Pack well in advance – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

Maybe you’re not the traveler that overpacks. Maybe you’re the one who leaves the most important items at home. To avoid this, pack at least five to seven days in advance. Don’t wait until the day before.

Why? When you pack in advance, you allow yourself time to notice the items you’ve forgotten. Packing in advance can save you the stress of worrying and rid you of that “I feel like I forgot something but I don’t know what” feeling.

Bonus: taking several days to pack also increases excitement for your adventure!

Geocache for your souvenirs – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Our best souvenirs when vacationing have been the ones we’ve collected through geocaching. Geocaching is high-tech treasure hunt using GPS devices and satellites. Currently there are nearly 1 million locations throughout the world to visit.

The objective is to find hidden containers, or geocaches, in outdoor locations and then collect a treasure from those containers. Frequently, we get to explore part of a city we’d never ordinarily think to visit.

The treasure found in these caches may only be dollar trinkets, but the true souvenir is the adventure of trekking through the outdoors with my family.

Prepare an in-flight “necessities pouch” – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Blocking the aisle during boarding while you dig for gum, a book, a hand-held computer game, disinfecting wipes, or earphones will annoy your fellow passengers — and can delay the departure of your plane.

To avoid this, pack these small must-haves in a resealable gallon-size bag (or any small, easily grabbed “day bag”) and place it near the top of your carry-on bag. This will make the bag and its contents easy to retrieve as you take your seat.

Bonus: you’ll have a convenient place to stow these necessities during flight and reduce your chances of leaving something behind.

Hit the bookstore, buy a local author – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Hit up a local bookstore for a good, unique souvenir.

Many self-published authors sell their books through the local storefront and many of those books are based in the area in which they live. The souvenir is not only unique, but it’s entertaining and lacks the gaudiness that many souvenirs display.

Plus, you may get smarter about your destination, which makes any trip more satisfying.

Pack a power strip – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

If you’re traveling with your family, make it a point to put a small power strip into your suitcase.

Many hotel rooms leave families facing a dire shortage of outlets. With the need to charge cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, and other gadgets, a power strip can prevent battles over whose turn it is to plug in their cherished device.

Moreover, when traveling alone, sometimes the outlet is too far from where you may want to work to be convenient, and a power strip can help solve this.