Everything You Must Do When Planning a Trip

You want to go somewhere and have some adventures?

But there are so many things to do when planning a trip that it feels overwhelming?

With this helpful list of everything you must do when planning a trip you can enjoy planning since you can be sure you won’t forget something important.

Read the article and start planning!

Here is only the list but in case you want to read more about each topic keep on reading. 🙂

Do your research
Create a list of things you want to see and do
Create a list of foods you want to try (& restaurants you want to visit)
Check the distances between destinations and attractions and plan accordingly
Create an itinerary
Book your transportation, accommodation and activities
Book travel insurance
Print all your bookings and put them in one folder
Get a Visa (if necessary)
Get the necessary vaccinations
Stock up on medicines
Create a budget plan
Get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees
Prepare some cash
Check all your needed documents (passport, ID, international driving licence)
Make copies of important documents and also keep them on your email
Give a copy of your itinerary to a family member or a friend (just to be safe)
Check the restrictions on carry-on and checked luggage (when travelling by plane)
Create a good packing list
Relax & start the countdown

1. Do Your Research

This is definitely the first step you should do when planning a trip. There are so many things to research so be sure you don’t miss any out. Check out this helpful article on everything you must research when planning for a trip.

And for the resources which will help you do your research and planning, you must use The Ultimate List of Best Travel Resources.

2. Create a List of Things You Want to See & Do

This is the fun part – while doing your research don’t forget to write down a list of things and attractions you want to see as well as a list of activities you want to do.

3. Create a List of Foods You Want to Try

Another fun thing to do – write down all the traditional foods you want to try as well as the restaurant you want to eat in. If you did your research on food this won’t be hard. 🙂

4. Check the Distances Between Destinations and Attractions

This is an important one when planning your itinerary. Use Distance Calculator or Google Maps and figure out the distances between the destinations you plan to visit so that you can plan accordingly and create your itinerary in the most convenient way.

5. Create an Itinerary

Create an itinerary so you won’t waste time and energy deciding on where you want to go next and how to get there. Even if you love to be fully spontaneous it’s good to have at least a rough plan of how your days will go.

6. Book Your Transportation, Accommodation and Activities

After you’ve done your research and you’ve decided where you want to stay as well as how you plan to get to your destination and what activities you want to attend it’s time to do some booking. Book your transportation first just to be sure about the dates. After that book your accommodation and in the end you can book some activities as well. If you don’t want to have too rough of a plan just skip the activities so you will be able to go with the flow when in your destination.

7. Book Travel Insurance

Never forget to book suitable travel insurance. You can book it with World Nomads or with a local travel insurance company in your country. Read about what the insurance packages offer and decide based on the length of your travels and everything else mentioned in the description.

8. Print All Your Bookings and Put Them in One Folder

After you’ve booked everything, print all the booking confirmations and put them in a folder to keep them all in one place. This way you will always know where to find them. Also, you won’t have to worry about the internet connection when you need to show your booking confirmation. Plus some places only take printed vouchers anyway.

9. Get a Visa (if necessary)

Don’t forget to check if the country you are travelling to requires a visa. You can find all the needed information on this website.

10. Get the Necessary Vaccinations

Another important thing you have to do is to check the vaccination requirements of the country. If there are some that are required you should go to the doctor and get them. Keep in mind that some vaccinations need you to take more than one shot in a period of few months (yellow fever, hepatitis A and B) so plan them early enough. It is the same with malaria pills which you need to start taking at least a few weeks before travelling.

Here is a great website to learn more about this topic.

11. Stock Up on Medicines

Make a list of all the general medicines as well as the specific ones that you might need on your trip. Then go to the pharmacy shop and stock up on them. If you travel to exotic places be sure to have something for diarrhoea, high temperature and dehydration. Also, don’t forget hand sanitizers, bug spray and plasters. A good idea is to also have some probiotics like Linex Forte.

12. Create a Budget Plan

Write down how much money you have for the trip and what things you plan to spend it on. When you are travelling don’t forget to track your expenses. It is important to know how much you have left especially when travelling long term. For tracking your expenses on the go you can use apps like Travel Spend or just a simple notebook. Even if you don’t plan to travel on a budget it’s a good idea to make some kind of plan so you know where your money will go.

13. Get a Credit Card With No Foreign Transaction Fees

If you plan to use your credit card while abroad it is a good idea to get a credit card with no foreign fees since these can be pretty high. There are many options so the best thing to do is to talk to someone at your bank and they will help you to find the best one for your needs. You can find out more about these credit cards on this site.

14. Prepare Some Cash

It is always better to pay with cash when you are travelling. Try to avoid using ATMs and your credit card if it’s not really necessary. So stock up on cash and always keep it in a safe place like those money belts which you can keep under your clothes.

15. Check All Your Needed Documents

This is extremely important. Don’t forget to check the expiration dates of your documents like passport, ID and international driving licence if you plan to drive in the foreign country. Usually, your passport has to be valid for at least 6 months from the start of your travels.

16. Make Copies of Your Important Documents

Make two copies of all your documents and keep them in two separate places (for example one in your handbag and one in your luggage). A good idea is to also send the copies to your phone as well as to your email address so you can always have access to them if needed (in case your documents get stolen).

17. Give a Copy of Your Itinerary to a Family Member or a Friend

Give a copy of your itinerary to someone. Especially if you are travelling solo or to some not so safe places. It is good to do that just to be safe.

18. Check the Restrictions on Carry-on and Checked Luggage

When travelling by plane don’t forget to check the carry-on and checked luggage size and weight restrictions. This way you will avoid extra costs because of having too large or too heavy suitcases. Keep in mind that each airline has different restrictions so be sure to check these for the airline you are travelling with. Here is a great website that will make this easier.

Also, don’t forget to check what items are allowed in the carry on luggage.

19. Create a Good Packing List

Creating a good packing list will help you pack much faster and easier and you’ll be sure you won’t forget something. The best way to create a packing list is to categorise all the items. So first write down all the categories and then try to think of every item in that category that you might possibly need. For more packing tips and tricks click here and check my personal general packing list for inspiration. You can also get the templates to fill them in on your own.

20. Relax & Start the Countdown

After you fixed and double checked everything it’s finally time to just relax and start counting down the days until your next great adventure! 🙂

So there you have it, the ultimate list of everything you must do when planning a trip.

I hope you find this list helpful and that it will make it easier for you to plan your next trip.

I am sure it will prevent you from forgetting something important. 🙂

Is there something else you would add to this list?

Let us know in the comments! 🙂