Biggest Mistakes People Make When Planning Trip, From Professional

• I’m a professional trip planner who builds itineraries for solo travelers around the world.
• A lot of people planning their own trips make the same mistakes, like leaving no space for downtime.
• Some stick to the highlight reel and miss out on destinations’ local cultures and communities.

As an adventure designer for Flash Pack, a company that plans trips for solo travelers, I put together cool itineraries for a living.

I pay razor-sharp attention to all of the logistical details that go into planning our clients’ excursions. Although it’s really fun, it can be quite difficult. 

In my experience, here are the biggest mistakes I see travelers make when they plan their own itineraries and trips. 

Limiting themselves by only visiting popular destinations and attractions

It’s amazing how far a little research can go in bringing an extra thrilling twist to your trip. 

I used to lead tours through New Orleans and the French Quarter’s bright lights were always a major draw, but I found local bars in less-touristed neighborhoods with live, world-class jazz music. They just weren’t on the cookie-cutter tourist itineraries so it took a bit of research to find them. 

So, by all means, go to popular spots like Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal, but make an effort to add in a few more unexpected activities, too.