Traveling during the holidays can be a huge headache. Luckily, there are many ways to make getting to your destination much easier. Here’s a guide to avoid the lines have everything you need and be ready for whatever the traveling season pass to throw at you. Whether you’re traveling across the globe or a few states over, here is everything you need to know.
Leave room in your suitcase
You’re going to want to leave room in your suitcase. It doesn’t matter if you’re flying or driving, you want to be able to bring back gifts and anything else you might pick up on the way. Your best bet is to bring along an extra bag or pack your clothing and personal items in a larger bag. If you plan accordingly you’ll be able to bring everything and the kitchen sink home with you.
Leave early
Highway traffic, security lines, flight delays are all things you may experience during holiday travel. In order to account for the unaccountable, plan to leave earlier than you normally would. The worst case you have to sit a little bit longer or you’ll get to your destination early. No matter what it’s better than missing the holiday altogether. Make sure to hit the road early your family will thank you.
Book early
Jesses you want to leave early, do you want to book early. If you need a hotel or flight, you’re going to want to do this as soon as possible. Especially during the holidays, rooms get full and flights completely booked. The best way to avoid travel mishaps is the book and reserve as early as possible. This way you’ll have the peace of mind you need and your family will know when to expect you.
Bring items to keep you occupied
As mentioned above, You may be sitting a little longer than you’d like. The only way to combat boredom, is to plan accordingly. Be sure to pack items to keep you occupied. Some great items are books, tablets, music, and travel games. If you’re bringing electronics with you, don’t forget the Chargers! There’s nothing worse than getting to the airport and realizing your tablet is dead and you have no charger. Bring things with you that you know will keep you occupied for at least a few hours. You never know what type of delays you might encounter.
Millennials are disrupting travel and giving the industry a run for their money. In order to continue making the same money they always were, the travel industry is going to have to keep up with the demands of the younger generation. Here’s just a few of the things Millennials are looking for.
Custom experiences
Millennials stay far away from cookie cutter experiences. The travelers of yesteryear wanted cruise packages and beach front properties. Young adults now want experiences that cater to their wants and needs. The travel industry needs to start providing more flexible options to attract the younger crowd.
Taking sharing to a new level
Today’s young adults are fully immersed in the sharing economy. They take Uber from the airport to get to an AirBnB instead of going the traditional taxi/hotel route. This is in part due to the customization. It’s pretty easy to do when all you have to do is throw open an app. AirBnB also offers prime locations with a unique feel. Every place you stay feels home-y, because it’s actually someone’s house!
Mixing business with pleasure
Millennials, more than any generation, are mixing business and travel. A staggering amount of young professionals are planning vacations around business trips. They save money on airfare and had a prior reason to be at the destination. Additionally, more young professionals are working flexible hours. This means they have the time to see sights and experience the city they are visiting.
Yearning for learnin’
Young adults are going into vacations and traveling with the expectation of coming away with new knowledge and experiences that pushed them as people. Millennials are interesting in picking up the language of where they are visiting or are interested in coming away with a brand new skill. Millennials also are eager to volunteer and give back to the community they are visiting. They want to get something out of the experience and leave something behind.
No matter how you look at it, Millennials are disrupting the traditional values of the travel industry and pushing them to expand what can be offered. It’s ultimately an inevitable change. As more of the Millennial generation are coming into better jobs and more money, they increase their buying power and influence.
Traveling is an incredible way to make lasting memories. Unfortunately, as time passes, those memories tend to get blurry. Have no fear! There are tons of great ways to preserve your fond memories and even share them with friends, family, and strangers on the internet. This blog highlights just a few ways you can preserve your time around the world for years to come.
Blog/Vlog
Starting a blog and/or vlog is a fantastic way to document your travel experience. Each have their own unique subtleties, but they can work together to showcase and distribute your content with fellow travelers. Blogs are great for going in depth about what you experiences, what you were thinking, and, most importantly, telling a story. Vlogs on the other hand are obviously visually focused, so you’ll be able to capture the places you went and your reactions to them. If you chose to do both, you can marry the two together by embedding relevant vlogs into blog post.
Journal
For those who want to walk away with a tangible memory book, you can keep a journal. It’s almost exactly like a blog, without the internet part. You may be more inclined to write more personally accounts in a physical journal. If you want to preserve all emotions, good and bad, journaling is the best way to look back at the whole trip and know just what you were feeling and thinking at the time.
Photos
Take plenty of photos! Take photos of yourself, take pictures with other, and take pictures of your surroundings. There’s nothing like pulling up all your photos years later and then have all the memories and feelings rush right back. After all, the saying a “picture is worth a thousand words,” is around for a reason.
Create a Hashtag
Creating your own hashtag will be a fun way for you to catalog all your travels on social media and invite others to see your journey. Share your unique hashtags with friends and family who will want to follow your every step! It will also be awesome to look back after your trips to all the different posts you made across your social profiles.
Curate Playlists
Curating playlists specific to each leg of your trip is a unique way to bring you back to that time and place. You can make playlists based on what you were listening to in that day and time, pick specific songs that have subject matter or a feel from the location, or a mix of both! Either way, you’ll come home from your trip with a ton of great jams to daydream about your travels to. Plus, the movie in your head needs a soundtrack.
Make Plans in Advance
As much as you can, plan ahead. If you are able to plan out an itinerary, it will keep you on track and push you to try out new things. Traveling alone gives you the freedom to do everything you want on your own schedule. Planning around that allows you to have a jam packed trip
Check-in at Home
Solo travel can be nerve racking for your family members. Ease their mind by checking in every now and again. This will ensure that you’re okay, but also tip them off in the event of an emergency. Plus, it will be nice to talk to loved ones if you get homesick. A call home can be just what you need to get refreshed if you are feeling lonely.
Do What You Want to Do
Often times when traveling, you are at the mercy of the entire group. Traveling by yourself ensures that you get to do exactly what you want when you want. Your travel mates do not normally want to see museums or look at architecture? When you travel by yourself you can do whatever you want the entire trip if you like! Use a solo traveling experience as a getaway to do anything and everything you have ever wanted to do. Which leads me to my next point.
Enjoy the Time With Yourself
Solo trips are, by design, an extremely personal experience. They are for you and you alone. Enjoy the time by yourself, take adventures you’ve always wanted to take, and refresh in solitude. Solo travel is one of the most refreshing experience, but one of the hardest to take the initial plunge. There are a lot of unknowns in solo travel. Are you going to like it? Will it be fun? Will I get lonely? These are all normal questions to ask, but you’ll never truly know the answer unless you take that step. No matter what, you’ll come back with a different perspective.
Carry Hotel Business Cards
When you check in, be sure to swipe a couple of hotel cards and keep them on your person. You’ll be doing a lot of exploring and may get a little lost. Having the address on hand can help you find your way back. Additionally, if you’re in a foreign location, it may be easiest to hand a cab driver a card rather than attempting to break a language barrier.
Live Like a Local
When you are traveling solo, you can live like a local! Talk to locals and find out the best things to do, the best sights to see, and what they do for fun. It will be easy to do by yourself and will be extremely rewarding. Living like a local gives you an extremely personal and cultural enriching trip. Have fun, talk to people around you, and make new friends!
Quality Backpack
This is a no brainer. You are going to need a reliable (and comfortable) pack to hold all your gear. It’s got to have additional pockets for easy access to frequently used items. The pack also needs to secure all your belongings so you are not worried about things falling out. Depending what type of backpacking you are doing will dictate what is the most appropriate bag to bring. If you are solely hiking outdoors, you will need a different backpack than traveling across different countries. Do yourself a favor and grab a high-quality pack that will last you years to come and is appropriate for the trips you take most often.
The Essentials
No matter what type of backpacking you are doing, there are essentials that you will need no matter what. Below highlights some of the best gear, gadgets, and clothing to keep in mind when packing a single bag and hitting the road.
Clothes
You are going to absolutely need to pack clothing! Without sensible clothing, you can end up unprepared and uncomfortable. Be sure to pack weather-appropriate clothing. If it’s going to be cold, you’ll be happy you brought gloves, scarves, hats, long johns, and a coat! Conversely, if it’s going to be hot, you’ll want shorts and lightweight shirts to keep you cool. With that being said, It’s easy to overpack clothing. Think sensibly about what you bring and also within reason of what your bag can hold.
Electronics
This may be more relevant for someone backpacking across Europe rather than a weekend escape to the woods, but nonetheless, here’s some tips. Electronics can get heavy and weigh down your pack. If you don’t need a laptop for anything other than funny youtube videos and Netflix, it may not be necessary. You will want to bring your smartphone for directions, to stay in contact with friends & family, and to look up local hotspots for food. Bringing a camera along is also a great idea. You’ll be able to capture all the great memories without worrying about taking up room on your phone.
Beware, electronics are easily lost or target to theft because they often cost quite a bit in the first place. Be cognizant of this and make sure your items are secured at all times.
Travel Necessities
Things that fall into the travel necessities categories are items you’ll need to make traveling easier and more comfortable. You will want to have all appropriate chargers and a universal plug adapter if you are traveling abroad. Additionally, you may want earplugs and an eye mask for those hostels that are extra loud and bright. Sleeping well is essential to the success of your trip, so bring a blanket with you in case you need extra warmth at night. Things like sunglasses, grooming equipment, and hygiene products are also vital to the comfortability of any trip. Finally, include a small “repair kit” that has duct tape, a small sewing kit, and anything else that you think is appropriate to fix items if they get damaged along the way.
First Aid
Have a first aid kit with you. In the event you need it, a first aid kit will help you keep minor injuries from becoming worse. Additionally, having pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medication, and any additional medication you may take will provide a better travel experience for you.
Admin
The admin section covers a wide variety of items you’ll need to do most anything. Have your debit/credit cards, a small amount of cash, passport, and proper form of identification. Finding yourself without these items will make travel extremely difficult. These items are also extremely important, so keep them on your person at all times in a secure location where they won’t get lost or stolen.
Have fun!
Now that your bag is packed, remember to have fun! Backpacking is an exciting experience! You’ve taken the time to pack everything you could ever need and are prepared for anything your trip will throw at you. Enjoy your trip, experience new things, meet interesting people, and take pictures to document your adventure!
Vacationers are always talking about the “best” times to visit particular destinations, but most often they are referring to a time that a lot of other people have in mind. Although there is nothing wrong with traveling in peak seasons, there is an exciting charm about traveling in the offseason when you can explore new surroundings without the crowds. The list below highlights some famous destinations with an offseason travel recommendation.
New Orleans, Louisiana
When people generally think of traveling to New Orleans, Mardi Gras is what they plan their visit around. The streets are flooded with tourists who want to take part in the biggest party in the United States. If you ask any of the locals about the best time to visit, they will most certainly tell you to avoid Mardi Gras and come for Halloween.
Thailand
The month of July is a tourist hotspot. The weather is pleasant and you’ll be received more warmly. The locals at any travel destination often become tired of the crowds and tourists. Plan your trip to Thailand in June for a better overall experience. The rain season is just about over and has cooled the area down. There are also less crowds and more hotel availability. June is the perfect time to experience Thailand for less money and less headache!
Boston, Massachusetts
Most tourists make their way to Boston for the summer. There’s plenty going on, the weather is warm, and the city is hopping. Don’t get me wrong, the summer months are a great time for a Boston vacation, but it’s not the only time you should visit. For a truly unique experience, visit Boston in October or November. The air will be a little brisk, but experiencing the fall foliage will be worth the extra layer. Boston is a town full of history, culture, and art, so there is something there for everyone – no matter what time of year.
Paris, France
Paris is another destination to take advantage of in the fall. The weather is cooling down and the summer vacation crowd has died down. You will feel as though you have the city to yourself. Top attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre will have significantly smaller lines, thus allowing you to spend some quality time with Mona Lisa.
Hawaii
Hawaii sees a ton of tourist traffic twice a year. During the summer Hawaii sees the vacation crowd and in the winter the see travelers from all over coming to escape the cold. The truth with Hawaii is that there is never a bad time to be there. The weather remains pretty consistent and it’s beautiful year round. If you are looking for a unique experience, planning your trip for April or May is the way to go. Doing so will get you to Hawaii for less money, in the “dry” season before hurricane season, and at a time where the beaches aren’t flooded with other tourists.
