Day One Checklist

It’s the first day of your trip, and you’re raring to jump out of bed and explore… even if you’re only exploring the hotel pool. But a little foresight can go a long way on vacation, both in saving time and money. Here’s a Day One Checklist of things you’ll want to find out before or at the beginning of your trip, so you can get to the “relaxing” part of a relaxing vacation as soon as possible.

Food/Grocery Store: Room service and eating out can get pricey, so it’s nice to know where to get food in a pinch, especially if you have special dietary needs. The concierge will be glad to help you with this.

Map: Whether paper or digital, make sure you have a back-up plan in case you get lost. Hotel lobbies usually provide these, as do newspaper stands.

Nearest Public Transportation Hub: Make a note of the closest train, bus or ferry stop, or even a good place to find a cab, because you’ll probably use it sooner or later.

Exercise Area: Overdid it with the gelatos? If your accommodations don’t come with an exercise room, locate a nearby gym or park so that if you do find a window of exercise time, you won’t waste it by being unprepared.

Cell Phone Plan.:If you don’t want to give your provider the satisfaction of unnecessary travel fees, know where to get a SIM card or rental and the plan that suits your needs.

Know What You Want to See: You’ll be kicking yourself if you come home and find out you missed an attraction you didn’t even know about. Do a little research beforehand and make the most of your time.