Gearing up for two trips to four counties (more on that here and here), I happily went into research mode to make the most of my travels. I talked to friends who travel frequently, created Pinterest boards, read tons of articles from Conde Nast, watched YouTube videos with packing tips, and scoured the library for different travel books. And here, my friends, are my best tips for prepping, packing, and traveling.
Follow an Instagram page or two for the area you're going to; it helps you discover beautiful vistas, fanciful foods, and other spots you're sure to include on your itinerary. I especially enjoy Yallers Liguria and Live Montreal (where I first saw this beautiful image from The Village).
Know what your favorite spots are, and go to them as much as possible while traveling. For me, it's shopping and snacking at farmer's markets, hiking around botanical gardens, visiting art museums, and canvasing antique markets. I could do just those things and be 100% satisfied on a trip.
Indulge in a favorite vacation food. When we go to our cottage, everyone gets to pick out a favorite junk food to nosh on at the beach. When we were in Montreal during a heatwave, we had ice cream at least once a day. In France, I love seeking out their thick and creamy yogurt to go with my morning crosissant. Oregon vacations allow me to get cartons of Tillamook ice cream and yogurt. Indulge, enjoy, and eat in ways that are out of the ordinary.
Prep and packing make everything easier once I'm at my destination. Here are small items that make traveling easier for me.
- A handy all-in-one adapter.
- An inflatable neck pillow that folds up super small paired with a simple eye mask (I found mine at T.J. Maxx).
- Compression cubes to create extra room in a bag.
- A lightweight camera case that protects without adding too much bulk.
- Slim travel books, that I sometimes disguise in the dust jacket of an ordinary book, are still my go-to in an increasingly digital age. All cell phone reception is not created equally, so books are my most reliable source. Everyone has a favorite series, and I've always been a DK fan. Their condensed Top 10 books give helpful overviews that I appreciate when prioritizing plans for a new city. I also loved this Rick Steves book my husband got me, so I'll be sure to check out more from him for future trips.
There are many phone apps and downloads that enhance traveling. Here are some of the ones I've used and recommend.
- I prefer the more international Trip Advisor to America's Yelp while traveling overseas. It's great for picking everything from a boat tour to lunch to a hotel. Business owners I've connected with often ask for me to leave reviews using this site, so I know it's the one they see results from, too. If you're traveling to a city with lots of Yelp reviews, I do appreciate the map feature it offers when standing in a spot and looking for a restaurant in close proximity.
- I appreciate the ease and ability to send custom postcards from Touch Note; you upload trip photos, add captions, write a message, and pick the recipient from your address book. Cards are printed, laminated, and sent from the U.S. and arrive much faster than cards sent from overseas. Be sure to add it to your phone and buy a discounted package of postcards before leaving. You can get $5 off your first order if you use my code AIMEMV.
- We cruised through US customs (our line had one person ahead of us compared to 50+ in the other!) with Mobile Passport. Again, be sure to set up your account before leaving home so you can quickly tap through the questions after you land at your US destination. It's worth it to avoid filling out the paper form alone.
- Podcasts and audio books are happy distractions during longs flights or waits. I travel with a single paperback, so I like having digital backups to help keep me entertained, too.
[Photos, unless noted, are from Our Moveable Feast on Instgram.]
I recently had to connect through DeGualle in Paris and my husband found a webpage (put out by the airport) that had step by step instructions (with photos!) on how to go from the international arrival terminal to the intra-Europe terminal I was going to. Made it so much easier in the fog of jet lag and a tight layover.
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