Well-Seasoned Travelers Are Sharing Their Best Travel Hacks, And I've Never Felt More Prepared For My Next Big Trip

CamilaTravel2025-07-074660

If you think about it, traveling is an art. From finding the perfect destination to creating an itinerary complete with flights and hotel accommodations, there are so many moving parts when planning a trip. And having pro tips makes all the difference when navigating journeys to new and familiar places. Reddit user HugeDismissal asked, "What is your best travel tip that most people don't know?" Here are the most helpful pieces of advice for anyone who has a serious case of wanderlust:

Michele K. Short / © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Note: Some submissions are from thisReddit threadand thisReddit thread.

1."Bring half the stuff and twice the money."

Francois Duhamel / © Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

—u/TwoAmoebasHugging

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2."Walk three blocks away from the tourist attraction for lunch. Food will be three times better, at a third of the price."

—u/wetback

3."Plan rest days. I cannot stress this enough. If you're someone who wants experiences and to see a lot at once, then a compact trip sounds enticing, but believe me, you need days where you just chill in a hotel room all day, doing nothing."

Courtesy of HBO

—u/ThrowRARAw

4."One of my favorite obscure travel hacks is to use Google Maps offline. Before my trip, I downloaded the maps of the areas I'll be visiting. This way, I can navigate, find attractions, and even search for restaurants without needing an internet connection. It's especially useful in places with spotty Wi-Fi or when I want to save on data usage. Plus, it saves a ton of stress and helps me feel more confident exploring new places."

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—u/Known-Astronomer8660

5."Pack as light as possible! The advantages of traveling with a daypack alone are huge — less waiting, no lost luggage, and you can move freely without enormous hiking backpacks slowing you down. You probably don't need most of the clothing you pack, especially in warmer destinations."

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—u/pygmy

6."Never use the money exchange at an airport. The rates are abominable. Just Google the closest bank or exchange store near you. It normally has much better rates than those at an airport."

—u/[deleted]

7."If you're not sure of the neighborhood you're booking your hotel or rental stay in, go to Google Street View and 'walk around' in the neighborhood. You can see if it looks pleasant, has nearby cafes, local grocery stores, etc."

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—u/ThaneOfCawdorrr

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8."Keep a small toiletry bag in your carry-on luggage. You never know when your checked luggage will disappear."

—u/polywha

9."Let your family back home know your travel itinerary."

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—u/DuckFlat

10."If you're going to fly, drink water before, during, and after your flight."

—u/[deleted]

11."Roll everything, fold nothing."

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—u/ThegatiX

12."When flights get canceled, don't stand in line to talk to an agent. Call the airline."

—u/ebbleBeach1919

13."The best room in a cheaper hotel is often better than a standard room in a more expensive hotel. When looking for luxury on a budget, don't overlook the cheaper hotels — they often have fantastic suites for what you'd pay for a standard room somewhere pricier."

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—u/distantapplause

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14."Always register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program if you're in the US."

—u/quemaspuess

15."Make sure your shower gets hot when you get to your room, not after you come back tired from exploring, and all you want to do is take a hot shower, but it's after midnight and there's no maintenance person around."

Kseniya Ovchinnikova / Getty Images

—u/CoralPilkington

16."If you're staying in place with a kitchen and plan to be cooking a lot, I get one of those Monday through Friday pill organizers, fill them with cooking spices, and put them in my luggage."

—u/cheeeeeeeeeeeeeky

17."Book directly with the hotel. They'll almost always beat the online rates by a few bucks."

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—u/[deleted]

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18."Always carry a sarong with you when traveling. It's an all-in-one lightweight tool. You can use it as clothes, a raincoat, a rope, a bandage, a beach towel/picnic rug, a bag, or a blanket."

—u/PurplePiglett

19."Put an AirTag in your carry-on. Put two AirTags in your checked bag (one in a pocket on the bag, another inside a pocket of clothes or something)."

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—u/diverareyouok

20."Pack a door stop. You never know if you'll have a faulty lock."

—u/itistoocoldonmars

21."ALWAYS carry on anything you can't afford to lose, both monetarily and sentimentally!"

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—u/-lover-of-books-

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22."If you're flying internationally into the US and are a US citizen, do mobile passport if the airport has it. It's an app and takes 30 seconds to do. It’s just as fast as Global Entry. I've passed hundreds of people waiting at passport control."

—u/Inpleinsite

23."While you're standing in the security line, take the stuff in your pockets and put it in your bag. You won't be holding up the line to gather your stuff from the container."

Salameh Dibaei / Getty Images / iStockphoto

—u/[deleted]

24."Give an individually wrapped bag of candy to the steward or stewardess when boarding. I've done this multiple times and have been given a seat upgrade, free drinks, a first-class meal, and a whole bottle of wine. I don't expect anything and sometimes get nothing, which is fine, just trying to be nice, and sometimes they are nice back."

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—u/EinSpiegel

25."If you travel internationally from the US, get Global Entry. It makes coming back much easier, and you get TSA PreCheck as well."

—u/pogiguy2020

26."Paper clips make for a good, cheap backpack zipper locks that give extra safety to avoid someone getting into your pack."

—u/Rammipallero

27."Never eat where you see other tourists eating. Look for a place jammed with locals."

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—u/substantial-freud

28."Never walk past a clean toilet."

—u/llamaesunquadrupedo

29."If you're flying with someone and are on a flight with three seats in a row, book the window and aisle seats, leaving the center seat open. No one books the center seat unless it's the very last choice on a full flight, so you have a really good chance of an open seat in your row. If someone does show up, just offer them the window or aisle, and they'll take it instantly to get out of the middle. Works 80% of the time we've tried it."

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—u/TheDigitalOne

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30."If you have to spend more than a little time at an airport, check if there is a lounge you can stay at. Often your credit cards or frequent traveler programs will give you free or cheaper entrance."

—u/5xaaaaa

31."I always try to have an extended layover that's 10 hours or more, so I can visit the layover city. I've been able to visit Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore without going on a specific trip to those destinations. It takes a bit of fiddling around to book those flights. Airlines present you with the 'most convenient' flight, but it's worth it."