Whether you’re a frequent traveler or you just go away once a year on a summer vacation- when you’re in a brand new place in the world you of course want to make the very most of your time there. You want to get back home knowing that you saw and did everything you planned, and made memories to last a lifetime. But how can you make the most out of every trip and vacation you take? Here are some tips:

Research the Destination

Plenty of research ahead of time is essential if you want to get the most from your destination. You will need to look into places to stay, places to eat, attractions, excursions and more. Once you know exactly what will be available to you, you can pick the things you like best based on your personal interests. In some cases you will need to book tickets and things ahead of time, so getting these paid for and out of the way can help financially while you’re away and also avoids disappointment of things being sold out. Whether you’re going to Phoenix AZ or Ibiza, Spain, find out what will be there and what kinds of things you would most like to see and do.

Come Up with a Plan

Once you know what your options are and what kinds of places you want to visit, you can come up with a plan. A schedule allows you to fit in everything that you want to do and can give structure to your time away. Work out which restaurants, attractions, museums, tours, trips and more you’ll do on which day. If you find that you have more things to do than you have time, you will need to whittle down your choices and go with the things that stand out the most. When it comes to eating for example, you’re more than likely only going to eat three times a day so have a limited number of eateries you can visit. But you could always try out bakeries, pastry shops, cafes and food vendors for snacks and drinks in between meals.

…But Leave Some Time Free

While it’s important to have a schedule which allows you to fit in everything you want to do while you’re away, it’s equally important to leave some time free. This allows you to just explore, maybe you’ll find interesting things to do which were not apparent when you were researching. Perhaps you just want some time to relax and lounge by the pool- a vacation after all is a chance to relax.

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Meet New People

Chat to the locals and find out more about the destination. Speak with other travelers and see if they have any tips and advice for you. It’s often the people that really make travel interesting- as well as the place itself, get to know the people there. Whether they live there, or like you are just visiting.

How do you ensure you’re making the most out of the time you’re away when traveling?