Are you looking for travel planning resources?
Are you someone that prefers to be in control and book your own travel?
I am that person! I totally get it. I am a travel agent and I do book travel for other people, but I also like to book my own travel. I totally understand that mentality. If you are of the same mindset, I hope that my page can give you some inspiration for places to visit and some resources to plan some bucket list trips for yourself!
I am hoping to inspire you to take that dream vacation!
I am also a travel agent and can help you book anything from a European road trip, Caribbean all-inclusive hotel, to a cruise! I also have a specialization in Disney and Universal planning! The Disney specialization includes Disney parks, cruises, Alauni, as well as Adventures by Disney all over the world.
If I’m not well versed in the area you would like to travel in, or I can’t book it for you, I will find you someone that can! My bookings always come at ZERO cost to the client and no additional fees.
Research
The first thing that I like to do before planning a trip is research! Let’s say you found a cool TikTok of a gorgeous location and it has given you inspiration to travel there. Research! I’ve seen videos that say it’s Kentucky….and it’s an ocean! If you had traveled to Kentucky solely from that video, you would have been sorely disappointed. I utilize travel blogs, Pinterest, Facebook travel groups, and YouTube for a lot of my research. Once I find a place, I like to research the activities, food, and accommodation rankings on Trip Advisor.
Flights
I often research flights and pricing before booking accommodations. I try to find the best season and pricing. One of the tools I utilize to research flight prices includes WayAway (use Promo LAFFTRAVEL for 10% off WayAway plus). It is a flight aggregator that provides best rates, and you can also subscribe and gain the opportunity to receive cash back. I also utilize Aviasales and old faithful, Google Flights.
Accommodations
I utilize VRBO, Air BnB, and Booking.com to compare accommodation pricing depending on the vibe I’m going for.
Transportation
It is important to know what type of transportation is feasible in the destination you are visiting. This can often vary depending on season. Will you be able to rent a car? Is it more cost efficient to take a taxi? Is it safe or efficient to take public transportation? I utilize these resources not only for myself, but when I’m researching cost and transportation for my clients.
Car Rental websites that I utilize to find affordable car rentals include Economy Bookings, Rental Cars.com, or Discover Cars.
Omio is a site where you can compare and book planes, trains, and buses in Europe.
Busbud is an online bus booking platform.
Activities
I love to use the websites Viator and Get Your Guide to find local tours and excursions. Tiqets is also somewhere you can grab tickets to museums, shows, and attractions. You can also book self guided audio tours through WeGo Trip.
Emergencies
Trip Insurance – medical coverage and travel protection coverage is always a great thing to have! You never know when an emergency may arise. Insubuy is a company that provides international travel insurance.
Traveling on a Budget?
If you would like more information about how I travel on a budget, sign up for my e-mail list and receive my free PDF on How to Travel on a Budget.
Here is a link to my favorite travel card that we use to earn points. It also has zero foreign transaction fees.
