10 Travel Tips for Beginners
Here are some of our top travel tips for novice travelers:
- Plan your first night down to the last detail. Even if you’re headed out on a free-spirited adventure, be sure that you have every detail of your first night planned. Trust us on this! Not only will you be exhausted from your travel day, but it’s good to get the lay of the land before branching out.
- Photocopy your driver’s license, passport, visa, vaccination status (if required), and other important documents. Scan them in the cloud so they’re accessible wherever you are.
- Buy all your adapters, SIM cards, and currency at home. It’ll be less expensive and you won’t have to worry about tracking down essentials on the first day of your trip.
- Alert your credit cards and financial institutions that you will be traveling and let them know your destination. This prevents any card cancellations by your bank after making an unexpected purchase far from home. Also, inquire about details on fees and charges made overseas if traveling abroad.
- Call your phone carrier to add international service to your plan if necessary. You may also want to consider purchasing a local SIM card for the country you will be visiting.
- Working while you are away? Grab a travel Wi-Fi hotspot before you go. Be sure to add an international data plan to your regular service, too!
- Pack a travel journal. Keep a log of the places you visit to help you hold on to the memories you make.
- Pack clothes that can do double duty. Darker colors are better because they can be worn both day and night. Be sure to have a change of clothes in your carry-on, along with any other items you may need if your luggage is lost or stolen, such as medication. See more packing tips here.
- Even if you are somewhat fluent in the language spoken in the country you’re visiting, bring along a phrasebook for those times when you may get stumped. This will also be helpful if your translation app isn’t accessible. Also review these tips for traveling without knowing the language.
- Smile! Your first trip is something to be very excited about!