Eight Tips for a Stress-Free Vacation
If you are planning a vacation, you may know that a lot of planning and hard work goes into the trip before you actually take it! And we are sometimes (okay, almost always) faced with more stress as we go! But there are ways to make the planning and trip less stressful! So, let’s explore eight tips for creating your stress-free vacation.

1-Be flexible.
Everything you plan out is not always going to work out that way. Things happen that are outside of our control. Being flexible and not stressing about every little change that occurs to your initial plans will help create a more enjoyable vacation experience for you. Limiting the amount of pre-planned tours/tickets can also aide in lessening the disappointment from changed plans (although I realize some things have to be pre-purchased ahead of time).
2-Visit an underrated destination
If crowds, long lines, and long wait times cause you stress try choosing a less popular destination. Determine what kind of type you want to take (e.g. beach, city, country) and research destinations, avoiding the ones that pop up first that everyone tends to go for. Choosing a less popular destination can provide you with many of the same experiences with less crowds! A great example of this would be Myrtle Beach, SC. Instead of choosing this popular and crowded location choose one of the less popular beach areas along South Carolina’s shore that will give you a very similar beach experience with less people and thus less stress.

3-Don’t Over Schedule
It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of visiting a new destination and understandable to want to fit in as much as possible. Doing so, however, could result in very stressful, long days with you running here and there without really getting to enjoy what you’re doing. Sometimes less is better. Enjoy the attractions and activities you do get to do and if needed plan a return trip. Don’t try to do it all at once if time does not allow.
4-Disconnect for technology.
Sometimes all we need for a stress-free vacation is to disconnect from our cell phones and computers. When I am traveling, I try to avoid social media and contact from my home life. This is not to say that I don’t want to talk to loved ones but disconnecting for a couple days has proven to do wonders for my stress level. I know plenty of other people who do this to help manage their stress, as well as others who find stress relief in the form of a CBD product from somewhere like Blessed CBD, or going for a walk. When it comes to stress relief, it’s important to find what works for you, and make a habit of doing this every so often to keep ourselves happy and relaxed.
5-Check-in Online
If online registration/check in is available for flights, tours, attractions, cruises, etc. take advantage of it. Doing so will complete paperwork and information collection prior to arrival and will save you time and the stress of having to worry about it later on.
6-Start planning early.
Don’t wait until the last minute to start making reservations and creating an itinerary. Waiting until too close to departure time can result in missed opportunities and more expensive options than booking ahead of time would have. Having everything planned out early will also alleviate the stress of having to plan it in the days before the trip, giving you the time to relax and look forward to the upcoming vacation.
7-Make sure all your travel documents and identification are readily available. Keep them separated from your other luggage. Make sure you have everything you will need, including passports, airline tickets, tour tickets, hotel reservation information, car rental information, your itinerary, drivers’ licenses, and any other forms of identification you may need. Having all of these in one place will reduce the stress of guesswork or having to frantically search for a document upon arrival.

8-Get help!
One way to greatly reduce the stress of trip planning is to hire a travel agent! They will assist with the entire planning process, from initial booking to final payments. This will save you time on research and help to ensure that all your T’s are crossed. And the great thing about this option is that most travel agents are completely free!