You might have read the title of this post and thought “are you kidding me?” Yes, today I’m talking about how to plan a trip because sometimes not knowing where to start can be a barrier to starting and if you’ve never planned a trip before, it’s nice to have a guideline! So, don’t fear, your type-A, adventure-loving, travel enthusiast is here to give you some pointers.

1. What’s your budget?
You’ll need to budget for food, transportation, hotel, activities, and souvenirs. Some cities/countries are more expensive to visit than others. Figure out your dollar amount to help you decide where to go, when to go, where to stay, and what activities to enjoy.

2. Where do you want to go?
Read travel websites like Travel + Leisure or explore Pinterest to get some ideas. Also consider doing a general search for “best bucket list trips” or ask your friends. If you’re deciding between a couple of places, think about your budget and possible activities you could do in each location.

3. When should you go?
So you’ve got your location down, now look up the best time to go based on weather and cost. For example, while it’s cheaper to go to the Caribbean during hurricane season, it’s hurricane season, which could mean rain, cancelled excursions and flight delays. Also, flying mid-week could mean cheaper flight fares.

4. How long should you go?
As long as possible! As long as your vacation days will let you! As long as your budget allows!

5. Book your flight. Book your hotel.
You usually book your flight first unless you’re unable to book certain dates at a hotel where you want to stay. Additionally, book additional connecting transportation (planes, trains, ferries, buses) if you’re visiting multiple cities or countries.

6. Make sure your documents are ready.
Passport, visa, travel insurance, and travel credit card. If you need any of these things, be sure you have enough time for them to process it for you. Read my post about things to prepare internationally for more information.

7. Plan your itinerary.
All booked? Now comes the fun part: deciding what to do. Make a list of sights and restaurants you want to visit. You can roughly plan where to go each day.

Tips to make the planning easier:
-Get started early. This will allow you to set aside travel funds, save money with earlybird tickets and keep you calm when you’re not making plans last minute.
-Quick internet searches on a location will turn up many articles. Read it all and gather the info. You may even find itineraries already laid out for you.
-Use guide books like Rick Steves or Lonely Planet. People have done the hard work for you and gathered a lot of good information. These will give you helpful hotel, restaurant, and sightseeing recommendations.
-Check my guide for efficient packing.
-All of this too much for you? Travel with type-A friends or a type-A significant other who can do all the planning for you! You could also look into cruises and group tours if you want to get your feet wet.

Have questions? Let me know!

What tips do you have for planning a trip?

The post How to Plan a Trip appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

I’m thankful to have had some fun international trips in the last couple of years. International trips take a little more planning than domestic trips because of the extra things you need to prepare for before the trip. Here are the nine must-do things I’ve realized are crucial for a successful trip.

1. Get your passport.
If you are getting a new passport, it takes about six weeks to process and arrive. Make sure you leave enough time for you to get it before your trip. When getting your passport, you have the option of getting it expedited for an additional fee, which will get the passport in your hands in 8-10 business days.

2. Get travel insurance.
Thankfully I’ve never been in a situation where I needed to use travel insurance but it’s a smart plan to have it. Travel insurance is used for emergency hospital visits, transportation to the hospital, unexpected trip cancellations, and more. You never know what can happen, so be prepared just in case so you’re not out a thousand plus dollars for an emergency. I was recommended World Nomads and I’ll be using it on my upcoming trip. The cost varies on your destination and length of stay and the website lets you see the price before the transaction.

3. Check in with your bank.
Make sure to call your bank and let them know you are going on vacation. This prevents them from freezing your credit and/or debit cards because they think there are fraudulent charges happening in an unfamiliar place. Banks usually note the exact dates and the location of your trip so they can monitor it exactly.

4. Check your phone plan.
Know your international-use abilities and adjust your contract if you will need to use your phone. Understand how to turn your phone on airplane mode so that you don’t end up with hundreds of dollars in roaming charges when you get home.

5. Charge your electronics.
You don’t want to get comfortable for your five-hour flight to find you only have eight percent battery life on your e-reader or laptop. Charge all your electronics – e-reader, laptop, phone, camera – way before you leave for your flight. Also think about getting extra batteries or an external charging device if you’ll be using it throughout the day.

6. Check the weather.
Not only is it fun if you’re going somewhere tropical and it’s freezing cold where you live, checking the weather will make you prepared for packing and knowledgeable about what to expect. For my upcoming trip, I’m also checking the surf report!

7. Check in and Confirm.
Check into your flight on time to confirm your spot. Check your hotel, car rental and transportation to confirm everything is set and ready for your arrival. This is helpful in case you forgot to book something.

8. Print out copies of important documents.
It’s good to have a copy of your documents accessible online but also have hard copies to get to them faster. Have a copy of your passport in case you lose the real thing and need to get another one at the U.S. Embassy. Have print-outs of your flight, hotel, car rental and any other confirmations. Make sure there are addresses and phone numbers for reference. Also print out an emergency contact list that includes the U.S. Embassy in the country you’re visiting, family members, and friends.

9. Share your trip itinerary.
Send your trip itinerary to a family member or friend so that they can keep tabs on your departures and arrivals for safety. If needed, make sure to check-in with your person to update him/her of any itinerary changes. If something were to happen to you, someone will have the details of where you were to contact the appropriate people for help.

What items are on your must-do list when preparing for an international trip?

The post 9 Must-Dos Before International Trips appeared first on Fearless Captivations.