The key to planning a successful trip
- DeeRaysLogic
- Jan 12, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: May 30, 2020

Out of all the trips I’ve taken with my friends and family, it took me two years to figure out the most important element of planning. You guessed it; the itinerary. I know it seems like having an actual plan for the trip would be the most obvious thing when planning, However, when you’re in your early 20s and can just pick up and go, the “we’ll figure it out when we get there” mentality is all too real. I wanna give Kudos to Dailyn. On our trip to Toronto, she put together a really nice itenary for us. When she sent it to me, I was in disbelief that for the first trip of 7, we had some dogon plans in advance. I took note. Since I decided to spend my 27th birthday weekend in Niagara Falls, I had to construct the best itinerary I could for a weekend trip. Most of
our trips were usually 4 days minimum. I just wanted to go for a weekend. So I figured I had to find a way to do, and see as much as possible in a 2 day time span. Since my itinerary played a big part in me having a successful trip, I wanted to share the techniques I used with you. You know, before I give you the actual experience of the trip. Next week I’ll tell you about how we “Did it all in the Falls”.
As some readers may or may not know, my birthday is a big deal. Every year I try to find something I have not done, or place I have not traveled to. In 2019 we traveled for 2 of my friends' birthdays just months before mine. Considering affordability, I decided to take a road trip to the falls. Niagara Falls is about a 3 ½-4 hour drive from Michigan. I’d heard great things about the vineyards and other attractions there, and I figured it would be a great place to visit.
Step 1 : Beginning the research
After Securing a small group of friends for my guest list, I started research for my itinerary immediately. Again, with only two days to work with, I needed it to be worth the drive. I began by researching attractions first. I wanted to see what we could do that we had not done anywhere else we’d been so far. I found a few attractions that had me sold instantly. Stay tuned for the next Blog to find out exactly what the attractions were. I quickly realized texting the group every time I found something we might like, was too tedious. I decided to create the itinerary on Google Docs, which would give everyone the ability to see what I had, or add any attraction they’d be interested in visiting. It’s also mobile device (phone, or tablet) accessible. I added every attraction I’d found, with pricing (of course with the conversion rate). After securing some fun, I thought it’d be just as important to secure some food.
I started my research keeping in mind that we each like different kinds of food. Variety would be important; and of course, cocktail menus. After finding a few places for dinner and brunch, I started on nightlife. Now let me be honest in saying, we are a group who loves to do it all in the day time. Night life is not mandatory for us. However, it’s nice to have the option if that’s the vibe for the night. I found a rooftop lounge with views of the falls. It had fire pit seating, just in case it was chilly at night. They also had a nice happy hour list. It was perfect to top off the itinerary. I was very diligent in my research. Since our accommodations were already secured, I googled the distance of each place from our AirBnb. We didn’t want to waste too much time on driving from place to place.
Step 2: Allow room for alterations
After my research was complete, I shared the itinerary with my guest. I had a breakdown of adventures and time slots from the time we’d arrive at our AirBnb, to the time we’d depart to head back home. The schedule was organized down to nap times. If you’re 26 and up, you understand Lol. Within the itinerary I included links to every attraction so everyone could check out the site, and do their own research if they wanted before they agreed to anything. That way if half the group wanted to do one thing and the other half wanted to do another, we could do different activities at the same time and still come back together for dinner. Luckily, our itinerary was so well configured everyone was ok with what I’d put together. Kudos to me.
Step 3: Enjoy your trip
Having an itinerary was a great element for our trip.However, it is not mandatory you stick to it completely. For the most part we stuck to about 90% of it. Yes, down to the naps. We did everything we wanted to do, and made a few alterations that still resulted in us having an amazing trip. When visiting new places, you’re going to see things there that you may not have online. Having a base to start with and a budget for activities before arriving at your destination can make the trip more easy going. Remember the most important thing is that you enjoy yourself.
If you decided to incorporate an itinerary on your next trip, remember to research what that place has to offer to the best of your abilities. You have the ability to configure your trip to a budget that’s fitting for you and/ or your travel group. Also, make sure to read the reviews for the places you select. No one wants to be excited for an excursion and have a terrible experience. Create an itinerary that has easy access for everyone on the group. It’s nice to make it so everyone can have an input on all activities and restaurants. Don’t forget researching the distance from where you’re staying to where these attractions are. That can cut down on picking places with long travel time. Finding out your 4:30 wine tasting reservation is 45 minutes away when you were expecting a 20 minute drive is 100% avoidable. Most importantly, remember this is just a guide, You can defer from or add to your itinerary as you go during your trip if you’d like. I hope these tips help you create a great itinerary for your next trip.
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