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Traveling to new places is one of the most amazing gifts we can give ourselves and our children. It can be tricky for people who have never traveled before or booked travel. There are so many websites to book on, and so many deals to search for. What I did below is put together all my favorite websites and booking tools that I use for my vacation and travel to anywhere in the world with my family so that you can use them too and plan amazing trips.
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
How To Plan A Vacation To Anywhere In The World
How To Plan Your First Vacation:
Tips For Booking Cheap Flights
There are several sites to check when booking an airline ticket, however I consistently use and and recommend these three websites below:
Skyscanner
If you are looking to book the cheapest flights you can possibly find on the internet, then make sure to use Skyscanner when searching for flights. Skyscanner allows you to search for travel destinations based on the cheapest place to fly to. I usually put in the airport I am flying from and then in the box for the airport I want to fly to, I type in everywhere so it can show me the cheapest place to fly to from my home airport. I also use the flexible month travel option to find the cheapest place to travel to for the entire year.
Skyscanner App
Don’t forget to download the Free Skyscanner App also which is very handy. This is how I was able to get $12.40 airfare from Los Angeles to London, as well as $9.40 airfare from London to Italy.
Google Flights
Google flights is great search tool when booking flights, especially for international travel. You can put in up to 5 airports in the departure box and the same in the destination box. So if you want to fly somewhere but not sure which is the cheapest, you can mix and match airports and search all at once. The google flights search calendar is great at showing you the cheapest travel dates to fly on also. Such a great feature.
Momondo
Momondo is another great flight search engine also. Once I find the cheapest dates on Google Flights and Skyscanner, I usually check those dates in Momondo as well to see if I’ll get a better flight rate.
Pro Tip: When using sites like Skyscanner and Momondo, you’ll find that the cheapest flight prices are usually through third parties; don’t let that alarm you. I’ve purchased from third parties like Just Fly and Smart Fares with no issues before. It is usually better to purchase with the airline directly but I’m all about buying the cheapest ticket so that’s exactly what I do. I love a good flight deal.
Finding Affordable Accommodation
- Hotels
When booking accommodation at your final destination, TripAdvisor is the way to go because you can read reviews and see photos from other travelers to get a feel of where you will be staying. It’ll also route to the websites offering the cheapest rate.
- Sometimes, I go to each of the sites below directly and search hotels instead of starting off with TripAdvisor.
Pro Tip: I usually check all the websites above to see which one offers the cheapest rates.
- Vacation Rentals
When searching for vacation rentals, I usually check HomeAway and VRBO for house and villa rentals too. Perfect for when you travel with a large family, and also to save money when hotels are expensive.
- All-Inclusive Resorts
BookVIP is great for booking resorts at over half the cost. Do keep in mind that you’ll need to listen to a 90 minute time share presentation. If you don’t mind doing this, then you can definitely save a lot on your next vacation at an all-inclusive resort.
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Booking Excursions & Activities
- Viator & Get Your Guide
My favorite website to search for activities, tours and especially skip the line tickets are Viator and Get Your Guide. This makes trip planning so much easier because you don’t have to search several sites as both websites have several options to choose from.
- TripAdvisor Attractions
Same also goes with TripAdvisor Attractions – you can search and book activities as well as read reviews and see photos that are posted by real people who have been to these places. It’s a good idea to at least take a look, especially if you’re travelling with kids.
Renting A Car
Instead of checking every single rental car website, I use RentalCars.com, Car Rental 8 and Skyscanner Car Rentals to find car rentals all over the world with just one click. They’ll search all the
If you plan to park at the airport, visit Airport Parking to find the best prices, as well as make a reservation.
Travel Insurance Is a Must
People book trips and forget the most important part, purchasing travel insurance. Because we travel often, I purchase our travel insurance through Allianz for a year at a time which means that we are covered for all trips within that year. Travel insurance will protect you and your family against theft, injury illness, flight cancellations and so much more. It is a MUST!
I once had my phone, and money and cards stolen while on Vacation in Vietnam, unfortunately my travel insurance had just expired. So I lost over $2000 worth of stuff that would have easily been replaced if I had travel insurance. If you have a travel rewards credit card, you can often find insurance discounts!
PRO TIP
When I am planning a vacation, the first thing I do is search for flights. When I find cheap flights and book them, I then search for accommodation. Sometimes I search for flights and accommodation together because I may find a cheap ticket, but accommodation may be too expensive. So keep that in mind when planning your trip.
Also, “Go Where It Is Cheap”. This motto has allowed us to travel more often because we are able to stretch our dollars. We don’t always get to visit in peak season, but sometimes less crowds are best.
Favorite Countries To Travel
We have taken many international flights and been to over 25 countries with the kids so far, and here are the top places they’ve been to.
- Aiden, 6 years old – Cuba because I visited a farm with animals.
- Ethan, 6 years old – Morocco because I rode on a camel.
- Milania, 5 years old – Italy because of I rode on a horse.
- Avery, 4 years old – Mexico because I love swimming in the pool.
- The Mom Trotter – New Zealand because of all the wine and yummy food.
- The Dad Trotter – Thailand because it’s very affordable.
How To Save Money When You Travel
Visit my Travel Resources and Amazon page to see all the reliable and trustworthy brands that I use to book my travel with. I only recommend brands that I’ve used and can vouch for, so you’re in good hands! Also check out these posts below:
- How To Save Money On Flights
- Best Websites To Find Cheap Flights & Error Fares
- Tips On How To Make Travel Affordable For Families
- Kids Fly FREE On Frontier Airlines Starting February 2019; YAY
Tips For Traveling With Kids
Traveling with kids and have a few questions you need answers too, these posts below will help your trip run smooth.
