Traveling season is almost here!
Actually, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, those three months are the busiest travel periods outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
With each state having different degrees of public health policies in place, check the state and local guidelines for protocols in each place you plan to visit and keep in mind that many people are looking to travel. A lot of industries are impacted with less staff than usual.
So, plan on packing patience with your belongings before you go.
From visiting all points west in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington to New York City and Boston, knowing how to plan your trip is much more important than where you visit.
Creating Memories Through Traveling Adventures
In a recent blog post, I wrote about all the fun things to do in San Diego. Personally, San Diego is one of the better cities in California, from perfect weather to incredible beaches, outstanding venues, museums, and more.
There’s a reason it’s known as “America’s Finest City.”
In fact, there are a ton of things to do in San Diego for adults and kids alike.
If you’re like some others and need to take anti-anxiety medication for your flight to San Diego or elsewhere, understand how long does Xanax high last before taking it so that you can plan accordingly.
You don’t want to ruin your trip by arriving in San Diego, going to your rental car, and being under the influence!
Regardless of where you travel, I have a few suggestions to help you have the time of your life.
Know The Weather and Terrain
Before you head off to your destination vacation, you need to know what the weather will be like and what type of terrain you may be doing. For example, if you’re traveling from Arizona to Florida in July, it’s not the heat that’s a significant difference, but rather the level of humidity that may cause some issues.
Additionally, knowing the terrain of the area is crucial so that you pack accordingly. For example, if you’re packing for a mountain hike and end up at the beach, you’re over-prepared for a relaxing day on the shoreline and woefully underprepared for being near a body of water.
Understanding the weather and the type of terrain you may be active in will help you pack efficiently for all possible contingencies that may arise.
Create An Itinerary
The most important thing you can do while planning your trip is to create a plan that details where and when you’ll be at each location. Once you plan, your next step is to share your itinerary with friends or family, anyone that may need to get in touch with you in case of emergency, or if you need to reach out to someone, they have a general idea of where you may be at any given time during your trip.
The point of creating and sharing an itinerary is as much for safety as it is to allow you to have a timeline of events for your trip. Of course, you want to allow for some latitude during your trip, but you don’t want to lose time exploring one area and not have enough time for other adventures.
Budget For After Your Trip
Most people know to budget for a trip. However, what the majority of us do is fail to budget for after we return. For example, say you’re going on a two-week trip. You know that you won’t have income during those two weeks, but what most fail to recognize is to budget for the two weeks after returning to work and before the next pay period.
Even in the event, you’re taking paid time off for your vacation, still plan a budget that includes all your expenses and possible income after immediately returning home.
Pack Once, Then Repack
Another little hack that will save you a ton of time and possibly money is to reconsider how you pack your bags. Too often, we pack for what we anticipate to do in the best-case situations, which can lead to unnecessary overpacking.
A better strategy is to pack once, think about how to prioritize what you will do versus what you may do, and then eliminate any clothes or belongings that you will least likely use.
If you plan on traveling for fun or traveling for work, learning how to plan and pack will go a long way for you to make your trip enjoyable.
Make the most of your time, plan, and most importantly, enjoy yourself!
