Choosing Your Next Vacation Destination: 3 Factors to Consider
As you go about thinking where you want to travel for your next vacation, it can be challenging to figure out where to start. Planning your next vacation starts with deciding on a location you want to travel to, but if you can’t complete this first task then the vacation will never get planned. To that end, keep the following three factors in mind in order to settle on a destination you and your family or friends can enjoy:
Start by Designing a Budget
First things first, it’s important to set a budget for any potential vacation you hope to take. Many people make the mistake of settling on a destination and then building their budget around that, only to find out they can’t afford the place they have chosen. After all, the average American’s savings account balance is $4,500, which isn’t enough to cover a major vacation and leave room for savings.
To that end, follow the below steps to start building a budget:
- Establish a maximum spend limit that you can afford
- Start saving for the trip months in advance
- Create a separate savings account that is only dedicated to saving for trips
- Don’t forget to include activities and food into your budget
- Plan for the unexpected expenses that may arise while on vacation
- Set monthly goals for yourself with your budget
Once all of the above preliminary tasks have been taken care of, you will want to focus specifically on step four. While estimating food costs into your budget is easily done, the activity costs can be a little trickier. Given that you don’t have a destination yet, budgeting for activities can seem difficult. However, this is where the second factor to consider comes into play.
Decide What Type of Vacation You’re Hoping to Have
A major step towards figuring out the destination for your next vacation is determining what type of vacation you are hoping to have. There are three main subcategories a person should keep in mind as they consider how to budget for various activities and decide between locations:
International vs. Domestic
International travel will naturally come with a heftier price tag than domestic trips. Between the airline costs, currency conversion, and other factors associated with international travel, there is no shortage of ways in which it’s more expensive. Due to this, it’s best to only take an international trip if you have a budget that can meet the financial needs of this trip type.
Leisure vs. Activity
Second, you need to decide if you want a leisurely vacation, such as sitting on a beach and never getting up, or an activity-filled trip. As an example, there are a number of things to do in Pigeon Forge for adventure seekers, but there aren’t any beaches to sit down and relax on in the middle of Tennessee. By figuring out this category, you will also be able to estimate additional costs for your budget.
Roadtrip vs. Flying
Finally, you need to figure out whether you will be flying or driving to your destination. In some cases, with flight prices being what they are, it may actually be cheaper for a person to consider a road trip instead of jumping into a plane. This will also free up funds in your budget that can be put towards activities. If you want to take a vacation to the Scandinavian nations, book a transportation service at Car Rental Iceland as they are an affordable and dependable car rental service.
Determine What Type of Accommodations You Need
Finally, the third and final factor you need to decide to determine in order to figure out a travel destination is what accommodation you want. If you’re looking to see the outdoors, a campground will be the ideal accommodation. However, if you want to get to know strangers on solo travel without spending a fortune, staying in a hostel could be the right choice for you.
This choice of accommodation will allow you to search potential travel destinations to see if they offer what you are looking for.
Plan A Trip You’ll Remember For Years To Come
With the right effort put into thinking about the above three factors, you will be able to figure out a destination for your next vacation. Take your budget into account first as money is an important aspect of travels. Once you set a budget, you can determine what type of vacation you are hoping to have. With those two factors determined, all you need to do is figure out what type of accommodation you need so that you can choose a destination.