It can be difficult to eat healthy while traveling. Skip the roadside restaurants, but instead bring your own food. Pack your cooler with fruits and vegetables, crackers, yogurt, granola bars and cheese. These things are easy to pack, and easy to eat while on the road. Do not forget the water, it will help you stay hydrated as you drive.
Ditch the fanny pack. Not only do you look the part of a tourist, a fanny pack is often easy pickings for a thief. If you crave the convenience of the fanny pack, consider getting a multi-pocket travel vest instead. These carry just as much but keep the items close to your body where they are safer.
Did you know that you can use snow to do a quick cleanup on your vehicle while you are traveling? A car wash would work better but snow works quite well in a pinch. It will remove the mud that got all over your rental vehicle when you ventured onto that back road. It also works well to get grime buildup off of your windshield in an emergency.
When you're searching online for the best deals on flights, do not go straight to the airline's web site or even to a booking site. Instead, start with one of the numerous search sites that will scan multiple airline and booking sites and find the best deal for you. You may want to make use of more than one of these sites, to make sure you do not miss out on the lowest fare.
Avoid taking ignorant risks, by thinking that it is okay to speed when on a road trip. It's not fun to get rolled over, arrested or to have to cancel or severely stall your trip, in order to pay a speeding ticket. Your trip is supposed to be fun, but you're not above the laws of the road, especially when they can endanger the lives of other people.
Check out last minute travel deals. If you have the flexibility in schedule and destination, you can save a lot of money by booking your travel at the last minute. Many hotels and airlines drastically reduce prices for dates in the near future to fill seats and rooms that will otherwise go empty.
Before embarking on an overseas vacation, check what documentation is necessary for travel to your destination. Different country pairs require different documentation, including visas. Visa requirements will also differ based on how long you plan to remain in that country. In many cases, if you travel without a visa you are attempting to enter that country illegally.
Make sure to confirm your lodging reservation before you even leave for your trip. This is especially important when using the internet to make a reservation because even though you may have requested a room by email, it is possible that the hotel or other accommodation, has not received your request.
Weighing your checked bags before you arrive at the airport can save you money and frustration. Many airlines charge an extra $ 50 or more for checked bags weighing over 50lbs. This can result in spending more money, or having to leave items behind. Put your luggage on a scale at home before you head to the airport to save yourself a headache!
As you look through reviews of hotel rooms, musicals, attractions, and airlines, pay close attention to the dates of each review before taking the contents at face value. A review written five years ago might be based on factors that may have changed in the meanime, like operating hours, main events, management, or pricing.
To save energy when traveling in hilly or mountainous areas, consider taking a taxi to the highest point in the town or area you're visiting, then walk down. This lets you see the whole town, including any mountain vistas, without having to cover too much altitude and wearing yourself out.
When traveling in remote areas by car there is not always a convenience stop at every mile marker. When you are traveling with children, in particular, this can be very problematic. Take along a sheet so you can drape it over the open doors of your vehicle to give them some semblance of privacy when you have to make that emergency pit stop on the side of the road.
Bring some extra zip top plastic bags in your luggage. They are useful for keeping wet or muddy items away from the rest of your luggage, for storage of toilets that could spring a leak, or for sitting on a dirty park bench. They take up almost no room and can save you from discomfort later.
When traveling with your pet, there are several items you need to remember to bring with you. You need to make sure your pet is always wearing a collar with your name and phone number on it. You will also need proof of vaccinations and any proper licenses. Last, but not least, you should travel with your pet's favorite toys.
Take earplugs for flights and hotel stays. With the right level of noise blocking you can eliminate the volume that carriers aircraft travel. Also sleeping in hotels in an unfamiliar location can be hit or miss as far as the outside noise level. These earplugs can be the difference in a good night's sleep or a grouchy morning.
When you plan your road trip, it is in your best interest to research any roadwork that may be happening along the way. When you do this bit of homework you can avoid potential traffic delays by having established possible detours that can get you out of the situation. Use a mobile device for current traffic updates as you approach these areas.
It is essential to join a car-rental club before traveling. While hotel loyalty programs give you various "extras" like free breakfast, car-rental clubs help you avoid long lines and eliminate endless paperwork. They also keep you from regularly getting up-sold. A car-rental club helps you avoid stress and frustration, leading to a better traveling experience.
When staying at a wedding hotel that offers a digital alarm clock, check both the time and the alarm when you first arrive. It is a common prank to pre-set the alarm to extremely early times, or to fiddle with the time displayed on the clock. Late at night when you go to bed, you may not realize your clock is 30 minutes fast or slow.
If you're staying in a hotel and you like coffee, do not use the tap water to make it. Instead, get some ice from the ice machine and put it in the coffee maker the night before to melt. The ice machines use filtered water so you'll get better tasting coffee!
If you are arriving in a new city and do not yet feel comfortable there, consider asking if your castle hotel provides an airport pickup service. This will allow you to avoid the pitfalls of baggage porters and taxi lines which trap many first time travelers. It also ensures you do not get lost in the city and go straight to your hotel.
After you decide on a travel destination, be sure to check user reviews on local hotels before you secure your reservations. Gather these from multiple sources, including magazines, websites and guidelines. Also ask the hotel to send you pictures of the type of room that you will be staying in. Doing your research will help you avoid unexpected surprises when you get to your destination.
If you are a light sleeper, a pair of earplugs can really help. Sometimes hotel walls seem tissue paper thin. A good pair of earplugs (or multiple pairs of disposable earplugs) can block out the extra noise and allow you to get a good night's sleep.
Remember to bring all necessary paperwork with you when traveling. Other than your passport and identification, it is important that you bring the name, address and phone number of the hotel in which you
are staying. Have it readily available in your handbag or or your carry bag, so you can give the taxi driver the appropriate information.
If you are traveling to the beach or staying at a hotel with a pool, pack your swimsuit in your beach bag. It can sometimes be difficult to sort through everything you have packed. To save time, pack your swimsuit, sunscreen, and anything else you might need for the beach or pool in a beach bag.
If you are staying at a hotel while traveling, be sure to figure out where all of the emergency exits are located. You never know when there might be a fire drill or even a fire. Your map reading skills are not going to be at their best when you are woken by the alarm at 4 AM, so it's better to know in advance.
You can save more money to use on your trip by comparing all prices available for all your expenses. Search online or ask friends if they know of any deals for the location you wish to travel to. You might also want to travel during the week to reduce flight and hotel prices giving you more money to spend exploring.
These ideas can easily apply to your business adventures, your special family getaway, or a romantic jaunt with your lover. If you keep these tips in mind, as you go forward with your travel plans, you will find that you will spend less time on making it happen, and more time enjoying your travels.