Choosing the Best Vacation

With so many options out there, planning that perfect vacation can make your head spin. I'm here to offer tips from my own real-life travel planning experiences.

Determine your vacation type. Is it a family trip, a guys or gals weekend, adventure or a romantic couples getaway? Once you have this down, the rest will fall into place.

Set your budget and stick to it. Now depending on whether you choose an all-inclusive or a non-inclusive will have a huge impact on your budget. If you are not choosing an all-inclusive or package deal, you may have to allot for these items: lodging, airfare, daily meals, rental car, excursions/activities.

Location, location, location! Once you've set your budget decide on your ideal locale. Winter wonderland, Caribbean paradise, wine tasting in the country. When choosing a location take into consideration what that location has to offer: the weather, travel time to destination, safety, types of activities (nightlife, restaurants, daytime activities, etc.) and costs (meals, activities, transportation, etc.).

So you've figured out all of the above, now where will you sleep? I will narrow it down to 2 simple choices: Resorts and hotels (camping will be in another segment). Both of these options come in all shapes and sizes. Resorts usually give you a lot to do without having to leave the resort if you don't want to do. Hotels usually serve as a "home-base" to explore the rest of the area.

Resorts: best suited if you are traveling to a location that may not be safe to explore on your own, but is still beautiful or that may not be in an area with much to do in way of exploring. In this case not only may you want to choose a resort, you may want to choose an all-inclusive. With all-inclusives you don't have to worry about budgeting your meals, drinks and certain activities (be sure to find out what's NOT included before you go). Put your money away and enjoy.

Hotels: if you're in the middle of a bevy of activities and it's safe to travel around, then this would be your best option. This is for those who just need a place to "call home". An in-house restaurant is always helpful for that quick breakfast in the morning before you set out for your day.

These aren't the only things to consider, but in my travel experience they always seem to be the most important. Remember to RESEARCH. Visit sites like Trip Advisor and the comment sections on sites such as Hotels.com, Expedia and Travelocity. This isn't an exact science, but definitely a starting point. Good luck and happy vacationing!