How to Plan a Trip in 7 Easy Steps

Planning a trip can be daunting, especially if you have never done it. So, to plan your next trip, follow the seven steps I do before every trip, in the U.S (an international planning post will come later).

I will use my most recent trip to Jackson Hole as an example. Learn about my Jackson Hole winter trip here.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Choose your Destination

This is the most important step, and a few things go into it.

First, the destination depends greatly on the time of year and what you want to do. For example, my fiancé and I wanted to ski this winter break, which prompted us to look at places with snow. We looked at Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

Next, consider your budget. Not every state is the same in terms of costs. For example, gas in Wyoming was about double its costs in Texas. Also, Jackson Hole is the sixth most expensive ski destination in America! We visited Colorado the previous year and spent much less.

Last, consider distance. Do you want to take a road trip or fly? Most places in the U.S., well, for Texans at least, are better to fly to. But if you lived in, let’s say, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, you could easily drive to Denver, Colorado, in a few hours.

Note: I have Pinterest boards for travel destinations all over the U.S. and frequently read blog posts about top destinations. Therefore, I usually have a list of places I wish to visit in the back of my head. If this is not you and you are starting from scratch, look up places on Pinterest, make a travel board or two, and see which destinations catch your eye.

This brings me to the next steps which involve Pinterest. Click here to follow me!

Steps 2 & 3: Pinterest Board for Inspo & Info

alt= "how to plan a trip in seven steps"

Step 2: Inspo

When you first start your board, this should be your main focus. Pin pictures that get you excited about your trip.

For example, I pinned “Instagrammable” photo spots, cool pictures in the snow, and travel guides that caught my eye. When I did this, I was not looking for information about Jackson but rather getting a feel for the destination to ensure it was somewhere I wanted to travel to.

Click here to check out this example of a fun pin I created.

Step 3: Info

Now that your board has many pins, the next step is to read the blog posts or sites attached to what you pinned. This step is also super important because it is essentially your “research” and forms the basis of your entire trip and itinerary.

As you can see below, this guide is very informative. It tells you where to eat, stay, and play.

Step 4: Book Flight

This step is pretty obvious, but it comes after choosing your destination and ensuring it is the place you want to visit.

Note: the earlier you plan your trip and book your flight, the cheaper it usually is.

Step 5: Research & Book Where to Stay

Again, research! Like choosing your travel destination, there are a few things to consider when choosing a place to stay.

The location is huge. First, research where the best places to stay are in your destination, then choose places to investigate further.

For example, when researching Jackson Hole, we could not decide whether to stay in Teton Village, Wilson, or Jackson. However, the more I researched, I learned that most of the attractions (dining and shopping) are in Jackson. Although we were skiing in Teton Village, Jackson had more things to do, and it still was a short drive to Teton Village so we went with that choice.

Next, consider your budget. Airbnb or VRBO is usually the route I take because I enjoy having a kitchen for eating some meals at home to save money. Budget also tends to correlate with location and level of tourism. For example, Teton Village was the most expensive of all three places we looked at because it is at the base of the ski mountain and known for tourism.

Third, how many people are you traveling with? If the answer is more than three, I recommend an Airbnb or VRBO. However, if you want your own space, a hotel might be better. Also, an obvious reason to consider the number of people is the number of beds the place has.

Note: Like your plane ticket, the earlier you book, the cheaper it usually is.

Step 6: Make Your Own Itinerary

Now, depending on the type of trip you are planning, you may create a scheduled itinerary or merely jot down things you wish to see or do. I am not much of a strict planner when it comes to travel because I like to have the freedom and flexibility to choose what I want to do each day.

So, when planning our trip to Jackson Hole, I jotted down the things that stood out in my research and made a list of my must-see and do things.

Here is what I came up with:

alt= "free, printable Jackson Hole winter travel guide"

Step 7: Make a Packing List

The top things to consider when creating a packing list are weather, length of trip, activities, and luggage space.

For example, I had to pack ski attire because we were skiing for four days in Jackson Hole. I am also still a college athlete, so I had to pack running attire to train while there. We also planned on attending some nice dinners, so I packed a few “dressier” outfits. Additionally, because my fiancé and I shared a limited luggage space, I brought one pair of snow boots to go with all outfits.

I usually use the Notes app on my iPhone to create a packing list and check off items as I go.

Here is my packing list: