Have you booked your 2017 holiday already? Well, whether you have or are just beginning to look at the best deals, it’s worth giving a bit of thought to the ways in which you can plan ahead to make the most of your time abroad. To ensure you enjoy every minute of your holiday (and make every last cent count), here are some top tips to try out…

Start saving

Planning ahead doesn’t just mean sitting down with a notepad a few weeks before you fly - it actually means sitting down months before you head off on holiday! Many families spend at least €1,000 a year on holidays, so save up your spending money or start saving up to pay off the remainder of what you owe on the deal you’ve selected. This way, you’ll be sure you can afford your holiday and won’t need to do anything drastic, like paying for it on a credit card (which will dramatically increase the end cost of your trip). 

Research recommendations 

Then, once you’ve sorted out the financial side of things, start looking on sites like Trip Advisor and yelp to see what other holidaymakers suggest doing while you’re on holiday. This will help you to unearth hidden gems you wouldn’t otherwise know about, and might also encourage you to be a little more adventurous. For instance, wouldn’t you be more inclined to try out an independent restaurant or wander down a street full of fantastic food trucks, rather than heading to the nearest branch of McDonalds, if you’ve read great reviews first? 

Book tickets for tours and attractions

Another great way of making the most of your holiday is to pre-book some tickets for things you know you want to do. For instance, if you’re going to Florida, why not book tickets to Walt Disney World? Booking ahead like this means you’ll make sure you actually get round to doing the stuff you want to do as you won’t be waylaid by other options or just feel tempted to spend too many days lounging by the pool. Also, booking ahead means you won’t lose out to better-organised holidaymakers if tickets for some excursions are limited! 

Familiarise yourself with a map of the region

There’s no need to go overboard on the planning (after all, you’ll probably take your iPhone with you on holiday and be able to use Apple Maps when you’re there, for instance), but it’s well worth taking a look at a map before you jet off from the airport. First, see whereabouts in the world your chosen destination is (which countries share a border with it, for example?), and then take a closer look at the area you’re headed to. Are there any beaches you’d like to explore? How about nearby cities? Surveying the area ahead of time will help you to better plan your days so you can maximise the amount of time you have to do things in. If you have kids, do this together (make it a quest!) – they will have a sense of where you’re going, and can feel powerful and useful, by helping to learn about and decide what to do together. 

Uncover public transportation options

Finally, you’ll really make the most of your holiday if you feel confident getting around while you’re there. So, be sure to take a moment to research the public transport on offer. Are there taxi numbers or a city taxi app you can save, and do you have any idea what the fares are? Do the same for bus services, trains, and boats, as a little knowledge in this regard will open up so much more of a country than you’d see if you just stayed in the complex or in one neighborhood. It's well worth using public transport to fully explore a destination! 

What's your best travel planning tip?