Travel Like A Pro, Part 6: Plan Your Holiday Trip
- 6 days ago
- 11 min read
TOP 5 TIPS FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL LIKE A PRO
This article is from the perspective of The NYC Traveler, based in New York in the United States. But the information can be adapted for anyone traveling from any country: there are some basic tips anyone can use.
There is fun in traveling spontaneously: throw some things in a knapsack, hop into a car or on a plane, and zip, you're off. There are even some cruises that can be planned at the last minute during low travel seasons: you can book one within a week and sail away with a drink in your hand as you dance on the lido deck.
But, there are some trips that have to planned in advance. Way in advance. Like, not just weeks or even months. Perhaps even a year or more. This is the case with certain times of the years, particularly the fall going into winter and the spring holiday seasons. These are the seasons that I call holiday time. It's an old habit because I was in the education field, and our vacations were built around religious, cultural and national holidays, not to mention the traditional summer months in the United States: July and August.
For many people, the "holiday" season means December. But, as you will see when you read on, the term "holiday season" is now a fluid concept, flexible and can be interpreted in many ways.
Let's start with the autumn and winter holidays. Whether you celebrate the original religious holidays that spawned travel during these times of the year or not, the fact remains that fall and winter holiday travel are considered peak travel times. Prices might be higher, hotels are booked in advance, flights might be hard to get. In our personal opinion, and from speaking with several travel agents, the main reason is because families are traveling at this time. Why? For the exact reason I mentioned at the top: the school calendar. Even though some families will pull their children out of school when school is in session, most families with school-aged children will use the school vacations for travel.
In the United States, we include the autumn season because there are some reasons why air and road travel peak, particularly in areas where the trees change colors and fall foliage is at its height. Farms, orchards, pumpkins, apples: these are all reasons why certain areas become snarled with car traffic, train travel increases and photographers fly in from other parts of the world to see what they may have read about in outdoor photography blogs and magazines. Washington state, Oregon, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, all states along the Blue Ridge Parkway and New York are very popular destinations. But, you can always look for other options to pick your apples and peak at the foliage. Each state has its own fall/autumn season fun: local fairs and festivals, art shows, farmers markets, paint classes, scavenger hunts and more.
Another reason why autumn holiday traffic has increased has been the tourism surrounding Halloween, All Saints Day, All Souls Day and El Dia de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead, originating in Mexico, but becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the United States). Small towns, especially in New York and the New England states are marketing the spookier side of life with cemetery tours, night time events, pumpkin trails and cider crawls. Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, New York and Salem, Massachusetts are great destinations.
Since I am a New Yorker, let me suggest a few more places: try the small towns in the Hudson Valley region, the Catskills region, Lake Placid, Lake George, the Thousand Islands and one of my all time favorites: the Finger Lakes region. Several state parks have amazing waterfalls that will provide a dramatic centerpiece to the autumn colors.
If you can, climb up (gradually) through Watkins Glen State Park. With at least 19 waterfalls to see, you won't be disappointed. But you have to hurry: some of the trails close by the end of October.
The trail leading to the bottom of the main waterfall in Taughannock Falls State Park stays open unless it is really dangerous. There is a small parking lot and you can walk (about a mile) all the way to the waterfall. But, if walking is not possible, drive to the top of the mountain and see the waterfall from the top. Just park and walk over to the waterfall.
Buttermilk Falls State Park has several entrances. When you enter at Route 13, the waterfall is right there. You might not even have to get out of the car, just circle around and drive out!
Big cities in America get in on the autumn fun, too: Savannah, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina and the grandparent of them all, New Orleans, Louisiana. These areas will see an increase in traffic and tourism. Look for spooky cemetery tours, adult fun with bar, pub and tavern crawls and family fun with mazes, fairs and festivals.
High peak season for autumn might happen at the end of October and the beginning of November (don't forget to monitor a peak fall foliage website). Finally, autumn is always a great boon time for the wine industry. Across the United States, many wineries have harvest festivals with live music, children's activities such as face painting and games, wine tastings and baked goods for sale.
Before you know it, the American Thanksgiving has arrived (the fourth Thursday in November) and the winter holiday season is upon us. The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. Being in the black, business-wise, means that you have made a profit (as opposed to being in the red, which means you have lost money). Many financial websites that support small businesses have said that Black Friday is often one of the biggest profit days of the year for businesses and that the December holiday season accounts for up to 50% or more of the profit a business makes in a year.
And people travel to shop: they go to big cities, small towns that have outlets or scour charming main streets with antique and vintage shops. Air travel costs more and car travel can see a lot of traffic. Plan your holiday weekend to account for this.
December brings Hanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. Three Kings Day and The Martin Luther King Day weekend happen in January. February, with Mardi Gras and Black History Month rounds out the winter. Holiday travel dies down a bit after the first week in January in the USA, but the MLK weekend will see a peak in travel, particularly to both cold and hot destinations. During Black History Month, many cultural locations such as museums, historical societies and libraries will have family activities such as poetry readings, art activities, guest speakers and concerts. Concerts, in particular, will cause hotels to be booked in advance, so pay attention to local information before you decide to travel.
People who are tired of winter already will try to go someplace warmer and people who love the cold winter outdoors will head north, trying to figure out how to attach their skis to the roofs of their cars or if the airline will charge a lot for an oversized item. In the US, any northern state will try to cash in on this time of the year: Washington State, Montana, Nevada, Utah, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all come to mind but check out the state tourism websites of all northern areas. Weekends in the winter months in the northern United States will see more traffic on the road, increased passengers on the airplanes and hotel stays costing more.
Once Mardi Gras kicks in, at the end of winter, Spring Break is not too far away, the next big holiday travel season. Unlike the fall and winter holidays, which are date specific, Spring Break in the United States is a bit more fluid. There are two criteria: (1) the middle of a school semester or (2) the week just before or after the Jewish holiday of Passover and the Christian holiday of Easter. This puts the entire Spring Break season anytime from the the second week in March up to the 3rd week in April. Once the religious holidays are over, Spring Break is basically over. Plan your travel by doing a search for the religious holiday dates for the year you plan to travel.
If you plan to travel to or travel from the United States, knowing something about peak holiday seasons can be helpful so that you can maximize your time (and money) and be prepared for crowds and higher prices.
We didn't even touch upon extended weekends (actually created in the United States by changing the dates of certain holidays to occur on a Monday, rather than a specific date). These include Presidents Day in February, Memorial Day in May, Labor Day in September and Italian Heritage/Indigenous Peoples Day in October). The Fourth of July and Veteran's Day remain on their particular dates. In between will be various religious and cultural observances that might affect schools and government locales.
So, believe it or not, the holidays are upon us. Actually, they are always upon us and it is never too early to plan for holiday travel. Any holiday travel. You always hear people say: "I hate holiday travel," "I never travel during the holidays," "I don't know how to plan a holiday trip." But, travelers know that holiday travel can be done, you can have a good time and you may even want to do it again! So, let's travel like a pro with these tips.
1. Plan early: For some people, they may be thinking: Do you really have to say that? But yes, early is a relative term for people. We mean possibly earlier than you think. Good holiday travel takes good planning. Many people plan at least 9 months to a year ahead. Cruises, air fares, lodging reservations; all of these are extremely popular at holiday times.
Sometimes, you can get a good rate if you book early. In fact, there may be some package deals, sales or rewards during holiday times. Often, this means that you may have to pay everything in advance, like a hotel. Many hotels may have you pay one night and then pay the rest when you check in. But special rates may mean you have to pay in advance.
Look at the fine print for details such as resort fees, cancellation policies, can anything be changed and how long it takes to get refunds, if any. So plan your finances early, too. If the rates are not up yet, some people set alerts. If you are booking on your own, see our other articles.
2. Plan the itinerary: There is a lot to do during holidays. Holiday time is one of the peak tourist seasons and local businesses depend on these times for their profits. Some finance experts calculate that up to 50% of a business' year's profits can be earned during the holiday season, especially the winter holidays.
Many tickets for popular excursions need to be bought in advance, online, meaning, on the internet. Have a way to either download the tickets to your phone or to print them out at home (yes, you would be surprised what still needs to be printed out).
Once you have decided on your location and how you are going to get there, start looking at activities. With almost everything online, it is easier to plan effectively within your budget and to make a rough timetable for activities. Once you have secured those activities that have to be purchased in advance, then you can do the spontaneous activities around those times and dates. Remember, when you reach your destination, you may see something that you did not know was there and you may want some time to include that in your plans. For example, we did not know there was a museum of chocolate in one city we visited. We definitely fit that in at some point!
While you are planning your activities, look at your weather app. Some of the free features will allow you to see general forecasts one to two weeks in advance (you need this info when you're packing, too). If you are planning outdoor activities, it can be dicey to plan it when rain is expected. Keep that in mind. When we wanted to visit Versailles in France, we did not buy the tickets until we knew what the weather was. The palaces are nice, but the grounds are also a huge part of the experience.
Keep in mind NYC Traveler Tips For Your Trip: some major theme park resorts will allow you to make restaurant reservations at their hotels or shopping districts without a theme park ticket, such as Disney or Universal Resorts. Some casinos have great restaurants and buffets that you can visit. Or, your hotel or resort might offer an activity similar to an excursion that you saw offered at another location and for a better price (like luaus in Hawaii).
Look carefully at packages, such as at resorts that may be all-inclusive: sometimes the items are cheaper together, and sometimes not. Check out our tips or book a consultation to make your planning easier.
3. Plan downtime. Holidays are the time to relax and to enjoy your family and friends. You will want to celebrate the actual holiday. Allow yourself some time to enjoy the lodging amenities or area. A simple drive, lounging at a lodge, hanging out by the pool; these help to make a holiday vacation enjoyable. It will also give you some stress free time without cramming activities into every second. Look at the amenities at your lodging or what is very near: the hotel lobby may offer such features. Large cities will have little restaurants, cute cafes, small music venues or nearby parks. Relax and enjoy.
4. Plan your shopping: If you are going to an opposite season, such as a warm climate when you are normally in a cold one, shop for your clothes early. End of season sales are great for that. For example, I needed a white outfit in December, which is hard to find in New York at that time of the year. By planning in advance, I bought the clothes in June. Also, shop a little at a time. Buy your personal items throughout the year so that you always have shower gel, shampoo, etc. Most of us refill our toiletries when we unpack upon returning from the last trip. Trying to find something you need in an unfamiliar city or trying to buy something when you don't have your own transportation is annoying. Last minute shopping can be stressful and expensive. And if you are going out of the country, you may not find what you are used to or what you need.
Extra tip: investigate what medicines and supplements can be taken from country to country. Always get an up to date letter for prescriptions. If it seems that your medicine is not allowed, ask your doctor for a substitute. But, no trip is worth endangering your health. If you cannot bring what you need to maintain your health, re-evaluate if that is a place you need to go.
5. Finally, plan for any alternatives: Two weeks before you leave, check the weather. Then check it again at least 3-5 days before you leave, so that you have the right gear. If you are going to or leaving from a location that is known to have unpredictable weather, read your travel insurance carefully and your cancellation/postponement fine print for travel and lodging. Don't make a dining reservation for arrival day in case it has to be cancelled. Always be prepared for Plan B so that you are not overly disappointed.
In some parts of the world, mass transit strikes are possible. They usually last for a day. But of you planned an excursion that requires you to use public transportation, you will have to have Plan B.
Bonus Tip: all-inclusive resorts and cruises are great for travelers who don't want to plan much of anything. You just get there and go! Be open to alternative flight times and don't book them to return the day before you have to return to work. Allow an extra day for either flight delays, recuperating from jet lag or just to wind down.
Enjoy your holiday and Happy Travels!
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