Top 7 Considerations When Planning a Vacation

Are you planning a vacation and are actually “paralyzed” with information overload and all of the decisions that need to be made?
Not to worry…you’re not alone…this is a common reaction. After all, a vacation is to be a fun and enjoyable get-away-from-home experience.

These Top 7 Considerations will help you focus:

1. Your Budget – Take a realistic look at your finances and determine what you can afford to spend. Then you can start looking for destinations that fit into your budget.
2. Length of Time for Vacation – How much time can you be gone from home? Are you considering a lengthy vacation or long weekend vacations?
3. Time of Year for Vacation – Are you flexible with the time of year for your vacation or do jobs and/or school schedule’s dictate when you can go. If you travel during the shoulder* season and not during the peak travel times, that will save you money.
4. Climate and US vs. International Travel – Do you like it hot and tropical or cold and wintry? Do you want to stay in North America or travel internationally? These are both personal preferences to consider.
5. Mode of Transportation – How do you want to travel? Do you want to take a road trip or sit back and relax on a plane, train or ship?
6. Main goal of the vacation? Do you want to relax and do nothing, participate in outdoor activities, take in culture or even have a volunteer vacation? Also, consideration should be given to the interests of other members of your travel party, such as children or older family or friends.
7. Visiting Family During a Vacation – Visiting family during a trip may limit your travel, but not necessarily. For instance, you can have a stopover before or after the main part of your trip. That way everyone is happy!

Going over the Top 7 Considerations listed above and checking them off will make the vacation planning much less daunting.
*Shoulder Season – This is the travel season between peak and off-peak seasons, when fares tend to be lower. This season is usually spring and fall. When traveling to Europe it is generally April through mid-June, September, and October.
Now, get busy planning a vacation that is long, overdue! Related Post: Colorado Vacations
More info on Planning a Vacation: Travel