The first attempt at planning a trip is always a bit intimidating. Where should I go? What is my budget? How does currency work? Am I getting a good deal? There is a lot of information to consider. Here, I'll lay out the basics to help outline your trip planning:
1. Lay Out a Max Spending Limit. Right off the bat, determine what price limit you are willing to spend for the entire trip. Determine if you are spending $500, $1500, or whatever amount you're interested in spending. This will help determine how to balance spending
on flights and hotels (which are planned ahead of time), and food and tours (which do not have a fixed budget). Therefore, once flights, hotels, transportation, and other up-front expenses are made, you know how much to spend (and how luxurious your vacation can be) once you're at your destination without feeling guilty about the money you're spending. The last thing you want is feeling down on your vacation out!
2. Where to Travel. Some people know exactly where they want to go before they've officially committed to a vacation. I, personally, like to cruise around Google Maps and Google Flights to determine where I'd like to visit.
First, determine if you want to have a (1) relaxing vacation (i.e., lounging on the beach while a waiter brings you free drinks), (2) adventure vacation (i.e. taking the train around Italy to see all the top sightseeing attractions), (3) nature vacation (i.e. backpacking through the fjords of Iceland), or (4) guided vacation (i.e. tour guides lead you to all the best locations). By knowing your budget and vacation type, you can limit where you'd like to travel. The next factor is determining when you'd like to travel.
3. When to Travel. In order to travel on a budget, I like to travel at the end of the tourist season or during the off season. "Tourist season" is when everybody is flocking to a vacation destination (i.e. Flying to Disneyland in Anaheim during summer). If you go to Disneyland in the summer, you'll be stuck in line for one ride for 2 hours (if you're lucky). On the other hand, if you go to Disneyland in Paris during early June (before the main summer crowd comes), you'll pay $50/ticket and wait less than 30 minutes to get on a ride, finishing the whole park in a day (with time to spare). The "off season" is when most people are working or the weather is not as warm and welcoming. For example, instead of going to Italy during the summer season (mid-June to August) when most people visit and the lines to get into attractions are exceptionally long, my boyfriend and I went to Italy in January. There, we were often in cloudy or drizzling weather, but stayed at a decently priced AirBNB just 5 minutes away from the Forum and the Colosseum. Prices are often hiked up for tourists, but cheaper during the off-season.
4. Starting to Book. You've decided on your budget, where you'd like to visit, and when. You have all of the key components to start booking your trip! Check out Part II of this blog for tips on finding cheap flight options.
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