How far in advance do you plan trips?

[Who]

I haven’t been to WNY in about a decade. I still have family living in that cesspool, so when better to visit? A Polish drunk fest , Dyngus Day Monday April 13, 2020.

I might shoot over to Rock and Roll H of F, in another cesspool, Cleveland, is Spunky still alive?

[beagleboy]

At your age I wouldn't buy green bananas.

[VinceBordenIII]

My wife is a control freak. She plans our trips down to the last detail. I just have to show up, and the rest is taken care of.

How long in advance? Months.

[Blast]

Umm, I take it as it comes anymore.

[Wut]

I don't really plan far in advance unless there is reason to do so. My daughter is graduating next May so I've already made hotel reservations because demand will be high.

[JCW]

My wife is a control freak. She plans our trips down to the last detail. I just have to show up, and the rest is taken care of.

How long in advance? Months.

That would drive me nuts

Why, you're the control freak in your marriage?

I am a planner. It lessens my anxiety to have a Plan A and Plan B when I have to leave my bubble.

[QillerDaemon]

I am a planner. It lessens my anxiety to have a Plan A and Plan B when I have to leave my bubble.

I would more anxious if I needed to follow a set schedule. Its more of a list of chores rather than a vacation IMO

^^This. Outside of my wife figuring out where we'll stay, most of any of our vacations are the pop-up side trips we'll take, only figuring out what we'll do once we get there. Seriously, for us, it's made for *way* more fun vacations, letting the area surprise (or disappoint) us.

[beagleboy]

Planning depends upon the vacation. If we are going to Saugatuck Michigan I'll book our room and that's it. I hate renting at a shithole especially if it allows smoking. New York City - I'll just book the room but I'll have an idea of things to do in different areas of the city.

If it's a European city I'll do a ton of research. I'll have our rooms booked, likely train tickets purchased (reduces stress and avoids lines), I'll have a breakdown of areas of each city and things to see with times and recommendations. I'll have some restaurant ideas in some smaller towns to avoid tourist traps (certainly doesn't mean we have to eat there). Many museums are closed specific days (why spend 45 minutes getting to a museum to find out it's closed today?) and tons have ways to avoid lines completely or miss crowds. Borghese Gallery in Rome requires you to buy tickets days in advance (usually) and the time is scheduled. The Prado in Madrid is jam packed all morning with lines to get in - empty in the afternoon usually. In Paris you can avoid all lines if you buy a pass ahead of time.

When we visited Rothenburg Germany we had our room booked and the only thing I knew I wanted to do was the Night Watchman's Tour. It was awesome and I spoke with several people who didn't know about it.

In Rio I researched and knew we could tour Maracanã and see everything I wanted to in the stadium. I tried to buy tickets to a game ahead of time but knew in advance it had been rescheduled 2 weeks before our trip.

[Wut]

I am a planner. It lessens my anxiety to have a Plan A and Plan B when I have to leave my bubble.

I would more anxious if I needed to follow a set schedule. Its more of a list of chores rather than a vacation IMO

^^This. Outside of my wife figuring out where we'll stay, most of any of our vacations are the pop-up side trips we'll take, only figuring out what we'll do once we get there. Seriously, for us, it's made for *way* more fun vacations, letting the area surprise (or disappoint) us.

The best vacations I ever had were two trips to Ireland where we had first and last night's hotel rooms, a rental car, bed and breakfast coupons, and no need to be anywhere at any time or day.