The planning stages of a trip are both incredibly exciting and incredibly stressful. You’re trying to decide where to stay, what to do, and if you’re anything like me, you’re trying to find the most cost effective way to do it. I mean, where do you even begin?

I know that the beginning is probably the most stressful, but let me help.

Below is my Guide to Planning a Trip
*(Some of this may apply more to a longer trip, but a lot can be applied to short vacations as well!)*

1. Choose your Destination

Where have you ALWAYS wanted to go? And don’t sell yourself short. Because honestly, no where is off the table. For me it was Greece. I needed to see Greece and everything the beautiful country had to offer.

Maybe you can’t choose between 2 places, but you know that either of them would be amazing. So, flip a coin, draw out of hat, have your best friend choose for you. Either way, you know you’re trip is going to be great. Just choose.

2. Buy the Damn Ticket

I have never been the girl with a rainy day account. I don’t have an abundance of cash lying around “just in case” I need it. I’m a spender…NOT a saver. Except when it comes to traveling. If I have a destination I will save every penny I possibly can. The best advice I received from my cousin, was to just buy the ticket, and everything else will fall into place. It worked. So buy the ticket, and figure out the rest after.

I am a cheap flight fiend. I hate paying those ridiculous fares, so I will scrounge the internet everyday for hours until I find the cheapest option. There are several cheap flight websites. Lots of which compare prices and offer several departure options. I personally like CheapFlights.ca. It provides you with the cheapest option, the smartest option and the quickest option.

Another flight tip: Sign up for the emails from your favorite airlines. WestJet, AirCanada, etc, they often email out their promotions, so be the first to know by being on their mailing list!

3. Accommodations

There is no right answer here. Everyone is different, therefore, everyone travels different. Some people will stay in a 20-person bunk because it’s cheap. Others will splurge on a fancy hotel. I’m a cost effective traveler, so I would say I’m somewhere in between. I paid more money for a hotel in Barcelona cause I couldn’t stand the AirBnB we had. And then I stayed in a shitty dorm in Belfast with 5 drunk guys who were talking about me as I was ‘sleeping’. So really, there is no right answer. Book what feels right and what you can afford!

I love AirBnB for accommodations. In my many stays, I’ve only had 1 bad experience. AirBnB is now my go to whenever I travel. For those who are more budget travelers, Hostelworld is your best friend. I used Hostelworld when I was traveling solo and with a few of my friends. Never had an issue. Both AirBnB and Hostelworld have apps as well, which makes booking even easier!

4. Do Your Research

This applies to accommodations, things to do, restaurants, everything. I read all the reviews before booking a place or a tour. Try to remember that everyone’s opinions will differ, and sometimes a person will have a one-off bad experience. That being said, if the place you’re looking at has lots of bad reviews, and only 1 or 2 good reviews. I would listen to the bad reviews. I love Trip Advisor for reviews and it often has a ‘Top 10 Things to Do’ for cities.

Pinterest is also a favorite. Pinterest offers a selection of blogs you can read and these blogs will often give you ideas or tips that you can’t get on Trip Advisor. Trip Advisor and Pinterest are also apps by the way.

5. Talk to People

People love to talk about their experiences. I know that when someone asks me about my trip, my heart skips with excitement and lots of times, people will tell you about a restaurant they went to on a whim, or a tour the caught, just by chance. Those are THE BEST recommendations. There are so many experiences I never would have had if I hadn’t talked to anyone and everyone I knew who had traveled to the places I was going. I never would have went to the Magic Fountains or the Fairy Forest in Barcelona had I not talked to friends and co-workers. And I never would have climbed the Sticky Waterfalls in Chiang Mai, had my cousin not recommended it. So, if you hear people talking about traveling, even strangers on the bus, talk to them. Ask them what they loved, what they hated. I promise they won’t mind, and it will make your trip even better!

6. Your Non-Negotiables

Make yourself a Non-Negotiable list, of all the things you want to do and see at your destination. These are things that you are not willing to compromise on. Things you MUST DO. I often find this to be more important if you’re traveling with someone as opposed to solo. But either way, having a list will better help you plan out your days while you’re there.

7. Don’t Plan Out Every Single Day

If you’re anything like me (Type A Personality, Organzied, a Planner) this will be the HARDEST part! You’ll want to make sure that everything on your non-negotiable list is checked off and that you’re making the most of your time. But stop. Plan some days, but not all of them. You will meet people on your travels that will make recommendations you hadn’t heard of and you’ll want to go. Don’t be a slave to your own agenda. Be open to all opportunities.

8. Budget

Okayyyyyy, so this probably should have been mentioned earlier on in the post. Your budget is obviously very important. And that changes from person to person. I know that I should have budgeted WAY better on my trip that I did. But I’m also impulsive and, as I like to refer to it, a ‘When in Rome’ traveler. I will never say no to an incredible opportunity while traveling because I didn’t have the money. So I might not be the best person to give you advice here.

What I can recommend is doing research on the place your going. Find out the average cost of accommodations per night, the average cost of lunch and dinner and then set a number for yourself to save. I knew I needed to have a certain amount of money in my account to cover my bills for 4 months. And then I figured out how much I wanted to have in the bank when I left, based on the amount per day I wanted to spend on accommodations and a rough estimate of the amount I was willing to spend. Having a firm number in mind helped me save as well. I had a goal to reach.

9. Transportation

Getting from one place to another is always tricky, especially in a country where they don’t speak the same language. However, the train systems in Europe are FAR SUPERIOR to those we have here in Canada, specifically Edmonton. Paul and I took public transit EVERYWHERE. Not to mention, you can get anywhere in Italy and Spain on the train. It’s incredible. We even took the train from Hamburg, Germany to Copenhagen, Denmark, and the train boarded a ferry and then continued on the track once reaching Denmark. It was awesome.

I also used the Rome2Rio app A LOT. This provides you will all the possible transportation options. Plane, Train and Automobile. So you know you’re making the best choice.

10. Don’t Panic

Paul made sure I added this part. Anyways, things are likely NOT going to go as you planned. I guarantee that something will go wrong. You’ll miss a bus or a transfer, you’ll stay in a crappy hostel or AirBnB, or you’ll get sick (I got sick 3 times on my trip). But it’s okay. Don’t panic. It’s NOT the end of the world. Sure, it will cost you a bit more money to get a new ticket, or more money to find a hotel last minute, but it’s all a part of the experience.

You may also be like me and end up having a meltdown days before you leave. This is also normal. Honestly, I would be worried if you didn’t have a minor freak out. But remember why you’re going away, and I promise the day of, you’ll be riding a high like you’ve never experienced.

And, if all else fails..

11. Have Someone Else Plan the Trip for You

I get it. Some people just can’t handle the stress of planning and making decisions. If you find this to be you, you can always enlist the help of someone else. There are SO many travel companies out there that take care of all the small stuff. And you pay for everything up front. All you need to worry about is spending money.

Below are a list of my favorites!

Contiki – I booked with Contiki for my first solo adventure to Greece. To say is was incredible would be an understatement!

LBW (Life Before Work) – The name says it all. Personally, I haven’t used this company, but I know people who have an LOVED it.

Free & Easy – Another one I haven’t used personally, but a co-worker has gone on 2 trips with F&E. One to Thailand and one to Indonesia. She said both were amazing.

BusAbout – I don’t know too much about this one. But it was recommended to me at one point.

Last, but definitely not least….TALK TO ME!!!

I LOVE helping people plan their adventures and I would be over the moon if you asked for my help. Give me a budget and your destination(s) and I will plan a trip you’ll never forget!

So get planning TJ’s!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

-A ❤