32 travel tips I wish I knew before my first trip (essential advice for stress-free adventures)

With over 13 years of travel experience behind me, 45 countries and counting, I have collected a list of things that I wish someone had told me right at the start. Obviously, you can't always avoid stress or issues while travelling, but hopefully, this list will help to make most of your trip(s) run more smoothly. Take this list as 'big sister advice'; not everything will apply, so take what you find useful and leave what does not serve you. Whether you're getting ready for your first solo trip or planning a girls' trip, most of these points will be relevant.

Here's my list of travel tips I wish I knew before:

1. Travel off-season when and wherever possible. Your wallet, mind and general comfort will thank you. 

2. Even if you travel somewhere warm, always take a jumper and pair of socks with you. AC can be a bit too much, especially on planes. 

3. Your money goes further if you invest into buying a flight to a more budget friendly destination, even if it’s further away. 

4. Unless you want to specifically see and visit very touristy spots in Europe (Eiffel tower, Colosseum etc you get the idea) you are often better off visiting smaller, lesser known towns and villages for the best cultural and food experience, often for the friction of the price. Especially when it comes to Italy, if you want good Italian food go to a small village unknown by tourists. 

5. How you get to your accommodation from the airport, is the part of travelling that you should have planned out. Have it sorted, when you’re tired, jet lagged or had a delayed flight, the last thing you want to do is try to figure a foreign metro system in a language you don’t speak. 

6. Especially when you travel far, make sure you Google and have an understanding of how much a last minute, emergency flight ticket would cost to return home. Make sure you have enough money available on you to buy that if anything were to happen. 

7. Learn to say no confidently, politely and firmly if needed. 

8. Always double check if tap water is safe for you to drink. 

9. Always have some local currency on you, even if it’s debit/credit cards are widely used where you go, you might need some cash to use the toilet or buy water. 

10. Have two emergency contacts who both know about your whereabouts. 

11. Chat to the hotel/hostel staff, let them know about your travel plans. They are likely to be chatty/friendly people anyway, and especially if you travel solo, it’s good if they have an idea about where you plan to go. They may have travel or safety advice for you. They’re local, they know best. 

12. If your gut feeling says something is off, listen to it. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. 

13. Be open and friendly, but cautious. Don’t share information about yourself that could get you in unwanted situations. 

14. Watch your core beliefs. This is a big one. If you grew up hearing things like ‘the world is a dangerous place’ or ‘everyone is evil’ then it will be harder for you to trust new people and be open minded about situations. Your brain will always look for proof to prove your beliefs right. If you believe that people are horrible, no matter where you go, you will always meet people who will prove these beliefs. But if you believe that there are trust-worthy and kind people everywhere, that’s what you will find. Rewiring your brain is not an overnight process, but something definitely worth investing in. 

15. You don’t always have to make the most of your trips or feel guilty for not walking your legs off to see another cathedral or waterfall. When I started travelling I had such pressure from others in terms of what’s a must do or see. But then I realised everyone does travel differently, so if I want to spend a morning just sitting in a cafe, doing nothing just watching people pass by, then I can do that. There are no rules to travelling.

16. Adding onto my previous point, especially if you travel longer than 10-14 days, you need lazy travel days. Allow yourself to chill and do nothing if it feels right. Travel burnout (as much as it’s a first world problem, is real). Just because you travel you don’t need to neglect your well-being. 

17. If you have a 4-5 hours layover, treat yourself to a lounge pass. By the time you buy a meal and a drink at most airport restaurants, you will be close to how much a lounge pass costs. You can get deals on these, I have mine through my banking app (Revolut) I get a discount on them worldwide. Since it also comes with travel and health insurance, it’s definitely an investment for me. 

18. Download your books on your phone. I know I hate this advice of mine too, I much prefer reading physical books too, but when you travel sometimes it can be a pain and extra luggage space/weight to carry books with you. 

19. If you decide to date/use dating apps be careful and practise common sense. Also, do your research, the dating culture or expectations can be very different than what you’re used to. When going out on dates always choose a very public spot and don’t ever tell your date where you’re staying. It’s never worth the risk. 

20. By the way, I speak from experience, sometimes foreign guys charm you exactly because they’re foreign. So, always ask yourself the question: would I be interested in this guy without the foreign charm? The answer is often, no. 

21. Don’t be scared to ask, twice or even three times if necessary. You may seem stupid for 5 minutes, but if you’re don’t ask any questions,  you may stay stupid for the rest of your life (the wise teachings of one of my old, school teachers). It’s true though. You will learn quickly that not asking enough questions may cause you a lot of trouble, annoyance, effort or even money when you travel. You do want to make sure you heard the next stop’s name correct or that you are paying exactly as much as you heard. 

22. For the best food, always observe the environment and go where most local people go. Even if it doesn’t look like the trendiest of places. 

23. Don’t go out for day trips without drinking water. 

24. Try to wear a bag that you can keep in front of you like a cross-body that never gets out of your sight. 

25. Pack light. You’re never gonna use half the things that you packed. 

26. Mind what shoes you’re wearing. Opt for comfortable if possible. Your outfit can be as fancy as you like, but if you want to make sure your feet are not sore and blistered by the afternoon, it’s comfort over looks when it comes to shoes. 

27. Don’t forget to have fun. Sometimes we get so busy ticking off places our bucket list that we forget to just enjoy it. It doesn’t last forever. 

28. Also don’t forget to reinvent yourself a little when you travel. Especially when you travel solo, no one knows what you’re like, so treat it as a clean slate. You can be a bit more chatty, loud, mysterious or whatever you are normally afraid to be. Do something that would feel outside of your comfort zone to do back at home. 

29. Always have important details of your trip screenshotted (so you can check them offline) and written down on a piece of paper (so you can navigate even without a phone). 

30. If you feel nervous travelling solo, have a little look on Google maps, street view of your accommodation/ the area you want to visit. This will help you prepare mentally. 

31. If your budget is tight always choose experiences over accommodation. You’re not likely to remember where you slept, but you will for sure remember seeing the Taj Mahal at dawn. 

32. If you have a full-time job, workout how you can max out your holidays allowance linked to national/bank holidays. 3-4 day long weekends go a long way if you want to explore. Sit down in January and book your trips (or at least pencil them in) for the year where and when possible. 

    
    

You see, travel doesn’t have to be stressful or overwhelming when you have the right tools. These 32 tips will give you a head start, but why stop here?

I’ve created a FREE travel freebie with even more strategies, checklists, and insider hacks that I wish I’d known sooner. It’s yours—no strings attached. It’s packed with simple tools like a printable checklist, self-care prompts, and mini rituals to help you feel more at home—wherever the journey takes you.