12 steps for planning an awesome trip

Planning a trip is super exciting! In fact, studies have shown that just planning something exciting and looking forward to it makes people happier than the event itself!

That’s great if you’re an experienced traveler who knows the ins and outs and the right websites to use and whatnot, but for everyone else it can be stressful. Is that a good time to go there? Is that a good time to fly in/out? Is that hotel near what I want to do? Do I need to rent a car? etc

Here is a good method to follow to create your perfect trip.

• Are you choosing the time off? or are you getting that time off because of a work or school break (i.e. long weekend, Xmas, spring break, etc)?

• If you’re choosing the world is your oyster! But it will be more challenging if you’re working around a preset schedule.

• Find out the best places to go during that time period/the time period you want to go

• Given the best places to go during that time- are you wanting to drive? fly? cruise? This will impact your choices and is usually dependent on your timeline and price point.

• Do you need a Visa to get in? This might also impact your choice if you’re going on a semi-last minute trip

• Out of what’s left- where do you want to go most? and can afford to go?
  There you go! You just chose your destination!!

• Now how long can you go for? Remember to factor in departure and arrival times might not give you much time for the location on your first and last day. Also, you probably don’t want to catch the red eye if you work in the morning (yup, made that mistake)

• And what kinds of things do you want to see there? Do there?

• Find out cost and hours and time needed for these and roughly schedule them into your time.
  Remember to factor in time to sleep, relax on a beach, stay by the pool, eat, etc

• Create a flexible but pretty good schedule of events for your trip - and book!

This is how our trips plans usually look. I’ll give you our upcoming California trip

Day 1: Work during the day- finish packing, print all tickets, drive our cat to be taken care of

Day 2: Wake up early, drive, and sleep in car just outside of San Francisco

Day 3: San Fran- park for the day, Fisherman’s Warf, Alcatraz at 12:30 (line up early), hang out in San Fran, drive just outside and sleep in car for the night

Day 4: Drive to San Diego, explore, swim in the ocean, hotel

Day 5: San Diego zoo (9-6), hotel

Day 6: San Diego safari (9-5), hotel

Day 7: Sea world (10-5), hotel

Day 8: San Diego, kayaking, explore, drive to Anaheim, hotel

Day 9: Disneyland (9-12), hotel

Day 10: Universal (9-7), hotel

Day 11: Disneyland (8-12), hotel

Day 12: California adventure (10-8) , hotel

Day 13: Disneyland (times not yet available), hotel

Day 14: Universal (10-6), hotel

Day 15: Disneyland (times not yet available), hotel

Day 16: Check out of hotel, pool day at hotel, sleep in car

Day 17: Drive home, sleep in car or drive straight

Super flexible, but still knowing what we’re doing for the day!