Going on a vacation is very exciting! The thought of chilling and sunbathing on the beach and sipping on margaritas just makes everything seem so unreal and just something that you would really want to experience right now. However, to achieve that perfect vacation, you might want to put a little effort into planning your travel itinerary to make sure that everything goes as planned and that you are able to make the most out of you vacation time.
In case you have not been one to plan your vacation, then it is high time you start! Grab that calendar, check the dates of the holidays, and start jotting down the dates when you want to travel. To give you a little bit more help, you can use the sample vacation planning templates that we have included in this very article. Want to find out more about vacation planners? Just keep reading!
Vacation Planner Template
Vacation Planner Schedule Template
Vacation Calendar Planner
Vacation Planner in PDF
Tips for Planning Your Dream Vacation
Planning a trip, whether local or overseas, can be quite a challenge as it takes a bit of effort and can be quite time-consuming. However, if done right, you will be able to enjoy your trip and you will surely not regret every single moment of it.
We’ve got you covered from budget plans, insurance, packing tips, places where you should explore eating, getting the visas (for international travels), and everything else related to traveling! Are you ready? Let us start creating priceless memories and stay away from stress even just for a little bit. Here is our step-by-step guide!
Choose Where You Want to Go
First things first, you want to plan where you want to go first. Pick a destination that suits your budget and piques your interest. Whether or not you are traveling locally or overseas, the main point is to have fun with the people you are traveling with or on your own if you are going to go on a backpacking adventure.
Make sure that you plan your vacation time especially if you have a limited amount of vacation leaves. Make sure that you plan your trip accordingly. You also have to do research regarding when the best time of the year is to go to to your dream destination. However, if you choose to go on the peak seasons, you should be prepared for price hikes and for the crowd.
Book the Flight
All throughout the year, there are a lot of seat sales going on for airline travel. It is a matter of great timing when it comes to these sales as airline ticket promos get sold out in a matter of minutes. To get notified about cheap and affordable flights to your dream destination, you can sign up for the airline company’s newsletter.
There are also websites that allow you to have a comparison of prices for different airlines. If you opt to use such websites, it will be just a matter of checking which one/ones are great choices for your budget.
Pick the Accommodation
When it comes to your accommodations, you want to make sure that you get the best value for your money. You may want to stay in a hotel, in apartments, in backpacker or couch surfer houses, or a house. A ton of times, if you opt to book your vacation with travel agencies, the accommodation that they will offer will most likely be a hotel, which is not bad but can be too expensive if you are traveling with kids or if you are traveling with a large group. Instead, you can find apartments, condominiums, or houses up for short-term rent on certain websites, such as Airbnb, that just might suit your budget and your needs.
Getting Around the Destination
Sure, there are a couple of travel packages available that will make transfers and tours very convenient. However, going on public transport can be more adventurous and can actually save you more money. So if you want to take public transport, research if there’s a need for you to purchase cards for the buses and trains or if they accept cash.
You may also want to rent a car. You can find a lot of car-for-rent websites that can help make going around town easier.
What is a vacation if you do not go to the tourists spots? For sure just typing “[Name of place] tourist spots” on your browser’s search bar, you are sure to get a ton of suggestions. You just now have to make a schedule regarding when you want to visit each of the tourist spots you want to visit. Search how far each tourist destination is from each other and see whether or not you can do all in one day.
You should also consider and make a list of the following activities:
- Free things you can do or amount of free time you have
- Famous parks and playgrounds
- Famous food avenue or restaurant
- City tours
- Day/evening trips
You can check out blogs as well as videos of the places you want to visit.
Where to Eat
They say that there are a lot of things that you can learn from a destination just by eating the food that is native to them and is one of the things that travelers look forward to during a vacation. It would be a good idea to research about famous cafes, restaurants, and pubs. You may also research about the local delicacies and the best craft beers available in the country or state.
Check Your Passport
This is very important especially if you are planning on traveling abroad. Check when your passport will expire.
If the country you will be traveling to requires a visa, apply for a visa way before you start booking for flights, around 8 weeks minimum, and know what the requirement documents are needed. Double-check the requirements with the embassy.
Make Copies of Documents
Make several copies of important documents such as your passports, reservation forms, accommodations, flight itinerary, booking slips, credit cards, and other valid identifications. Print out about two hard copies and have soft copies available on your smartphone.
Purchase Travel Insurance
Better safe than sorry. You want to protect yourself from anything that might go wrong. Travel insurance is meant to protect you from trip cancellations, loss of personal belongings, damaged luggage by the airline, and other unfortunate events that might occur during the trip.
If you can, limit your luggage to one handheld luggage or one luggage that you will check in. Consider the following when it comes to packing your stuff:
- Know the weather or climate of your destination.
- Have a change of clothes in your carry-on luggage just in case your checked-in luggage does not arrive with you.
- Know what the activities you will be doing and pack accordingly.
- Know where you will be staying. If you are staying at a hotel, no need to bring a lot of toiletries and towels. If you are staying somewhere else, bring a towel that dries up easily.
- Charge all of your gadgets and bring a universal wall adapter.
Everything can be done online nowadays. Airline companies actually allow you to check-in a few days to a few weeks before your flight date. Take a rest from the hassle and check-in online immediately once online check-in is already available.
Vacation Planner Checklist
Vacation Schedule Planner
Vacation Itinerary Planner in Word
You now know a few things about planning your vacation, it is now time for you to start planning that trip and have a lot of fun. For more information, you can check out Effective Vacation and Travel Checklist.
FREE 50+ Improvement Plan Samples in MS Word | Google Docs | Pages | PDF
FREE 13+ Sample Lesson Plan Templates in MS Word | PDF
FREE 15+ Music Lesson Plan Samples in MS Word | PDF
FREE 19+ Construction Safety Plan Templates in PDF | MS Word
FREE 9+ Sample Sharing Plan Templates in PDF
Free 50+ Lesson Plan Samples in PDF | Google Docs | MS Word | Pages
FREE 51+ Business Plan Samples in PDF | Google Docs | MS Word | Pages
FREE 15+ Sample Performance Plan Templates in PDF | MS Word
FREE 10+ Single Plan for Student Achievement Samples & Templates in MS Word | PDF
FREE 12+ School Business Plan Samples in PDF | MS Word | Apple Pages | Google Docs
FREE 10+ High School Plan Samples in PDF
FREE 12+ Meal Plan Samples & Templates in PDF | MS Word
FREE 11+ Marketing Plan For Small Business Samples in PDF | MS Word
FREE 10+ Physical Education Lesson Plan Samples in PDF | MS Word
FREE 10+ Madeline Hunter Lesson Plan Samples in PDF