How to Plan The Perfect Trip

A lot goes in to planning the perfect trip. Celtic Tours has the best steps for planning a perfect trip to Ireland, the UK or Europe, and today we’re going to be laying it out for you.

Gathering Information

When planning the perfect trip, it’s important to start by gathering information. Who is going on the trip? How many people are travelling in total? Collect names, dates of birth, and passport information (make sure your passport is up to date!). Think about room arrangements: how many rooms are required? What kind of beds are needed? Who is sharing rooms? These are important questions that can make the booking process smoother. Of course, you can’t really start planning a trip without a budget. Pick a spending range you would like to stay in, and you’ll be able to build the right trip for your party.

Where (and how) to Go?

With all that out of the way, it’s time to pick a travel destination. Consider your preferences when searching for the right destination. What sort of weather is ideal? What sort of food do you like? Do you have any food allergies? Are you someone who prefers to keep to yourself, or do you want a vibrant vacation filled with socialization? Do you prefer walkable cities or somewhere drivable? Are you a museum & culture lover, or do you prefer to get out in nature and sightsee? The perfect destination may look different for every person, depending on these preferences.

Choosing the right time of year to travel is important too. Local holidays and weather can impact available tours and sightseeing options, and contribute to varying crowd levels. If crowds do not bother you, high season (generally May – August) is a great time to travel, as many festivals take place in the summer months, and the warmer weather allows for more outdoor activities and sightseeing. Keep in mind that travel during these months is more expensive though, as it is the most popular vacation time. If avoiding large crowds is a priority, and you are working with a smaller budget, travelling in the fall or early spring are ideal. These are periods where tourist numbers drop and there is more breathing room to explore a destination, however some sightseeing locations may have limited hours or closures. Rest assured, you will still be able to build the perfect trip regardless of the time of year you’ve chosen.

There’s one more thing to decide before you can start building an itinerary: How do you want to travel? If you want things to be relaxed, just want to sit back and be along for the ride, look into an escorted tour. Travel by luxury motorcoach and let someone else handle all the driving and planning. Just show up and enjoy yourself! If you want things a little more personalized but still want to avoid getting behind the wheel, look into booking a chauffeur drive, and let yourself and your travelling companions be taken where you need to go. If you’re feeling brave, or want a less time structured trip, consider planning a self-drive. Rent a car and hit the road, and make stops on your own schedule. It’s up to you.

What to Do?

Time to build an itinerary! We’ve got a few tips to help you out.

• Stay in hotels for more than one night. It is exhausting and can cause extra stress and ruin the experience when you have to move hotels nightly. Plan to stay in one area for 2 or more days before moving on to the next one.
• Try to avoid backtracking. Find a circuit that either flows in a big circle or a direct line. It can be awkward to keep moving back and forth between locations.
• Try not to drive for more than 4 hours at a time. Travelers can get sore and antsy being in a car too long, and a driver can get exhausted easily. Traffic can be a concern too. Take frequent breaks if you plan on driving longer periods in a day.
• Leave space in your daily itinerary. It’s better to have empty space to fill on the day than to try and pack many things in a single day. Allow yourself time to really enjoy each sightseeing spot or activity and account for hiccups or changing plans.
• Buy tickets for exclusive events or popular sightseeing locations in advance. It’s always a safer bet having a reservation or ticket secured than showing up and hoping for the best. Be sure to keep track of closures or special events too that may interfere with your visit.
• Think locally! Try to figure out which places, especially restaurants, the locals love. You’ll get a much more authentic cultural experience and maybe discover a new favorite food in the process, and also avoid inflated tourist prices.

When Should You Start?