Travelling should be fun – we can all agree on that! But have you ever come back from a vacation feeling more burnt-out than you did before departure? Have things just seemed to go wrong on your trip right from the get-go? Did you feel like you enjoyed your vacation but didn’t get to see or do as much as you wanted, and didn’t really get to know the place you were visiting?
By redtag.caNovember 3, 2022 Posted in:Travel Inspiration
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you’re probably not travelling right. Every vacationer is different and there’s no way of travelling that’s right for everyone. But with that being said, here are five general travel tips from the redtag.ca team to help you get the most out of your next vacation.
Rent a car for the maximum amount of freedom
For the less experienced traveller, an organized tour may sound appealing – your itinerary is handed to you directly and you’re sure to hit the most popular attractions in any given place.
However, organized tours can also take out the spontaneity, flexibility, and freedom that you may want on a vacation – and you’ll have to spend most of your trip with a group of strangers (any introvert’s total nightmare!). So why not book a car instead?
With your own vehicle, you can make sure you’re only seeing the sights that you choose – and not just the generic attractions that a tour operator picked for its thousands of clients. Not a museum person? That’s fine, skip the Louvre and make your way into nature. Sick of the beaches and need to get out of the sun? If you burn redder than a cooked lobster the second those rays touch your skin, get in your car and head straight to the mountains for fresh air, a cool breeze, and some much-needed shade.
Private transport also lets you make last-minute decisions and stops without inconveniencing others. Heard about a secret beach in Portugal that’s way better than the one you’re driving to? No problem, pop the new location into your GPS, and off you go! It’s your vacation, so your itinerary should be customized to your interests and needs.
Road tripping can also often be the cheapest way to travel, as rental cars become more and more affordable. Travelling with a companion or two? Even better: you can share the costs – and the experience!
Check out redtag.ca’s offers on car rentals and find the vehicle that’s perfect for your trip, whether you’re a city slicker wanting to cruise around a busy urban centre or an adventurer looking to go off-road.
Take a red-eye flight
We understand that sleep is a huge priority in regular life and especially on vacation, when your days are packed with back-to-back activities. And a flight is certainly not the best place to get a decent night’s sleep.
However, a red-eye flight can be beneficial for a few reasons.
Firstly, they’re often cheaper, as the times are less convenient, and the airports will be less crowded, allowing you to get through security and to your gate more quickly.
Secondly, if you take a red-eye both ways, you’ll save on paying for your first and last night’s accommodations and maximize the amount of time you get to spend exploring. Try to get some shut-eye on the flight (ear plugs and face masks are essential!), so when you arrive in paradise the next morning, you’ll be ready to head out right away.
Just make sure not to plan anything too exhausting for your very first day. While you may be eager to start that trek up Mount Kilimanjaro immediately upon arrival, you won’t enjoy it at all if you aren’t acclimatized yet and are completely jet-lagged.
A swim in the sea and a stroll through the city centre may be more appropriate first-day activities to ease yourself into vacation mode! Want to book your red-eye now and see which flights are taking off to your favourite destination? Head to redtag.ca to find out!
Don't be afraid to try something new
This tip may seem obvious, especially to the more adventurous or experienced traveller. But we all tend to gravitate towards what is safe and familiar, and this can also happen when planning a trip. Why head to Thailand when you don’t speak Thai and when you’re not sure if khao soi is a language, a dance, or a dish (it’s a dish – and it’s delish!)? England is easier – you’ve been there five times, you can communicate with the locals, and you already know which London hotel you want to stay in.
But pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can be a good thing. It helps you to grow as a person and overcome fear. Scared of the water and not sure if diving is your thing? Well, taking an open water scuba diving course could challenge you, while also showing you that the underwater world isn’t as terrifying as it seems from the surface.
It’ll also help you to meet incredible people from all over the world. You could meet your future spouse, a new friend, or some lifelong travel buddies on your way up Machu Picchu, in a Korean cooking class, or at a Nicaraguan surf camp. You just need to be open-minded!
It can make your life more rewarding too. Maybe your fear of falling prevents you from trying rock climbing – but once you do, you could find a new hobby that brings you joy and excitement, and meet a great community of outdoorsy adventurers. Maybe your dislike of the cold stops you from booking that cruise to Alaska – but once you do, you could create memories that’ll last a lifetime.
Safety should ALWAYS be a priority, though. If you have a debilitating fear of heights, a heart condition, and are pregnant, maybe bungee jumping off a bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand isn’t for you right now.
To live life to the fullest, explore a wide variety of travel destinations, and have meaningful experiences, why not cruise to a new place? redtag.ca has sailings for every type of seafarer – all you need to do is pick your dream cruise, and you can be guaranteed an exciting, rewarding (and safe!) adventure that you’ll always remember.
Plan early, book in advance
It’s true that sometimes last-minute deals can pop up, which allow you to head to your destination for less – but is it worth the stress of not knowing where you’ll be staying or when you’ll be arriving a week before your trip begins? And if you’re waiting for a deal that simply doesn’t appear, you could end up spending a lot more than you budgeted for and miss out on your preferred flight or accommodations.
So start planning your next vacation… yesterday! You’ll have more options available to you, so you can pick the most convenient flight, rent the vehicle that’s ideal for your needs, and choose your dream stay (private bungalow in Hawaii, infinity pool in Singapore, yes please!), before things sell out.
And trip-planning should be fun, not a chore! When you remove that last-minute stress, you can take your time researching the most mouth-watering local dishes, checking out photos of luxurious resorts, and jotting down lists of all the activities you want to try or attractions you want to see.
Relish the time you have now to learn about the place you’ll be visiting in six months. Read a book on the storied history of Cambodia’s temples before visiting Angkor Wat. Figure out what clothes you’ll need to buy and bring when hiking up Blue Mountain in Jamaica. Learn some phrases in Spanish before heading to Cuba (and no, “Una cerveza, por favor” isn’t going to cut it if you want to head out onto the streets and actually converse with locals!).
Finally, make sure to book everything well in advance so you can get your top picks and have peace of mind before you travel. For the best offers on amazing properties around the world, redtag.ca’s got you covered. Head here to book your dream stay today.
Book an all-inclusive vacation package
OK, so you’re not the planner in your friend group. You want to have fun and enjoy life, but you’re perfectly happy to let someone else figure out the mundane details – so long as you can soak in a gorgeous cenote or ATV through a jungle at the end of it.
If this sounds like you, then here’s a tip that’ll resonate: book an all-inclusive vacation. These packages allow you to budget more accurately for your trip (since there aren’t many additional costs), can provide a better deal than if you booked everything individually, and can remove a lot of the stress that comes with vacation planning.
All-inclusive packages are also great if you don’t know exactly where you want to go. Like the tropical heat, but can’t decide between Mexico or the Dominican Republic? Checking out what packages are available in each place – and what amenities and activities they include – can help clinch the deal for you.
Spend less time planning and more time tanning – and let redtag.ca take care of the nitty-gritty! Find the vacation package that’s perfect for you.
Ready to book your dream vacation?
See the world, your way. Browse the top travel deals on redtag.ca
