You’ve worked hard for months, you’ve saved all of your money and you’re eager to travel somewhere. What do you do next? Where do you go?
Traveling is understood by people in different ways. Some travel to see and experience while others travel to unwind and take a break from everything. It could be one or the other, it could be both, there could be other reasons – the point is that there is no right or wrong reason for traveling.
With that in mind, I’ve made a list for you with things to consider when choosing your next destination.
1. Think of why you want to travel
Are you traveling to see some landmarks or to relax in a nice 5-star hotel and relieve stress? The intention is important, and when taken into consideration, it will make your holiday much more enjoyable. If you don’t want to walk around all day ticking off landmarks from your to-do list simply don’t do it and let yourself have a well-deserved break. And if your way of unwinding is by visiting lots of places and meeting new people – find the best spot to do so. It would be helpful to make a list of the activities you want to do and the types of things you’d like to see on your next holiday.
2. Decide on a timeframe when you’re able to travel
Some jobs may require you to be present throughout most of the year with a small holiday allowance in the summer months, others are more lenient and allow you to take a couple of days off anytime throughout the year. Deciding on a timeframe when you will be able to travel is the first step to finding the destination that best suits your needs.
3. Decide on a budget
You may have been saving for weeks or even months but do you really want to go all out on a holiday? Remember there is no wrong or right answer and it all depends on you, your needs, and your lifestyle. Setting a tentative amount of money that you’re willing to spend for your holiday is going to determine the location and duration of your stay.
4. Choose a country/city
The reason why I mentioned you need to decide on a season and a budget is that it will influence the country you end up going to. For example, if you plan on traveling in the summer you might want to avoid destinations that are too hot or too expensive. Another thing to consider is that the summer season for you does not equal summer in every geographical location around the world. If you want to go skiing in winter don’t choose to travel to Palma de Mallorca. It sounds a bit silly but crossing out certain locations will serve as a guide for you to choose the most suitable spot. Don’t forget to think about how you are going to get there – are you hopping on a plane for 3 hours or having multiple layovers until you reach the location?
5. Do your research
You decided on a season; you know how much you’re willing to spend and you know what you want to do on your holiday. Now is the time to roll up your sleeves and start digging for information about the places that caught your eye the most. It could be by searching in travel blogs, books, websites, online travel groups, watching YouTube videos, or asking friends for their opinions and personal impressions. You might find out that the destination you chose is not for you or it’s too expensive or you might discover multiple other places that you had not heard of but seem intriguing. Keep on researching until you find the perfect place that you’re sure you want to visit and spend your hard-earned money on.
6. Book those tickets and start the countdown
After careful consideration and planning, the best part about the whole process is booking your tickets and getting into the mood for traveling. Making travel plans is a great way to find something to look forward to. It will make working and studying less difficult and it can boost your productivity as you will have a timeframe for your workload and motivation to finish it or make progress on it.
If you are planning on traveling anytime soon, make sure you check out my 5 Tips for Traveling During a Pandemic blog post. I also have travel guides for some of the destinations I’ve visited and I will be posting new ones very soon so stay tuned.
Free Things To Do in London – COVID-19 Edition
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