How to plan a trip
Planning a trip can many times seem daunting and time-consuming. It doesn’t have to be this way. Down below you will find a step-by-step guide on how to plan a trip. Once you´re done you will be able to have the most wonderful trip of your life.
Decide where you want to go
Many people have a list of places they would like to visit and discover. Other times you dont know where you want to go, just that you want to explore a new place. If you are indecisive on where you are heading next look up airfares and see where it´s cheap to travel to during the dates you would like to travel. Search the web and see what kind of places that interest you. Are you looking for a weekend exploring a new city or looking for a beach getaway? Ask yourself these questions and try to get a grip around what kind of travel you are looking for.
Get inspiration on your destinations
There are so many sorces where you can find inspiration on destinations. My favourites are Instagram, Pinterest and blogs.
On Instagram search on the location tag to find pictures from other people at the place you intend to visit. Save the pictures you find informative and inspirational under a folder with the name of the destination.
Pinterest is another great place to find inspiration. Search on the name of the place with words like: travel guide, places to see, things to do… I would also recommend to create a folder on Pinterest where you can save all the information and inspiration you find on the destination.
I often use the internet for inspiration on destinations. I usually search on the destination and the words: travel guide, travel blog. When doing these searches I normally end up on different blogs which are dedicated to the place. Try to once again save these links in order to make your planning a whole lot easier.
Make a list of places to see and what to do
Once you’ve gathered lots of inspiration go back to your different links and folders where you’ve saved all the information and write a list of places you would like to see and things to do.
Start booking
For me personally I find it reassuring to have as much as possible booked in advanced. This makes me enjoy my trips even more as I´m not having to worry about having to book accommodation and transportation while I’m away. If I’m going to be flying to a place I make sure to book the flights first. You can find all of the websites I use when booking trips here. I tend to search on different booking sights to try and find the cheapest deals. It is possible to book a lot of things in advance through the internet such as flights, accommodation, transportation, rental cars and excursions.
Create an itinerary
I create my itineraries by first writing up the dates that I will be travelling. Before I book the trip I try to divide the amount of days I want to spend in each place. I try to puzzle the days together to make a balanced travel plan. I then write up all of the travel information on each day such as flight schedules or the name of where I’m staying. If I’m for example exploring a city during one day I´ll write down all the places I want to visit during that day. Before I head out in the city I look up where the places are located and make a route on Google maps. This is essential as you make a smart plan to avoid going back and forth to places that actually are located close to each other. In my itineraries I also list restaurants I would like to visit and if there are any activities one should do.
Bon voyage!
Once all of the research and planning is finished its time to pack your bags and just enjoy your next adventure. Print out your itinerary, bookings, visas, boarding cards etc. just in case. Bon voyage!