2020 was by no means an easy year for many people. From trips having to be canceled to holiday resorts closing down completely, adventuring was limited from your doorstep to the mall. This year seems to hold new promise for travel. Even if you can’t go on a trip there’s nothing stopping you from planning ahead. Keep reading for tips on how to plan for your next adventure.

Use Multiple Search And Planning Tools

Don’t stop at the first place you look. When planning your next trip and looking for accommodation and transport, compare across a range of platforms and dates to find the best fare. Make sure that you are comparing products. For example, is tax included in the price? Do you get breakfast included with your stay? Things like that.

Be Open-minded In The Early Planning Stages

Creative thinking can transform the price of your trip, as well as open up interesting detours. If you are flying to your destination, search routes into neighboring airports. This includes ones just beyond your destination. You can find cheaper flights and just a bus to your destination. If a layover will reduce the fare, take it and deliberate whether it can be transformed into a feature on the trip. For example a walking tour of a city, or going for a spa treatment in the airport itself.

If you aren’t traveling far, reconsider flying altogether. A scenic train ride between locations could heighten the adventure. By thinking creatively and consulting travel inspiration blogs, you could even decide on a trip that’s more exciting than your original idea.

Clear Paperwork Hurdles Early

Passports, visas, cash flow, and insurance are expensive and time-consuming to fix, make sure that you have all of these sorted well before you plan on leaving. Check your passport to make sure it is not expired and that it won’t expire 3- 6 months after your trip. Check if you need a visa. There is nothing worse than thinking you don’t need a visa and finding out too late that you do. Add travel alerts to your online banking to reduce the risk of spending the first day of your trip begging to get your card working. Secure travel insurance and read the fine.

If you have dietary requirements request them for your in-flight meal. Reserve your seats and make sure that everything that you can do is done at the very least a day before you depart.

Design An Itinerary

Building an itinerary is a balancing act that you should do. Making every night a one-night stay in different places requires more endurance than relaxation and can get quite exhausting. Big cities and tourist hubs should get a few nights each so that you can explore a bit better. Try to find a central hub for your activities and set up there for a few days rather than wasting time booking new accommodation every day. Don’t book the best activities for day one or long drives and connections for the last. Prepare those days for delays. Fill them with low effort activities. Use Google Maps or similar software to calculate the timing for your trips, but be aware that times can change depending on the time of day and season of the year.

Balance Planning With Spontaneity

Some people create plans in advance while others go with the flow. The best travelers do a mixture of both. The trick is knowing when and how to apply each. Read travel forums and learn from disappointed users. This helps you learn which aspects of your trip would be better planned ahead and when you can be spontaneous.

Leave A Blank At The End Of Every Itinerary

If you decide to make a compact itinerary leave a day or two open at the end of your trip. It allows you to follow recommendations from others. Adding a blank day to your itinerary can help you deal with problems that come up during your trip.

This day can be taken up by transport or health issues but acts as a useful buffer if you need to adjust plans.

Maintain Tech-free Backups

Even if you plan on staying plugged in, always prepare for connectivity issues. Your phone could overheat. Have something on paper. It’s worth it to print boarding passes and booking details.

Arrive with local currency. ATM and card issues are very common when traveling abroad.

Pack A Little For A Lot Of Situations

It’s just as important not to over-pack as it is to bring everything you’ll need. Unless going somewhere very remote, pack a little for a lot of situations. Prioritize things with multiple uses.

Allowing yourself a little breathing room in your luggage, itinerary and expectations helps you to have a much more pleasant traveling experience. Get planning!