Planning trips can be daunting and overwhelming at times. However, I have found a few tricks that have made planning trips so easy and convenient. The most important thing I keep in mind before planning a trip is the weather and my budget. Most destinations will depend on the season I want to visit, and always keep an eye out for weather alerts in that area. For instance, I visited Boise, Idaho a year ago when the forest fires were at its highest. Because of that, I did not get the chance to see the scenic views as much due to the smoke. So keep in mind little things like this, so you can fully enjoy your trips and scenic destinations. There is a lot that can go into planning a trip, just never forget to have fun along the way.
My go-to trip planner is Road Trippers. This site provides you with so much information like points of interest, scenic spots, and much more. The one thing I love the most about Trip Planner is, they have places listed that I would have never been able to find on my own. Every State Park and big attraction is listed, and they provide information for each place, so all your trip research is done on one site.
I normally start out with plugging in my start and end point, and once you do that the map will give you directions to your destination, miles, time, and your gas expenses. Everything is broken down for you already, which saves a lot of time planning trips. Once you have your start and end point, you will be able to see popular stops within a 30 miles radius of your trip. The best way to plan out what stops and sights to see along the way. By adding a stop to your trip the map will adjust time, miles, and gas budget for you, it's so simple!
As far as accommodations, I use a few different apps to help prepare. For lodging, I use Airbnb, TX State Parks, Hostel World, and Hip Camp. All of these are usually budget friendly and I have had great success with booking a night stay. Getting around can be challenging if you do not have a vehicle, however there is usually Uber's in the areas or buses to take, both are very inexpensive. For flights, I use Hopper and google to look up flights. Hopper usually has the cheapest flights, and you can monitor them as you plan. Hopper lets you know when to buy and when to wait, so you save money!
When flying, the one expense I tried to avoid is luggage fees. Most airlines allow a carry-on and a personal bag on the plane. I do my best (not successful every time) to pack only what I need and to fit everything in the carry-on bags. This will cut costs for your departure and return flight. Purchasing lightweight items will also help for packing.
Choosing my destinations is always fun, since I literally want to visit everywhere imaginable. Currently, I am working on Texas State Parks, and then I plan to start visiting National Parks. At the very top of my list for places to visit is, Bali! I have had a dream for a very long time now to visit Bali, and I am working towards planning a trip for 2022. A trip outside the US takes a little more planning and budgeting, however it is not impossible!
Make a monthly budget just for traveling expenses and keep yourself accountable! Tell your friends and family about it and have them keep you accountable for it to. The more motivation you have, the easier it will be to achieve your dreams. Make a timeline for yourself. Write in your calendar that by a certain date you should have this amount of money saved, and by this date you want to visit a specific destination. Plan it out on paper and then make it happen. For me personally, writing it down in my planner makes it more real and my goals become reachable. Life will always have things to throw your way, just never loss sight of your goals or accountability!
I do hope that this helps you plan your next amazing destination, and please tell me all about it! Hearing everyone's trips is so motivating, and it keeps me inspired. Happy planning :)
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