Whether you’re getting ready to board a 15 hour flight across the globe, or buckling up for a weekend getaway, chances are you’ll be joining the almost 50% of Americans who plan to travel this summer. It’s so easy to get caught up in life and then find yourself at the airport or in another city without a plan—before you know it, your vacation becomes expensive, time consuming, and stressful.
So save yourself by planning ahead with our roundup of tips and tricks to make your next trip a breeze.
If you’re Road Trippin’:
- If you’re planning a drive across the country this Summer checkout RoadTrippers. Roadtrippers is a navigational app that will help you plan stops based on where you are driving. Choose from attractions, outdoor recreation, restaurants, landmarks, and so much more! A great way to find unique attractions “off the beaten path”.
- Another great app for road travel is BringFido. Traveling this Summer and don’t want to leave behind your furry family? No problem! BringFido allows you to find dog friendly attractions, lodging, restaurants, and even events anywhere you’re traveling. You can even book straight through them to ensure a low stress travel experience.
If You’re Bound for the Skies:
- Book flights early using a booking site like Skyscanner, Google Flights, or Scott’s Cheap Flights. The more flexible you can be with your travel dates, the better deals you’ll find when booking.
- Download your airline’s app for easy access to your boarding pass, gate information, and any last minute flight notifications. Most of them also give you easy access to their in-flight entertainment and real time updates.
If You’re Heading Overseas:
- Plan your mode of local transportation—everywhere. Are you going somewhere that has a great public transport system? Will you need to rent a car? Is it a great place to ride a bike or vespa? Don’t wait until you get there—plan ahead! Find out how much each type of transportation costs and how accessible it is where you’re going. All the time you save looking for a way to get around can be spent exploring.
- Bring several forms of payment, and keep each in a separate bag or location. You can never be too careful when traveling abroad and you never know which form of payment might not be accepted. We recommend bringing debit cards, credit cards and cash—and to be extra safe, keep them stored separately.
- Always bring charging bricks, and be sure they’re fully charged before you venture out! Nothing is worse than being stuck with a dead phone in another country.
And finally, although it may be contradictory: don’t over plan! There is always a happy medium between chaos and rigid structure while traveling—if you set yourself up for success you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Sometimes the best vacations come out of days spent wandering and discovering new places. So no matter where you go or how you get there, remember that the best meals are always at restaurants you’ve never heard of, the best sights are the ones you stumble upon, and the best memories are always made when you least expect it.
Happy planning, happy trails, and happy Summer from all of us at MOD!
