In many places around the world, tourism is back and in full swing. The United States, for example,expectsinternational visitor arrivals to surpass pre-pandemic 2019 levels in 2025 with 85.2 million.So in order to make the most out of our holidays, we decided to dig through the internet for usefultravel tipsand found a few Reddit threads where people have been sharing their favorite packing hacks, smart techniques for managing documents, and other gems. Continue scrolling to check them out!This post may includeaffiliate links.
In many places around the world, tourism is back and in full swing. The United States, for example,expectsinternational visitor arrivals to surpass pre-pandemic 2019 levels in 2025 with 85.2 million.
So in order to make the most out of our holidays, we decided to dig through the internet for usefultravel tipsand found a few Reddit threads where people have been sharing their favorite packing hacks, smart techniques for managing documents, and other gems. Continue scrolling to check them out!
This post may includeaffiliate links.
If you are traveling with your husband/wife, pack one or two of your outfits in his/her bag, and vice versa. That way, if one of you loses a bag, you’ll both still have a change of clothes.
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Never forget your Towel.Just about the most massively useful thing any interstellar Hitchhiker can carry. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the beady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat; wrap it round your head to ward of noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you — daft as a brush, but very very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course you can dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: nonhitchhiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have “lost.” What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the Galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.Hence a phrase which has passed into hitch hiking slang, as in “Hey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? There’s a frood who really knows where his towel is.A proud salute to the all-mighty Douglas Adams.
Clean up your home/room before you leave. Once you return home, possibly exhausted from all the travelling - you can just crash.
Try the local food! I can’t believe how many people are travelling to foreign places and mainly eat McDonald’s etc.
If someone tries to hand you something on the street, IT IS NOT FREE. They will expect payment.
Make sure you know what vaccinations you might need before going to a foreign country. Trust me…
Don’t be of those jerk tourists…respect the local laws, rules and customs.Leave your stupid selfie stick and drone at home.
For a trip of a week or more, sit down and figure out what clothes you’ll need and how much money you should bring.Then bring half the clothes and twice the money. You’ll probably still bring back unworn clothes, and be out of money.Note: This does not apply to underwear. Bring all of those.
My tip is to download the map of the towns you are visiting. You can do that easily in the Google Maps app. If you have the map downloaded on your phone you can easily find your way around town even if you don’t have any internet connection. It won’t show you the route you should walk from A to B, but through the magic of GPS you will still see where you currently are and if you are moving in the right direction.
Never keep your wallet in your back pocket.
If you’re traveling in the US and want to find a good place to eat, ask a cop. They eat out every day, usually at smaller non-chain places.
For international travel, I’d say call your credit card/bank ahead of time to let them know what country you’ll be staying in. Make copies of your passport, and know where the embassy is located. Make sure you know the rules, customs and laws of the country you’re visiting. And never put your money in one place, split it up and put it in your front pockets.
Always be aware of your surroundings. If someone/somewhere gives you sketchy vibes, there’s a reason! Don’t ever go near places/people that make you feel uneasy.
Pack a complete outfit in your carry-on. Delayed baggage is extremely common and it’s best to ensure you have backup clothes so you can at least wash them without having to hang around a hotel in a robe half of the day just to have some clean undies.
Be early. Wherever it might be, show up early.
Learn a few key phrases in the language of the country you’re in. Ex: hello, thank you, I am lost, where is the bathroom, etc. Have a phrase book handy. Many countries now have a high English-speaking population but you never know. And it makes you look like a more considerate tourist.
For photo equipment or all kind of expensive stuff: put some duct tape on it. If it looks broken, nobody wants to steal it.
I recommend shopping in Supermarkets when traveling internationally. You get to understand what the locals buy for their daily groceries, get to discover new foodstuff, and get much cheaper souvenirs to bring home.
When in unfamiliar places use your phone to take pictures of landmarks that stand out. That way if you want to get back to a certain place you have a picture on your phone.
When you pack, roll your clothing. I can fit 10 t-shirts, 12 underwear, 2 sweaters, 3 pairs of pants, a hoodie, socks, and pajamas in a carry-on bag and still have room for books and toiletries.
If you’re taking a taxi, always agree on the price before you get in. Cab drivers will sometimes try to rip you off just because you’re a foreigner.
If you wear prescription eyeglasses or contacts, bring an extra pair in case you lose or break them during your travels.
Toilet paper. Always have an extra roll in your backpack, you’ll be a hero at least once a month. Also extra socks, dry clean socks are an amazing luxury when travelling.
Put a big ribbon on your big black suitcase to distinguish it from all the others at baggage claim.anonymous:My parents used to travel a lot, and every piece of luggage they owned was emblazoned with a wide strip of bright yellow duct tape. Headed off a lot of problems that way.
Give yourself breaks when traveling. A lot of people try to pack everything in and all it causes is stress.If you are traveling in a group, give yourself breaks from others. Some people want to do everything together, and that can lead to a lot of fighting.
ALWAYS have a list of the belongings in your checked baggage, and make two copies- keep one with you, and leave one sitting on top of your items inside your bag so it’s clearly noticeable to anyone who opens your stuff.
I’ve got a couple,1. Always make a photocopy of your passport.2. For tall travellers. Try get the emergency row seating, I know this one is obvious for frequent flyers but for those who are less experienced, the emergency row seating has more legroom, and will make the flight far more comfortable.
Mine is to never use the coffee makers in hotels!As a former airline crew member - I can’t tell you how often we would use those to wash a pair of socks or underwear. The women routinely washed their pantyhose in them. Gross!
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Don’t Panic! Its not just a hitchhikers guide reference, it’s good advice. When travelling stuff changes, things go right, things go wrong, stay cool and you can really make it work. Best example: my passport got taken from my bag in a hostel, panicked, cancelled my passport (like you’re meant to) and the wallet with it was found the next day (sans cash)… Now I needed a new passport in a foreign country. Later in the trip (after lesson learned) I missed the only train to city where our accommodation was booked, didn’t panic, booked train to a different city which I could make a connection to the right place, used the time between trains to see an exhibit of da Vinci’s codex. TL;DR: Don’t Panic!
If you’ve got a long flight ahead of you, consider checking yourself into the airport lounge. For about £30, you can get three hours of free food and drink, unlimited free WiFi, charging stations for your electronics, comfortable seating, a great view of the planes taking off (usually), lots of boards around so you can see your flight times…Forget upgrading to business class or whatever. You can have a pleasant airport experience for a fraction of the cost, and that’ll make the eight hours you’re about to spend on a plane that much less stressful.
Don’t wear polyester on a plane. Polyester traps oil which is what makes you stink. Merino wool everything on flights.
Don’t be afraid to do some unplanned stuff! People always map out exactly what they want to do and I’ve found it’s nice to talk to some local people and just see what happens instead of being all timetabley and stressy and stuff.
I travel for work constantly, I’m actually writing this in an airport. My best tip is to eliminate checked baggage. This won’t help if you’re going on vacation, but I can’t tell you how many time this has saved me.Tight connect? Your luggage doesn’t get left behind.Want to grab an earlier connecting flight? The first thing they’ll ask is if you have checked luggage.If you eliminate checked luggage, you can literally walk off the plane and to your car or hop into a cab without breaking stride.This goes without saying, but the airline can’t lose your luggage if its with you.Note: Please use only approved size luggage for carry on travel. If I see you on a flight with your whole life in multiple suitcases, I’ll recline my seat into your lap as far as it can go.
My advice, having flown over a million miles on business to over 40 countries:1. Purchase some anti-bacterial, moisture-wicking undergarments and take them on any trips that may involve high temps, a lot of walking, excessive physical activity, or prolonged wear/re-use of said undergarments.2. Carry the travel-size packets of laundry detergent (Tide makes good ones) so you can wash clothes in your bathroom sink. This works surprisingly well, particularly for undergarments and socks. And hotel laundry fees are insane. Avoid at all costs, unless your employer is footing the bill and won’t reject the expense3. Pack up a small first aid kit that includes pain meds, anti-diahhrial, laxatives, Benedryl, cold meds, Tums, sore throat treatment, bandages, disinfectant, and other things you’d want if you we’re sick and didn’t have easy access to them. Always keep this in your bag.4. Buy a $20 phone calling card in case you get stuck somewhere and don’t have money or phone. Keep this away from your wallet and somewhere that it’s least likely to disappear.5. Similar to above, buy a Visa gift card with $100-200 on it and keep in a similar safe, hidden location. This is only to be used for emergencies. Losing your wallet and having no ID nor money while traveling abroad can be a nightmare.
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After having my pocket picked in Piccadilly Circus, (Out of my FRONT pocket, the sneaky little bastard!) I bought a money belt. I wear it under my shirt and carry a small amount in my pocket. I also have a pouch that hangs around my neck, inside my shirt, with my passport and a little money. Travelsmith is a great site for stuff like this.
If you’re an American, just say you are Canadian.
Don’t unplug your brain because you’re on vacation. Bad people look for people who are in La-La land to rob.
Put a decoy wallet in your back pocket with nothing in it.
If you’re going on a long flight get one of those neck-pillows - you will look stupid but it will be worth it x100.
If you have an extra day to spare between two places, consider booking a flight with an overnight layover in a third city somewhere along the way. Last year, instead of going straight from Iceland to Ireland, I took a 24 hour layover in Oslo, Norway. It gave me the perfect amount of time to see the city. The flight didn’t cost any more than a direct one would’ve (I actually think it was cheaper) so the only extra cost was a night in a hotel, which I would’ve been doing anyway in either Reykjavik or Dublin.
Always pack stuff to help your stomach - tums/gasx/Zantac/Pepto/dramamine.
Jet lag cure:Once the plane takes off, set clocks to destination time. Try to stay awake until something like a normal bedtime at your destination (this will be easy or hard depending on direction of travel and the time you leave).Get a small rest on the flight if you can. Try not to get up again until it’s in the AM at your destination.Once you land, DO NOT HAVE A NAP unless you have seen the sun go down (unless your flight is weird and arrives at night time). You need that melatonin to start flowing. Use (legal) substances if you have to.Just as important: once the sun is down, and it’s a reasonable bedtime, GO TO BED. Again, use (legal) substances if you have to.Repeat on your second day (seeing the sun set is vital, don’t stay in that hotel room!) and you should be gold.Source: regularly fly across the Pacific, hasn’t failed me in 5 years.
Put your change, wallet, phone, keys, and whatever you have in your pockets into your carry on so that you dont have to fumble with them at security. Also, wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off.Bonus answer: Dress for the climate that you are going to, not the one you are leaving. I took a trip with my family to Hawaii from Denver, in December. I wore shorts and a t-shirt and they all wore jeans and sweaters. Yeah, I was cold for bit when we left the house until the car warmed up, but when we got to Hawaii and were waiting for the rental cars, and then more waiting at the hotel check-in, I was way more comfortable than everyone else.
Have plenty of money but don’t appear rich.
Pack light. Especially if you’re backpacking/sole traveller. Everything in one bag!Roll your clothes when you’re packing. You can really compact bag this way.Plastic bag for your dirty clothes.Ear plugs. If you’re travelling on a budget, you will probably be staying in some noisy located places. They really help.Be wise. Scammers like to pick out tourist and do what ever they do.Photocopy or take a photo on your phone of your passport/other docs.Look up local tipping custom.Don’t rush everywhere at once. Do your own thing.Have fun!
Pack up the night before. That will save you time and you won’t be rushing out the door to catch your flight/cab/what have you.
If you need to rent a car, rent from a place that is within a short cab drive distance to the airport as opposed to the car rental locations at the airport itself. The difference saved me $500 on a recent trip to Florida.
The concierge at your hotel is your best friend. If you’re looking for something interesting to do off the beaten path, ask them. Need directions? Ask them. Best food in town? Yup, they know.While staying in Madrid one year, my mom and I decided that we wanted to see a flamenco show. We asked the concierge for his recommendation. Instead of just telling us where to go, he called up the venue for their showtimes, booked our tickets, gave us written directions for how to get there on public transportation, and told us the best place to sit when we got there. It was a fantastic night out, and he earned himself a nice tip when we left.
Get a multi power converter and a multi-plug power board to plug into it. You’ll always be able to power your devices, and you’ll make heaps of friends. :).
Ask your hotel staff what the charge should be for taking a local taxi to/from your sightseeing destination. Then learn ‘I know the rate” in the local language. Say it when your taxi driver tries to charge you 10X the right price.
Always pack a large binder clip. If you check into a hotel room that has those drapes that wont quite close…use the binder clip to hold them shut.
Don’t open up your luggage on the floor or bed until you’ve inspected your room for bed bugs. When you return home, immediately wash all of your clothing. If you’re really paranoid about beg bugs (as I am) you can put wool items in the freezer to quarantine them in case any bed bugs have hitched a ride.
On the plane, when you go to sleep, disconnect your headphones from the seat.Irregardless (not a real word) of the volume you were watching that rerun of friends, the announcements come through at 139 1/2 decibels, and it takes a good 45 minutes for your heart rate to return to resting, let alone sleeping
Find out the dollar conversion rate or download an offline app to do it for you before you leave. I once paid a crazy amount for airport sushi in Japan because I didn’t know the conversion rate. Most every airport has an ATM that will dispense cash in local currency when you leave the terminals. Call your bank before you go or they will likely put a hold on your account for suspicious activity.
If you have wanted to travel for a long time but can never work up the courage to take a trip, do this:Buy the plane ticket before planning anything. Put a google flights tracker for where you want to go, and when the prices get cheap, buy the tickets without hesitating.Now you have to do it. Only now do you find a hotel, ask off of work, worry about packing, etc.Just buy the plane ticket and you will force yourself to work out the rest of the plan.Source: Am a loser who talks themselves out of things often, but have also traveled extensively.
Fold up a $100 bill and put it under the sole of one of your shoes. That way in case your stuff gets stolen you have some money.
I’m stealing this from an ex. I’d never seen it before but I though it was genius. Don’t make fun of me if everyone already does it. Put your clothes in a space bag, you know the vacuum flat ones. And you can fit so much more stuff! I’m definitely trying it for my spring break trip.
intermediate travel advice: read into the history of the places you’re visiting. start from a general idea of where the country came from, then narrow down the specific places you are going within the country to understand the historical significance of the place.it’ll make your experience so much more meaningful, and you’ll have a more appreciative time there :)also, learn stickshift and rent a car. it’ll be freaky as s**t but you have unbound freedom to move about the country (depending on the country of course) and given how europe is comparatively small, you can plan multi-national trips to broaden the scope of your vacation.
If you’re running late for your flight you can go to the first class security line and explain that your flight is about to leave. They always let you through.
Eat anything & everything that looks delicious. In many countries (especially in Southeast Asia) the street food is amazing. If locals are eating there, you (most likely) won’t get sick. But, you should always bring antibiotics with you just in case.
For peace of mind- and from personal experience. I always register with the government before traveling anywhere abroad.Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
Get lost. Seriously, the best way to discover a city is to just start walking.
No matter how much money you have available, spend at least a few nights in a hostel.It will enable you to meet interesting people from around the world, give you a built in travel advisor (the staff) who knows all the best sights and bars in the area, and it’ll stretch your budget, letting you experience more outside of your hotel room.
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