Planning Your Dream Vacation

Going on a vacation is always look forward to by majority of people specially the little ones. And to make your vacation more memorable and hassle-free is to plan it ahead of time. And what are the factors that you should consider in planning your next vacation?! Below are some tips that might help you plan out your dream holiday getaway.

Time

Keep in mind planning a trip that is up to your standards takes time. How much time depends on your preferences, your destination, time of year you are traveling, where you are going to, and if you have booking commitment issues (I know I do!). Spring break (mid-March through mid-April), Christmas/New Years, and peak summer (mid-May through early August) to a beachy/tropical destination will need to be planned at least 5-6 months in advance. Keep a list of specific dates that you want to travel in the next year (weddings, graduations, family obligations, etc.) Record any other times you are thinking of taking a trip.

Visualize

If you already know where you are going, feel free to skip this one (but answering #1 could still be useful).
Use the following questions as a guide to figuring out what you want out of your next:

1. Close your eyes for a few moments and envision somewhere you wish you could be. What is it like?
2. Write about a place that a friend or family member has been that sparked your interest.
3. If the previous two questions were not enough to visualize your dream vacation, list down;

· 5 cities/places you want to go to

· friend recommendation of the places they’ve been to

· travel magazine suggestions

Which of these matches your idea of perfect vacation?

Budget

Let's be realistic here. I'm not a magician. I can get you where you want to go within reason. What I cannot do is get you to paradise for $100. So, let's assess your financial situation and pick a capping point on spending. List the following categories: transportation (bus, airfare, train, car), temporary dwelling, fluid spending (souvenirs, tipping, transportation, food), and excursions. Write a number for each category that represents a dollar amount you will be comfortable spending.

Choosing Your Destination

Time to choose. By now you have probably had at least a smidgeon of time to let your hopes and potential destinations marinade. You can either have a general area in mind or you may have pinpointed an exact destination. We can work with either. List your places of interest and mark two you want to start searching. Next, start perusing for vacation rentals online. Not hotels. Hotels are so 5 years ago. Vacation rentals are much more "homey." They can be rented out by owners or a company. Frequently, they are someone's first or second home, so they provide many comforts of home. All you need to bring or get is clothes, food and toiletries. (And a straightener, curling iron, blow dryer, make-up, jewelry, earplugs, sleep mask, pillows, Melatonin, and two outfits with two shoe options for each day...if you're me). Type "(your destination city or area) vacation home rentals" into Google search. For example, "hawaii vacation home rentals" This search should yield different sites that are search engines for your destination.

On most vacation rental sites, you can narrow your search by selecting your vacation dates and number of bedrooms (at the very least). Some sites such as vacation-now.com have advanced filters such as pet friendly, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, view/location, wheelchair access, pool, hot tub, fireplace, and much more). List everything you can think of that you want/need from your vacation rental to ensure your trip is well coordinated, smooth and enjoyable.