Planning a vacation should feel like the exciting free party to an actual getaway, not a chaotic scramble that ends with you forgetting essentials and silently panicking 2 hours into the trip. You could be jetting off somewhere tropical or plotting a laid back adventure with cute little towns and RV campsites along the way, but a solid planning list is your secret weapon for success. You need to make sure that you’ve got everything listed that you actually need, as well as a few things you might not need, but you might want. So let’s take a look at our vacation planning list so that you don’t skip anything.
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- Start with your non-negotiables. What are your must haves for a vacation? Is it sunshine? Walkable streets? A pool shaped like a giant dolphin? Identifying what matters most helps to keep your plans from spiralling and it makes sure that you don’t book hiking holidays when you hate walking.
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- List out your travel documents. If you’re going to an RV campsite, you’ll probably just need your ID, but if you’re going ahead on a plane and heading abroad, then passports, booking confirmation, and travel insurance details are a must. It’s all painfully unsexy, but it’s incredibly important.Making copies or digital backups is also important because nothing ruins a holiday mood faster than realising your passport is still sitting in the printer at home.
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- Have a rough itinerary. You really want to make this loose because you’re planning a vacation, not a military operation. Jot down the main things that you want to do, but keep the days of your vacation flexible.
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- Get an idea of the transport plans. Flights, trains, RV’s, car rentals, transfers, all of these things need to be written down. If you’re road tripping, map out your petrol stops, scenic detours and places where the snacks are rumoured to be excellent. With small planning here you get a big pay off at the end.
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- Get to know your accommodation details. Double check your check in times, parking and what’s actually included. Never assume things like hair dryers or Wi-Fi because hotels lie. Airbnb hosts lie. It’s not personal, they just believe in optimism.
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- Don’t forget to budget. Money does matter when you’re going on vacation, and if you want to save yourself from weeping at your bank balance later, make sure that you budget for everything. Research the average food prices, activities and sneaky fees. And always pack a backup card because life loves surprises and they’re really convenient.
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- Jot down the emergency things. A mini first aid kit, basic meds, plasters, and anything that might save you from an inconvenient meltdown. Bonus points for things like packing a few snacks. Emergency snacks are universal problem solvers.
A thoughtful planning list doesn’t just keep the chaos away, but it makes the whole adventure smoother, easier and infinitely more fun. If you’re smart with your prep, you’ll be able to travel happily and your holiday will be as glorious as your planning list is organised.
