Do you want to plan a holiday, but you’re not sure how to get started?
Planning a holiday should be exciting. You get to look at all the beautiful destinations and book your favorite activities. Unfortunately, the planning part of the holiday can become overwhelming when you are not sure where or how to get started. Without good planning, you may end up with even more stress and a poorly planned trip. This is the last thing you want, especially when your holiday is used to escape the stress and overwhelm of daily life and take a break.
With hundreds of things to think about, and the pressure of your family counting on you to pull together the best holiday, you must prepare in advance. Here are some top tips to help you plan the most amazing holiday for your family, so you can sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in the excitement.
#1 Decide what kind of holiday you want to have
This should be one of the first aspects of your holiday that you decide, as it will inform the rest of the decisions that need to be made in the planning process. There are many types of holidays to choose from, for example, city breaks, yoga retreats, spa holidays, fast-paced holidays filled with activities, holidays where you chill on the beach, and much more. If you are not sure which type of holiday to choose from, you should think about what you enjoy doing, and what you want to achieve by going on holiday. Some people want to relax and switch off, which is best done by the pool, while others want to have fun and forget about their worries, and get involved with adrenaline-inducing activities. If you are going with family members who enjoy different activities, you can find a type of holiday that will incorporate them all, for example, California beach will have spa options for those who want to relax, and activities such as surfing with Aqua Surf School for the family members who want to get involved with activities.
If you still can’t make up your mind, you can present the options to your family and put them to a vote, or you can write them all on paper and pick out of a hat, to incorporate an element of surprise.
#2 Decide on your budget
Your budget is going to be the next most important aspect of your holiday. Your budget will help you save the right amount, and it will help you reduce stress, and create a fun holiday. Money can be a sensitive subject, so outlining this all at the beginning can instantly reduce the stress and burden that comes with conversations about money. Consider your financial situation, how much money you have in savings, and how much you can afford to save each month. This will provide you with an amount and a goal to get the holiday booked. You mustn’t use every penny in your account for your holiday, and instead keep a separate allocation for any unforeseen circumstances, for example, if you lose your job or your car breaks down.
If you’re not sure how much to budget, you may wish to conduct some research to find out the average cost of the type of holiday you wish to go on.
#3 Choose your destination
Keeping in mind your style of holiday and your budget, next you should choose your destination. There are so many places around the world to choose from, so it is important to find a destination that offers a good selection of activities that interest you. If you want to spend your time at the beach or doing water sports activities, you will need to find a destination that has good weather and reputable providers that offer the activities.
When choosing the destinations, make sure you look at the cost of food, the reviews for the accommodation, activities, and local area, the crime rate, the entry requirements, the average weather at the time you are going, and local attractions. You should also see if any friends or family have been before, so you can ask for their opinions. This information gathering is vital to ensure you choose the best holiday destination. More often than not, social media can create false expectations about a destination, so you must conduct thorough research before committing to an area.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also important that you choose a destination that allows you to enter their country, and you are aware of the entry requirements.
#4 Pick a date
You may wish to do this earlier on in the process if you are limited to vacation time off work. Alternatively, you may choose to pick the date after the location, so you can choose whether you want to travel during the high season or low season. Make sure you pick a date that aligns with your chosen type of holiday. For example, if you want to go skiing, you will need to travel during the winter months, compared to a beach holiday, where you will need to choose the summer months. You may also wish to consider your budget. If you are going during the school holidays, it may cost you more money.
#5 Choose your accommodation
Your accommodation is going to be your home for the length of your holiday, so you must choose one that suits your needs. Think about everything that you are going to need, for example, catering, a bar, a pool, proximity to your activities or public transport, etc.
Would you prefer accommodation that is more secluded and you can cook your food or head out for meals? Or would you prefer a busier accommodation where you can meet new people and have food and the pool right on your doorstep?
#6 Create an itinerary
To make sure you plan a good holiday, and get to do all the things you want to do, it is important to create an itinerary. Once you know where you are going, when you are going and where your accommodation is located, you can look at all the activities and attractions in the area. Speak to your family to see what they want to do, and make a list. See which ones fit your budget, and are accessible to do. Create a timetable with all the information, to ensure everyone knows what you are doing and when.
Follow these top tips to ensure you can get the most out of your holiday.
*contributed post*
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