Travel Planning Checklist

Planning a trip requires a fair amount of work. Making sure you’re organized and well-prepared can help to ease a lot of stress, prevent any unnecessary issues and make your overall trip an enjoyable experience. Using a travel checklist can help to keep all of your ducks in a row. The following checklist can be a good starting point.

* Triple check that all of your documents are together and safely stored (passports, airline tickets, etc).

* Make sure your passport, and the passports of your family members, are valid and have not expired if you’re traveling outside of the country.

* Make sure your tickets are in an easily accessible place for check-in at airports, train stations and bus stops. Digging around for tickets or other travel documents will hold you up during check-in and security.

* Make sure you have a valid photo ID other than your passport on you at all times. This will be needed if you’re flying, renting a vehicle or checking into a hotel.

* Ensure that the hotel you’ve chosen has the option for use of a safe to keep important documents. Keep your travel documents here if you are outside of your hotel room; leaving this information out in the open can put personal information at risk.

* Make sure you have documentation of any medical issues in case of emergency.

* When traveling, make a detailed budget and stick to it. This can help to prevent financial issues later on. Try to overestimate for any unforeseen circumstances.

* Shop around for airfare. While all-inclusive travel search engines can be beneficial, you may be able to get a better deal by calling the airline, hotel or car rental agency personally.

* Thoroughly research potential hotels, including reading reviews. You should always keep your budget in mind, but finding the cleanest and best located hotel in your price range may take some digging.

* If you’re traveling to another country, thoroughly research the currency and the exchange rate before you leave. This will help to protect you from paying a significantly higher amount in exchange rates.

* If possible, exchange money at your bank or a local embassy. Airports, hotels and any other exchange outlet near tourist areas often charge much higher rates and additional fees.

* If you’re renting a car, thoroughly research the company before making any commitments. While an unknown, small company may seem like a good deal, it could also be a scam.

* Ask your hotel for a schedule of local transportation. Taking buses, trains or subways can save you a lot of money and will often be quicker than driving in many large cities.

* If you’re traveling to another country, learn the local traffic laws if you will be driving before you go. Knowing how to read road signs and what rules to follow can protect you from possible accidents and legal issues.

* Always keep your prescription medication in their original bottles. The bottle should be clearly marked with your name, prescription number and contact information for your doctor. This will not only prevent you from being detained through security checkpoints, but also provide any medical professionals that may be treating you during an accident with lifesaving medical information.

* Make sure your health insurance company will cover you in case of emergency, even if you have to go to a doctor or hospital outside of their network.

* If your insurance company does not provide this type of coverage, it can be extremely beneficial to purchase travelers insurance for medical purposes. In some countries, you will not be able to leave if you have a balance with any creditor, including a hospital. In the least, this will protect you from racking up a significant hospital bill.

* Research any potential health risks of the area you will be traveling to. This can include what foods to avoid, whether it is okay to drink the water or if there is any outbreak of a disease that you may be susceptible to.

* Pack for the weather. Before leaving, look-up the forecast for your destination and plan accordingly.

* Putting toiletries ito travel bottles, instead of keeping them in their original packaging, can save you a lot of room in your luggage.

* Place any toiletries that may be at risk for leaking in a sealed plastic bag. This will protect your clothing should any bottles rupture.

* Make a list of everything you will need a few days before you pack and then use the list as you go. This will help to ensure you don’t forget anything.

* Make sure you have a change of clothes in your carry-on luggage. This will be extremely helpful in the event that your luggage is lost or stolen.

* Research the local laws of the area you are traveling to and make sure you do not bring anything with you that is not allowed in the country.

* Make arrangements to board your pets in advance. Waiting until the last minute may limit your choices of facilities.

* If a friend or family member will be taking care of your pet while you’re gone, make sure you provide plenty of food, any well-loved toys and contact information for your pet’s vet and yourself in case of emergency.

* If you aren’t bringing your child or children with you on your trip, make sure the person caring for them has each child’s insurance information and details on how to contact their doctor.

* If your child requires any medication, make sure you provide their caretaker with more of the medication than you think the child will need. This can be helpful if you’re delayed from returning on time.

* If you’re traveling to a foreign country, you may need to obtain additional vaccinations for yourself or your family members. The type of immunizations you need to enter another country are typically found on the country’s tourism site.

* Your own country may recommend additional vaccinations; get these if at all possible, and especially if you are in less than perfect health.

* If you book anything online, whether a car rental, hotel, flight or activity package, make sure you confirm over the phone with the company.

* Keep hard copies of confirmation documents with you in the event that your reservation is lost.

* If you paid with a credit card, make sure you have the same card with you when traveling.

* Over planning a trip can make it stressful. Make sure you leave time in between activities to relax or be spontaneous.

* While some activity packages can be a good deal, talk to management at the hotel you will be staying at. They may be able to recommend some activities you will enjoy and even be able to get you a better price than you could get on your own. You can do this before you leave or once you get there.

* If you want to do something without the children, many higher-end hotels provide in-room babysitting services for a small fee. This can give parents the opportunity to go out once the children are ready for bed.

Article Source: http://www.travelinsurance.org/