Spring break is approaching fast and if you’re like most people in North America, you’re so over Polar Vortexes. In a few weeks thousands of people will be getting out of Dodge and hitting warmer climates. The question is, how many of them will be totally prepared ahead of time? Reduce your stress now with these ten things to do before you travel at spring break!
Check Your Passports!
I’ve heard countless stories of people who were surprised to find out that their passport was expired the day before they traveled! Life is busy and this is a task we can often forget until we need it. So before you read another thing on this list go check your passports. Now.
Travel Insurance
This seems like a no-brainer but there are people who take the chance and go away with no insurance. It’s just not worth it. Odds are good you won’t need it but if you do you’ll be sorry. My mother ended up in the hospital once in Cozumel. Her bill was a staggering $24,000. Thank heavens for travel insurance.
Good shoes
I can’t stress this one enough. If you’re family is into exploring, or is hitting a theme park then take care of this task before you go so you’re not dealing with blisters and cries of “my feet are sore” the first day. You can find my favourite pair of walking shoes here along with a few other essential travel companions.
Housesitter/Dogsitter
If your house is pet-free then you can arrange for a neighbour to check in a couple of times while you’re away. If you have a pet though, you may want to consider having a live-in for the week. We find the kennel very stressful for our dog so we always have someone come stay with her. This way I have someone in my house the entire time we’re gone and my dog is happy to have someone here to snuggle with. Win-win.
How’s your luggage?
Luggage can get pretty beat up the more you travel. Check that all pull handles work, wheels spin and zippers zip. If any of these things don’t work, now you have time to shop it out instead of paying through the nose when you’re in a panic.
Photocopies of Important Docs
If it’s in your wallet or your purse, then that means it’s important. So what happens if it got lost or stolen? Would you even know where to begin? Take photocopies of your Passports, credit cards, medical insurance, bank card, Drivers License and give it to someone you trust when you’re away. If you lose anything, you’ll only need to make a phone call to know where to begin. Make sure you collect these photocopies when you get home and shred them.
Are your Prescriptions Up to Date?
Make sure you have enough of your prescription medication on hand to get you through your entire week with some extra to spare. Delays can happen, so make sure you don’t get left high and dry without important meds.
Get Cash
You can definitely exchange money at the airport in the country you’re visiting, but you’ll save yourself a lot of time if you hit your own bank ahead of time. This is especially helpful if there will a language barrier for you in the country you’re traveling to.
It’s also good to find out ahead of time what currency is readily accepted. Some countries have their own money but prefer to deal with American.
Get Your Cell Phone Ready
I’ve heard rumours of people who can put their phone away for a week and not look at it. I am not one of those people. If you’re like me make sure your data roaming is shut off before you get on the plane so you’re not hit with nasty roaming charges when you get home. This is a good time to also check your kids phones. Also, add a package for long distance calls, texting and data useage before you leave the country.
Make Sure Clothes Fit
The funny thing about kids is that they never stop growing!! Since you see them everyday though the changes are more subtle to you. Ready for a shocker? Go grab a pair of their shorts from last July and see if they still fit them. Odds are you’re going to need to do some shopping. You many also want to check your clothes too since we’re still in the post-Christmas period. Thankfully, spring and summer clothes are easy to find at places like Old Navy and The Loft carrying what you need now!
So hopefully you know where you’re going now that you have all these things taken care of! If however you need a little travel inspiration then check out this wish list of spring break ideas over at Taking the Kids!
Baked Cheese in a Skillet AKA Crack
Apparently using chapstick on the inside back of your new shoes will help prevent blisters. I have’t tried it myself, but it couldn’t hurt.
So helpful!!
Thanks Natalie
Good shoes are so important & make sure you have more than one pair just in case!
Good shoes… that made me laugh. Hubby and I went on a weekend retreat and I only thought of looking good so I brought boots… then by day two my feet were killing me, we ended up having to go out an buy new tennis shoes.
Oh we’ve all been there, done that. Women are the worst for picking fashion over function 🙂
We always think how fun it would be to travel for Spring break and often forget about all the little things that go into the planning. Like making sure our dog is looked after. Why do we always forget that feature until last minute? Ouch. This is a great list!
Great tips, we try to stay local during busy vacation times of the year because so many places are crowded. We typically do staycations.
make sure your cell phone is ready is a great tip, so important for me.
I will be in Cozumel in April and will be sure to have my insurance info with me. $24K is insane.
These are great tips, some I forget, like getting my phone ready! Bookmarking!
I do all those tips except for the luggage one. It makes so much sense. I can’t believe I never thought of that!
Great list! I need to be better about the photo copying for sure. That was a great reminder for me. I am with you on the cell phone! 🙂
Great tips!!! I still need to change my last name on my passport. :/ Definitely bring comfy shoes, too!!
Great tips! I’ll have to figure out how to shut off my roaming (if I even have it). I’m not to techy with my phone. Thanks!
Great tips! And I agree, check your shoes and make sure you have comfortable ones. Also make sure your luggage is good material and will last. Cheap ones break and fall into peaces at the airport and that is something you don’t want to happen during your holiday.
Great tips. I am excited for spring break!
ha! yes. make sure things fit. I didn’t last trip, and ended up being able to wear only 1/3 of what I brought. NOT good.
These are great tips! I think comfortable shoes are number one on my list but I try to make sure the kids have the same. There is nothing like having to carry a large toddler due to sore feet 🙂
That’s a great list of tips!! I’m bookmarking this so I can read over it again later before we travel.
Great tips. I am hoping to get a vacation in soon.
I always feel kinda like a dweeb wearing my athletic sneakers in theme parks when everyone else is wearing cute sandals, however my feet never hurt no matter how many days I walk. They get tired, of course, but never hurt. Great advice!
oh my goodness I totally need to check my luggage. I fly out on a trip in 24 hours and have not looked at my luggage in a while.
These are seriously really good reminders. Especially the shoes. I learned that one the hard way many years ago.
Have fun on your trip! Where are you off to?
I think we’ve all made that mistake once or twice 🙂
I agree, I often wish I had a cute pair of flip flops but then I remember how sore my feet would be and move on 🙂
Hope you do Melissa.
Absolutely. Before we went on our last trip to Disney, I picked up a pair of GoWalks for both my girls. They were great!
Me too Nicole. Me too.
Great reminders! The clothes one is important, especially if you’re taking stuff not normally worn that time of year. It would stink to get to someplace with a pool just to find out the kiddos bathing suits didn’t fit anymore!
I love your suggestions, especially about the clothes. Sometimes people might use a vacation as a reason to buy more clothes.
Note to self, plan spring break!
Love these tips! Some hadn’t even crossed my mind! I’m crazy vigilant about my passport though. Some countries won’t let you in if it expires within a few months.
Nice tips! A bit more on the phone preparation – there’s a few things you can do to get your phone ready. Google Maps can now be accessed offline, for example. You can download the maps of the areas you’re visiting and when you get there, you can use maps exactly as you would normally, only you won’t have to use your data connection. The only thing missing will be traffic updates. Also, pre-loading your phone with reading material or videos means you won’t have to spend time and/or money downloading things while you’re there. Finally, if you’re headed to several countries, or to off-the-beaten-track destinations that aren’t covered by your domestic provider, an international SIM card can really work wonders.There are a few sites out there that offer these, such as Telestial, GO-SIM and 0044.com.