People often say that planning a vacation is almost as enjoyable as embarking on the journey. However, it's often difficult to start feeling excited unless you've picked a destination of choice. Fortunately, it's not as difficult as you might expect to do that.
Consider Visiting People That You Know
One of the top ways that people save money while vacationing is by staying with people that they know. Besides the cost-cutting perks, there's a good chance you'll have a place to do laundry, and the household you're staying with could provide tips of things to do while you're in the area.
If there are some friends or relatives you haven't seen in a while, now could be the perfect time to pay them a visit. Before nailing down your plans, though, be sure to check with their schedule and make sure they have room to accommodate you. Visiting someone you know can be enjoyable for everyone involved, but it could also cause extra stress if things happen too hastily.
Pay Attention to Flight Deals and Travel Reward Points
The internet makes it extremely easy to see how far you could travel while sticking to a particular budget. Sometimes, if you're willing to take a last-minute trip and aren't picky about where you go, websites might list especially appealing deals. If you are just looking for ways to get out of town and try a new destination cheap then this is a great way to do it. There are a lot of different services that can help you monitor airfare deals but personally use Fare Deal Alert.
Another way to is to take a look at any travel-related rewards points you've accumulated. Maybe you have a credit card that gives points redeemable for flights with every dollar you spend. Or, perhaps you're part of a hotel rewards program that provides room discounts or the opportunity to upgrade your room for a lower-than-usual price. For instance, last month I burned a bunch of Marriott BonVoy points that I'd accumulated earlier that year and got a fantastic room on South Beach, Miami instead of slumming it on a cheaper hotel by the airport. All I had to pay for the hotel was taxes and a $40 resort fee!
Being aware of advantages like these could help you narrow down the options as you determine where to go on your next getaway. Always pay attention to the fine print associated with any offers, however. Some have restrictions regarding when and where you can travel.
Look For New Twists On Favorite Activities
Sure, you love going hunting in Montana each year but after five seasons it's time to switch things up. So, instead of Montana check out other destinations that might also offer the gorgeous landscapes filled with challenging game to track. Or maybe you are a hockey lover from Chicago, why not head to Phoenix for a Blackhawks game and gold getaway!
Go Somewhere That You've Seen On Instagram
We live in a social media-driven society where people are eager to share their travel snapshots with people they know by posting the media on their respective platforms. The fact that many individuals have very good cameras on their smartphones is also something that gives momentum to this trend. If you're ready to keep everyone in the loop about where you travel, consider choosing to take a vacation to at least one of the top Instagrammable locations.
No matter if you want to go to a national park or an amusement park, there are those options and others all over the United States. Think about things such as the modes of transportation available to you, your budget, and the amount of time you can travel when making your final choice about which photo-ready place or places to explore.
After you come back from your trip, it's a good idea to put all your best snapshots in a physical or online scrapbook. Then, you can relive some of the memories long after returning home.
Selecting a place for your next vacation is not always easy, and it can seem overwhelming at first. The possibilities mentioned here could help kick start your inspiration and put you into the next part of the planning phase.
Create a Game Out Of Travel And Fill In the Gaps
If you are passionate about traveling like I am then you know that planning your "next trip" is more than a one and done endeavor. Instead, look at travel as a game where you are collecting experiences. For myself, I completed my goal of visiting all 50 states a few years ago but now when I took a cruise to Alaska I'm looking for new "goals" to accomplish.
You can refine the big goal by making it more challenging or simply create a new goal. For instance, if you've visited all 50 states then make it more difficult by challenging yourself to sleep in each state. Or maybe extend it to include US territories. Alternative ideas might include visiting all the Canadian Provinces, each continent, or maybe even swimming in all the oceans of the world.
Travel should be fun but too often we get bogged down into the same patterns. So switch things up and have fun!
