Booking Travel Well Ahead

I’ve learned how important it is to research where you’re going and how far in advance you should book things. Most of this was learned when I planned my month-long stay in Montana over the summer.

I started looking at Airbnbs around January and was surprised that a lot were booked up! My home base for the month was in Missoula. I was lucky and found the absolute most perfect place to stay, but now I know to start looking as early as my trip is booked. I booked my flight in March because I wanted to see if prices went down, thinking that was plenty of time to get a flight for a July trip. It was, but the prices didn’t change.

Next was venturing out of Missoula. I had weekends planned in Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. It was probably March or April when I started looking into those. I found a hotel in Gardiner just outside of Yellowstone without much of an issue, but I had to look into a couple of different group hikes since the one that stood out was booked already. Well, shoot! If that was the case with Yellowstone, then I had better jump on Glacier National Park.

I decided on two nights in Glacier. I was able to book a hotel just outside of the park on the West side, so I didn’t think much of the rush to get things ready to go there. I joined a Facebook group for the park and I am SO SO glad I did. I was already on a waitlist for the things I wanted to do in the park, but it was lodging that was surprising to me. People book the lodging that’s inside the park the moment it becomes available the year before. Yes, one year before they want to go, they sit on their computers, ready to book as soon as the day opens up. I had no idea that was the case, but I hadn’t planned to stay in the park anyways, thinking it would be expensive.

With all of the pictures and talk of adventures in the park, I realized I should spend two nights on the east side, as well. There were a couple of lodges in the Many Glacier area, however, they were of course booked. I found a hotel just outside of the park with rooms available, though it was about a half hour drive from the park entrance.

Someone mentioned in the Facebook group that cancellations happen a lot the nearer your trips get and to consistently check the lodging website, Xanterra. So that’s what I started to do. Everyday I checked to see what had opened and some consistently did, but not on the dates I needed nor on the side of the park I wanted. One day, though, low and behold, two nights opened up at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn! One of two lodges in the Many Glacier area. I was able to get a cabin there that had cold water and no bathroom, but I didn’t care, I was in the park! The bathroom wasn’t a far walk, though I was warned to even take my bear spray with me for that short way, as Many Glacier area was a big bear spot. Tip- Always have bear spray with you, even to go to the bathroom!

I absolutely loved the cabin and would stay there again in a heartbeat. I got lucky and had easy access to beautiful trails.

I could go on and on about my trip to Glacier National Park, but that’s not the point of this entry. A few things I learned the below for trips going forward:

1. Book what you can the moment you know you’re going somewhere.

   1. I’m going to Prague and Vienna next September and just booked my flights and Airbnb even though it’s 10 months away. Not surprisingly, a few Airbnbs I liked were already snatched up on my dates.

2. Join a Facebook group, or some sort of group that has great tips. I can’t tell you how thankful I am for the group I was in. I’m actually still in it to see other peoples pictures and adventures.

3. Research what you need to bring or know, there’s always something you don’t even realize. Like:

   1. Some parks require advanced vehicle registration (this is not the same thing as a park pass) and if you do not have one, you cannot get into the park with your car. Definitely look at park websites before going.

   2. Many parks are not pet friendly for most of, if not the entire park. Make sure you’re aware of whether or not you can bring your furbaby with you.

   3. Airlines can randomly change your flight times! Annoying, but make sure to check your layovers and if they have changed drastically.

4. Have a backup plan- the hotel I was staying at in Yellowstone was unfortunately in an area greatly affected by the flooding that happened in June so I had to scramble to find a different place to stay. Not something you would think to have a backup plan for, but nonetheless, it was a learning moment. Everything worked out and I had an amazing time, though.

While some trips require a massive amount of planning, I also know that some don’t, I’m a fan of downtime where I can enjoy things not planned! I do always look ahead though, even for the smallest trips, just to see if anything stands out to me as a must see. But sitting in a coffee shop or a park just enjoying the view is excellent, as well.

Next up- Costa Rica! I took a break from big planning and splurged on an all-inclusive lodge in the jungle! I just have to get myself there. It did involve a little planning. I have to take a plane to a smaller plane (an overnight between the two), to a car, and to a boat to get there. But- this is a vacation for another time.

Thanks for reading everyone! If you'd like to see some of my trip must haves, check out the Amazon links I provided on my Linktree page.

Any tips to add?