Six travel resolutions to make and keep in 2015
Before making vacation plans for 2015, stop and think about what you can change to make your trips even more enjoyable. This year, resolve to travel light, earn more rewards, and be sure to be a little bit spontaneous.
A flamingo walks along the beach on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. For 2015, make some travel resolutions and stick to them to make traveling a better experience each time you visit a new region.
AP Photo/Todd Vansickle/File
As we begin 2015, frequent travelers sit down and reflect on the travels that they had during the past year and they start thinking about what they want to do in the new year.
2014 was a great year for my family. We spent a week on a beach in Belize and three weeks traveling around South Korea and Japan. Even though we had a lot of fun and got to see a lot of new places we still have a lot on our must-see list. We also made a few travel mistakes that we want to correct.
Below are a few of my travel resolutions for 2015. I am not a betting man, but I would guess that some of these might be some of the same resolutions that you have as well.
Earn more credit card rewards
Over the past several years I have become addicted to travel hacking. Being able to travel the world with just points and miles is exhilarating and much more rewarding to me than actually buying a plane ticket or hotel room.
In 2015 I am planning on taking my travel hacking to an entirely new level. My wife and I have been planning to buy a new home for the past year and we are hoping to finally have that taken care of in the next few months. That means that I will be able to start applying for new credit cards and taking advantage of lucrative credit card sign-up bonuses again.
The Hawaiian Airlines card currently has a promotional bonus of 35,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first three months
Three of the cards that are on my must-have list are the Hyatt Visa card, Hawaiian Airlines card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card. The Hyatt card will give me two free nights at any Hyatt hotel worldwide after I spend $1,000 in the first three months. The Hawaiian Airlines card will give me 35,000 miles after I spend another $1,000 in the first three months. Lastly I will receive 40,000 Chase Ultimate Reward points with that Chase Sapphire Preferred card after I spend $4,000 in three months.
Travel lighter
Having a two year old, there are certain things that we can’t leave at home. My wife and I, on the other hand can stand to leave a few outfits and gadgets at home during our travels. Not only will it take a lot less time for us to get packed and ready to go, but it will also allow us to travel with much less of a hassle. You’d be surprised how hard it can be to carry three suitcases, duffle bag, backpack, diaper bag and car seat through a new city.
Take at least one vacation that de-stresses
There are times that traveling with a toddler can end up making you need a vacation from your vacation. This year my wife and I are planning to take at least one short weekend vacation where we just focus on ourselves. We both work extremely hard and need some time to be able to unwind and refocus our lives.
Take amazing photos
I will be the first person to admit that I am not the most creative person when it comes to taking photographs on vacation. I have always left that to my wife. This year I plan to change that. I will become more creative in the ways that I document the new places that we explore. By doing this I will give my family everlasting memories.
Be spontaneous
One of the best vacations I ever took was when my wife and I spent a month backpacking through Europe. When I booked the trip I booked airline tickets into Munich, Germany and home from Lisbon, Portugal. Everything else was left open. We did the entire trip without having any type of agenda. It was one of the most relaxing trips that we have ever taken. If we couldn't get a train to one city then we would just book to another.
Stop being Mr. Do-It-All
I am very much a type A person. I find myself always wanting to take control when it comes to planning our next vacation. Whether it’s airline reservations or hotels that we are going to stay at, I always find myself taking care of things. This year I am going to let my wife plan one of our trips from start to finish.
Before you start making your vacation plans for 2015, stop and think about what you can change to make your trips even more enjoyable. What kind of travel resolutions are you planning to make for the new year?