7 Best Trip Planning Tips: Ultimate Guide on How to Plan Your Next Vacation

Vacation planning can be stressful and time-consuming, especially if you have no idea where to begin. Here are the 7 best Trip Planning Tips to guide you on how to plan your next vacation!

There seem to be countless places to go, with unlimited things to do and see and a plethora of places to eat. Not to mention determining the best way to get to your destination and how to get around once you arrive. Staying organized while planning a trip is a daunting task. We always start with a spreadsheet (we love using Google Sheets), making it easy to create checklists, budget calculations, and organize booking details in one place. Below is my process, breaking it down to make planning a little easier.

#1 Trip Goals and Desired Destination(s)

First, you will need to determine what your goals are for your vacation. Are you looking to relax, go on an adventure, immerse yourself in culture, or do a little of everything? If you don't already have a destination(s) in mind, this will help you determine what might be a good fit based on your goals. The beach might be a good option if you're looking to relax. Visiting a National Park may be a good fit if you want adventure. Visiting a city or a different country may be a good starting point if you are looking for culture.

#2 Timeframe & Duration

Once you pick your destination, you can narrow down when you would like to go. Consider seasonal weather changes at your destination and if there are busy times of the year for tourism. Also, research things you may want to do at your destination to ensure you have enough time. Then, you will need to determine how long you want to go. The further away you travel, the longer you may want to stay to make the travel time worth it. Keep in mind any kids' school vacations and any work time-off restrictions.

#3 Budgeting

Next, determine your budget. How much do you want to spend (or not spend) on your trip? Knowing all the potential costs will possibly help you save leading up to your vacation. Think about airfare, lodging, car rentals, public transportation, activities, food, entertainment, etc.

#4 Planning

Once you know your destination(s) and how long you are going for, you can break out a daily itinerary. We like to start by making a list of must-do items, like-to-do items, and any extra-time items. That will help you prioritize what you want to do. We also have Google Maps to pinpoint all the places of interest. That will also help determine where you want to stay. For accommodations and restaurants, you can use the same process of creating a list of all options and pricing. We also like to research restaurant reviews and the distance or walking/drive time from your accommodations to help with decision-making.

#5 Booking

Once you have your itinerary mapped out, you can start getting things booked. Start with flights (if applicable), accommodations, rental cars or other means of transportation, activities, and restaurant reservations. It is also helpful to keep all reservation numbers and addresses noted in your Google Sheet to help keep you organized while on your trip.

#6 Packing

Carry-on travel is ideal, although it takes a little more planning. You don't have to wait in the airport any longer for baggage, you don't have to pay any additional fees, and you don't have to haul large luggage around. Plus, you don't have to worry about your bags getting lost at the airport or not reaching your destination. Creating a "capsule wardrobe" to mix and match items and plan your outfits is ideal for packing and while on your trip.

#7 Trip Prep

Finally, it's time for your trip! Since you have all your plans in a Google Sheet, we suggest you download it and make it available offline on your phone so you can use it if you're going out of the country and won't have a phone plan or if you don't expect to have any internet service. Since we enjoy using Google Sheets, we download and save all our documentation and tickets offline in Google Drive, so we always have access to them. We recommend downloading your destination map(s) with location pins on Google Maps.