Planning a trip is a fun process as you investigate where to stay, what to see, and make travel arrangements. However, if you are traveling internationally, there are several things that you should be sure to do in addition to the actual planning of the trip itself. Some of these things need to be done several weeks in advance, so be sure to consider them as part of your planning process. They are simple steps that could help you avoid your trip of a lifetime from turning into the disaster of a lifetime. We originally wrote this article in 2018, but the information is as pertinent today as it was then, if not more so. (This article contains a couple of affiliate links and, if you purchase, we may receive a small commission)
Amsterdam from the Roof of Our Hotel
Check Visa and Passport Requirements – Be sure to see whether the country you are visiting requires a tourist visa in order to enter and how long the visa will be valid. Also, be sure to know whether there are limitations as to how many entries are allowed using the visa (something we learned the hard way when we went to Vietnam). There are usually requirements as to how many blank pages you need to have in your passport as well as how much longer than the dates of your travel that the passport will be valid for as well. Although some countries allow you to get your visa at the airport upon your arrival, we recommend that you get your visa in advance to avoid any delays. We have heard of people being stuck for days trying to bet their visa due to a variety of issues. Also, be aware that to get some visas, you will need to send your original passport, so you’ll need to coordinate getting the visa around any other travel you might be doing. We use iVisa when planning our trips.
Cairo, Egypt
Register Your Trip with Your Embassy – There are a couple of reasons for registering your trip (in the US, you can register with Safe Traveler Enrollment Program, STEP). Usually you will receive alerts for the country that you are visiting, such as protests, violence, or other issues in specific cities or regions. Another reason is that if something bad should happen and your family at home has concerns, information about your trip is registered in order to allow officials to start an investigation.
Chennai, India
Confirm what Vaccinations and Immunizations are Required – Especially in the world post-Covid, there are many different requirements regarding proof of a negative test and there will likely be requirements for a proof of a vaccination in the near future. Depending upon where you are traveling, there are often required and recommended vaccines and immunizations. Some of these can be expensive and need to be done weeks before travel, so be sure to contact your doctor once you have checked the list. Also, some countries require proof of the vaccinations and in those cases you will want to have the official form. Also, if taking any prescription medicine with you, be sure to carry them in there original containers with the prescription labels otherwise you might have your medicine confiscated. In some cases, you may need a letter from your doctor stating what you are taking and why you are taking it as proof that you are not smuggling in pharmaceuticals.
Canopy of the Amazon Rainforest
Contact Your Bank and Credit Card Issuers – We always recommend that you don’t carry a lot of cash with you when you travel and that you take money out of an ATM upon your arrival. You need to contact your banks and credit card companies prior to your trip so that they can note your account to avoid any transactions being rejected as fraudulent. Be sure to include any countries where you have layovers as well as you might want to grab a bite to eat or buy something during the time that you have as you wait for the next leg of the trip to begin. Also, be sure to find out if there are any daily withdrawal or spending limits on your accounts or foreign transaction fees. It is important to note that even though you report your trip with the bank, there is no guarantee that it won’t still be marked as fraudulent, so you should keep the number of the fraud department with you, which is separate from customer support and is usually available 24/7. Although we don’t recommend taking a lot of cash, we do recommend that you take a small amount, about enough for a taxi and food, and convert it into local currency if possible.
Our First Glimpse of Greece
Take Photos of Your Travel Documents and Email Them to Yourself – It is always a good idea to take photos of your travel documents and take them with you, but you should email them to yourself as well. If something happens and everything is stolen from you, having the ability to go to a computer and access your email will give you the ability to print out new copies to take to the local embassy. In addition to your travel documents, passport and visas, also make a list of all of the international numbers for your banks and credit cards. If your wallet is stolen and you need to contact your banks, having those numbers available will make it much easier to get replacements and keep fraudulent charges from occurring.
Sunrise over Lake Thingvallavatn in Iceland
Buy Travel Insurance – There are a variety of ways to get travel insurance and, in general, we always recommend having it. Be sure to look at what types of things are covered as not all plans are the same. Some will cover the costs of cancelled transportation, some will pay for transportation in the event of a natural disaster, and others will provide medical insurance, including evacuation services. Clearly, the location and type of travel that you are doing will help you determine the extent of coverage that you need, but having at least minimal insurance is good for the peace of mind that it provides. We have heard so many stories from people where having travel insurance turned out to be a true savior and other stories from people who didn’t get travel insurance and it turned out disastrous. We have all learned from Covid that circumstances can change in an instant and money spent can’t always be recouped if you are not insured. A couple of excellent resources are Visitor’s Coverage and World Nomads.
View of the Quilotoa Caldera and Lagoon in Ecuador
Check Travel Warnings and Advisories for the Region – Similar to registering your trip, you should check out travel warnings for the country that you are visiting. We would also recommend checking the advisories and warnings for neighboring countries as well. In certain cases, you might discover that not only are there warnings, but there can also be restrictions on travel to certain parts of the country. Knowing this information in advance will help you with your planning so that you don’t put a location on your itinerary that might put you and your companions at risk.
Looking Down at Part of Death Road in Bolivia
Check for the Local Public and Government Holidays – You may do some of this as part of your normal planning process if you are looking for a celebration or festival, but it is good to know if the places you want to visit might be closed. It might also affect transportation schedules and your ability to see government run sites. Additionally, depending on the country that you are visiting, some holidays are regional and not national, so be sure to pay close attention to that as well.
Snake Charmer in Morocco
Provide Your Trip Details and Hotel Information to Family and Friends – In case something were to happen to your cell phone, having a way for people to get messages to you is important. Also, if there are issues with your transportation, the people who care about you can check to see if there is a reason that they potentially haven’t heard from you. They may never use the information, but they will appreciate your sharing the information with them just in case.
The Coast of Southern California
Check What Currencies the Country Accepts and the Conversion Rates – Some countries will accept multiple types of money and that might avoid the need for converting money when you arrive. Some countries even prefer money from other countries other than their own due to issues with their government and inflation. The opposite can also be true, they may accept money from other countries, but might frown upon having to convert it to use locally. You need to understand the current conversion rates and there are apps and web sites that will provide you that information. As you walk into a store or restaurant, it is important to know what you are really spending when you make a purchase. We typically use an app on our phone and then round up for the conversion rate. For example, if the conversion 1 local dollar is 7.3 US dollars, we will calculate it as 8 US dollars when we see a price. That way we know that what we spend will possibly be less than we thought, but that is better than finding out it was more than you had budgeted.
Saint Nicholas Church Tower in Brasov, Romania
None of these suggestions will guarantee that you have a wonderful time on your next trip, but they just might be your savior if things don’t go as expected. We follow all of these whenever we travel internationally and consider them to be just as important as planning the highlights of our trip.
Millions of people travel to Sin City every year with the slogan of “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” fresh on their lips. We have been to Las Vegas at least a half-dozen times over the years and we have some great and some not so great experiences while we were there. Obviously, the city is known for its over-the-top casinos, star headlining shows, and celebrity chef restaurants. If you decide to make the trip to Las Vegas, here are a few suggestions that we have to hopefully make your trip a better one.
Fountains at the Bellagio
Don’t Bring Children to the Strip – Before everyone with children gets upset with us, let us explain. There was a time when Las Vegas tried to cater to families, adding rollercoasters and themed hotels like Excalibur. Those days are gone. Unless you really want to stroll the streets where strip club representatives constantly hand out cards with nude women and men, dancers and show girls wearing almost nothing stand on the street ready to take pictures with tourists and encourage them to attend their shows, and rolling billboards with half-naked people are at every intersection, the strip is not kid-friendly. Las Vegas is an adult playground, people wander the streets with drinks in hand at every hour of the day and the activities are designed for adults out to have a good time and let loose. There is nothing wrong with that, but in our opinion it not a place to bring children. There are places in Las Vegas that you can take the kids, it just shouldn’t be the strip.
New York, New York and Excalibur
If You are Going to Gamble, Give Yourself a Budget – Not everyone who goes to Las Vegas gambles as there are plenty of other things to do other than play one of the many games of chance that are available. Gambling can be fun, but for some people it can also be a little addictive as it seems like the big win is one hand or spin away. Set yourself an absolute limit of what you are willing to lose and don’t exceed it. If and when you have spent that amount, you are done, no matter how lucky you might feel about the next big chance.
Giving it a Spin
Go During the Off-Season – At popular times of the year, Las Vegas can be extremely busy. There are conventions with business travelers, bachelor and bachelorette excursions, international tourists, as well as your typical vacationers. If you want to get the best prices on hotels, shows, and other entertainment, consider going in October through the end of December, before Christmas as Christmas through New Year’s Eve is quite popular. There might not be as many headliners with shows during the off-season, but most of the year-round shows are all still running and you can get better seats at better prices. You might even be able to take advantage of the half-price, last-minute, show tickets and actually get seats that are worth the price.
Even Las Vegas does Christmas, Somewhat
Don’t Take Pictures with the Costumed People on the Street – In our opinion, this is true around the world, not just in Las Vegas, but these people wearing tattered costumes that look similar to popular characters and otherwise dress up to entice tourists to take photos and then demand money are con-artists. If less people would pay to have their photo taken, or worse yet, pose their children with them, and then give them money, then less of them would be on the streets. If you want pictures with costumed characters, go to Disney World where they are actual actors.
Characters in the Foreground
Take Advantage of Free Activities – These days there aren’t too many of them to be found, but there are some free things to see and do when you are in Las Vegas. There is the fountain at the Bellagio, the volcano eruption at the Mirage, and the Fall of Atlantis at the Caesars Forum Shops. The casinos themselves have elaborate displays that are well worth taking the time to see and some of them change from year to year. Even walking the high-end shops between the casinos like the Forum Shops or the Grand Canal Shops in the Venetian are truly spectacular. And then, since Las Vegas attracts such a wide variety of visitors, there is always people watching.
Volcano Eruption at the Mirage
Pace Yourself – Not to sound like your parents, but we too often see people that are inebriated or fighting heat exhaustion. We get it, people go to Las Vegas to let loose, have some fun, and sometimes push their boundaries. Not every night in Las Vegas should end up like the movie The Hangover. We aren’t saying don’t have a good time, but perhaps you shouldn’t start with a cocktail in two-foot glass at one-o-clock in the afternoon. Also, remember that Las Vegas is in the desert, that means that it gets hot, really hot. It also means that the air is very dry and it is easy to become dehydrated and alcohol does not provide hydration. What happens might truly stay in Vegas, but it is better if you at least remember it.
Walking the Shops
Book Popular Shows in Advance – Many of the really popular shows either sell-out, or at least the desirable seats do, weeks in advance during the busy times of the year. If there are particular shows that you want to see during your visit to Las Vegas, go online and book them prior to your arrival. Nothing would be more disappointing than arriving for a special weekend only to find out that you can’t get tickets to that one show you’ve always dreamed of seeing. Obviously that means paying full price for your tickets, but if you want the most memorable Vegas experience, it will be well worth it.
Show Signs Everywhere
Be Prepared for the Cost – With more and more millennials visiting Las Vegas who are less inclined to throwing their money away by gambling, the town has responded to the changing culture by seemingly raising the prices on everything. The food is more expensive, drinks are more expensive, shows are more expensive, activities like the CSI Experience and the Mob Museum are more expensive. By now you get the theme, Las Vegas is expensive. If you take the time to look around, you can find some deals, some happy hour food and drink options, and don’t be afraid to get off of the strip. Most importantly, just know that things will cost more than a lot of other places, so prepare your trip budget accordingly so that your wonderful dinner out doesn’t end with stress over the final bill.
Rack of Lamb
Tell Your Taxi Driver Not to Take the Highway – There are two ways for the taxis to get you from the airport to the strip. One is the overland streets and the other is the highway. They claim that the highway is faster, but we have not found that to be the case. Taking the highway and going through the tunnel will cost you more, regardless of whether it truly saves you a few minutes or not. It can as much as twice the price, so if you have the patience and time, tell the driver not to go through the tunnel or take the highway.
Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with a rich history that includes architecture, art, and politics. There are so many wonderful sights to see when spending time in Florence, but if you have limited time in the city there are a few things that should certainly be on your itinerary. We would certainly recommend spending at least 3 days in Florence if at all possible as there so much to see and do. Depending on the time of year that you visit, you can expect plenty of crowds in Florence, so going during the off-season is advisable. Here are our top things to do in what we would consider to be the order of priority depending on the amount of time that you have to spend in Florence.
Looking Up at the Cathedral and Bell Tower
The Duomo – Officially the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo dominates the city skyline. There is the cathedral itself, with the largest brick dome in the world as well as the bell tower and the baptistry. Although you could consider each of these as separate places to see, we have grouped them together as a single highlight when visiting Florence.
Replica of David in the Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazzale Michelangelo – There are many reasons to make the effort to visit the square with the bronze replica of the Statue of David, but the main reason is the incredible views of the city. You will find many vendors selling food and trinkets and it is a wonderful spot to just sit and enjoy the beauty of Florence. There is also a restaurant located near the square, which was a great place to enjoy a wonderful glass of wine after the somewhat strenuous walk up to the top of the mount.
Statue of David
Galleria dell’Accademia – The Accademia Gallery is best known for having the Statue of David on display, but obviously there is a lot of other famous artwork on display. With seven different halls to wander and enjoy the incredible artwork, you should give yourself at least four hours when visiting the museum.
Outdoor Statues in the Piazza
Piazza della Signoria – The plaza is an open-air museum that was built in the 1400’s and has a variety of statues on display. Two of the more famous statues are the Rape of the Sabines by Giambologna as well as Cellini’s Perseus. Considering it is free, it should definitely be one of the places that you make time to see.
Ponte Vecchio Up Close
Ponte Vecchio – This medieval bridge is certainly a highlight of any visit to Florence. Today it is filled with vendors selling a variety of local products, but it was originally the location of the butchers in the city. Like many other locations in Florence, expect plenty of crowds in the area and be careful of pickpockets taking advantage of tourists on the crowded streets.
The Birth of Venus
Uffizi Gallery – With many great works of art from artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Machiavelli, it is certainly one of the most famous museums in the world. After all of the members of the Medici family had died out, a deal was made to donate all of the artwork to Florence and it is now housed in the Uffizi Gallery. Just like the Gallery Accademia, be prepared to spend at least several hours seeing all of the amazing works of art.
View from a Restaurant at Night
Local Restaurants – Obviously you need to eat and there are so many wonderful restaurants to choose from. There are probably few locations in the world that bring to mind the food of the region as much as Tuscany where Florence is located. We would certainly recommend eating at one of the restaurants that can be found along the Arno River as the scenery is quite beautiful, especially at night.
View of the Duomo
Needless to say, there are more sights to see than these, but we would recommend that you put all of these locations on your itinerary when visiting Florence. With so many beautiful sights, seemingly around every corner, just walking the streets of Florence is a magical experience. If you have enough time, taking a day trip to Lucca and to the Leaning Tower of Pisa is definitely a worthwhile experience.
