Easy Ways to Take the Stress Out of Winter Travel

It’s not uncommon for people to take a vacation at this time of year, and who wouldn’t? With the weather vastly dropping in temperature, you may be considering jetting away somewhere warmer for the winter period, or even heading somewhere snowy to celebrate festivities in style.

Wherever you’re planning on going this year, take a look at these fantastic ways to make your winter vacation a breeze.

Leave the car at home

One of the most stressful parts of going on vacation is travelling to and from the airport. While driving there is fairly simple, the costs of parking and worry of leaving your car can outweigh the perks.

Why not eliminate this worry altogether and book a taxi ride to and from the airport. You can get a pick up and drop off from all over the country, and track your flight so that if you’re late (or even early landing), you won’t have to wait around.

Begin your vacation when you shut your front door

Many people think their vacation begins once they’ve checked into their hotel, and this can put on extra stress during the travelling period. Try treating your vacation time from the moment you shut your front door and you’ll notice how much easier the whole process is.

Enjoy a meal and a few drinks at the airport, do some leisurely shopping, or even use the waiting times to catch up on some sleep.

Switch to electronic passes

Fretting about your boarding passes and tickets is one of the most common causes of stress among travellers. Switching to electronic passes helps diminish that worry because everything you need is on your phone or tablet, and if there’s one thing that you’ve always got close by, it’s your phone.

Check with the airline you’re flying with to see if they have an app you can download to store all of your important documents. Sharing the load with your partner so that both of you have the passes also reduces the chance of losing them even further.

Learn the basic language

Another common reason for anxiety and stress among holiday makers is feeling isolated from the locals. Learning some basic phrases and words will help you communicate effectively. Before you jet off on your winter vacation, try and learn the translation of the following phrases.

• Hello

• Thank you

• Please

• Where’s the nearest hospital/shop?

• Could you show me….?

• Can I order a taxi for tomorrow morning?

• I would like to reserve a table for this evening, please.

• Do you have free WiFi?

Book activities in advance

If you’re someone who needs to be constantly busy even when on holiday, then take some stress off your back now by pre-booking activities in advance. Booking earlier may provide you with discounts and promotions to make your holiday activities even more special.

Make room for delays and unexpected queues

Airports get even more crowded in winter which means queues that seem to appear out of nowhere. When you expect everything to run smoothly it always feels worse when something slows you down so it helps to plan for the delays rather than fight them.

Give yourself extra time to get through security so you are not rushing from one end of the terminal to the other. If you do end up waiting around you can grab a drink, find a quiet seat or even look up local things to do in baltimore for long-term visitors if you happen to be stuck on a long layover in the area.

Building that buffer into your travel day takes away a lot of the panic and keeps you in a calmer headspace.

Pack with the journey in mind rather than just the destination

Most people overpack for winter travel because they zone in on what they plan to wear once they arrive and forget about how heavy and awkward everything feels when they are carrying it through the airport. Putting a bit of thought into what you can wear on the plane and what can stay in the suitcase makes the whole thing easier.

Comfortable layers save you from freezing or overheating depending on the airport temperature and having your essentials in reaching distance means you are not digging through bags when you need something.

Winter clothes can take up a lot of space so rolling items and using packing cubes helps you stay organised without feeling like you are lugging your entire wardrobe with you.

Stay hydrated even if you do not feel thirsty

It is easy to forget about drinking water during winter because the air feels colder but travelling dries you out faster than you realise. Planes have dry cabin air and airports are heated which means you can end up feeling tired and sluggish before you have even reached your destination.

Keeping a bottle of water with you and drinking throughout the journey makes a huge difference to how you feel when you land. It also helps with jet lag because your body is not already playing catch up.

You do not need to overthink it or force huge amounts, just small steady sips so you do not start your trip feeling drained.

Keep your return home just as stress free

People often focus so much on the outbound trip that they forget about the moment they get home. There is nothing worse than walking through the door after a long day of travelling and realising you have no food, no clean clothes and no energy.

Before you leave, try to sort out anything that would make the return feel smoother. Put clean bedding on your bed, empty the bin, make sure you have something quick to eat in the cupboard and tidy the main areas so you walk into a comfortable space instead of chaos.

Travel is tiring even when the trip is amazing and giving yourself a soft landing helps you hold on to that holiday feeling a little longer.

Winter travel doesn’t have to be as stressful as you might think!

---

Our writers like to find the latest trends for fashion and interiors. We launched the award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2015 and the luxury property and interior decor blog www.alltheprettyhomes.com in 2024 to cover all your interior design, travel and lifestyle inspiration needs.