If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now: Preparing Pro Tips II
April 18, 2025
We understand that packing for trips can be hard. But don’t fret… we’ve got your back with this Part Two of preparing tips!
What’s more exciting than getting ready for a trip? Preparing to catapult into adventure flings us from the daily grind into the fantastical world of travel. At the same time, when our plates are already super full, balancing the usual tasks with vacation considerations can fuel some anxiety. As purveyors of fine journeys, we totally understand and we’re here to help!
Past blogs provided pro tips about some of the more nuanced items we’ve learned to bring on desert adventures (sarongs, gallon water bottle, etc.). Now it’s time to share a few of our favorite to-dos for before and during the journey to ensure the absolute best time possible.
Read a book about the trip destination before leaving: No matter the subject, reading about where we’re going not only builds the stoke and orients us to where we’re headed, it gives us greater context to understand the unique landscape of our travels when we arrive.
Also, bring something to read: Going beyond the bars of reception means freeing up hours of screen time, and reading is the perfect alternative. Besides top titles, magazines are ideal since they’re light, easy to pack, and double as fire starter. Holiday’s own Susan Munroe has lots of perfect ideas for what to read.
Carry TONS of sunscreen and apply it throughout the day: Just because we were responsible enough to slather up in the morning doesn’t mean we’re done with our sun protection routine. When revealing a previously covered body part, after swimming, and just generally every few hours it’s important to reapply. Set an alarm or use a sun-buddy to help.
Tote costumes, games and party favors: Costume parties are a fun way to goof off and get to know your fellow travelers. If we don’ t have time to find an actual get up, just toss something random in the drybag to support a masquerade. Games are also excellent for building relationships, learning about each other and enjoying the ride. Lastly, remember being a kid and getting a goodie bag at a birthday party? Bring back the thrill by sharing fun trinkets with your crew (lip balm, silly sunglasses, party hats, plastic animals, etc)!
Stay up late and stargaze: Holiday’s destinations boast some of the darkest night skies in the country (really, check it out). After a lovely, long summer sunset, staying up late on a warm night and taking a dip in the expansive grandeur of the cosmos is truly awesome.
Learn new things: There’s no better way to learn than through experience. Getting to know plants, geology, history or other trip specific subjects is best done when we’re right there immersed in experience. From meditation and field sketching to desert plant or animal adaptations, deciding we’re going to learn more about something while on our journey and bringing materials to support our inquiry adds lasting depth to our experience.
Get creative: Awe inspiring environments, like the ones we enjoy during an adventure, inspire and energize less frequently traveled parts of our brain. Bring materials to channel creative inspirations into creative creations. Art supplies, writing tools and a journal, a portable instrument, there’s plenty of room on the raft for any muse!
Pack a charger: Even though we’re huge fans of ditching screens while adventuring, we get it; cameras, mapping programs and the world of apps add enjoyment to traveling. If keeping the battery charged is important, bringing a power bank is a good idea. There’s a variety available at various prices, just find one that works for your needs.
Try something new: While we’re doing our best to plumb the depths of our experience for ideas to make everyone’s adventures truly amazing, all these ideas were test driven long, long ago. Breaking the bonds of the ordinary gives us a chance to try something extraordinary, we’re only limited by our imaginations. What discoveries will you add to this list? Please be sure to let us know what you discover!
We hope our ideas will help you to squeeze the most juice from your adventure. If you’ve got questions or need more inspiration, just holler. Holiday’s combined years of experience means we have enough ideas to keep you traveling in good style. Give us a call!
Eli Shostak is a Senior Lecturer of Adventure Education at Fort Lewis College. A former river guide, NOLS Course Leader, and sea kayaking instructor, he is a firm believer in the power of shared experiences in wild places. Eli is dedicated to using his expertise in mindfulness, leadership, and expedition planning to facilitate journeys for finding the personal and interpersonal benefits of exploring diverse landscapes. His favorite game to play on trips is called “Knuck Tats,” something you’ll have to ask him about.