| When you have only a short time for a vacation, you | | | | resort? On a tour? Will you be making the |
| want to make sure everything goes perfectly. | | | | reservations or will a travel agent? |
| Getting the right travel information is key to the | | | | * Decide on transportation: how will you get there |
| success of your holiday. Plus, planning for your | | | | and how will you get around once you're there? |
| vacation can be (almost) as much fun as the | | | | * If you're traveling abroad, find out if you need |
| vacation itself. Here are the steps you can take to | | | | visas, proof of vaccinations, or other documents. You |
| get the information you need for the vacation you | | | | will need a passport, even for Mexico and Canada, so |
| want. | | | | don't forget that essential document, and make sure |
| First you have to collect travel information so you | | | | it doesn't expire before the end of your trip. |
| can decide where to go: | | | | * Now you can pack your bags. (You probably should |
| * Ask your fellow travelers where they want to go | | | | check on any luggage limits before you pack.) Don't |
| and what they are looking for in a vacation. | | | | forget the old travelers' adage: You'll need half the |
| * Narrow your choices down to two or three | | | | clothes and twice the money you think you'll need. |
| possible destinations. | | | | Just before you leave: |
| * Research your top choices. You can get tons of | | | | * Re-check your reservations for hotels and |
| travel information online. Find photos, videos, and | | | | transportation. |
| blogs of real people telling about their travel | | | | * Check current travel information for travel warnings |
| experiences. Visit travel sites, tour company sites (it | | | | or advisories. Political unrest, health warnings, and |
| doesn't cost to browse) and destination sites. | | | | weather or environmental disasters can force you to |
| * Talk to people who've been to places you're | | | | change your plans. It's better to know about any |
| considering. | | | | problems before you head for the airport. Private and |
| * Calculate how much a trip to each of your top | | | | government websites have up-to-date travel |
| spots will cost. | | | | information of this kind. |
| * Consider all the information you have collected and | | | | A note on business travel: You probably don't need |
| decide where you will go. | | | | to know about sightseeing for your business trip and |
| Next is the fun part: | | | | someone else may be making all your plans and |
| * Collect every bit of information you can find on | | | | reservations for you. However, you still need to |
| your destination. Use the library to find photo | | | | check for travel warnings and advisories. Your time is |
| collections and old histories. Buy current travel guides. | | | | valuable-be sure to check current travel information |
| Go online. Find out about the weather, the language, | | | | before you depart. |
| and the currency. Find out the must-see sites. If you | | | | Whether you're traveling for work or for fun, getting |
| have special interests, such as museums or natural | | | | accurate travel information is important for a |
| history, gather information on them. | | | | successful trip. |
| * Decide on places to stay. Are you going to a | | | | |