Although intended to be a leisurely and relaxing activity, travel can sometimes be unnecessarily stressful and fraught with disaster. Vacations can easily turn to nightmares if you have not planned accordingly. The tips that follow are going to help you when planning your travels.

Plan ahead if you want to travel by air. Major airports can be difficult to get to because of long traffic delays. Do all of your packing the day before. Prepare ahead so that you are not rushed when you need to get to your flight. You do not want to miss your flight.

Be sure to have a good, clear, color photo of your child on hand to be prepared in the unhappy event your child becomes lost. It is extremely frightening to become separated from your child. With that said, it is best to be prepared for worst case scenarios. Having a photo you can show people immediately if the child becomes lost could wind up making a substantial difference in getting them back quickly.

If you have known food allergies, be very careful about food when traveling in foreign countries. If you do have food allergies, it is a good idea to learn some words for food in the native language. Then at least you can warn the staff and possibly get a quicker response for medical professionals.

If immunizations are required for any country you are visiting, be sure to carry along proof of vaccination. You will need proof if so. If you fail to present proof of vaccination, you cannot prove to authorities that you are immunized, and you may be detained and quarantined.

You can save time when going to an amusement park by purchasing your tickets online. You might have to pay a little extra for the convenience, but you won’t have to bother with long lines when you get to the attraction. If the park you are visiting has a timed entry, you can skip admission lines too.

Before booking any hotel, do your research. Find websites that contain reviews of potential destinations. Also, if you know anyone who has visited the area, ask them for information. Research will ensure you don’t end up in over your head.

Increase safety at hotels by bringing along a door stop. Many countries do not offer the security you need when staying in a hotel room. If you do not have a door that is equipped with a chain or deadbolt, use a wedge doorstop before retiring at night.

When to travel by plane or car with a toddler, make sure you have enough fun things to keep them occupied. Bring toys and games that you know the child really enjoys. You might want to purchase a new item for this trip to bring some novelty to the adventure and ensure more time is occupied by the toddler.

Hotel staff like room service staff and the bell hop are paid meager salaries and tips are very much appreciated. The typical tip is a dollar per bag of luggage and anywhere from two to five dollars per day for housekeeping. This will help ensure that you maintain a good relationship during your stay.

Although travel is supposed to be a relaxing experience, if you aren’t fully aware of simple tricks to follow, it can be quite the opposite. With the above tips, you will be able to put your new knowledge to use and make your next traveling experience easy and pleasurable.