Planning a Trip

How to plan your next vacation

I'm not going to sugarcoat it: planning is the most boring aspect of travel. However, the planning stages are also terribly important, because a few minutes of planning beforehand can save you hours of agony—not to mention hundreds of dollars—once you're on the road.

This the the catch-all section for pre-trip planning advice:how to find the cheapest airfare, where to sleep, what to see and do; tourist offices, guidebooks, and travel magazines; tourist seasons and festivals; what to pack (and what not to); basic phrases and health concerns; passports, pickpockets, cellphones, safety concerns, insurance questions, and more.

The trip-planning topics below are divided into seven main sections:

Getting there | Getting Around | Where to Stay | What to See
Saving Money | Planning & Preparation | Communications

GETTING THERE

10 STEPS TO CHEAPER AIRFARE

MORE ON AIR TRAVEL


TOURS & PACKAGES

CRUISES

GETTING AROUND


NO-FRILLS AIRLINES


TRAINS


CARS


BOATS, BARGES & FERRIES

WHERE TO STAY

HOTELS

ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATIONS

THE BEST HOTELS

SLEEP FOR FREE

 

SAVING MONEY


GETTING MONEY


SAVINGS TIPS


TAXES & CUSTOMS

WHAT TO DO


SIGHTSEEING


EUROPE FOR FREE

THEATERS & TICKETS

PHOTOGRAPHY

DINING

SHOPPING & TAXES

PLANNING THE TRIP


GETTING INFO

PLANNING YOUR TIME

PAPERWORK

GEAR & PACKING

HEALTH

SAFETY & CRIME

TIPS FOR NICHE GROUPS

COMMUNI-CATIONS

LANGUAGES

PHONES

THE INTERNET

MAIL

 




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This article was last updated in June 2011. All information was accurate at the time.

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Copyright © 1998–2011 by Reid Bramblett. All rights reserved.