Our Top 15 Trip Planning Tips

Travel planning takes work! Especially if you have plans to visit multiple destinations in a single trip. Here is a list of the 15 things we do before heading to each new stop on our journey.

For years, we saved travel article clippings of places we wanted to visit. It was amazing see Cappadocia, Turkey, in person!

1. Google our planned itinerary time + location (ex: “5 days in Amsterdam”) to see what other bloggers suggest seeing and doing. If the same three or four places/activities keep showing up, we have found that they are usually popular for a reason and worth putting on the itinerary.
2. Browse the top things to do in that location as listed on TripAdvisor
3. Check out the WikiTravel page and get tips on what to see, do and how to get around
   

   Taking a boat ride through Inle Lake in Myanmar was mentioned in almost every travel blog we read about the area. We were so glad we did it!

4. Use Rome2Rio.com to look up how to get to the new destination (it will show bus, train, ferry, ride-sharing, and flight options, when available)
5. Download an offline Google map of the area to make sure we can get around once we arrive, even if we don’t have Wi-Fi. This still allows for you to navigate on foot and search for restaurants and other landmarks.
6. Alert credit card company and banks about the upcoming travel so we don’t have any money issues
   

   We researched the best beaches in Bali and were sent to this beautiful spot – Blue Point in Uluwatu

7. Register our upcoming location with the State Department (STEP) program for any travel advisory information or security alerts
8. Visit the State Department Visa requirement website to confirm if we need to secure a visa before the visit
9. Do research on common scams or tricks played on tourists visiting the area and how to avoid them. For example, Googling “Paris scam” will bring up a description of a group of men, waiting at the steps of the Sacre Coeur with “friendship bracelets.” Once a tourist accepts a bracelet, the man will demand money for the “gift.” The more informed you are about what to look out for, the more prepared you will be to visit each new place!
   

   The Aeolian Islands were an out-of-the-way UNESCO site that was well worth the trip in Sicily

10. Download the country and city guide on the Triposo app for great visitor tips
11. Browse multiple accommodation booking sites to get a sense of what it will cost to stay (Booking.com has been a favorite of ours to find great guesthouse and budget hotel options)
12. Look up Instagram hashtags to see photos of must-visit sites that keep popping up (For example, if you’re in Belgium, visit #ig_belgium or #loves_belgium to see what people are posting)
    

    The Triposo guide we downloaded for Cambodia recommended this vibrant market in Phnom Penh

13. Check to see if there are any UNESCO World Heritage sites near our destination. Even if the site isn’t right in the city where we are staying, it’s almost always worth a visit to go check it out!
14. Keep a travel binder where we can save magazine or newspaper travel clippings that inspire us. That way, when it’s time to book a trip, we can look back on things that caught our eye in the past.
15. Ask for suggestions! There is no better way to get to know a place once you arrive than to ask locals for their tips. One great tip we got was in Bali when Chris needed a haircut and we were told to “find the big tree, then go across the street” to locate the barber. Somehow, we found our way there, and $2 later, Chris had a fresh cut!

Neighborhood salon

What are your best travel planning tips? Would love to hear what others do to prepare for upcoming travel!

-The Morts