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An outdoor vacation can span a wide range of locations and themes. You might be planning a beach vacation in the Caribbean or a camping trip in the Swiss Alps. Either way, you are almost certainly going to have a great time! All you have to do is make sure that you are prepared ahead of time. If you don’t make plans for your trip, you could end up running into roadblocks that make it difficult or even impossible to enjoy yourself.
It’s not all about packing the right clothes and gear either (though these are important). It’s also about making sure that you understand potential issues that could arise well in advance. This way, you can have backup plans in place and you can prepare for different circumstances. Whether you’re camping with an RV or simply enjoying an outdoor resort, back up plans are always helpful.
In doing so, you will make it far less likely that anything will stop you, your family, or your friends from having the vacation of a lifetime. So, in today’s post, we are going to take a closer look at 6 ways to prepare for an outdoor vacation!
Make Sure That You Are Physically Ready
Outdoor vacations differ from traditional vacations because they require you to spend a larger percentage of your time in nature. This will almost certainly mean that you will spend more time moving around and doing physical things than you would on a vacation in the city.
For example, if you take a vacation to Paris, you can always rest at a cafe or take public transportation to your next sightseeing spot. Alternatively, if you plan a hike through the mountains, you will have to be physically up to the challenge.
For this reason, an outdoor vacation requires you to analyze your own capacity to take on different physical demands. Even if you want to go on a relaxing beach vacation, you may want to ensure that you are able to walk, play beach volleyball, or go scuba diving comfortably.
So, before you go on an outdoor vacation, get a check-up with your primary care physician. This will help you understand if you have any limitations to take into consideration. For example, if you find that you have painful bunions, you might want to make a visit to Northwest Surgery Center before going on your next outdoor vacation.
Do a First-Aid Safety Check
Even though some people may think it sounds like overkill, you should always bring a first-aid kit with you on outdoor vacations. Why? Because the great outdoors can be dangerous! You never know when you might encounter a wild animal or even just a falling tree branch that could cause an injury. A first-aid kit can take care of smaller wounds and help keep someone with more serious wounds stable until medical help can arrive.
However, just bringing a first-aid kit is not enough. You need to make sure that the kit is fully stocked with the right medical gear. Just as importantly, you have to make sure that you know how to use them. You don’t need to have a medical degree to use a first-aid kit, but you should watch instructional videos on treating different kinds of wounds that commonly occur in the great outdoors.
Research Your Destination
There’s nothing worse than having an image of what your dream vacation is going to be like and then feeling disappointed when you arrive. This is one of many reasons that you should always research your destination ahead of time. If you’re traveling to a different country, you may want to learn about local customs and social norms so that you do not do or say something offensive on accident. Additionally, learning more about your destination will help you find the best places to go to find beautiful views and safe shelter from the elements.
Set a Realistic Budget
Most outdoor vacations cost significantly less than other types of vacations, though this is not always the case. For example, you could go to the beach, stay at a swanky resort, and eat delicious seafood every night. Naturally, this trip would cost significantly more than a hike through the mountains. That said, you may have to buy a lot more gear and equipment to prepare for a mountain hike. Therefore, you should always evaluate your costs and make sure that you’re keeping your vacation under budget.
Figure Out the Transportation Logistics
Even if you have planned for a lot of different potential obstacles and outcomes, one of the biggest issues is simply getting from point A to point B. Most people don’t have amazing outdoor locales right in their backyard. This means you will need to figure out how you are getting to your destination, especially if it is on a beach, or in the wilderness.
Doing this will also require you to figure out how many people are coming with your party. Are you flying solo or are you taking a group trip? Either way, this will help you budget your transportation costs. The distance and location will also determine whether you can drive, take a boat, or fly. These variables can change the cost of your trip, as well as how far in advance you need to make plans for transportation.
Plan Out Some Activities Ahead of Time
Some people make the mistake of just going to a remote outdoor location and assuming that they will have a great time. However, if you don’t really know what to do, you might get very bored, very quickly. To avoid this issue, simply plan out a few activities that you can do by yourself or with others. For example, if you are planning a camping trip, you might plan to go fishing or kayaking. You can also plan simple activities like making s’mores or telling scary stories around the campfire. Either way, having a few activities ready can ensure that nobody gets bored on your next outdoor vacation!
