Top 10 Travel Tips
Here are the best of the best top 10 common-sense summer travel tips from your emails and our interviews with travelers and industry experts.
WHN TIP – Be Weather-Wise: Pack for the weather at your destination, not for what it’s like back home. Check the local forecast by city, state or zip code at weather.gov and be prepared for any expected issues.
Flying
Heading out of the country? Check the latest passport rules and regulations since the passport rules are constantly changing. Read Traveling from the U.S. to Canada or Mexico and About Passports and Visas for more information.
Book flights earlier in the day. Thunderstorms tend to develop in the late afternoon-early evening, which could cause delays. Our Air Travel Resources article has useful links. Here’s a useful article from Transportation.gov about what you’re entitled to if there is a flight delay.
Book flights on weekdays. With airlines cutting back flights, it’s all peak season. But flights may be less crowded during weekdays, especially mid-week, rather than weekends.
WHN TIP – Lost Luggage Woes: Read our Tips for Traveling for luggage strategies in case it gets lost and use our Travel-Packing Checklist when packing so you know what you had if you have to file a claim. Quick tip: Pack your swimsuit in your carry-on. In the event your checked bags are lost, you can take a dip in the ocean or resort-side pool while you wait for them to arrive!
Pack Light. Speed through arrivals and departures by packing everything in your carry-on bag and skipping the checked luggage lines. Rudy Maxa’s Top Airport Travel Tips and What’s Allowed in Your Carry-On Luggage have tips for making it all fit without not running afoul of regulations. Have more than will fit? Ship ahead to your destination.
WHN TIP – Check Health Notices: Going out of the country? Then check the CDC’s Travel Health Notices page to learn about current health issues related to specific international destinations.
Driving
Watch out for wildlife. Summer is travel time for wild animals and their families (baby animals cross roads along with their parents). Animals are more active – both during the day and night – so keep your eyes open!
Triple-check your reservations and ID. Triple check all your reservations and IDs before heading out the door. Why? Nothing’s worse than getting to the airport and realizing your ID is in the other purse or arriving at your hotel to find your reservation lost and everything is fully booked.
Hotel Tips
Our Helpful Tips For Hotel Stays and Finding Pet-Friendly Hotels both have great tips for finding the right hotel for you and your pet!
WHN TIP – Rental Car Tips: Renting a car? We’ve got great car rental tips here!
Have fun!
Photo Credit: CroMary