21 Favorite Travel Tips From Top Travel Bloggers

Over the years we’ve published many posts from our team of travel bloggers providing our readers some amazing travel tips in the process. We wanted to highlight some of those posts so we scoured over years of blog posts and found 20 of our favorite tips from some of the top travel bloggers in the world. There’s a lot more in our archives, so be sure to check them all out!

1. Wash Your Hands 

As basic as this sounds, this is an essential component of preventing illness. On average, people touch their face about 16 times per hour. Imagine all the bacteria transmission that could occur towards your eyes, mouth and nose as you touch them constantly with your dirty hands after they touched other surfaces that may or may not be clean. Hand hygiene is essential in stopping the spread of infection and can dramatically reduce the chances of getting diarrhea, food poisoning, flu and other maladies. The best recommendation to keep your hands clean is by carrying and using hand sanitizing gel. These come in travel size bottles and should be used before and after eating, going to the bathroom, and after touching any surface that has high contact (like railings, subway holding bars, etc.).

From the post 7 Tips To Avoid Getting Sick When Traveling

2. Don't Be Afraid To Consult A Cruise Expert

If you feel like planning a cruise trip for your family is too much of a hassle, ask a cruise travel agent to help you with that. They will make sure everything is booked and prepared just like you want it, and in some cases, they might even get you some extra perks only agents can manage. They'll take care of all the paperwork, so the process is seamless for you. And the best thing is that it won't cost you extra since their commission comes from the cruise company, not your pocket.

From the post 10 Ways To Prepare Your Family For A Cruise

3. Expat Tips – Research Ahead of Time

Especially when it comes to house hunting as an expat, the more information and listings you have the better. The way apartments are measured can vary widely, knowing the right neighborhoods, definitions on furnished vs. unfurnished, etc. Some countries count common space into your apartment size, so it’s important to understand how house hunting works before you get there. With that in mind, also be sure to learn the real estate laws. Buying right away isn’t always better either - you may find you like another neighborhood better after being in town for a year or two.

From the post Top Tips on Becoming an Expat

4. Rent a House or Apartment Instead of a Hotel

The sharing economy has taken over the travel industry, making hotels no longer the standard option for accommodation. Some studies indicate that you can save about 30% to 40% when booking an apartment or vacation home instead of a comparable hotel. But, it is not just the price of accommodation that can be cheaper. Most rental properties have a kitchen available, giving you the option of saving even more money by cooking some of your meals at "home." Most of the time, these properties have an excellent location and offer more amenities than what a hotel can offer. Additionally, if you’re staying for an extended period, you can often negotiate the price. Last but not least, rental properties also have the "plus" of taking you a step closer to experiencing the "local lifestyle" of your destination. You might have a host who can show you around or, at least, give you the local tips on where to eat, go, and what not to miss.

From the post 4 Budget Travel Tips You Can’t Live Without

5. Waterproof Sack/Spare Plastic Bags

True, true, any traveler wants to watch their weight load, but having an extra sack or plastic bag comes in handy for multiple uses (think laundry bag). They’re also good and easy tools to use to keep your things protected. Insert that delicate or breakable item bought from a marketplace inside. Or if there’s a liquid item that can leak, put in it there to prevent spillage or possible spreading to other belongings. And if clothing gets wet, there’s a place to keep them separate from dry ones.

From the post 8 Items You Should Always Travel With – But Don’t Think To Bring

6. Decide What's Worth The Splurge

Maybe you've got your heart set on a five-star hotel, or maybe you're a traveler focused on food. Narrow down a budget and then allocate funds in a way that makes sense to you, putting larger sums into trip aspects you value most. If you're okay skipping sit-down restaurants if it means you can do a helicopter tour, or CouchSurfing to save money for a private guide, then so be it.

From the post Five More Ways To Save Money on Travel

7. Enroll With State Department STEP

Before traveling overseas, be sure to visit the State Department web site and register your trip through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program or STEP. By enrolling, you'll get regular updates from your destination embassy about safety conditions in that country. If an emergency does occur, the embassy knows how to contact you. Before you leave, you can also give the embassy contact information to your family and friends and they'll have one more way to get in touch with you in case of emergency. Also, don't forget to take down the embassy contact info and physical address for yourself.

From the post Easy-To-Follow Travel Safety Tips

8. Wander With A "Leave No Trace" Philosophy

When you travel, especially in nature, you should always be exploring with the idea that whoever comes after you should have no idea you were there. There are seven specific principles when it comes to Leave No Trace, dealing with everything from pre-planning to traveling in small groups in low season, to respecting wildlife and observing them from a distance, to minimizing the effects of campfires. A few other tips include not feeding animals, not being too loud to allow others to enjoy nature’s sounds, leaving natural objects be, being careful not to bring seeds or plants that aren't native and washing with biodegradable soap away from natural water bodies.

From the post Six Ways To Travel More Responsibly

9. Transform Typical Romantic Experiences Into Kid-Friendly Activities

Dinner and wine. Rose petals in the bathtub. Chocolate-covered strawberries in bed. These are a few of the stereotypical romantic experiences we all think about. Unfortunately, these are not typically moments appropriate for sharing with children. Instead of nixing them completely, revamp. Have your kids assist with making dinner, and serve it with some alcohol-free cider. Take a chocolate-making class as a family. Have your child help you plan the perfect bouquet for your significant other and even write the card. These are the types of moments you'll both be sure to remember for years to come.

From the post How To Travel With Kids And Still Keep The Romance

10. Scan All Your Important Documents

It's always good to have a copy of all your important travel documents like passport, visas, travel insurance, yellow fever card and so on. While its useful to have a hard copy of everything; it is even smarter to save them in the cloud or send them to yourself via email. The RoamRight mobile app is an ideal option for storing copies of important documents. These will be easily accessible via any smartphone should they be needed in an emergency.

From the post 5 More Travel Safety Tips You Should Know

11. Consider a Cruise

I know, cruises are for old people. Well, that's the image they are associated with, but it's not true. Cruises have changed and now are for all ages, and they can be excellent money savers. The cruise industry is extremely competitive, and they often do their best to keep costs low. Cruises yield substantial savings by allowing you to pay for your food, lodging and entertainment together in one low price. But, beyond that, cruises are also your means of transportation from one city/country to another. So, in Europe, for example, this is a great way to save money because you're on an all-inclusive trip that will take you to several cities across the continent's coast. In addition, sometimes, transatlantic cruises are a cheaper option to airfares for traveling between the Americas and Europe.

From the post Five Unconventional Ways To Save Money On Travel

12. Know When To Book Flights

While many people are aware that booking flights in advance can save them money, not many know there are certain days that are better for booking. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically when airlines release their fares, and also when you're most likely to find a great deal. These days - along with Saturdays - are also often the best on which to fly to save money. And if you're traveling during a holiday, opt to fly on the day of the holiday rather than right before or after to get a better fare.

From the post Five Travel Tips You May Not Know

13. Decide On A Budget

One of the most important factors to think about when choosing a travel companion is budget. Traveling with someone who wants to spend an entirely different amount of money than you can ruin your entire travel experience. Think about it. Say you’re a budget backpacker who wants to live on $50 a day, while your potential travel partner is hoping for a truly indulgent experience that includes 5-star hotels, spa treatments and bottle service. If you end up traveling together either one or both of you will be disappointed. If you really want to travel with this person, think about visiting the same cities on the same dates, but staying at different accommodations and enjoying certain activities and meals alone.

From the post Tips For Choosing A Travel Companion

14. Visit Smaller Cities

At the end of the day, if you don't like the idea of sharing your travel experience with large crowds of strangers, perhaps consider getting more off the beaten path. Skip the huge cities and major tourist attractions when you know everyone else will be visiting them. Head to smaller, lesser-known destinations instead. For example, skip places like Venice and Paris in the summer months, and check out cities like Warsaw and Budapest instead.

From the post Tips for Traveling During the High Season

15. Pack The Same, Not More

When you first begin to travel with your children, pull out the same number of suitcases that you used before your kids came along. Put their clothing in first and then your own. You may need to leave home that fifth pair of shoes and extra "just in case" tops, but you will be surprised what you can live without. Plan on wearing something more than once, do laundry in the hotel bathroom or head to the local laundromat. When your kids are small this is easy to do. Once they are bigger they can pack their own bags. The key with allowing your kids to pack their own bags is to remind them that they will also have to carry their own bag. While they are young and you have to carry your kids, plus all of your baggage, you need to pack efficiently. When your kids start carrying their own bags you can throw that extra pair of shoes back in. Of course now you will have at least three checked bags to pay for, so maybe keep using all of those efficient travel skills and travel with only carry on bags.

From the post How To Travel Lighter With Kids

16. Learn A Few Words In The Local Lingo. And Smile.

The importance of learning just a few words in the local language of wherever you’re going is vastly underrated. Misunderstandings do occur, and sometimes fuses can run short, leading to a confrontation you’d rather not be a part of. Learn words and phrases like, "Thank you", "Where is?" "It’s delicious!" and "Sorry". Remember to smile. And if your pearly whites and linguistic skills fail to diffuse a tricky situation, don’t be ashamed to walk away if you feel unsafe or angry. You don’t want to take a bruised ego (or worse) home as a souvenir.

From the post Travel Safety Tips For Guys

17. Use Miles

One of the best tricks in travel is the airline issued credit card. Use this card for everything – from simple necessities like gas to major purchases you plan to pay off right away. Many airlines offer bonus miles for designated restaurants and online merchants. You will be surprised how quickly these miles add up, especially with the large mileage bonus typically given at the time of application. Depending on the route and specific flight you are hoping to book, flexibility may result in business class seats similarly priced as miles needed for economy seats.

From the post Five Ways To Get a Flight Upgrade

18. Engage With Travel Bloggers

There are literally thousands of travel bloggers out there who, between them, have a whole lot of expertise when it comes to the world of travel. There are bloggers for every style - luxury bloggers, backpackers, family bloggers, people who primarily go on city breaks and so on. If you can think of it, chances are there’s a blog devoted to it. Most bloggers link to their Facebook and Twitter sites on their blogs, so once you find their social media account, don’t be afraid to Tweet them or send them a message. Bloggers love knowing that people who visit their site are actually reading what they’ve written, and will be more than happy to answer your questions, whether you’re asking about the best hotel to patronize, which bus company to use, or the best place to grab a bite for lunch.

From the post How To Use Social Media In Travel Planning

19. Relax Your Itinerary

Oftentimes eager travelers can turn what is supposed to be a vacation into a slog with a long list of things to see and do. When you're too tired, all of this sight-seeing can be more of a chore than a treat, so remind yourself that it is okay not to see everything. If you're completely exhausted by early afternoon that means that you are stuffing your itinerary with too much stuff. Pick what's most important to you and spend the rest of your time exploring the city in less strenuous ways.

From the post 6 Quick Remedies for Travel Fatigue

20. Sign-Up For Rewards Programs

Sign-up to your favorite airline and hotel’s rewards program. One of the most important elements of travel hacking is accumulating points or miles and redeeming them for free travel or upgrades. Think of miles and points as a currency, and just like any currency, they do have a specific value. Some miles are worth pursuing while others are not. To start, if you don’t know which programs would be best for you, start by creating a frequent flyer account with American Airlines (One World), United Airlines (Star Alliance), and Delta (SkyTeam). These three airlines are the best ones to cover all three airline alliances, thus giving you greater chances of earning and redeeming miles (even good for travel hackers in Europe and the rest of the world). Also be sure to sign up for hotel reward programs; they offer points for hotel stays and even allow you to transfer hotel points to your favorite airline.

From the post 7 Travel Hacking Tips for Beginners

21. Be Cautious

Nine times out of ten, if you follow common sense and your gut feeling, nothing bad will happen to you. Don’t wave your money around at an ATM. Don’t tell strangers where you are staying. Don’t go out for a night on the town alone. The best tip though is that if a situation feels wrong, it probably is and you should take immediate action. We humans have pretty good instincts; we just have to learn to trust them.

From the post Easy Tips For The First Time Solo Traveler

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