Since starting to write this blog and record our travel memories, I’ve been asked one question more than any other. “How do you plan such great vacations?!” Since so many people have asked, it’s time I write a guide to planning your own international trip, the Geiss way!
The following ideas are all my own and reflect my thought process and personal preferences as I embark on planning a new adventure. I’ve tried to highlight the pros and cons when applicable and make recommendations for some of my favorite helpful tips and tools. Don’t worry, I receive no benefit from pointing readers toward any given source; rather, I hope you find each of the products or tools that I reference as helpful as I have over the years. So let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Take Your Time to Plan
Planning any trip on your own takes one thing for certain: TIME. Each and every successful trip that we’ve planned has been the result of hours upon hours of thoughtful preparation. As you move through the following steps and begin your trip planning journey, do not forget to take your time. Start months in advance with your trip planning, and give yourself the freedom to change your mind. Rushing through your trip planning and decision making will not result in a well-planned getaway. Instead, if you take the time to enjoy the process, I promise you’ll enjoy the product of your hard work much more in the end!
Do Your Research
This is probably the single most important step in building a well-planned international trip itinerary. Your itinerary will come together cleanly and without error if you spend plenty of time researching your destination and all of the things to see and do there. This step is going to be the most time-consuming of all but pays dividends in the end.
Any good researcher will remind you to use multiple sources, and be sure they are reliable. (Sorry, can’t take the science background out of me.) So for me, the research phase of trip planning usually revolves around a few different elements:
Travel Guide Books: Once I’ve picked a destination for my next major trip, the first thing I do is order a travel guide book. These books are good for two main reasons: they help in the research phase and they are great to have during the vacation as a quick reference. There are tons of varieties on the market, some with very detailed descriptions and others with very little actual information. Whichever you choose, I’d recommend finding one you like and sticking with it for subsequent trips. Learning how the guide is organized and where to find the information you need can be a lengthy processes, so using the the same publisher for future trips will save you some time.
My go-to pick for a comprehensive travel guide is DK Eyewitness. These books begin with a nice history and culture section before offering several itineraries of different lengths. These can be a great place to start with your own planning. The guides are usually organized by region and give a good amount of information without becoming a bore. There are detailed architectural renderings of many major landmarks, and many include a laminated map, which has saved me on several occasions!
Travel Blogs and Vlogs: Reading travel blogs or watching vlogs is the most enjoyable way to research for an upcoming trip. I have a few favorite blogs which I’ll share below, but I often find the best information by simply using a search engine to search “(destination) travel blog”. Some blogs (like mine) are quite descriptive and lengthy while others focus more on things such as style or food. Either way, you’re bound to learn something new when reading an author’s original words.
What I love most about using travel blogs and vlogs to help me research a destination is the unique opportunities that you’ll discover. Blogs are where the information about those “Bucket List” experiences can be found and where you’ll read about experiences you never knew existed. If you’re like me and are constantly chasing views, some travel vlogs will show you how and where to capture the best sights and sounds out there. Many travel bloggers make a living from their work and, thus, take it very seriously. They’re great at interacting with locals from any culture and unlocking the best-kept secrets of where to eat, drink, and enjoy the best that the city has to offer.
My only caution about using travel blogs to aid in your planning is to be aware of paid promotions. Most blogs are great about detailing what they are paid to recommend, but sometimes you’ll see places and things recommended that the rest of your research does not support.
Some of my all-time favorite travel blogs, which I’ve used a countless number of times to help me plan great trips, include Nomadic Matt, Two Wandering Soles, and Nerd Nomads.
Travel Websites: Websites designed for travel planning and booking can also be very useful when planning a major international trip. Particularly when searching for activities and lodging, using sites such as Trip Advisor, Booking.com, Viator, and GetYourGuide.com can be very helpful. One of the best ways to learn valuable information on these sites is by reading the comments sections. For instance, I’ve requested specific hotel rooms or tour guides after reading about them repetitively in the comments section of a particular hotel or excursion. You’ll learn more about how to best use these sites in an upcoming portion of this post.
Social Media: Social Media can also be a great platform for researching a particular destination. More importantly, it can be an even better place to gain inspiration for where you’d like to travel in the future. Now, remember as I stated before, not everything you read or see is reliable, and social media is the perfect example of unreliable. Between unobtainable, altered images and paid promotion that make even the worst of meals appear appetizing, you’ve got to be cautious with how much you allow social media to impact your research and planning phase. Still, I commonly search hashtags and follow many travel accounts on my own social media and have discovered many amazing travel experiences using this avenue.
Check out the links to our social media below!
Remember to Plan for Seasons and Weather
An important part of planning any international trip is to plan for the seasons. It’s easy to forget that many places around the world experience weather conditions that are not common to us. Being aware of a destination’s predicted seasonal weather as well as any heightened risks during certain periods of the year is a must before choosing a travel destination. Similarly, temperature is an important factor to consider when planning a trip with multiple destinations. Forgetting to ensure that you can expect similar climates at each of your stops can result in a packing nightmare! Of course, weather is always unpredictable, but you should do your best to learn what the most likely seasonal expectations are.
There are a few weather-related tips to keep in mind when planning your getaway. First, very large cities are often great choices for the colder weather months. If you’re looking to travel during the winter seasons (which may be during a different time of the year on the other side of the world), consider choosing a “museum city” such as Paris or London. While these places are great time of the year, the plethora of museums, art galleries, and historical sites allow a great escape from the elements. Plus, larger cities usually have better public transportation that makes navigating them much easier in the cold.
Also, do your homework before booking trips centered around natural phenomena that, to your surprise, may be seasonally dependent. For example, the Northern Lights are not a year-round phenomena, and animal safaris depend on the seasonal migration of wildlife. These details may seem like common sense, but always double-check before making such a preventable mistake!
Keep Your Ideas Organized
There are a million different ways to organize your ideas while planning an epic vacation. My preferred method is rather simple but also very practical. As nerdy as it may sound, I use an electronic spreadsheet to keep my planning organized. From flight information to hotel reservations to day trips and adventures, everything goes into the spreadsheet in one centralized location, and each trip has a different electronic itinerary. This is also a helpful step that allows me to visualize how much time we have available on each day of the trip. It’s also a key resource that I can easily access by smartphone if I need to quickly reference a confirmation number or booking detail. Of course, the spreadsheet itinerary is not set in stone, and we often deviate from our planned course of action. But by blocking out times for each anticipated activity during the planning phase, I am forced to look into opening days and hours and am less likely to accidentally miss out on a fun experience.
Maximize Your Benefits
Whether you’re just beginning a new hobby as a world traveler or you’ve got years of experience under your belt, saving a buck is never a bad thing! Knowing how to maximize your travel benefits so that with every dollar you spend you’re managing to build toward another reward or upgrade is an art that takes time to master. Much of what we learned early on we did so via The Points Guy, so rather than rehash, I’ll just refer you to this great site for beginners. But here are just a few basic tips:
- Apply for a credit card with amazing travel perks. The best ones are detailed in the link above. Everything you buy (travel-related or not) goes on credit, thus every purchase is working toward your travel dreams. We use the Chase Sapphire Reserve and have paid for multiple International hotel stays and transatlantic flights with rewards points alone.
- Join a hotel chain rewards program, and stick with it. We prefer to avoid major hotel chains and usually opt for smaller boutique hotels, especially when abroad. But if you’re the kind who is brand loyal and prefers Western accommodations no matter where you may be, you must choose one hotel chain and stick with it. You may be surprised how quickly you can earn a free night’s stay or room upgrade.
- Use cash back websites when booking. Cash back websites such as Rakuten offer impressive opportunities for saving on booking sites such as Booking.com, Viator, and TripAdvisor. Especially when combined with a credit card offering cash back for travel purchases, you could be looking at up to 12% back in your pocket!
Use a Map to Help You Plan
This is a step that can save you a big headache and a little time during your trip. It’s so easy to get excited about all of the captivating things to see and do in any new location that you may find yourself planning one thing after another, quickly filling up your itinerary. But before you do so, whip out a handy map and get to know the destination just a little bit better. Google Maps also works great for this. Particularly in big cities, attempt to group each day’s attractions or events based on proximity to one another. By doing so, you’ll eliminate some of the time spent hustling between sites and have more time to enjoy the trip itself.
Don't Overdo the First Day
This tip is a no-brainer, but in the midst of trying to cram a lot into a limited amount of time, it can be easily overlooked. There are several reasons to make sure that your arrival day is not one filled with things to do. First, you will be tired, and you will not enjoy your time as much as if you were well-rested. Do your best to adjust your internal clock to that of your destination right away, though, so don’t spend the extra time napping! Instead, refrain from making any major plans and use the time to leisurely explore your new whereabouts. Another reason to not overdo it on the first day has become all too common with modern international travel: delays. It remains a very real possibility that your travel plans may be altered or interrupted, and you don’t want these issues to impact your thoughtfully-planned itinerary.
Start with a Walking Tour
If you’ve read any of our other blog posts, you know by now that our favorite way to start any trip is with a great walking tour. Not only will a walking tour orient you to your new temporary surroundings and teach you interesting things about the local history and culture, but it is also a great way to meet new people. It is true that not all tours or tour guides are created equal, but I’ve never regretted spending a couple of hours on a walking tour to kick off a busy itinerary.
My go-to walking tour company is SANDEMANs NEW Europe. This company provides quality tours all over Europe, and, where it does not offer tours, it has created a network of carefully vetted tours and tour guides that offer a similar experience. I have always found their guides to be not only incredibly knowledgable but also entertaining and accommodating.
If group tours are not your thing, consider a private tour by a local guide. ToursByLocals is a great place to find quality tour guides that offer a wide variety of individualized tours. You’ll often have to dig deeper into your pockets for a private tour, but at least you won’t be bothered by the slowpokes in your group that just can’t keep up!
Utilize Day Trip Options
People commonly ask if we plan our own trips, and the answer is certainly “yes”! However, we frequently use convenient tour companies and day trip options to help make the whole thing come together nicely. There are several great benefits to booking day trips, no matter what the location to or from. First, full- or half-day trips are an excellent way to get outside the city that you’re visiting easily without the hassle of planning the route on public transportation or the cost of hiring a private vehicle. They are often reasonably priced and include transportation and any entrance fees. Furthermore, day trips are an effective way to increase your “country count” in certain parts of the world by visiting a small, neighboring country and touring its main attractions within one day. Finally, these day tours, which are offered in various sizes, are a great way to meet other travelers from all across the globe who have similar interests. These trips are often long and tiring but help to ease some of the planning stress by allowing someone else to entertain you for an entire day! You’ll find many options for most travel destinations on any major travel booking website.
Use Travel Booking Websites Wisely
It is rare that I plan a trip, especially an international one, without the help of various booking websites. Early on in the planning process, I usually hop on Viator.com or Booking.com and search for the specific destination. I peruse through all the the different activity and tour offerings to help me gauge what is available, how much time I will need, and a rough cost estimate. Then, as I continue making my plans, I compare each of the different options by reading the guest reviews. I cannot emphasize enough how important this step is! By taking the time to read well-written reviews, you’ll save yourself the headache of accidentally booking with an ill-reputed travel company or one that is unlikely to deliver the experience you desire. Further, you’ll frequently find the name or details of specific guides that others have enjoyed and can request them for your booking. A great guide on a tour or day trip can truly make or break the experience, so do your homework to make sure you get the best that there is!
If reading the comments of an activity listed on a travel booking website does not give you enough information or you’re still on the fence about choosing an activity, it sometimes helps to determine the specific tourism agency offering the booking and using a search engine to find more information about it. Most experiences list an “Offered by” section where this information can be found. I then commonly utilize google.com reviews, company websites, and social media accounts linked to the tourism company to help me make my decision.
Stay in Boutique Hotels
One of the easiest ways to elevate your vacation from good to great is to be extra selective about your hotel accommodations. I’ll be the first to agree that, while on vacation, we spend very little time within the hotel. So, why does it matter where you stay, right? To me, the answer is that a great hotel choice can enrich your experience and make your trip much more memorable. But in order to do so, the hotel must be special.
Enter the boutique hotel. Boutique hotels are often small, historic, individually-owned hotels that offer an individualized experience compared to the larger, corporate-owned hotel chains around the world. While staying at a boutique hotel, you’re likely to have a room that looks unique to all the others in the hotel, a concierge desk willing to help with any needs you may have, a great location at the heart of the city, and other little touches such as great views, impressive pools and spas, and a history that helps you connect to your new surroundings.
Often these hotels are not the cheapest option, but they aren’t the most expensive, either. Particularly if booked well in advance, you can find good prices, and, because they are usually in such great locations, I think they are worth the extra price. And the money you spend is supporting a local establishment often cherished by the neighborhood in which it belongs. The owners and employees of these small hotels are usually lovely people who truly appreciate your business and wish to make your stay as comfortable and memorable as possible.
Leave Time for Spontaneity
As much as I advocate for planning well in advance and mapping out your time to make the most of it, I also recognize that some of my favorite travel memories stem from spontaneous, unplanned adventures. Give yourself at least several hours in your itinerary to return to that eclectic neighborhood that you passed but didn’t have time to explore or to check out the strip of local, artsy shops that your hotel concierge recommended. For instance, we loved walking on the City Walls of Dubrovnik so much that we did it three times during our time in the city, something we only planned to do once! The travel books and blogs will never include everything that interests you, so leave a little extra time to squeeze in the personalized extra stops.
Book (Only) a Few Dinner Reservations
Being spontaneous is also important when deciding what to eat. Whether you’re a true “foodie” or, like me, just someone who loves to eat, I’d recommend letting fate and chance guide plenty of your meal plans. We usually book one or two reservations at restaurants that come highly recommended by several people or that we’ve read about repetitively as “cannot miss” places. Otherwise, we eat at whichever restaurant we stumble by, knowing that not every choice will be a home run. We love to ask for recommendations on places to eat and have found that many of our favorite meals were actually not those “must stop” places where we booked a reservation. Instead, be it the spectacularly tender capon in Dubrovnik or the perfectly prepared Atlantic wolffish in Reykjavik, many of the most delicious meals we’ve enjoyed were from restaurants that we dropped into by happenstance.
As a reminder, if you plan to use online reviews to help select your meal stops, be sure to be thorough and don’t just count on the overall ranking. One trip I use is to filter by the low star rankings and read those comments. Many times you’ll find that poor reviews were left by less-adventurous eaters that just didn’t care for the food. Others will commonly cite slow service as a reason for a low ranking while being completely ignorant to cultural differences in the speed of the dining experience as a whole. Focus on the actual quality of the food and service when reading reviews to ensure a great experience for your meal abroad.
Think About Transportation
Transportation options can vary widely between destinations. Options include everything from local buses, trams, ferries, and subways to train and plane options to travel between countries. Ride share apps and taxis are of course popular modes of transportation as well. Take some time to explore which form of transportation you plan to use. I’d recommend visiting the website and reading about ticket options and prices as well. Many times, an all-inclusive option for public transportation is the most cost-effective and least cumbersome if planning for frequent use. Sometimes, public transit cards will also give you a discount at popular tourist attractions, making them an even more attractive option.
Also, considering your transportation plans prior to booking hotels can be helpful. If you plan to use public transportation frequently to explore a city, a hotel located near a major subway stop or bus station can save a lot of time. This can be a useful detail to consider, particularly if you are trying to decide between two great hotel options.
Be absolutely sure to plan your transportation from the airport to your hotel. When first arriving in a new city, it can be overwhelming and frustrating to realize that you haven’t considered how to get to your lodging. Most major airports will offer great train or subway options to the city center, and if you don’t have too much luggage to tote, I’d recommend this option first. Taxis are almost always available but can be quite expensive and time consuming depending on the time of the day.
Finally, be on the lookout for public transport shut-downs and service line changes. If using popular Map phone apps to help you navigate, keep in mind that these might lead you astray by suggesting routes that are out-of-service or stops that are closed for reasons such as renovation. I’ve gotten in the habit of checking a city’s public transportation website prior to our trip and reading about any planned alterations to the normal operating schedule.
Don't Do Too Much!
My final piece of travel advice is quite simple. Don’t do too much. When traveling, especially internationally, there is a very real pressure to feel the need to keep going and do more. But the truth is, in my opinion, you’ll have a much better experience if you do LESS and focus on doing things WELL. Don’t hurry from place to place trying to hit every tourist destination. Instead, follow the steps above in this post, pick those that sound the most interesting or unique to you and your experience, and take your time enjoying these things. Even if you’ll never be able to return somewhere, I think you’ll cherish the experience of really appreciating the beauty, history, and culture of each stop more than checking the box, seeing a sight, and moving on without learning a thing or enriching your life experiences. So take your time. Ask questions, take the long route, enjoy sunsets, always order dessert, and let priceless travel memories happen.
