11 Travel Hacks from an Experienced Traveler

As amazing and exciting as traveling is, we all know it’s not always rainbows, butterflies, and palm trees! Throughout my time traveling, I’ve had plenty of ups, downs, and even some “well this could go either way” moments that have taught me how to travel safer and more efficiently.

After traveling solo, traveling with children, and with a few travel buddies, I have some awesome travel hacks that will help you successfully maneuver through the circus we call an airport, stay under budget, and have great a experience from start to finish!

Keep a full change of clothes and necessities in carry on luggage

Losing luggage is definitely not what anyone hopes for, but it can happen. Having extra clothes and a small supply of your toiletries and medications is so important! Although who doesn’t love an excuse for a shopping spree – but that might put you over that travel budget!

Don’t keep all of your money in one place

Although the occasional pick pocket would love for you to keep all of your cash in your wallet, I wouldn’t recommend it! I suggest keeping as much as you need for the day in your wallet + a little extra in case of emergency expenses – like missing a train and having to buy a new ticket. Yeah, don’t worry I’ve been there! Pro tip: if you plan to use a credit card, make sure that the country accepts that card and check if you will be charged any exchange rate fees. I learned both of these the hard way! Pro pro tip: Visa is the card that I have found works the best in most places!

Don’t pay to use a public bathroom

I never really appreciated the huge supply of public free bathrooms in the US until I left. Abroad, I found myself many times paying to use a bathroom that was definitely not cleaned in what looked like months. Even worse, sometimes I couldn’t find a bathroom at all! We all know this feeling and it is NOT fun!! So to find a free and clean bathroom I turn on my academy award winning acting skills (not really) and strut into the closest hotel I can find, acting like a normal guest. I scope out the bathrooms in the lobby and get in and out before anyone knows the wiser!

Tell your friends and family your plan for the day

Making sure others know where you are is especially important if you are traveling alone. Try to find wifi at specific planned times through the day (like breakfast and dinner) where your family will know that they should be hearing from you at that time. Also, sharing your location is a great way for them to know you are safe. Sharing your location can be with just a friend though if you don’t want your family to worry about why you were in the club ’til 3 am 😉

Don’t overdo your night out

Speaking of staying out until 3 am.. I am telling you this for a few reasons. If you are a solo female traveler it is so important to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Trust me, I love a good night out but please just know your limit and watch your drinks! Another reason to not go ‘all out’ is that nobody wants to go sightseeing while feeling hungover, I’m sure of that!

Treat yourself to a free self care sesh in the airport

I never walk through the airport duty free cosmetics store without ‘trying’ at least a few things! Once you get past the scowling eyes of the sales attendants (trust me they’re all eyes, they won’t actually do anything) you can test anything you want to freshen up! Personally, I find my favorite lotions and perfume instead of venturing out. That way I don’t risk having a scent on me during the flight that I don’t like.

Get travel insurance and read the fine print

Having a trusted travel insurance company is just as important as getting the actual insurance. Make sure you know what you are getting and what the insurance covers. This is especially important in our new ‘post pandemic’ travel world. Some companies will cover a portion of medical bills but can have it’s exceptions like ‘excludes covid-19 symptoms’.

Don’t forget your hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and mask

I always have hand sanitizer on my bag and bring disinfectant wipes to wipe down the area I’ll be sitting. I’ll be honest I only started wiping down the tray tables and screens after I traveled with kids and realized that even on a plane, they will lick literally anything! The mask is a new accessory – yes I am calling it an accessory in hopes that a trend will catch on and more people wear them even in the future to protect others. But honestly, I will likely continue to wear a mask on planes after the pandemic seems to clear up just to be safe!

Check-in online

Checking in online is definitely the way to go if your airline allows (some budget airlines don’t) and if you don’t have any checked baggage. Even if you do need to check a bag, I would still check-in online to make the process quicker. Just make sure to print your boarding pass or download it on your phone. Online check-in will likely be how most airlines operate post-pandemic anyways!

Just bring the jacket

If you are like me, you absolutely hate being cold but don’t think you will actually need a jacket! So here I am telling you – whether you are in an airport, going hiking, to the beach, or strolling around the city, bring a light jacket or scarf just in case! (and for my solo travel girls – just remember you won’t have anyone’s nice smelling jacket to steal when you don’t bring your own 😉 )

Be nice

You might not think this is technically a hack but there are so many situations that I have come across where being kind is the only way to get what you need. I have been in the same position as someone standing right next to me being rude to staff and I was helped instead because of my kind and polite approach. This is goes a long way in the airport (I have tested it many times on the people checking my luggage weight if you know what I mean). Seriously, being nice goes such a long way in any situation whether you are traveling or not!

Thanks for reading! I hope you found these tips helpful and have a fantastic trip! If you want to see more posts like this or have a post suggestion, send me an email and follow my Pinterest account! I would love to hear from you! Happy travels 🙂