7 Steps to Take to Plan the Perfect Vacation Without the Stress

by / ⠀Travel / August 11, 2025
Everyone wants to go on vacation and ensure it’s as amazing as possible. That means being able to plan the perfect vacation. This can often feel a little stressful, as there are quite a few areas to consider. It’s not just a matter of booking a flight and heading off, after all. But that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated or stressful. You just have to put the time and effort into the right areas, and there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. You’ll end up having an amazing trip without needing to spend a lot of time or effort on the actual planning process. Seven steps and tips could help with this significantly more than others, making them well worth the time and effort.

Figure Out the Right Length of Time

One of the first decisions you’ll have to make about your perfect vacation is how long you’ll go for. Several factors could play a role in this, which is why it’s worth considering before you book anything. Cost will be the most obvious of these. But, you’ll also need to consider a few other factors, too. You might need to book time off, for instance, which means ensuring you can actually take that time off. Then there’ll be whether or not there’s enough to do when you’re on the trip. Take the time to figure out roughly how long of a trip will be best for you. There’s no right or wrong answer with this; it’s just a matter of going with what’s best for your family.
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Sort Out Your Budget

A perfect vacation budget is always worth putting a bit of time and effort into. It helps ensure you don’t spend more money than you’re comfortable with. Aim to set an upper limit for your spending and then break it down into different areas. Consider how much your flights, accommodation, and other expenses will be. Add in the cost of potential surprises, and the costs could end up being more than you’d think. By having a firm vacation budget in place, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

Create an Itinerary

It’s always worth having a general itinerary when you’re planning a trip. It helps you figure out how to plan 2 weeks in Spain, or wherever you’re going, much better. With this itinerary, you’ll have a great idea of what you want to do every day. Doing a bit of research ahead of time helps you figure out what you’d like to do and plan everything out. You’ll end up having a fun-packed trip planned before you know it. It’s also worth avoiding overpacking your itinerary. You might discover a few activities you’d like to do during your perfect vacation. And, you’ll want a bit of time to relax and take your time while you’re there, anyway.

Try to Avoid Popular Periods

You can go on vacation almost anytime, but that doesn’t mean every time of the year is recommended. Some periods could be a lot more popular than others, and this isn’t always a good thing. It could have more than a few drawbacks. There’ll be quite a few crowds, and this could be a negative. Then there’s the fact that busier periods are normally more expensive to travel during. You could save yourself a decent bit of money and prevent a bit of hassle by focusing on different times of the year.
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Let Your Bank Know About the Trip

You’ll already know you’ll have to spend a decent bit of money when you’re on your trip. Unless you want to carry a lot of cash with you, you’ll end up using your cards when you’re away. It’s worth making sure nothing happens because of that. Letting your bank know about your trip ahead of time helps with this. It makes sure they don’t flag it as a potential hack or theft, which you wouldn’t want to happen. This happens to countless people every year, and it often means they’re left without any quick or reliable access to funds while they’re away. Thankfully, avoiding this is easy. It’s just a matter of informing your bank that you’ll be away on a trip.

Book the Right Flights

Flights will be one of the more notable purchases you’ll have to make for your trip. You can’t go anywhere abroad without them, after all. But that doesn’t mean just booking the first flights you come across for your destination or for when you want to go. Instead, it’s worth looking around and comparing your options first. This should help you save a decent bit of money by finding a few deals. As long as you’re a little flexible with your flights, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

Figure Out What to Pack

As you get closer to your vacation, you’ll need to start packing. This doesn’t mean just tossing a few clothes into a suitcase and leaving it at that. A lot of this revolves around where you’re going and what the weather’ll be like while you’re there. By looking into this ahead of time, you’ll have a better idea of what your essentials should be. The right clothes will be a natural step to take, but you may need more. That could include sunscreen and more. But, you’ll also need to consider the potential weight limit for your bags on the flight. Focus on the essentials first, and then see what kind of space you have left over for any optional extras. It’ll be easier than you’d think. Trying to plan the perfect vacation can seem a little overwhelming. You’ll want to make sure everything’s sorted out ahead of time, which can feel like you’re putting yourself under pressure. This isn’t something you need to deal with. Using the right tips and taking the right steps should be more than enough to help. Image Credit: Mike Swigunski; Unsplash

About The Author

Editor in Chief of Under30CEO. I have a passion for helping educate the next generation of leaders. MBA from Graduate School of Business. Former tech startup founder. Regular speaker at entrepreneurship conferences and events.

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