How to Plan International Travel:
Looking back at my first trip abroad, I was so excited but completely overwhelmed by everything I didn’t know about international travel planning.
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I spent hours researching flights and trying to figure out the best deals. I tried reading about what to expect at the airport when I landed in a foreign country and then what to do when I went to come home again. I was SO far down the Google rabbit hole it was ridiculous.
It turned out at the end of the day, I was still somehow taken off guard by a lot of things AND despite all my planning…I ended up booking a HORRIFIC flight to Ireland.
I’ve decided to look at my embarrassing first attempt at international travel as an opportunity to help you get where you’re going with less stress and no curve balls. It was a learning experience, right? Hahaha…
Ok here we go!
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Planning an international trip:
First thing’s first…you need a passport. I know it may seem daunting with all the paperwork etc but I’ve broken it all down for you in “Passports, Global Entry and US PreClearance…Oh My!. Go read that post and come back…I’ll wait.
Ok! So you have an action plan for your passport! If you have a passport…go check the expiration date right now. I’m serious. Go check RIGHT NOW!
Now that all the paperworky stuff is out of the way, some things that people get nervous about planning an international trip don’t even have anything to do with the trip itself.
Immigration and Border Control:
Obviously sounds a little intimidating…no worries…you got this. When you arrive in most European airports there will be signs for EU passengers and Non-EU passengers. EU stands for the European Union so anyone arriving/departing that does not have an EU passport would be considered Non-EU. Get your passport stamped, chat with the officer about your trip and off you go to Customs.
Customs: There will be separate areas marked for you to “Declare Goods” that you’re bringing with you or “Nothing to Declare”. A quick google search will tell you what your limits are of what you can bring in/out of the country. When arriving most folks won’t have anything to declare but when you arrive home you will most likely have things you purchased on your trip which you should declare. You can read more about this and the beauty of US PreClearance here.
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) 🛂
Alright, let’s talk about another travel buddy you didn’t know you needed: the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This is a free service offered by the U.S. Department of State, and it’s like having a guardian angel while you’re globetrotting.
What is STEP?
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program allows U.S. citizens and nationals who are traveling or living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. It’s like RSVPing to a party, but this one could save your life. 🎉
Why Enroll in STEP?
Here’s why you should consider enrolling:
- Stay Informed: Receive important updates about safety conditions in your destination country. Knowledge is power, right?
- Emergency Contact: The U.S. Embassy can contact you in case of an emergency, be it a natural disaster or civil unrest.
- Family Connection: Helps your family and friends get in touch with you in case of an emergency. Because let’s face it, Mom will worry.
Dates or Flights:
Ahhhh…the eternal struggle of which comes first…flights or dates. I personally find it easier to plan my trip around when the flights are cheapest. (But obviously, cousin Susie’s wedding dictates when you need to be there so having dates first works too!)
I’m subscribed to Scott’s Cheap Flights and I stalk/track flights on Google Flights. But obviously, cousin Susie’s wedding dictates when you need to be there so having dates first works too!
Google Flights is great because you can play around with a couple different airports around you and then use the drop down calendars to see where the flights are the cheapest. Those dates are how I start to narrow down my search.
There’s not scientific evidence or anything but I find flying on Saturdays to be cheaper AND if you’re flying overnight that puts you needing your first night at a hotel on a Sunday instead of a more expensive day like Friday or Saturday.
- Budget airlines SEEM like a great idea until you’re crammed into a tiny seat with no leg room, no food and no entertainment for 7hrs. Trust me. (And don’t even get me started about having to pay to check your carry on because it went over by a pound!)
- If you need to request a special dietary meal, do it when you book and then confirm when you check in and triple check when you they scan your boarding pass before you board. I know you’re going to feel like a nag but it’ll be better then going hungry because “the order never made it to catering”.
- When possible, I prefer to fly internationally on EU airlines because I’ll protected under EU rules for delays and cancellations. I was delayed 5 hours once IN THE US but I got a check for $600 for my “inconvenience” because I was flying Aer Lingus.
Find a Place to Stay:
Once your flights and dates (or dates and flights…whatever) are locked in, its time to start looking for someplace to stay! I LOVE this part!
I usually make a custom Google Map of wherever I’m going. I broke down how to do that in this Instagram post. You can give me a follow while you’re there! ; )
Then I open a new tab with Booking.com in it and search my dates/location. This site is great because it gives you a lot of search filters so if you have a certain budget or want to make sure breakfast is included, you can filter all that in.
They also have a map feature which I love and is super helpful once you’ve moved on to planning what you’re going to see. I usually create a little folder and favorite a couple hotels that were priced right or had the amenities I wanted before I actually book anything.
Site Seeing:
Ok here’s the fun part! What are you going to see?! I’m sure you already have a few things in mind so go ahead and add those to your custom Google Map.
Next, I’d suggest either going on Pinterest which I find VERY helpful or just googling but that can sometimes be too broad for what you’re trying to accomplish. If you go for Pinterest look for pins like “10 things not miss” or “Must Do Activities”. A lot of times these are locals or people who have actually been there and you can get a lot of good info. You can check out my account here:
Something to consider:
I usually go on GetYourGuide to see if there is a “city pass” or “explorer pass” or “site seeing pass”. These things can sometimes be a great value especially if you’re short on time. They often include “skip the line” access and public transportation.
While you’re on Getyourguide.com, you can put in your dates and location to see what fun activities or tours are happening while you’re there. This one is a HUGE asset when you’re planning a trip. Which brings us to our next point…
Day Trips:
Using Getyourguide.com, look up day trips for your location. This is a fantastic way to see more of your destination without having to rent a car, figure out how to get there, what to do when you’re there…all of that!
You can book excursions out to farmhouses to learn how to make pasta in Italy or take a bus trip to Stonehenge. Whatever tickles your fancy, you’ll find here. I usually try to find one day trip for a short trip and two or more depending on how long a long trip is for you.
I can’t tell you how nice it is just to show up and have someone else handle everything for you.
How to plan an Itinerary:
A few tips for when you’re planning out your itinerary:
- Remember to factor in jet lag. If you flew overnight, try and stay awake till the locals sleep or as close to it as you can get. Don’t plan much on that first day, maybe lunch at a cool spot and one small site/activity.
- Don’t try to pack too much into each day. You’ll end up feeling frazzled and overwhelmed and you won’t remember much of your trip. I usually keep it at an activity in the morning and a site/activity in the afternoon evening. You know you’re limits, just assume you’ll be back don’t fall into the trap of trying to cram everything into this one trip.
- Go big at lunch. I’ve found it much for fun to do lunch as the bigger meal of the day and it turns out to be cheaper and less crowded too. Have a light dinner to rest and recharge after a long day of epic site seeing!
Using Foreign Currency:
My biggest tip here is to not be intimidated by foreign currency. You are totally capable of figuring it out! When it comes to Euros and Pounds Sterling, the exchange rate is SO close you can usually figure it out in your head. For everything else, google it and feel super proud of yourself using local cash.
Everything else can be found here for free along with all my other tips and tricks for International Travel.
Souvenir Shopping:
I know this is going to sound weird but seriously set aside some time to think about anyone you’re shopping for while you’re away. I like to buy Christmas gifts while I’m traveling so I like to make sure I write down who that includes.
Also, consider what (if anything) you’ll be getting yourself to remember your trip. Most places have SOMETHING that’s “their thing”. Make a note that you’d like to find a beautiful wool sweater when you’re in Scotland or you want to buy ceramics for your kitchen when you’re in Portugal.
Making these kind of lists will help you stay on track budget wise while you’re traveling. It can be a VERY slippery slope if you’re in the middle of your trip and start thinking “Oh my brother would love this” or “Oh I should get something for my neighbor cuz he said he’d mow my grass while I’m away.” It also helps you from forgetting people you REALLY did want to buy for but completely forgot about while you were out and about.
Transportation:
I will fully admit that I’m intimidated by driving a car in a foreign country. No shame here…I’m just not about it. However, I don’t let this keep me from going places. Here are some ways I’ve found around renting a car:
- Most airports have a shuttle that runs into the city center.
- UBER/Taxis/Free Now can be scheduled/called/hired from your phone.
- Public Transportation is a GREAT way to see a city like the locals do. The London Underground is my favorite!
- Day Trips! Like I said above…get out of town and have someone else drive!
So there ya go…hopefully that will help get you started! Have questions about getting your passport? I’ve got you covered!
