I don’t know about y’all, but for me, one of the most exciting parts of planning a trip is doing a little research. I love Pinterest deep-diving, studying city maps, or pulling inspiration off my Instagram feed. Research is key to making the most of your travel experience, so I’m sharing a few of my favorite pre-travel tips.

Travel Inspiration

• Shared Photo Albums: My friends and I have a shared photo album on our phones where we upload pictures of places we want to go. Screenshot your travel inspiration & share them with your travel buddies!
• Pinterest: I could search Pinterest for hours! Find destination guides and places to go by reading travel blogs. Every blogger has a different travel experience, so I like to collect ideas from various sources.
• Instagram: Follow travel accounts to find the perfect Instagram-worthy spots during your vaycay! I love to look at a place’s tagged photos so I can see what everyone thinks about a spot before I go.

Money Savers

• Airport transportation. A lot of hotels in cities will reimburse you for your travel cost to/from the airport if they don’t offer a shuttle. Keep a copy of your receipt and ask the front desk for that Uber money back!
• Don’t get rental cars from the airport. If you can snag an Uber to the closest rental place, it’ll be much cheaper to rent your car outside of the airport. Airports tack on more fees, especially in big cities.
• Save money on Budget rental cars if you have an Amazon Prime account. Budget and Amazon Prime have a partnership. When you book online, pair your Budget and Amazon Prime accounts to get a discount on your rental car.
• Earn Delta SkyMiles with Starbucks Rewards. Link your Delta SkyMiles account to your Starbucks account to earn miles every time you get your morning coffee! You also get more Starbucks rewards when you buy your flights. It’s a win-win!
• Pack only the staples. If you’re traveling on a budget, you’re likely picking the cheapest airfare. Most of the time, basic economy flights don’t include a free carry-on bag. Avoid the baggage fees and fit everything into your personal item bag. I once went to San Francisco for a week living just out of my backpack, which saved me $60 in baggage fees!
• Track your flights. I use Google Flights any time I know I’ve got a trip I still need tickets for. Track your flight for a few weeks before pulling the trigger to buy your tickets when the prices are down.
• Schedule your Ubers ahead of time. This trick came in handy for me when I when I was leaving a music festival, and everyone else was scrambling to call an Uber. Scheduling my ride ahead of time not only allowed me to get an Uber faster, but I also saved money since I didn’t book it during a peak hour.
• Invest in a travel credit card: Sometimes you gotta spend money to save money. Investing in a travel card is one of the best things I’ve ever done. By using my card on my day-to-day expenses, I’ve been able to wrack up rewards points that I can later use for free travel. I use the Chase Sapphire card and I highly recommend it!

Excursions

• HostelWorld: Surprisingly, Hostel World is actually a great place to find local adventures. This is an especially great resource if you’re in a city without a car but still want to go off the beaten path.
• Join a travel group: Travel groups are guaranteed to treat you to an adventure of a lifetime. Companies like EF Ultimate Breaks connects you with a travel group and itinerary that allows you to explore like a pro.

Accommodations

• Airbnb: I like to get Airbnb’s when I’m looking for a unique stay or have a group of people travelling with me. You can usually find some decently priced rooms/homes on the outskirts of popular areas.
• Hotels: Because hotels tend to be a little bit more expensive, I usually only go for them when they’re the most convenient option.
• Hostels: Hostels are perfect for nomadic travelers. They’re usually a cheap option that gives you access to shared rooms and bathrooms, which is really all you need if you plan on traveling around. Hostels are also great for solo travelers because it’s easy to connect with new people. Check out HostelWorld for the most affordable and safe options.