Taking a Trip? The Things I Forgot So You Don't Have To

To quell the sometimes debilitating pre-trip anxiety, I’ve learned to do a final check: wallet, phone, passport if necessary. This mantra ensures I have the necessities to travel, and reminds me anything else can be borrowed or purchased if needed.

But beyond making sure that I don’t forget items I require to be comfortable in my time away from home, there are some basic actions that can prove helpful in this pre-travel checklist.

On my recent trip to the east coast, I found that some travel planning tasks I did, some I thought I did, and some I neglected to do altogether.

A little bit of time and effort now can be a huge help in the moment:

Confirm operating hours for museums, historical sites and attractions
- Many museums close Monday and Tuesdays- shift your travel dates if possible to align with open hours.
Confirm ticket availability, or pre-purchase tickets before your visit
- Many attractions sell out or have timed tickets- save yourself the headache and click around the attraction website to ensure ability to visit when desired

If you have flexibility with your booking, check for regional and national holidays, or large events that might be taking place during your visit.
- Imagine forgetting that the World Cup was going on in the city you were visiting, or that it was Bolivian Independence Day? It can happen.
Purchase train tickets or fare for short flights as soon as possible for better pricing.
- Pre-planning can save hundreds of dollars on train and airfare- this is easily overlooked when the distance traveled is short.
Research your lodging and amenities
- The last thing you want is to find out your hotel has a pool or hot tub and you didn’t pack a suit, or the attached gym has a full on reformer pilates studio and you didn’t bring appropriate clothes.
- Resort Fees often include free bike rental or shuttle services. Know what’s included so you can take full advantage of offerings.
Renting a car? Do your homework on the rental company
- Turns out not all car rental companies allow spouses as free additional drivers. Factor this in during price comparisons.
- Elite status (included with some credit cards) may grant free additional drivers as well as other perks.
- Tolls vs. EZ Pass: A quick route-check before picking up your car can help you decide if you should opt to pay daily to activate the EZ pass.
Check lounge access and confirm updated lounge pass membership.
- Make sure you have physical cards or updated digital memberships saved to your phone.
- Confirm lounge hours and accessibility- Many lounge networks are beginning to curb access to certain members or require lounge passes to enter, or require passing through airport security between terminals.
Know your rights regarding travel delays and cancellations.
- Airlines are legally required to offer a refund, or at times food vouchers and accommodations for certain cancellation types.
- Travel Insurance coverage, whether purchased or included with booking with certain credit cards, can offset costs accrued during delays and cancellations. Know what is included with your coverage.

Minimizing the last minute surprises and hidden costs can be an invaluable way of smoothing the path to any trip away from home. While I am all for building resilience and working through hard things, a little pre-travel planning can be the difference between stressful travel and something that actually feels like a break.