Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Travel
December 20, 2017This is a sponsored post written by me for Extended Stay America. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are mine alone.
Millions of Americans travel during this time of year. Amid the hustle & bustle of shopping for gifts, decorating the house and preparing holiday menus, it can seem like an overwhelming time to get on the road. However, with the right tips, it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Keep reading for my smartest travel tips during the holiday season.
Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Travel
Avoid peak days!
If possible, try to schedule travel during off-peak days. Traveling when the roads are packed or the airports are jammed results in delays & frustrations for everyone. Keep your calm by choosing less-popular days and relish the quiet!
Leave extra time!
Be early and avoid the panic that results when you are about to be late. Whether you’re trying to catch a plane or arrive at grandma’s house in time for dinner, always give yourself enough of a time buffer to make sure you arrive on time.
Choose the right accommodations!
When it comes to making holiday travel easy and stress-free, the right accommodations can make all the difference. We have stayed at Extended Stay America locations and have always had a great time. The properties are always clean and inviting.
In fact, if you’re doing any travel this holiday season, be sure to take advantage of a special promotion (Reindeers Stay Free! No Pet Fee!) going on at Extended Stay America locations. Save up to $200/pet at Extended Stay America with code MPETS. Book through 12/31/2017.
Santa wouldn’t go somewhere without his reindeer, so neither should you. Bring your pet along for the adventure at Extended Stay America locations. The complimentary breakfast and comfortable, spacious rooms always ensure a wonderful stay!
Check out this video to learn more:
Pack on the light side!
Whether you’re getting on a plane or embarking on a road trip, do not over-pack. When you have to bring a lot of extra baggage, it slows you down. Try to bring only the essentials- it will also save you time during the packing & unpacking processes!
Bring snacks!
This tip is especially important if you’re traveling with young kids, but even if I’m hitting the road with just the hubby, I always bring along some snacks. I am trying to make smart food choices, so if I get hungry on the road, it’s much easier to reach into my bag and find something nutritious (rather than stopping at a fast food joint & just settling for a convenient snack).
Plan your itinerary!
I have always been a planner. I love to organize and schedule everything – that includes our vacations. I like to print out an overview of our vacation plans ahead of time, including hotel address/phone number, airline reservation details, and attractions’ address/phone number.
I hope these tips have helped to inspire you to have a stress-free holiday season. Are you doing a lot of travel this season? Where are you heading? Would you love to bring your pet along?
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The only place I am traveling to this holiday season is to the west side of the state (Michigan), which is about a 2-2.5 hour drive. I agree with all your tips about air travel though. And snacks are essential!
I usually try to fly out on a Thursday and back on a Monday (instead of Fri-Sun) to avoid peak travel times. Airfare is always cheaper then, too.
Giving ourselves TIME so we aren’t stressing is the # 1 thing we need to do. My husband and I have a flight on Saturday at 3:30 and I told him we NEED to get there by 1pm, even if we have TSA pre-check and all that jazz. I just don’t want ANY funny business – ha ha. He and I totally missed a flight once in the past.
Great tips!! All too often people do try to rush when traveling and overpack! I also agree about good reliable accommodations! It makes a world of difference to have comfort when away from home!
Great tips! We are traveling some this holiday and I agree with every tip you shared especially pack light and avoid traveling during heavy traffic. Of course snack, snack, snacks…..lol
We do not have anywhere for to travel this year. All of our family is close. But it’s always nice to know of good places to stay if we do have to travel in the future.
We are all done traveling for the year but next year I will use these tips for sure. I love staying at nice places and checking out new locations but it can be hard to stay away from home. It helps when you have a nice place to stay and that place Extended Stay America sounds great!
This is SO timely. Everybody needs to read your tips here — ASAP. I totally agree with everything you just listed and I especially love tip #1!
We usually travel during the holidays and these are such great tips. I especially love the idea of leaving extra time. I hate being rushed and everything is so much nicer if we’re able to make a few stops along the way. x
This year we are not traveling, but when we do we travel at night 9 times out of 10.
Packing light is a bonus and I like to do laundry while we travel… otherwise I come home with a nightmare!!
Having everything planned out definitely helps you stay on top of things and probably keeps the stress level a little lower than if you otherwise don’t. However, I’ve found that not having everything completely mapped out when you do travel makes it a lot more fun. After all, isn’t that the point of traveling in the first place?
I am so bad at packing light but have made such an effort to scale back on what I bring on any vacation for the last few years and it has really made a difference.