How To Make Your Travel Extra Special: Insider Travel Tips

April 25, 2023

Unlock the secrets to making your travels unforgettable! Learn insider travel tips and tricks to take your trip from ordinary to extraordinary with this article!

by James Deutsch, Travel Writer

Feature Photo by Haley Black on Pexels.com

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There is nothing quite as enticing as embarking on a holiday where you can relax and recharge your batteries. Travel reinvigorates and broadens the mind like little else. Discovering new destinations, learning new cultures, and indulging in new cuisines and experiences is a great way to nurture the body, mind, and soul.

However, travel also involves a lot of planning for your accommodation, transport, itineraries, and so on. Even if it’s an impromptu trip, spending a little research time can pay huge dividends and help you get the most out of your travel experience.

Here are a number of travel tips for you to plan the perfect vacation getaway this year.

1. What Kind of a Traveler Are You?

The first travel tip to consider, before you even look for travel destinations, is think about what kind of trip best appeals to you. Everyone’s different and is stimulated by different experiences.

For instance, if you’re a nature enthusiast, you’re going to want to spend as much time as possible in the rustic outdoors. Consider locations with a great deal of geographic and biological diversity. Central America, California, and the Nordics are great spots for this.

If you’re an adventurer who lives for adrenaline, you’ll want to go someplace that offers lots of sports and outdoor activities that get your heart racing (New Zealand comes to mind).

You could also be anything from a luxury lover to a foodie, an art lover, or simply a couple looking for a beach destination for a romantic getaway. In any case, thinking along these lines can help you narrow down your search for the ideal holiday destination.

2. Choose a Destination That Speaks to You

Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to start zeroing in on a place. There are a few things that should figure into this decision. Weather and the time of year are first among them. For instance, Dubai isn’t exactly ideal in the summer, nor is New England in midwinter.

On the other hand, if it’s a very popular destination, traveling there in the middle of tourist season could be a frustrating experience with the massive crowds and inflated prices. It is worth doing your research and reading sources like Travel Resorts of America reviews to find out what the best prices are so you can ensure that you are getting a good deal. Speaking with specialists who can help with finding the lowest airfares is a great way to do this.

In general, you’ll want to check that a place fits into your budget. Accommodation and transport are just part of this. Depending on the country and the kind of experiences you’re planning, you could easily be saddled with a lot of hidden costs that might make your stay less enjoyable.

Finally, think about practicalities like language and any socio-economic events in the country. With economies and supply chains struggling worldwide, you’ll want to ensure your destination is stable and ripe for enjoyment.

3. Pack Wisely

While it’s tempting to pack for every eventuality and maximize your options, it’s not always the most practical choice. Carting your luggage around airports and hotels can quickly become tiresome. Depending on the airlines you’re using, it can also be an expensive proposition.

Instead, prioritize items that you absolutely know you’re going to use. If you want to blend in, look up local fashion trends before you leave and pack accordingly. Consider doing some of your shopping once you’ve landed. If you’re missing a light jacket or all-weather boots, you could easily pick up some at your destination. Depending on where you’re traveling, it might even be cheaper.

Make sure you bring essential items like medications or toiletries that might be hard to find on the ground. If you’re planning a long, continental trip, you might want to consider paid lockers to store some of your stuff and collect on your way back, instead of carrying it with you throughout.

4. Don’t Forget Transportation

Transportation is often one of the things people neglect to prioritize or try to skimp on. This can lead to unintended consequences. Long-haul flights are rarely fun and can often cause boredom, exhaustion, and even anxiety. On the other hand, if you have a lot of connecting flights, layovers and baggage security can become a concern.

Consider splurging a little bit extra for a better airline so that you can look forward to your trip with a relaxed frame of mind. Look up airline reports and reviews and glance through any government advice if you have to. This way, you know you’re in for a safe and comfortable trip.

Check if your trip gives you air miles. If you have a bunch of them saved, treat yourself to an upgrade and travel first class; do it anyway if you’ve been looking forward to this and make your trip extra special.

5. Experiment With Accommodation

A special holiday needs a special accommodation as well. As you’re researching hotels, spend time looking through their amenities. Hotels with facilities like spas and fitness centers or ones that offer concierge services and retail partnerships can greatly improve your travel experience.

And you don’t have to limit yourself to hotels either. Take your holiday to the next level with a private villa or cottage. If they’re too highly priced, which can happen even with luxury budgets, explore timeshares or partial rentals. This is a good way to indulge in some affordable luxury and make the most of your holiday.

It’s a good idea to plan your accommodation in conjunction with your activities. If there’s something specific you absolutely want to do or experience, consider finding somewhere to live close by so that you can enjoy it without having to worry about traveling far from a city center.

6. Hunt for Unique Experiences

Once you’re there, make sure you take everything that destination has to offer. Fill up your itinerary with interesting activities and adventures.

Whether you’re there for the outdoors, the cityscapes, the museums, or the food, find interesting experiences in your niche. By all means, spend time exploring the main tourist attractions but don’t hesitate to go off the beaten path and indulge in some side trips to get a holistic view of the locale.

For instance, New Zealand is well-known for its adventure sports, but is also home to the sprawling sets of the Lord of the Rings movies, which are a delight to spend time in. Costa Rica is an ecotourism hotspot, but also offers an incredible array of wellness treatments and therapies for travelers so inclined.

Enhance your experience in ways that appeal to you, whether that’s living among the community like a local or organizing a private tour to navigate the sights.

7. Indulge Your Taste Buds

Whether or not you’re foodie, it’s practically a crime to travel somewhere new and not experience the local gastronomic delights.

Food lets you experience culture in a way that little else does. And if you don’t happen to speak the local language, sampling local cuisine is much the best way to understand more about the place and its history.

Dine out in style at some of the local restaurants or choose to discover the local street food. The more you explore, the more you give the local food a chance to surprise you. For instance, Los Angeles, California is home to some of the best Mexican food outside Mexico, and some of the best South African dishes are a product of Indian influence on the country.

It goes without saying that you should be mindful of any allergies or dietary restrictions you have. Inform your establishment of any special instructions for your food, but carry an epipen or any other precautions you deem necessary.

8. Set Aside ‘You’ Time

In the excitement of the trip, don’t forget to budget in time for yourself. The whole point of travel is to unwind and reinvigorate yourself and sometimes, that means just spending a lot of time doing nothing.

Spend a few hours at the beach working on your tan or just enjoying the sea air. Laze around by the pool or while away the time in a cafe with a book. Book yourself a massage session or a spa day and have the worries physically wrung from you.

9. Attend to the Practicalities

A big part of making travel special is getting the practicalities out of the way early on. One of the first things you should look into is local currencies and access to money. Lots of countries tend to tout that they accept American dollars, but the claim doesn’t always hold up.

Ensure your credit cards work internationally and buy some local currency once you land. You’ll also want to get decent travel insurance, both to take care of any unexpected medical emergencies and to account for misplaced luggage.

Finally, remember to have all the necessary documentation in place when you travel, whether that’s your passport, visa, item permits, or COVID forms.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, vacations are special because they’re meaningful to you. Populate your bucket list with places and activities that inspire and start crossing them off. Pamper yourself and live the experiences that will create core memories for a lifetime.

By incorporating these insider travel tips and making a little extra effort, you can take your travel experience to the next level and create unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.