Originally Posted by
yytleisure
Read read read. Guidebooks, wikitravel, travelblogs, flyertalk, tripadvisor, etc etc. talk to others who have gone where you're going before you (provided you're not on the Enterprise). Pick out the parts that interest you and dump the rest. Plan your itinerary then drop 50% and budget 50% more.
Originally Posted by
JMR1223
Know yourself and go from there. Are you the kind of person who will be comfortable wandering on your first big trip? Or do you prefer to have things planned to a t? Maybe meet halfway and pick one or two "must dos" in each city and leave the rest up in the air. If you can plan around your personal comfort zone, you'll have a great trip.
If you don't have time for TONS of reading, pick one or two options. I'd get at least one guidebook to bring with (read on the plane or at night) and pick the highlights that appeal the most to you.
Where are you headed? I've always found the Destinations forum here very helpful!
Good advice on both counts. Although I really don't like trip advisor, I sometimes look at the forums.. I look at a place I know and like, and use that to try to find a profile like me. Look at timeout, or frommers or Fodors and check for what days key attractions might be closed But the cardinal rule of travel is that no one's experience will be the same. You come with a set of baggage literally and figuratively that is unique so don't worry about what someone else says you must do. I've been planning for 30 years for family, and everyone wants something different. I don't like art museums but never missed a battlefield or cemetery, and made sure Ho Chi Minh mausoleum was open on the day we were in Ha noI. . Read not just guidebooks but literature from the country, watch a film about it, or get music .. learn a few phrases in the native language.. Decide whether you are a vacationer vs traveler. The former is easier to plan, the latter is a commitment to see the world. It does not need to take a long time, you will change your mind once you are there but a little preparation goes a long way.