Top 15 Travel Tips for Beginners Anyone Can Use

Learn the top travel tips for beginners that can help any traveler!

Travel can be a fantastic experience for those who enjoy seeing new places, meeting new people, and learning new things. But, it can also be stressful when we get outside of our comfortable environment and go to unfamiliar places.

If you’re like me, you may love traveling but have always hated the travel experience—until now. The more I’ve traveled, the more I’ve learned and picked up many great tips to make travel easier.

Here are my top tips for easier travel so you can enjoy the entire experience, even the travel part!

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1. Make Air Travel Easier

Navigating the airport can be one of the more stressful parts of any trip. It’s hard to know exactly how much time you’ll need.

You have to get your ticket (if you use paper copies), and what time it’ll take to get through security. There are ways to improve your time for that (see the section below on TSA PreCheck).

Having said that, there are a lot of different tips to make air travel easier. There are a lot of simple things you can do, like checking in before you head to the airport and leaving plenty of time to navigate to the gate.

These can make the difference between a stressful sendoff or feeling relaxed and ready for your trip.

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Do you check a big roller bag? Consider bringing just a carry-on and see how that changes your experience. And above all, make sure the things you need for comfort and convenience are readily available.

This includes taking a jacket in case you get cold on the plane, taking a bottle that you can fill at the airport, chapstick, and anything else you might want during your flight.

Air travel doesn’t have to be stressful, and with a little bit of planning and some handy tips, it won’t be.

2. Pack a Carry-on

For my first big international trip, I packed a 26″ roller bag (one of the largest available), a large garment bag, and a carry-on bag. I was traveling for one week. Mic drop!

Things have certainly changed since my early years of traveling! Now, I’m able to pack for two weeks in an international-sized carry-on bag. (A bag smaller than a U.S. carry-on by a bit!) I now bring a carry-on bag, usually my international-sized one and sometimes my 22″ version.

And I also bring a small bag that fits under the seat in front of me on a plane. And that’s it.

How do I do it?

It starts with a lot of careful thought about where I’m going and what I’ll truly need. Do I need five pairs of pants, or can I make do with two pairs and a skirt? Do I need my laptop?

I create a pile of contenders—all of the things I think I’ll need for my trip. Then, I aggressively review that pile to toss out anything not essential.

I recently packed for a trip where temperatures ranged from 95°F to around 30°F—all four seasons in one bag. Read all about it in this post about packing for two weeks in a carry-on bag. And snag my packing checklist below to help keep you on track.

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3. Manage Flight Anxiety

It might surprise you to know that I’m not a great flyer as I get very anxious on planes. First, I get very cagey and want to walk around though it’s not always convenient to do so.

And second, I really hate landings. The sounds you hear when the landing gear goes down and the plane is doing what it’s supposed to get me a bit panicky about a crash landing. Surprisingly, my death grip on the little armrest hasn’t made it any easier!

No, it’s not easy to love traveling and hate flying. I knew I had to come up with ways to cope with my anxiety, so even if I didn’t love flying, I didn’t hate it quite so much. Over the years, I have tried a number of things and have worked through the worst of my nervousness flying.

It has helped me to bring some things for comfort, create a routine, and choose a seat that makes me a tad more comfortable. I also try meditating, listening to music, and other things to distract me and keep me calm.

Learn all about the best tips that I use in this post on how to handle flight anxiety.

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4. Consider TSA PreCheck

Just imagine what it might be like to go through airport security in minutes with no hassles. No removing your shoes or rummaging through your bag to remove your laptop and toiletries. All of that can be a reality with TSA PreCheck.

The United States rolled out several Trusted Traveler programs years ago. They are designed to make air travel more accessible for American citizens. Some others are also eligible for this program as well.

You pay a non-refundable fee and go through an approval process, including completing an online form for a background check and an in-person interview.

Once approved, you get a program ID number you can add to your booking to automatically identify you as a member. With the TSA PreCheck mark on your boarding pass (paper or electronic), you get expedited service through airports.

Is TSA PreCheck worth it? Read this post on the benefits of TSA PreCheck to find out.

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Global Entry may be a better bet if you do a lot of international travel (or even a trip a year). You get expedited passage through immigration, re-entering the US, and TSA PreCheck.

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5. Get Global Entry

Another of the Trusted Traveler programs in the United States is called Global Entry. Where TSA PreCheck gets you expedited passage through airport security, Global Entry provides an expedited route through immigration and customs when you’re re-entering the United States.

The added bonus of Global Entry is that it comes with TSA PreCheck. So, you actually get access to both programs’ benefits upon approval for Global Entry.

The process is similar: paying a fee and completing an online submission. Then, they review it and perform a background check. Following that, you’re invited to an interview.

Once approved, you get expedited passage through a separate line for immigration and customers. It’s super easy to use and a great benefit if you do any international travel as it’s only a small cost more than TSA PreCheck.

Global Entry is what I chose, and I can say that it easily saves me 30 minutes or more in immigration and customs. Is it right for you? Read this post on the Global Entry program to learn about it and if you’re eligible to apply.

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6. Use the 15 Best Apps for Travel

You can find an app for everything now; travel is no exception. There are a lot of great apps that you can use for planning your trip, and there are a lot of great apps for use when you’re traveling.

Helpful Apps for While You’re Traveling

Currency conversion—If you’re traveling to a country that uses a different currency than your country, it’s convenient to have an app do the conversion to know what you’re spending before you pay.
Getting directions—If you’re direction-challenged as I am, apps come in handy! Two I highly recommend offering offline or GPS access. Use them to get directions or even to figure out where you are.
Language translation—Don’t speak the language where you’re visiting? No problem with an app that translates for you. Knowing some words and phrases is helpful, but sometimes, you need a little more language. An app can be your answer.
Figuring out activities—Apps guide you to places and can help you find fun things to do when you’re traveling. Some offer recommendations and ratings from other travelers or locals.
Transportation—Some apps tell you your transportation options and can actually book them for you. No need to hop into a cab and wonder what the cost will be when you can get the cost upfront.

Many apps help you when traveling, and this is just a small sampling of what I regularly use on my trips. New apps are being launched constantly, so take a look before trips to see what you might want to try out before you travel to see if they might help solve a problem.

Want to know what these apps are? I have a post for that!

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7. Learn How to Handle a Language Barrier

Traveling to other countries is an amazing experience. It’s one thing to read about a place in a book but entirely another to actually see it in person. That’s part of the travel experience that I love.

Another is interacting with people. However, they often won’t speak your language when you go to other countries. A language barrier can make it challenging to travel, particularly if you have a hard time getting your needs met by someone who understands you.

I remember the first time I went to Paris. I took a day trip to a small town called Fountainbleau. It was amazing! I went to Napoleon’s chateau there, which was surprisingly easy, by hopping on a bus labeled “Chateau.” Great! But then, I had to figure out how to get back to the train station, which wasn’t so easy.

I asked a lovely local woman for help, but she didn’t understand English. She also didn’t understand how to interact with travelers from other countries and spoke in rapid-fire French, trying to be helpful. We both ended up laughing about it and thankfully, I managed to figure it out.

It made for a great story, and I still laugh about it. That was one of my first trips to Europe, and now I have some better skills to figure out how to navigate a language barrier. This post has the best tips that I use.

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8. Implement Tips for Travel to Make it Easier

Traveling well and making traveling easier takes a lot of time and experience. You work through it, learning with each trip and fine-tuning your planning process.

It can take a while to get your rhythm, though it doesn’t have to. If you’re a bit less stubborn than I am, you can read the experiences of other experienced travelers to learn some of their tips and tricks to see what will work for you.

Just because someone does something in a certain way doesn’t mean you have to—take the tips you read and modify them to fit your needs.

Some tips may be location-specific. For example, I recommend bringing some cash with you. This is more important in cash societies, like those in Latin America.

Though it’s still a good idea to have some cash on hand elsewhere, it may be a little less important when traveling in the U.S., for example.

This post has my top tips for travel that I have learned along the way. If you have others that work well for you, I’d love for you to email them to me, as I’m always looking to learn!

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9. Stay Healthy When Traveling

Vacations are generally an exciting adventure for me. I don’t tend to go on “relaxing on the beach” vacations, and I find I run ragged, trying to see as much as I can in my limited vacation time.

As a result, I often get sick during my longer trips. And that stinks!

There are things we can do to try to keep from getting run down and sick when we travel. I’m not talking specifically about the global pandemic, but just general good healthy travel practices. Things like ensuring we have plenty of sleep, especially for increased activity.

We can do many easy things, such as drinking a lot of water when we travel, that can help our bodies perform when needed. And the one I’m learning is listening to my body. I tend to Go! Go! Go!

Without listening to my body, which is what gets me run down and eventually sick.

Slowly but surely, I’m learning that by doing less, I can actually do more. It may sound counter-intuitive, but when I don’t get sick, I don’t spend a day or two in bed or time dragging myself around miserable. Instead, I can enjoy my trip and everything I get to see and do.

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10. Find Your Travel Style

Everyone has different travel styles or ways they like to travel. As I just mentioned, I like very active vacations where I cover a lot of ground, see, and make a long list of things. But that’s not for everyone.

One of my best friends and sometimes travel buddies prefers slow travel. She limits how much she does daily and gets lots of relaxation. There’s no right or wrong way to travel.

And it goes beyond this, too. Some people, like me, like control over what I do on my vacation. As a result, I generally prefer to plan my trips. Others prefer working with travel agents to plan and book the trip, with some input.

Some others prefer to pay money and be guided on a group tour. Similarly, to take a cruise where, they select the cruise, pay the money, and go.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to travel. While some options may depend on your budget, you can often find whatever you’re looking for within your budget (to a certain extent.) Finding the travel style or styles that suit you best is an important part of traveling.

11. Get Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is one of those things you may not think about until you need it. And if you wait until then, the impact could be catastrophic financially. What if you get sick or injure yourself and require a hospital stay? What if you must be flown back to your home country for care?

It happened to someone I know when she broke her ankle in Sri Lanka. And it’s no joke. Your trip is ruined, and you could be out tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I’ll be honest—I got really lucky. I didn’t start purchasing it until a few years ago when I was in Thailand. In one day, I met two women who had to be hospitalized during trips. One got a mosquito-carried disease called dengue, and the other broke a bone, requiring surgery.

I returned to my hotel room, purchased travel insurance (which you can buy during the trip with some carriers), and never looked back. Whenever I leave my home country of the United States, I don’t travel without it.

I use World Nomads, though I have been testing out other companies. It offers an easy application process with great coverage, and it’s relatively inexpensive.

Note: World Nomads covers until age 70. If you’re 70 or older, check out Insure My Trip. And, if you want to get additional repatriation coverage to help you return to your home country in an emergency, MedJet is the way to go.

Other Helpful Travel Tips for First-Timers

12. Do Your Homework—Do some planning before you just show up at your destination. This not only includes looking for your accommodations and things to do but also learning more about where you’ll be. Are there areas to avoid or things to do or not do in the area to stay safe?
13. Make Sure You Have Your Documents—Nothing ruins a trip more than getting to your destination and learning you don’t have your passport or your visa. I know, as it almost happened to me when I was starting out. It’s also a good idea to keep a paper copy and an electronic copy (on your phone) in case they are lost or stolen.
14. Let Friends and Family Know Where You’re Going—It’s a good idea to let at least one person know your itinerary when you’re traveling. And it’s a better idea to stay in touch with friends and family when you’re gone. That way, they’ll know sooner if anything happens to you.
15. Dress to Blend in—Research what locals wear, and pack that. If women in the country you’re going to dress conservatively, it’s not the trip to pack your Daisy Dukes short shorts. Many cathedrals require people to cover their shoulders and knees, including men. You don’t want someone to look at you and know you’re a tourist!

You Can Make Travel Easier With These Travel Tips for Beginners

Making travel easier is very much in your hands! Sure, things come up when we’re traveling or even when we’re planning our trip. But, there are many things we can do to take control so we have a less stressful and better vacation.

I hope these travel tips for beginners are helpful, and please email me if you have any suggestions. Thanks!