Five Tips for Making Holiday Travel Enjoyable

For every person in love with the holidays, there are a dozen more who lament the travel process to visit loved ones and feast. Driving, flying and even busing this time of year can be frustrating and expensive but these tips will make getting there tolerable and enjoyable.

Splurge for More Convenient Options

Buses are cheap, but uncomfortable seats and long, traffic-ridden drives are worse during the holiday season. If your trip is longer than four or five hours, book a flight. Travel time will reduce drastically and access to clean bathrooms is another plus.

Pack Accordingly

Luggage should include a change of clothes, toiletries, a playlist, snacks and favorite movies and books. These things will come in handy in case of delays or cancelations. If the crowds are overwhelming, a pair of earphones and a captivating movie will be salvation.

Stay As Long As Possible

The worse time to travel is the day before and the weekend after the actual holiday. Avoid headaches by arriving before the rush and delaying your return until afterward. You’ll get more relaxation time and transit will be less of a hassle.

Anticipate Problems

Look up alternate travel schedules and note social media accounts of the companies you’ll be traveling with. You’ll have a head start on rebooking if something goes wrong. Plus, companies are often quicker to respond to questions/complaints via social media.

Make The Trip Worth It

Nothing would be worse than traveling hundreds of miles to spend the entire vacation staring at the walls. Take time to plan your vacation days. Even if it’s as simple as going out to eat or watching a movie with an old friend, having planned activities you know you’ll enjoy will make all that traveling seem worthwhile.