Travelisms: Tips For Planning a Great Vacation

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love a good vacation. I am tired of posting my reviews on other sites, getting thousands of views and not even posting on my own…so with that being said, I will start posting here first. Here goes…

My love and I take a #baecation every year. Usually it’s to celebrate our anniversary but hey, who needs a reason to take an awesome trip with the one you love? I sure don’t. In 2016 we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary with a short trip to Jamaica. It was the hubby’s first passport stamp and first time to this beautiful island. I had been before with my girls and couldn’t wait to go back. I was excited for him to experience this beauty for himself. He enjoyed it so much he said we had to do this every year. He wasn’t playing either because as soon as we got back we started planning for the next year. Vacation withdrawals are people, hence my reason for this particular post. Ya girl is struggling LOL. On that note, moving on to a few tips that I have learned through my planning:

TO USE A TRAVEL AGENT OR NOT

This is a question that never gets old. Honestly, I have booked my travel both ways. I have used an agent on several occasions to book my trips, but I have also booked a lot of trips on my own. There are advantages to both. Booking with an agent can take the stress of worrying about searching for the best deals. An agent should do that for you. Agents should also price match. For example, say you see an amazing deal, give that info to your agent and see what they can do, because after all they are working to provide a great experience for you. Agents also have the ability to get you special perks you may not receive when booking the trip yourself. Things like, reservations for specialty restaurants, treats in your room and discounts only agents know about. Booking travel on your own can be both convenient and time consuming. I must admit that I’m a bit of a control freak when it comes to travel so I usually do all the research first then send the information to my agent. Booking travel on your own is good for those of us who like instant results. Remember that good agent will have multiple clients and may not be able to get back to you right away. Again, for my controlling side the waiting gives me anxiety due to the constant cost changes when it comes to travel. I don’t know about you but I have to make sure I am getting the best deal for my buck. Booking my own travel allows me to book the trip for the cost I see at the moment, get my confirmation and be done without all the back and forth of waiting for a response from my agent. Remember the choice is yours so do what makes you feel comfortable.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like travel surprises. I’m not talking about the free upgrades and unexpected discounts, I’m talking about the bad surprises. Don’t get me wrong, there are some things that may happen that are beyond your control, but being as prepared as possible will surly cut down the number of unexpected surprises. Some people call me an over-preparer…I’ll take that title if it will assure me that I won’t end up stranded in an unsafe part of town in a foreign country with no cell service…I’m just saying…anyway, here are a few things I do when researching upcoming trips:

1. Before booking the plane tickets and hotel, do research on the property and airline. I’m not naming any names but we all know the airlines that is notorious for delays and messing up a good vacation…let’s just say when you book with them just pray that the spirit of the Lord is with you…LOL

2. Ask around. There is nothing wrong with getting other travelers first hand experiences on a destination. Usually that person will keep it real with you and let you know the good and the bad of their trip.

3. Look up the type of attractions the destination is known for. This will help you plan your trip better and possibly save money by booking something that interests you ahead of time instead of last minute.

4. Check weather patterns. Yes I know we can never predict the weather but being prepared with the proper clothing for the destination will also save you from being uncomfortable or having to purchase items that you could have just packed from home. I found this tip very helpful for things like excursions that may require a closed shoe or bandanna to cover your face.

5. Check the currency that is accepted in the destination just in case you need to exchange the money before you leave. You can also get better exchange rates if you plan accordingly.

DON’T OVERLOAD ON EXCURSIONS

There is soooo much you can do on vacation, don’t try and do it all in one trip. One, it’s impossible and two why not give yourself a reason to come back again and again…and trust me you will want to. When we visited Jamaica in 2016 we were able to go to some of the tourist spots like Dunn’s River Falls and the Bob Marley Nine Mile Tour. Both of these are a must do when visiting Jamaica. There are several tour companies that offer these types of tour so shop around and read reviews! Be advised that when you do tours such as these you are on time constrictions, which could be bothersome if you want to be relaxed and take your time at certain attractions. The upside to group tours is that you meet a lot of new people and by the end of the tour you are basically family LOL… if you want a more relaxed, on your time experience I suggest hiring a private driver. We have done both and was equally satisfied. It just depends on what you are looking for and what your budget allows.

ENJOY

Just remember that you spent money and time getting to your destination. Make sure that if you don’t do anything else, you at least enjoy it. On our last trip to Jamaica in October we did absolutely nothing and it was fantastic! We didn’t plan any excursions although there were things we still want to see. It was one of the most relaxing vacations, we’ve ever been on and sometimes, that is all you need. It’s YOUR vacation, make it what you want but most importantly make sure you, LOVE, LAUGH and…

LIVE BLOUNT-ly