Look for Information - PLAN 2 of 4

Gather and collect all the information you can on your destination. In this phase of planning, you extend the joy of a trip by fully immersing your self in all things related to your destination. Go ahead - get obsessed. This phase is particularly enjoyable because there are no limits.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Watch a YouTube video review.

• Check out a book from the library or buy a good travel book like Fodors.

• Try a new recipe from your destination.

• Watch a movie or TV show set in where you are going. We are planning our first trip to Greece and hope to visit the island of Corfu so we recently binge watched The Durrells. (Side note - highly recommend watching The Durrells. You will want to add Corfu to your travel wishlist after watching!)

• Talk to people who have been there. What is their absolute must see? What would they skip?

• Practice the language. We like DuoLingo! The basic app is free and a lot of fun. Or get a book that teaches you basic conversational phrases. Google translate is wonderful, but sometimes it's just nice to hold an actual book.

• Add your upcoming destination as a topic on your digital news feed so you see articles about it.

• Your destination probably has a tourism website. Visit it and you may be able to request a paper copy of a guide be mailed to you.

• When we added exploring more of the National Parks to our family travel wishlist we got a poster checklist, the passport book with stickers, and downloaded the app. We even have a Trekking the National Parks board game!

• Going on a cruise? Make a list for each port that you are visiting and a list of all the things you want to see and do on the ship itself.

• Search for tips on your destination on Pinterest and TripAdvisor.
  

Take all this information and compile it in one place. Make a giant list of ALL the things that look interesting to you and your travel partners that are near the area you are planning to visit. Remember: No limits in the looking for information phase.