If you're thinking, "I need to plan my summer itinerary, but I don’t know where to start!" Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve traveled to over 28 countries in the last 8 years, and I’ve found the following 10 steps have been the most helpful in determining how and where I spend my time.
After determining where and when you will be traveling...
- Make a list of your top priorities.
If you only had 24 hours in this city, what would be your top 5-7 “musts”? This could be a museum, activity, location, etc. Have each person in your party make their top 5 lists. This is a great way to see if there is an overlap of priorities or if you need to adjust your location or time allotment to accommodate everyone’s wishes. You can start to expand beyond your top 5 depending on how long you plan to spend in that particular location.
- Put in any constraints.
This could be a time constraint (you’re only able to take vacation days on these particular dates or for a particular length of time), or a set budget (we can’t spend more than $3,500 on the entire trip), etc. Place these in now to ensure that you plan with intentionality.
- Do some research.
Look at sample itineraries of people/organizations with similar priorities to the ones you identified in #1. I like to check out several tour agencies, blogs, and YouTube channels for recommendations. They might have some great recommendations regarding additional things to do or things to avoid. Consider the season in which you're traveling as well. Some attractions may be closed at certain times of the year.
- Map it out.
Pull up a map of the city on Google maps and place pins on each of the locations of your attractions and activities. This will give you a nice visual to see where you should find a hotel and where you will spend most of your time.
- Rule of 3.
Depending on the time spent in a particular location, you might be more relaxed or rushed to get through all of your “must-do’s” before you move to the next city or country. However, I do recommend the “Rule of 3.” Plan for 3 big attractions/activities per day. These are your “must-do’s” and time consuming activities. Then, go back to the map from step 5 and begin selecting additional “like to do’s” in the area if you have extra time.
- Create your Itinerary.
I love to create a general timeline for each day and break it up into 3 tabled sections: morning, afternoon, and evening. As I add each activity into the table, I also add the closing and opening times (as applicable) or the set time of a scheduled activity. I also add a hyperlink to each activity to the tickets/booking page for any paid attraction that needs to be booked in advance. Once I have booked the attraction, I then change the color of the text and link the receipt. This way I have a clear visual of what still needs to be arranged and a record if our receipts get lost.
- Other priorities? Food? Souvenirs?
My husband and I are big foodies, so we take a lot of time selecting the restaurants we want to visit in advance of our trip to ensure we try the regional dishes and to make eating an experience itself, rather than feeling rushed or resorting to an overpriced tourist trap at the end of a long day of sightseeing. I like to look at Reddit for the “must eat” foods and restaurants in a city. I have found some great recommendations this way! I also like to look at the Google reviews of the restaurants near our hotel and near any sites that we will be near during lunch/dinner to plan accordingly. This is also an easy way to get an idea about how much you will probably spend on dining expenses. Maybe your priorities are souvenirs, hiking trails, art performances, etc. Make sure you plan for these activities that will make your trip memorable.
- Check the weather.
Check the weather as soon as you begin planning your trip, but also check it a week out and the day before your trip. You may need to make last minute adjustments to your plans or your clothing choices if a sudden rainstorm is predicted. Pack clothing that can be layered, and don’t worry about packing for every single weather scenario. Remember, you can always buy a rain poncho or gloves when you arrive.
- Share your itinerary.
Email your itinerary to your loved ones, along with your hotel contact information and dates you will be there. Then, download your itinerary and tickets to your phone and print out hard copies to keep with your passport. It's also a good idea to give your information to the Smart Traveler Emergency Program (STEP) website. This will give your general location and dates to the local embassy so if there is an emergency the local embassy will know to contact you.
Remember that even the best plans will need to be adapted. Weather, closures, sickness, etc. can all cause bumps in your itinerary, but having a plan and staying flexible will keep you in good spirits. You’re off on a grand adventure!