Planning a short break is the sort of thing that people leave right up until the last minute. One of the many reasons for this is that because you’re going away for a shorter time than a summer holiday, you assume that it’ll be a simpler task. This, however, isn’t always the case – there are many things to factor in to ensure you have as good a time as possible. Not planning properly can leave you stranded somewhere you don’t want to be, doing things you didn’t imagine doing. We’ve compiled a guide of things to consider before booking your trip.
One of the most crucial things to think about is the travel. How are you going to get to where you’re going? This is also something to consider when choosing your destination. If you’re travelling by car things are much easier and often cheaper, but this can depend entirely on things like distance and parking costs. Consider that you might not be able to park easily when you arrive. If you’re travelling by public transport, it’s best to book in advance so as not to be disappointed when you get to the train station and realise there are no tickets. The long and short of it is that you should get clued-up long before you go.
Where do you want to stay? The question is, unfortunately, nowhere near as simple as that. Where you want to stay depends largely on the type of break you’re going on, the length of time you’re staying and of course your budget. If you’re going on an adventure break you might want to stay somewhere less luxurious, but on the other hand if you’re planning on spending the weekend at a spa, a 5 star hotel fits just right. Assess the options in the location you’ve picked and check out reviews of your selected hotels to make sure you’re getting the best deal and that you’ve picked the right type of accommodation. Speaking of budgets there are some really great ideas for cheap UK weekend breaks up on the Visit Wales website that give you a great insight into what to expect.
Whatever type of break you want to go on you should always put the location first. Of course, this largely depends on where what you want to do can be found. The best way to do this is reverse-engineer the process. Say for example you wanted to go rock climbing, there no sense in looking for good hotels in the city before you’ve found out whether rock climbing is available in the area. Make sure you check out the local amenities too – There’s something to be said for little village cottages, but if you’re in the middle nowhere and you enjoy eating out in the evening, you’re likely to be disappointed.
