Whenever I am planning my next destination I always hit up the budget-friendly local library. There you can find books on dozens of destinations. They are all in one spot in the library, most of them have pictures, and it makes it easy to see all of your options. Grab several books and then review them for suggested itineraries, activities, and cultural/local information that interests you. 

   Are there too many options?! It's okay to grab more than one book off of the shelf, I have been guilty of needing a bag when leaving the library. But, one of my favorite travel resources when researching a location in Europe is Rick Steves' travel guidebooks.  His books aren't full of pictures, but they are chock-full of useful, real information that can easily help you make a decision on a city. They are laid out logically, and provide suggested itinerary's based on how many days you have, and what is "must-see." Rick has people all over the world working for him on researching his guidebooks to keep them up to date, and it shows as I have found these to be the most informative. For locations outside of Europe there is always Lonely Planet or Frommers guides.  These will also provide you with plenty of detailed information, and there is probably one for every country. Don't be afraid to review all options and find which guide book is best for you.

   Part of the research process is taking notes, especially once you have decided on a location and just need to figure out all of the little details. Of course, you are there to see everything, but there are only so many hours in a day. This is where a travel journal can help. I often have one journal for ideas, destinations, and activities, and another journal for my actual itinerary and important numbers/information. I never trust that my phone will work to it's full capacity while abroad, and having everything jotted down in a journal that is easy to reach keeps my anxiety at bay. Unless you have a travel itinerary created for you, a travel journal can be a great way to keep your information handy. It also serves as a great keepsake at the end of your trip.

   You can get a great travel journal on Amazon for under $20. What I use to keep everything together and organized is the Moleskin Passion Journal. It is sturdy and in one trip has made it through three countries, stuffed with train tickets, menus, and anything else I picked up along the way. While that journal is laid out specifically for travel, I'm sure any journal/notebook will work just fine.

    Books are great, but sometimes you just have a stupid question, or want some advice from a real person. This is when I hit up travel forums/blogs. Trip Advisor and Rick Steve's Travel Forum provide great info on land vacations. I often find Cruise Critic helpful when researching boats and ports. You Tube is also a great place to find videos of hotel rooms or cruise ships, so that you can really get an idea of the lay out of a room. This also works well for scoping out the food options available ahead of time. Because of course, one of the most important aspects of a vacation is the food! 

    I found that most travel agencies don't offer much of an online presence. Or at least one that that offers useful information. That is part of the reason I started Travel Well Planned. I hope to post helpful tips and Travel Thoughts, and provide assistance through travel consulting and itineraries. 

       Okay, so you realized it could be a lot of work planning a vacation. This is where travel consultants come in. Have your entire vacation planned for you, or book on your own and save time on creating a travel itinerary. It is nice to be able to bounce ideas off someone, and have the peace of mind booking  with a professional through an agency. 

       Itineraries can be created for your trip and can be very detailed, including walking directions, train tickets, and scheduled activities. If you want to buy all of your own tickets but need help navigating an unknown location, that is no problem. Travel Well Planned can create any type of itinerary needed.