Getting ready for a trip looks different for everyone. Assuming you have your flight and hotel booked, here is the essential checklist of what to book and check and when. While this is more of a checklist for international travel, there is still some useful information for domestic travel, as well!

6 Months Out

Check your passport. Most countries require your passport to be valid for 6 months after your return date. Check your passport expiration date and make sure that won’t cause any problems. If you need to apply for a new one, give yourself plenty of time - especially in a post-COVID world, things take much longer than they used to.
Check if you need a Visa. If you’re unsure, check this link. Starting in November 2023, you will need a visa to visit Europe.
You should have your flight booked ideally by now, but if not - book your flight first, then your hotel.
As soon as your flight and hotel are booked, you should absolutely buy travel insurance. I have always used Allianz, and have thankfully never needed them, but they have great rates. You would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
- Not only does travel insurance help in case of a medical emergency, it also can cover flight cancellations and delays, and lost or delayed luggage.
- Some credit cards offer this additional coverage for your flights or have connections with travel insurance. I personally have never used my credit card for this, but if you have a trusted travel credit card, this may be worth it.
Check with your doctor for any necessary vaccinations or check-ups. When going to Europe or Central America, I always ask for anti-nausea medication just in case I get sick (I have a sensitive stomach and a fear of throwing up lol).
- In a post-COVID world, I always keep my COVID vaccination card with my passport. I haven’t needed to share it other than visiting Guatemala in 2022, as restrictions have loosened, but having it on me is always helpful.

3 Months Out

I make a packing list usually around 3-4 months out and identify any items I don’t have that I need to buy.
- It is easy to overpack… Here are some of my quick tips on how to avoid it.
- To make sure I’m not spending money on dumb things, I try to identify at least 3-4 other events I could wear that item to or that it can become a staple. Below is an example of items I want to buy prior to my South of France trip later this year.

I also make appointments for anything I may need leading up to my trip:
- Doctor
- Hair and/or nails and/or facials
- Book any kind of pet care/house sitter if I need that.
I research restaurants, bars, clubs I want to visit during this time and make reservations as needed. Some restaurants open up reservations one month out, and if they are popular, make sure to make a note in your calendar to book when it opens! Finding restaurants is always the hardest part for me personally, so I try to research reviews, menus, etc and have a list of restaurants that sounded good to me to refer to on the trip if we run into a moment we can’t decide.
Book excursions. You can book through your hotel, Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Viator or a local travel company. Always make sure to read reviews if possible (especially on TripAdvisor and Viator).
- I would also research if there is any specific to the local culture you can do that would be unique and interesting and see if there is a local guide you can book through so you ensure the money is going straight to the community.
Research other essentials like:
- Transportation
  - Do they have public transportation? Is it walkable? Do they offer Uber/Lyft?
- What’s included in your flight and hotel
  - Wifi? Checked bag or carry-on? Breakfast?
- Scams?
  - Are the ATMs safe and reliable? Are there common scams you may encounter?
- Dress codes?
  - Is it conservative? Do you need to dress more nicely than normal or more casual? Do you need to cover shoulders, hair, knees?
- Are your medications allowed?
  - I travel with sudafed to help with sinus pressure - but it is illegal in Mexico, so I have to find replacements before I travel.
  - Not a medication, but some countries will jail you for any …. toys ….. you may have on you. You may also have to be married to stay in the same hotel room as your partner, or if you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, you may not be welcome. Make sure you are familiar with these laws.
- Is Wifi readily available?
  - In Tallinn, they have free community wifi throughout the entire city. But in Poland, I could barely get Wifi at the hotel or restaurants.

One Month Out

Check your confirmations and make sure they are all correct (I do this at least once a month leading up to my trip because I am neurotic):
- flight
- hotel
- excursions
- transportations
Figure out if your phone has an international internet plan (AT&T - which is my phone carrier - has a $10/day plan when I travel, others offer it for free or for a one-time flat rate). You can also get a SIM card or go old school and not worry about having access outside of WiFi.
Make copies of important documents.
- I have a photo album in my phone with photo copies of:
  - My license
  - My passport
  - My vax card
  - My license plate
Make your itinerary. You don’t have to have every minute of your trip mapped out (unless you like that like me lol), but have a spreadsheet or a document with your travel information on it so you know exactly what is coming next.
- I use TripIt for my hard itinerary items (flights, hotels, excursions, transportation, reservations), but use Google Docs for my day-to-day breakdown and soft itinerary.
  - What’s the difference between a soft and hard itinerary item? Read that here.

One Week Out

Figure out how you’ll get cash there or get cash at a bank before you leave. I usually like to get with my travel partner and identify how much we think we’ll spend with cash.
- I try to use my card for most things, and I have a Wise account for local currency I start putting money into ahead of time, but cash is king. Always have more cash than you think you may need for any emergencies, trinkets, bars, etc.
Pack! Do not leave your packing until the night before. I create a packing list when I start building out my itinerary and break it up by the following, and then I create my plan of what outfit I plan to wear to what so I make sure I don’t overpack and things can be worn multiple times:
- Clothes
- Shoes
- Technology
- Toiletries
- Etc

Night before

Download any movies, TV shows, podcasts, or books you want to watch during your travel period. I have waited until I’m at the airport for this and it has never downloaded quickly enough. Do this the night before :)
- I obviously love the Harry Potter series - so I always have those books on hand and try to download those movies ahead of time. I also have this post on my favorite books of 2022 if you need any inspiration.
For my ladies, gays, and theys, I do some pampering before my trip. This looks like:
- Getting my hair colored (usually the weekend or few days before)
- Getting my nails done
- Shave
- Full Shower (you know what I mean)
I like to come home to a clean apartment! So I wash my sheets the day before and make my bed so I come home to fresh sheets. I vacuum, dust, clean out my fridge, do laundry so my washer and dryer is empty for my travel clothes when I return, and sometimes even hire a quick cleaner to come by the day before I return.
Relax! You’re about to embark on an adventure, and even if you don’t have any fearful anxiety, you are still going outside of your comfort zone most likely and you will need to relax and rest.

Morning of

Depending on the time of your flight, you may or may not want to have breakfast. My go-to breakfast is a banana and ginger smoothie. The banana and oats in the smoothie give me something substantial to have while the ginger helps settle my stomach.
I also like to take a quick body shower (I wash my hair at night), so I feel fresh.
If you have time, some quick movement would be great! If my flight leaves around noon or later, I try to get in a pilates class. If it’s earlier, then I try to go for a quick walk or have a stretch.
Make sure you have the following in an easily accessible, but safe, place:
- Passport
- Tickets (I keep mine in my apple wallet on my phone, but also make sure my traveling partners have copies of my tickets just in case).
- Medications
- Wallet/Money
Have a great time! :)

Essential Pre-Trip Checklist