Weekend vacations are incredibly underrated. First, they are a great way to escape daily hassles, de-stress, relax, and unwind on a weekend. Second, weekend trips have many benefits. Imagine, you can explore a new destination without spending a fortune, travel even with a 9 to 5 job, and see the lesser-known towns in your area. I bet this is really cool! But how do you go about it? How to plan a weekend getaway?

While planning a weekend adventure might seem like an easy task, it actually involves some work. You will still need to think about budget, where to stay, what to pack, food, and, the most important thing, how to keep your luggage light! However, it can’t compare to a long, annual trip. In this post, I’m going to give you some killer tips to help you plan the best weekend trip ever. These are the basics people usually forget while planning a weekend away, but taking them into account when planning your fun 48 hours will make a huge difference in your overall enjoyment of the journey!

Top Travel Tips for Planning a Weekend Getaway

So you’re on a mission to plan a weekend trip but still unsure where to start? Fret not. In fact, you can even do your weekend planning last minute!

1. Think About What Kind of Trip You Want

Start by identifying your travel goals and reasons you want to visit a particular destination. Are you looking to get off the grid so you can forget about your job for two days, or are you looking to visit a location you’ve always wanted?

When planning a weekend getaway, think about what kind of trip you’re hoping for. This will help you narrow down selecting a destination and get the creativity flowing. Once you know what kind of trip you’re looking for, come up with a list of destinations, whether it’s cities, small towns, or countryside getaways.

2. Choose the Right Time To Go

Next, you’ll want to figure out when you will be traveling, because that will determine your packing list, accommodation options, and the booking process, which may involve getting permits in National or State Parks.

Choosing the right time to go depends on what you want to do while you are there. Whether it is boating, sightseeing, hiking, camping, or spending time at the beach. Obviously, you can’t predict weather two weeks ahead but it’s important to get a reliable weekend weather forecast. It’s a no-brainer, they can adversely affect your travel experience.

Flooded country roads make it hard to access remote areas, heavy downpours can spoil your plan of a bike trip. Suffocating heat and humidity can shed away your dream of hiking making it unbearable and risky as well. However, with a little planning ahead, you can actually save yourself from these bad experiences.

Today, social media and apps have a very deep impact on our lives and they help us way beyond. So here is the time to make the most of your smartphone. The best way to plan a mini-vacation is to add cities you wish to travel to your phone’s weather app. The moment you check the weather for the location you are in, you can also check to find how the weather will be in your future destinations as well.

3. Choose a Destination And be Flexible About It

Once you have decided when you are traveling, it’s time to think about where you want to go.

When it comes to picking a destination, keep your mind open.

The beauty of a small trip is that it can lead you to unexpected places. You may find inspiration as you browse Facebook pages and stumble upon your friends’ recent post about a nearby place they ventured to, or you may find a great travel deal.

With that said, perhaps you want to explore the city you live in, and that can be a rewarding experience! This brings a lot of practical advantages too. At the end of your workweek, you won’t have to rush to the airport or worry about forgetting things. You can start a mini-vacation whenever you want it.

However, if you plan on leaving your home town, compare flights, hotels, and car deals to/in nearby destinations to determine the best trip for the weekend you’re looking to a weekend getaway. You can also research what’s going on in those destinations. Check whether there are concerts, shows, and festivals coming up you’d like to attend.

Keep in mind if you have only 2-3 days, it’s best to pick a destination that is no more than a three- to four-hour plane ride away so as not to eat too much into your actual trip.

If you’re feeling adventurous and want to hike popular trails, pick your destination accordingly? Making sure you will be able to do what corresponds to your desire will help you pick exactly the right place.

Your travel buddies can also dictate the destination. If it’s a solo trip, of course, you have a place that speaks to you. But if you are looking for things to do with friends on the weekend, options can differ dramatically since they too have their own bucket list. Comparing places on your lists may help you come to a compromise, or maybe you’re lucky and everyone already wants to visit the same place.

Whatever the case, keeping an open mind and being flexible will help you embrace the weekend – and with that attitude, you’re sure to have an amazing time wherever you end up!

4. Budget For a Weekend Getaway

It’s easy to plan a weekend getaway within two days, but your budget will largely determine where you want to go to. With so many things you need to pay out each month, it can be hard to save up even for a weekend trip. In fact, money stress is one of the most significant things that prevent people from traveling. However, with some budgeting and forward planning, you can avoid overspending on your credit card and plan for a small trip.

To make budgeting easier and simpler, set aside money in a vacation budget before you even start planning. You can open a separate vacation savings account and set up auto-payments that deposit to it every week or month. You will end up having a decent amount of money to pay for accommodation or airline tickets. My friend uses this trick so that he always has enough money for a vacation trip in case an opportunity to travel comes up.

If you’re looking for easy ways to save money for travel consider using tools such as Digit and Qapital that let you accumulate money without thinking about it. These apps can help transfer “extra” money into a dedicated account that you can use for vacation purposes. Similar to a savings account, you can withdraw your money when you’re ready to use it. Otherwise, set it and let it grow!

As you actively put money away for a weekend getaway, you will be more likely to put it to good use and plan an incredible trip.

5. Check Your Car For the Trip Or Keep an Eye Out on Flight Deals

There are many ways to save on weekend getaways and even more of companies that can help you do so! To ensure your weekend trip goes smoothly, you should next determine whether you travel by plane or opt for using your own vehicle.

If you choose the latter, have your car undergo technical check-up and maintenance before leaving your city. It is a good idea to make sure your driving license and insurance are valid. Download offline maps and update the map data to prepare for your road trip. Don’t forget to plan out your perfect route and decide when the best time to leave will be.

If you are flying, check your passport (ensure it’s valid) and book your airline tickets. Look at Skyscanner or a similar flight search engine and score some great deals for cheap flights.

Consider signing up for airline newsletters that will deliver travel deals straight to your inbox. If you don’t want to limit yourself only to only newsletters, you can also proactively search for deals from airlines, travel companies, hotels, and more. I’m also loyal to Star Alliance (Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air China), and I keep tabs on their travel deals by skimming the occasional emails they send.

6. Plan Your Stay

No weekend trip is complete without finding proper accommodation. Arguably one of the most important things you need to factor in, finding the best and cheapest room for your weekend trip requires some effort. Moreover, since you only have two or three days, the location should be your top priority.

Here are some tips and advice to help you decide, and choose the right travel accommodation:

Beach Getaway: To maximize your time, find accommodation near the beach to reduce the amount of time traveling from your room to where the beach is.

Romantic Getaway: To create unforgettable memories while on vacation consider staying at a luxurious suite in a 4+ star hotel or villa. if you planning a hike for your next outdoor adventure go glamping or turn your tent into an amazing staycation.

Family Getaway: If you travel in a group or with your family go camping or book an apartment-style hotel/Airbnb so that kids can move around. Apartment-style hotels with kitchen and hostels are great for anyone looking for a sociable atmosphere with friends.

7. Plan & Manage Your Vacation Itinerary

When planning out your weekend trip itinerary, it’s vital to take into account the logistical details so you don’t end up spending all your time running from one side of a city to another. Calculate the average time it takes to get to each activity, landmarks, and how far the different activities are from one another. If you can’t afford to add an extra day to your weekend trip, try to cluster the places that are located near one another during the same time blocks of your day.

Pro Tip: Put together a list of things that interest you in the area and save their locations on Google Maps so you can keep track of where everything is and have a clear travel itinerary.

Things look a bit different when it comes to indulging in activities that require pre-book a selected time-slot (some museums require this, as do more adventurous activities). Beyond that, I just keep the bucket list I created days in advance saved on my phone and bring it up whenever I’ve finished an activity and I’m ready to move further. This prevents me from feeling anxious about not seeing everything and makes for a more relaxed trip overall.

8. Decide What To Book in Advance

When you plan a weekend getaway you’ll want to maximize your travel time and know exactly what are the best places to see and the best free things to do.

As much as I like to just show up, some weekend planning is a good idea before heading towards a popular bucket list destination in high season or there is a risk that the tour might be booked out by the time you get there.

Popular attractions like Alcatraz in San Francisco and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London are booked out well in advance, so you will waste your time showing up without a prior reservation.

Research and organize your tickets to any museums, theatres, and festivals, etc. Another simple way to save money on attractions is to purchase City Passes. Research those in your weekend planning!

Flight cancellations happen more often than you think and have become even more common since the COVID-19 pandemic started. There are many reasons why a flight could get cancelled, which could either be within the airline’s control or completely out of their control like in the case of an adverse weather condition. However, most people have no idea what to do when their flight gets cancelled. Anyone could get frustrated at the thought of it but do you know you might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation? This article provides a quick guide on what to do if your flight ever gets cancelled.

Step 1: Know what the flight cancellation compensation is

The flight cancellation compensation is the EU 261/2004 regulation that exists to protect passengers’ rights when their flight is delayed or cancelled and in the event of overbooking or denied boarding. Under this regulation, affected passengers are entitled to monetary compensation between €250 to €600, depending on the distance of the flight.

How the flight distance is calculated

• Short distance – Below 1500km (e.g. London – Edinburgh) – €250 compensation
• Medium distance – Between 1500km and 3500km ( e.g. London – Athens) – €400 compensation
• Long-distance – Over 3500km (e.g. London – Tokyo) – €600 compensation

How do you know if this regulation applies to you?

Use this checklist to know if you are entitled to flight cancellation compensation.

• You started your trip at an EU airport, or landed in an EU airport, with the airline headquartered in the EU.
• The airline informed you of the cancellation less than 14 days before the original departure date.
• The reason for the cancellation was within the airline’s control and could have been avoided.

Apart from the standard monetary compensation, you may also be entitled to a ticket refund or a replacement flight.

Step 2: Stay alert for notifications

In many cases, you would be notified if there are any disruptions to your flight. If you signed up for airline alerts, whether with your telephone number or email address, expect to get notified of any changes. Whether or not you get notified and also the timing of the notification can play a huge role in you getting compensated. According to the EC 261 law, you will only be entitled to flight compensation if you were informed less than 14 days before the departure date.

If you had already checked in before being notified, you might be entitled to other things. This includes the right to care, such as access to a telephone, internet, food and drinks, and hotel accommodation through the night.

Step 3: Find out why the flight was cancelled

If you got any notification on your cancelled flight, check if the reason for the cancellation was included. You can also contact the airline directly to request why. Common reasons for flight cancellations often include adverse weather conditions, security threats, the crew out of time, strikes, air traffic control restrictions, lack of passengers, lack of crew or pilot, and mechanical issues, among others. These reasons might be valid but shouldn’t be at the cost of your itinerary plans.

To be entitled to compensation, the reason for the cancellation must be within the airline’s control. There are many things the airline can’t control such as an earthquake or hurricane where they have no choice but to cancel flights. However, for minor reasons completely within their control, they should completely bear the cost and compensate you.

Step 4: Review your itinerary

A cancelled flight could disrupt many other plans, including causing a ripple effect on connecting flights. While you may be upset about the change of plans, this will also be a good time to review your itinerary. Were you supposed to get a connecting flight? You can easily reschedule the flight if it’s on the same airline that cancelled. However, if it’s on another airline entirely and will cost you extra to reschedule, you may want to factor that into your compensation claims.

Step 5: Contact the airline

The next thing you want to do after your flight has been cancelled is to kick start the process of getting properly compensated. After finding out why it was cancelled and confirming it was within the airline’s control, you can contact the airline. Most airlines have a hotline you can easily reach to ask questions or take the next steps. You can also check the airline’s website for a contact form, email address, or form to file a compensation claim. If you are at the airport already, you can talk to the staff directly but remember to keep your discussions or arguments civil.

Step 6: Describe what happened

Once you’ve contacted the airline, you will have to describe what happened in detail. Start by highlighting your flight details, the reason you were given for the cancellation, and whether or not you were notified before the departure date. Then, you can indicate how much you believe you are entitled to and ensure you include the accurate quote from the EC 261 regulation. While you do this, consider reviewing the flight cancellation policies of the airline. Although the EC 261 law covers airlines from EU member states, each airline may also have its specific policies. Check their website to see if there’s any you should take into consideration.

Step 7: Take advantage of higher authorities

Getting compensated for a cancelled flight isn’t always that straightforward and the airline may refuse to compensate you despite your effort. If that’s the case, you may reach out to the National Enforcement Body (NEB) or an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). These bodies are there to assist you and ensure the airline compensates you properly. For an easier and more effective process, you can get a lawyer or go through agencies like Flightright to help you claim your compensation accordingly.

Bottom Line

No one likes to deal with unannounced flight disruptions but should you find yourself in such a situation, you should work on getting your cancelled flight compensation. Understanding your rights as an air passenger makes it easier to kickstart the process of getting compensated and these quick easy steps will guide you.

A city that is filled with the icons and memoirs of Christianity, Rome is a rich and diverse cultural hotspot of places. Rome happens to be one of the most visited tourist destinations of all times owing to these reasons. That being said and preserving everyone’s own opinions, one tourist shouldn’t spend too many times in just churches and make their visit to Rome stagnant since there is so much more to Rome than just Christian artifacts and church. With that out of the way, here are three of the top places you might want to visit if you happen to visit Rome:

1. The Colosseum And The Arch Of Constantine- The largest structure left to us by Roman antiquity, the Colosseum still provides the model for sports arenas – present-day football stadium design is based on this oval Roman plan. The building was begun by Vespasian in AD 72, and after his son, Titus enlarged it by adding the fourth story, it was inaugurated in the year AD 80 with a series of splendid games.
2. The Vatican City- The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world, with an area of less than half a square kilometer, most of it enclosed by the Vatican walls. Inside are the Vatican palace and gardens, St. Peter’s Basilica, and St. Peter’s Square, an area ruled by the Pope, supreme head of the Roman Catholic Church. This compact space offers much for tourists to see, between its museums and the great basilica itself.
3. The Pantheon- The best-preserved monument of Roman antiquity is remarkably intact for its 2000 years. This is even though Pope Gregory III removed the gilded bronze roof tiles, and Pope Urban VIII ordered its bronze roof stripped and melted down to cast the canopy over the altar in St. Peter’s and cannons for Castel Sant’Angelo. The Pantheon was rebuilt after damage by fire in AD 80, and the resulting brickwork shows the extraordinarily high technical mastery of Roman builders.

The fashion industry can be a pretty intimidating place especially if you are just starting out. But all is not lost! Read on to know more.
Aside from being skilled and having a characteristic flair for the activity, a couple of tips that can help anybody in the business are:

1. Build Up Your Abilities- It all comes down to practice and more practice. Regardless of whether it is marathon watching recordings, or looking over pictures, it is significant you require some investment to consummate your craft in the design business.
2. Work Towards An Exceptional Portfolio- Invest in ordering a profile that exhibits your work in the style business. Take little assignments that enable you to explore and incorporate something new in your portfolio. Have a go at being a piece of activities that need you to leave your usual range of familiarity and get the hang of something you have not done previously.
3. Work Towards Continually Improving Yourself- The fashion biz is everlastingly developing and developing, and having the option to always learn and improve oneself is a significant ability everybody in this industry ought to have.
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