Pack your bags and hit the road – but not before you check out our best summer travel tips.

OUR NUMBER ONE VACATION TIP: Don’t post any details about it on social media!

Resist the urge to advertise you are going on vacation or that you are actively on vacation on social media. Posting things about every detail of your vacation; when you’ll be leaving, how long you will be gone, where you’re going to, how far away you are; are all advertisements that your house is currently unoccupied and will be for sometime. Give the details to your close friends and family, but save all of your social media-worthy pics and posts for when you are back home. (Ask your family members to do the same.)

Package collection: Pause the Amazon and/or subscription orders, and mail to assure packages won’t be arriving while you are gone. If you have a trustworthy neighbor/friend ask them to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity, and/or to pick up deliveries/mail that fall through the cracks while you’re away.

Vacation with peace of mind: Stay connected to home while you’re away. There are so many ways to monitor what is happening back home while you are on vacation, which is helpful if you are a vacation worrier. Now days you can *know* everything is a-o-k at home with technology.

• Ring doorbells
• App controlled doors/locks
• Smart thermostats
• Alexa lighting
• Pet cameras to check in with your furry family/sitters
• Try using simple timers for things like lights and watering to keep things looking lived-in and cared-for while you’re away.

If you can, pack only carry-ons: If you have ever “lost” your luggage traveling, you’ll never leave your belongings to chance again. The truth is, we rarely need everything we pack – think about your vacation habits; are you in a swimsuit for the majority of the time? Do you do your hair and makeup every day? Do you rewear items or buy tourist t-shirts as soon as you land? For the length of a 4-5 night stay, my husband and I travel more-often-than-not with ONE rolling carry-on luggage that we share, and 1 personal bag each (like a bag that fits on the luggage, or a backpack). It’s so nice to not waste time waiting for luggage that may never arrive or be delayed in weather. We are in 100% vacation mode the moment they open the cabin doors at our destination.

Convenience can make travel easier, consider investing in a quality all-in-one carry on suitcase or accessories that make luggage management easier.

Organizing is key: Think of the things you are always missing on the other side. Aquire them during travel or bring them with you. Some of the must-haves for us are:

• plane/car snacks – jerky, crackers, protein bars…
• earbuds
• a trash bag for separating dirty clothes
• something chocolate – we get Riesen chocolate caramels!
• a water bottle
• hand sanitizer
• hair conditioner
• razor, toothbrush, toothpaste
• apps for entertainment – Music, Audible, Netflix, Disney+; download your in-flight content so you can access it when your phone is in airplane mode.
• packing cubes for organizing clothes, and washable/reusable pouches for snacks and accoutrements.

Good walking shoes: Most people walk more on vacation than in their daily life. Keep those feet happy with good shoes. (Break them in by wearing them a few times before vacaymode is engaged.)

Nervous flyer or light sleeper? Listen to Audible, music, or movies through a fancy sleep mask to distract you from the flying. They also work great to block light and noise out while you sleep.

Traveling with Pets? Check out our pet vacation tips article at the link.

STAYING SAFE

Safety first: Make sure you are staying aware of your surroundings. Consider a traveller’s wallet for your cards and ID. Also, try using Apple Pay on your iphone, it’s a more secure transaction than handing your credit card and info over to strangers.

• There are even security measures for inside your hotel room, like universal door locks and alarms.
• If you’re traveling by car, camping, or traveling with a large group, consider a travel first-aid kit.

ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION

Start planning for fun early: Before we even think about packing our bags, we love using YouTube to find vloggers sharing their travel recommendations for popular vacation destinations. Just search for terms like “<your destination location> travel tips” or “… restaurants,” etc. We have found so many hidden gems this way; shopping, specialty food markets, tourist attractions, discounts, places to stay, landmarks to visit, restaurants, and more. It gets everyone excited for the trip, and gives you options when you’re faced with the dreaded:

Me: “What do you want to do today?”

Them: “I dunno… what do YOU want to do?”

Me: “I dunno.” *stares at TV for 30 minutes*

Look for discounts:

• We download the Groupon app specifically for vacation. We’ve gotten discounted tickets for trolley tours, attractions, museums, meals, and more just by just checking for specific businesses on Groupon first.
• Pick up those colorful maps! You know the ones, they look like a cartoon drawing of the tourist spot, but often have coupons and ideas of other fun vacation things to do. They are also helpful for navigating the town.
• Call ahead and ask. If you have a large family or group, you might qualify for a group discount. Call ahead and ask.

LOOK UP REVIEWS: We have been burned by too many good presentations to ever book a tourist outing again by their word during a resort “free breakfast presentation.” Find the company on Google or Yelp and read the recent reviews before booking an excursion. Reviews are available for hotels, resorts, excursions, attractions, restaurants, shopping districts, and more. It’s worth five minutes to see what’s up.

Ask a local: We like to ask the front desk/concierge for their favorite places to eat or visit in the area. They are locals, they know the town best.

Try an Uber: It’s a little more regulated than taxi’s in that you will know the price before you get a ride. We’ve had one-too-many surprisingly expensive cab fares when navigating a town using taxis alone.

D&CO. wishes you a safe and happy

summer vacation!