Use this vacation trip planner to plan your trip. It’s an international trip planner, but can also be used for domestic travel. It includes a comprehensive list of things to do when planning your trip but also to prepare to leave.
Download 2-page summary Trip Planning and Preparation Checklist
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AT LEAST 6 MONTHS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
Choose a place to go
I used to choose travel destinations much more last minute, but these days, I tend to get things started at least six months in advance because cheap seats on flights and great hotels or campsites can start to book out early.
Factors to consider include:
- Your interests. Do you like to do adventure sports? To hike in nature? To visit museums? To eat great food? To relax? To go somewhere easy? To go somewhere off the beaten path? To interact with a completely different culture?
- What language is spoken, how much English is spoken, and your comfort level with travelling somewhere you don’t speak the language.
- Time of year. Check to see if it is the rainy season. Or incredibly hot. Or nothing is open. Or it’s overcrowded. Or all the hiking trails are closed. The time of year you go somewhere can make a huge impact on your experience.
- Cost and your budget.
- Time available. Some places are ideal for a long weekend. Some places really need a long time in order to see it all, especially if it is far away and you want to make getting there worth your while.
- How accessible it is. This can often work in tandem with the time you have available. If it is very off the beaten path and it takes a few days to get there, you want to make sure that you have enough time to enjoy it.
Research: Buy a guidebook and read blogs
Before making a final decision, read more about it. Make sure that it really does fit your budget and schedule and that it is what you thought it would be. If you know what to expect in advance, then you won’t be disappointed when you get there.
I use Lonely Planet guidebooks for most places. You can buy them from links on my Essential Packing List here.
Find flights and accommodations
Check out my Resources page to see the resources I use to book flights. Skyscanner, Momondo and JetRadar are three websites that search thousands of flights, including budget airlines and I have found consistently discover the cheapest flights.
For more information on types of accommodations available, how to choose the best hotel and accommodation guides and reviews, visit my main Accommodations Guides page.
I usually book accommodations through booking.com, Agoda or AirBnB, and read TripAdvisor or blogs for reviews first. You can find links to these on my Resources page. Using these links to book is one way to support my website.
Confirm that your flights and accommodations are all available before booking anything. If they aren’t, you will either need to tweak your dates, or find alternatives.
If you have frequent flyer points and want to use them, you will often need to book many months in advance. Some special places like popular national parks also book out months in advance. Check when reservations open and when they typically book out.
Book flights and accommodations
When you have confirmed that your flights and preferred hotels are available, book them. I always reserve them at the same time, so that I don’t miss out. Most everything else you can book later, unless, of course, you are planning a specialty vacation around a specific activity like diving. If that’s the case, check that that is available too and book it at the same time.
Buy travel insurance
As soon as you have paid money for something, you should buy travel insurance immediately, because it usually includes coverage for emergency cancellation. The amount that you pay depends on how long you will be away, not how far in advance of your trip that you book, so purchase it as soon as you book.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:
If you have any questions about travel insurance, be sure to read my Complete Guide to Travel Insurance, which should answer your questions. (If not, drop me a line and ask away.)
Make an itinerary
Based on your research and interests, make a list and rough itinerary for the things you want to see and do.
I start a spreadsheet by creating a calendar with the days of my trip and then start filling them in with various activities and sights, clumping them together into days, usually based on location and availability. This is always just a rough idea of what I can do each day, and things often get changed, but I find it helpful to have an idea of what areas and thing work together.
Make a note of opening and closing times/ days of museums, etc. Add in flight and hotel details, including ticket and voucher numbers.
I keep this in Google Drive or Dropbox. This way, even if I lose a printed version, I can access it easily. It also means that I can share with whoever I am traveling with and we can all update is as we add in details.
Book activities and tours
Book your activities and experiences. I love taking food tours, cooking classes, workshops and other cultural experiences.
My go-to companies are Viator and Get Your Guide, and Klook for some Asian experiences. Check them out for your destination by clicking on them on my Resources page.
Record the details of booked activities on your itinerary calendar.
Book rental car, train tickets and/ or bus tickets
Unless you are staying in one place or playing it by ear when you are away, you will want to book your transportation in advance too. When I spent months backpacking around at a time, I would buy transportation tickets as I went, but now that I have two-week vacations, I like to make sure everything is available and that I don’t waste time lining up for tickets while I am on vacation.
Check out my Resources page for links to rentalcars.com, which searches all of the major rental car companies for the best deals and Omio (for European trains) and GoToBus.com (for bus travel in the U.S
Print confirmations for flights, hotels, activities and tours and ground transportation and put in an organizer
You can do this later, but I like to do this as I book everything and keep it all together. I buy an organizer for each trip I take to keep everything together. I then keep paper memorabilia in it throughout the trip (tickets, flyers, etc.) as souvenirs.
Check out my Essential Packing List for suggestions.
Add calendar reminders
If there are some things that you can’t book yet, add a reminder to your (paper, Outlook or phone) calendar when the booking dates open. Mark dates from this list so that you don’t forget to do something.
Download 2-page summary Trip Planning and Preparation Checklist
3 MONTHS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
Make arrangements for your pets
You can arrange a pet sitter to come to your house / apartment. You pet will be in a familiar environment and the sitter can also collect your mail and water your plants, but you do need to trust them with keys to your place.
Other possible arrangements include boarding your pet with a neighbor or friend; having a friend or family member stay in your house/ apartment while you are away; and boarding your pet(s) with your vet or a pet hotel/ kennel.
Make arrangements for your plants and mail
Ask someone to visit your place once a week to collect mail, water plants, etc. You can also have your mail held by the post office if that is easier.
Check visa requirements
Do this now so that you are fully aware of how long it will take to get a visa if you need one, but be aware that sometimes a visa’s duration is for the period of time from the date of issue until you enter rather than the period of time spent in the country, so make sure you don’t get it TOO soon.
NOTE: If will be transiting through a country – even if you won’t be setting foot on the soil – check whether or not you need a transit visa! I was thrown off a train at the border for not having a transit visa when all I was doing was passing through the country for two hours on a train.
Check passport expiration
Many countries require that your passport be valid for 6 months AFTER YOU GET BACK. Check. If in doubt, and your passport is not valid for that long, get a new passport!
If you will be diving, check when your last dive was
If you won’t have dived in the 12 months before the date of your new dive, you will need to do a refresher course. You can probably do this in your destination, but I prefer to do it in my home town, so that I can go straight on a real dive when I am on vacation.
Also double check that your license is sufficient for the diving you will be doing. Some dive sites are deeper than a standard license allows, and you may need to get an Advanced License. You will also need this if you plan to do any night dives.
Check if you need vaccinations
Some countries require vaccinations like Yellow Fever. Find out how far in advance you need to get them and get the shots when you need to.
Get an International Driving Permit (IDP) if you need one.
These days, an IDP is not necessary in many countries, as long as you have a valid license from your own country, but this is not always the case. If in doubt, it is better to get one.
Check your packing list
It is far too early to pack yet, of course, but you want to make sure that you have everything you need. If you check now and find that you don’t, you still have time to get it. For some trips, such as hiking, kayaking, diving or beach vacations, you may need to buy something extra. Check out my Packing Lists here for all types of vacations to make sure that you have everything you need.
You can also read product reviews here in case you need to buy something for your vacation.
Check how to get from/ to the airport
Sometimes there are easy-to-take trains or buses from the airport. Sometimes it is best to take a taxi. Sometimes you can book transfers in advance. If it is an unfamiliar city, this last option can make life very easy. Checking online is easiest. I prefer to do this far in advance to give myself time to book a transfer and so that there aren’t any last-minute surprises. You could leave this to later if you prefer though.
Check the international and exchange fees with your bank
Check with your bank about their international transaction fees for both your credit cards and your debit cards. They often differ. Check about international transaction fees and international ATM fees.
Some banks have hefty fees on international transactions, especially ATMs. If this is the case, try to limit the number of transactions you have by withdrawing larger amounts from ATMs each time. My bank charges fees for my credit card but not my debit card, so I use my Visa debit card as a credit card. Some countries like Sweden are almost completely cashless, so I made sure I always used my debit card in order to void hefty international transaction fees every time I bought a soda or a sandwich.
If your bank charges fees for both your credit and debit cards, consider opening an account at a different bank to use for international travel.
Confirm whether or not there is an ATM at the arrival airport
If you are planning to use ATMs to get cash and want to avoid having to get currency before you go, which is what I try to do, you will want to make sure that there is an ATM at the airport. You can Google the airport, though I include links to airports in my posts for this reason.
As a backup, have some cash in your own currency (if it is a major currency like the dollar, euro or sterling) so that you can exchange some cash if the ATM is broken. Or get $100 or so in the local currency just in case.
3 WEEKS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
Get currency
I usually don’t bother taking local currency with me if there is an ATM at the airport. However, if I know I will be crossing a land border, I take some currency of the country I am crossing into in case there is no ATM until the nearest town. It can also be peace of mind in case the airport ATM is broken.
If you decide to get currency, get it at least three weeks before you travel in case the bank needs to order it in for you. This can take time, depending on what the currency is.
Confirm with your pets and/ or house sitters
You made arrangements with them several months or weeks earlier, so you want to make sure that they haven’t forgotten. Send them a quick text or give them a call and check that they are still on. Clarify the exact times they will start and end looking after your pets so that there is no confusion.
1 WEEK BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
Double check you have everything you need
Start to get everything out that you need and make sure it works. Check your packing list (refer to my Essential Packing List).
2 DAYS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
Activate international roaming on your phone or get a SIM card for the area you will be
If you are planning to use your phone abroad, you should activate international roaming with your phone carrier. There are often different plans to choose from, depending on how much you are intending to use cellular service. You should always try to connect using WiFi in order to minimize cellular data usage, but having the potential to look up Google Maps, for example, is very handy. I have found with my carrier that even if I don’t activate international roaming it automatically kicks in if I use my phone overseas, but then I get the plan they chose for me.
A better option, especially if you will be away a while, is to get a local prepaid SIM card.
Put a travel notification on your credit and debit cards
Call your bank and tell them that you will be using your credit and debit cards in XX countries for XX dates.
This is so that if you use your card, the bank knows it is you. If you don’t do this, they can suspect that someone else has gotten hold of your card, so the bank blocks the card. If this happens, you will need to call the bank. This is much easier to do from home before you leave than from a foreign country.
Note that if you are crossing the international date line, make sure you give the date in your home country. I forgot this and told the bank I was on vacation from the 26th. Well, when I arrived in Australia on the 26th, it was still the 25th in the United States, so my card was not yet activated for international travel.
Clear your memory cards and charge your camera batteries
Make sure everything is ready for another few thousand vacation snaps!
Take a photo of your official documents
You should have copies of all your important travel documents including your passport and driver’s license. Just take photos with your phone and upload them to Dropbox or Google Drive and email them to yourself so you can access them from abroad if you need them.
Email yourself the phone number for your bank in case your cards are lost or stolen
Also send yourself an email (with an account you can easily access from your phone or any computer) the phone number(s) for your bank. Add it into your phone contacts too, if you will have your cell phone with you when you are away.
The bank’s phone number to call is on the back of your card, but that’s not much use if the card is lost or stolen, which is when you need the number. Having it in your phone is easiest, but if your phone is also lost or stolen, at least if you have it an email, you can access it from any computer.
THE DAY (BEFORE) YOU TRAVEL
Prepare your house/ apartment for your departure
- Empty your fridge
- Unplug electrical appliances
- Make sure the windows are all locked
- Turn off the water main
- Turn down the heat
Make sure you have essential documents and information with you
This includes:
- Passport
- Proof of insurance (can also be saved electronically)
- Valid driver’s license (and International Driver’s Permit if you need it)
- Credit and debit cards
- Cash
- Flight confirmation numbers (these days, actual tickets are rarely necessary, though check if they are needed if you are travelling on a smaller airline)
- Health or vaccination booklet if you are travelling to or from countries that need vaccinations
- Dive license and log book if you will be diving
- Contact info of your emergency contact – leave in a car in your day pack, your passports holder and your main luggage just in case.
- Guide book and book/ e-reader
- Pens
- Check my Essential Packing List for other items.
Download 2-page summary Trip Planning and Preparation Checklist
ENJOY YOUR TRIP!
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Read more posts to help you plan for your trip:
- Get help choosing accommodation here
- Learn all you need to know about travel insurance here
- Make sure you’ve packed all you need here
- Ready to book? Use these booking and buying resources
- Collection of all planning and preparation resources here
About the Author
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