When we relocated to Florida more than a decade ago, we made a decision to travel home to Long Island for the holiday every other year.
That way we could enjoy a warm, sunny Florida one year and then the next holiday, brave the fresh, crisp cold New York air for the next holiday. So, you may say that I have learned through trial and error, the most efficient ways to get the most from visiting “home for the holidays.”
Here are some of my holiday travel observations. Most of them apply to travel any time of the year, so please read, enjoy and I hope these tips help you to have a great trip.
Plan Your Travel Mode of Transportation Early
Whether you travel by plane, train, bus, or automobile, each mode of transportation comes with its unique set of travel challenges. However, one element is common, book your flights or train reservations early. You don’t want to miss out on booking the specific day and time that you want. Also, reserve a rental car ahead of time so you can avoid any hiccups upon arrival.
When you’re making reservations, be sure to expand your search to include a few days before and after your desired departure and return dates. Sometimes, selecting a less traveled day can save you money on airfare. Also, I’ve found that booking the earliest morning flights possible, even as early as 6 am, lessens the risk of travel delays that occur later in the day and evening. It also allows you to arrive at your destination so early that you practically have a full day to explore your hometown favorite places.
If you’re planning to travel via automobile long distance, be sure to get your vehicle serviced and tire pressure checked in advance. Also, map out your destination to plan pitstops for restrooms, fuel, and food. Also, determine if your drive will warrant a stay overnight at a hotel or motel to get some much-needed rest.
Make a Pre-Travel To Do List
Anyone planning to travel should make a few lists to help fight the typical holiday stress. That list could include unfinished work assignments, school obligations, or other anxiety-inducing tasks.
Here are some list ideas to help keep you focused:
:: Things to Plan – This list would include transportation reservations, car rentals, hotels, and pet sitting.
:: Things to Purchase – This list would include items like travel size toiletries, holiday gifts, clothing, travel snacks, and more.
:: Things to Pack – This list would be your passports and other identification documents, clothing, toiletries, holiday gifts, travel pillows, privacy listening devices, e-book readers, and snacks. If you’re a pet owner, you’ll need to pack the supplies that your pet will need while boarding.
:: Things to Do – This list would be your pre-vacation tasks such as laundering vacation clothes, getting a haircut or manicure, packing luggage, prepping the house, watering the plants, cleaning out the refrigerator, removing the trash, running the dishwasher, and setting the house alarm system on the day of travel.
I find that lists help to keep my stress level down and avoid forgetting to do or pack something. I keep the lists on my kitchen island for the weeks leading up to the trip, so I can continually add and cross tasks off a list, up until the day we depart for our holiday getaway.
Create a Detailed Itinerary For Holiday Vacation From Start to Finish
You have a designated number of days for your holiday homecoming including travel days. Take it from me, the time flies by super-fast and before you know it, you’re already heading back home. We have had so many regrets with running out of time (and energy) to visit every family member and friend that we planned to. I found a solution. I create a detailed itinerary even before I pack my luggage. In other words, I write down all the days of my trip in a calendar style format starting from the flight information to our destination and ending with our flight information back to our current home.
By writing down all the must-see people we want to visit, in addition to the must-do activities, we ensure that we don’t miss out anything.
Here’s how it helps: As soon as we arrive in New York and pick up the rental car, we already know that we’re heading to our favorite New York bagel store for breakfast, and while in that town, we’ll visit a friend or two before grabbing a slice of New York pizza at our favorite restaurant. As you can understand, we see as much as we can with no wasted effort because of good logistical planning.
Here’s another example of a detailed itinerary: Perhaps you meet one family for brunch … another family for afternoon coffee and hot chocolate … then see friends at dinner.
While it sounds exhausting, and it can be, you will be so pleased with the number of hugs you receive as you accomplish invaluable reunions with no regrets of missed visits because of poor planning.
Travel Sooner to Your Destination, Rather Than Later
If you’re heading to a location with unpredictable winter weather or worried about unexpected travel delays, you’ll add stress if you travel the day prior to a holiday. I discovered what works best for a one week stay when visiting home for the holidays, is to arrive 3 days prior to the actual holiday and stay an additional 3 days after the holiday. That way, it is not a holiday letdown to have to say goodbye to our family right after the holiday meal. The day after a holiday is so much more relaxed and fun to spend quality time with your loved ones. Arriving early also allows you to finish up on any last-minute pre-holiday chores like shopping, wrapping, baking, or cooking.
If you’re taking a plane or train to your destination, remember to arrive a few hours prior to boarding. Security lines are typically much longer and slower during the holidays. It’s better to give yourself plenty of extra time and then enjoy a meal, a beverage, and maybe even some airport shopping before it’s your turn to board.
Download Travel Apps Prior to Leaving Home
With so much digital information available at our fingertips these days – from our cell phones or other mobile devices – you can have all the latest travel information to stay informed and enjoy much needed entertainment. Be sure to download apps from your chosen airline or train. Airline apps let you check in for the flight, monitor the flight status, alert you to delays, gate changes, and cancellations. If you need to reschedule a flight, the app allows you to do so in real time as well.
As for entertainment, you can have a book downloaded on a Kindle app or Audible app. You can enjoy your favorite shows streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, or Hulu. I like to create a special music playlist with enough of my favorite songs to keep me listening for a full 2-1/2 hour flight. In addition to my favorite music, I also like to have a meditation app ready to calm my mind just in case my travel anxiety makes me feel uncomfortable.
Pack Lighter And Ship Holiday Gifts to Your Destination
On one of my first trips home for the holidays, I stood on the security line as the security people unwrapped a few holiday gifts from my duffel bag. I perfectly knew and understood the “no liquids” FAA rule but for some reason did not apply that rule to holiday gifts. So there went a $15 bottle of Retin moisturizer and a $40 bottle of perfume. Lesson learned. From that day forward, I boxed up my holiday gifts and shipped them to our destination. Problem solved.
Since we stay at a private home, we can do laundry throughout the holiday week so we pack light. We also despise checking luggage at the airport, so we opt to do smaller carry-on luggage pieces. That way, we can run off the plane and head right to the car rental, skipping the wait at baggage claim. It also allows us to keep our important travel documents, mobile device chargers, and medication on hand throughout the flight.
Consider Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a policy that you purchase to help you recover costs for travel fees associated with delayed or cancelled flights and even travel-related medical emergencies. When traveling during the hustle and bustle of the holidays, travel insurance can provide you with peace of mind, so you can stop worrying about unexpected travel issues. It’s better to have travel insurance than to not have it and later wish you did.
The typical cost for travel insurance is approximately 5% of your total trip, an investment that can save you money in the long run. Find a policy that protects you during your travel, whether from flight delays, missed departures, cancellations, illness, car rentals, and lost baggage. Some credit cards offer travel protection, but the coverage varies so check with your credit card company prior to investing in additional travel insurance.
Don’t Forget To Pack Your Patience
Patience is still a virtue that gets tested during holiday travel. There could always be unforeseen circumstances during any holiday travel. Whether it’s highway traffic or a flight delay, it’s not worth your sanity to try to blame anyone for the situation. Instead, take a few deep breaths and focus on all the positives about visiting your hometown, family members, and close friends. It will all be worth it once you arrive at your destination.
A few tips to help you remain calm are to listen to music, read a book, play a game, or strike up a conversation with fellow passengers. You’ll be surprised at how small acts of kindness during travel can spread a smile to other travelers.
Holiday Travel Makes For Lasting Memories
Remember, bad weather, canceled flights, highway traffic, and annoying relatives are beyond your control. However, what you can control is to be proactive ahead of your travel plans to make for a less stressful journey.
Traveling in comfort makes for a great start to your enjoyable journey so grab your favorite squishy neck pillow for a long car, plane, or train ride. Don’t forget your earphones or noise-canceling headphones and pack snacks from home to avoid buying expensive airport food. Most importantly, stay hydrated before, during and after travel.
I hope these tips make your travel just a bit easier. No matter how chaotic your holiday traveling may be, the joy of visiting with friends and family will surely outweigh any stress.