Weekend Trip Travel Tips

 

1. The carry on bag is your best friend. When I was in Seattle I found the cutest bookbag. It's small but it forces me to bring only what I need. I usually put my toiletries, wallets, charging cords  and electronics in the bookbag. I always try to fly with Delta because of skymiles and your first checked bag is free. I never really use the checked bag but as I learned when I went to New York: If you're going somewhere in the winter months like Seattle and New York, take advantage of the free checked bag.
2. Have an itinerary. Plan out the days you're going to be there. When I went to New York I had things planned so well that we were able to walk + Uber in a descending order (not running all over town). We started our day far away from the house and then worked our way back home. Uber fares were ridiculous in New York so this worked out to our benefit.  I'm not a go with the flow person on vacation. I want set activities + places to eat. I always end up finishing everything on my list early in the day so then I have time to go with the flow in the evening. 
3. Make a checklist. I love lists! Lists help me ensure I didn't forget anything and only packed what I ABSOLUTELY need.
4. AirBNB. The last time I stayed in a hotel was when I went to Miami. That was due to a few  last minuet unexpected issues. I was able to book a hotel same day and it came out surprisingly cheaper than an AirBNB. However, AirBNB's usually come out cheaper than hotels. For the same price you can get a lot more (ex. rent a whole house). When booking an AirBNB I try to book one close to the city so the walking/ Uber fares are cheaper when commuting to the action. 
5. Walk vs. Uber. Walking allows you to see more of the city. I walked a good bit in Seattle and New York. New York was pretty much split down the middle between walking and Uber. It was ridiculously cold the first two days so we walked where we could and split the Uber fares everywhere else. Out of all the trips I've taken in the last 12 months, I've only travelled with a friend for one trip. When I'm by myself I'm considerate and will offer to Uber almost everywhere. When it's just me, I'll cool with walking as much as possible!

6. Take public transportation to the airport. Daily parking at the Marta station is $8. Daily economy parking at the airport is $19.  In Atlanta, the Breeze card is reuseable and each trip costs $2.50. The Marta train will bring you right to the baggage claim and you can find your way form there! It just makes sense! My trips are usually 3 days so I'm saving $33 for the duration of the trip. You can use all the money you're saving on souveniers or appetizers + dessert! lol #ballerballershotcaller 

7. Pack snacks to avoid buying airport food. As we all know, airport food is more expensive because of convenience. If you are going to buy food, grab a meal before you enter the airport. It all comes out cheaper.

8. Be Flexible. On my way back from Boston I was given the option to take a later flight for a Gift card to number of retailers or a Visa gift card. Unfortunately, people ended up missing their flight so no gift card for me. However, I was upgraded to first class! I like to schedule my flights early in the day; That way I still have time to explore the whole day when I arrive or I have the whole afternoon + evening to adjust and orient myself back to "real life".

9. Be Punctual. I recently missed a flight for the second time in life. Missing a flight is no fun. Lucky for me, It was early enough in the day that there were still 6 flights leaving that day. I went to the airport immediately, called customer service on my way there and by the time I arrived at the airport Delta customer service was able to put me on the next flight leaving (about 1 hour later).  It was such a smooth + stress free process. The first time I missed a flight I wasn't so lucky. I like to arrive at least 2 hours before my flight.  Usually I can get through security in 15-30 minutes. With the extra time I usually grab some food or watch shows on Netflix. The last few times I've travelled I ended up eating in the airport so it's nice to browse the terminal "food court", even though I'll probably get Popeyes (3 piece chicken meal, spicy, red beans and rice, extra biscuit, lemonade no ice, 2 packs of  honey, BOOM!)

10. Coordinate accesories and outfits. Try to pick outfits that can recycle accessories! I usually bring 1 watch, 1 pair of earrings and 1 pair of sunnies. Also, try on outfits before you leave! That way you don't over pack. I typically put one extra outfit in my bag just in case. This came in handy when I was in Texas because I was sweating like crazy!

Hopefully you found some of these tips helpful!

Find my personal item | new bookbag here!