Travel Europe Vacation Checklist

Travel to Europe may be a duty visit to look up family connections, a combined business and family trip or the realization of a cherished dream. Sidestep the stress and enhance the enjoyment of your vacation by using our travel checklist when forward planning.

Visa questions? Vaccination queries? Give yourself time to research then solve the problems in advance.

Half the joy of travel lies in the anticipation and excitement beforehand. Involve the whole family in planning ahead and you’ll more than double the chance of a stress-free journey and a holiday to remember for all the right reasons.

Vacation checklist:

Six months ahead:

• Check that all family passports are valid and up to date for the trip. Remember that some countries insist on a passport with several months still to run after the proposed end of your trip.
   
• Remember that some countries may need special visas or only allow so many days visit in the year. Check the regulations on the appropriate embassy website.
   
• Check out necessary or recommended vaccinations for your particular destination. Give yourself time to contact the family doctor and arrange appointments.
   
• Be aware that some vaccinations may carry as great a health risk as the problem they are intended to combat. Explore all the options.

Three months ahead:

• Check your travel options, ticket availability and prices. On cut-price airlines, the cheap fares are usually available from the announcement of the flight. When these seats are sold, the tickets become dearer and dearer still as the flight date approaches. Sometimes you can be lucky with last minute booking but don’t count on it.
   
• Remember that shopping through the Internet takes time and patience. Shopping through a recognized travel agency can also provide bargain prices as agencies have access to block bookings on favorable terms.
   
• Check out normal weather patterns and temperatures for the time of year when you intend to travel. Then check out the sales to buy any new clothes for self and family, any pharmaceuticals you may need for the journey and on holiday.
   
• Read everything you can lay your hands on about where you are going–-not just the guidebook stuff but also local blogs or internet websites where you can ask about what people like and dislike about their own country and more importantly its tourists so that you don’t stand on local toes wherever you go.

Be very sure that your destination provides enough variety to give everyone in the family their ideal holiday. Better to change your mind at this stage than spend money on a trip that no one really enjoys.

Useful links for government advice on visas and travel reports:

From the United States, the US Department of State gives info about visa and entry requirements when traveling from US to Europe on holiday. Click the letter of the alphabet corresponding to the initial letter of the country you are visiting. England, Scotland, Wales, N Ireland come under U.  Ireland comes under I rather than E for Eire.

Through Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
you will find excellent country travel reports from the Canadian consular affairs site. Easy to read and useful for checking before deciding on your destination.

The UK government also has a useful informational section.  This is specifically for guidance for working holidaymakers to the UK. The menu on this page lists links for other categories too e.g. students, au pairs. This could be interesting if you have a teenager in the family looking for independent extended travel opportunities.

Health Advice

CDC: Traveler’s Health for travel in Western Europe

CDC: Traveler’s Health for travel in Eastern Europe

You can also find special advice and recommendations for traveling with children in the menu list on the right hand side of these web pages.

Remember: We are here to help you find the answers to all your Travel Europe vacation queries. Contact us about anything you want to know to make your trip a source of happy family memories and a resounding success.

~Anne Duguid

Anne Duguid, a Scottish freelance lecturer and writer, loves traveling in Europe. A true believer in budget travel as the best way to learn about a country, its people and its culture, she's looking forward to finding you that dream holiday in Europe. Join her on the European Travel Forum.