It’s vacation time! You’re so excited to get packing ready to have the trip of a lifetime. You want to bask in the sun and spend time with those who are the most important to you. It’s time to get away from the monotony of the 9 to 5 and get some well deserved R&R!

Of course, it’s only natural that you want to make sure that this vacation is the best you’ve ever had. That requires a little bit of preparation. With that in mind, we’re here to help. Here are 30 travel tips to help you to make your vacation fantastic!

30 Travel Tips

1. Use Flight Comparison Websites

Here’s something worth pointing out that won’t remotely surprise you. While a lot of money isn’t necessarily always needed for a wonderful trip, it is certainly something that’s useful to have. You can have a lot more money for your trip if you aren’t paying through your nose for your flights. So, what can you do? Well, instead of booking the first flight that you see, you can use a flight comparison website to help you to find the best deals. You can do this for pretty much any place that you intend to visit. Make sure that you find a flight comparison website to get some sweet deals on your airline.

2. Book Flights Early To Get Cheaper Prices

Want to know a secret? If you book your flight earlier, you will be able to get much cheaper flights. You will generally find that the schedule of flights is published a year before departure, but you shouldn’t book at that point. Instead, book the flight roughly 4 to 6 months before you go as this is when you will save the most money. Now, this may not be suitable for people that like to be a little more prepared. If that sounds like you, don’t despair - you can still bag some great deals even a year in advance.

3. Book Refundable Hotel Rooms In Advance

It’s also a good idea to make sure that you are booking refundable hotel rooms way before you are actually going to be getting to your destination. As much as we would like them to, things don’t always work out. Sometimes plans have to change at the last second, so having the ability to get a refund in these situations is pretty important. There are a bunch of websites out there that will help you to find refundable hotel rooms too - it’s just a matter of looking in the right places.

4. Invest In A High Quality Backpack

It’s best that you make sure you have a high quality backpack along with you when you go on your trip. Sure, you can bring the biggest suitcase known to man, but who wants to lug a suitcase around with them all the time in their travels? Leave the suitcase in the hotel and bring a backpack with you to carry all the essentials when you’re out and about. Get a high quality one too, since you don’t want something that’s going to break when you get there. It’ll cost you a little more money to buy something high quality, but it’s worth it for something that will last for a long time. Oh, and make sure that the backpack in question is suitable for the place that you are going to be visiting.

5. Research Your Travel Destination On Instagram (And Bookmark Sights You Want To Visit)

Do yourself a favor - spend a little time on social media before you leave for your trip. Normally we wouldn’t suggest mindless scrolling, but that’s not what this is - instead, doing a little bit of research will help you to have an even better time out on your trip. Look for hashtags of the area to find some exciting hotspots that you can visit, or look on travel blogs. Make sure that you bookmark anything that interests you so that you are prepared before you go! You can also use Pinterest and other sites, of course!

You can also do your fellow travellers a favor and post all of your pictures and the locations after you have returned from your trip. That way, other people can find great places too. You may even make a friend in the process!

6. Pre-Book Tours And Activities

Some degree of flexibility is a good thing when it comes to traveling, but it’s also really important that you’re prepared for some things. Leave your schedule open in places for some spontaneous things, sure, but plan in advance for any tours and activities that you want to go on, especially if the location you are visiting is a popular tourist destination. Things like tours and activities often get booked up months in advance by other tourists just like you, so you will want to make sure that you have your spot ready to go beforehand so you don’t miss out. If you don’t book it in advance then you may not be able to do it, which can be a real disappointment on your trip.

7. Plan Your Clothing With Your Destination In Mind

Before you go on your trip, you are going to need to pack. Now, packing is one thing, but packing correctly is another kettle of fish entirely. You are going to need to make sure that you are prepared for the particular destination that you are going to be visiting. For instance, if you are going to be visiting a very warm place then it’s a bad idea to bring lots of wooly items with you. They won’t get used and they’ll just take up valuable space in your suitcase. If you’re going for a longer trip then you’ll need every inch of that space at your disposal.

Of course, there are some locations that have a lot of different climates, in which case you’ll want a more diverse suitcase. Take some warmer items, and some to keep you cool. If you’re well prepared then it means that you are less likely to get caught off guard by sudden weather changes.

8. Take Good Travel Shoes

It’s not just about what you wear on the rest of your body - what you wear on your feet matters too. It’s your feet that are going to take you from one place to the next when you’re seeing the world, so take care of them! In addition to your regular shoes, make sure that you have a good pair of travel shoes. Something comfortable and waterproof should be suitable. It’s worth looking into travel shoes for your trip before you go.

9. Pack A Small Towel

It seems pretty obvious that you should bring a towel with you on your travels. You may instinctively reach for your largest towels, but this isn’t actually the best idea. Large towels take up a whole lot of room in a backpack or a suitcase. For this reason, it’s better to bring a smaller towel. It’ll take up less space, which is especially helpful when you’re going off the beaten track to a water based attraction and you’re just taking your backpack with you. It’ll give you something to dry up with, but it won’t take up the entire space in your backpack.

10. Pack A Small Travel First Aid Kit

It’s always important to do everything you can to ensure your safety when you are traveling. One way that you can do this is to bring a first aid kit with you on your travels. You may think that this is unnecessary, but unexpected things can happen all the time. It’s best to be prepared for these moments. Some things that you should bring include medications, antiseptic cream, bandages and other essential items you would usually see in a first aid kit. It’s worth looking for kits designed specifically for travel - there are plenty of them online. This will help you out in any sticky situations.

11. Pack A Small Bag For Your Laundry

It’s a good idea to make sure that you have a little bag packed to go inside of your suitcase. This bag should be used for dirty laundry. What’s great about this idea is that it will allow you to keep your clean and your dirty laundry separate from one another. This will help you to keep everything clean and so you can keep track of the things that you have and haven’t worn. It doesn’t need to take up a lot of space in your bag either.

12. Utilize Packing Cubes

We all know how difficult it is to cram all of your stuff into a suitcase. It’s even harder to keep everything well organized in the process. In these situations, packing cubes are basically your best friends. They will allow you to make the most out of the space that you have available, and will allow you to sort your clothing into compartments so you can access individual items much more easily. Since packing cubes encourage strategic packing, you are far more likely to get more things inside of your suitcase too. It’s a win-win situation!

13. Test The Weight of Your Backpack

As we mentioned earlier, your backpack is going to be an important asset on your travels. With that being said, it’s really important that you don’t stuff it too much with different things. Overpacking is something that’s best avoided. It’s also a good idea to make sure that the weight in the backpack is reasonable and that you can carry it without too much trouble when you are walking around. If it feels too heavy, then you may need to take a couple of things out of it.

14. Don’t Overplan Your Trip

As we have already established, planning is important. It allows you to be able to do all sorts of fun things that you may not have been able to do if you hadn’t planned ahead. Instead of planning too much and cramming every single moment with activities before you even get to the destination, make sure that you leave some gaps free on your itinerary. This will allow you to enjoy some spontaneity and you may even make lifetime memories that you otherwise wouldn’t have if you hadn’t allowed yourself that time for flexibility.

15. Arrive Early To Beat The Crowds

When you’re on your vacation, it may be tempting to sleep in late for as much as possible. After all, you technically have nowhere to be and it’s all about relaxing and having fun. Well, it may still be worthwhile to wake up a little earlier than you had initially anticipated. For starters, you can get some gorgeous photos of the sunrise, and the world will not be full of people yet either. It’s perfect for those instagram photos that we talked about earlier! Secondly, it will help you to ensure that you don’t get stuck in a crowd. If you leave it until later in the day then you’ll be around a million other people with the same idea as you, making everything a little too packed. It can be frustrating to navigate the crowds, so you will likely have a much better time if you arrive earlier in order to avoid it.

16. When Sightseeing Only Take What You Need

It’s tempting to take a fully stuffed backpack with you everywhere that you go, but it’s really not necessary to do so. If you’re going out to enjoy the sights and times of the place you are visiting, then there’s no need to bring half of your closet with you. Instead, just bring a couple of essential items with you. It’ll save you having to carry around excessive amounts of weight, which will ultimately make the experience more enjoyable since you won’t feel as uncomfortable.

17. Enjoy The Local Cuisine

You can eat McDonalds pretty much anywhere on the planet. Do you know what you can’t eat anywhere though? The local cuisine of the place that you are visiting. You may be a little bit nervous about trying something new, especially if it’s entirely different from what you would normally consume, but it’s a really good idea to at least give it a try. You can then share the experience with your loved ones when you get home, and it’s certainly something that you’re going to remember!

18. Take The Time To Explore Local Activities

This is pretty similar advice to what we’ve mentioned above. Most places that you visit are going to have universally known attractions like theme parks and similar things, but only the place you are visiting is going to have the unique customs and attractions that it has. Your vacation may well be a once in a lifetime experience, so why not breathe in everything that it has to offer? You’ll have a lot of fun enjoying the local activities on offer, so embrace them!

19. Push Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut in life where you only do things that you feel comfortable with. Sometimes though, it can be a good idea to let go and try something new. There are so many fun things that you can do on vacation that may make you a little bit nervous, but it’s worth trying them for some exciting memories! Of course, with that being said, if something completely terrifies you then don’t feel like you absolutely have to do everything. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, but within a capacity that’s reasonable for you.

20. Bring A Good Camera To Capture Captivating Photos

You know what they say - a picture is worth a thousand words! That’s certainly true when it comes to travelling. When you’re traveling, you’re seeing all sorts of new things and having lots of new experiences. It’s only natural to want to capture the memories that you are making in an image permanently. Now, it’s all about taking the right photos. You don’t want to use your mom’s old flip up phone from the early 2000s to take your vacation photos. No - you’ll want a good quality camera so the images you get are pristine. Many smartphone cameras are capable of taking gorgeous images these days if you can’t get a dedicated camera, but it’s best to get a camera for the purpose. It’s an especially good idea if you’re going to make traveling into a hobby!

21. Consider Taking A GoPro

Are you planning on visiting a place with a lot of water? If you are, then it’s a good idea to bring a GoPro with you. This is a really good idea if you are going to be doing something like snorkeling or scuba diving. With a GoPro, you can view the whole sea while you’re exploring it. You can take gorgeous photos of coral reefs, of fish and more. If you’re swimming with dolphins then you can capture that memory to keep for later on! You can get some incredible underwater shots using a GoPro that you wouldn’t be able to get otherwise, since most cameras just aren’t designed to deal with water. They can cost quite a bit of money to buy, but it’s definitely worthwhile and you won’t regret it!

22. Don’t Be Afraid To Get Lost

Many of us worry about getting lost. We’ve all been accustomed to watching movies where people are traveling, attempting to navigate a map and arguing because they have gone the wrong way. It can seem like a really stressful situation. In many ways it can be stressful, but there’s also a lot of beauty in getting lost if you can change your perspective. There’s a huge benefit to getting lost that we don’t always consider. Getting lost can lead us to all new places and adventures. If you are lost then you can also get some help from locals to help you to find your way back to where you are going. In essence, getting lost can lead to a lot of spontaneity and this can be a good thing when you are traveling. Why not take the path less traveled the next time you are trying to find your way?

23. Consider Making Friends With The Locals

We’re always taught from a young age about stranger danger and to avoid talking to people we don’t know. While it’s always important to be cautious and to get out of situations that we feel uneasy about, it’s also a good idea to put the idea of stranger danger to the side for a moment when it comes to traveling. One of the greatest things about traveling is getting to know all sorts of new and wonderful people. You can learn more about the culture from people who live in the country, getting a real feel for the place that you are visiting. Don’t be afraid to say hi to some of the locals every once in a while when you are visiting a new area - you may even find yourself making new friends that will last a lifetime.

24. Always Be Mindful of Being Respectful

Your country has certain traditions, rules and customs that must be followed. The same is true of any place that you are visiting when you are traveling. Different cultures and countries have different rules that need to be followed. Sure, they may be things that you aren’t used to or they may be things that you don’t actually agree with, but you still need to respect the rules and customs. If you are visiting a country where showing a lot of skin is taboo, don’t walk around in a bikini everywhere you go. Showing a basic level of respect is key to having good travel etiquette, so make sure that you are considerate when you are visiting a new location.

25. Learn Some Words In The Local Language (And Use Google Translate To Communicate With Locals If You’re Struggling)

Let’s face it - learning a new language is difficult. Unless you’re multilingual and have been studying the language for years, there’s always a chance that you’re not going to understand some of the things that the locals are saying in the place that you are visiting. With that being said, it’s always a good idea to be prepared. With that in mind, you should brush up on some of the key phrases that you are going to need to help you to get by in the country in question. This will allow you to have some level of basic communication with the people who live there. Don’t worry if you don’t know any of the language though. Modern technology is designed for travelers, so you have all sorts of apps and websites that you can use to help you to translate things and communicate in turn. It’s just usually better to be prepared.

26. Rent A Car At Your Destination

It’s all well and good taking a taxi everywhere you go when you are on vacation, but that can get expensive really quickly. It also doesn’t offer you the level of freedom that you may want when traveling. Instead, it’s much better to rent a car if you are able to. This way you can go wherever you want whenever you want to do it. You aren’t being held back by public transport. It’ll give you freedom and it will also help you to experience the country a lot more thoroughly. You can experience driving on the local roads as if you really lived there! The best thing to do is to book a car for one day at the very least, and then you can go out and explore the world around you.

You aren’t limited to just a car either. Instead, you could actually get an RV or a campervan for your travels. This way, you can even sleep in it and make the space truly your own. It’s ideal if you want to be a little bit closer to nature when you are on your travels.

27. Carry Backup Credit Cards and Bank Cards

If you have multiple sets of debit or credit cards, now is most certainly the time to be using them. It’s a bad idea to go traveling with just one single bank card. When you’re in a different country or somewhere that you don’t know, it’s not a good idea to go with just one bank card. They can end up getting stolen, or they can go missing. If that worst case scenario happens and you only have one bank card then you’ll have no money, which is quite a frightening situation to be in when you’re in a place that you don’t know very well.

The best thing to do when you are traveling is to bring around 2 or 3 different bank cards with you to use. This can be a variety of different cards, such as a travel card, a debit and a credit card. It can be any combination you like - ultimately it’s just a smart idea to have a back up.

28. Write Down The Address of Your Hotel and Keep It With You

We would all love to have the power to remember absolutely everything, but unfortunately it’s very easy to forget things. It’s not a good idea to forget your hotel address though, especially when you’re far from home. As such, it’s a good idea to make sure that you have the address of the hotel written down. It will help you to get back home and not get lost, and you can give it to taxi drivers if you are out for the night. Since it’s not your actual address it can be harder to remember, so it’s best to be prepared and have it written down and on hand at all times.

29. Bring a Portable Phone Charger With You

You don’t want to be glued to your phone or other devices when you are out traveling. With that being said, it’s always important to ensure that you are reachable. You never know when you will need your phone for something like an emergency, or even just to get in touch with people back home to tell them how you are doing. Now, you may not always have access to a phone charger that you can plug into the wall. For that reason, it’s a good idea to have a portable charger. This will ensure that your phone doesn’t die when you are out and about.

30. Get Flexible Travel Insurance

One thing that a lot of people forget to do is to take out travel insurance. You may think that it’s an unnecessary expense, but it’s one of the most important things that you can buy for your travels. As such, make sure that you get some! In particular it’s a good idea to get flexible travel insurance if you are going to be traveling a lot. You’ll need insurance that covers lots of different countries and for a long period of time if you are going to be traveling a lot. Some policies even allow you to temporarily deactivate them when they aren’t in use.

31. Travel As Often As You Can!

Finally, one last piece of advice. Make sure that you are getting out and traveling as much as you can. You only live once, and travelling is a great way to make your life a special one full of adventure and fun. Even if it’s just a holiday to a new place once a year - get out there and see the world, experience new cultures and cuisines. Most importantly, have fun!