25 Travel Tips for 2020

2020 is here and what better time than now to list 25 travel tips for you to follow. After all, who doesn’t like a nice list of tips, tricks and hacks? We compiled a list of the top 25 travel tips for 2020.

These tips are good for the beginner traveler all the way to the seasoned vet. It always pays to be prepared when you travel and our 25 tips will help you get there. So let’s jump right into this list. After all, that’s why you are here anyway.

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25. Pack more socks than you think you need

A pack of socks is relatively inexpensive. It is always a good idea to have two pairs per day. This is a tip we could all use from the Military.

24. Always have an umbrella packed.

I don’t know about you but it seems like I am always heading somewhere, where it is going to rain at least one of the days I am there. Having an umbrella or ponchos packed in your bag or car is always a good idea. You could even use it in your everyday life when it starts to rain and you are running to the store.

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23. Plan, plan, plan

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While “winging” it can be a lot of fun. It definitely helps to have a plan in place. No matter if you are heading to your local city, an overseas destination or weekend getaway. Having an idea of what you will do and see helps. Pull up Google Maps and look around the area where you will be going. Or do a search of things to do in _________? If you will be going with kids, get their input too.

22. Check out the weather weeks before you go.

Planning on going to Florida in February? Look at the average weather and temperature weeks before you go. While 50 to a Floridian is cold in February. 50 to you from the Northeast will feel like late spring.

21. Book hotels with hotels.com when you first start off

If you are just starting out traveling around the US, book your hotels on Hotels.com. With every ten nights you stay, you get a free room. If you don’t know what hotels you like this is a good way to try out different ones and still earn some type of reward. Click on the banner below to use our affiliate link. It won’t cost you any extra and will help us continue putting out content that helps you and others like you out.

20. Start taking walks

If you work a desk job and don’t do a lot of walking. Start taking walks around the block a month or two before you trip starts. Unless you plan on grabbing an uber to go everywhere you will be using your feet a lot. Places like New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC require a lot of walking. While each city also has great public transportation sometimes it is faster and easier to walk. If you are not used to walking a lot, it will really take its toll on you.

19. You can always do laundry at your destination

If you are trying to pack light for a flight remember you can always do laundry at your Destination. Most hotels and resorts have washer and dryers for guests that are staying there. While I personally want to relax when I am traveling. If I am tight on space I will just do a load while at the resort.

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18. Get a reusable water bottle

It is important to always drink plenty of water. Carrying around a refillable water bottle helps not only keep you hydrated, it can save you tons of money. Depending on where you are going bottles of water can cost $5 or more. Having a filtered refillable water bottle is a lifesaver.

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17. Carry a photo of your passport, leave the real one in the hotel safe.

If traveling overseas or even around your home country it is a good idea to keep a copy of your passport on you and the real one locked up safe in the hotel safe. The last thing you want is to lose the real one.

16. Learn the customs for the country you are visiting

Understand a learn the customs of the different countries you are planning on visiting. Like here in the US we tip when we go out to eat. In other countries around the world they do not tip their wait staff because they usually get paid a living wage.

Also, women in most Arabic countries need to wear head wraps. It helps to understand and know these different customs when visiting somewhere for the first time.

15. Always have some cash on you.

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It is always a good idea to have a little cash on hand. While most places accept debit and credit cards some places only accept cash. Having both forms of payment on you can ensure you are able to get what you want. You never know when you are walking around NYC and a Pop Up Market is going on down 6th Ave.

14. Build in R&R time

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Traveling is a lot of fun but can be very tiring as well. Be sure to build in a like Rest & Relaxation (R&R) time. Whether it is hanging out and the pool or people watching at a local park. Give yourself some time to rest and relax.

13. Leave more time to reach your destination

This tip is helpful if you are driving to your location. Give yourself more time to get there. Nothing is worse than getting stuck in traffic and missing that first thing you planned on doing. If google maps tells you it will take 5 hours to get there. Give yourself 5 and a half or 6 hours. This way you won’t be in a rush and you can take your time and enjoy what is around you. You never know when you might see something cool that you want to check out like the National Museum of the Marine Corps which is located off of I-95 30 minutes south of Washington DC.

12. Use Google Flights

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When starting to plan a trip that will include airfare be sure to include google flights as one of your research tools. It pulls the prices from the airlines and sites like priceline giving you the best deal.

11. Travel First Aid kit

Is there anything worse than cutting your finger and not having a bandaid handy? I don’t think there is. Having a travel first aid kit can be a big help. Just remember to leave the scissors at home or in a checked in bag if boarding an airplane.

10. Pack snacks for road trips

Have you ever really looked at the price of snacks at the gas stations or wawa’s? They are way overpriced. Save money by buying the snacks before you hit the road. Not only will it save you money but time. You won’t need to hit the store why you are filling up.

09. Buy a good day pack.

You will never know the importance of a good day pack till the one you have isn’t cutting it. There is a day pack out there for just about anything. Find the right one for your needs. For me it is a good one that will hold my camera equipment.

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08. Keep using the same brands (American Airlines, Delta, Hilton, Marriott, ect)

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When starting out using Hotels.com is a great thing with the free room deal. But once you start traveling more it helps to stick to one brand. It is easier and faster to rack up air miles while only using one carrier than flying a few. Same thing goes with when booking hotels. Plus the rewards are much better with those companies than using third party sites.

07. Bring at least two pairs of shoes

NEVER, NEVER go anywhere without at least two pairs of shoes. Between rain, mud and other mishaps, having a spare pair is always a good idea. Just make sure you have at least one pair of sneakers. You don’t want to just bring two pairs of sandals.

06. Pull out the DSLR

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Cell Phone cameras have come a long way but they still don’t match the quality you can get from a DSLR. Even a low end DSLR like the Canon T7I will give you vastly better pictures when you are out and about.

05. Separate your money

It’s always a good idea to keep some money on you and some back in the hotel safe. You never want to carry all your cash and cards when traveling around. Split it up so just in case it is lost or stolen, not all is gone.

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04. Pack extra Underwear

Just like socks it never hurts to have more underwear. Keep an extra pair or two in your carry-on bag as well.

03. Don’t over plan

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It is important to plan your trip but don’t over plan. It’s a great idea to see what the average time people spend at a particular location. I’ve seen it time and time again people plan on seeing the Capital Building in Washington DC all the Smithsonian Museums and the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial all in an 8 hour period. There just isn’t enough time to see all of them in that period of time.

02. Have a portable phone charger

Having a portable charger is good for so many reasons. Not only can you charge your phone when you remember to bring the USB charger but you can also charge your camera batteries if you remember to bring the charger for them too.

01. Be spontaneous

Be spontaneous when you travel. It is good to have a plan or idea of what you want to do or see but leave room to do something unexpected. You never know when you will find a POP up market in the middle of the road in NYC.

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There you have it our top 25 tips for traveling in 2020. These tips are really good for any year and anywhere the road may take you. So get out there and enjoy this crazy little world we call home. You never know what hidden gem you will find.

Have any tips you would like to add? Put them in the comments below. We always love replying to comments and it helps other readers get new ideas.

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