5 Things I Always Do Before a Trip
That feels much more personal and less generic than 5 Things To Do Before Traveling.
Here’s the revised version:
Travel is way more enjoyable for me when I know the important stuff is already handled.
I’m definitely a planner, but not because I need every second scheduled. I just don’t want to waste vacation time fixing things I could have handled before I left.
These are five things I almost always do before a trip.
1. Check Entry Requirements
Before I book too much, I make sure I actually know what I need to enter the destination.
That means checking things like:
passport validity
visa requirements
entry forms
vaccination or health requirements
and any destination-specific rules
I also check this again closer to departure because requirements can change.
💡 SHANE’S TIP
Do not assume your passport is good just because it has not expired yet.
Some countries require your passport to remain valid for several months beyond your travel dates.
2. Save Copies of Important Documents
I always want a backup plan if something gets lost.
I keep secure digital copies of important things like my passport, ID, travel insurance information, and major reservations.
If I’m traveling with someone I trust, I may also make sure they know where the important information is.
The point is not to have your personal information sitting everywhere.
It’s to make sure losing one item does not completely derail the trip.
3. Set Up the Airport Tools I’ll Actually Use
If I’m returning to the U.S. from an international trip, I check whether Mobile Passport Control is available at the airport I’m using.
MPC is operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and can let eligible travelers submit passport and customs information through the app before reaching the inspection area. It’s available at participating U.S. airports and ports of entry.
I also make sure I have my airline app downloaded, boarding pass accessible, and any lounge or trusted-traveler information ready before I get to the airport.
Anything that saves me from standing in a terminal downloading apps on bad Wi-Fi is a win.
4. Research Where I’m Actually Staying
I do not just research the destination.
I research the neighborhood.
I want to know:
what is nearby
how walkable it is
how I’m getting around
what the area is like at night
where the closest pharmacy or convenience store is
and roughly how far I am from the things I actually want to do
A beautiful hotel can still be the wrong hotel if the location makes the entire trip harder.
5. Build a Flexible Itinerary
I like knowing what I want to do before I arrive.
Restaurants. Experiences. Day trips. Museums. Neighborhoods. Anything that requires a reservation.
But I do not want every hour accounted for.
I usually build the trip around the things I would be disappointed to miss, then leave space around them for wandering, resting, changing plans, or finding something I did not know about beforehand.
That balance works much better for me than either extreme: no plan at all or a military schedule.
A Few Other Things I Check Before I Leave
I also make sure I know:
how I’m getting from the airport to the hotel
whether my phone plan works internationally
what payment methods make sense
whether I need local currency
the weather forecast
my airline baggage allowance
and whether anything I booked requires advance confirmation
It takes a little time before the trip, but it makes the actual trip feel a lot easier.
The Bottom Line
I plan so I can relax later.
Handle the things that can create problems before you leave, lock in the experiences that matter, and then give yourself enough room to actually enjoy where you are.
That is usually the sweet spot for me.
Go somewhere. Make it worth it.