Do you have a travel bucket list? We do! Having a bucket list helps a lot when choosing your next travel destination. You might want to travel to different places in the world and randomly choosing one might not be the best thing to do.
We recommend you to shortlist your next travel destination on the basis of your likes, limitations, preferences, budget, and the time of travel.
After putting your thoughts into consideration, and deciding your next destination, it’s time to start preparing for the trip. Now that you know where you are heading to, we want to share some basic travel tips with you. These tips should help you travel throughout the city like a pro and have a memorable experience.
So, without much ado, let’s jump on the tips below.
1. Plan your trip
Here on Home Life Abroad team, we always like to plan our larger trips and vacations ahead. Having made the homework before the travel makes everything easier and lets us enjoy the trip itself.
There are always some changes we’ll make as we go, but the most important things are always planned ahead. If you do not plan your trip, you might not find the accommodation you were hoping for, rental cars might be already all booked or you might miss visiting the sights you had heard of.
So, get rid of the hassle by ensuring that you plan your travel and do your bit for yourself and others traveling with you.
2. Get up early
This tip is more for the touristy type of trips. If you want to visit the sights and viewpoints that are open 24/7 it’s better to get up early and visit them when they are mostly deserted.
I’m sure it has happened to you before, that you are trying to get some good photos, but there are tens or even hundreds of other people trying to do the same, and in the end, nobody can get the image they were looking for.
So, it is better to sacrifice some sleep time, get up early and capture those tranquil moments without tons of tourists swarming around you.
3. Don’t waste your time shopping
If you don’t plan the trip just for it, don’t waste your time shopping. It’s ok to get a souvenir here or there or visit shops that are not present in your country but keep in mind your budget.
Nowadays, most of the products you might be interested in, are available online and some shops even offer free shipping worldwide. So if for example, you are looking for the best men’s watches or a designer purse to surprise your significant other, it’s probably better to find some deals online and purchase it there.
If you are actually on a shopping trip, go and do all the shopping your budget allows you to! 😀
4. Look for free entertainment options
Most of the big cities and sometimes also smaller ones offer free entertainment options, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you if you get involved and enjoy a free entertainment source while crossing the street.
Museums, art galleries, theater, and music gigs can all come at a steep price, or they can be seen for free if you know who to ask or where to go. Some museums offer free entries in certain days, there might be free concerts in the parks around the city. Just do some searching and find the events you are interested in. Websites like Tripadvisor can help you find some amazing events.
If you are more in a tourist mode, check out free walking tours! It’s a great way to get to know the city you are visiting. The local guides show you around the city, and usually, these tours are free, but you can leave a little tip to the guide to let them know you enjoyed their work.
5. Save money on food & drinks
When in a new location, it’s normal to want to try the local cuisine, street food, and snacks, but depending on the place, the food might be pretty expensive. We recommend you to do your homework before the trip and search for budget-friendly restaurants and cafes.
Of course, treat yourself and get the best Francesinha in Oporto, cheesecake in New York, pasta and pizza in Italy, or seafood paella in Spain, but try to find deals, coupons or other offers to stick to your travel budget.
Finding good deals might be overwhelming, but Ronnie wrote a really detailed post on 5 out-of-the-box ways to save money on your trip. I really recommend you to check it out for some amazing tips!
What are your basic travel tips?
