When an event planner...

creates a travel itinerary

Google Docs

My personal favorite tool. 

• Can be accessed anywhere, across multiple devices.  I make most notes at home on my computer.  But then I'll be at work and a coworker offers a suggestion, I can just pull up google docs.  While I'm on my trip, I save a copy to my phone's hard drive, I print a copy and I have the app so I can access links or make changes.  

• It's also shareable if you're travelling with people.  

 

Tripit

A pretty fantastic tool!  It's so automated, it pulls confirmations from your inboxes, sends you reminders and keeps all your confirmations in one place!  Plus it supplies maps to your locations.  

 

 

 

I'm going to write this article like you're using Google Docs, because honestly, thats what I recommend.  Tripit is great, and I use it as well.  But mostly to organize my confirmations.  I use Google Docs for everything else.  Here are the steps

 

1.  Create a travel folder.  I actually have mine organized as travel and holidays, because

sometimes those are one in the same.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Create a document with the title of your trip

3.  Start by filling in dates and the basics, here's a glimps of my Italy trip itinerary

4.  Then, copy and paste this exact itinerary right below it.  Change the word "basic" to "In

Depth".  So on your page you'll have a basic itinerary and an in depth.  The in depth part is where you'll start filling in details as you plan them.  I like to keep the basic, just that, basic.  As an overview of days, dates and where we'll be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Next I create a few more sections

1. Pre-trip or days leading

2. To do list

3. Tips

4. Figure out

5. Misc

6. Packing List

 

The pre-trip is anything I need to do prior, and I mean anything. 

• Create a jet-lag plan

• confirm reservations

• laundry

• pack

• call credit card company (so they don't suspect suspicious activity and put a hold on your card!)

• create luggage tags

 

The to do list is sort of the dreams list, or the must see list, or the mind dump list.  With Italy, things I included were eat gelato, wine tasting tour, gondola ride, collosseum.  This is the start of the reserach plan.  First you just need to get everything you know you want to do out of your head.  Then you can move on to researching how to ride a gondola.  Where the best gelato is, etc.  As you research and plan, this list could evolve into a to do list while you're there.  As in items that don't necessarily fit into your itinerary.  For example, you will probably book a wine tour a head of time, or a collosseum tour.  But you can't make a reservation for a gelato place.  so when you book the tour, remove it from your to do list and add it to your itinerary.  But things like eat gelato can stay on your to do list, for a reminder.  I'd hate to leave Rome without trying gelato, simply because we got busy and forgot!  

 

Tips are any tidbits of info you've seen, heard or read about.  

• For example, public water in Italy is perfectly safe to drink.

• Types of wines

 

Figure out is another sort of "mind dump" area.  Also like your to do list.  Especially when travelling internationally, there are lots of things you need to well, figure out.  Often I'll be reading a blog or a travel guide and they'll mention money, and I think, oh shoot, I need to figure out how that works!  But I'm reading and enjoying the article, so I don't want to go do immediate research, so it goes under figure out.  Examples are

• money, cash and atms

• how medical insurance works

• a cell plan

• driving requirements

 

Misc is well, anything else?  Usually this includes a lot of links of articles, advice I've read, etc

 

Packing list, I start this way early.  Here's why.  My husband gets sea sick.  When researching our trip to Italy, I decided I wanted to visit one of the Islands off of Tuscany.  I found out how it works, where we'll pick up the boat and immediately added Dramamine to our packing list.  Or I was reading an article about how much wine you can come home with and it occured to me, we may want some bubble bags to protect the wine and our clothes from breaking!  So on to the packing list that went.  

 

6.  Fill in details as you book them, include links to confirmations, notes about what to

look for or what to ask, or anything else you may think would be helpful when you're on your trip.  More info is better!

 

7.  Right before your trip, review itinerary.  Check and confirm everything.  Usually you

have written your itinerary over the course of weeks or months, so reviewing everything will refresh your memory.  Edit or fill in any final details.  

 

If you would like to see our actual itinerary for our Italy trip in March of 2016 click here!