Savvy Travel Tips To Ensure You Get the Most of Your Vacation

I'm just a few days away from a big European Adventure where I'll be visiting 10 countries in a mere month. Wow..it's making me tired thinking about it, but it will be a lot of fun at the same time. It's not a bus tour, it's an adventure scouting trip where I do all the planning and creating of some of our BikeHike Adventures.

As I'm preparing for this European Adventure, though, it makes me think of a few important tips that will maximize my travel experience in each country, given that I just have a few days in each destination.

1. Never Check Anything in Your Luggage that You Can't Live Without
We have all heard stories of luggage getting lost en route to a destination, and maybe it's happened to you, too. It can really put a damper on your vacation or business trip. Be sure to carry medicine, electronics, valuables, a toothbrush and a change of clothes in your carry on luggage. This small precaution will alleviate the stress of not having everything in your bag right away.

2. If you Have a Long Layover, Get Out and Explore
I have 12 hours in London, and there is no way that I'm staying in the airport for 12 hours. I'm heading out and visiting some of the local sites. I do have the hassle of what will I do with my luggage for all that time. Some of my options are finding a locker at the airport to store my bag (not sure if London still has lockers). I might even find a hotel nearby who will store my bag for a small fee and then I'm free to explore. Hop on Hop off buses are a great way to see a city in a short duration of time. Also sitting on a patio and people watching is a great way to experience a city. Just be sure that you give yourself enough time to get back to the airport, and do consider traffic if you're returning during rush hour.

3. Change Money When you Get to the Destination
It's more economical to wait until you get to the destination that you are traveling to to exchange your currency. If you change it at home, you won't get as good of a rate as you will in the destination. Also, note that if you are withdrawing money on your debit card at an ATM machine, you will be charged a fee for each withdrawl there and then you'll get hit with a service fee on your bank statement, so try to take out enough in one transaction, rather than a few transactions.

Happy and Safe Travels,
Trish Sare
BikeHike Adventures