With one of the largest pandemics going on around the world (currently), we have a lot more downtime than we hope we would. Though spending time indoors doesn’t have to be all that bad you can definitely use your downtime to plan the perfect summer getaway.
Whether you’re planning for a tropical vacation or Europe, you can still get started on planning TODAY.
The more you plan, the better off you’ll be.
Quick story.
I remember leaving for Spain to study abroad for a couple of months, I remember I was anything but organized. I really only planned the night before. Not only was it a big mess, but also very stressful. Even though it was a longer time frame, it was still something I could have prepared for better. Knowing what I know now could have saved me headaches and stress.
But that won’t be you.
Over the years we learned what works, and what doesn’t.
Feel free to adjust your plans to your own liking, but here’s some tips for the next time you jet off.
We break down 10 things you should be doing with your downtime to make you perfectly ready for your summer vacation.
10 tips to start Planning the summer vacation
Buy an Agenda or Notebook
If you don’t already have one, this is the best thing you can do right now. In fact, an agenda or notebook has really helped me plan for the best trip ever. I have even started planning NOW for a trip I plan to take in November.
Write it down
I once heard: “If it’s not written down then it won’t happen.” One of the things you can do is write down the place you want to go and hang it up somewhere. Whether it’s the Bahamas or Europe, make sure you have it written down and somewhere you can see it.
List the top 3 places you want to go to
This will help you narrow your focus and plan your trip more efficiently. Trust me, there are a million places I want to go, but having 3 down has really helped me narrow into my focus.
Look up the weather in your Top 3 places
If you plan for a summer tropical vacation; then maybe your summer may be winter somewhere else. I sometimes forget we don’t live in the little bubble we think we may. So check weather patterns, depending on where you want to go. It could help you choose what weather environment you want your next vacation at.
Check out flights ahead of time
Consider looking at Google Flights, Momondo, and others to get an idea of how much your flight may cost.
Traveling with Friends?
You’ll definitely know what kind of people you want to travel with based on your taste. I learned the hard way that some friends have more baggage than expected. Even close relatives that I traveled with were more about staying in hotels than going out to explore. Make sure you are taking people who are on the same page.
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Get some ideas for some sightseeing places you may want to visit on your trip. When I went to Bali with my sister we used this exact same source to plan some sightseeing adventures
Visit a free travel planning site
This will help you plan and organize your trip; I haven’t used this yet, but I have heard many travelers try it and love it
Start Saving or Get a Side hustle to help fund your trip
It’s best to start saving as soon as you can. Whether you have allocated money for your trip fund or your planning to now…the best time is to start now!
Find a Travel Credit Card
If you’re using a travel credit card, do your homework and find the one that gives you the most bang for your bucks. Check out transaction fees, and whether they will be available to use in other countries. I was surprised to learn that my Discover card wasn’t accepted in certain places in Canada.
Be okay with change when your organized vacation doesn’t go as planned
I won’t tell you how many countless times I saw people crying and stressed when their summer vacations did not go as planned. On top of it, they were unorganized, stressed, and confused.
Recognize that not all vacations can be planned out to the perfect detail. Sometimes we do set out this long to-do and sometimes things don’t go as planned.
Know that if this happens just go with the flow. You never know what other things you will encounter when you let changes come into your schedule.
Make a note that a well planned vacation can also change. So be okay with that. You can even write down or leave some room in your organized plan to be spontaneous. You never know what restaurant or cafe you may encounter on your travels.
Tips to keep in mind
- Avoid buying vacation packets from airlines or 3rd party vendors; I have seen countless times more problems in these that not. When you buy full vacation packets from airlines, most airlines or travel agencies forget to attach tickets to their packets; and it’s a mess! I have seen it countless times at the theme parks
- If your visiting theme parks i.e Disney or Universal, be sure to buy the tickets from their website ONLINE before you get there. Not only could you save money but you can avoid the crazy lines (It still surprises me how most people don’t)
Summer Vacation Ideas to check out
If you’re looking for a tropical place to dip your toes, then you can never go wrong with a beach vacation.
Read our blog, we breakdown some nice Florida Beach Vacations you check out here.
Some of the my favorites were Pensacola Beach and St Augustine! There is so much you can do!
Looking for some West Coast Beach Vacation, then you can never go wrong with California’s gorgeous beaches.
Conclusion
Having all this downtime really helps you organize yourself for your perfect summer vacation. Whether you spend a couple of minutes a day or an hour then you can definitely plan for the perfect summer vacation anywhere.
The earlier you start planning for your vacation, the easier it will be once the date approaches. Because honestly, before you know it, you are set to jet off sooner than you realize.
One thing to keep in mind is that plans are likely to change and things will happen. Don’t let that stress you and make sure you have a plan to own it. I saw firsthand how people stress out and families tear each other apart by blaming themselves for money, their plans, or forgotten things.
Don’t let that happen to you.
Because you are reading this, you are that much more prepared my friend.
Once you adopt these tips you can definitely make for an amazing vacation. Wherever that may be!
Looking for some beach summer inspiration then be sure to check out some beach vacation spots we recommend.
Please share. What are some things you do before you plan a trip?
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