Our Top 10 Travel Planning Tips

TMP 84 - Top 10 Tips
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Meggan: hey everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Travel Mug Podcast. I'm Meggan, and as always, I am joined by my lovely co-host Jenn, how has your week been?

Jenn: It's been good. It has been sunny, which has not been the theme of summer 2023 in Atlantic canada.

Meggan: No, we must soak up literally every second. 'cause who knows when it will return.

Jenn: It's true.

Meggan: I know. Well, for us it's no secret obviously that we love to travel. That's why we're here. And we've been a few places so far, you know, still so much more to see. But there are folks out there, of course, including some of our listeners, I'm sure.

Who are just venturing out into the world maybe for the first time or maybe just the first few times, and that is super exciting. But I think with any trip planning, there's a lot to think about. But before we dive into that, Jenn, what was your first plane trip like? Where did you go?

Jenn: I went to Texas. I was 11, almost 12. My mom's cousin lived in Austin, so we went to Texas to visit her and we did like six Flags and schlitterbahn, which is a waterpark. We did shopping. We just kinda like generally hung out and it was really fun and I remember being, Pretty scared of flying and we flew United and I still have somewhere I think, a little pin that they gave like kids on the flights, which I'm sure they don't do that anymore, but it was really fun.

Meggan: Oh, that's cool. Kind of to like make it a special experience for you.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: Awesome. Mine, I was kind of a late bloomer with the whole travel thing. I actually went to Calgary, Alberta in the ninth grade. My sister lived there and she got married. Luckily, at the time, I didn't have to plan anything because I went with my parents, so that was really nice.

But that was literally my first plane travel. I guess I was probably around 14, so I've made up for it since then.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: But having said that, we wanted to have an episode where we share some tips and advice for new travelers. It can be overwhelming, but it doesn't really have to be. So let's dive in and Jenn, what would you say would be your first tip for some newbies?

Jenn: My first tip is that packing is so important and don't underestimate the, the importance of packing the right things. And yes, for the most part, you can buy stuff that you need when you're somewhere, depending on where you are. Like, you know, if you forget deodorant for example, you can pick that up. So don't stress too much about that.

But like if you're going hiking in Scotland, you're gonna make sure that you have comfortable hiking shoes, that you have the right clothing for the weather that you have shoes that are broken in is very important, yes. And it's gonna make your trip like a hundred times more enjoyable if you have the right gear for the right activities.

And it's also important not to overpack as well. Like I have dragged dresses around Europe that I never wore once in an entire two week trip, and it's a pain and it takes up precious space. You know, you could use for things you actually need or for some souvenirs to bring back home. So packing is really important and it should not be done like the day before you leave, even though I have done it, but I've packed many times and I'm pretty good at it now. But,

Meggan: Yeah, I'm still not very good at it. I still definitely overpack, even though I have a list. I guess my list is just too long. Yeah. I'm assuming I need to shorten the list and maybe that would be better, but yeah, I'm still working on that one myself.

Jenn: Yeah,

Meggan: so it's a great tip.

Shameless plug

Jenn: for our packing list, our master list that people can download. The link is in our bio or wherever the links are that you're watching this. So yeah, get the packing list. That'll help.

Meggan: I mean, why not? I would say, and this of course has to happen maybe before the packing of course, but plan your trip well enough in advance so that you don't become overwhelmed. Trip planning can seem like a lot especially if you're rushed.

Now, Peter and I are somewhat experienced travelers, but even I find getting a good start on the planning really alleviates stress that come from planning a really fairly sizable trip. Not every trip's gonna be big, but if that is the case so if your trip is a bit more detailed or longer in length, try to book well in advance.

And really, there's a couple of advantages to that. This is really gonna allow you to potentially get some better deals because you're booking early. You'll have lots of accommodations, flights. And car rentals to choose from. So if you're sort of beating the crowd and thinking ahead you really get some cool spots to choose from, but also you don't have to worry that there's limited supply as well.

Trip planning really should be fun. But if left to the last minute it can seem like, you know, is all this stress worth it? And, and trust us it is, but you won't feel so much the sooner you start, the stress will definitely be less. And this will give you more time as well to save money.

Jenn: Mm-hmm.

Meggan: And to pay for things that you might have had to pay for upfront, like flights as an example. So it gives you more time to either save or pay things off that you have to pay for a little early.

Jenn: Yes, that is a very good tip. So my next tip is sometimes, not all the time, sometimes paying extra to stay in the right area is worth it.

So I am guilty of picking a place that is cheaper over a convenient location, and it has been to my detriment in the past.

Meggan: Learn from our mistakes.

Jenn: And I like some cities or places that you visit are expensive and hotels can eat up a good chunk of your budget. And, but you know, staying way outside the area that you wanna be in can be a huge pain in the butt.

So when I'm faced with this situation, I usually look at the price difference between the area that, between what I, where I want to be and the area that I think maybe is a little bit more reasonably priced. And then I'll kind of check out the area. I'll see what the public transportation is like if we're using public transport or like what the driving's, like if we are renting a car and kind of seeing like how long will it take us to kind of commute around or into the area that we want to be in and ask myself, is it really worth the extra money to stay sort of more centrally where I wanna be or is it worth it to save it and commute in? So for my upcoming trip to Boston, we went the save route because the area I wanted to be in was literally double the price.

And I just, I couldn't pull that trigger for like a four day trip. So there is public transport. I hope we're gonna be okay. I guess just uh, check back here in October, and I'll let you know how it went.

Excellent,

Meggan: excellent. See, I am definitely the sort that will choose to pay more to stay close. 'cause I don't wanna have to think of the stress of the transportation.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: See to me that is stressful and everybody has their triggers or everybody has what sort of makes them feel like, okay, this will make me feel, you know, less stressed or more stressed. So that's really interesting and, but I mean, you don't wanna pay a ridiculous price either, so you really do have to measure the the things out For sure.

Jenn: Yeah, it, well, we spent all of our money on John Mayer tickets.

Meggan: John Mayer has our money, so we'll stay outside the city.

Jenn: Yeah. What's your next tip, Meggan?

Meggan: Excellent. So for me Use Google Maps. I mean, that is a huge tip. So either use it to plan travel, or download an offline map to ensure that you aren't stressed out about where you're going and how to get there.

Now, I have talked about this before on the podcast. We are currently planning an Iceland trip for 2024. Google Maps has always been invaluable to us, and I, I have to give Peter the credit here. I probably wouldn't have thought of it. But he definitely has led us down this path. And we do have a computer hooked up to our main tv, so the, it's huge, we can really, really dig into Google Maps, but. That's just ease of use. You could also, of course, do it on a desktop. Really just bring up Google Maps and it's gonna show you so much. So it allows you to see driving distances. It allows you to gauge bigger cities as their names show up more prominently as you zoom in and out.

Places you might not have heard of that aren't big city centers, but are like decent sized towns that maybe has something you'd like to see. You just don't know it. It can help you find accommodations, restaurants and attractions, and you can actually save places you wanna visit with pins or stars or whatever you choose.

Then really download that offline map and the stuff you have is saved and available to you. So we honestly never plan a, a road trip or a European trip without it. But really, understandably, Google Maps can be helpful no matter where you travel, but it is invaluable. We're, we're planning a big trip.

Jenn: Yes, and it also, you can do public transport on it as well, which I have used many times. So I love Google Maps, I love the creating a trip with like pins and stuff and kind of seeing where everything is in there. So Google Maps, is our friend.

Meggan: What do you got up next?

Jenn: Alright, so my next tip is to always check entry requirements when going to a new country or to a country that you maybe haven't been to for a while.

So, Most of the people, or many of the people that listen to our podcast are Canadians, Americans, and Australians. We love you all though.

Meggan: We do!.

Jenn: And fortunately for us, that means we can travel pretty freely without worrying about visas, but it's not always the case. And things can change. Like Australia now requires an electronic travel tra, electronic travel authorization, and you have to have it in order to board the flight.

So if you don't know about it, You are in trouble. I have had friends fly all the way Canada to south America to Ecuador, and they weren't allowed into the country because they didn't have the correct visa. They are they are Canadian citizen now, but at the time they weren't. And so their passport did not allow them to enter Ecuador without a visa.

And they got detained and sent back to Canada while the rest of their travel group went on their trip. So don't let that be you. That is no fun. Your government website, whatever nationality you are, will tell you, kind of give you a list of what countries you can go to without a visa. What, what countries require something from you.

So just do your research. I know you're tired of us saying do your research. But I mean, we have these cute notebooks that you could write in and do your research and do your research. I just, I don't wanna hear you tell me that you got turned around at a border, 'cause that mm-hmm. No fun.

Meggan: That's a sad story.

Jenn: Mm-hmm.

Meggan: I also think next year going to some European countries as well that we are going to have to pay. I think it might be like the electronic travel authorization. I think it might be 10 euros, but I do think that comes into effect in 2024. So that's something to keep in mind as well. But like you said, Jenn, things can change.

So always stay up to date before you go on your trip.

Jenn: Yes. Alright. What's up?

Meggan: Excellent. So check reviews people. A lot of people worry about booking with reputable companies. I really, as we all should or hotels. Airbnbs so much like Jenn just mentioned research reviews and feedback from other travelers to alleviate that worry. So if you're planning a trip with multiple stops, meaning multiple accommodation bookings, a way to ease the stress is to, again, book early for great selection and please ensure you refer to reviews. So Google Maps also has Google reviews. Which are actually aggregated from various places. So they're not just from one location, and that is what we're sort of trusting the most these days.

Unless of course you were using Airbnb. And then you can read the reviews right on that site. Just essentially look for an independent vendor site for reviews, because sometimes I wonder can a company's own reviews be trusted? And I mean, like, maybe they can be, but it's really good to like look in multiple places.

So as an example, we always use booking.com as they have for us, the best cancellation policies. And we were all kind of burned by the pandemic, so it really saved us. So we really go back, we're we're loyal. booking.com people and booking.com has reviews that pop up. It takes two seconds to highlight and copy the name though of the hotel that you're interested in and look elsewhere to verify it.

Put it into Google Maps, see what those reviews are also saying. So your time on the planning end is worth it for a great stay later. So again, just check reviews to be safe.

Jenn: Yes. All right, so my next tip is for after you've packed and reviewed and booked all of your places, and it is to leave plenty of time for the airport process like, so much time. So the airport is just one of those circumstances where you would rather be safe than sorry, because if you miss your flight of your own doing, you're going to have to pay for another one. And that sucks. And nobody wants to do that.

Meggan: No.

Jenn: I see so many people in travel Facebook groups recommending going to an airport like less than two hours before a flight. And it just gives me like so much anxiety that I'm like,

those people are

Meggan: not people I'm traveling with.

Jenn: Seriously people are like, how much time? Is like an hour enough and people are like, yes. And I'm like, no, it never is. Like I would never do that. You know, less than two hours. I would never do unless, unless this is the only circumstance. The Thunder Bay Airport, I have done it. Let me tell you, there's one security line, there's one room with all of the gates, and there's not that many of them. So you're pretty safe. So maybe if you live by a teeny tiny airport, it might be okay. But otherwise

Meggan: Fredericton's also similar. So like those small, maybe smaller city airports, but even, I mean, check on the size to be sure they're small.

Jenn: Yeah. So I mean, yes, you could breeze through security and check in in 10 minutes and wait at your gate. For like a long time. But you could also spend an hour or more in the security line and then be running to your gate. So like, do you wanna do that? No, I wanna go and get through and get my Starbucks and sit at my gate and watch it so that I get on the plane.

Meggan: I wanna stare at that plane until I get on it.

Jenn: That's basically where I'm at. Keep in mind also, there is cutoff times for your baggage to be dropped off as well. If you're checking a bag, it's different per airport. Toronto Pearson's cutoff time is 90 minutes before the flights. That's an hour and a half.

Meggan: Wow.

Jenn: Like you gotta be there early. Other Canadian airports are around 60 minutes, so just mm-hmm. Don't, don't leave it. I actually was curious About the Orlando airport and what they recommend, and they say three hours blanket three hours. And I agree. I have waited in a really long security line there almost every time that I've flown through MCO and it's just, we have Nexus on for our next trip. So it'll be interesting to see what the difference is. But yeah, it's I've always waited and we've actually gone four hours ahead because it's an international flight. When we've tra traveled home from Orlando to Halifax, so I know it sucks to be at the airport two to three hours before your flight, especially if your flight's at like 5:00 AM But like, these are the sacrifices we have to make. So go to Starbucks, get your coffee and stare at your gate until you get on the plane.

Meggan: I couldn't agree with this more like, like I, I love it. And Peter hates the airport with the fire of a thousand suns. And he still is up for going early. Oh, he's like, yep, let's go. Let's do it. And I'm like, oh, thank God. I know you hate it. So I feel like it is definitely a sacrifice he's making. But I also think he realizes you can't predict what happens. And I think I might've mentioned this before in the podcast, we were going to Cuba once, we got to the airport, the cab had dropped us off. He forgot his passport. And so we had to get in a cab and come home and go back to the airport, and if we had not left super early, we probably would've missed our flight.

But we had built in time and we were able to do it. So you just never know. I mean, we're lucky to live close to the airport, so that might not be all people, but still.

Jenn: Still. Yeah. Yeah. Bonus tip. Always make sure you have your passport if you're gonna need it.

Meggan: Oh, I like tape it to his at this point, actually, he gives it to me now I'm the holder of the passports.

Jenn: I'm also-

Meggan: that shant happen again.

Jenn: Yeah. Of, of course, we're the holders of the passports that makes

Meggan: Yes, of course, of course. So my next tip, if everything we've said has been a little much for you already, I think this is a really good tip for you then and, and no shame in this game at all. Use a travel agent if you feel overwhelmed or you need great advice. So as I mentioned already, trip planning can be stressful, especially if your plans involve several places, several stops. But even knowing let's say as an example, what resort in Mexico you should choose as a first time traveler can be a big decision.

So therefore, why not let an expert take that weight off your shoulders? And that's what they're there for. Travel agents or advisors are experts. They might have even been to the resort you're looking to go to, and if not, they can do the research for you or along with you. So imagine also as a first time traveler that your flights get canceled.

Let someone else handle that work of calling the airlines. And also easing your stress for you. It's also really just great to know as well that you have a resource to rely on while you're traveling. Who's there to help you if you run into some type of situation. So let's say your return flights are canceled, you're somewhere in a completely different country.

They've got your back. So if this is your first big trip, it really can help you have confidence, maybe even for the next time to do it yourself. Because you've had that guidance, you sort of understand a bit better on what to do, but why not start out with an expert sort of guidance, really enjoy the experience and learn some stuff along the way that you can then use in the future for yourself.

Jenn: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. I just booked. Our Disney trip for February, and we used a travel agent, even though I have in the past booked my own Disney trips and I didn't use a travel agent last time, and then I had to call Disney to change something and sit on the phone, and Disney doesn't have a one 800 number, so when you're calling from Canada you have to pay for it.

I know. Ridiculous, but that's not the point. The point is this time I use a travel agent, so if I need to change something, Michelle changes it and I don't have to worry about it. I just email Michelle.

Meggan: I love that for you.

Jenn: I do too. Yes. Yes. So my,

Meggan: alright, what's your last tip, jenn?

Jenn: My last tip is to not sweat the small stuff, which is kind of just like general life advice as well. But it is like life changing and I have had to mindset shift myself out of sweating the small stuff because I used to a lot. Just know like things will go wrong. You will have to change things on the fly. It's not gonna be perfect, and that's okay, but it's also okay to be disappointed or sad as well if something goes wrong or you have to change something or you miss something that's okay. But yeah, don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy it.

Meggan: Yeah, I agree. You and I are also recovering, I think from some of the same mindset changes, and my last tip actually goes along really well with sort of what you just mentioned as well, so you don't wanna sweat the small stuff, but also when you are on your trip, don't over plan every minute.

It's hard to realize that you can't see everything, but it is true. And it is a vacation. So ensure amongst the go, go, go that you find some time to relax and unwind. And we all know that going somewhere new is so exciting. And going to maybe even a few countries in one trip could be the thrill of a lifetime with like, So much to see and do, and honestly, anywhere in the world with most towns and cities, there's always gonna be something to see, something to explore or experience.

However, from our own past experiences, I think Jenn and I are both confident in saying, give yourself some downtime and also time to just roam and explore where you are haphazardly. Like if you do, you can find things to explore you might not have had on your itinerary already. Peter and I love some downtime.

It is vacation, but whether we use that honestly to have a nap if we're exhausted or whether we use that just walking around and poking in some stores or maybe once we get to our destination. And this has definitely happened. We opened Google Maps. We find something cool that's an attraction that we didn't know about.

Jenn: Mm-hmm.

Meggan: I think having a good list of must see or must do items is cool. But these are my last few things I would say. One is understanding. You might not see them all. And like you said, being okay with that. It could be sad, it might be something you really wanted to see, but there's only so much time.

And then the second thing is making, just making sure you're not booked every second. If you overplan, this can cause a lot of stress in and of itself. And you're supposed to be having fun, not just checking things off a list. So be okay to go with the flow, at least like a little bit .

Jenn: At least a little bit!

Meggan: Yeah,

Jenn: I think that is a great place to kinda wrap it up.

It's so, so true and I think Meggan and I are getting better at it, and we'll see what happens when Meggan and I planned our first trip together.

Meggan: Yeah, that should be very interesting. I cannot wait to report all those details.

Jenn: So that's all we have for today. If you're planning your first trip or maybe just your first trip in a while, we hope that you find these tips helpful.

We're all about practical advice. If you want more tips, if you haven't checked out our travel tip Tuesdays, they are bite-sized tips in usually like seven minutes or less, so you can learn stuff there. They come out every second week opposite to our full episode, like these ones you can find us on Facebook and Instagram at Travel Mug Podcast.

And on our website, travel mug podcast.com, and you can support the show on Buy me a coffee or by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and or Spotify. And until next time, we'll talk to you again soon. Bye.