How to Plan Your Perfect Trip - 7 Step Guide
Planning your perfect trip or vacation takes time and plenty of research. Whether you are looking to organize your next holidays, arrange your business travel or just book a hotel room, flight or car rental, you need to meticulously prepare your journey and avoid nasty surprises.
Contents at a Glance
Introduction
This world travel step-by-step guide is designed to assist you in planning your next trip or vacation by showing you the right steps to take including helpful international travel tips and advice. Each step is associated with its corresponding category that includes some of the best travel resources with web address and a short description.
Therefore, this lens is not only featuring a practical 7-step guide to trip planning but also a handpicked selection of the most popular and useful travel websites such as leading international travel agents, unbiased hotel & holiday reviews, competitive travel insurance providers and must have travel essentials.
Table of Contents
Trip Planning Steps & Corresponding Travel Resources
Step 2. Hotel & Holiday Reviews
Step 3. Travel Guides
Step 4. Travel Insurance Providers
Step 5. Travel Documents
Step 6. Must-Have Travel Essentials
Step 7. Currency Exchange
Online Travel Agents
Step 1: Take your time to explore your options before booking
Online Travel Portals are the best and the cheapest way to book your travel needs including flights, hotel rooms, vacations, cruises, holiday packages, car rental or last minute deals.
Do your research before booking! It is recommended to use several internet-based travel agencies to perform the same search and compare the latest offers and prices. You might also want to consider more alternatives: different airports, flight hours, leaving / return dates & time, budget / luxury hotels, etc. Be flexible!
Do not take a decision based only on price and availability. Check out step 2 and step 3 of this guide and when you are positive about your selection go back to your preferred choice and complete the booking.
Expedia
Find cheap airfare, hotels, car rentals, vacations and last minute cruise deals
Save up to 40% on Hotel Stays in San Francisco! - Expires 3/17/09
Travelocity
Choose Travelocity for all your travel needs. Find top destinations for hotels, vacation packages
Current promotions: Save 20% or MORE on Air Fares
Priceline
At Priceline.com
Current Travel Promotions: Save up to 50% on Hotels!
Hotwire.com
Current travel promotions: Save up to 50% on Last Minute Fares
4-star hotels at 2 star prices! Get up to 60% off retail rates!
Orbitz
Orbitz
Current Promotions:
Introducing Orbitz PRICE ASSURANCE: Get the Lowest Fare or a CASH Refund!
Lastminute.com
On lastminute.com
Current hotel promotion: 45% Off Top Secret Hotels!
Kayak
Kayak.com
Hotel & Holiday Reviews
Step 2: Always read travel reviews before making a reservation
Those are 3 of the most popular user-generated travel review websites:
TripAdvisor
The most successful travel review site is TripAdvisor with over 15 million reviews and opinions covering hotels and destinations worldwide. You will also find lots of photos and videos posted by travellers and locals.
Hotels By City
HotelsByCity.com includes international hotel guides grouped by country and city but also hotel blogs. You can also book hotels and flights or read vacation guides.
Holiday Watchdog
On Holiday Watchdog you will find unbiased traveller reviews of hotels and apartments in cities all over the world. This is a specialist holiday and hotel review website that includes holiday photos, video reviews and a holiday watchdog forum.
Travel Guides
Step 3: Check out the tourist attractions, places to see and fun things to do
Visit the following travel guide sites, get valuable travel tips and check out for tourist attractions at your destination.
VirtualTourist
On VirtualTourist.com you can browse travel guides made by real travellers and find tips, photos and information on over 2 million travel destinations. You can even create custom travel guides for your next trip.
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is a leading publisher of travel guides. You will find here destination guides selected by country and city as well as trip advice, tips and travel information including photos, videos and maps. Browse Bluelists by keyword and find anything travel related recommended by real holidaymakers.
World Travel Guide
World Travel Guide offers guides by country, city, airport, attraction, cruise, ski, beach, event and even weather guides. The website is also featuring the destination of the month and the latest travel news.
Travel Insurance Providers
Step 4: Arrange a comprehensive travel insurance policy
It is highly strongly advised to arrange a comprehensive travel insurance that offers extensive coverage: accident and medical expenses cover and protection against potential financial loss associated with the trip. This all inclusive travel insurance will also include cover for trip cancellation or interruption, lost luggage and public liability.
Travel Guard
Travel Guard
World Nomads
At World Nomads travel insurance is available to residents of over 150 countries. Get a quote, buy, extend and claim online! World Nomads covers skiing and snowboarding and most adventure sports. Also find travel journals and destination guides.
Travel Insurance Center
Get a quote, compare and buy travel insurance packages at Travel Insurance Center. The list of available categories to pick from includes: trip protection, long-term global insurance, annual multi-trip, international medical insurance, Schengen visa insurance, student travel insurance and many other.
Travel Documents
Step 5: Check your Documents: Passport, Visas and International Driving License
RushMyPassport
Get your US passport in 24 hours at RushMyPassport
US Passport & Travel Visa Services
Find comprehensive information on passport services and visa requirements.
At VisaHQ.com you can either apply online or send paper application forms. You then stay informed by having access to real time online tracking and email status updates.
List of Embassies
At Embassy.org, you will find the list of all embassies in Washington D.C. Contact the embassy of the country you are planning to visit in order to find out if you need a visa.
Must-Have Travel Essentials
Step 6: Find, compare and buy travel luggage & accessories and travel with kids products
eBags.com
eBags.com
Current promotions: $20 Off When You Spend Over $100 On Luggage
Save up to 50% on Rolling Laptop Cases for Dad!
Free Shipping on Handbags at eBags.com
$10 Off When You Spend Over $50 at eBags.com
Save up to 60% on Disney Luggage Closeouts at eBags.com
LuggageGuru
LuggageGuru.com
Current Promotion: 10% off coupon for luggage, travel accessories, briefcases,
Luggage.com
At Luggage.com you will find a huge selection with over 6,000 types of luggage, backpacks, sports bags, briefcases, handbags and travel accessories. Shop by item, shop by brand or browse existing sales and promotions. Free shipping!
TravelingWithKids.com
Traveling With Kids is offering a selection of toys, cribs & bags, strollers, car seats. You can shop by category, age or manufacturer.
Currency Exchange
Step 7: Be informed about currency exchange before travelling
Keep in mind that once you arrive at your destination you might need some cash in local currency for a taxi or tips. Consider all the above, do a proper research before leaving and make a decision about your currency exchange needs - how much and where to buy it from.
Here are a few selected websites that might help you:
Universal Currency Converter
The Universal Currency Converter is the most popular currency tool that lets you perform currency and foreign exchange rate calculations. It contains the top 85 currencies sorted by country name. The ten most popular currencies are listed first.
Travelex Worldwide Money
The Travelex Worldwide Money is offering foreign exchange services for personal and business customers in USA, UK and 17 other countries.
International Currency Express
At International Currency Express you can order currency and avoid the 3% surcharge on credit card purchases and ATM withdraws.
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Travelse wrote...
Thanks for your lens especially the way you breakdown the information into helpful points. 5 star. Have a look at my lens on Africa Safari and tell me what you think about it.
diwakat wrote...
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amandaryan wrote...
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smithsonianjourneys wrote...
Nice lens and with lots of good information. I give it a 5!! We have trips that will take less then your 7 steps. The hardest thing will be deciding where to go first.
Check out the Smithsonian Journeys' lens or our web site Smithsonian Journeys
GetATrip wrote...
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