It is common to hear a variety of different horror stories associated with taking a vacation. Many times you will find that what happened in those stories was because the person was not properly prepared. If you want to avoid the problems that come along with poor vacation planning, read on for some great advice.

Take a minimum of valuable items with you when you travel. You don’t want to have to keep track of these valuables at all times, and even worse, they could get stolen.

Free Parking

When embarking on a cruise, find a hotel nearby that has free parking, and spend the night before the departure. Even if they don’t publicize the service, it can’t hurt to ask about free parking deals at your hotel.

If you’re traveling somewhere where you’ll need tickets, like amusement parks or a play, look for ways to have them ahead of time. Even if there’s a fee, it is very much worth it to be able to skip the long lines for purchasing tickets at the venue. Also, parks sometimes offer timed entry, and if they do, you can use your tickets to get right to the admission line.

The bell hop and housekeeper should be tipped appropriately. Standard tipping rates are a dollar per bag carried, and around $2-5 per day to the maid. This will increase the quality of service in your hotel and make your stay more enjoyable.

Are you traveling overnight via an airplane? Take some sleeping pills with you. With all the unfamiliarity and noise of an aircraft, many people are unable to sleep on planes. You may want to take a sleeping medicine if you will be on an extended flight, so that you may rest comfortable while flying. Your best bet is to wait to take the pill after the plane takes off. If a delay should occur, you don’t want to feel exhausted before your flight takes off.

Make sure that your passports are valid. Review passport rules for the country you are visiting. Some of them have very strict guidelines that must be followed. Many will not allow you entry into the country if it expires soon. This can be from 3-6 months of your trip, though there are some places where that time frame can be 8-12 months.

Subscribe to the e-newsletters of the major airlines. These pieces of information contain last-minute offers, discounts and various deals that may be unavailable to the general public. Yes, they will probably clutter your email, but you’ll save a good amount of money by putting up with this small problem.

Travel Sites

Using the Internet to book your traveling requires only one stop. Travel sites will help you plan your travel itinerary with minimal effort. You can book hotels, rental cars and flights easily from your computer! You can even review pictures and critiques of hotels online. You can also save a good bit of money and make last-minute plans on the cheap by using travel sites.

Force yourself to stay awake at least until early evening in order to acclimate better after you change time zones. If you go to sleep too soon, it can make jet lag worse by keeping your body accustomed to your old time zone. Jet lag will go away as soon as you’re on the local schedule, so get your body adjusted as quickly as possible.

It’s easy to see that planning well for your vacation can prevent your dream vacation from becoming a nightmare. This piece includes tips capable of helping you plan sufficiently to ensure a terrific, fun and restful trip.