Make Your Travel Dreams Happen!
If I have one regret about life in my mid-20’s, it’s that I didn’t travel. Looking back now, I had plenty of money and regular time off, but it was my failure to take the actions I will teach you today that left me stuck in the land of “someday” for far too long.
#1- You need to have one place to keep your travel dreams and refer back to them often.
I use Pinterest as a travel “vision board.” It’s easy to create a board and to start searching for images, itineraries and articles about places that you would love to visit. This is where you stockpile all of your dreams from the day-trip to take this weekend to the big bucket list tour around the world. I like to have it all in one place as a source of inspiration and joy. You can check out my “Wanderlust” board on Pinterest HERE.
#2- Determine how often you plan on traveling.
Consider time off available from work, your personal budget, and your travel preferences. Are you a quick weekend-get-away person? A long 6 week immersion person? A little of both? What does your budget and time-off allow? Can you take a few long weekends and one full week each year with your work schedule and budget?
For example: as a couple we typically take 2 major trips a year and 2-3 long weekends, more if we piggyback onto a work conference or other scheduled event (like a family reunion).
#3- Based on your travel schedule, decide the next 3-10 places you’d like to visit.
It’s important to have some flexibility with your list in order to find the best deals and to make space for new bubbling inspiration.
For example: On our international trip short list we currently have- Portugal, Spain, Italy (again . . .we are obsessed), Paris + French Countryside (again, see comment about Italy), English Countryside and the Mediterranean (maybe a cruise?). On our stateside short list we currently have- Dallas, Boston, Charleston, California and Utah.
#4- Open up your calendar.
You aren’t going to set anything in stone here, you are just going to get a realistic idea of when your travel will be possible, so when you are looking for deals, flights, etc, you have some dates to actually work with.
There are some dates you cannot travel and these are good to know. We love the idea of visiting European Christmas Markets, but my husband’s job gets very busy at the end of the year and until that pattern shifts, that won’t be a possibility for us. If you have a busy season at work, or kids in school . . . you know those dates. Go ahead and block them off.
Some dates are just perfect for you! Do you have a spring break? A winter break or summer break from school or work? Mark those dates as fantastic options. Do you have a natural lull in your work? Highlight those times too.
#5 Once you have some good dates, line up the climate considerations for your destinations.
Consider the climate of your dream locations. If all your dream trips center around the Caribbean, then hurricane season may not be the best idea. Quebec City in January might be the winter wonderland you’re dreaming of (or maybe just freezing cold); If you plan to ski in Salt Lake City, you’d better not book tickets for August.
For us? We prefer the shoulder season in Europe to the thick summer crowds, so our trips typically are between March-May or September-October.
We also love to get out of our hot Florida climate in August which has led us to milder summer destinations like Seattle, Quebec City and Scotland.
#6 Now you should have narrowed your list down to just a few options and you can start looking for deals, saving your points and money.
Google Flights is an incredible resource and gives an informed ballpark of what it will cost to fly to a given area in that particular month. Keep your eyes open! Subscribe to travel sites with newsflashes and deals. I love Travelzoo and the Points Guy. When you know what you’re looking for and when, it becomes very easy to spot a too-good-to-be true deal and snap it up.
Our Tentative 2020 Itinerary:
February= a family trip to Texas for a long weekend.
April= a birthday trip for Mark to Atlanta and his hometown of Chattanooga.
May= 2 weeks touring the English Countryside at the southern end of the country (Canterbury, Bath, Penzance, Windsor, Exeter, etc.)
June= wedding anniversary stay at our favorite Orlando resort for a luxury staycation every year. A long weekend of a lazy river and golf is perfect for us.
July= heading to upstate New York to get out of the heat.
September= Italian adventure/ maybe a trip to Utah
October= Southern California for conferences + exploring
We will most likely stay put through the holidays.
Fun, right? We love to travel and prioritize it with our budget. So, our plans may look intense to you. Compared to my brother? These are child’s play. He’s traveling more often than he isn’t. But that’s the beauty! You can customize this to meet your needs and plans.
