Fun right?! … Actually it is pretty fun! Making an itinerary is a great way to get hyped up for your trip. Read on to see how to get started with your itinerary and to see all the ways you can benefit from making out an itinerary ahead of time.
Save time on vacation
So you might think, “But that’s a lot of work. I just want to go and figure it out when I get there!”
While we love being spontaneous when traveling – as glamorous as this sounds; the reality is trying to figure out what to do while you’re mid-vacation can be difficult and frustrating especially if potential outings require reservations and become fully booked. Furthermore, spotty internet connectivity can add yet another layer of complication when planning on the go. Over time, we’ve found that it’s much better to spend those hours planning at home instead of on vacation.
Explore more on vacation
Let’s say you’re landing in Las Vegas where there’s plenty to do on the main strip – did you know Las Vegas is within a couple of hours drive to Death Valley, Hoover Dam, Zion National Park, and the Grand Canyon?
If you’re traveling anywhere even on business it’s always a great idea to see what cities or natural wonders are nearby. For example, a quick web search landed us in the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico which turned a trip to visit family into a fun day of cave exploring.
Mapping out the area by sketching out a map that includes travel durations from one point of interest (POI) to the next can help you make the most of your time. You could fly all the way to Peru and only see Manchu Picchu without knowing that there’s plenty to enjoy in the nearby cities of Ica and Arequipa as well.
How to do it
#1 Draw a map – Pencil advised
Please don’t overthink this and no need to make it to scale. Simply include your arrival/departing cities and points of interest in approximate directions and distances from your arrival city.
#2 Add travel duration
Use your favorite app (we use either Google or Apple Maps) to gather approximate travel times between points.
#3 Allocate time
Given the days you have, think about how much time you would be happy spending at each POI, whether it’s hours or days. Feel free to even jot down a range.
Do you want to grab a few pictures of the General Sherman Tree in an hour, or spend a half day admiring the trails in the ancient Redwood Forrest, or spend a night or two camping under the stars?
Decisions… decisions… but again, here’s where you capitalize on your time spent planning.
#4 Trim the fat
At this point, you have all your time figured out. If it turns out you don’t have enough travel days, then make some tough decisions about spending less time at certain POI’s, skipping certain stops all together, or saving some activities for a future journey. Be sure to give yourself breathing room.
#5 Connect the dots
Ah the last step, putting it all together so you can start to imagine what each day entails! Here’s where we usually open our handy notes app and, starting with “Day 1 – Arrive at X” for example, make note of what cities we are supposed to be in on a given day as well as what hotels or activities we intend to do in that time.
And just like that you now have a fully planned out trip and no need to spend any precious vacation time trying to hunt for accommodations or excursions!
Be sure to check out some of our itineraries here!
