Traveling and seeing the world is always a lot of fun and one of my favorite things to do. However, it can also come with its stress and surprises. As someone who travels a lot, I’ve picked up a variety of travel hacks that I use and that I’m excited to share! I’m sharing my best travel tips from packing to saving money and avoiding common travel headaches. So, let’s dive in!
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1. Download Maps Offline on Google Maps
This is one of my favorite travel hacks because it always comes in handy. When you’re traveling somewhere new you never know what the cell reception is going to be like, especially if it’s out of the country.
So, make sure you’re prepared and download the map of the city you’re visiting before you leave or when you’re connected to hotel wifi so you can use the map offline. You’ll avoid getting lost due to a lack of cell reception and be able to easily get to wherever you’re headed.
2. Save Restaurants and Attractions Ahead of Time
If you like to research where to eat and what to do before going to a new travel destination, one hack I love doing is looking it up on Google Maps and saving it to a list for that destination. That way when you’re having fun on your vacation and not really wanting to spend time looking up where to go you can easily pull up your list and pick out things you looked up ahead of time.
3. Use Skycab For Checking Luggage
If you need to check your bags at the airport and already have your boarding tickets and don’t need to speak with an airline agent make sure to use the Skycab outside. Often the lines are incredibly long to just drop off your luggage, so one way to avoid this is by checking ahead of time if your airport has this service.
When you’re at the airport go out the front doors to the sidewalk and see if the Skycab is open. If they are, you can easily leave your bags with them, often skipping a very long line inside. Tips are appreciated but not required as they are often working outside rain or shine.
4. Bring a Small Battery Pack
One travel hack that I think is often overlooked is not bringing a battery pack with you. This backup charger will make it so you always have power on your phone. Your battery likely will drain if you’re using it on the plane which can make it difficult to call an Uber or pull up hotel reservations when you land.
Also, when you’re out and about all day you’re likely using your phone for maps to get around or taking pictures so having a battery pack can make it so you don’t have to go back to your hotel and charge your phone when your battery gets low.
5. Save Pictures Of Tickets/Reservations/Etc. In One Folder
One travel hack I don’t see mentioned enough is to take screenshots of your tickets, hotel reservations, flight tickets, etc. Basically, everything you will need for the trip that you booked ahead of time, and save it in one folder in your camera roll. This way you can easily pull it up and don’t have to try to connect to the internet and wait for your email to load when traveling. Also, saving it into one folder will make it easier to find and it’s not scattered amongst your other photos.
6. Refill Travel Toiletries at Your Hotel
If you aren’t picky about your travel shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc. then refilling your mini toiletries with what is at the hotel at the end of your trip is always a great idea.
If the hotel toiletries are mini size make sure you grab them for your next trip. If the shampoo and conditioner are in bigger bottles you can always just pump them into your own bottles to refill them that way!
7. Use Packing Cubes
Using packing cubes is a game changer. They make it so you can easily organize everything in your luggage and you can buy ones that will compress so you can fit more things into your suitcase.
They’re also really helpful to keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean clothes and they’re are especially great if you’re prone to overpacking and traveling with just a carry-on!
Click here to see my favorite packing cubes!
8. Don’t Use Currency Exchange Businesses
It might be tempting to use a currency exchange to pick up some local bills as they are often quite flashy and located in convenient spots. However, these businesses will always charge you a hefty fee to convert your money into the local currency. If you need cash at your destination then I recommend finding an ATM away from super touristy areas and not at the airport if possible.
9. Select The Local Currency With Card and ATM
When you’re paying with your card or withdrawing money from an ATM, when it gives you an option between the local currency and your home currency, always select to pay in the local currency, not the currency of where you’re from/bank in.
For example, if you’re from the US and are in Italy, when you’re paying for dinner with a card and it prompts you to pay in USD or Euro, always select Euro! This also goes for pulling money out of an ATM. It will have to be converted regardless, but, by not selecting USD (or your currency from home) you will likely avoid an additional fee that is charged by the credit card company or whoever owns the ATM.
10. Pack a Dryer Sheet
Throwing a dryer sheet in your suitcase will help make your clothes smell nice and keep them smelling nice and fresh. There’s nothing worse at the end of your vacation than having the dirty clothes you’ve worn and sweated in on the trip mixed in the same bag with the clean clothes you haven’t worn yet. So, bringing a dryer sheet can keep things smelling fresh. Also, if you are prone to static it can help get rid of the static cling on a shirt.
11. Roll Your Clothes
If you aren’t using packing cubes, one way to save space and keep your bag tidy is by rolling your clothes. I have found it makes such a difference in how much you can pack and it makes it easy to organize your bag by having your clothes tightly rolled and fit nicely within the suitcase.
12. Have a Mistakes Fund
A “mistakes fund” is where you give yourself a budget of $100-$500ish, depending on your trip, where essentially you are budgeting for mistakes made while on your vacation. Such as missing a train, having to check a bag at the gate because your carry-on is too big, you planned to take the tram but had to take a taxi, etc. Having this budget for mistakes makes it a lot easier to be okay with making mistakes on your trip and not getting too down about the fact that you lost money because of a mistake. Mistakes happen!
13. Don’t Pick Black Luggage
If you’re investing in a new checked or carry-on bag soon, don’t go for black. Black is the most popular color and can make it more difficult to make sure you’re grabbing the right bag at the baggage claim or even from the overhead on the plane. You don’t want to grab anyone else’s bag and you don’t want anyone grabbing yours and you don’t notice until it’s too late!
14. Use Air Tags
I love an air tag. I put one in my suitcase every time I travel. Most people will toss one into their checked luggage just in case it gets lost, however, I’ll even put one in my carry-on bag that I put in the overhead.
I’ve heard stories of people grabbing the wrong overhead bag and not realizing it until they have left the plane. What’s even worse is it doesn’t have your personal information on it like a checked bag usually does. Although it’s not as common, I rather have the piece of mind, especially because airtags are pretty cheap.
15. Add Ribbon To Checked Luggage
One thing I always add to my suitcase when I check it is a bit of ribbon or yarn to the handle. People have very similar-looking luggage nowadays and even though my suitcase is bright pink, I’m nervous someone won’t check the name on the tag and will take it thinking it’s theirs!
So, I always add a bit of pizzaz with a ribbon or some yarn tied around the handle of my suitcase. Also, this makes it easy to quickly identify it on the carousel and I always know I’m grabbing my suitcase and not someone else’s.
16. Take Pictures Of Your Suitcase When Storing It at Your Hotel
If you get to your hotel before your room is ready or if you’re flying out later after checkout, usually your hotel will be able to store your luggage for you so you don’t have to haul it around the city.
They’ll often give you a claim ticket to hold onto until you pick it up later. I usually take it one step further and take a picture of my luggage before I hand it over and a picture of the claim ticket. This is so if you accidentally lose the claim ticket or something goes wrong on their end you can easily show them what your luggage looks like.
Wrapping Up
I hope this list of travel hacks was helpful and you learned something new to take with you next time you travel for a smooth trip! Travel can sometimes be stressful and things can go awry which is why I’m excited to share my list of tried and true travel hacks that I use whenever I go on vacation! Happy travels!
Related Articles:
Essentials You Need for a Long Flight
13 Airport Hacks That Will Change the Way You Travel
11 Things You Should Always Pack in Your Carry-On
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