Research Tips

I am someone who loves to research, organize and color-code. I am currently planning a vacation for myself. I’m not going by myself, my husband and our good friend is joining me. I quickly realized just how much I really love to do this kind of thing.

I’m here to give some tips for those who cannot organize, plan properly, efficiently or even know where to start.

1. You need to know where you and your travel mates want to go.

Not just state/country but town/city needs to be decided. If you decide you want to stay at more than one area, you’ll need to decide each one of your designations.

2. You need to decide exactly how far away you're willing to travel from where you are staying...

..At each destination—if you’re staying at multiple areas.

3. After that you’re going to want to get an understanding of what everyone is looking to get out of your vacation and what everyone is interested in doing

Museums, state parks, aquariums, monuments, etc...

4. How long are you going to be staying for?

Again, at each location.

5. You'll then want to figure out how you will be getting to where you'll be going for vacation...

...How you’ll be getting around while you are there, and how you will be getting home. Again, for each location.

6. You will want to figure out where you will be sleeping.

Because let's be honest, no point in going if you cannot agree how to get to, from and around during your trip and where to sleep.

7. Now is the fun part, research.

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself, some should already be answered from steps one through six, but it's always good to make sure. Better safe than sorry.

• Where are you going?
• How long are you going for?
• How far are you willing to travel from where you are staying to sight see?
• What kinds of things do you want to do? What is your group interested in doing? (Side note: you don’t need to know what theirs is to know what you want to do!)
• How are you getting there and back? How are you getting around while you’re there?
• Where do you want to stay? What are you looking for in your hotel? (free wifi, free shuttle, etc)
• What kind of places are you going to want to eat at? What kind of meals?
• Do you want any free time?
• How much is your budget, all together and per person?
• Are you going to need a passport?
• Do you want tours? Full day or half day? Guided or self-guided?
• Do you want to arrive in the morning and leave later in the evening?
• What time of year do you want to go? What’s the weather going to be like?

Now you don’t need to have all those questions together all at once. The only thing you need answered at this point is where you are going. It may help your research if you know when you want to go as well.

During your research, google will be your friend. Personally, I also like to use visitacity. They also have an app for your cellphone (android and apple). You can never research too much.

8. It’s best to keep everything in one place, like in a Microsoft word document, or even in a folder or binder.

I also suggest putting it together in a neat manner, in a color coded system. When sharing your information, it’ll make it easier to find and show your trip mates. I also recommend that you print out one or two to give people to know about what and where you’re going to be incase of an emergency, those copies should include an itinerary and hotel phone number(s).

If you don’t have the time but would like to have me do it for you, or you just can’t figure out how to do it, you can email me at [email protected]. I will email you back with questions for all the information I will need. And I will do it for FREE!!! All I ask is to give me at least two months to finish it for you!