r/traveladvice

Help!

Myself and my partner want to go somewhere in October. We only have 1 week - for this reason we’d like to keep the flight time 13 hours or less from Edinburgh airport.

We are open to almost anywhere that is:

- Warm to sunbathe (say 22 degrees minimum during the day) and we could get a hotel or apartment with a pool
- has some nightlife
- there is both things to do during the day as well as chilling
-nowhere overly expensive (such as Miami)

We are open to a city such as Dallas or Austin. Would do Nashville but heard it’s pretty overcrowded and gone downhill.
We thought of Sri Lanka even but struggling to get the nightlife vibe.
We could also hire a car and drive about.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

This might be painfully obvious to everyone else, but apparently I needed to learn it the expensive way.
Before you travel anywhere and plan on renting a car, actually take your driving licence out of your wallet and check the expiry date.

Not just your passport. Not just your travel insurance. Your driving licence.

I planned a whole trip around northern Italy and Switzerland around having a rental car. Booked accommodation based on being able to drive to more remote places, paid for the rental, insurance, flights etc.

Got to Italy after a massively delayed flight, exhausted, went to the rental desk and handed over my licence.

Expired.

The worst part is I genuinely had no idea. I drive regularly at home and it just never crossed my mind to check it.

Obviously they wouldn’t give me the car.
Cue me standing at the rental desk with that horrible sinking feeling as I realised the entire itinerary I’d spent months thinking about wasn’t really possible anymore.

I’ve since spent a ridiculous amount on trains, changed plans multiple times, lost money on bookings and eventually booked an early flight home. Easily hundreds of pounds wasted, all because of the date printed on one little plastic card.
And yes, I know. Completely my own fault 😂
So here’s your incredibly boring travel hack:

Before an international trip, check the expiry dates on:
Passport ✅
Driving licence ✅
Travel cards/documents ✅
Anything else you’re relying on to actually make the trip work ✅

And check them weeks before you leave, not while standing at a car rental counter in Italy like me.
Hopefully my expensive stupidity saves at least one person from doing the same thing 😭

Hey I am traveling with the ESTA to New York where I will stay with friends for 2 months. I am a European Citizen and I own a company so I plan to spend this time working remotely.

Knowing that customs are denying entries in the US more and more even if you can prove you do not intent to stay in the country illegally, I have no idea what to expect from their side. I know I am not the typical tourist since I am not staying at a hotel, and did not book any museums or tourist activities because 1)I have done most of them before and 2) We are planning on a couple of trips while I am there so we want to make sure I can entry before we actually pay for flights, tickets and so on.

Do you have any advice?

I have 3 weeks in Sep to travel and don’t really know where to go. I will be solo half the duration and then my friend will join after.

My current options are: Turkey, Albania/Montenegro/Bosnia, Indonesia.

My considerations: Budget
Nature Activities Solo friendly Overall experience

Please help me decide my destination.

Hi all!

I’m planning to go to Australia in September and travel around first. After that, I’m planning to settle in Melbourne, ideally after travelling down the East Coast for around 4–6 weeks.

I’ve already booked my flight to Cairns and want to travel down the East Coast, staying in each place for roughly 3–7 days.

I’ve been looking into my options and I’m debating whether I should get a car. I’d only use it for travelling, not for sleeping in it.

My main concern is having to drive long distances by myself. I’m also not used to driving that much, as I’m from Amsterdam and barely drive here.
On the other hand, having a car would mean:
-Not having to rely on public transport or flights
-More flexibility with where I go and when I leave
-Not having to worry as much about luggage

I’ll mainly be staying in hostels.

Budget-wise, I’m expecting to spend around AUD 8–10k while travelling, excluding transportation between destinations. After that, I expect to have around AUD 20–22k left, plus an additional AUD 2k emergency fund.

The alternatives I’m considering are:
-Greyhound + a few short flights for longer distances (probably no more than 2 flights)
-Train travel (spirit of queensland), including the route from Cairns towards Sydney, potentially using one of the passes available for a certain period.

Flying from Sydney to Melbourne, or possibly sharing a ride with someone heading that way.

Once I’m in Melbourne, I don’t expect to need a car. I’m planning to either live in a share house or stay in a hostel if I can’t find accommodation.

As you can probably tell, I’m leaning more towards not getting a car, but I’m also aware that I might be biased because I’m coming from Amsterdam, where I barely drive.

What do you guys think? Is travelling down the East Coast without a car easy enough, or would you recommend getting one for the flexibility?
Any insights or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Hi all! Have a trip coming up and our group of 5 is looking to book an airbrb, and we have a bit of a dilemma. It's 4 rooms, 2 kings, 1 queen, and 2 doubles that share a room. Does it seem fair that there should be a different split to the cost based on room and bed? If so what would a fair split be, thank you!

Hello all,

My mother is offering to fly my brother and I and pay for all lodging to anywhere in the world we want to go. We are in our 20s and from the USA. I've been to Central America and lived in Costa Rica for a bit. He has been to Mexico and Canada.

She wants the trip to be next spring. I would love to hear y'alls recommendations to make the most of this opportunity!

Thanks!

Hi everybody! My name is Tony, 28M from Ireland. My friend and I are going to Central Asia this weekend and I can't wait. I've never been to Asia and I am so excited to experience the region, the culture and importantly the World Nomad Games! These games were a big part of why we booked the trip as we are both big sports fans. Below I have a summary of each destination I will be in with a rough timeline of days, if you have been to any of the places and have any recommendations/suggestions please let me know! Or any fellow travelers that might be in the same places at the same time, hit us up!

23rd August:

Dublin -> Istanbul, Türkiye.

25th August:

Istanbul -> Almaty, Kazakhstan.

28th August:

Almaty -> Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

1st September:

Bishkek -> Lake Issyk Kul (world nomad games)

4th September:

Lake Issyk Kul -> Bishkek.

5th September:

Bishkek -> Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

7th September:

Tashkent -> Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

9th September:

Day trip to Tajikistan for 7 lakes hike.

11th September:

Samarkand -> Bukhara, Uzbekistan.

14th September:

Bukhara -> Tashkent

15th September:

Tashkent -> Home

I am travelling from Europe to the US. I have IBS-C and because of that I take daily laxatives in the form of a sachet of powder that is mixed into water. I buy this medicine myself and don’t have it on prescription. Can I bring a 2 week supply in my checked luggage to America without a doctor’s note?

I am also on the contraceptive pill; does this require a doctor’s note to get through border control or can I just bring it in its packaging? Due to the way contraceptives work in my country, I don’t have a prescription slip for them. I just get a physical done by the nurse at a sexual health clinic (not my GP, so they don’t have a record of it) and get given them.

Hi! My friend and I are planning a trip (somewhere) tropical in early November. However I haven’t the slightest idea where to narrow down our search to. Ideally we’d like to avoid any chance of hurricanes, even though it’s nearing the end of the season. I would be traveling from Atlanta, so hopefully a flight less than 7 hours? Our budget is on the higher end, I think we are looking for a luxury all inclusive. Activity wise, I think we’re just looking to relax by the pool, the beach, and maybe do a couple of activities. I’m a young woman so I’m also leaning towards places where it would be safe to leave the resort if there are things to do, but I’m also happy to stay on property. Any and all thoughts and questions welcome!

Hello all!

I am planning a West Coast US road trip (my first time in the USA) for mid-September. I have a huge list of places I’d love to see, but my time is limited to a maximum of two weeks.

Initially, my idea was to focus just on Big Sur and the Oregon Coast. However, after seeing Crater Lake, Olympic National Park, and Mount Rainier, I'm wondering if fitting them in is feasible with minimal sacrifices.

I was thinking of the following route:

• Day 1: Arrive in San Francisco + 1 buffer day to recover from jet lag
• Day 2-3: Drive down to Big Sur for the day and stay overnight in the area
• Day 3-4: Head north toward Avenue of the Giants, stay overnight nearby, and spend half a day exploring
• Day 4–7: Either drive straight up the Oregon Coast or make an inland detour to Crater Lake
• Day 7–10: Head up toward Olympic National Park and spend 1-2 days there
• Day 11–12: Seattle, then fly home

If you have done a similar trip, I’d love your advice on what is most worth prioritizing. For example: is it better to drop Crater Lake and spend more time in Olympic, or swap something for Mount Rainier?

Realistically, what is a doable (even if slightly rushed) timeline for this route?

Thanks in advance!

I’m from India and planning my first backpacking trip around the world. I decided to use a third party service for my more difficult visas in Africa and Asia. I got most of my visas just fine, but some of them are taking longer than expected and the departure date is getting closer.

I know that the final decision on my visa application is up to each country’s immigration and not up to ivisa, but i would love to talk someone and get an update on where things stand and not just rely on a chatbot.

Has any contacted ivisa while waiting on a government decision to ask about the status of their application? I just want to talk to a real human and see what is going on before I leave. Is there a specific way to reach their support team, or is the website/chat the best option? I know that in the rest of the world they use a lot of whatsapp or maybe that’s an option too? I just want to get some pea of mind before my trip.

i'm collecting real traveler data for a 2026 Morocco travel-cost report. If you visited Morocco recently, how many days were you there, which cities did you visit, and roughly how much did you spend per person?

I won’t collect names or private information. Thanks.

I am planning a trip for my husband and I at the end of October. I am super torn on what to plan. We love a happy medium of nature, castles, and shopping. I was considering Mont St Michel, Strasbourg, or Colmar (not all for one trip). Mont St Michel seems like a must-do but its seems far from everything else.

What would you recommend for a couple interested in both nature and luxury?

Hello!!

Seasoned solo traveler here. I am going to be going to Uni for school in the UK (as an American). I am studying fashion, and I really like reading, seeing sights, but not much of a history buff. I love any old architecture, art, stuff with purpose really.

Basically, I go home for Christmas but I can’t come home for my long easter break (March 22-April 2, not including the weekends with it). I wanted to see if anybody had any suggestions on where I can go to from London (preferably Luton, Heathrow, or London City, as Gatwick is really far from my school.) I’m also trying to keep a package under $350-$400, since I have a job at the moment but I don’t know how much I’ll make at my job in the UK.

Budget: <$400
Interests: Fashion, Reading, Architecture, Art, Nightlife, Cozy, Public Transportation Accessibility, Busy City
Location: London Luton, London Heathrow, London City Airports to anywhere in Europe

TIA!!!

I am sure there have been many questions and answers regarding this but my case is different

Even the thought of travelling make me feel uneasy and wat to throw up, some days when I wake up early I want throw up, if a date is confirmed I feel uneasy 2 days earlier the day before travelling I cannot even sallow my saliva, next day as soon as I wake up I start throwing up, even a quick 5 min bus ride I sart to feel my stomach turning evening and night travels are easier and I rarely throw up on those the few times I have travelled. I dont think ive thrown up once during laye night travels Am i doomed for the the rest of my life for early travels or is there a solution

Please mention how long you travel for as well. I'm thinking of getting the budget Big Cat Travel insurance with £1000 of gadget cover for £281 for a 4 month trip. It's the first time I'm going away this long. Do you think that's reasonable? How much would you pay?

We are planning a trip from SW Indiana to the Black Hills in South Dakota. It is a long driving trip and takes 2 days (one long, one shorter, driving days). Here is where I get stuck:

We have a 12-hr driving day, then the next day a 6-hr driving day.

Each way, we will have to get a hotel (about 170 each)

Gas will be about 350.00 if we drive

Food

Time investment

Toll on the body

Or

We fly and the total fare for the two of us would be $1000.00 (by the time we add bags and a better seat for my 6'10" husband with 40" legs-- for me, I dont buy a seat for me, but sit apart from him to save money).

Do we save the $ and invest the time, or do we spend the $ and fly and thereby extend our actual vacation time by two days since we would save the time by flying, and spend the $.

I appreciate any respectful feedback you might be able to offer.

Hi All,

Below is a rough itinerary of what I'm thinking for my first trip to France. Full disclosure, I haven't booked anything yet because my vacation was recently finalized, but also I'm very worried about the wildfire situation. Would appreciate any thoughts or recommendations you can provide! Also, for those in France, do any of these areas fall within those affected by wildfires? How is the air/smog generally? I haven't booked anything yet, so almost wondering whether it makes more sense to go another year, but then I don't know where else I should go for a vacation during this time!

• Sep 13: Fly → Paris overnight.
• Sep 14–18: Paris (4 nights) — Major Paris sights and neighborhoods, museums, food/wine, plus a day trip to Reims/Champagne for winery visits and tastings.
• Sep 18–22: Chamonix (4 nights) — 2–3 day hikes in the Mont Blanc area, using operating lifts where helpful but also considering valley-access hikes, plus Aiguille du Midi, Mer de Glace, and some spa/downtime.
• Sep 22–26: Nice (4 nights) — Beach/relaxation, explore Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Èze, Monaco, a Bellet wine day, and a coastal hike around Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
• Sep 26: Fly Nice → Home.