Zero Effort Travel Habits

I asked, and you answered! In a recent newsletter and social media post, I asked you to tell me your favorite “zero effort travel habits” – you know, those little things you always do when traveling that don’t take much time, money, or effort but really make your trip that much better. And, wow, did you guys come through with some good ones! We had more than 2,000 responses so I thought I’d break down the most liked suggestions and the best takeaways I know I will definitely be integrating into my travel routine.

Pre-Trip Prep & Planning

Many of you had some great habits you do ahead of a trip to help make it a great one. First and foremost:

 “Don’t skimp on a hotel. It’s good to have a safe place that’s comfortable AND close to the things you want to do. It’s not worth saving money if you spend your whole trip commuting between places.” 

This can really be worth the extra money if you can swing it. We all want to save money when we travel, but a hotel closer to what you want to do may actually end up saving money and time (factor in cabs or time spent getting back and forth). There is also nothing better than being able to walk from your hotel to a destination. It’s a great chance to take in a new city and find some hidden gems along the way.

“Pinning places I want to visit on Google Maps so if at some point during the day you look at each other and say, ‘now what should we do’ you can just open maps and be like ‘oh there’s this shop nearby, or bakery I saw onIine, etc.” 

Yes Pin away! AND it can be done while still in your pajamas! Pin restaurants, best coffee spots, public restrooms. And remember you can also download maps before your trip just in case you don’t have wifi at your destination.

We had so many different submissions from our newsletter subscribers with ideas of zero effort travel habits, but I have to share one that really had me saying “why didn’t I think of that!” This subscriber commented:

 “I follow the social media accounts of museums and attractions I’m thinking of visiting. I often get news on special exhibits or events.”

Just! Brilliant! What a great way to level up your planning – go out to dinner when a restaurant has their BOGO deal on burgers or plan to visit a museum when they have senior fares or special afternoon cocktail hours.

Hotel Hacks

There were so many zero effort travel habits having to do with your hotel stay that it was hard to narrow them down. But the one that was mentioned the most was staying at a hotel that offers free breakfast.  One Facebook follower commented:

“I look for hotels that include breakfast. With a family of four, having breakfast already figured out makes an easy start to the day.”

I couldn’t agree more.  Staying at a hotel that offers breakfast can save money, time, and stress. And I always grab a banana or a muffin to take with me so I have a quick snack for later. 

Two items that MANY followers said they never travel without – binder clips and battery operated tea lights as a way to shut out or create light.  

“A few extra large binder clips to use in case curtains don’t completely close – has saved me several times when I need a dark room to sleep well! “

We’ve all been there. You think the curtains are closed shut until that 5am beam of sunlight comes in and blinds you as you roll over. Been there, seen that! 

 “I bring a few battery tea lights and put them wherever we may need some light at night. … I even make a path to the bathroom.”

Now battery operated tea lights are a new packing must for me, but I’m sold! I often bring a nightlight to put in the bathroom, especially when I travel with my kids. With a traditional nightlight, you’re tethered to an outlet, which can be hard to come by in a hotel room. However, battery operated tea lights you can put anywhere! They are bright enough to help you in the middle of the night, but not bright enough to disrupt anyone sleeping. Easy to pack and can go literally anywhere.

One newsletter subscriber has a zero effort habit for when they check into their hotel room. They take a few minutes when they first get there to look around and make sure everything is working and that they have everything they need. 

“Check out EVERYTHING in your hotel room before you run out to do things… Make sure you can turn the lights on and off. Make sure your air/heat works. Make sure you can figure [out] how to use the shower and it doesn’t flood. Make sure they gave you more than one set of towels. Check [if] the electrical outlets work.”

Definitely a good idea in case you need to change rooms. And once you unpack that becomes harder to do. 

Destination Do’s

There are a lot of small things you can do once you’re at your destination that require little effort but can really make a trip go more smoothly. Building extra downtime into your schedule while you’re traveling is a great travel habit. One person suggested:

“Leaving one travel day near the end of the trip unplanned. Gives you options for an area not on your travel list.”

while another commented:

“Nothing planned for 1st and last day.”

I agree – I love having a day where I have nothing planned. It’s a great way to do something that was on your list that you didn’t get a chance to do or just wander. 

Another take on this theme: I always tell people I’ll be home the day AFTER I actually arrive home.  A gentle fib about when I’ll be home is the buffer I need for a smoother re-entry.   

Several of you commented with one of my personal favorite zero effort travel habits – taking a walking tour or city bus tour to get the lay of the land on your first day in a new place.

 “If a city has a tour bus that shows all of the major attractions, I always take it the first day so I can get my bearings. Also, if I don’t get to see all of my desired sites by the end of my vacation, I don’t feel bad because I probably saw it on the tour bus.” 

Someone also pointed out that:

“I love taking a city bus tour to get a little history, a little info, and a general overview of different neighborhoods to see where I might want to spend more time while I’m there! I also always ask the tour guide/driver for their favorite spots to check out on my own and also what to avoid!”

It may seem a little touristy or cheesy to do, but I love a hop on/hop off bus. It’s a great way to see a new place while getting a little rest after a long day of travel.

Finally, something I never remember to do, grab a business card from the front desk of the hotel you’re staying at:

“Grab the business card of the hotel you’re staying at when you check in. For a taxi driver when you’ve forgotten where you were staying.” 

If you’re in a foreign city where you don’t speak the language, it’s an effective way to communicate with drivers where you need to go. It’s also great to have a business card on you so YOU know the address and phone number of your hotel.  Such a simple thing most of us don’t think to do!

Home Sweet Home

Nothing can ruin the bliss of a fabulous vacation more than coming home to chaos and stress! But not to worry, you suggested travel habits to help with that too. One newsletter subscriber suggested adding some downtime after you get home: 

“I give myself 1 free day between returning home and my next day of work. It lets me get groceries, do laundry and reset a bit.” 

What a great way to preserve that vacation state of mind and ease back into reality. Don’t have extra time to take off after your trip? Follow this Instagram follower and plan a grocery delivery for the day you get back: 

“I order groceries delivered for the day after I get home. One less thing to deal with when I’m tired from travel and trying to get back to ‘regular’ life.”  

Do all your shopping ahead of time on your grocery store’s app [or a food delivery app] before you leave. Set up delivery for a few hours after you arrive home – or arrange for an in-store pick up if you’re worried about flight delays. Then at least there’s one problem solved for the work week ahead. Now if only they could do your laundry too!

Speaking of laundry, many of you really invest time to get your house ready for your return. There were plenty of comments detailing everything you do before you leave for your trip so you return home to a clean house. Some clean the bathrooms or vacuum. Others change all the sheets and make sure the laundry is done. As this person suggests,

“Clean the house before you leave, walk back in with comfort and relief at the end of your trip.”

Some others clean out the fridge so there’s no rotten food or gross science experiment waiting for you. And some make sure there’s some food in the pantry or freezer so that there’s something to eat that night and the next morning: 

“Make sure there is a favorite dinner in your freezer and plenty of coffee in the cupboard for that first day back home.” 

While these habits aren’t zero effort, they are zero cost, and that pre-trip effort is always appreciated when you arrive home to a clean house.

One of the things I love most about the travel community we’re building here is the great ideas we get to share with one another. I am a certain type of traveler who’s picked up certain travel habits that work for me. I love sharing those with you. But even more, I love hearing what works best for the type of traveler you are. I know there are quite a few of your travel habits that I will be adopting for my next trip and I hope they make your future travels smooth sailing!