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What are some good vacation/traveling hacks?
Posted on 7/1/19 at 4:43 am
Posted on 7/1/19 at 4:43 am
List some great hacks you do while traveling, either driving or flying.
I will start it off with one I learn here on the travel board and came in handy during my Route 66 road trip a couple years ago:
If you gotta take a dump, instead of a nasty gas station (unless it’s Buc-ee’s), go to a hotel lobby bathroom. It always clean.
Another good one if you are kind of roughing it cross country, get a “No Contract”, $10 a month membership to Planet Fitness. Use it for showers.
What do you have?
I will start it off with one I learn here on the travel board and came in handy during my Route 66 road trip a couple years ago:
If you gotta take a dump, instead of a nasty gas station (unless it’s Buc-ee’s), go to a hotel lobby bathroom. It always clean.
Another good one if you are kind of roughing it cross country, get a “No Contract”, $10 a month membership to Planet Fitness. Use it for showers.
What do you have?
Posted on 7/1/19 at 6:04 am to theantiquetiger
Freeze your drinking water bottles in the motel fridge freezer to use as ice in your cooler the next day. No need to buy ice, keeps your lunch cold, and leaves more room for food in cooler.
Pack pjs that double as workout gear or street clothes to minimize packing.
Pack pjs that double as workout gear or street clothes to minimize packing.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 6:10 am to theantiquetiger
Be sure to take into account rush-hour traffic.
Sez I, who was once stuck in Los Angeles traffic with a manual transmission.
Sez I, who was once stuck in Los Angeles traffic with a manual transmission.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 10:25 am to theantiquetiger
I travel frequently for work.
I have a separate toiletry kit that stays in my suitcase. Don't have to worry about forgetting something for each trip. Same for laptop and phone/ipad chargers. I keep a travel set in my briefcase.
In my trunk I keep a spare pair of loafers, socks, underwear, undershirt and a set of casual clothes. Since toiletries and chargers are always covered (see above), these are the only things I could mistakenly forget.
I second using hotel lobby bathrooms when in a pinch. Also if there's a publix nearby, that's another good bathroom option.
I also keep a case of bottled water in my trunk. Some hotels provide water, some don't, some charge.
Hilton's digital check-in and mobile key is awesome. You can select your hotel room from a floor plan of the hotel, check-in on your phone, and use your phone as your room key. No interaction with front desk necessary. After a long day of traveling, being able to go directly to your room without having to stop at the front desk is awesome. Marriott is supposedly working on a similar feature.
I have a separate toiletry kit that stays in my suitcase. Don't have to worry about forgetting something for each trip. Same for laptop and phone/ipad chargers. I keep a travel set in my briefcase.
In my trunk I keep a spare pair of loafers, socks, underwear, undershirt and a set of casual clothes. Since toiletries and chargers are always covered (see above), these are the only things I could mistakenly forget.
I second using hotel lobby bathrooms when in a pinch. Also if there's a publix nearby, that's another good bathroom option.
I also keep a case of bottled water in my trunk. Some hotels provide water, some don't, some charge.
Hilton's digital check-in and mobile key is awesome. You can select your hotel room from a floor plan of the hotel, check-in on your phone, and use your phone as your room key. No interaction with front desk necessary. After a long day of traveling, being able to go directly to your room without having to stop at the front desk is awesome. Marriott is supposedly working on a similar feature.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 12:11 pm to hungryone
quote:
Freeze your drinking water bottles in the motel fridge freezer to use as ice in your cooler the next day. No need to buy ice, keeps your lunch cold, and leaves more room for food in cooler.
Make sure you pour out a couple inches or the bottle will bust
Posted on 7/1/19 at 1:11 pm to Costanza
Marriott does it now via their Bonvoy app, I use it every day here in Calgary.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 1:45 pm to theantiquetiger
I was skeptical about them, but the wife converted me to using those packing cubes. So easy to unpack when you get to your destination and have everything organized. Also maximizes space in the suitcase.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 2:14 pm to The Spleen
quote:
I was skeptical about them, but the wife converted me to using those packing cubes.
I'm a packing cube fan as well. They also make it easier to keep track of what's clean & what's dirty. You can decide at a glance whether you need to do laundry. It also keeps your suitcase tidy if you get pulled for a random search by TSA.
Posted on 7/1/19 at 7:00 pm to hungryone
I have a dozen or so vacuum bags. They don’t need a vacuum cleaner to vacuum them, you just seal them and roll them up. They have a one way valve. After you roll them up, you unroll them and they lay flat. They are perfect size for an entire outfit for a day. Use one bag per day. Each of my bags contain underwear, shirt, pants/shorts, socks, and T-shirt.
This is 9 outfits, vacuumed, shirt, shorts, socks, underwear, and T-shirt in each
This is 9 outfits, vacuumed, shirt, shorts, socks, underwear, and T-shirt in each
This post was edited on 7/1/19 at 8:45 pm
Posted on 7/2/19 at 8:05 pm to theantiquetiger
Thought of another one today:
This seems obvious, and it's a muscle memory for me, but adding hotel stays to my iphone/pad calendar straight from the confirmation email is very helpful. Hotel phone number, address, and reservation confirmation number are all conveniently in my calendar. Don't know how to get there? Click the address in my calendar and it automatically pops over into apple maps and I'm on my way.
This seems obvious, and it's a muscle memory for me, but adding hotel stays to my iphone/pad calendar straight from the confirmation email is very helpful. Hotel phone number, address, and reservation confirmation number are all conveniently in my calendar. Don't know how to get there? Click the address in my calendar and it automatically pops over into apple maps and I'm on my way.
Posted on 7/2/19 at 10:20 pm to Costanza
If you’re at a hotel that doesn’t offer free water, stop by the gym to pick up free water or fill up your own water bottle. Screw paying $10 for a bottle of water.
Posted on 7/2/19 at 11:07 pm to cptigger
I’ll add, swinging by the hotel bar for a couple of to go ice waters also works to get you through the night
This post was edited on 7/2/19 at 11:08 pm
Posted on 7/3/19 at 12:05 am to theantiquetiger
I’m a hairy guy. I do my trimming/manscaping in hotel bathrooms so I don’t have to clean my home bathroom. Sorry, Consuela.
Downside: Packing beard trimmer, clippers, and electric razor together = TSA bag inspection flyer every time.
Downside: Packing beard trimmer, clippers, and electric razor together = TSA bag inspection flyer every time.
Posted on 7/3/19 at 1:00 am to theantiquetiger
Packing cubes. They really do consolidate and organize your luggage
Posted on 7/3/19 at 8:51 am to theantiquetiger
Only bring neutral clothes that match everything on longer trips. Don't bring your red jeans or your striped slacks. Blue jeans, Khaki's, gray slacks, etc. Then bring something like a light gray or white sweater and a bunch of shirts that match both of the above. With 2 polo shirts of neutral colors, a sweater, and a pair of jeans I can have 5 different options.
Shoes are the same for the above.
My favorite pants to wear are golf pants/ slacks. They are made to stretch and be somewhat "athletic" in. Dry quickly, very light, and look good enough to wear to dinner.
Shoes are the same for the above.
My favorite pants to wear are golf pants/ slacks. They are made to stretch and be somewhat "athletic" in. Dry quickly, very light, and look good enough to wear to dinner.
This post was edited on 7/3/19 at 8:53 am
Posted on 7/3/19 at 10:34 am to theantiquetiger
Sancho's Golden Rule of Travel:
Bring Twice as much gold (money) as you think you'll need; & half as many clothes...
Bring Twice as much gold (money) as you think you'll need; & half as many clothes...
Posted on 7/3/19 at 10:46 am to theantiquetiger
only things I do that haven't been mentioned is 1)tagging bags as fragile and 2) keep the pillow case inside out until I get to sleep destination.
Posted on 7/3/19 at 12:15 pm to theantiquetiger
Not really hacks, but how I go about travel:
Book flights early preferably with SW who doesn’t have cancellation/change fees
Always book the room late (1-2 weeks out) - negotiate that rate.
Be nimble on your destination if you can
Book flights early preferably with SW who doesn’t have cancellation/change fees
Always book the room late (1-2 weeks out) - negotiate that rate.
Be nimble on your destination if you can
Posted on 7/3/19 at 1:39 pm to hungryone
quote:
Freeze your drinking water bottles in the motel fridge freezer to use as ice in your cooler the next day. No need to buy ice, keeps your lunch cold, and leaves more room for food in cooler.
Piggy backing on this:
Most hotels DO have ice machines where you can get free ice, as much as you want.
An iced water bottle DOES prevent all that melted ice, but on the other hand doesn't spread the cold as equally and quickly as the cubed loose ice from the machine.
When we're on fly-then-drive trips with rental cars (we see a lot of National Parks that way) I always pack a tote bag style soft cooler in my suitcase to use in the car.
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