little things that make your vacation better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

We do also. Ridiculous people call you!

[Anonymous]

Book direct flights as much as possible and out of DCA unless international. Have global entry for everyone along with Clear.

Use points to upgrade to business/first or pay the difference for flights longer than 4-5 hours.

No early morning flights or domestic red-eyes to ensure everyone is in a good mood.

Pay for a taxi/uber from the airport rather than public transportation.

Take the day after we return off to do laundry, go through mail, get groceries, etc.

Summertime in Europe - book a hotel with a pool so DS can have downtime an cool off, especially in cities where there is a ton of walking or if we did more adult centered activities - winery, art museum, etc. Pool is guaranteed fun.

Check what type of coffee maker the hotel has and bring our preferred nespresso pods or k cups - that first cup in the room is crucial.

Prefer fewer nights in a nicer hotel rather than more nights in something basic.

Have a toiletry bag ready to go to avoid needing to pack it each time we travel - we travel a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

We do also. Ridiculous people call you!

Best decision we ever made was switch to TMobile - free international data and very cheap for phone calls. Could also use whatsapp for phone calls.

Prior to this though, we'd use the free hotel wifi or wifi at places like starbucks to map out our plans for the day or make calls. These people sound inexperienced.

[Anonymous]

We throw money at it. We bring a nanny, fly first class, hire a car to pick us up from the airport/home, have restaurant reservations the first day, hire guides, sometimes hire a private chef, get our home deep cleaned while we're away, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

We do also. Ridiculous people call you!

Best decision we ever made was switch to TMobile - free international data and very cheap for phone calls. Could also use whatsapp for phone calls.

Prior to this though, we'd use the free hotel wifi or wifi at places like starbucks to map out our plans for the day or make calls. These people sound inexperienced.

I'm the person who posted about this initially, and your bolded comment is what they did too. However, they were out walking between places (no hotel or Starbucks to duck into) and this is what necessitated the call for directions. They were literally standing on a street corner.

[Anonymous]

guys i'm not sure that only staying at the ritz, getting hotel rooms for extra days, and flying first class count as "little things" - that's basically just saying you are rich, and that it's nice to travel when you have unlimited funds. no kidding! that's not the world's most hidden insight.

[Anonymous]

Book babysitters for the evenings--my kids are spent by the end of the day and it's better for all of us if they get room service with a babysitter instead of us rushing though a dinner as they're crashing.

[Anonymous]

Not always possible, but usually possible from my home city -- I try to leave LATE at night and arrive as late as possible in my international destination so I have access to my accommodations. I really hate that aimless feeling of being jet lagged with nowhere to go. My home airport has flights to London, for example, leaving from ~4 to ~ midnight and not only do I "sleep" better on the flights leaving at midnight but that first day is shorter.

This is all about international (Europe) travel with kids, but in addition to the above I bring one or two of my kids' safe meals (Annies M&C, or similar) as a treat for some day on the trip. We nearly always self cater for most meals so it's a nice break from introducing the kids to suspicious new foods. We also bring a mountain of snacks from home too. Hungry kids = grumpy kids = bummer of a trip.

I also find kid-friendly activities that aren't classic tourist destinations, like a rec center with a pool, or a locals-focused nature center. These are usually cheaper and less crowded than big destinations, and to a kid might be just as fun. We had an absolute blast at a pool in London last summer, and at a science center in Norway this winter. We also regularly hit up local playgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

We do also. Ridiculous people call you!

Best decision we ever made was switch to TMobile - free international data and very cheap for phone calls. Could also use whatsapp for phone calls.

Prior to this though, we'd use the free hotel wifi or wifi at places like starbucks to map out our plans for the day or make calls. These people sound inexperienced.

I'm the person who posted about this initially, and your bolded comment is what they did too. However, they were out walking between places (no hotel or Starbucks to duck into) and this is what necessitated the call for directions. They were literally standing on a street corner.

Here's what's weird about asking for directions- you can download an offline map on Google Maps of a region onto your phone. It takes up around 100MB. It will include all the basics of that area, including usually major businesses. Only thing it won't have is life info like train arrival times and reviews, etc. But if you have the address you don't need a data connection for directions

[Anonymous]

I'm always amazed at people who do laundry on vacation. Vacation is NOT having to do laundry.

[Anonymous]

In general I’m a pretty frugal person, but l prioritize direct flights. I paid an extra $500 pp for spring break travel to have direct flights. I’ve been stuck in crappy hotels for missed connections far too many times.

I love doing food walking tours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know people who try to travel only with wifi, without purchasing any data. They have literally called me (when they were travelling and I was at home) to get me to look up directions for them and tell them over the phone when they got lost somewhere and couldn’t get wifi. This is absurd to me. I pay for data.

We do also. Ridiculous people call you!

Best decision we ever made was switch to TMobile - free international data and very cheap for phone calls. Could also use whatsapp for phone calls.

Prior to this though, we'd use the free hotel wifi or wifi at places like starbucks to map out our plans for the day or make calls. These people sound inexperienced.

I'm the person who posted about this initially, and your bolded comment is what they did too. However, they were out walking between places (no hotel or Starbucks to duck into) and this is what necessitated the call for directions. They were literally standing on a street corner.

Here's what's weird about asking for directions- you can download an offline map on Google Maps of a region onto your phone. It takes up around 100MB. It will include all the basics of that area, including usually major businesses. Only thing it won't have is life info like train arrival times and reviews, etc. But if you have the address you don't need a data connection for directions

I mean, I'm not defending them - clearly I thought it was annoying and make a point to purchase international data myself so that I don't do the same. That said, it wasn't a pre-planned place they were trying to go. They were at one place (a restaurant I think) and the staff there recommended a couple of places (lounges or breweries IIRC) they should check out afterwards. The staff gave them directions, but then once they were out walking between the places they got lost/turned around/whatever and called me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In general I’m a pretty frugal person, but l prioritize direct flights. I paid an extra $500 pp for spring break travel to have direct flights. I’ve been stuck in crappy hotels for missed connections far too many times.

I love doing food walking tours.

Food tours are the best! I've done guided and self-guided when guided wasn't available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm always amazed at people who do laundry on vacation. Vacation is NOT having to do laundry.

We get suites whenever possible and always ask the nanny to do the kids laundry the night before we fly back home. Easier to unpack the kids, and just put stacks of their clean clothes away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What little things do you make sure to include so that you enjoy your vacation more?

if it was when the kids were growing up, I made sure to set my expectations to zero or near zero. That helped the best.

Haha, I totally agree. Having low expectations is the best.

Often I like to leave a day free at the end of the trip, for anything we didn't get to do that we had wanted to do, or only learned about during the trip, or even souvenir shopping, etc.

I don't really do this anymore, but I used to like to order grocery delivery (before we left) to be delivered at the time we return home.