So you’re itching to travel and you’re ready to plan your next trip?  But where to start?  

Lets get started with the 6 steps I take when choosing my next travel destination.  For me I’ve got so many places I want to go that it’s sometimes hard to narrow it down.  I’ve found over time that using these steps really helps me focus in on what’s the next place for me.  You may find that these steps overlap in making your decision.  This is fine because they are not in a specific order.  You may decide what order based on which question is more of a priority to you.  For example, is is time of year, is it budget, is it who you are traveling with, etc.  

Step 1:  When are you traveling?  

The first thing I think about is when I’ll be traveling..especially since I base my travel on the seasons and what might be happening at that time.  Sometimes this could be that my traveling is tied onto a work trip or an event which narrows it down easily.  Something to think about is what the weather be like.  Are you a warm weather person or cold weather person?  Do you love the summer, or spring.  Or if you are like me, I love them all.  Because I’ve always lived in warm weather climates and live in the desert now, I’ve typically chosen places that were completely opposite. I’ve visited Seattle and Boston in the fall and Iceland in the winter.  So, decide which one you’d like to see next or what season is coming up next.  Now that you’ve determined what season you’ll be traveling during, let’s move on to the next step. 

Step 2:  How long are you staying?  

Is this going to be a day trip, a long weekend or full on week to 10 days or longer. When thinking about this, also think about travel time.  Depending on where you live, this could have a major impact on where you choose to go.  If you have limited time, look and see how long it will take to drive or fly and what is the time change going to and from.  

Step 3:  Who are you going with?  

Is this a solo trip, a trip with a significant other or a trip with friends.  Each of those options can help determine the destination, especially if it’s a large group of people going on the trip.  Think about what you like to and what others like to do and do those mesh as similar interests.  Think of the destination and who you see being on that trip with you.  I enjoy day trips up north by myself and I’m comfortable with that when I just want to get away and do my own thing.  Chris and I take trips together and we’ve figured out how to mesh doing a little of what we both like and how to do things separately do if we choose.  I’ve also taken a trip with a large group of women and it can be challenging to compromise on what everyone wants to see or do and when, especially if you are sharing rental cars.   

Step 4:  How much do you want to spend?  

Budget can be a key factor for most people.  And by budget, I don’t just mean the least amount.  It means, how much you have set aside to spend on a trip and where and how can you best use that amount for your trip.  For some people they would prefer a short trip to a luxury destination, for others that same amount could be spent on a two week road trip.  What can you do on the budget you have set aside to travel with?  

Step 5:  What activities do you like to do?  

Do you prefer hiking, biking and other outdoor activities in the mountains? Or is your idea of a perfect vacation, laying on the beach or beside a resort pool, or hiking on glacier or visiting and ice cave?  If you aren’t sure, you can start Googling “Best places for hiking or best beaches etc…”.  I know it sounds simple but Google can be your best friend when researching.   You can also Google specific locations and you will usually find online guides about what activities that location is known for.   

Step 6:  How are you getting there and how are you getting around once you get there?  

Depending on where you are thinking about going, you’ll need to think about transportation.  Are you flying and renting a car to get around?  Is there public transportation?  Are you road tripping?  Will the weather impact driving conditions and are you comfortable driving in that.  When we were in Iceland, the roads were covered with snow and ice and luckily several of the women had driven in winter conditions like that before.  If you are flying, what airlines fly there, what times of day do flights leave, how does this fit into your budget.  Sometimes it’s just as cheap to fly as it is to do a long drive when flight prices are low.  

Now that you’ve started to come up with ideas of where you’d like to go,  let’s move on to What to Pack for Your Trip.  

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The Grand Canyon, a Winter Destination.

 When we first moved to central Arizona from southeast Texas in 1994, over the following 8 months my brother and I would tag along with my parents and whichever family and friends were in town and wanted to visit the Grand Canyon …including an Easter Sunrise at the Grand Canyon after my parents picked me up during my semester at Northern Arizona University.    After about the 7th trip, my brother and I both said NO more.  I was 18 and he was 15 and we had enough of the Grand Canyon to last us a lifetime.

So I didn’t visit the Grand Canyon again until July 2013 with my sister and her family when they were in town for my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary.   Chris and I also went back in summer 2015 for monsoon season, which was amazing and you can see photos of that trip here, and then again we visited last winter.  

A part of wanting to go back in the winter was to give my winter gear a test run.  I wanted a chance to check out some of my winter gear and see how I would do before heading on my first winter trip and first European trip, in March, to Iceland.  Turns out, the Grand Canyon was colder than Iceland at the time I went so it was a good trial run.  It was about as windy as Iceland when you got anywhere near the canyon.   

Some of my top reasons to visit the Grand Canyon in the winter:

1. One of the best things about winter at the Grand Canyon is the lack of tourists.  In the summer you will be packed elbow to elbow.  Sometimes that is unavoidable at a National Park but visiting in the winter, will really allow you to take  in the size and space of how large the Grand Canyon really is.    
2. Lodging at the Grand Canyon is cheaper in the winter and more readily available.  We have stayed both inside the park and outside of the park.  It is much more enjoyable staying in the park and near the rim.  Staying in the lodges inside the park to cuts down on the time spent driving to the canyon.   
3. As a photographer, or just an outdoor lover, another awesome thing about winter at the Grand Canyon is the lighting.  It’s absolutely beautiful! And with sunrise being later during the winter, and sunset being earlier, you have that lighting for a good portion of the morning and afternoon.  It’s a softer light that makes the walls of the canyon glow and if you are lucky enough to be there with snow, it makes the Grand Canyon look like a an absolute winter wonderland.  

A few key tips for visiting in the Winter:

1. Be prepared for the wind.  The wind on the edge of the canyon can be brutal if you aren’t dressed for it.  Do your research and look up the weather before your trip and keep an eye on it as it gets closer.  I usually plan for it to be 10-15 degrees cooler on the actual rim and expect the wind chill to be colder.  Take clothing and gear planning for it to be colder.  I recommend this jacket that is wind resistant.  With the windchill being 14, we also ended up using face masks and thermals and a fleece vest and we were so glad that we did.
2. Be prepared for ice.  If it has snowed, they do clear the walkways and roads but still expect icy patches.  Take shoes or boots with treads on the bottom and walk with small steps to help prevent slipping.  If you can, I recommend traction devices for your shoes.  It makes a huge difference.  Especially for me when I don’t want to worry about slipping and dropping my camera. 
3.   Know that the winter weather will impact electronic devices.  Camera and phone batteries die much faster in colder weather.  Carry extra batteries for you camera and carry a battery pack to recharge your phone.  I also always take heat packs for your hands and held one under the bottom of the camera where the battery was to keep the camera warmer and also kept them in my gloves on the palms of my hands.  

Have you been to the Grand Canyon in the winter?  What did you love about it?

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Fall in the Pacific Northwest.  Subtle but beautiful.

Exploring outside of Seattle 

I had a day to do some exploring when we were in Seattle in October and I just took off driving and let the road lead me away from the city.  Once you get out of the Seattle area, you start to hit winding roads and rolling green hills  that start to hint of the farm land to come.  I stopped a couple of places along the way for some short hikes among the trees that were just starting to turn a rich warm red color.  

I was hoping to stumble upon more fall colors I drove further out  and I sure did when I came to an area that had several tree farms.  I really felt like I had stepped into another time and place compared to Arizona.  The farm had trees, flowers and veggies growing.  There was a school group picking out their pumpkins nearby and other groups playing fall games at the farm.  There were large bins of all different colors of pumpkins and gourds.  I was totally trying to rationalize buying a pumpkin for the weekend I was there.  As I walked and then drove around the farm, the color and light was just stunning.  One of the best things about a cloudy day is that is really brings out a beautiful filtered light shining down and softens whatever you are taking photos of.  The rain also makes colors really vibrant for photos.  Luckily for me it rained off and on throughout the day.  

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