Plan the Perfect Weekend Getaway

Decisions, decisions, decisions. It is easy to decide that you want to get away for a weekend, but trying to determine the perfect destination within your budget, activities, whether you would rather go alone or with a companion and everything else that goes into planning a trip may leave you preferring to spend the weekend watching the Travel channel instead. But that is just not as fun as experiencing a location firsthand. So to help you on your way, we have listed a few things to help you organize a great weekend trip.

• Do you prefer to be a solo sojourner or do you want to make this a friendly or even romantic weekend? Deciding who you would like to go with, if anyone, is always the first step. And remember that it is always cheaper to travel with a friend or two (not only do you split expenses this way, but many hotels and cruises charge an additional fee for rooming alone).

• Decide your timeframe and pick a weekend. If you don’t mind being a bit impromptu, a great way to save money on hotels and flights is to book at the last minute.

• Determine your budget and add approximately 15% for extra items that will come up (from souvenirs to parking tickets, there are sure to be extra expenses for things you just cannot leave your destination without).

• Plane, train or automobile? It is best to pick a location within two hours by car or three hours by plane from your home so you are not spending all your vacation time in transit. If you do choose to fly, it is often best to plan your departure for early Friday morning or early afternoon and return early Monday morning to avoid the crowds.

• Pick your location.

• Research what fun activities and yummy restaurants you would like to try at your destination. It is always smart to book your activities in advance. Also see if there will be any special events going on that you will want to check out while you are there.

• Make sure you pack in advance and try not to over pack (it is just a weekend, after all). Plan to arrive a couple hours early if you are traveling by plane and avoid leaving during rush hour. Being stuck in traffic and/or missing your flight is a sure way to ruin your weekend plans.