All winter you told yourself you were going to plan an unforgettable trip this summer. Now, suddenly, it’s summer, and you still haven’t planned anything. Time to panic. No, just kidding! Planning a trip doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, and even at the last minute, you can put together a vacation that’s memorable, meaningful, and fun.
Budget First
Decide how much you want to spend on this trip. Even if you haven’t decided where you want to go, knowing how much you can spend will help you narrow down locations. If your budget is tight, a two-week European adventure is probably not in the cards this year. If the sky’s the limit, well, lucky you: You have many choices.
If you can be flexible, that’s helpful. Most of us have a lot of different types of vacations and destinations on your list. Time to do some research. Plug in your top three on a travel website like Expedia or Kayak. You might find a ton of variability in terms of price and you can narrow down which destinations actually fit your budget right now.
Consider a Road Trip
If you have access to a car, a road trip might be your best bet. Driving requires less advance planning than flying (or even train travel). Plus, if you’ve ever been on a road trip, you know that driving is part of the fun! You won’t be limited by airline weight limits, your time is your own, and you can get to know a place really well when you’re the master of your own itinerary.
Choose Your Days Wisely
Weekends are certainly the easiest time to travel, but if you can, consider getting away during the week. First, it’s a good way to keep costs down. Hotels and house rentals will be less expensive if you stay Monday to Wednesday instead of on a weekend. Flights will also be less pricey.
Weekends also tend to bring the crowds. By traveling during the week, you’ll be able to eat in the restaurants you’ve read rave reviews about without booking a month in advance, check out museums with minimal lines, and generally see and do in a more relaxed way.
Use Last-Minute Deals Sites
You’ve probably seen TV commercials and ads for travel websites, and you can find some pretty great last-minute deals on the good old Internet. Again, flexibility is key here, and you’ll be most successful if you’re willing to travel at off-peak times and hand over your hotel fate to an algorithm. One sight we love for last-minute flights is Hopper. (We actually like Hopper all the time, not just when we’ve totally forgotten to plan anything.) It predicts prices and helps you figure out the best time to book. If you can be completely flexible (about days and location), Expedia has a Destinations of the Week feature, which offers deals at specific hotels in specific cities on specific days. There’s also a Last-Minute Deals feature, which shows cities with inexpensive flights and hotels for true last-minute booking (week of).
For hotels, HotelTonight is an option that has deals on hotels up until the very, very last minute. And there’s a Daily Drop deal each day. This feature gives you a great deal on a hotel, but the catch is, you won’t know what hotel it is until you book it. And you only have 15 minutes to decide whether you want to book. This is great for travelers who aren’t too picky when it comes to lodging.
Don’t Try to Do Too Much
If the planning of it all is overwhelming you, don’t plan to do much. Some of the best vacations involve a lot of relaxation and down time. Instead of picking five different cities within a country and staying at each one for just a night or two, focus on one or two places. It will take a lot of planning off your plate and make the whole trip less hectic. You may even save money, because you’ll be traveling less.
Visit a Place During the Off-Season
A Caribbean vacation is awesome during the winter, but going during the summer can save you a lot of money, and you’ll still be on a beautiful beach, but with fewer crowds. You’ll discover that there’s nothing “off” about off-season and that you’ve scored a great deal. One caveat: Hurricane season starts June 1 and runs through the end of November so you may be in for some unpredictable weather if you go during that time. To be safe, check weather updates before and during your trip.
Stay on the Outskirts of Town
Being in the center of town can be great, but for last-minute bookings, you may have an easier time finding something in the outlying areas (and spend less, too). Check out Airbnb, Vrbo, or a house-swapping site like HomeExchange. You can still be close to where the action is, while enjoying the tranquility that comes from not being in the bustle of a big city all the time.
Happy traveling!