Many people take the time to plan a perfect trip. You research where to stay, what sites to visit, and what adventures to book. But have you ever thought of researching how you can prepare yourself for your trip beyond the logistics of travel? In this list, we discuss the top do’s and don’ts of responsible travel that will help you have a safe and respectful trip.

DO Protect Yourself

We all hope for a perfect trip that is problem-free. However, it would be irresponsible to ignore the fact that things can go wrong and you should be prepared for them when they do. Some standard safety tips include:

• Share your itinerary with someone from home including your accommodations, intended travel route, and travel days.
• Avoid carrying all your cash with you at all times. Instead, when you leave your hotel room, stash some cash in a hidden area. If you’re robbed, you will still have some cash to get you by.
• Keep a photocopy of your passport in your suitcase.
• Get health insurance for your travel and understand the regulations around using it. Many policies require that you inform them of a hospital or medical visit within a certain time frame for your claim to be eligible. For example, you may need to alert the insurance company of a hospital visit in the first 24 hours of checking in.

DO Your Research

If you’re traveling abroad, it’s apparent that things will be quite different from home. Responsible travel starts with preparation. It’s essential to do some research about the country you’re visiting. Some things you’ll want to research are:

• If you need to bring any medications with you. For example, “Bali belly” is a common affliction for tourists traveling in Bali. You can bring medications such as Immodium with you to help lessen the side effects of whatever condition is common in the country you’re visiting.
• It’s also crucial to do your research into any vaccinations you may need when you travel. In some cases, such as with yellow fever, you sometimes have to prove your vaccination to enter the country.
• You should understand if you can or can’t drink tap water in the region you’re visiting. If tap water isn’t safe, be prepared to have cash on hand to purchase bottled water or bring water purification tablets.

DO Educate Yourself

When you visit somewhere, the last thing you want to do is insult people. By taking the time to educate yourself on local customs, you can avoid embarrassing faux pas that may potentially offend the people around you. Some responsible travel tips include:

• Learning if there are any rules about dress, especially for how much women should cover themselves.
• Understanding if showing signs of PDA is considered inappropriate
• Learning about unique practices, such as not spitting in Japan or showing avoiding showing the bottom of your feet in Vietnam.

DO Eat the Local Food

One of the best parts of travel is the food. When you’re traveling to a new area, make sure you take the time to eat the local food. It can be tempting to pop into something familiar, like a Starbucks, for your morning coffee but opt for a local cafe instead. This ensures you support local small businesses and gives you a more authentic travel experience.

DON’T Count On Free Wi-fi

You’re probably very reliant on your Google Maps to get around. If you’re assuming that you’ll be able to find a free wi-fi connection everywhere you go, think again. While many countries have free wi-fi, this isn’t always going to be the case for where you’re going. You might find yourself having to make a purchase at a store to get the wifi password, which can add up quickly. Do your research and consider an international data plan if wi-fi will be a challenge. Or, just bring a map!

DON’T Assume People Speak English Everywhere

If you’re traveling abroad, you shouldn’t assume that you will find people that speak English everywhere. In fact, as you travel outside of cities to more remote towns and villages, you can usually expect there to be a higher chance of a language-barrier. Look into whether people speak English in the area you’re going to and, just to be safe, learn a couple of important phrases.

DON’T Nap On Transit

At some point during your trip, you might be jet-lagged and want to take a quick nap. This may feel like a good idea, but you should consider your environment first. If you have a friend to watch your things while you nap, that is perfectly fine. Otherwise, napping in high-traffic areas such as a train, bus, or airport lounge may leave you vulnerable to pickpockets.

DON’T Stick to the Tourist Spots

When you think about your home city, you can probably picture the area considered a “tourist trap.” Tourist traps are typically close to transit hubs and rely on tourists who don’t know local prices. These tourist traps are extremely expensive, usually not authentic and are packed with other tourists. Do your research beforehand and make sure to visit the authentic neighborhoods where locals go to shop and eat.

Now you have everything you need to go on a great adventure full of responsible travel.

During long days of travel and through the duration of our vacations, we often find ourselves eating out. These meals often are comprised of a lot of convenience or fast foods and fewer servings of fresh fruit and vegetables. After a couple days of eating quick meals, we might start to feel sluggish. Even though it takes a little extra preparation, incorporating nutritious food options into our travel diets can keep us feeling better and more energized while we enjoy our vacations.

Why include nutritious food options?

You want to feel your best on a vacation so you can enjoy your time to the fullest. Eating a well-rounded diet that includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains provides our bodies with the necessary vitamins and minerals to convert our food into energy. This means that a healthier diet will give us better and more sustained energy. Nutritious foods also contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that support our immune systems as we explore new places.

Have you ever found yourself feeling a little backed up on vacation? Making sure your diet includes foods high in fiber, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, and nuts and seeds, will help to keep bowel movements regular. Fiber also keeps us full longer, so you can do more adventuring before needing to stop for a bite!

Food safety while traveling

To keep yourself healthy while traveling, it’s important to pay attention to food safety, especially when purchasing grab-and-go type foods. Here are a few important food safety reminders:

• Wash your hands before eating.
• Carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes handy as a backup.
• Clean surfaces (like tray table or rest stop table) before eating.
• Wash all fresh produce under running tap water.
• Keep cold food cold: below 41°F.
• Keep hot food hot: above 140°F.
• Pass on transporting hot food unless you have a portable heating unit.
• Eat food within two hours of purchasing it or throw it away.
• Do not eat raw fish, shellfish, meat or eggs.

Nutritious food ideas for travel days

Non-perishable snacks

• Whole or dried fruit
• Freeze-dried vegetables
• Nuts (pre-portioned into snack-size bags)
• Nut butters (travel packs are great for planes)
• Whole-grain pretzels or crackers
• Trail mix
• Snack bars made with whole grains, nuts and fruit, with few added sugars

Other nutritious snacks

• Part-skim mozzarella cheese stick
• Whole-grain sandwich made with lean meat, vegetables and mustard or with natural peanut butter & jam
• Fruit cup
• Pre-cut veggies (paired with nut butter brought from home)

Incorporating nutritious food at your destination

Here are some ways to add extra nutrients to your daily meals while at your vacation destination.

• If you have a mini fridge, grab some grocery staples, like healthy breakfasts, lunch options or snacks.
• At continental breakfasts, choose:
  • Whole grain cereals, whole wheat bread, or oatmeal
  • Lean protein options like low-fat dairy, boiled eggs, Greek yogurt or peanut butter
  • Include fresh fruit, especially fruits in peels (bananas, oranges)
• Pack snacks for excursions so that you don’t get overly hungry or experience low blood sugar symptoms.
• Enjoy your restaurant meals with a fruit or a veggie on the side.
• Opt for water with your meals – typically the best for rehydrating and helps the fiber in your food do its job.

Remember to enjoy what you eat!

These are just suggestions to help you do your best. Vacations and special occasions are more about the memories than eating perfectly! This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enjoy “fun” foods like ice cream while on your vacation. But if you find yourself feeling less than your best, it might be time to consider how you’re fueling your body. Moderating portions of fun foods and adding little bits of nutritious foods can make all the difference!

Keeping up with a healthy diet on vacation may seem impossible.

In fact, one obstacle is that we tend to eat more when we aren’t cooking our own meals.

“When we eat outside of our home, most studies show we will eat between 35 to 45% more in terms of our portions,” explained Kristin Kirkpatrick, RD, registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic. “On top of that, plates at restaurants are usually much larger. They could be two to three times larger than the plate size you’re used to in your kitchen. So, it’s easy to overeat because sometimes you can’t accurately assess how much food is actually in front of you.”

When dining out on vacation, registered dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick suggests eating the things that will fill us up first, like fiber and vegetables.

To cut down on those large portion sizes, Kirkpatrick said you can enjoy half the meal at the restaurant and take the leftovers back to your hotel for the next day.

Another tip is modifying something on the menu to make it more nutrient-dense.

If there’s a pasta dish with chicken and broccoli, you can request less pasta and up the chicken and broccoli.

When it comes to buffets, she urges people to stick with smaller portions if they want to try multiple things and really focus on recognizing when they’re full.

And since vacation is a time to relax and enjoy, Kirkpatrick said allowing indulgences is important.

“If having refined grains like white pasta is something you really crave, then maybe allow yourself to have that one night,” she said. “Allowing these indulgences can go a long way because then we don’t feel the need to have to go crazy with the indulgences. We can actually factor them in.”

Aside from what you eat, Kirkpatrick adds sticking to a regular sleep schedule and limiting alcohol can help.

Getting too much or not enough sleep can sway our assessment of hunger and fullness – while drinking too much can lead to overeating.

Before making your trip to Italy, there are a few things you should know. Not because Italy is such a large country, but because its rich diversity and culture can cause travelers to feel in over their heads. Take a look at these Italy travel tips!

8 of the best Italy travel tips<

1: Be prepared for public transportation.

Or, if you’re driving, get ready for Italian traffic. Each city in Italy has its own public transportation system that usually includes buses, trams or metro. It’s a good idea to read a little about how to get around the city you’re visiting if you want to depend on more than your two feet. Doing some research can also save money as many cities offer a day pass. As for the train system, it connects all the major cities and several smaller ones. The Trenitalia website should answer any questions you may have.

2: Have reasonable expectations for where you can go and what you can see.

By keeping your travel itinerary within reasonable bounds and leaving free afternoons to wander at will, you’ll find that you can prevent yourself from becoming an overwhelmed tourist. I know, there are just too many places to visit in Italy and too many interesting sites, museums, shops, and restaurants in each of these cities. But before you go, siphon off the most interesting places onto your must-see list, and in the spaces between allow yourself the luxury of discovering Italy as it comes.

3: Get off the tourist trail!

It isn’t only Florence, Rome, and Venice. Small towns throughout every region are lovely places, and a visit to them is a sure way to see what Italy is really like. Slip into any town’s main square at about 5 pm and watch the locals as they enjoy their daily passeggiata.

4: Know busy times from slow times.

Avoiding the metro at rush hour and the Colosseum on Sunday mornings is a key way to making your trip to Italy more enjoyable and less stressful! Also good to know whether the restaurant you’ve been dying to try requires reservations. Restaurants are busiest between 1 pm and 2 pm for lunch and the busiest hour for dinner is 9 pm.

5: Learn a little about Italian regions.

The regional differences between say Lazio and Campania are a joy to explore and can add depth to your trip to Italy. The best way to discover a region is to stay in an agriturismo, which is most often in the countryside. Agriturismos usually also offer regional fare produced on-site, and the owners are often happy to talk about where they live and why it is the best region in Italy.

6: Pack appropriately.

The last thing you want to do is to lug a heavy suitcase up a hundred stairs in Amalfi or over the jittering cobblestones of every Italian city. Always pack less than what you think you need, as you will probably do some shopping while you’re here! Also, watch the weather. Though the temperature remains steadily hot in summer and cool in winter, be prepared for flux if you’re coming in autumn or spring. And do know that it does get cold—shorts are impossible all year round!

7: Shop at the markets.

Italy is known for its food and part of the pride Italians have for their cuisine comes from its simple ingredients. So what better way to get to know Italian food than to be exposed to its building blocks? At the markets, great bunches of intertwining cicoria sit besides pyramids of round artichokes in winter; while in summer the glistening or marbled eggplant and the various coloured fruits will have you salivating. If you’re a real foodie, one of the best travel tips for visiting Italy is to NOT miss the markets – they are definitely the best places to visit in Italy to get a feel for how locals eat and shop (and get a snack for yourself!).

8: Pick up some Italian.

Many Italians in the large more touristy cities speak English, but a sure way to win an Italian’s favour is by speaking a few choice words in their language. Italian is a language of nuance and flourish, traits that are appreciated when foreigners try their hands at them. If you know a little French, Spanish, or Portuguese (or even better, Latin!) then you won’t have much trouble at all. A good trick is to listen to the pronunciations of the Italians around you and try to mimic it. Extra points are awarded for correct gesticulations!

Follow the Italy travel tips and you are sure to have an amazing holiday next time you visit this amazing country! And most of all – have fun traveling! Don’t let the little challenges take away from the sites, smells and sounds of the Italian culture!