Whether or not you are a “pack as much as you can into a day” type traveler like myself or just like to hit the main highlights and take things slow, planning things out ahead of time for a vacation is always a good idea. Unfortunately though, sometimes life just gets in the way. Maybe work was too demanding to plan out the itinerary for your upcoming weekend getaway, flights delayed and botched your travel plans, or spontaneity won the day and you booked a last minute flight to a destination you have never been before. Regardless of whatever has gotten in the way of planning out your travel itinerary, DON’T PANIC. Take a deep breath, relax, and check out my tips below on how to salvage your time and get the most out of your vacation.
1. Gather Your Bearings
When traveling in a new place, you can easily lose out on a lot of valuable time if you are unfamiliar with where you are going or the best way to get there. The first thing I do is throw out any pride I may have about trying not to look like a total tourist and I ask for a local area map. I inquire about the local transit system options at the front desk of the hotel or from any nearby local coffee shop baristas. While I’m at it I ask for any personal suggestions for must see or do things in the area and make a mental note.
You can easily use the internet to research all of these things, but I find asking a local or concierge at the hotel to give you a quick run down on the city transportation is the quickest way to gather this information as well as fact check any prior research you have already done. A local can also provide you with the most updated information and sometimes even some shortcuts or handy tips for using public transportation.
2. Get Inspired
Grab a cup of coffee or hot tea, a local area map and pen, and cozy up in a creative space. I find that getting out of my hotel room and sitting in the hotel lobby area or at a nearby cafe or coffee shop (with wi-fi) really helps me get motivated to plan out an adventurous day. I find that physically writing out and circling spots of interest on a map can also help provide a more realistic sense of where things are.
3. Do Some Research
This may come off slightly hypocritical, but I don’t actually recommend only relying on asking locals for things to do in any given area. I have learned that when you put someone on the spot, you are in danger of them shelling out whatever top tourist attractions come to mind. Instead I recommend doing your own research on things in the area to see and then asking a local if something is WORTH checking out or what they think about a certain attraction. If you ask someone something specific you are much more likely to get an honest answer and sometimes even some much more personalized suggestions!
I do a majority of my research online through websites or travel blogs. Atlas Obscura is a really cool website specializing in really cool off-the-beaten-path things to do in any given location. There is a search bar where you can input your location and then sift through tons of events and cool spots to check out. While I do recommend taking a quick peek through trip advisors top ten list and the like, I suggest focusing more on travel blogs if you want a more unique perspective and honest feedback on particular activities. For extra inspiration, scroll through geo-tagged Instagram pictures from the area you are visiting. You can find anything from great photo-worthy spots to unique landmarks and even fantastic restaurants this way!
4. Look for Last Minute Deals
Booking things last minute can definitely limit your options in terms of sold-out tours or events that you may have wanted to attend. Don’t let sold out tours discourage you though, because booking things last minute can also shifts things into your favor. As someone who goes to places last minute often on layovers for work or on spontaneous vacations, I have learned the art of scouring the internet for great deals on same-day shows, sports games, and tours.
There are tons of great third party sites like cheaptickets.com or GameTime that have low price tickets available for purchase on same-day events. Just make sure to check the pricing against the original ticket prices sold online (Google is your best friend here)! As always, make sure you are careful about purchasing tickets from sources that don’t have secure transactions such as craigslist or ticket scalpers. Getting ripped off or sold fake tickets is most definitely not a fun way to spend a vacation!
5. Check the Weather
This may seem obvious, but on a nice beautiful day it is easy to assume it is going to continue to be a nice beautiful day. On the contrary, what may start out as a gloomy, rained out morning may turn into a gorgeous sunshine-filled afternoon. Check your list of activities and plan/dress accordingly for the day.
6. Map It Out
When I find something I want to check out, I circle it on my super touristy map and write a small note so I know what it is. On a separate list I write out the activity and amount of time it will take including the transportation time. This way I make sure to prioritize and can cut out anything that may take up too much time. By mapping it out you can find the most efficient route to get to each place as well as narrow down locations to eat at for lunch and dinner in between sightseeing.
7. Go Digital
Once I am organized and have a solid list of activities planned for the day or weekend, I like to type them into Evernote, a great mobile app that can be used to organize or document lists, photos, or just about anything worth writing down and keeping for later reference. You can keep your notes and lists organized into folders and subfolders, making organization much easier to navigate then most other regular note apps.
Evernote is perfect if you frequent the same cities often or if you simply want to remember that really great restaurant you ate at to suggest to a friend! I take a few great notes if I eat somewhere I love (or hate) or do something cool in a city so I can remember if I have already been there or if it is worth going back. If you are a blogger this is great for jumpstarting post ideas later on!
8. Be Flexible
By creating a list you can easily save something for another time or move the activity around to a different day based on time constraints, weather issues, etc., A day may not always go just as planned when traveling, so remember to enjoy everything you get to do and enjoy the prospect of having things to look forward to on a return trip if you don’t hit all the spots on your wish list. Any activity or areas left unexplored on a trip are perfect reasons to come back and visit.
If you are more of a plan-ahead style of person or you simple have the extra time to plan out a full itinerary prior to your trip, you can still use these tips to help you with outlining your upcoming vacation. If you are heading to another country, write down a list of things you want to accomplish and print out a country/city area map. You can then narrow down front here what you will realistically be able to make happen based on the time you have there. I also recommend checking out YouTube videos and any travel documentaries that you can find on the areas you are visiting!
Do you have any travel tips you live by for planning out the perfect getaway? Share your favorites in the comments below!
