When it comes to research and planning for your next trip, then it can be really fun. But because of all of your options, it can be a little overwhelming. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be overwhelming, you just need to know where to look to get the best deals or the best tips and advice on where to go and what to see. Planning can often get a little out of hand, simply because you can be dreaming and one thought could lead you onto another thought, and before you know it, your bucket list is a whole page long. So it does help to have some help when it comes to dreaming and then planning, so that things are achievable and don’t get out of hand.
So if you take a while to plan, simply because of the overwhelm or because you keep dreaming of far-off destinations, then here are some tips to help you plan, as well as some of the best places to look for advice.
Initial Thoughts
We all need to start somewhere when planning a trip. Do you want to be on a beach in Bora Bora, or off backpacking through the Alps? So it is helpful to have an idea of what you want to do, as well as the time of year. Will it be a vacation over the holidays, for instance, or will you be looking to go during the peak of summer, or perhaps just a weekend trip? Writing a few words and ideas down can help you and it can give your search more focus.
Brainstorm
Brainstorming is the fun part where you put all of your ideas together and collect your thoughts. It can just be ideas, so don’t think about costs just yet. You can spend a while collecting ideas, but here are some of the things that you can do when looking online for some inspo:
Look for ‘top ten’ lists online, as well as ‘things to do’ in the locations that you have an interest in. It can then give you some ideas and help to inspire.
Doing a Google Image search can be really important way to see what you want to do and where you want to go. You can find some real hidden gems, which can be great to then plan your trip around.
You can find a website that will help you to connect with locals to give you ideas of where to go and things to do. The people can be experienced in certain locations, so you could find things like money-saving tips.
Look for food tours that you could take in the city or place you are visiting, as that can be a great way to experience something new and enjoy the food and culture of the place.
If you are going at a certain time of year, then it is a great time to check the calendar and see what things like festivals or special events that are going on. It could be what sways your decision.
