usually, it takes your body clock a day to catch up for every time zone you change. So if you're going from the West Coast to Europe, you won't really be hitting your stride for a week.
If you have two full weeks, you can go almost anywhere you like. When you're planning your trip, just schedule the least stressful part at the beginning. For instance, if you're visiting Rome and Tuscany, go to Tuscany first. Rome can be an exhausting place, so save it for the end of your trip when you're more rested.
If you can only get away for a week, which is becoming more common, you'll have a better time if it takes you less than seven hours to fly to your destination. Especially if you're traveling from east to west. And if all you have available is a long weekend, choose a destination you can fly to in less than four hours.
With these guidelines, you should be able to look at a map or globe and figure out which destinations offer what you're looking for and are within striking distance given your available vacation time.
Then it all comes down to:
3) How much can I afford to spend?
Ask yourself how much you're willing to spend. Then if you're flying, figure out what airfare will cost. There are several websites that will show you all the options. Once you know how much the airfare will be, subtract that from your total budget, then divide that number by the number of nights you'll be away from home to get a per-day cost.
Take the per-day rate and multiply it by.4 to.7, depending on a number of factors. If you love to dine in all the best restaurants and enjoy activities like sunset cocktail cruises or private tours, figure you'll spend almost as much on meals and sightseeing as you will on accommodations. If you prefer inexpensive restaurants and you don't spend much when you're vacationing, your accommodations can probably be about 70% of your remaining budget, with 30% left for food and sightseeing.
Once you do the math, you may find that you can afford to stay longer than you thought. Or you may have to shorten your trip to meet your budget.
You can have similar experiences in a variety of price ranges. A Hawaii beach vacation might cost half as much on Waikiki as on Maui. Park City might be much more affordable than Aspen. And Montreal will be a fraction of the price of a trip to Paris. Focus on the experience rather than the place, and you'll be amazed by all the options.
Just asking yourself these trip planning questions will help provide you with the focus you need to plan your best vacation ever.