Planning a trip? Here are 9 Things you should keep in mind for the best weekend getaways!

Planning a trip often involves a lot of calculations, arrangements, forecasting, and preparations. This can sometimes get quite troublesome when you’re the one in charge of planning the whole trip for multiple people. It takes great skill, and knowledge to pull off a seamless trip without any issues.

 

Most of us usually fantasize about having the perfect vacations and the best weekend getaways while sitting at our desks in the office. We plan our awesome holiday in our head and never actually turn it into a reality, because of work and other responsibilities.

 

Most of us do not fully comprehend the importance of going on vacations and taking time off work. As a result, we keep putting off our vacations and holidays for the end of the year and never actually manage to go through with it. As per a study published in Harvard Business Review, taking vacations and time off work, has a significant effect on your well-being as well as job performance, well planned effectively. According to the study, people who took fewer than 10 vacation days per year only have a 34.6% probability of getting a raise or promotion within the next three years. Whereas, the people who took more than 10 days of vacation in a year, had around 65.4% probability of getting a promotion or raise, on the basis of their job performance.

 

According to a study by the US Travel Association, a total of 768 Million vacations were left unused in 2018 in the US alone. This huge number of PAID vacation days were left unused, out of which 236 million were forfeited completely, amounting to a total of approximately, $65.5 billion in benefits.

 

The experts at Leisure.com have deduced that a possible reason for people not using their paid vacation days is the challenges faced during the planning process of any vacation. Many people completely abandon their plans or choose to spend their money somewhere due to the obstacles they face while planning the best weekend getaways for their family and friends.

 

Also Read: Be Smart And Travel Like A Local With Europe Travel Guides

 

Leisure travel experts bring you the top 9 important things that you should keep in mind while planning a trip in order to have the best weekend getaways.

 

1.    Don’t Follow the crowd, pick a destination as per your needs

 

 

One of the most prominent reasons that impede you from having the best weekend getaways is not planning your vacation as per your own needs and following the crowd. Most people plan their vacation based on what others say, or after seeing an advertisement or article online or in a magazine. Though getting the opinion of others can be helpful to shape your ideas, however, when it comes to vacations, every individual has a different personality, and hence expects different things from their holiday.

In order to have the best weekend getaways, you should try not to blindly follow others, and plan your vacation as per your own needs. Pick a destination that appeals to you, and which would allow you to do the things you want to and have a lot of fun. Find accommodations as per your needs, be it a backpackers hostel, a homestay, couch surfing, or even a luxurious hotel. Planning a vacation is like buying clothes, it must suit your personality and serve your individual goals.

 

2.    Plan your Itinerary according to your budget

 

 

One of the most important things that you should figure out in the early stages of planning the best weekend getaways of your life, is coming up with a budget. Your trip’s budget is the most important thing that you should keep in mind, as all your other planning and arrangements depend on it. Check out finances and find out a rough number, as to what you would like to spend on this particular vacation. Keep in mind that there are always exceptions and last-minute changes, therefore you keep a buffer.

 

Once you have figured out your budget, you can then move on to planning the rest of your trip. In order to use your money in the best way possible without getting scammed or wasting it, you should make a detailed itinerary. Planning an itinerary of the locations you have to visit and the things you want to do will give you an idea of what you will have to spend and what you are to expect from your getaway.

 

Related: 9 Smart Travel Tips For Selecting The Right Accommodation

 

3.    Choose your destination depending on the best time to go

 

 

It is important that you consider certain important factors while picking out a destination for your best weekend getaways. Based on the time of vacation days you have, and your budget you will have to take some things into account in order to have successful getaways. Some important things to keep in mind are Travel time, Peak Season, Budget, Personal security, Weather conditions, availability, and now, of course, COVID-19 regulations. Only by selecting your destination with these things in mind, can you increase your chances of having the best weekend getaways.

 

4.    Don’t forget to get local Recommendations

 

 

A lot of people simply go to their destination, check into their hotels, and then move on with their holiday as per their planned itinerary. Although planning an itinerary is an important part of any trip, you can’t deny the fact that it takes away the true spirit of exploration and hinders you from discovering some amazing hidden or lesser-known attractions.

 

For this reason, it is important to spend some time talking to the locals and getting their recommendations about the best things to do, or the best places to eat at, in order to have the best weekend getaways. In my personal experience, talking to locals has taken me to some spectacular spots and locations on my travels that are not only mesmerizing but free of crowds as well.

 

5.    Prepare in advance and double-check everything

 

 

A lot can go wrong, when you’re on a vacation, from forgetting your passport, medicines, or even worse. There are many things that can go wrong, which are just out of your control, but there are still some things you can do in order to make sure that you’re well prepared. In order to have the best weekend getaways, in addition to seamless planning, you should also make sure that you’re well prepared for most of the predictable obstacles that can come your way. For example, keeping yourself physically fit, taking important medicines (especially if you’re going to high altitudes or the sea), making a checklist of all the essentials including your passport, ensuring you’ve booked your flights and hotel correctly, and getting your car serviced and checked by a mechanic. Double-checking everything before you leave and staying cautious might help you in avoiding a ‘Home Alone scenario.

 

Also Checkout: Learn Ways To Save Money While Traveling In Leisure's Way!

 

6.    Travel light and focus on essentials only

 

 

Most people stuff their luggage with unnecessary items and make it too heavy to carry. On most weekend getaways, you would only require a maximum of 2 additional pairs of clothing, on top of what you’re wearing on your body. In addition to that, there are only the essentials that you must carry with you on your vacation. Traveling light is the key to having the best weekend getaways. Try to find clothes that are lighter in weight, carry the essentials and pack your luggage efficiently in order to save the maximum space for souvenirs and any other shopping you might indulge yourself in on your vacation.  There are plenty of travel tips and tricks related to packing available on our website.

 

7.    Don’t be too frenzied

 

 

One of the biggest mistakes you can do to better yourself from having the best weekend getaways is to stuff up too many items and things to do, on your vacation itinerary. Vacations are supposed to be all about, taking the load off, relaxing stress-free and having a good time. You can’t possibly have to do all that if you’re too busy constantly checking your clock, and thinking about the next place to be at. One important motto that I stand by during my trips is, ‘No matter how hard you try, there will always be some things that you’ll miss out on’. Therefore, there is no point in trying to see everything on your destination on one single getaway. Try to pick the most enticing activities and spots for you to visit in your itinerary on your holiday without having to constantly be on the road, or running around from one place to another.

 

8.    Find a travel buddy or go with a group

 

 

The most common reason for postponing your vacation days given by people is not having someone to go with. A lot of people do not go on vacation simply because they can’t find anyone who would want to go with them. But that shouldn’t stop you from having the best weekend getaways of your life. There are plenty of ways to remedy this problem, such as going on a solo trip and having a great time with yourself, or finding a travel buddy from your list of friends on Facebook, or booking yourself on a leisure travel package with a bunch of strangers and fellow travelers and making friends along the way.

 

9.    Try to extend your Weekend Getaway

 

 

And lastly, no matter how much you try, once you’re on your vacation and have the best weekend getaways of your life, no amount of time, seems to be enough. However, there are only so many days you can take off from work for your vacation. Although there are still some easy ways in which you can extend your trip and make the most of your time off. Such as planning your travels and flights, in the evening, after work finishing your work. That way you can save an entire day which you would have otherwise spent on traveling. Another way of maximizing your time on your vacation is to wait for the perfect time and plan your vacation during additional holidays, such as a long weekend. This way you can use more of your vacation days, and also make the best of the weekend.

 

Related Articles:

 

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