How to Avoid Common Travel Mistakes
I have actively been traveling, domestically and internationally, for many years now. Over the years I have made a few key travel mistakes. While none of them completely ruined any one trip, they certainly caused a few headaches (and stress!) along the way.
Hopefully you can take some of what I have learned and avoid some of these mistakes for yourself. Always remember: the best way to combat any travel mistake you may encounter is to simply take a deep breath, relax, and go with the flow! Besides, a travel mistake can often lead to a funny story that you can share for years to come!
Top 5 Travel Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Read about the top 5 travel mistakes I have made, and how you can avoid them for yourself. Trust me: it all works itself out, somehow.
#1: Lost / Delayed Luggage
The most stressful and impactful issue I have had while traveling is delayed luggage. While many refer to this as “lost luggage,” my luggage was never actually lost. The biggest culprit for delayed luggage is a short layover along the way. An already short layover can be further exacerbated by a flight delay along the way.
The problem I had twice was that I arrived at my final destination, but my checked luggage did not. The worst (and longest!) of the two situations for me was arriving in Cambodia with only the clothes on my back (which I had been wearing for about 36 hours!) and one change of clothes in my carry-on bag. It took five long days to finally be reunited with my luggage! Unfortunately, there were also not a lot of retail shopping options available to me where I was, so it was difficult to just buy new clothes to get me through.
There are two ways that I avoid the dreaded lost luggage scenario now, and I employ one or both on all flights now:
- Do not check any luggage and do carry-on only. Obviously, if your luggage is with you along the way, it won’t get lost or delayed!
- Ensure you book connecting flights with a decent layover time. This one can be tricky, as delays could pop up and still cause issues, but ensuring you avoid a short scheduled layover can certainly help. For me, I look for layovers of at least 2 hours between flights. If I see a shorter layover, I’ll take a peek at the airport maps online and see how large the airport is. I also look for reviews or articles online for preferred layover times at specific airports.
#2: Overpacking
A key factor in avoiding mistake #1 above is this mistake #2…overpacking! This was a big problem for me in my early days of travel. I was the person who would pack several things “just in case” I may need them (spoiler alert: I rarely, if ever, needed them!). I also wanted to have a separate outfit for each day of the trip. This resulted in me using the biggest suitcase I could find (it was huge!). The problem I had was trying to manage this behemoth through many stairs, steps, and escalators in a very busy London Underground station during morning rush hour.
I do two things to avoid overpacking:
- Plan out what to wear on the trip. I have a core packing list that I always start with for each trip, which includes a lot of moisture-wicking pieces that mix and match with each other, they pack very well, and they are very sturdy for multiple wears throughout the trip. I always plan to wear every piece of clothing I bring at least twice, if not more. From here, I look at the specific itinerary for the trip and see if there are any additional items I may need to bring for specific events or climates…swimsuit, hiking boots, formal wear, etc.
- Use packing cubes. Rolling clothes and using packing cubes will help to conserve some space and allow you to use a smaller suitcase. I have a wonderful set of packing cubes from Eagle Creek that I use for every single trip. They also have a compression option, and if the cube isn’t fully packed it can be compressed to an even smaller size.
#3: Trying to See and Do Too Much
Another travel mistake I made in my early travel days was trying to see and do too much. I would do a lot of research ahead of time and identify all of the popular spots in the places I was visiting. The problem was that I then wanted to see ALL of the popular spots! I tried to squeeze as much in as I possibly could by creating very detailed and time-boxed itineraries for myself. Even though I spent a lot of time examining where everything was and trying to group things geographically as much as possible to cut down on travel time, it was still a lot. This ended up in very busy and tiring days, with just a small amount of time at each stop of the itinerary.
How to avoid trying to see and do too much:
- While I still do a lot of research ahead of time to identify what to do, I am much more realistic about just how much I can really do and see. I do my best to narrow down the “must see” list to identify the things I really want to see. I also ensure that I allow enough time to actually see and explore each stop along the way…I have learned that it is better to truly enjoy fewer places than to race through more stops on an itinerary.
- Having some flexibility in my itinerary also helps me along the way. There may be some delays or other issues that pop up unexpectedly, or I may stumble onto something that I had not planned on but want to do. A flexible schedule also allows you to stop and spend more time in places you really enjoy. When I visited Lisbon, Portugal, I had the National Coach Museum on my itinerary. I wasn’t sure what to expect so I was not planning on spending a ton of time here. However, once I got inside, I was immediately captivated by the grand coaches. I was also surprised at how large the museum is. So, I ended up spending more time here than I thought I would.
#4: Not Booking Tickets Ahead of Time
Another big travel mistake is not booking tickets ahead of time for popular spots. I am actually usually pretty good about this one and have been able to see some wonderful places like the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam because I booked online ahead of time. However, on my cruise from Istanbul to Venice I completely forgot to book tickets for Venice attractions ahead of time. When I got to Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark’s Square), I was disappointed to see just how long the lines were to get into either Basilica San Marco (Saint Mark’s Basilica) or Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace). Since I only had one day in Venice, I chose to not wait in either line and visited other spots instead.
How to avoid missing opportunities:
- When planning a visit to any popular area, check online to see if the popular tourist attractions sell tickets ahead of time. Some places will sell general admission tickets online, allowing you to skip the line and enter the attraction at any time. Others, however, sell time-based entry tickets, where you must arrive at a certain time in order to use the ticket.
- Another option to get into popular attractions is to book a tour which includes the attraction(s) you want to visit. When booking a tour, however, ensure that the tour actually includes an entry ticket to the attraction. Many tours will simply walk by main attractions!
#5: Not Preparing for the Weather
Another big travel mistake is not planning and preparing for the weather. Related to mistake #2 above, it’s important to check the weather forecast for the areas in which you are traveling to ensure you are packing the right gear for the right weather conditions. I ended up doing a bit of a last-minute trip to Sedona, Arizona and the Grand Canyon in early 2017. Boy, was I surprised to learn that this area is rather cold and snowy in January. I had a few layers to wear, but I only had a light jacket with me. After a very chilly day at the Grand Canyon, I made a quick visit to a local Goodwill store and was able to buy a heavier coat to wear for the rest of the trip.
How to avoid being surprised by the weather:
- Check the average weather trends for each stop of the trip ahead of time. I like to use The Weather Channel site in my early planning stages, as it shows daily averages up to a year out. So, this gives me a general idea of what the weather will be like.
- As it gets closer to the actual trip, go back to The Weather Channel site to see the actual forecast up to 10 days out.
Common Questions
Is there a specific length of layover that you consider “too short” to check luggage?
My general rule of thumb is to look for layovers of at least two hours between flights. If I see a shorter layover, I will take a peek at the airport maps online to see how large the airport is and the distance between possible arrival and departure gates. I also look for reviews or articles online for preferred layover times at specific airports. If it is a smaller airport that is very efficient, I will not be overly concerned about connection time.
Any other tips to deal with delayed luggage?
If I have any concerns whatsoever that my checked luggage will not make a connection, I will ensure that I have a couple of days of clothes packed with me in my carry-on suitcase. I will also ensure that ANYTHING that I may need for the first few days is with me in my carry-on suitcase.
Which packing cubes work best?
I use a set from Eagle Creek that I love. I have used them for over ten years now, and they are still in great shape. These are great because they are breathable. They also have a compression option, which is helpful if the cube is not fully packed. Finally, I like using two different sizes of cubes – larger ones for shirts, pants, and dresses, and smaller ones for underwear, socks, and pajamas.
The weather constantly changes – how do you keep up with it?
Yes, trying to predict or outsmart Mother Nature is a fool’s game, for sure! But I like to look at averages, trends, and patterns. I start with the average temperatures and precipitation as soon as I book the trip (often a few months or more out). As it gets closer to the travel dates, I start looking at the actual weather for each location. This helps me see some trends.
Even More Travel Ideas
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