Alright, so you’ve booked your next vacation or getaway weekend. The beach is calling and the mountains are just beckoning you to ride down their slopes. You know where you’re headed, you have a place to stay, and you know who you’re bringing. So what’s next? We’ve highlighted some important travel tips and things to know before you take off on your vacation, so take a look and make sure you’re all set to go!
Follow These 5 Tips To Get Ready For Your Getaway
1. Create a Travel Itinerary
Get a head start on your vacation activities and make a travel itinerary. Many tourist-friendly attractions require reservations for large groups, so call ahead to see if one is needed. There will be many places to dine, drink, and shop, and you’ll want to make sure you get a chance to explore them all. Making an itinerary helps organize your days and optimize the time you have for fun. Don’t forget to include flight departure and arrival times so you know exactly how much time to leave for traveling to and from the airport or how long it will take to drive to your rental home.
2. Buy Necessities
No one wants to show up to an island without sunscreen and have to pay the marked-up price for a generic bottle of the stuff. Just like sunscreen, things like bug repellant, hats, and first aid kits are often more expensive in the place you’ll be traveling because stores anticipate tourists forgetting certain products. To avoid these charges, buy your necessities ahead of time and pack them away in your luggage. You’ll be glad you have that spare bottle of sunscreen when the beach hits 90-degrees and the closest store is selling it for $15.
3. Prepare for Meals Together
One of the best parts about staying in a vacation house is that it has all the comforts of home. Eating meals together as a family doesn’t have to be sacrificed just because you’re on vacation. In fact, it can be one of the most fun things to do after a long day of checking out the local attractions. Make sure you plan out the meals you want to prepare and get your shopping list ready before you arrive. That way, you won’t be stressed to find a recipe that works for everyone once you get settled in to your vacation rental since you’ll already have it planned out. By the way, here are some suggestions we have for cooking in a vacation rental.
4. Insurance?
Do you and members of your travel group all have insurance? Do you know how it works out of state or out of the country? Some insurance companies are only effective in your home state, and some are active nationwide. These are things you’ll want to look into before traveling, in case the unexpected occurs to you or anyone in your travel group. If you’re traveling out of the country, you’ll also want to check to see if you need any specific immunizations before traveling there. If so, you can get most immunizations at your physician’s office or a travel clinic.
5. Make Backup Plans
You might be headed to the California coast or the South of France for some fun, but you never know what the weather will have in store for you. Summer thunderstorms and hurricanes are common in many places around the globe, so just because it’s sunny one day doesn’t mean it won’t change the next. In case of a sharp change in weather, you’ll want to have backup plans that don’t involve being outdoors. Check out the area’s offerings before you travel to see what indoor attractions and activities you’ll be able to choose from. Is there a children’s museum or art gallery that caught your eye? An NBA arena or theater that you want to check out? Make a note of those options in case the weather decides to limit your outdoor choices!
This article was written by Julianne Aiello.