Tricks and Tips to Ensure Your Trip is a Blast
More people each year are choosing to stay at home for their vacations. While sometimes this is due to lack of funds or not having enough vacation days saved up, most people choose to stay at home to avoid the stress of traveling. With the hassle of airport security, making sure you pack everything, and getting stuck in horrible lodgings, it’s understandable why some people would rather just stay home.
If you have a vacation coming up that you want to make sure goes off without a hitch, we’ve put together some of the most clever travel hacks to help you out.
Breezing Through Airport Security
You ask anyone what their least favorite part of air travel is and a large majority will say airport security. Long lines and strict guidelines almost guarantee that your blood pressure will rise at least once when going through it. However, there are ways you can make going through airport security as quick and painless as possible.
The first thing you want to make sure everyone in your traveling party does is dress with airport security in mind. You’ll be able to save time by wearing shoes since you won’t have to tie the laces after removing them. Be sure to wear as little metal as possible, such as belts and jewelry, since it will all have to be removed to go through a metal detector.
If you want to carry any liquids or gels with you in your carry-on bag, make sure they abide by the 3-1-1 rule. This means that they can only be contained in bottles that are three ounces or less, kept in one quart-sized zip-top bag, and each passenger is limited to just one bag. Medicines and milk or formula for babies are an exception, but you’ll still need to declare them with airport security.
Smart Packing
Packing is considered to be the most important part of a trip. If you pack the wrong clothes for the climate you’ll be visiting, your vacation could be ruined. In addition to checking the weather for your destination to make your dressed properly, there are additional ways you can “hack” the packing process to ensure a successful trip.
Depending on how long you’ll be gone and what you’ll be doing while you’re there, you may be able to pack everything you need in your carry-on bag. This will save you some of the exorbitant fees that airlines have started charging for luggage. To make the most of the limited room in a carry-on bag, you can roll your clothes rather than fold them. This method saves space as well as prevents unsightly wrinkles. Additionally, make use of travel-size toiletries like shampoo and soap to leave more room for your other belongings. You could also wait to buy these smaller portioned products when you’ve reached your destination and just toss them when you’re ready to go home.
Where to Stay
Getting stuck in an awful hotel with meager amenities with no recourse in the event your hotel neighbors are loud and obnoxious can also ruin a relaxing vacation. These are some of the reasons why people have been considering different options for their lodgings when staying out of town.
A new trend has emerged recently in the world of vacation rentals. With options thousands of cities around the world, Airbnb has the potential to take the hospitality industry by storm. You’ll be able to choose from single rooms in a home or renting out the entire house from an individual after perusing the different options in your destination city. In some cases you’ll be able to find lodgings for a week that would normally cost the same as two nights in a hotel. You’ll be surprised at some of the amazing amenities that come with each place, and sometimes they exceed those of even the highest rated resort hotels.
Airport Transportation
While transportation may not be as much of a concern to you as some of the other aspects of your trip, you can save yourself a lot of trouble by using a car service. You won’t have to stress about finding your way around a new city or worry about what you’ll do if you experience car trouble. A car service will pick you and your group up at the airport, load your bags for you, and be at your beck and call during your entire trip. Some drivers will even be able to recommend excellent places to visit or restaurants to eat at that are preferred by the locals.
Taking a trip doesn’t have to be a source of stress. The whole purpose of taking a vacation is to get away from home or work so you can relax and connect with your loved ones. By using these travel hacks, you’ll be able to enjoy your trip and reduce the chances of wishing you’d just stayed at home.
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/angeloangelo/9944560725/">angeloangelo</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
