We’ve taken many road trips over the years, including 18 months around Australia and 12 months around the USA, so we’ve got a lot of experience with using rental cars.

In this guide, we’ve shared our top tips to finding cheaper rental cars and suggestions for websites to use to help with your search, so you can hit the road and start exploring without breaking your wallet.

There is nothing more I love than a good road trip, especially when traveling with our kids. Road trips make family travel more practical and cost effective.

But here’s how you can road trip with an affordable rental car…

What is the cheapest website for car rentals?

If you are like me and don’t have much free time, the last thing you want to do is spend days looking for a deal. So, to make things quick and easy for you, if you want to find the best website for the cheapest car rental deals, the best place to look is on price comparison websites such as DiscoverCars.com.

DiscoverCars.com is a rental car comparison website, and is the quickest way to compare rental companies. It searches all the major car brands at once and checks which supplier offers the best rental prices for your chosen dates and location.

We always start with DiscoverCars.com when searching for cheap rental cars, and use our search results to negotiate a better deal with the supplier directly (though sometimes they won’t negotiate on the price, and in which case we will just book through DiscoverCars.com).

It’s a site we have booked through several times over the years, whether we’re traveling in Australia, the USA, and Europe, and have had great experiences with them.

This site has saved us time and money in the past for finding cheap rental cars and we continue to use them.

Another site worth checking out is RentalCars.com, which is the world’s biggest car rental booking service (part of the Priceline Group) and in one quick search you can compare all the major car rental agency like Hertz, Avis, Alamo, Europcar, Enterprise, Thrifty, and Dollar.

DiscoverCars.com are in 150 countries and RentalCars.com is in 160 countries. Both websites are easy to use and book through in multiple languages and currencies.

There are more reasons why we use DiscoverCars.com when searching for prices, such as:

• No credit card fees
• You can cancel or amend your booking online quickly and easily
• Free cancellation up to 48 hours before your booking date
• 24/7 phone support
• 1.5 million customer reviews
• They offer Theft Protection and Collision Damage Waiver

Some other sites you can use to compare rental car prices are Autoslash, Kayak, Costco Travel, Expedia, and Hotwire (which is great for last-minute Hot Rate deals).

19 Ways To Find Cheap Rental Cars

Now you know where to look to begin searching online for cheap car rental deals, it’s time to show you a few strategies and tips to be aware of so you end up booking your best deal.

Here are some of our top strategies to getting the best car deals…

1. Book in advance

When you book online in advance you will almost always get a better deal than at the counter. And it’s easier and quicker. The last thing you want to do after a long flight is deal with rental car companies at the airport and negotiate a deal.

Be sure to take all your documents with you as proof of hire and your rates to avoid any hassles (scan and save in your email account).

2. Check prices frequently

Just like when you search for flights it pays to check prices frequently as they do change – different days can have different rates. If you use an aggregator site that searches all the major rental car companies at once, it’s fairly quick and painless.

And compared to flights, the great thing about renting a car is that reservations often times can be cancelled and re-booked without fees, and in most cases your credit card doesn’t get charged until you pick-up the car.

So if you do book early with no cancellation penalties and the price drops before you pick up your car you can always cancel and re-book. Sometimes car companies will drop their prices just before a weekend if they have excess stock.

3. Adjust Pick-Up and Drop-Off Times

When searching for cheap rental cars online, the pick-up and drop-off times are typically in half hour increments. Try tweaking these times and see if it affects your rates.

Sometimes tacking on an extra day to that weekly rental, or even adding a couple of hours to extend it over a weekend, can actually lower your rate.

This strategy takes advantage of lower prices aimed at leisure travelers who are more likely to travel on weekends. Weekend rates are great, but weekly rates can be the best of all.

4. Book the smallest vehicle you’ll need

Think carefully about what type of vehicle you need. Sure it might be tempting to go for the big SUV or the fancy sports car, but always think fuel consumption and the practicalities of your car.

Being comfortable is important so you enjoy your road trip. Don’t go small and cheap if you are crammed in like sardines.

Book the lowest class vehicle you’ll comfortably need, and chances are you might get a free upgrade at the counter, which often happens to us! Just make sure you can afford the increased fuel costs of an upgraded bigger car!

IT’s especially important when renting a car in Europe that you book small vehicles. But be aware that trunk/boot sizes will be smaller, so pack lighter. It can be complicated figuring it out if traveling with a larger group. See our tips for planning a trip to Europe and essential tips for when you visit Europe.

5. Avoid picking up from the airport

Off-airport locations are typically cheaper than airport locations (they tack on fees). When selecting your pick-up location and drop-off locations, look in nearby neighborhood locations to save money.

Just make sure the downtown branch is not on the outskirts of the city limits meaning a long and costly taxi ride.

This strategy is best applied in cities that have efficient and affordable public transport to get you to the dealer without hassle.

You can’t beat an ‘on-airport’ pick-up for convenience, but an ‘off-airport’ pick-up with a shuttle bus can be much cheaper!

6. Save on a days rental

If you don’t need your rental car immediately, take the complimentary shuttle to your accommodation and book a car for the next day.

You’ll save a day’s rental and should pay less being an off-airport location. Do the same at the end of your trip.

7. Be wary of one-way drop off fees

Obvious I know, but one-way drop off fees can be huge and make it difficult to find cheap rental cars. Where possible plan your trip so that you return your rental car to its original location.

8. Check for unlimited mileage options

Make sure your rental includes the unlimited mileage option and you can take your car where you need to go.

The last thing you want to worry about is getting stung for any excess miles.

9. Check the fuel policy options

Some rental car companies will require you to return the car with the same amount of fuel it had in the tank at pick-up. Some require you to drop it off with a full tank.

Others operate a fuel policy where you, the renter, must purchase the first tank of fuel and may drop the car off empty – in which case, there may be no refund for unused fuel.

Where the car hire company charges for fuel, the cost may be higher than it would be at a local petrol station.

We always prefer to rent the car with a full tank, which makes it easier to return it full. Otherwise, if it’s less than you have to judge how much to put in. Often times I end up returning it with more fuel than was in to begin with, which means I lose money and the rental car company gains – and we can’t have that!

10. Age requirements

In most locations, the minimum rental age is 21 years. Additional fees can apply with certain car rental companies for drivers aged under 25 years or over 65 years. They are defined as more at “risk” drivers.

If you’re not yet over 25 years but are traveling with a companion who is, have them be the designated driver to save on this cost.

In fact, some rental car companies require you to be over 30 in some countries, so it’s always good to check this in advance.

11. Additional driver fee

Extra fees typically apply for additional drivers. However in some states and countries spouses are mandated extra drivers by law.

You MUST add the additional driver’s name to the contract to make any necessary insurance claims valid.

Again, if you can get by with having only one designated driver, you’ll typically save $15 per day. Of course, NEVER run the risk of driver fatigue, a few extra bucks is nothing when it comes to your safety and that of others on the road!

12. Additional state taxes and fees

Be aware of additional state taxes and fees that may apply if you cross state borders or enter another country.

Don’t lie about where you are taking the vehicle, because if you have an issue you probably won’t be covered by car rental insurance!

It can work out cheaper for you to drop a rental car off at a city near the border, cross over the border, and pick up another rental car on the other side.

13. Decline the GPS (Navigation system)

If the car navigation system is an extra add on, skip it and use the Google maps app on your phone to save $10-$15 per day. I did that on my car rental from Sydney without any issues.

14. Save on Insurance

If you use a certain travel credit card, such as Chase Sapphire or American Express Platinum Card, to pay for your rental car, you may not need to pickup the rental car insurance, as the credit card company does that for you.

Ask your card carrier before you travel, and you MUST use that card to book the rental. Some credit cards have additional perks and extras such as exclusive deals with rental companies, so it’s a good idea to check with your credit cards first, too.

Also, check with your current auto insurance company to see whether a rental car abroad would be covered under your current policy. Again, call your insurance provider to see if extra insurance is even necessary. NEVER just assume you’re covered!

But there’s no reason to pay for coverage that you already have!

You may also be able to do this with your travel insurance coverage. Our annual Allianz travel insurance policies cover us for the car rental insurance so we can politely decline this from the rental company. Always check with your travel insurance company to be sure. We share our recommendations on our travel booking resource page.

15. Don’t use your debit card

Book using your credit card. Not only for added consumer protection and rewards points if it’s a rewards card, but rental companies tend to hold a larger deposit for use of debit cards and the hold on your deposit may take days to be returned.

16. Bring your own child safety seat

If you’re traveling with a little one, is it practical for you to bring your own child safety seat to save yourself some coin?

17. Ask about specials

Do you qualify for veterans, senior citizen, AARP, AAA, credit card and frequent flier program discounts or add-on offers?

These discounts can all add up and help you with finding cheap rental cars.

Sign up to the newsletter service for the car rental websites mentioned above, and you may receive a discount code in your emails on occasion.

18. Inspect your car before driving away

You don’t want to be held liable for damage from a previous driver. So before you drive away with a rental car, do a thorough inspection of your rental car before driving out of the lot.

If you find any damage fill in the documentation (get a copy) and take pictures with your phone so you have a time & date stamp.

This isn’t about saving money in the beginning, but saving on potential fines at the end.

19. Check your credit card statement

Once you have completed your rental, double check your credit card statement to ensure any extra charges or fees weren’t added that you didn’t ask for or receive. This can and does happen.

20. Use Car Sharing Instead

Do you need a rental car for just a short journey? Then try using peer to peer car sharing apps instead, such as Turo, ZipCar or GetAround.com. These apps allow vehicle owners to rent their cars out when they are not in use, as well as find ride shares.

BlaBlaCar is a popular car sharing site, where drivers traveling between destinations can car pool their car and split the cost of fuel with a passenger. It’s much cheaper than renting a vehicle with someone since they already own a vehicle.

They are more common in Europe, and are an ideal choice for those who are looking to get to a different location that isn’t accessible with public transport.

21. Negotiate Directly With The Rental Agency

Once you’ve used a price comparison site to find the companies offering the best deals, phone them or email them and ask if they can offer you a better rate.

You are more likely to be successful at negotiating a better deal if you book in advance. They may say no, but the likelihood of them offering you a better rate is quite high, considering it means they don’t lose commission to the booking service.

Final Thoughts

When you travel overseas or interstate and don’t have your own vehicle, you’re going to need a cheap rental car deal.

We hope this guide helped you save time and money on finding a rental car and gave you some useful strategies to adopt and get a good deal.

If you have any more tips, let us know in the comments!

More Money Saving Travel Tips

Need more inspiration on how to save money on the road? Here are some other helpful guides…

• 18 ways to save money on accommodation
• 21 ways to find cheap flights
• 15 Steps for Planning a Trip to Anywhere
• 20 Best travel tips after 23 years of travel
• 43 travel tips for new travelers
• 10 principles for creating awesome travel experiences every time

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It’s not a secret that air fares are going up, and for travelers, especially first-time travelers, it’s important to be aware of the strategies you can adopt to find a better deal on plane tickets.

Getting a good deal on your flights can help you to drastically reduce your travel budget, allowing you to save money for a bigger travel expense such as a nice hotel or car rental.

Thankfully, we’ve spent many years working out the best strategies and have shared with you our top tips to finding cheaper airfares, so you don’t have to pay top dollar and can find cheap air tickets!

Finding Cheap Tickets Is All About The Best Value

It’s hard to believe this, but when Caz and I first started traveling in 1997, our only option to get our flight tickets was to visit our local travel agent and book flights through them.

These days, we have flight search engines that make buying flights online easier and more accessible, allowing you to cut out the middle man and book direct with the airlines.

When thinking about how to find cheap flights online, the cheapest fare is only part of reducing the cost, and there are other factors you need to consider.

For example, finding the cheapest flight of the day may leave at 2am, and you could spend the difference you would pay on a later flight on a taxi to the airport.

So in this guide, we’re sharing not how to get the cheapest flight, but how to get the BEST VALUE.

Back when we were solo travelers or traveling as a couple, we’d happily rough it on budget airlines and deal with late-night stopovers, transiting for several hours, and putting up with budget facilities.

However, with two young kids, our needs and priorities have changed!

If it’s a long haul flight, we prefer to get to our destination as quickly and as painlessly as possible, with the most amount of comfort and facilities our budget allows!

How to find cheap flights to anywhere in the world

How can I get a cheap flight? Follow these tips below and you’ll stack the odds in your favor! 

1. Start searching as early as possible

Airlines generally release tickets 11 whole months in advance. Once you know your destination start searching and continue to check at least once per week.

Flight prices are live and fluctuate constantly due to supply and demand, so have a price in mind YOU are comfortable paying and be ready to jump on it.

Sure, there are cheap last-minute flight deals that might beat what you’ve already paid, but that’s not guaranteed. If you want to play the game of waiting for a bargain, you’re better off NOT having a fixed destination in mind. More on that down below.

2. Know when to buy airline tickets

There really is no hard and fast rule on the best time to buy international airline tickets.

However, there are some general trends to be aware of when looking for cheap air tickets.

Peak season and holiday weekends will have the most demand, so expect higher prices. You can, however, stack the odds in your favor by buying at a certain time. 

In this study, they analyzed 560 million flight searches, found an optimal time to buy was on average 7 weeks in advance (for domestic flights). Others have suggested a sweet spot of between 3-7 weeks in advance.

The WORST time was within 14 days of flying, or too far in advance, more than 5 months. 

For international flights, the study found the sweet spot is 11-12 weeks prior to departure. As for which day of the week to buy on, they suggest no particular day was better than the other and buying on a Tuesday and Wednesday was somewhat of an urban legend.

3. Know what is the best DAY to fly

Wondering what days to fly to save money on plane tickets? Some say it’s a myth that some days are cheaper than others, but we’re still seeing cheaper flights leaving midweek.

It might not matter when you buy your tickets, but cheap flights can certainly be found depending on the DAY you choose to fly!

The consensus is that the cheapest days to FLY OUT are on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturdays. These are typical off-peak days with airlines carrying fewer business travelers, usually meaning lower fares and a surplus of seats.

You also have a better chance of grabbing frequent flyer seats on these days (which we love).

Fridays and Sundays are usually the most expensive days to fly.

And don’t get confused with the idea that buying a ticket on a certain day will result in lower airfare. That’s a separate thing to the day you actually fly!

It has been suggested to try these combinations:

• Domestic: depart Saturday, return on a Monday.
• International: depart Tuesday, return on a Wednesday.

Also, flying on holidays, such as on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, are usually cheaper as people tend to want to be at their destination on those days. If you’re not big on holidays, then you can save by flying on the holiday dates. See our holiday travel tips.

4. Be flexible with your flight dates

FLEXIBILITY is most important when you’re trying to find cheap flights to anywhere in the world.

If you are locked into fixed travel dates, or you can only fly on weekends or during popular holiday periods, it’s going to be more of a challenge in finding cheap flights, but not impossible.

The best tactic for how to find cheap flights to anywhere is to be FLEXIBLE with your travel dates.

Give yourself the best chance by searching a couple of days, or even weeks, either side of your preferred departure date.

If you are locked into exact dates, it will be more challenging to get the best deal.   

5. Adjust the time of day for flying

If you can’t change the date of your flight, play around with the time of day you choose to fly, which can change the price of your air ticket dramatically.

Flying at unpopular hours, such as the red-eye or early in the AM instead of late morning through afternoon, increases your chance of getting the best deal.

Most of the time, the cheapest flights leave either very early in the morning or late at night. I always get the first flight out if I can as it reduces the domino effect of delays. This is an especially import tip for flying in the US as delays are quite common.

6. Identify the cheapest payment method for your flight tickets

Recently I got stung with a $94 fee when booking cheap flights using my travel credit cards, which I now avoid on cheap domestic flights.

In Australia, Qantas lets you pay using BPAY from a debit account, and Jetstar and Virgin through the POLi system which is also a direct debit payment from your chosen bank account.

I still use my credit card however when purchasing the more expensive international flights to gain those credit card member benefits and frequent flyer points, and for added consumer protection.

7. Check alternate airports

If there is more than one airport near your origin or final destination, check them both before making your flight booking.

The more options you have in terms of airports and travel dates, the more likely you will be able to find the best deals on airfare.

And consider multi-city flights as a strategy to save money.

8. Fly where the deals are

This is one of our best travel tips on how to find cheap flights to anywhere!

Instead of choosing a destination and then spending days or weeks trying to find a flight deal, considering flying to where the cheap flights already are!

Choose a destination you can comfortably afford and one you’ll enjoy. Use a flight search engine like Skyscanner that lets you type in your departure city and search for a list of cheap flights to anywhere in the world.

If you are flexible with where you want to go, these are handy tools and fun to play around with.

Keep reading for detailed tips on how to do this down below in our “How to search for deals” section.

7. Consider round trip tickets

Even if you are only flying one way, sometimes they are so expensive that the round trip ticket is actually cheaper. Just forfeit the return leg portion. We have done this from Sydney to LA. Crazy, but it happens.

8. Use different airlines

For domestic flights within Australia, you can find cheaper flights by using different airlines and book two separate one-way tickets.

For example, we have flown Jetstar Airways in one direction and Virgin Australia for the return.

Do your research and factor in online booking costs. If you do two separate airlines, you may be paying two online booking costs.

9. Avoid holiday periods when flying (unless on the day of)

I know, it’s and obvious tip when searching for cheap air tickets, but try not to fly up to 7 days before or after a major holiday period.

However, certain strategies such as flying on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day (when the flight attendants are extra nice) or even on September 11 can save you a penny. Don’t forget our holiday travel tips if you decide to go.

10. Consider a longer layover

Flights with longer layovers usually have lower price tags. Look for flights where you can plan for longer stopovers on the same ticket.

You could even take advantage of this and use your layover time to explore a new city.

11. Join a frequent flyer program

Why not? These programs are free to join and you can earn points towards cheaper fares, upgrades, free companion tickets and even earning free flights!

And many programs are created for airline partnerships where they’ll recognize and honor each others’ miles – such as the Qantas / Emirates partnership.

We have benefited greatly from our Qantas membership. We had to attend a family wedding in Cape Town, but I (Craig) had accumulated enough points to fly return trip from North Carolina → Atlanta → London → Johannesburg → Cape Town and return!

Whilst I had to pay a couple hundred dollars in taxes and fly a longer route, saving over $2,500 was well worth it.

I also saved big on my flight from Sydney to Washington DC to attend the White House blogger summit.

If you have a premium status, such as Gold or Silver, you usually gain access to the airline lounges even if you’re flying economy. You also get priority check-in, priority security, and priority boarding.

If you are a frequent flyer, paying a little extra for flights by staying loyal to a premium airline or alliance such as OneWorld could be your best long-term bet for getting flight perks.

For an extensive list of frequent flyer programs click here.

12. Sign Up for an Airline Affiliated Credit Card

If you are using a credit card, why not accumulate frequent flyer points? The best cards and benefits depend on which country you live in and what cards you have access to.

Use your card to pay all your travel expenses and living expenses, and collect rewards points with each purchase.

This does take discipline. Make sure you don’t accrue interest by paying it off in full each month (very important).

And don’t forget to shop at member stores that are affiliated with the airlines. By shopping at these preferred stores you will also accumulate points.

• For USA residents check out this credit card list by The Points Guy.
• For Australian residents check out the list of cards here.

13. Sign up for flight deal email notifications

The best budget airfare sales can go largely unannounced.

Sign up for your favorite airline’s newsletter as promotional fairs, bonuses, and discount codes are sometimes reserved only for email subscribers, which can save you money.

You can also be notified of last-minute cheap flights.

You can also sign up for sites such as Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights, which has an email newsletter service sending great deals on flights to anywhere in the world.

You do need to be flexible though to get a good deal through these newsletters.

14. Be careful of refundable flight tickets

It really depends on risk. If you’re taking a short trip and haven’t paid a fortune for it, don’t worry about purchasing refundable tickets or trip cancellation insurance.

However, if you’ve made a significant investment and face a high risk of cancellation, such as traveling during peak hurricane season or you have a potential medical condition, refundable tickets and trip cancellation insurance is a good idea!

15. Avoid airline fees

Most airlines are charging for everything these days, and if you have 2 bags or more, expect to be charged for it. Try to keep all your luggage within one bag per person, and make sure your luggage is not over-sized.

Alternatively, look for airlines that don’t charge fees, and some airlines will waive bag fees for frequent flyers or members of its credit-card program.

If you do need to check baggage, paying for it in advance is much cheaper than doing it at the airport. Check with each airline before booking so you can make an informed decision.

For US based airlines check out this chart which displays all the fees compiled by Smarter Traveler.

16. Consider a mileage run

Some people do what is called a “mileage run” if they are close to obtaining elite status for a whole year with a particular airline.

They basically find a cheap flight to anywhere and take that flight whether it be just a day trip or a weekend away. The cheap cost of the flight is seen as a small sacrifice to pay if the extra miles accrued allows them elite status for a whole year.

17. Delete your cookies/history when searching for flights

Some websites store your search data and will increase the price of the flights if they know the specific flights you are looking for.

So when you come back a second time you are pinged as being more ready to buy and so are likely to be offered higher prices than you originally saw.

When friends ask me how to find cheap airline tickets, I always tell them don’t forget to clear your cookies or load each site in a new incognito browser window!

18. Fly in the off season

And we’ve all heard of the term “tourist season”.

Europe in June to September is the peak summer season, where it receives the most tourists. Consider visiting in the off-months instead.

Or visit during the shoulder season, which is the sweet spot between the peak season and off season when prices start to be reduced, but the weather is still great.

Sure the weather might be a bit cooler, but the prices for flights (and accommodation) will be lower, and there will be less people lined up at popular attractions. 

Just make sure all the tourist sites and accommodation providers are open in those “down” months.

Which seat is best on the flight?

Nowadays, you have to pay a premium to choose your seat with some airlines (mostly the budget airlines). You can save money by not selecting a seat and taking whatever is left over.

If you’re thinking it’s worth paying an additional $20 for a good seat, consider checking out Seatguru, which shows you the best and worst seats on the plane, user comments, and photos.

Find out the pitch of the seats, if they have powerpoints, personal TV screens, bassinets for infants and if baby changing facilities are available.

It might not save you money, but it can save your sanity, especially if you’re traveling with kids or gadgets.

Where is the cheapest place to look for flights?

Buying flights online is getting easier and quicker.

When we start our search for cheap flights to anywhere in the world, we always start with these trusted websites listed below.

Some of them you may already know, and we hope you find the tips useful and save you money and time in searching.

Google Flights

Simply using Google Search Engine is a great way to find flight schedules. Using Google Flights, you can search the destinations you want to travel between and the dates, and it shows you which airlines are flying on those dates and the times.

It’s a good place to start finding convenient flights, but from our experience, they don’t show the best deals.

For better deals, try…

Skyscanner

We always start with Skyscanner, it’s one of our favorite booking sites.

Skyscanner is a flight comparison site that is simple to use and fast. It searches millions of flights on over a thousand airlines, including budget carriers.

Once you’ve found your flight on Skyscanner, you are taken to the airline or agency to make your booking (no middlemen) or extra fees added.

You can filter your search results based on:

• number of stops
• departure times
• airlines you like and dislike

You can also get price alerts every 24 hours, and if you’re not set on using a particular airline, browse through all the different carriers you can choose.

Know your destination, but not your date? Thinking of flying from New York City to London this year but not sure when is the best time? Skyscanner allows you to see ticket prices for tomorrow, in a week, in a month or the cheapest month.

The website will tell you the cheapest dates to fly, and the cheapest flight on that day. You can also type in a country name to search cheap fares from all cities within that country.

But the best thing about Skyscanner is the Go “EVERYWHERE” feature!

For those who haven’t chosen their travel destination yet, and need inspiration, you can simply type in the word everywhere in the “To” box, and it will show you a list of potential destinations, sorted by price.

This helps you to select the cheapest destination from your point of origin and plan potential holiday destinations based on your budget.

If you’re not fussed on your destination and just want to get out of town this is a fun tool.

Skyscanner allows you to find the cheapest flights without having to enter specific destinations, making it a great resource for finding cheap flights for your next getaway.

Note: Sometimes Skyscanner quotes you one price and when you go through to book you are quoted with a much higher price. That can be frustrating, but it’s common with price comparison sites.

Kayak

Another metasearch site we like to check is Kayak. It feels like it has been around forever (which might count for something) and it’s simple to use and compares hundreds of sites in a comprehensive, fast and intuitive display.

Once you find what you want, they give you choices where to book.

As mentioned, flexibility can result in dramatically lower fares so you want to fly when others are not.

On Kayak select the flexible dates option. You can search +/- 3 days either side of your preferred date, flexible for a month and add nearby airports and other filters.

Two cool filters I like is the Fee Calculator and how you can filter via Carriers or Alliance.

They also have a predictive chart which shows how likely it is that flight prices will either increase or decrease in the next 7 days.

Want to go ANYWHERE? The Kayak Explore tool is another fun way to search for flights to anywhere by simply typing in your departure city, similar to Skyscanner’s “everywhere” feature. You can then filter by:

• day, month or season
• which country or continent
• flight duration
• budget
• and activities like beach, ski or golf.

Once you hit explore you’ll instantly see a map with all the destinations listed. This tool is a great way to find the right place to go with a specific budget. Below is a screen shot with New York as an example departure point:

It’s a simple interface and being able to see a number of days each side of a given search date is handy for spotting those cheaper fares.

Momondo

Another metasearch site, Momondo is a global search site that checks the leading travel sites including low-cost carriers.

When you do a search it tells you which flight is the cheapest, quickest and what it believes to be “the best“. And you can refine your search using all the typical filters and get fare alerts.

I like how it automatically adds the graph across the top displaying the price estimates for each day within your date range, like this Sydney to Los Angeles search, but when I clicked on different days and hit search again the prices didn’t reflect those on the graph, meaning those prices could be old.

So the site may not be that ideal for those who want to play around with flexible dates.

Booking.com

Booking.com is another search engine you can use to book cheap flight tickets. You can also use it to book entire vacation packages including the car rental and hotel.

It is a subsidiary of Kayak, so it uses the same technology, and it’s a really easy-to-use site.

You can search by number of stops, and even find what they call hacker fares.

Hacker Fares combine multiple one-way bookings which can sometimes save you money vs buying a round trip ticket.

I like how my family can plan an entire vacation right on Booking.com without having to search multiple sites. It’s so simple and all in one place.

Go direct to the airlines

After you have used the flight search engines suggested above and found cheap airfare for your desired destination and dates, go direct to that airline’s own website and see if you can get it for cheaper.

Many airlines have lower fares only available on their own site, plus often price comparison sites do not include hold baggage, so if you need to add on any extras, such as extra leg room or seat selection, then the only way to do that is directly with the airline.

Should You Use A Travel Agency?

Travel Agencies are still around, contrary to what you might believe! If you’re wondering if you can get a better deal with your local travel agency, this all depends on what you like the most.

Do you prefer to do things yourself and be in control? Or do you enjoy handing off all these decisions to someone else?

Travel Agencies tend to have relationships with airlines, hotel chains, and other tour operators, which can sometimes give you a better deal than if you are planning it yourself.

However, when it comes to booking just flights, it’s unlikely your local travel agent can beat the prices of price comparison sites.

If you book tour packages or all-inclusive holiday deals, which include the flights, hotels, transport and activities, then by all means, head to your local travel agent to talk about deals!

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance When Buying Cheap Tickets

When you buy cheap flights, you might be purchasing non-refundable tickets – it’s a risk you take in order to save some money.

That’s why I always look at the value more than just the price.

If I am traveling with my family, there is a chance that the kids might get sick and we’d have to change our vacation plans.

Another option is to buy travel insurance. It’s worth it! When you cover your vacation with travel insurance, you could be refunded for 100% of your costs – airfare, hotels, rental cars, everything.

I recommend using Allianz Travel Insurance. They will give you a free quote based on your travel plans. So many parts of a trip are non-refundable, especially when you book through 3rd party sites.

But they also provide help with medical care when you are in another country and will help you locate pharmacies and medical clinics too. See more recommendations in our book a trip resource page.

In Summary

No flight search engine is perfect and not all airlines, especially low-cost carriers appear on every search engine. For example, Southwest in the US don’t allow themselves to appear. 

These Low-Cost carriers (LCC) try to keep costs down by not paying a booking commission to search sites. And they can neglect to show many of the more obscure airlines.

Remember, if you DON’T book a flight directly with an airline and book through a third-party instead, be prepared to pay fees if you need to change flight dates or times, or even worse need to cancel your flight.

And don’t forget to compare hidden airline surcharges like baggage fees and specialty taxes. Different airlines charge differently and some of these search tools don’t always show those costs – you might think you’ve found cheap flights, but these extras add up!

Play around with those search engines, try to be flexible on dates and times of the day you fly, and keep checking prices regularly.

But at the end of the day, have a price in mind you are comfortable paying and don’t be afraid to hit the buy button!

More Money Saving Travel Tips

Need more inspiration on ways to save money? Here are some other helpful guides…

• 18 Ways to Save Money on Accommodation
• 19 Ways to Save Money on Rental Cars
• 52 Money Saving Travel Tips: Save Before & On The Road

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Fortunately, there are many ways to save on accommodation costs when you travel. For us, traveling with our kids is not always about finding the cheapest deals, but getting the BEST VALUE for our money!

We don’t like to rough it as much as we used too pre-kids, but equally, money doesn’t grow on trees, and we don’t want to be spending a fortune either.

How you travel and spend your dollars is totally up to you, but we all need a place to sleep at night and we may as well get the best accommodation deal as possible.

Which is why we prepared this guide on the best tips and tricks to save money on accommodation, where we’ll be showing our favorite websites and resources to help you find safe, practical and good value for money accommodation.

What is the cheapest form of accommodation?

When it comes to finding the cheapest accommodation deals, you must first decide what type of accommodation is right for you.

Typically, the cheapest form of accommodation is a hostel, which are mostly catering towards solo travelers and budget travelers looking for a cheap bed for the night.

However, hostels are not for everyone. Your choice of accommodation will depend on your:

• travel budget
• travel destination
• travel style and comfort levels
• number of companions
• interests

The style in which we personally travel has evolved from solo travel, to traveling as a couple, to now being a family of four. So our accommodation preferences have changed as well.

Depending on the length of the trip and the destination, we’ll chop and change between accommodation styles.

While a hostel dorm room will most likely be the cheapest type of accommodation no matter where you go, they are not the most suitable for families or couples.

After hostels, you can find cheap hotels, motels and bed and breakfast deals in most destinations.

As a family, if it’s longer than a weekend getaway, we prefer to stay in apartments. They offer several benefits:

• Access to a full kitchen saves you money by not eating out every night.
• Separate bedrooms from the living room make it easier to put the kids to bed.
• You have your own laundry.
• You can book a 3 or 4-bed apartment and split the costs with another family or friends.

These extra facilities on a long stay can make your trip so much more enjoyable.

But if it’s a short city stay, or we’re just traveling as a couple, we’re happy to stay in a hotel and sometimes we’ll cut costs and find a family friendly hostel, but these are not always easy to find.

Tips On How to Find Cheap Accommodation

Getting 15 percent off a room you don’t want isn’t always better than regular price at a room you do want!

So our goal with the following tips is to help you save money on accommodation you do want and get the best price for it.

1. Think location

The cheapest accommodation is almost always outside the city center in a suburban area, but that’s not always going to save you money in the long run.

There is no point finding cheap hotel accommodation if it is miles out of town and you have to pay extra in transportation costs. You will have to do some research into transport options and how much it will cost you, before booking accommodation outside the city center.

For example, if you are visiting London and decide to stay in areas such as Greenwich which are zone 3-6, then you will save on accommodation costs, but you will be paying the difference in transport into the city center, plus it will take you over an hour to reach major attractions.

It’s better to stay in a central area close to public transport, airports, local attractions, food outlets, the beach, the park, and then you have the ability to get out and walk to most things.

This will help you save money and save on time!

2. Stay more than 1 night in your accommodation

Many accommodation providers offer their best deals when you stay more than one night. This is especially the case for apartment rentals who have deals for 7 days or more.

Staying longer also allows you to save on things like cleaning fees for vacation rentals.

But it’s not just apartments that have deals for longer stays. Many hotels, especially chain hotels, often have deals like stay 4 nights, pay for 3.

These deals are usually easier to find when you travel in the off-season of your chosen destination.

3. Stay over Sunday

Many hotels receive Friday and Saturday night accommodation bookings from leisure travelers, and Monday to Friday bookings from their business travelers.

That means there is less demand to stay over a Sunday night, which means you can often find a good deal if you are staying over a Sunday.

4. Stay mid-week

In certain locations like Las Vegas, avoiding the peak Friday and Saturday night periods is a strategic way to find cheap hotel accommodation. If you stay from Tuesday – Thursday, you can find cheaper rates than staying Friday – Monday.

Avoid the big cities over a weekend, if possible, which will almost always see hotels putting their prices up for weekend travelers.

We’re stunned by how much the prices for accommodation can rise on the weekend – some places it can triple in price.

If you’re travel dates are not set in stone, then staying mid-week can be a huge saving.

5. Travel in the shoulder-season

Are hotels cheaper in different seasons? Of course!

One of the obvious tips on how to find cheap accommodation is by traveling in the shoulder season, which is a term used to describe that time period between the peak and off-peak season.

Not only will accommodation costs will be lower in the shoulder season, but the weather will still be favorable, and in popular destinations you’ll avoid the large crowds which make sightseeing easier. This is also the best way to save money on flights and car rental. Win-win!

For example, when visiting Europe consider going in May or September and avoid the July/August summer peak season.

6. Stay in Apartments or Suites and Share the Costs

This is one of our best travel tips on how to save money if you’re traveling with others, especially for families or small groups.

Apartments and rental homes like VRBO are usually cheaper and more practical than a hotel for large groups. If you’re traveling with other family members, a group of friends, or another couple, why not get an apartment big enough and share the cost?

When we traveled around Australia, my parents often visited us, and we stayed in apartments with three bedrooms. This reduced our per-night rates and was much cheaper than two separate hotel rooms, especially considering we had a full kitchen to self-cater on meals.

7. Consider a Hostel

Staying in hostels may not be a great option for every destination, especially the USA, due to the lack of quantity and quality.

However, in places in Europe like the United Kingdom, Italy, and France, or in Southeast Asia such as Thailand and Vietnam, the network is extensive, and the quality is ever increasing.

Don’t think of hostels as just dorm rooms for backpackers, either. The demand for cheap accommodation is more prevelant than ever, and so more hostel chains with luxury offerings, such as Selina Hostels in South America, are opening up.

Nowadays, hostels offer private and family rooms as well as dorm rooms, so they can tailor to more travelers and be one of the best cheap alternatives to hotels no matter what kind of traveler you are.

We’ve stayed in several hostels with our kids around Australia including the Sydney Harbour YHA the Apollo Bay Eco Hostel on the Great Ocean Road the YHA Grampians, and the Yamba Hostel.

Hostels in major cities are usually located close to public transport and tourist sites. A private or family room is typically cheaper than a hotel room and they generally have cheap and free services such as wi-fi, a laundry, luggage storage, fully equipped kitchen facilities, and local tours.

Not to mention they often come with kitchens so you can cook your own meals and save money on eating out.

Hostels can also be a fantastic way for meeting fellow travelers as well as one of the best ways to save money, which is why they are the best accommodation choice for solo travelers.

8. Stay in a nearby town

If you can’t find cheap hotels in the city center, staying slightly outside of the city will almost always save you money on the cost of hotels and apartments. If you don’t mind the short commute you might save a bundle.

For example, if you want to visit New York City, a cheaper place to stay is Jersey City, which is only a 20 minute train ride from Manhattan.

However, as mentioned in point #1, be careful that if you find accommodation far away from the attractions you plan to visit that it doesn’t result in high transportation or parking costs, or precious time.

You will need to research the area’s public transportation system before booking accommodation in another town.

9. Book rooms that offer free cancellation

Book accommodation in advance at the best rate you can find online, then keep an eye on prices to see if you can get a better deal at another property, or even at the same hotel.

For example, Booking.com offer free cancellation on most rooms up to 48 hours, sometimes even 24 hours, before your stay.

And their book now, pay later at check-in system allows you to lock in that rate with some flexibility.

It’s then also possible to find “last-minute deals” which come up 2 days before your check-in date.

Just make sure to check the booking conditions per room type before you try this method, so you’ll have peace of mind when booking through them.

10. Check the dining options

Again, location is key when choosing where to stay, so make sure you have access to local cafes and restaurants that are tailored to your budget.

When staying in a major city it will almost always be cheaper to walk to a nearby cafe or restaurant than dining in the hotel, unless you get free breakfast as part of your booking.

Some guest houses and hostels have a kitchen, which means you can cook your own meals and save money, so it’s always worth checking to see if accommodation comes with a kitchen before booking.

If you’re staying somewhere with few dining options, check if the hotel has a restaurant with reasonable prices.

11. Book accommodation with all the facilities you need

Make sure the accommodation you choose comes with free WiFi, a free airport shuttle, free breakfast, free cable TV, laundry facilities, and if you’re feeling really extravagant, a pool, fitness center, BBQ areas, tour booking desk etc.

This means you don’t have to pay extra to find these services outside. Some countries, such as USA and Australia, have very expensive data plans for tourists, and if you don’t use the internet so much, having free WiFi at the hotel saves you on that expense.

Likewise, laundrettes are not always cheap, so having a laundry room or washing machine with your accommodation can also save you on this expense.

If you’re choosing an apartment, is there a fridge, microwave, coffee machine? A fridge and microwave can be great for storing and reheating leftovers which saves you money on eating out. This is great for families storing milk, juice, and yogurts and other kids breakfast items to have on hand first thing in the morning.

Sometimes choosing the cheapest accommodation is not about the cost of the room, but the cost of the facilities you need, as looking for these amenities outside your accommodation can add up when you’re trying to save money!

12. Contact hotels directly

It’s easy to choose hotels and apartments on booking sites such as Booking.com and Airbnb, and sometimes it’s easier to book with them when you’re booking last minute deals.

However, sometimes you can get a better deal when you contact the hotel directly. Give them a quick call, and tell them the price you see on booking platforms, and they will usually offer you a better deal if you book directly.

Hotels, apartments and hostels pay a commission to use booking platforms, so they usually always want you to book directly so they keep 100% of your booking fee.

13. Check for family deals on your accommodation

When you are phoning or emailing accommodation directly, always ask about discounted family rates. Sometimes hotels can offer free meals for children, or include an upgrade at check in.

It doesn’t hurt to ask whether there are any special deals for families – they can only say no.

14. Use accommodation reward programs

Another tip on how to get cheap hotels is to use reward programs or loyalty programs (such as Genius by Booking.com).

If you frequently visit the same hotel chains or hotel booking sites, join their rewards or membership program. We can’t say which is the best program, it depends on your travel frequency, how and where you travel, and what your priorities are.

There are also several travel credit cards that come with their own special deals with hotels that are exclusive to their customers, but again, they are all different and depend on your travel requirements and style.

When looking up reward programs, you should ask yourself if you are more concerned about free accommodation or extra perks? Or do you want to experience luxury at good prices?

To maximize your earnings in any rewards program, charging your hotel costs to a credit card tied to the rewards program is essential.

All cards will give you bonus points for spending, and the best cards will also give you instant elite status in the hotel program, which means more bonus hotel points and additional perks. We used points for almost all of our accommodation on our recent summer Europe trip to Italy and France.

Note: it’s also worth considering the annual fee for a credit card. If you’re not planning on traveling much in a year, is it worth it? Some other perks that come with travel credit cards are travel insurance and lounge access, which may sweeten the deal.

15. Use Credit Card Reward Points

One of the best travel perks is being able to earn reward points simply for using your credit card, and then exchange those points for accommodation and flight deals. It’s like free money!

There are many travel credit cards, and they differ depending on what country you’re from, so you’ll want to look up credit cards in your country and check the program and benefits they offer.

You might be able to use your points for accommodation, or it might simply only offer lounge access, free upgrades, or experiences.

16. Follow on social media

Go and “LIKE” your favorite hotels, hostels, and booking platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

It’s getting more and more common for sites to release cheap accommodation deals directly through their social media channels for a limited time only.

This can be good if your travel plans are flexible.

17. Sign up for e-newsletter deals

Subscribe via email to your favorite booking sites such as Booking.com, Expedia or Hotels.com, as they often distribute deals and special coupons only to their email subscribers and members.

18. Delete your cookies/history

When searching for cheap accommodation deals, use a different browser or go incognito before looking up prices a second time on a particular booking site.

Websites store your search data and when you come back they know you are more likely to book as a repeat visitor and will charge you more.

19. Try Housesitting

A great way to save on accommodation is to do home exchanges or house sitting gigs, which is when you look after a homeowner’s house for them while they are away.

Housesitting can be a great way to save money on travel, but it also has a few pros and cons. For example, it does rely on you being flexible.

You can find housesitting gigs on Trustedhousesitters.com, and sometimes you may be asked to look after a pet. We’ve used TrustedHousesitters as homeowners in need of a sitter for our kittens as we traveled to Europe for a month. It was excellent!

You can read more about the pros and cons of housesitting here.

20. Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is when you stay with a local in a destination, for free. The idea is that you also host your home to couch surfers should anyone be passing through your destination.

Couch surfing is popular in Europe, but it’s not common in places like Asia.

21. Volunteer

If you’re planning an extended trip, then one of the best travel hacking tips we can offer you is to stop somewhere for a whie and volunteer.

You can volunteer in a hostel, exchanging a few hour’s work for free accommodation, or you can find volunteer jobs that have accommodation provided on platforms such as WorkAway.com.

Work exchanges are a popular way to travel for longer for less, especially in Australia.

22. Go camping or RV travel

Of course, the cheapest way to save money on accommodation is to pitch a tent and camp.

Wild camping is sometimes illegal though (it is in the UK) so you need to look up the legality of this in the destination you want to visit.

But even if you don’t wild camp, campsites offer a space for you to pitch a tent at a very low cost, and some even include facilities such as showers and toilets.

Or you can also rent or buy your own RV – caravan or camper trailer and have a home on wheels. We did this for 18 months in Australia and almost a year in the USA. It’s more suited to long term and slow travel. There are a lot of pros and cons and can end up being expensive. IF you are self-sufficient, (i.e. water and solar power) you can drastically reduce costs by free camping or boondocking.

Read more: Tips for tent camping, the pros and cons of RV travel, and was our RV trip of the USA worth it.

Where To Search For Accommodation Deals: Best Booking Sites

We’ve been traveling consistently for 17+ years now, and have come to rely on a few trusted websites that help us to save money and time searching! Down below are the travel accommodation sites we personally use.

Booking.com

To book hotels online, our favorite website is Booking.com who have over 1.3 million properties worldwide in 200 countries, and they’re still growing daily.

We believe it’s the best website to book hotels because they have all the major brands, plus you can find a variety of low-cost independently owned hotels that can be difficult to find elsewhere.

We find their website and interface user-friendly when doing a hotel search. Features we like include:

• Book now, pay later at check in
• Free cancellation on most rooms
• 24/7 customer service
• Best price guarantee

Using their search box is simple. You can search hotels via destination or hotel name and choose the number of rooms and adults / children.

Once you’ve chosen your destination and dates you can then filter your search by:

• Price
• Stars
• Review score
• Facilities
• Property type
• Distance from city center

Another reason we believe it’s the best site for hotels is because they have millions of verified reviews – only people who have booked through Booking.com and stayed at the property can write a review as they receive an email once they have checked out.

That means their reviews come from real guests, like you!

You can even filter your search results based on reviews broken down into categories like:

• All reviews
• Solo travelers
• Couples
• Families
• Groups of friends
• Business travelers

To read reviews on a property and see the score breakdown simply click on the review score.

On the topic of reviews, pay attention to what is important to you as a traveler. Look at the good reviews, look at the bad reviews, and try to find threads of consistency.

If many people are complaining about one thing in particular, then that’s probably a good indicator that the hotel has a problem with that!

Another great feature of the booking site is that you can search hotels and apartments and resorts broken down into themes such as:

• Family hotels
• Budget/Backpacker hotels
• Business hotels
• Beach hotels
• Spa hotels
• Romantic hotels
• Golf & sports hotels
• Luxury Hotels

It doesn’t end there with Booking.com. You can also search for hotels near Airports and the most popular Landmarks around the world – another handy feature that makes it the best hotel booking site!

Hotwire

Hotwire can be great for last minute deals. If you care less about a specific hotel brand and more about wanting to save money, consider shopping the anonymous hotel inventory on Hotwire.

You won’t know which hotel you’re staying at until it’s booked, but you can request the general location and quality (three-star, four-star, neighborhood etc).

One of the great deals we’ve got on Hotwire was a 4-star hotel right in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans for $50 a night.

And recently when we were already in Knoxville, Tennessee and I found myself asking the question; “where can I find cheap accommodation near me”, I jumped on Hotwire and got a good deal downtown!

VRBO & Airbnb Apartment Rentals

As mentioned, apartments are a great way to save money on accommodation and often work out cheaper than a hotel room, particularly when you factor in the savings of cooking your own meals and sharing with other couples or friends.

Airbnb is a site we used often on our trip around Australia as a way to get low-cost apartments, or even rent out people’s entire homes. For couples and solo travelers, you can also rent out rooms in a shared apartment or house which can work out cheaper than a hotel.

We now use VRBO more as we like it better for finding apartment and home rentals.

Hostelworld

Before we had kids, we stayed in hostels often to save money on accommodation. You can find most hostels on Booking.com and Agoda, but the primary booking platform for hostels is HostelWorld.com.

What makes Hostelworld a great booking site is that you can see how many people are staying in a hostel before booking, so as a solo traveler, you know you’re not going to be alone.

You can choose either a dormitory room in which you’ll share with other guests, or you can pay for private rooms with shared or private bathrooms. It depends on your budget, comfort level, and whether you are solo, a couple or a family.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re traveling alone, as a family, or as a couple, there are many ways to save money on accommodation. It doesn’t matter what style of traveler you are, or if you’re going away for a few days or a year, everyone wants a good deal on a place to stay.

Hopefully, the above strategies and resources will help you to find affordable hotels, apartments, hostels, or resorts for your next trip and get you the best value your money can buy.

More Money Saving Travel Tips

Need more ways to save money on travel? Here are some other helpful guides…

• 21 ways to find cheap flights
• 19 tips for finding cheap rental cars
• How to save on accommodation in Australia

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Traveling in your local area is a kind of travel that’s often overlooked because you think “I can go anytime,” which, let’s be honest, means you never end up going.

Traveling locally is a great way to make your travel budget go further, and we’re firm believers that travel doesn’t have to be far away.

In this guide, we’ll share our top tips for how to travel locally so you can explore the best of your home country.

What does travelling locally mean?

When I say your “own backyard,” I mean travelling locally. Travelling locally means exploring places that you haven’t been before in your home state, county, or region.

For example, you could live in New York City, but never venture to New York State. Or live in London and taking a trip out to see the surrounding countryside such as in Oxfordshire or The Cotswolds.

There isn’t an exact quantifier to describe what local means, but to make it easier for you, we would class local travel as exploring anywhere within a 1-2 hour radius from your home by car.

It can simply be somewhere you explore on a day trip or a quick weekend getaway.

Benefits of Local Travel

The benefits of “staying local” and exploring your own backyard are numerous. Here are some of the top reasons why you would want to explore locally:

• Cheap Travel – it costs a lot less than going on an extended trip. You don’t have to pay much in fuel, accommodation, spending money and certainly not on flights.
• Less Planning – no stressful planning in advance. You can pack and go the night before or even that day. And you don’t have to research flights, or keep up to speed on political events overseas.
• Less Packing – at most you will need a day pack or a small suitcase.
• Less Time Away – if you have a busy life or heavy work commitments, you don’t have to worry about getting time off.
• New Appreciation – by getting out and experiencing new things in your own backyard, you will get to see your place in a new light and be more grateful for where you live.
• No Burnout – having to constantly pack and unpack, deal with airports, border crossings and visa issues can lead to burnout.
• Get Refreshed – travel, no matter how long we go for, enables us to get away from the normality of life. By rewarding yourself and getting away you will feel refreshed come Monday.

How to Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard

Now you know what it means to travel locally, it’s time to put the travel glasses on and explore your own hometown and region. Our other website is now all about exploring our backyard of Raleigh North Carolina.

Here are some ways you can discover your own town:

• Discover new walking trails
• Explore new beaches
• Enjoy a picnic in a new park
• Shop at local markets
• Go horse riding
• Go for random drives
• Participate in local festivals
• Hire kayaks on the lake
• Bike different cycling trails
• Eat at a new cafe
• Climb a new mountain

If you feel like you’ve got your home town covered, below are some of my top tips and resources to use for finding ways to travel locally

1. Check Your Local Tourist Board Website

Your local tourist board website usually has events and programs in your home town and surrounding areas.

The are a resource often forgotten about because of the rise in social media, but they are still in use and can be a great resource for creating a list of things to do.

If you were a tourist coming to visit your home town, think about where they might look for events. What things do you think they would like to do?

2. Use Social Media

Not only is Instagram good for inspiration, but most photos have a geotag so you know where they’ve been taken. Search for your home city e.g. #Sydney and check out the stream.

This is my favorite way of discovering hidden gems. When you see a cool photo, click on the geotag to see related photos and a map showing you the location.

You can also search for “Tags”. Here you can type in every keyword you’re looking for and it will show you every Instagram picture tagged with this keyword.

For example, you might choose to search for “nature” and “Utah” and see what hidden gem nature spots come up.

If you prefer using Twitter, follow the #hashtag of your city and see what events come up. Also follow your local tourism boards twitter feed for information, deals and inspiration.

Facebook is another great social media platform to find things to do. You can join Facebook groups for your local area, and see what other local members are sharing.

Get inspired to visit places your friends share. And again, follow your tourism board and favourite places to learn about deals and events.

Pinterest is a great resource for travel planning as well, though I admit that it’s better for international travel than local travel.

3. Use Foursquare

Foursquare is a location based check-in social network which has become a good resource of getting tips and suggestions from locals.

It works by users leaving feedback on where they’ve eaten, had a drink, chilled out at a cafe etc.

It’s another top way to tap into the suggestions from locals and other travellers in your area.

4. Talk With Your Friends (And Other Locals)

Locals hold all the secrets to where the best places to eat, drink, sleep, shop and stay are.

We love getting travel advice from other locals. They can tell you when specials are on, where to find deals and the best times to visit certain places.

Seek out conversations with taxi drivers, police officers, college students, hotel concierges, receptionists, and other travellers.

5. Choose One (Or Two) Weekends A Month & Drive

We make a plan to do at least one new activity a month that’s outside of our hometown in Raleigh.

It doesn’t mean driving for miles, we may simply visit the neighboring cities, but it allows us to explore more of what’s nearby without having to travel far.

You can use the strategies above and discover some hidden gems in those areas before you hit the road.

Before you know it your eyes have opened up and you’ve started your new travel habit.

6. Do The Familiar With A New Twist

Go somewhere you have been to before but explore it in a different way. Travel isn’t always about discovering somewhere new, you can go back to places you love and still call it travel.

If you have a favourite beach, next time you go, try stand up paddle boarding or learn to surf there.

7. Stay At A Local Resort Or Hotel / Staycation

Choose a special place you’ve always wanted to go for a weekend getaway and have a staycation.

We did this at the Crowne Plaza in Terrigal, a favourite place of ours to hang out as a young adult. We loved being able to stay the night and experience it, even though we lived down the road.

Sometimes we all just need a little bit of pampering, so staying at a nice hotel in your own town is a great way to do just that.

8. Hire Out An Apartment With A View For Your Next Party

We hired an apartment to celebrate my 40th birthday, and for our going away party for our one year road trip around Australia.

Having a new location to explore while you have a party is a great way to feel like you’ve traveled when you haven’t.

We all spoke of how it felt like we were already on holidays. And we rented this luxury villa in Orlando with friends!

9. Have A Family Photo Shoot

Choose a favourite place and use it for a family photo shoot. Snap the kids playing and the family having fun. You’ll feel like you’re on holidays, and it will look like you are too.

So from now on when you think about how to travel in your own backyard, just develop that travel mentality and I can guarantee you’ll start to find ways to create the adventures.

Start by taking day trips, then short breaks. You don’t have to have oodles of money to travel. Begin in your own backyard!

Final Thoughts

When we think of travel, we often look to far-flung places. We don’t think of stopping to view what’s offered in our own streets, or neighboring towns.

Travel doesn’t have to mean a trip to Bali or hiking in Nepal. It’s a mindset, and you can carry that mindset wherever you go, even if it is just down the road .

Over the years, we explored much of our local area as we have internationally.

We come from the scenically beautiful Central Coast area on the east coast of Australia, which happens to be only one hour from the sights of Sydney and the great town of Newcastle.

Combing those three areas we have enough activities and attractions to satisfy most people for a very long time.

Whilst we’re not in the business of actually booking trips for others, but we can certainly offer you expert guidance on how to choose a destination that meets your interests and budget.

While we all have those bucket list places we want to tick off, sometimes time, money, and other factors get in the way of us booking those trips – but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on the idea of traveling.

If you’re desperate to get away and embark on a trip somewhere new and exciting, then here are some questions you should ask yourself to help you narrow down your choices, as well as some tips to help you choose which destination to travel to next.

How to Choose A Vacation Destination

When choosing the perfect travel destinations, the ideal place is never the same for two people. It depends on factors like:

• your personal travel style
• your interests
• the length of time you have available
• and your finances

With so much advertising shoved in our faces from newspapers, magazines, travel blogs, TV, Instagram, and more, all vying for our attention, deciding which travel destinations to visit can be overwhelming.

Sure, it can be travel inspiration, but it can also lead to procrastination, and procrastination leads to you being the world’s best armchair traveler.

I like this quote, not just in regards to travel, but to life:

“Many things will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart…pursue those.”

Anonymous

When choosing your next vacation spot, the following questions will help you narrow down your list and clear the confusion.

Why Do You Want to Travel?

Seriously, this is the first question you should ask yourself. WHY do you want to travel?

First knowing why you want to do anything is important. If your WHY is clear and strong enough, you’ll commit to it and make it happen.

For me, travel is more than checking things off my list.

Sure, it’s nice to get that photo in front of the Grand Canyon and post it on Facebook bragging to your friends, but is there something deeper you want to fulfill?

I don’t travel for the sake of traveling, especially now with young kids because it’s certainly not always relaxing, often the complete opposite.

Do you travel for:

• cultural experiences
• food
• adventure
• history
• to get away from the normalcy of life

It’s important you value your hard earned dollars and if you put more meaning to your trip, you’ll have a better chance of it being a memorable and rewarding experience.

Who Are You Traveling With?

Your destination choices can be affected dramatically by your traveling companions.

Our choices are slightly different now we have children. What about you? Will you be traveling solo, as a couple, or as a family?

If you travel as a family, sit down with your kids and discuss your ideas and interests.

Memorable trips are those where each member of the family gets to experience something they love. Finding the balance between adult and kid stuff is important.

If you travel as a couple, talk about your individual desires and expectations.

Be clear on what you both want and make the decision that will suit both of you.

Don’t leave it to one-half of the relationship to always make the decision. Maybe you could simply take turns in choosing a destination each year?

What Kind of Trip Did You Have in Mind?

A big part of your decision will come down to personal travel style and the purpose of your trip. What do you like to experience, and what is your everyday life like?

Is your working and family life so hectic that you need a trip to relax, recharge and spend quality time with your family?

Or, are you the type who can’t sit still for long, are wired for action and want to see and do as much as possible?

Personally, I like a balance between down time and exploring new things.

Do you prefer:

• Cities or countryside
• Beaches or mountains
• Resorts or road trips
• Festivals and cultural experiences
• Shopping or food experiences
• Adventure or relaxation
• Luxury, mid-range, or budget

Are you the type of person who likes to sit by the pool or on the beach all day with a book? Or would this bore you to death?

By answering these questions you can narrow down your list.

How Much Time Do You Have?

If you only have 1-2 weeks of vacation time per year, you don’t want to waste too much of that time traveling to and from your destination.

But if you have a month you can look at traveling a little further.

Below are some key points to keep in mind in regards to how much time you have:

Short (1-2 weeks)

• Have less time moving from A to B.
• Choose only 1 country or region.
• You’re likely to spend more money in order to save time.
• Tendency to stuff a lot of activities in, but be warned this can exhaust you.
• More likely to visit those countries that are more expensive.
• More likely to have a rigid schedule with things booked in advance.

Longer-term (2+ weeks)

• Can allow more time for travel between destinations.
• Depending on length, can visit multiple regions/countries.
• Will sacrifice time in order to save money.
• Will need to be extra vigilant with budget and finding deals.
• Focus on packing light and embracing minimalism.
• More room for flexibility in your schedule.

What Is Your Budget?

You can almost always find a match for your budget choices whatever travel destinations you choose.

However, it could change your ultimate decision as it might not be budget enough, particularly if you are traveling long-term when it’s best to stick to the cheaper regions!

Carefully consider the strength of the currency you are traveling on and what areas you can make your dollar travel further.

What other currencies is your dollar stronger against?

For Australians, it might be considering a trip to south-east Asia, the Pacific Islands, or Africa.

Or, if you love road trips and camping, it could mean staying in Australia instead of going abroad.

Think strategically about your options.

What Seasons Do You Like?

Many people travel for the seasons. Are you a summer or winter person? Do you enjoy spring break vacations?

For us it’s usually summer destinations for family vacations. It just appeals to us as there is more you can do outdoors and you can travel lighter – trust me, when travel with kids you will appreciate this.

So unless you are looking for winter activities, you are more likely following the sun too. This will often mean prices can be higher, except for those regions where it is always hot – like the Top End of Australia and Southeast Asia.

Consider the impact seasons have on where you go and whether the weather conditions will be right during the time of your visit.

You can waste a lot of money if you don’t get the timing right.

Can You Travel in the Off-Season?

If you are fortunate enough to be flexible in when you can take your vacation time, good for you!

Avoiding peak periods and traveling off-season is one of our best travel tips and you can save big bucks on flights, accommodation, car rental and activities.

Even if you have kids in school, consider traveling a week or two outside of major school holiday periods to take advantage of the savings.

Once you have a list of places in mind, look up their shoulder season dates and see if they work for you.

Tips for Choosing a Travel Destination

Now you have the main questions covered, here are our top tips for choosing a travel destination…

1. Fly Where the Deals Are!

Instead of thinking too much about the location of your next travel destination, let the cheap flights make up your mind for you!

Use Google Flights to search for Flight Deals by selecting “anywhere” as the destination, and input your travel dates, and see what shows up.

Think about using airfare sales to help determine the location of your next vacation, rather than the other way around.

Skyscanner’s go EVERYWHERE feature is cool. Type in the word everywhere in the “To” box on their site and this helps you to select the cheapest destination from your point of origin.

Or you can also just leave the “To” box blank. If you’re not fussed on your destination and just want to get out of town this is a fun tool. See more of our tips on finding cheap flights.

2. Travel in Your Own Backyard

If you’re struggling to save money for travel, or if time is an issue for you, don’t underestimate the benefits of staying local and exploring in your own backyard.

This strategy is one of the most overlooked and cheapest ways of having more travel in your life. Some of the key benefits of local travel include:

• Less planning
• Less packing
• Les time away
• No jet lag or burnout
• Usually cheaper

It’s an easy strategy to implement. Start by taking day trips, then short breaks. After a while you’ll be looking for bigger and longer adventures.

This is what helped us overcome reverse culture shock after returning home after yet another extended period of travel. We now do that with our other site This is Raleigh, spending our days with our traveler eyes exploring our backyard and encouraging other Raleigh residents to do the same.

3. Choose Somewhere With No Visa

If you’re looking to go away fast and don’t have time for careful planning, simply choose somewhere where you don’t have to get a visa for your passport.

You may want to think about somewhere in Europe such as Paris or London, so you also don’t need to worry about getting vaccinations.

Last minute trips to South America, where you need to get Yellow Fever Vaccinations, for example, are not the wisest decision.

4. Look For Holiday Deals

Traveling over holiday periods, such as Christmas in December or Easter weekend, can be some of the best times to fly if you’re prepared to fly on the day of.

Most people want to get home in time for Christmas, but rarely do people want to fly on Christmas Day itself.

We know people who have flown over New Years Eve and had incredible deals on plane tickets before fewer people want to travel on those days. Here are some holiday travel ideas.

5. Go Somewhere With Infrastructure

If one of the reasons you can’t pick a destination is because you’re not ready to jump out of your comfort zone, then choose a destination that has infrastructure.

Think about places that have a culture not too far from your own.

I always say European countries are the easiest to travel in because everyone speaks English, and the infrastructure is set up to make travel easier.

Consider places like Germany, Spain, France or Italy which receive a lot of travelers and are easy to travel in.

6. Go on a Guided Tour

Let someone else make the decisions for you. Travel planning can be overwhelming and time consuming. Plus, it can be a logistical nightmare to make it work independently if visiting multiple locations or short on time.

There can be a lot of negativity around taking group tours – as if it’s cheating and not a valid way to travel. I completely disagree. As a busy mother who runs her own business, I now love nothing more than showing up with my suitcase and jumping on a bus or boat and having everything taken care of for me.

On our recent summer Europe trip, we joined an 8-day Avalon Waterways Danube River cruise and absolutely loved it. We visited 3-4 countries, had incredible food and wine, wonderful experiences, stunning views the entire time, and had friendly service and met lovely people on the cruise. Even our kids enjoyed it.

Plus, I’ve done group tours with Globus traveling Northern California, to Jordan, and Craig went to Ireland. All were fantastic and easy travel.

Read More: Solo travel vs group travel: pros and cons and why take guided tours over independent travel.

7. Just Go To Your Bucket List Place

If none of these tips are working, just go to your bucket list! Have you dreamed of seeing The Northern Lights in Iceland or witness gorillas in Uganda?

Just go!

You only live once, and if you have the time, don’t waste it. You can earn your money back, but you can never get enough time.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it, those are some questions you should ask yourself to help you choose a destination, and some of our top tips for picking a place to travel to.

Now you know how to choose your next destination, be sure to read our guides on how to find cheap flights, how to save money on accommodation, and how to find the best deals on rental cars to make your money go further.

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These challenges alter, as your kids get older, needing new strategies and quite often – a whole new type of holiday.

When kids become teenagers, they have a whole new set of needs, requirements, and challenges to take on themselves, generating little anxieties like ‘fitting in’ and ‘fear of missing out’.

Their friends become far more important to them as they start to fine-tune their interests and develop their adult personalities.

Trust me, we have 2 kids, one is of tween age and the other well into her teens. We’ve had some incredible adventures with our two girls in their teenage years, and know that a fair bit of understanding, and leeway, is required if everyone is going to get along on holiday (or at all).

In this guide, we share our tips for traveling with teens so you can make the most of your family vacation…

Tips for Traveling with Teens

1. Involve them in the planning process

Don’t just schedule the entire itinerary for them, ask them where they’d like to go and what they would like to do.

They might have somewhere in mind they’ve always dreamed of going, or have found a hidden gem whilst scrolling on Instagram.

This is their holiday too, so let them be a part of the planning process. On our teen New York trip, Kalyra chose The Cursed Child on Broadway, and exploring Greenwich village on a NYC food tour. In London, she chose Harry Potter Studio tour, and Matilda in the West End. On our 4 Week Europe tour, she chose Cinque Terre, which our tween also thought was the best thing we did!

2. Try a new destination

Take them somewhere they’ve never been before, somewhere exciting that will build anticipation and give them bragging rights in the school playground.

Whether that’s hiking the rim of Kings Canyon or snorkeling with whale sharks on the Ningaloo Reef in Australia or snow boarding in Japan – give them something unique and different to try.

Don’t just go back to Disney World in Orlando or visit the same destination just because you enjoy it. Get out of your comfort zones and discover a new place together.

3. Do unique experiences

Think about fueling their adrenalin, beyond action movies, computer games and theme parks.

Instead, choose activities like jet boating in New Zealand, scuba diving with bull sharks in Fiji or pot holing at Jenolan Caves. Our daughter, Kalyra loved swimming with the pigs in the Exuma Islands.

While they’re young and have no worries about work, retirement, or the struggles of adulthood – give them fond memories to look back on in years to come. They won’t stay young forever, so help them to enjoy this period of their life.

4. Choose your accommodation wisely

Whether your budget is large or small, you are going to need more room with teenagers, and seriously, separate rooms.

If your budget decrees separate tents rather than separate rooms, fine, just make sure they’re separate. You can book two adjoining rooms that can be connected, if you prefer.

Kalyra loved our Avalon Waterways river cruise as her and Savannah had their own suite across the hall from us. That’s invaluable independence for a teen. You can read more reasons why she loved our Danube River cruise as a teen.

5. Revisit your youth with the YHA

There are plenty of budget options for places to stay for bigger families, and contrary to what you might believe, hostels are not just for backpackers.

Youth Hostels are a great idea for families, most of which now have double rooms and family rooms, so it’s possible to find a combination of the two that works.

You don’t have to stay at all inclusive resorts to save money, just book a hostel!

6. Make sure there’s plenty to do

Make sure your chosen destination has a range of activities suitable for teenagers – whether that’s surfing, horse riding, volleyball or football.

Nothing bores a teen more than watching everyone else have fun without you, watching your younger brothers or sisters enjoy activities that you’re not invited to because you’re over 12.

7. Find activities that will challenge both of you

There is no greater bonding experience than facing those challenges together, whether that’s facing a fear of heights at the top of Auckland Sky Tower, a black run down the mountain or trying scuba diving for the first time.

When you come through the other side unscathed and pretty damn pleased with yourself, you’ll have bonded in more ways than one.

8. Accept the fact the smart phones are coming on holiday

This is the digital age and you will just cause massive melt downs trying to get them to leave their smartphone at home.

Allow them to take it with them and get them a local sim card so they can stay connected. This will be important to avoid “roaming mobile bill shock”.

Ensure the hotel or resort you’re staying at has free Wi-Fi, find out the cost involved and if necessary, plan a visit to a cafe every now and then so they can use the internet there.

Smartphones are how they stay connected to their friends back home. It’s important for a teen to have that connection to avoid FOMO. Plus, I love seeing what my girls capture on their phone camera. It gives me an interesting insight into what they are enjoying.

9. Be flexible and allow plenty of down time

It’s exhausting traveling, and everyone needs a little “me time” even when you’re traveling as a family.

Take days off, or what my kids like to call “lazy days,” between adventure days. It’s okay – you’re on holiday, so it’s acceptable to spend at least one day in your pyjamas watching in-house movies.

Ensure there is free time every day, so they have time to rest after exploring attractions and can upload their selfies to social media.

With teens, it’s also easy to leave them in the hotel room or apartment if they’re tired and want to relax. This happens a lot with our teen. By the end of the day she just wants to lie on the bed. Craig and I detest doing that so we head out for more exploration and evening fun (close to the accommodation) while her, and Savannah chill in the room.

10. If at all possible, avoid holiday plans that require early starts

Sleeping in seems to be a human right that teenagers hold dearly. You may think they are lazy, but sleep is actually important for their emotional and physical growth, so avoid waking them up unnecessarily.

If you don’t want to sleep in yourself, or want to catch a sunrise, use the time to have breakfast in peace or go for a walk. Take the alone time while you can!

11. Get them a travel journal

If you want them to put down their phone and get off social media, then get them a journal to document their adventures.

Older kids will especially love this, as they begin to develop deeper thoughts and opinions about things.

12. Let them be in charge of their own packing

One of the easiest things you can do to make teen travel easier is to give your teen responsibility to look after themselves.

No one likes an overbearing parent, so let them do them.

Give them their own case and allow them to pack it themselves, and look after their own belongings.

One of the biggest life lessons they will learn is independence, and travel is a great classroom for that.

Best Places to Travel With Teenagers

We’ve had many family holidays with our teens and know it’s not easy to pick destinations.

As we mentioned earlier, be sure to share family vacation ideas with your teens and have them weigh in on where they would like to take their family holiday.

Below are some suggestions for the best vacations for families with teens that are fun for the whole family.

Paris

Most teenagers dream about a vacation in Europe. The best city for teenagers is one of the most popular – the romantic city of Paris.

Paris has a unique local culture and a ton of things to do with teens. We visited Paris in the summer of 2023 with our teens and they loved it.

They will love seeing the Eiffel Tower, shopping along the Champs-Élysées Avenue, and marveling at the works in The Louvre. It was their favorite destination on our Europe trip.

London

Another city with a ton of attractions for teens is London. The big city of London has everything from history, world-class museums, and iconic landmarks like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace where they can snap a selfie or two.

It’s also where Harry Potter fans can get the true experience. You can visit The Harry Potter Experience at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, as well as take walking tours and watch Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the West End.

London has a bustling scene full of music and arts, with numerous theaters, live music venues, and street performances to keep your teens engaged.

Be sure to visit trendy neighborhoods like Camden or Notting Hill for a taste of London’s creative energy.

New York City

New York City is an exceptional place for teenagers because it’s packed with iconic landmarks, from Times Square to the Statue of Liberty, with each landmarks providing excellent photo opportunities.

It’s also well known for cultural diversity. Teenagers can explore neighborhoods like Chinatown and Little Italy, immersing themselves in different cultures through food, shops, and vibrant street life.

With museums like The Met, MoMA, and the American Museum of Natural History, the city is full of world class museums that offer incredible art and educational exhibits that engage and inspire young minds.

And let’s not forget Broadway Shows. It doesn’t matter what kind of teenager you have, there is a theatrical production to cater for every taste.

Chicago

Chicago is another big city that makes for an excellent destination for teenagers, offering a blend of culture and entertainment.

The city is home to world-class museums like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry, which can broaden and inspire young minds.

The Navy Pier, an iconic waterfront attraction, is a wonderful place to visit. It offers rides, games, and an array of entertainment options, including the famous Ferris wheel and boat tours on Lake Michigan.

If you have teenage boys who love sports, Chicago is a sports-loving city, with teams like the Cubs, Bulls, and Bears. Teenagers can catch a game and experience the electric atmosphere of a live sporting event.

And for those who love to shop, head to Magnificent Mile, a renowned shopping district that showcases high-end stores, trendy boutiques, and a variety of dining options, making it a paradise for teenage shoppers.

Chicago is also famous for its comedy scene, with legendary improv theaters like Second City and iO Chicago where teenagers can enjoy hilarious performances (well, if age appropriate). Check out all Kalyra and I did on a mother-daughter getaway to Chicago.

Yellowstone National Park

For active teens who prefer outdoor adventure, consider a road trip through Yellowstone National Park.

Visiting Yellowstone National Park offers adventure, education, and natural wonders. It’s famous for its geysers, including the iconic Old Faithful. Teenagers can witness these geothermal marvels up close and learn about the park’s volcanic history.

Yellowstone is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, including bears, wolves, and herds of bison. Teenagers who love animals can go on wildlife safaris and capture amazing sightings.

The park offers endless opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, and even whitewater rafting. It’s a chance for teenagers to disconnect from technology and connect with nature.

Above all, Yellowstone is an educational experience. There are educational programs and ranger-led activities, allowing teenagers to deepen their understanding of ecology, conservation, and geology.

Final Thoughts

Teen travel is one of the best ages to travel with since they are becoming young adults and have more opinions and ideas about what interests them.

We hope this guide helped you plan your next vacation as a family and gave you some inspiration for traveling with teens.

More Family Travel Tips

Need more inspiration for traveling as a family? Here are some other helpful guides…

More Family Travel Posts

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Backpacking is not just for the young, gap year kids and students, it’s something everyone should do at least once in their life, no matter how old you are.

It’s more than a means to travel, it’s a lifestyle. Backpacking allows you to connect with the locals, travel to remote and distant lands, connect with other likeminded travelers, and share in unique experiences you’d never find in your home country.

For many, backpacking is a dream, but it can be scary and overwhelming knowing what to expect if you’ve never done it before.

So, to help you out, we share our top backpacking tips of how we were able to backpack round-the-world over a 10 year period, and what you need to consider before setting off on your trip of a lifetime.

Why do people like backpacking the world?

No two travellers are alike, and what works for one, may not work for others. When you’re backpacking, you tend to gravitate towards travelers who are more on your wave-length.

Backpackers tends to have modest budgets, favoring experiences that connect them to other cultures and other people, over expensive splurges.

Because backpacking adapts your lifestyle to a more frugal nature, you gain a better appreciation for the world and your life – especially your life before backpacking.

After spending six months in hostel dorms, you will appreciate the luxuries you once had at home.

It also allows you to travel more off-the-beaten-path and to more remote locations, since you’re not going to be able to pull a roller suitcase up a mountain – well, you can try!

Tips On How to Backpack & Travel Around the World

Before you can grab a backpack and book a plane ticket, there’s a few things you need to consider when you’re thinking about how to backpack and travel round the world.

We suggest you ask yourself these questions:

• What destinations do you want to explore the most?
• How long do you want to travel round the world for?
• What is your travel budget?
• Are you traveling solo, as a couple, or in a group?
• What’s your desired style of travel? (planes, trains, automobiles, boats, other??

The answers to these questions are important because they’ll go along way towards making sure you give yourself the best chance to have a richly rewarding travel experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned backpacker, or you haven’t done any backpacking trips before, here are our top tips for backpacking the world.

1. Leave Room For Flexibility In Your Schedule

Things change. People change. You’ll meet people.

Others will recommend great places you’ve never heard of, you’ll discover interesting places you thought you only needed two days in but you’ll need a week.

If all your flights, tours and accommodation is pre-booked, it can be costly to change and frustrating to leave a place you love!

2. Spend More Time In Fewer Places

Why? It costs you less! Transport can really eat into your budget, so instead of racing through 20 countries in 20 days or 5 continents in 5 months, get to know a region well.

Racing around the world and visiting too many countries can also be tiring.

Having to pack and unpack, deal with many airports or bus terminals, boarder crossings and visa issues, can get you down.

So slow down, and take more in. That way, you won’t suffer from burn out, and you’ll really get a feel for a place and learn about the cheap places to eat and cheap things to do.

3. Travel Like The Locals On Public Transport

You get great knowledge and insight by hanging with the locals, it costs you less, and is a more authentic travelling experience!

We roughed it from Kenya to Cape Town using nothing but public transport – it was amazing!

4. Think About Your Overall Travel Plan

Everyone has different personalities, likes, dislikes, budgets, and comfort levels.

Some people could just jump on a plane without any plans, and everything would just fall into place.

But if this is your first time to travel round-the-world having “some type of plan” would be recommended.

However, we don’t recommend having too structured itineraries. One of the great things about long term travel is that once you get a feel for it, the best way is to just let it happen. You can over plan and leave yourself with no flexibility!

We go into a country, a city, and a town with a list of the must-do activities, and then we like to just walk around and immerse ourselves in the local day to day activities and heartbeat of the place, and get tips and information from the locals.

And of course, meeting and talking with fellow backpackers who have walked the road you plan to travel, is always invaluable!

5. Don’t Neglect Your Budget And Finances

If you’re an independent budget traveler, or doing a gap year, then determining how much you have, and how long it will last, is important.

You need “some type of budget” in place so that you give yourself the best chance to make your money travel further!

Your travel budget will obviously depend on your travel style:

• Are you willing to rough it in hostels and campgrounds, or do you need some extra comfort like a hotel or apartment?
• Are you willing to stay in dorms, or do you need a private room?
• What are your eating habits likely to be like?
• Are you planning on taking many tours?

For some great ideas on making your money work for you, see our saving money for travel page.

6. Stay In Backpackers Hostels

Backpackers hostels are a great option for budget travel, and a great place to meet other travelers and get top backpacking tips. 

Rooms in hostels can consist of dormitory style (both same sex and unisex), private single, and private double rooms.

And they can be geared towards all traveler types: young, old, single, couples, male and female.

Certain regions of the world cost more, so consider your destinations carefully.

We personally spent most of our time traveling in Southeast Asia and South Africa, where the costs of staying in hostels and camping is very minimal, in comparison to regions like Western Europe, Australia, and the USA.

There’s also a unique feature on HostelWorld.com that tells you how many travelers are staying in a hostel at the same time as you, so you know whether a place is busy before you book.

7. Try Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is a worldwide network that connects travelers with locals.

Members are located in over 230 countries, use over 302 different languages, and live in over 67,000 different cities.

Couchsurfing (sleeping at a members home) is absolutely FREE, and the only thing that’s expected is an inspiring experience!

8. Find An Affordable Hotel or Guest House

If you are in need of a little more comfort, and your budget allows it, then the obvious step up from a hostel is a hotel.

Finding an affordable hotel has been a desire several times for us, a little splurge for a night or two never goes astray after a while. HostelWorld.com is the best place to find and book a hostel.

9. Cut Your Costs On The Road

Learning how to backpack around the world and cut costs on the road plays a vital role in your long-term plans.

 It makes no sense to put in the effort to save up for your trip, and then blow it all in a short period of time and you don’t get to do half the things you dreamed of.

Now, you will have to adjust your budget as you go, as there are just too many variables to take into consideration that you can never prepare for.

But having that budget in place, and writing in a daily journal and tracking what your expenses have been each day is recommended.

10. Consider Working Holidays

A working holiday visa program is a great way to have an extended stay in a country and to explore a particular region of the world.

It’s a great way to base yourself in a location and save money for further round the world travel.

The opportunity to work in another country gives you the greatest immersion into its culture, and can be a richly rewarding experience.

Get Help With Global Work and Travel

Want to live and work in the UK but all this sounds really stressful? Then consider an agency to help you with all your documents.

As I shared in this post, I had to figure it out on my own – arriving to London with no money, no friends, and no job. It was stressful and took

I’m so happy to share with you Global Work and Travel, a company that can help you do it with support!

Since 2013, Global Work and Travel have been helping travelers work and fund their travels through cultural exchange programs both paid and unpaid.

One of the elements of a successful working holiday is to find local, seasonal employment to use as a means to fund your travels around the country.

This is not easy, but Global Work and Travel makes it so as they have spent years with hundreds of local businesses that do hire travellers.

They assist you though all parts of the process such as finding flights, recommending you for interviews, and giving you a supportive community when you arrive. See all opportunities here.

We are enthusiastic partners of theirs as we believe in what they do, avid lovers of working abroad, and know they can help you!

Read more in our full post on the Global Work and Travel opportunity. 

Our 10 years working abroad story in podcast

To learn more about working abroad, listen to the first five episodes of our podcast where we talk about working overseas.

1. Episode 1: Solo Travel and Working Abroad before we met
2. Episode 2: Our 5 year honeymoon living and traveling the world
3. Episode 3: The Dark times and Birth of the girls and travel blog
4. Episode 4: Embracing Family Travel and our 18 month Australian road trip
5. Episode 5: Getting a green card and traveling the US (our dream realized)

11. Teach English Overseas

Another great way to travel round the world is to teach English. You can spend a considerable amount of time in a country or region of the world whilst funding your stay through teaching.

You can get great immersion into a culture and live and travel in exotic places.

Teaching English abroad is not for everyone and you don’t have to look at it as a new career, but the experience could look great on any resume.

12. Get Travel Insurance

Another important task to think about when considering how to backpack the world, is to organize Backpacker Travel Insurance.

It is something we would all love to avoid, but is necessary. We’ve had to claim several times in the past, and we wouldn’t leave home without it.

Advice from the Backpacker Travel Insurance experts

• Cancellation: It’s no fun if you fall ill before you leave and can not go on your trip. Not all insurance policies cover cancellation, so please read the policy wording relevant to you carefully.
• Lost or stolen gear: most travel insurance policies have a per-item value limit – make sure its high enough to cover your gear or choose a policy that allows you to increase the limit.

We’ve personally used World Nomads on our backpacking trips.

13. Get The Right Backpack

Backpacking has become so much easier these days since many backpack manufacturers are producing backpacks with backpackers in mind.

Osprey are no doubt the leaders in the field when it comes to backpacking backpacks.

Our favorite backpacks of theirs are the Osprey Fairview (for women) and Osprey Farpoint (for men), which are designed to open like a suitcase, allowing you to access your essentials with ease.

Gone are the days of open top backpacks and roller luggage! If you’re going trekking, be sure to get a backpack with a waist strap – this allows all the weight to fall on your hips instead of your back and shoulders. Trust me, you’ll need it!

Where to Backpack The World

Now you have some backpacking tips and you’re feeling ready to get out of your comfort zone, it’s time to consider where in the world to backpack.

Here are the most common backpacker countries:

Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam

Commonly referred to as The Big 4. These countries in Southeast Asia are incredibly backpacker friendly, not only because they are cheap and packed with hostels, but they are safe to visit.

Your money can go a long way in Southeast Asia, and you’ll find many other backpackers on the road here. In fact, you have to try really hard not to meet people!

Some top experiences not to miss is sunrise over Angkor Wat in Siam Reap, a Long-Tail Boat Ride in Laos, and visiting the Ancient Temples of Bangkok.

After the Big 4, if you have more time left, we highly recommend you visit Palawan in The Philippines or visit Indonesia (not Bali, it’s too westernized now, but Java and Lombok are great!)

You could also tie The Big 4 into a complete Banana Pancake Trail adventure. The Banana Pancake Trail is a term used for Southeast Asia countries that backpackers go to – India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and The Philippines. Basically anywhere bananas grow.

Central America

Central America, outside of Mexico, is a great place to go backpacking because it’s not as well trodden as other parts of the world.

South American and Southeast Asia are far more popular, but you can have a really authentic experience traveling in Guatemala down to Panama. Just note that the safety index for these countries are not as good as Southeast Asia.

Some popular experiences in Central America are seeing Tikal in Guatemala and sailing the Panama Canal.

These countries are accessible from North America and often have direct flights to places like Houston, Texas.

The Gringo Trail – South America

South America is another backpacker friendly continent, and has even earned the nickname “The Gringo Trail’ which refers to Latin American countries often visited by ‘gringo’s AKA Canadians, Americans, Brits, Anglo-European people such as the Dutch or Germans – you get the message.

If you speak Spanish, you will get by a lot easier as not everyone speaks English – if you don’t speak Spanish, find someone who does!

The most popular countries people backpack in South America are Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Ecuador.

Some unmissable experiences are hiking in Patagonia and hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Don’t miss a chance to explore the Salt Flats in Bolivia.

More Solo Travel Tips

Need more inspiration about traveling solo? Here are some other helpful guides…

• 5 simple ways to manage mental health for solo travelers
• 5 Ways to Deal with Solo Travel Negativity from Family & Friends
• Easy Tips to meet people as a Female Solo Traveler
• tips to nail effective communication as a solo traveler
• Top Destinations For First Time Solo Female Travelers
• Budget Travel Tips for Solo Travelers
• Important Questions to Ask Before traveling Alone as a Woman
• tips for staying safe as a solo female traveler
• Why Colombia travel is best for a solo adventure
• How to travel safely to India as a solo female traveler
• San Francisco in a Day: A solo mother’s relaxed wanderings

Some people may prefer guided tours over independent travel, because they offer security, ease of planning, and the chance to meet others.

There have been certain times when we have considered taking guided tours instead, especially when we’re not sure about a place and how to get around.

We have come to realize there is no one right way to travel. Whether you take a guided tour or travel independently largely comes down to personal preference and what you want to get out of a trip.

So if you’re thinking about taking a guided tour over traveling independently, here is a complete guide to the benefits of guided tours so you can make an informed decision about whether it’s right for you.

Is A Guided Tour Better?

There are many benefits to travel with tour companies and they really do suit the purposes of a lot of travelers.

In fact, now that we have a child, I am more inclined to consider guided tours for specific regions.

I think back to me riding around on a pick-up truck on the wild and dangerous roads of Africa and I think, “do I really want my child to accompany me in difficult independent travel like this?”

Yes and No.

While I’d love my kids to have this cultural experience, this momma-bear-fearful-heart of mine probably could not stand the pressure.

For families with small kids looking to travel to remote locations and off the beaten path destinations, then a guided tour is probably better than independent travel.

Benefits of Guided Tours

1. Time

Some people just do not have the time for independent travel. Let’s face it catching local transport often takes a whole day or more to get from one destination to another.

If you consider the fact that most Americans get on average only 2 weeks paid holidays, independent travel may not work.

Even those in other countries who can get 4-6 weeks off, with this limited time to travel independently you really have to stick to one small region in order to make the most of your stay.

This is where guided tours with tour companies can prove to be a great choice for those who want to see as much as they can in a small space of time.

Try to limit the number of countries you visit so you can experience more of the culture of your destination.

2. Comfort Levels

Independent travel is not easy. A lot of travellers, especially when first beginning their around the world adventures, start with group travel on guided tours.

This helps them to adjust to this new lifestyle, slowly stretching the comfort zones out until they feel confident enough to take it on themselves.

For some people the thought of trying to order local food in a foreign country causes them to faint at their knees.

Instead of never leaving the house, a guided tour would be a great way to travel within their comfort zone limits.

3. Meeting People

Many of my friends kicked off their living in London/ European tour with a Contiki tour. They made a lot of new friends because of it, which meant that they arrived in London to live already knowing someone.

This can be very reassuring to those shy first-time travellers who might not be so great at getting out there and meeting people on their own.

After my beerfest tour, we met up with our travel friends from the tour group several times upon return home to London. It was great to have so many new friends who all shared a common travel memory.

Sure, at first you are a bunch of strangers and there’s always the off chance that you don’t get on, but usually you’ll find that people you meet on group tours are like-minded people, and you don’t have to be an extrovert to fit in.

There is no better way to travel than with a group of friends, so if you’re a first-time traveller and worried about social interaction, this is one of the greatest benefits of group travel.

4. Information

Even when I am traveling independently, there will be many times I will take a guided tour of an historical site or cultural experience.

This is because I want to learn more about the place I am visiting. And I don’t want to be walking around trying to read it from a guide book while I am there.

I want someone to point out certain features, tell me stories about the area and relay the important information. Guided tours are a great way to sit back, absorb the area you are in and allow someone else to tell you all about it.

5. Less Hassle

Travel planning takes a lot of time and research and then of course you need to be constantly adapting and changing these plans as you are going along.

You have to decide how to get there, how to get around, where to stay, what to eat, what to see, how to change money and who to talk to for help.

The list of tasks never end, it can be tiresome, cumbersome and just plain irritating.

Taking a guided tour means removing all the hassle of the planning stage.

Someone can take you by the hand while you concentrate on the only thing you want to concentrate on exploring, learning, eating, drinking, shopping and having fun.

6. Safety

Many people fear travel as they believe the world is unsafe.

A guided tour may give a person like this the opportunity to travel as they feel much safer. There is always someone watching their back and people who they can turn to for comfort when feeling afraid.

As I mentioned above, now that I am mum this is a very important factor in making travel decisions for my family.

7. Some areas suit guided tours

There are certain travel experiences and destinations that only lend themselves to group travel and guided tours.

For example, going to Antarctica would be extremely difficult without being on a tour.

In Africa, night time safaris can only be done by guided tours, Robbin island can only be visited through a group tour and trekking to base camp, I’m sure would be best to be done on a group tour.

8. Helps with The Local Language

Contrary to what you might think, there are some countries in the world where English is not widely spoken. Language barriers are still a thing and can be a huge headache on your trip.

It always helps to travel with someone who can speak the foreign language of that country, especially when you do travel as a large group.

9. Completely Planned Itinerary

If it’s your first trip abroad, having your entire itinerary planned for you is one way to make it stress-free.

Not only do they schedule all the attractions and travel experiences, but they also book your accommodation and transport, and even offer suggestions for the best places to eat.

This gives you peace of mind knowing you don’t have to plan a thing.

There will also be free time where you can enjoy some flexibility from the main itinerary.

This means you can explore more with your tourmates or simply hang out by yourself if you need a little me-time.

10. Discover Hidden Gems and Local Cuisine

While you may have some bucket list experiences you want to cover, and tour companies do take you to them, they can also be a great way to discover hidden gems.

Whether you’re looking at a multi-day guided tour of a day tour, taking a tour with a knowledgeable local guide is a great way to find places that tourists don’t frequently visit. Like our guide in Petra who took us the back door in, which ended up being a spectacular 9 mile hike with it almost to ourselves.

11. Exclusive Experiences

Most tour companies hire local guides who know the areas well. They love to treat their guests with warm hospitality and insider’s perspectives of a country, as well as convenience.

This means you may have the chance to visit some exclusive attractions that other tourists cannot visit, such as visiting a homestay in one of the less touristy neighborhoods, or have a guided tour of a local farm.

Most of the time, the tour operator will have a partner in a destination who takes you on your travel experience, and they want you to get the full local experience.

What better way to get that than with a local themselves?

12. Creates Great Travel Stories

When I think back to some of my fondest travel memories, they are often funny stories that happened when we’ve traveled as a group.

Perhaps it’s a memory of sitting around a bonfire telling stories, or hiking up a mountain and cheering each other on when it gets tough, or snorkeling off a boat and seeing a turtle swim past.

Sharing these experiences with others is the most rewarding feeling.

13. Someone to Take Photos for You

When you’re traveling alone, it can be awkward and annoying setting up a tripod or using a selfie stick.

Traveling with a guided tour means you always have someone who can take nice shots for you.

You never know, they might even be better with a camera than you!

Tips for Choosing Tour Companies

1. Do your research

Find those reputable companies that run guided tours through the destination you want to visit. Contiki are popular for Europe, but not for Asia. Ask around for advice and read reviews on travel message boards.

Also, most companies have a Facebook page, get on them and ask questions of past participants. Be absolutely certain that the tour company you choose is the best you can get for your travel budget.

Two guided tour companies we can recommend are G Adventures and Globus Travel. See next…

2. Be very clear on your travel goals

What are your absolute must sees? What sort of experience are you looking for? Purely cultural, adventurous, photographic, or having a massive party?

Once you know what you really want, you’ll know the best tour company is for you.

3. Check the Age Group and Vibe

Contiki is well known for its 18–35-year-old party type atmosphere. And on the flip side, one of my good friends will never forget unknowingly ending up on a guided tour of Europe that was full of pensioners.

Not really the experience his 25 year old self was looking for.

4. Don’t try to fit too much in

Do you really want to have a 5 minute ‘I was here’ experience, or do you want a more enriching experience? Less is more.

15 European countries in 15 days is going to leave you exhausted and you will not remember Germany from France. Trust me, you never want to get those two confused.

5. Check Their Safety Procedures

If you do your research properly and find a reputable company then I am sure you will discover they have adequate safety measures in place. Make sure they have the proper accreditation

6. Think Eco-tourism

Choose a company that not only respects the local environment, but the local culture as well. You want to make sure you are leaving a positive impact wherever you are going.

7. Get A Clear Outline Of Costs

Make sure you know the costs, including any extras of your tour. Certain activities on tours may cost extra. You must know all this beforehand.

You would hate to turn up to the Serengetti on your African overland tour only to discover you needed to pay an extra $200, which you don’t have.

Know how many meals are included, what accommodation type is covered by the tour, transfers, etc. Tours should be able to give you a rough estimate of spending money you will need as well.

8. Read Reviews of The Guides

As discussed, a benefit of a guided tour is the knowledgeable tour guide who will be showing you the area and teaching you more about it.

Part of your research should be to find out what sort of guides the tours use and how knowledgeable they are.

We had a local Kenyan on our guided tour of the Massai Mara. He knew an incredible amount about the animals and the back roads he could take to find them. He really helped to make our first Safari experience a memorable one.

Final Thoughts on Advantages of Guided Tours

Whether you’re looking to travel long-term or simply looking to take a day tour from a city, you’ll find there are many advantages to guided tours over going independently.

We hope this guide helped you make a decision about whether to go alone or as a group.

The planning stage is when you can learn about all the exciting things you’re going to see, it’s how you discover hidden gems, and it’s how you can rock up to the airport feeling confident about arriving in a new destination.

If you’ve never planned a trip before, then this step-by-step travel planning guide will help you learn how to plan a trip to anywhere in the world!

We know that travel planning can be overwhelming and time-consuming, especially if you are traveling with kids.

So if you don’t know where to start or know how to plan a trip, this guide is for you! Below are the steps you take to plan your next trip.

Quick Summary: How to Plan a Trip

In this guide, I have shared the best travel websites to use when planning a vacation, either for booking flights, hotels, tours, and attractions, or simply researching.

We’ve also shared our best travel tips on saving your money on the road, buying travel insurance, travel packing tips, finding places to eat, getting visas, immunizations, and much more!

But if you don’t have a lot of time, here is a quick summary of the steps you need to take when planning a trip:

• Step 1: Choose your destination
• Step 2: Check your passport validity
• Step 3: Check visa requirements
• Step 4: Get vaccines/do vaccine research
• Step 5: Book your flights
• Step 6: Get travel insurance
• Step 7: Book accommodation
• Step 8: Get a rental car/figure out your mode of transport
• Step 9: Plan things to do/book tours
• Step 10: Plan places to eat
• Step 11: Make copies of important documents
• Step 12: Get a local sim card or arrange roaming data
• Step 13: Withdraw money overseas
• Step 14: Pack light
• Step 15: Double check bookings & check-in to flights

Travel Planning Tips Video

If you prefer to watch a quick video, we share the following tips on our YouTube Channel. All links mentioned in the video are in this post!

Tips for Planning a Trip

Step 1: Choose Your Destination

The first step is the most fun, choosing your destination. Where do you want to go? 

Of course, the first step in how to plan a vacation is to choose a travel destination that meets your interests, travel style, and travel budget.

Are you planning overseas travel or a domestic trip at home? Either way, the whole idea of taking a trip is to have a memorable time in a new place, to have fun and relax, and not to spend your whole vacation time worrying about money.

If you are not sure where to travel to, ask yourself these questions:

How much time do you have?

If you only have 1-2 weeks of vacation time per year, don’t waste too much of that time traveling to and from your destination. Plan your trip accordingly.

But if you have 2-4 weeks or over a month you can look at taking an overseas trip or traveling further away within your home country.

Who are you traveling with?

When you plan your trip, your destination choices can be affected by your traveling companions.

Will you be traveling solo, as a couple, or taking family vacations?

Sit down with other members of your traveling group and discuss your ideas and interests. Memorable trips are those where each member gets to experience something they love.

Don’t leave it to one person to make all the decisions. Or, maybe you could take turns in choosing a destination each year!

What kind of experiences do you like?

To have a memorable trip, choose a destination that allows you to have experiences you enjoy.

Do you like:

• Relaxation or adventure
• Beaches or mountains
• Summer or winter
• Cities or countryside
• Resorts or road trips
• Festivals and culture
• Shopping or food experience
• Luxury, mid-range, or budget

Are you the type of person who likes to sit by the pool all day with a book? Or would this bore you to death?

By answering these types of questions you can narrow down your list of where you want to go for your dream trip!

And keep an open mind. Many people questioned us when we announced we were going to Mardi Gras in New Orleans with kids. We were a little unsure also, but ended up have a blast!

When to Travel?

Weather and crowds play an important role when you plan your trip. For your chosen destination, do you know when the high season and low season is?

If you are fortunate enough to be flexible in when you can take your vacation time, good for you! Avoiding peak travel periods, which is one of our best travel tips for planning a vacation.

Also consider the weather at your chosen destination. The summer season in Southeast Asia is monsoon season, for example.

Group Tours

Ok, after all our travel advice above on planning a trip, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to travel alone or plan your trips, maybe a group tour is an option for you.

Check out these reputable companies:

• G Adventures – offers small-group adventure tours, safaris, and expeditions. You’ll experience authentic adventures in a responsible and sustainable manner.
• Intrepid Travel  – another small group specialist who cater to a range of styles and budgets, so you pick the adventure that suits you best.
• Trafalgar Tours – 70 years experience as a tour operator offering tours worldwide for the 35 to 65 age demographic.
• Globus, Avalon Waterways and Cosmos: We love the Globus Family of brands and have taken several trips with them. You can see more of our Globus trips here. Check out our discount below.

Step 2: Check Your Passport Validity

If you are planning an overseas trip and don’t have a passport yet, give yourself enough time to apply – at least 6 weeks before departure and preferably as soon as you have booked your flights and accommodation.

And if you already have a passport, what is the expiration date? Most countries require that your passport is valid for six months beyond your date of stay and it has enough empty pages for stamps/visas.

We highly recommend you check your passport validity before booking anything, as you can’t get refunds on tickets if you’re passport isn’t valid.

Step 3: Know the Visa Requirements

Do you know the visa entry requirements for your destination? Do you even need a specific visa and how do you get it?

It can take several weeks or even months to get a visa for some countries, so make sure you put in an application before booking anything.

Some visas may require a hotel or flight booking at the time of application, in which case you’ll need to check the estimated approval time before making any bookings and cross your fingers.

Each country and nationality will be different, so don’t leave this till the last minute as it could take significant time to organize.

If you are worried about how to plan an overseas trip because of visas, you can learn more about tourist visas for all countries and passport holders at Project Visa – then double check with each relevant embassy’s website!

Step 4: Get Immunizations

Are you planning for overseas travel to a high-risk destination in regards to health? Before you book your flight, contact your local doctor and ask about what vaccines you need.

Some vaccines, such as Yellow Fever, are not in high stock in some western countries and you could end up being on a waiting list for 6 months, or you may have to pay over $100 for the vaccine. In which case, is your trip worth it?

Many people don’t think about the vaccines they need until after they’ve booked everything, and then get a nasty shock when they see the price of them, so do your research on this before you book anything.

Your safety and health are essential, and in some instances, you can’t travel unless you have proof of having been vaccinated.

We recommend you talk to your local doctor or health care professional who is knowledgeable about travel vaccines rather than taking what you read on the internet as fact – because they will know how important those vaccines are and how long you need to wait for them.

Visit them at least 2 months before departure as some vaccinations need to be started six to eight weeks before departure and require more than one shot spread out over time.

And take any records you have of previous shots.

Step 5: Book Flights For Your Trip

Once you have chosen your destination, step two in planning a trip is to book your flights. Learning how to find cheap flights will help you to reduce one of your biggest travel expenses, such as signing up to Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights, newsletter if your travel dates are flexible.

As a traveling family, if it’s an overseas trip and a long haul flight I like to plan my trip so we get to our destination as quickly as possible, with the most amount of comfort and facilities our budget allows!

If it’s your one-and-only dream vacation for the year, and you only have 1-2 weeks, I recommend you pay the little bit extra for a premium airline and fly direct too!

Searching for flights

So, what sites are helpful for planning a trip online? When searching for cheap flights online we always start with Skyscanner, it’s one of our favorite booking sites.

Skyscanner is a comparison site that searches millions of flights from over a thousand airlines, and sometimes shows up some great flight deals.

Once you’ve found your desired flight on Skyscanner, you are taken to the airline or agency to make your booking (no extra fees added).

You can also download the Skyscanner App, which makes it easier for you to find the best travel deals on your mobile. It’s an all-in-one flights, hotel and car hire search engine app!

Other credible flight search engines include Kayak, Hipmunk, Google Flights, and Momondo.

Go direct to the airlines

After you have used the flight search engines suggested above and found your best flight, we recommend you go directly to that airline’s own website and see if you can get it for cheaper.

Many airlines have lower fares only available on their own site, but sometimes the price comparison sites offer better deals.

It’s worth taking a couple of minutes to compare them both to see which has the best deals.

Step 6: Get Travel Insurance

Once you have booked your flights, it’s important to protect your investment by getting travel insurance?

Why? Well if you have to cancel your trip for some unknown reason, you can recoup the cost of your flights with insurance.

And we highly suggest you get travel insurance period. It’s such a small investment for piece of mind. We always say, “If you can’t afford travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel”. It’s that simple.”

Not having travel insurance on an overseas trip (or domestic) is not worth the risk. Anything can, will, and sometimes goes wrong. If it does and you are not insured, you can be up for a lot of money AND inconvenience.

When you are planning a trip, don’t shrug off this step. It’s one of the most important vacation planning tips!

What happens if:

• You need to cancel your trip unexpectedly
• A hurricane damages your destination
• You get sick or injured on your trip
• Your luggage is lost or stolen
• You lose your passport

Travel insurance is designed to cover unexpected medical emergencies and events such as trip cancellation, your personal effects, lost, stolen or damaged luggage by an airline, and other related losses incurred while traveling.

When selecting travel insurance companies, you need to decide which travel insurance is best for you? There are different levels of coverage depending on:

• The plan
• The insurance company you purchase with
• The size of your deductible (excess)

Use comparison sites such as CompareTheMarket.com to see what deals you can find on different insurances.

Step 7: Book Accommodation

Where you sleep is your other major fixed travel expense, so choosing the best accommodation for your needs at the best price will free up more money for activities.

For us, traveling with kids is not about finding the cheapest accommodation, but getting the BEST VALUE for our money! We don’t like to rough it as much as we used to pre-kids.

Depending on the length of our trip and the destination, we chop and change between accommodation styles.

If I am planning my trip that is a week long I prefer to stay in apartments. They offer several benefits:

• Access to a full kitchen
• Separate bedrooms from the living room
• You have your own laundry.
• You can book a 3 or 4-bed apartment and split the costs with another family or friends.

These extra facilities on a long stay can make your trip so much more enjoyable. But if it’s a short city stay, or we’re just traveling as a couple, we’re happy to stay in a hotel.

Search Accommodation Deals

We recommend booking months in advance to get the best deals if possible.

Our favorite accommodation search website is Booking.com. They have properties worldwide in 200 countries.

Besides listing all the major hotel brands, you can find a variety of low-cost independently owned hotels that can be difficult to find elsewhere.

I like that you can book a variety of accommodation types on the one website – hotels, apartments, and hostels, even holiday homes – and I love how simple their website is to use!

The best thing about booking hotels via Booking.com is the free cancellation on most rooms and a best-price guarantee.

You can book now knowing you are getting a low rate, and have the freedom to cancel if your plans change.

We also enjoy reading verified reviews from guests who stayed at the properties. Booking.com is our go-to hotel booking site.

On the Booking.com website you can search for:

• Hotels
• Apartments
• Resorts
• Guesthouses
• Hostels
• and so much more!

The othger hotel booking sites we use are Hotels.com, Expedia.com, Kayak.com and Hostelworld.com

Vacation Rentals

When you plan your trip also consider vacation rentals, another one of our favorite accommodation sites when I plan my trip.

Airbnb and VRBO can be found worldwide, and you can book entire apartments and houses, or just spare bedrooms allowing you the choice between having the place all to yourself or staying with and getting to know the owner.

Even if you never meet your host, you’ll get to feel more like a local. We prefer VRBO to Airbnb.

Step 8: How Will You Get Around?

Another thing to consider when planning a trip is to find out the transportation options in your chosen destination.

Will you need to book a rental car or pre-purchase any transportation passes online? Is there a train or bus service? Are there taxis or Uber? Can you simply walk to most places?

For example, when you visit Sydney you need an Opal Card to get around on public transport. Some countries require only a contactless payment card to use public transportation, such as London.

Some places there’s no option but to get a taxi. And if you’re planning to visit multiple destinations, how do you get between each place? Are you planning to travel through Europe by train?

During your travel planning, research the transport options for your destination. This will save you time and stress once there.

Rental Cars

If you need a rental car, booking online in advance will almost always get you a better deal than if you just show up at the counter. And it’s easier and quicker.

The last thing you want to do after a long flight is deal with rental car companies at the airport and negotiate a deal.

The quickest way to compare rental companies is to use an aggregator site that searches all the major car brands at once and checks which supplier offers the best prices for your chosen dates and location.

We always start our search with DiscoverCars.com. It’s a site we have booked through several times over the years when traveling from Australia to the USA.

It has saved us time and money in the past for finding cheap rental cars and we continue to use them.

Step 9: Plan Things to See & Do

When you plan a trip you’ll want to know what are the must-visit tourist attractions and the best free things to do in your chosen destination.

As much as we like to just show up, some trip planning is a good idea especially if you are visiting a popular destination in the peak travel season.

Popular attractions like Alcatraz in San Francisco and the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb are booked out well in advance, so don’t just show up on the day expecting to get in.

Research and organize your tickets to any theme parks, zoos, and concerts etc. And many cities also have City Passes that can save you money on attractions. Research those in your travel planning!

Are you planning a trip so you can:

• Eat at a famous restaurant
• See a Broadway Show when you visit New York
• Take a scenic flight over The Grand Canyon
• Do a cooking class in Italy
• Visit Disney World in Orlando

Plan ahead and book any necessary experiences you would like to have and mark them on Google Maps so you know where they are located. This also helps you figure out which attractions are near to one another and helps you decide what activities to do on what day.

Make a list of:

• Free things to do
• Parks and playgrounds
• Best walks
• City tours
• Day trips

For ideas on things to do in your destination, use these resources:

• Travel Blogs (like ours)
• Pinterest (create a board for your destination)
• Tourism board websites
• Ask family & friends who have been there
• Facebook (put out an update asking for tips)
• Twitter (hashtags)
• Guide books (we use Lonely Planet Guide Books)
• Instagram (hashtags)
• Get Your Guide (experts in day tours, sightseeing passes, and attraction tickets)
• Hotel receptionist/bellboy (once in location)

Step 10: Plan Places to Eat & Drink

You can learn a lot about a destination through its food and drink, and you can even plan a trip by eating your way through a destination. For some people that is their favorite thing about travel. Is that you?

When I plan my trips I love to discover new cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs when I travel. I like to try the local delicacies, the local craft beers, and coffee scene.

And as a family, it’s important we learn about the family friendly places to eat, not only from a practicality standpoint but from a budget standpoint.

You can find great recommendations for places to eat by looking at:

• Travel Blogs / Google (use different search terms)
• Pinterest (create a board for your destination)
• Ask family & friends who have been there
• Facebook (put out an update asking for tips)
• Twitter (hashtags)
• Instagram (hashtags)
• Hotel receptionist/bellboy (once in location)

Step 11: Make Copies of Important Documents

When you are planning a trip sometimes your important documents get misplaced. Companies can lose your booking reservation or there is a communication breakdown between the price you paid and the expected service.

For peace of mind, make copies of important documents such as:

• Passports
• Visas
• Flight tickets
• Itineraries
• Hotel reservations
• Rental car reservations
• Tour bookings
• Drivers licence
• Credit Cards
• and anything else you booked for your trip.

Print out hard copies and save your confirmation emails into a “folder” in your web-based email account. Consider leaving copies at home with a trusted person, and if traveling with a partner each carry copies.

Hard copies of certain documents are important as you won’t always have access to the internet to search email.

US immigration lost our passports when we lived in the US whilst applying for an extension to our visa. Luckily we had copies so went to the Australian Embassy in LA and got emergency passports to leave the country on time, otherwise, we would have overstayed our visa!

Step 12: Get Phone & Internet Access

These days almost everyone travels with at least a smartphone, plus other gadgets that require connection to the internet and a data plan.

As travel bloggers, we know more than most the frustration at not being able to be connected on the road. But you might just like to update your Facebook account or send emails so family and friends can follow your travels.

This is what we do when we travel abroad:

• We have an unlocked phone so we can use local SIM cards.
• Or, we use our phone only when we have access to free wifi.
• As for our laptops, we either use the free wifi in our room, at a cafe, or we use a mobile data device.

Research the data plans and SIM card situation for your destination.

eSims: The easier way

As technology is ever evolving, we now have a much easier way to get connected when you arrive at a new destination. You can organize it before you leave your home and never have to look for a sim card upon arrival.

As soon as you land you’ll be connected to the local networks – and it’s super affordable.

Create an account and purchase an eSim from Airola, the world’s first and largest eSIM store.

It’s so easy to sign up and activate it for your phone. You can purchase data packs for over 190 countries. For our trip to London it was $10 for 3 GB over 30 days! Compare that with AT&T data roaming for $10 a day!!! No thanks.

All you do is install the app, choose your destination and package, install the eSim and then activate it.

You can get connected the moment you land and avoid those nasty roaming charges.

Step 13: Access Your Money

We all want ease and convenience when traveling, especially when it comes to accessing our money. We also want to reduce our bank and transaction fees. The more money we keep in our own pockets, the more we have to spend on travel.

International transaction fees can be hefty when using the WRONG credit cards and checking account cards.

Considering there are people reading this from many different countries and traveling to different destinations, it is impossible for us to recommend THE BEST cards or ways for everyone to access their money.

How to transfer your money overseas with the best exchange rate

When you transfer money overseas using the banks they take a 4-7% margin AND add fees on top. We’ve found a way to put more money back in your pocket not the bank’s CEO.

With OFX.com you get the best exchange rate – the closest to what it actually trades at on the market WITH no fees.

Checking or Savings Account

On a previous trip to Thailand, we had an issue accessing our money using our ATM card because our account in Australia was a checking account. For it to work in Thailand it had to be a savings account.

We did not know this at the time. Check with your specific bank regarding this. Or get one of each!

How to carry your money?

If this is your first overseas trip and you don’t know how to carry your money, one of our best travel tips is to have more than one option! When we travel we use a combination of:

• Debit Cards
• Credit Cards
• Travel Money Cards
• Cash

Debit / Checking Account Cards

Debit cards are a good alternative to credit cards for when you plan your trip overseas. Not everyone has a credit card, but most have a debit card.

Debit cards also come with either a MasterCard or Visa logo so you can use them everywhere MasterCard or Visa cards are accepted.

The other benefit is there’s no risk of overspending with a debit card because it’s your money in the account to start with, not your bank’s money.

Which debit card is best for you? USA residents traveling overseas can consider the Charles Schwab Checking Account, which is a debit card (available through their high-yield checking account) that is highly rated as the best travel debit card out there for both domestic or international travel.

You can use any ATM in the world and Schwab reimburses all the ATM fees at the end of each month. It seems that if there was an award for most favorite (and the least evil) bank ever it would probably win.

Benefits:

• No ATM fees worldwide.
• No fee for foreign currency exchange.
• No monthly service fees.
• No account minimum.
• Unlimited reimbursement of any ATM usage. E FDIC-insured.

Credit Cards

You’ll almost certainly need a travel credit card when traveling in order to book flights, rental cars, hotels etc online.

Providers require this for the security deposit, plus paying with a credit card provides some insurance and security for you.

If you have a problem with a hotel room or a tour, you can dispute the payment with Visa/MasterCard. If you pay cash, it’s gone.

Make sure when you plan your trip overseas your card is linked to either the PLUS, Cirrus or Maestro networks. This enables you to access cash anywhere worldwide.

Look for a credit card that has:

• No international ATM withdrawal fees.
• No currency conversion fees.
• No fees on cash advances.
• No annual fee.
• Reward points for airlines and hotels

 Prepaid Travel Money Card

There are pros and cons to using a travel money card when you plan your trip, and from our research we figured the pros lean more towards ease, accessibility, and reduced fees.

These cards are not a credit card. You load up your own money on the card then access the local currency through international ATMs around the world.

What to look for in a pre-paid travel money card:

• What currencies can be loaded onto the card?
• Can you lock in the exchange rate?
• Sign up fee – These can range from $0-$20
• Reload fee – usually a commission or flat fee.
• Currency conversion fees
• ATM withdrawal fees.
• Card cancellation fees.
• Monthly fees to keep the card open
• How many days required before reloading money is cleared?

For a trip that involves multiple destinations, I think prepaid travel money cards are a good option.

Notify Your Bank

Before you depart, be sure to contact your bank and credit card companies to inform them that you will be traveling, where to and when. This is to stop them putting a freeze on your card if they see unusual transactions from overseas.

Step 14: Pack Smart

Thinking about packing can be stressful when you are planning your trip, but the best thing to do is pack the bare minimum because you can always buy it there!

Encourage your kids to choose and pack their own clothes to minimize complaints and to teach travel planning skills.

Select versatile, comfortable and loose fitting clothes and neutral colors that can be worn in multiple combinations so if something gets dirty you only have to change part of the outfit.

Packing cells are a lifesaver. In each packing cell, we roll up each item and arrange clothes based on type and season. Caz loves her underwear organizer that rolls up and clips together like a little sleeping bag and sits in your suitcase neatly just like packing cells do.

With young kids, pack a change of clothes for dinner, pajamas, or what is needed during the day in case of accidents.

One thing you will need is an international travel plug adaptor, so you can plug in your charger, phone, and laptop. We don’t go anywhere without one of these and it makes for a great travel gift.

Top 5 Travel Packing List Tips:

1. Know the weather of the destination you are visiting, which helps reduce over-packing.
2. When flying take a change of clothes in your carry-on just in case your checked-in luggage doesn’t arrive with you.
3. Know the activities you will be doing so you can pack appropriately.
4. Know the types of accommodation you will be staying at. If you are staying in hotels you won’t need to take things like towels, hair dryers or linen.
5. Charge your electronics and load up all your tablets and portable devices with things to read, play, watch.

Step 15: Confirm Flights & Check-In Online

Ok, one of our last tips for traveling is to confirm your flight times!

On a previous overseas trip, we missed an important flight from Bangkok to Sydney once because we had it in our head that our flight departed five hours later than it actually did. Whilst we were sitting in a bar in the city the plane flew over our heads.

So, the day before departure, confirm your flight times and your transport to the airport.

And check-in online! Trust me, it’s no fun running through an airport with two young kids in toe because you are late arriving for check-in. To take the stress and hassle out of this, when possible we always check-in online.

Enjoy Your Trip!

That’s it. You are now a trip planner! Whether you are traveling alone or planning a family vacation, you deserve to go away and create priceless memories without stress in the trip planning process.

We hope that you found our best vacation planning tips and the steps to plan your dream trip helpful. Call it our vacation checklist if you will. 

So now you know where to start planning a trip, you can enjoy the travel planning process! Now, go away and have the time of your life!

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