Holiday Travel: 12 Travel Tips of Christmas

Can you believe it's already December? It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in 2016 and now we're preparing for the New Year once more! 

Tis' the season, so I thought I would offer you 12 travel tips of Christmas. These are tips you can use now and year round.  Some of them might even save you money, time and hassle. Others will hopefully simply inspire you to enjoy your travels more. So, without further adieu, here are my 12 travel tips...

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1. Engage with locals –
   You might be surprised by what you will learn just by engaging the locals in conversation. Talk to your guides, the people who serve in restaurants, the people seated next to you, the ones who prepare your drink in the bar and so forth. Things you could learn include cheap places to eat and exciting adventures not listed in the tour guides.
   
   
2. Challenge yourself to go outside of your comfort zone –
   Try new foods, even foods that actually scare you. Go on that hiking trip, try your hand at the local arts, get that skin-eating fish pedicure. Who knows what fun you have been missing out on!
   
   
3. Get lost, sort of –
   Explore the city outside of the guide books. Of course, bring a GPS or phone with a GPS app installed, but go off the beaten path and forage into the “real” city instead of sticking to the tourist hot spots.
   
   
4. Hit the town at night –
   Try to go out at least one night while away. The excitement that awaits you could be worth it. If you find the clubs are too loud and the entertainment is a little too much for you then you could always leave early, but it could be worth checking out. There are usually lots of other activities or local bars in town that are less "club" like for more laid back experience.
   
   
5. Use public transportation –
   Public transportation can be one of the best ways to explore a city, and often its the cheapest way as well. If you can, look up the transportation options of your destination in advance to map routes and not look so much like “the tourist.” When in doubt, however, bring a map or put the info on your phone.
   
   
6. Buy a souvenir worth keeping –
   Make sure to grab some amazing items on your trip to help you remember the place. We're not talking shot glasses and magnets either. For example, you could buy a scarf from a local seamstress, a painting from an artist, a necklace from a jewelry maker… you get the idea.
   
   
7. Document all the details –
   Write a diary and take photos. This is a great way to take your memories with back home with you. In fact, you could bring along a journal and write a summary of your day's events each evening.
   
   
8. Get the upgrade –
   Okay, so this one won't necessarily save you money, but on at least one of your trips in your lifetime get some kind of upgrade that you consider to be a luxury. This could be mean flying first class or you could upgrade from the standard room to the junior suite – if you feel it's too much of an indulgence, save it for a special occasion, but everyone deserves the VIP treatment at least once in their lives.
   
   
9. Go on an excursion –
   This somewhat goes hand in hand with stepping out of your comfort zone, but do something in the city that you can't do at home. i.e. Gondola ride in Italy, heading to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Snorkel with sharks in Punta Cana, etc…
   
   
10. Learn the language, at least some of it –
    Before you take your trip, see to it that you read up on key essential phrases so that you are not clueless when you travel. This is especially critical when it comes to buying things in the markets. You don't want to later realize you paid 10 US Dollars for something locals wouldn't spend more than a couple bucks on!
    
    
11. Plan ahead for trips –
    Planning travel as far ahead of time as possible will ultimately save you the most money. There are early booking discounts and you'll get the rooms and flights you can actually afford because options will be more available in advance.
    
    
12. Get everywhere early –
    It's always better to arrive at tours, transportation, restaurants and other appointments early to avoid missing out. Reservations can be given away, you could lose your seats, the tour could get overbooked and fill up before you arrive, the possibilities are endless.
    
    

I hope you've enjoyed this list of 12 travel tips.  From our family to yours, may you have happy holiday season and safe travels.  And, for your travel needs, call Destinations HD at (913) 244-9195!