I just returned home from an incredibly overdue girls trip to Belgium with my friend Jenna. If you read my post Thai Islands in One Week, it’s the same Jenna that motorbiked with me down Thai back roads to find a Buddhist temple in the hills. We did Thailand and Vietnam together in 2018 and had an entire backpacking trip planned for China when Covid hit in 2020. It’s almost exactly 4 years to the day since our canceled trip and here we are crossing off another country.
Our trip was a short one.. two days in Brussels and two days in Ghent. Creating a travel plan wasn’t a top priority for either of us however, and it didn’t come together until 4 days prior. Ben and I are no strangers to last minute plans.. we once booked our hotel while standing in a customs line.. but typically, I’m quick to have some sort of itinerary in mind simply because I enjoy planning trips. When it came to this trip though, I was tired. Covid hit our house mid December, and although we were mostly okay for Christmas, the aftermath for me was exhausting. My energy was zapped, I had constant headaches, and the sinus pressure from congestion was intense. It also lasted weeks. Between not feeling well and pulling off Christmas for two small kids, hosting, and visiting family, I felt shot. Using my brain was the last thing I wanted to do.
Time doesn’t seem to slow down when you need a break though, does it? Luckily, once I sat down to plan, it came together pretty quickly. The process I use not only allows you to plan an efficient trip, but it also helps you stay organized and keeps the planning from feeling too overwhelming. Plus, it’s quick! Below, you’ll find exactly how I plan my trips and stay sane while trying to fit in all the things.
What Is an Efficient Trip
Planning an efficient trip in my opinion means squeezing in everything you’d like to do and experience and not losing or wasting time. It’s important to note that relaxing is not wasting time. You can plan a busy itinerary that includes all the “musts” and zero down time or plan a trip that focuses on some down time and relaxation. It’s mostly about deciding on how you want to spend your time and carving out a plan to execute your vision. Personally, I like to do all the things.. so I try to find a balance of fitting in as much as I can without feeling stretched too thin.
1.Read & Watch All the Things
One of the very first things I do when I decide I’m going somewhere new is start following tourism accounts in that city/country. Often enough, I do this before I even start to plan anything. It typically happens at the first mention of a possible trip. This way, as you begin to see things pop up on your feed, you start to create a vision for your trip. You’ll be able to picture certain sites you want to see or restaurants you want to try. On instagram, I bookmark a lot as I scroll. When you’re ready to sit down and make an actual plan, you can go back and see anything you may have saved for later. I also love to read other blogs and travel sites. I’ve found that even if you have a lengthy amount of time somewhere, it’s helpful to narrow down the “musts” by reading 24 hour, 2 day, or 3 day recommended itineraries. This is where you’ll find highlights and all the big ticket sites crammed into a short amount of time. Reading through a handful of different blogs, you’ll quickly find the same places and know what not to miss. You’ll also find worthy lesser known experiences that made on impact on that writer. These are the gems and where you get to decide what fits your interests and trip style. This first step is essentially building your own “must do” list. Starting it sooner than later allows you to see more possibilities and come up with a solid itinerary.
2.Bookmark Everything on Google Maps
My google maps is absolutely littered with color coded flags all around the world. You can choose to organize yours however you choose. I simply have everything saved in one color that I’d like to do -whether that’s sites or food- and then once I experience it, I change it to a different color. So when I look at my map, I have places I still want to visit and places I’ve already been. This is particularly helpful if you’re writing about your travels or often sharing recs with friends. It’s much easier to reference and scan. One thing to note- Google maps does limit your yellow starred places. You have about 500 before they start deleting in chronological order. I discovered this the unfortunate way. Use the green flag marker if you know you’ll be using this frequently.
3.Decide Where to Stay + How You’ll be Getting Around
When I have shorter trips planned, I aim to stay in the heart of everything. For a lot of European cities, that’s in the Old Town. This will cut down your travel time significantly to different sites since a lot of what you’re exploring will most likely be here. Longer trips, we sometimes will stay further out. When it comes to getting around, I tend to take public transportation everywhere with the random cab here or there. Since I usually rely on trains and busses, I always book my hotel/airbnb with an idea of how far I will have to walk from a train/bus station. Walking 10-15 minutes with bags is a lot easier than 25-30 minutes. This may not apply to you, but it’s something to consider. By having your bookmarks already on your map, you’ll be able to see where you’ll be spending a lot of your time. If you’re taking public transportation, it’s definitely convenient to be closer to a station.
4.Start Grouping Sites By Location
Bookmarking food and sites is helpful when starting to plan because you’ll be able to see where everything is located in relation to each other. Even if you don’t have a strict itinerary and all the details planned out, you can still reference your map and see what’s nearby. Exhausted and looking to rest and grab a coffee? Oh look, you’re right near that coffee shop you starred. Your fellow travelers want to stop for a bite? Oh look, that cute lunch spot is right around the corner. For me, it’s certainly been handy. Most importantly though, planning an efficient day becomes a piece of cake when you can see what’s close together. I bookmark picturesque streets I’d like to stroll down, graffiti alleys, famous statues, and so on. Especially if you’re doing a lot of walking, this helps with planning your route. Sometimes you walk a few minutes out of the way and are able to see so much more simply because you’re aware of your location and proximity to things. Google maps will show you your gps location and saved bookmarks with or without service and wifi. So even if you’re offline, you’ll have access.
5.Add in Your Meals
The difficult part about adding in your meals is there’s more of an emotional decision in what you’re eating.. and then certain places will be strictly breakfast where others will be dinner. This part takes both a bit of juggling and flexibility. To be quite honest, this is where having restauarants saved in your maps will be especially handy. I always find it’s best to have a plan and something in mind, but also accept the fact that it may change. Hunger doesn’t always strike at the appropriate time and what you’re craving could change as well. I usually have my top places I’d like to go, finagle them into my schedule, and then sometimes change the plan completely once I’m there. Maybe food isn’t particularly important to you and your itinerary and if so, I envy you. That makes your planning a lot easier. Food is a top priority while traveling for Ben and me and although we’ve found some gems by wandering, there’s something comforting in having a back up plan. It also adds to the efficiency of your day when you don’t have to spend extra time on the lookout.