The holiday season is almost here, and so is the time to plan that long-awaited trip of the year. Holiday trips can bring a lot of joy, and yes, a lot of stress too! To avoid that stressful hassle, you need to make a full plan ahead of time. Here are a few tips to do so.

Booking the Rental Car Ahead of Time

The holiday season is the time for a hike in both car rental demands and prices. Searches for holiday car rentals spiked up 243% in September 2021, compared to 2020. So it’s best to get ahead of it and book it as soon as possible.

Booking With Points

The holiday season is the ideal time to use up all the credit card points you’ve been storing all year long. A huge 70% of rewards credit card holders have unused rewards stored in the form of miles, points, or cash back. So, tip two is to use all those points to feel a bit lighter on your holiday travel spending.

Splurging on Lounge Access

This tip will spare you from needing to find a seat amidst the seasonal crowd in the airport, or waiting in the long queue in front of the food stalls. Though lounge accesses are included in only first-class flights, you can upgrade your economy purchase to enjoy that facility. Few credit cards offer this as an included perk. A yearly Priority Pass gives access to some of the best airport lounges.

Being Cautious With Gift Wrapping

If you have to give somebody a gift on your trip, leave them unwrapped for the journey. Sometimes, wrapped gifts raise red flags in airports and get unwrapped by security, undoing all your hard work. Avoid this trouble altogether by shipping your gifts beforehand or wrapping them at the destination.

Tune-Up if Driving

Driving in winter can be a nightmare! From weather patterns to the most feasible routes, there are several things you need to consider. And the last thing anybody needs is the car breaking down at an inopportune moment. So, follow the most important among all road trip tips and make sure to get a thorough tune-up before hitting the winter road.

Making Reservations at Restaurants

A holiday trip needs planning ahead of time, and this policy applies to restaurants too. If there’s a spot you’re dying to try on your trip, make reservations as soon as they open for the holiday season. It’s the only way to make sure that you have your own guaranteed space to dine hassle-free.

The fun of exploring the uncharted waters is unmatched. Even if you are not exploring some mysterious hidden location – just the thrill of being out in the open on your own is enough to get your adrenaline pumping. One of the most popular ways people are heading out in waters is with an inflatable paddleboard. Like the name suggests – stand-up paddleboards look much like surfboards. You stand on top of them and use a canoe paddle to propel yourself ahead. Despite the name – you can even sit or kneel down on them.

Inflatable Paddleboards Are Safe and Sturdy

It might blow your mind to know that Inflatable paddleboards really work. Unlike inflatable kayaks – which are cheap and flimsy, inflatable paddleboards are just as sturdy as the regular ones. And while it costed a fortune once upon a time – prices since then have come down. You can now get the inflatable paddleboards along with the pump for as low as $200.

Here’s the Catch

What makes inflatable paddleboards as sturdy as the regular ones, unlike inflatable kayaks, is that they are inflated at a higher pressure. When it comes to pumping kayaks – it’s good to go as soon as the touch feels firm. Pumping kayak is just a few minutes’ works with the hand up – so easy even a 5-year-old can do it. But when it comes to inflating paddleboards – the process is a bit more complicated. Firstly, it comes with a pressure gauge. You need to to a minimum of 10 PSI, with a warning not to go above 15 – the numbers may vary from one brand to another. The paddleboard starts filling firm around 0.5 PSL. So if you look at it – paddleboards need 20 times as much air as a kayak. Basically, trying to fill the paddle with your hands can be exhausting, and it’s probably the reason why you need an electric pump for your paddleboard.