Royal Holiday members, who have more than 100 destinations to choose from, understand that one of the most difficult parts of vacation planning is deciding where to go next. With fabulous options across the globe, all with their own unique wonders to discover, deciding on a single place can seem impossible. For some people, the perfect vacation comes from a spontaneous, on-the-spot decision. For everyone else, following a few guidelines will help ensure they make the right choice.
First, consider why you want to go on vacation in the first place. While many consider travel a virtuous pursuit in and of itself, you should ask yourself what you ultimately desire from a vacation. Do you want to relax and spend time doing absolutely nothing, or are you looking for constant engagement? Are you interested in taking it easy, or does your vacation need to double as an exciting adventure? Knowing what you want to “accomplish” with your vacation is the most important part of deciding where to go. Those interested in relaxation probably will want to avoid bustling cites while those interested in historical and cultural landmarks will only be bored lying around on the beach. Remember to poll the entire group, because a family vacation won’t be much fun unless everyone is on board with the vacation’s goals.
After you decide what you want from a destination, you can begin to winnow options down to a manageable number by considering your budget. Luckily, travelers can find most types of vacations at practically any price point. Visiting Europe will always be more expensive than going to South America, for example. Even on a single continent or within a single country, you can often find wide differences in price.
Remember to consider the time of year you’ll be traveling, as this can have a dramatic impact on both price and weather. For example, don’t travel to Brazil in the rainy season, and avoid traveling to ski resorts during the peak season.
The amount of time you have to plan will make a big impact on your options as well. Destinations in your home country can often be booked mere weeks in advance, while travel visas to foreign countries can sometimes take months to process.
