TRAVEL
How a Proper Travel Itinerary Can Transform the Way You Vacation
What’s the single best way to reduce stress and enhance your overall travel experience?
It’s by having a detailed travel itinerary.
There are plenty of people who, when they travel, play it by ear. Their planning goes as far as booking flights and hotel rooms and…that’s it.
What they do day to day in their destination is in a state of flux. They may choose to do nothing one day and then do everything they can the next day. They could spend one morning visiting museums and the afternoon shopping. Their travel itinerary, if they even have one at all, is full of openings.
They may have some vague idea about the things they want to do, but they’re not planning to do any of them. They’re basically winging, vacationing by impulse. They don’t plan and go, they just go.
That’s a great way to vacation for some people. But let’s face it — it’s not for everyone. Other people like to have a bit more organization when it comes to their trips. They may or may not enjoy making travel itineraries, but you can bet their bottom dollar that they’ll have their trip planned out, sometimes to the minute.
So, what is the best way to make a travel itinerary? that you can download?
Why do you need a travel Itinerary?
First of all, is it even necessary? You’re on vacation, you want to relax and not have to worry about logistics.
Here’s the thing: if you’re traveling to a foreign country, you may be required to present an itinerary that includes when you’re going to be in the country, a hotel itinerary so they’ll know where you’re staying, and when you’re departing to go home. They may not let you in if you can’t.
Another reason is for your peace of mind. You’ll know exactly what you’re doing on that day. You’re not just chaotically hopping one from one tourist trap to the other. You’ve got a list and you’re ticking things off.
So, how do you make a good itinerary for traveling? There’s going to be a lot of research involved. You’ll have to go online, check guidebooks, and pore over user reviews.
What should your travel itinerary contain?
In order for your itinerary to be effective, it should be as detailed as possible while allowing for some flexibility. The reason you want to list down as many things as possible is to know which activities and places you want to prioritize over others. This allows you to estimate your budget and your travel time.
By having a detailed itinerary, you can also decide later on which activities to not push through with in case some better ideas come up or if you need to improvise during your trip.
Here are some things that make up a good travel itinerary:
1. Schedule of Activities
The first thing you need to do if you want to make a great itinerary is to determine the length of your stay. Are you only staying for a weekend? Or are you going to be in your destination for a fortnight? If you’re traveling somewhere with a visa, how long are you allowed to stay there?
The longer your stay, the more you can do. A shorter stay will mean not having much time to do anything, so you’ll have to be more selective of what you want to do.
Once you figure out how much time you’ve got, you’ve got to figure out how to spend that time, and not just when it comes to things to do. You need to figure out the time it’s going to take to do them.
If you want to take a bus tour and hit up some museums on the same day, how are you going to do that? Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you don’t have to make any kind of commute. Getting from Point A to Point B is still going to take a lot of time, so you’re going to have to prepare for a commute in a city that you’re unfamiliar with.
If you really want to save some money, pick the best time to travel. Some months are going to be more expensive to travel in than others. For example, summer is often when people go on vacation, especially to beaches and resorts for a variety of reasons (hot weather, kids, being out of school, popular culture). As such, beaches, resorts, and nearby attractions will jack up their prices.
Peak seasons can also affect your commutes to and from various attractions, especially if you’re taking cabs and using ride-sharing apps since more people means more competition for rides.
2. Means of travel
What you want to do is make your itinerary as comprehensive as possible to get familiar with public transportation and ride-sharing options. You may have to download an app or two. At the very least, you should know where the nearest subway stations and bus stops are relative to your hotel or rental.
Research what traffic conditions are, when rush hour is, and what the average commute time is in the city you’re in. This will help you plan your commutes to and from the various attractions. Look into whether or not your hotel offers a shuttle service or other commuting options.
Also, don’t be too ambitious when it comes to things you want to see and do in your destination. Be realistic. Seeing Attraction A may be feasible, but going to Attraction B afterward might be difficult.
For example, imagine you’re staying in Thailand. You want to visit an elephant sanctuary outside the city and go shopping in some of the high-end malls. Chances are, you’re not going to be able to do that on the same day. The elephant sanctuary is far outside the city, so you’ll have to leave before the malls open and the malls will be closed or close to closing by the time you get back.
3. Costs
Your budget is a crucial factor anytime you travel. When on your vacation, almost every single thing you do with the exception of walking will cost you money. The worst thing that can happen will be for you to run out of money midway through your trip.
A good travel itinerary will help you prevent any potential budgeting issues. Aside from your airfare, accommodation, and food, find out how much it costs to go to finance the activities in your itinerary. Find out how much ride-sharing apps and taxicabs cost, but remember that these are going to be based on distance so the final price can vary. If you’re planning on seeing certain attractions, check to see if there’s an entrance fee and if there are any discounts during non-peak hours.
Also, don’t forget to check for tolls. Rider etiquette is that passengers are generally responsible for any tolls incurred during the journey. And tips — don’t forget about tips. There are some places where tipping your drivers on top of what you’re already paying for the ride is not mandatory but is encouraged.
How to Create and Organize Your Itinerary
There are many ways to organize your itinerary. One way to do that is through a travel itinerary app. There are several online, so download one that you find most convenient. You may also find it convenient to create a travel itinerary template using Google Docs or Microsoft Word. We also recommend making your own Google Sheets itinerary template, since it is easy to organize your travel details in table format. Just make sure your itinerary contains essential information such as the activity, day and time, estimated cost, and means of transportation if necessary.
Here’s a sample itinerary of a three-day trip to Thailand. You can refer to this when making your own vacation schedule template:
Itineraries can be really helpful when you’re on vacation or any kind of trip. They can help you maximize your time at your destination. But they can also help you stay safe. It’s why cruise ships make predetermined stops at islands and ports, to refuel and resupply. It’s why bus tours make predetermined stops, because those are places that the tour companies have determined are safe for tourists.
You can find a travel itinerary template doc online to help you out if you’re not going to use a preset travel itinerary. There are plenty that you can fill out with the things you want to do, the mode of transportation to do them, and their estimated costs.
