There’s a lot to think about when you plan a vacation. From where to go to where to stay and what you’re going to do when you get there, planning a trip can be a lot of fun! However, if you aren’t also thinking about your safety while you’re away from home, you could be putting your family in danger. Make sure you and everyone you’re traveling with learn to travel safe, no matter what your destination.
Travel Tips
Traveling is supposed to be fun for your family. Unfortunately, it can end in disaster for those who don’t think ahead about their safety before they leave.
A lot of things can go right on vacation, but a lot of things can go wrong too. You don’t want to find yourself dealing with a wrongful death lawsuit or a stolen identity when you’re supposed to be relaxing by the pool.
With these 5 important travel tips, you can increase your chances of experiencing a vacation that is memorable for all the right reasons.
1. Research Your Destination
Before you book your hotel and purchase your plane tickets, it’s important to research your destination. There are a few places in the world you really shouldn’t go under any circumstances.
Other places may be a great place to visit under some circumstances and not others. For example, visiting Paris may sound fun, but the busyness of this city combined with the fact that pickpockets aren’t uncommon make it a less than ideal destination if you’re traveling with a group or multiple young children.
The area of the city you stay in matters too. Here are my favorite 11 Best Family Vacations in the USA.
Research your hotel thoroughly, and be willing to pay a little bit more to stay safe. More expensive accommodations are almost always in nicer parts of town.
2. Make Copies of Important Documents
You have a lot of important documents with you when you travel, especially if you travel to another country. It can be devastating if you lose or misplace your important documents, or if they are stolen while you’re traveling.
You can keep yourself safe and ensure you can still get back home if you scan and print copies of important documents, like your passport, driver’s license, and your travel insurance policies. It will enable you to prove who you are much more quickly than if you are unable to show any kind of identification at all.
3. Make Sure Loved Ones at Home Know Where You Are
You have to be very careful what you say and do online when you’re away from home. Talk to your tweens and teens about social media use while you are vacationing.
Although it may be tempting to post updates to your social media accounts so everyone can see you relaxing on the beach, it’s actually better not to post real-time updates on Facebook while you’re away. All it does is alert possible thieves to the fact that you aren’t at home.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tell anyone where you’re going. You should tell close friends and family where you’re going and when you will be returning home. That way, if something goes wrong, a few important people back home will know.
4. Know How to Blend In
The last thing you want to do when you’re traveling is stick out like a sore thumb. Not only will you be treated differently by the locals you also increase your chances of being pickpocketed or robbed.
By blending in, you can keep you and your travel companions safe. A few ideas for blending in include:
- Wear comfortable clothing in classic styles.
- Avoid taking too many pictures.
- Hide your camera in your bag.
- Use a money belt to keep your belongings hidden.
It’s also a good idea to leave what you don’t need locked up in your hotel room. Large overpacked bags are not only uncomfortable to carry, but they can also demonstrate to thieves that you’ve got stuff worth stealing.
5. Be Careful When Using Public Wi-Fi
You have to worry about your physical safety, but you also have to worry about your digital safety when you’re on vacation. It’s normal to want to log into public Wi-Fi while you’re away from home, but it can be very dangerous.
Public Wi-Fi isn’t always very secure, which means third parties can see exactly what you’re doing while you’re checking your bank account or making an important payment.
Public Wi-Fi safety tips include using a VPN and only visiting sites with HTTPS, but being mindful of what you do on a public network is always advisable. Avoid checking financial accounts or sites that require you to enter your personal information.
What are some other travel safe tips to protect you while on vacation?
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