Travel

Vacation advice for first-timers

For those of you who are unsure about the awesomeness of Twitter, let me show you how amazing it can be. When I need advice, tips, or information, I send out a tweet. Most of the time my “tweeps” come to my rescue!

So, when I started thinking about our upcoming vacation and the fact that we are “vacation novices,” I thought I’d send out a few queries to my Twitter friends for advice. The response was kind of overwhelming! Thank you to everyone who chimed in; I really appreciate it, and I think you all had some great advice.

My queries:

What advice would you give to a couple about to take their first vacation or honeymoon together?

Ladies: what are the essentials you would pack for a tropical vacation with your significant other?

The responses:

***Sorry @alongfarview, I wanted to make sure that everyone knew you caught your typo***

Very shortly after I posed that question, I received the most popular piece of advice from my buddy Em:

Oh, don’t you just love it???

I definitely plan on splurging a bit on food and drink…YUM!

The topic of couples massages created an entirely new conversation, but we’ll leave that out of the timeline. Haha!

Seriously @LicoriceOlives – what a clever tip! I usually pack one outfit and pajamas on my carry-on bag just in case this happens! But I really like this idea; what if you were stuck for a few days without a bag?

Ah, the lingerie debate. Another issue that I could ponder for a while. Is it necessary to go out and buy some pretties to bring with, or will it just sit in the suitcase the entire week? I think it probably depends on the person. Hmmm.

Oh @lakitu41, you opened a can of worms here with that one. It’s a smart piece of advice, but I also can see how it could be complicated.

Very brilliant @thatsostelle! On my packing list: a deck of cards! For sure. We also learned on a previous trip that having a corkscrew is very useful, because buying one WITH a bottle of wine or having to ask the front desk to help you out is really annoying.

So, there we have it! I wanted to say “thank you” once again for ALL of the amazing advice that everyone tweeted to me. I hope it helps on our trip, and perhaps for any of you out there thinking about embarking on one soon!

Do you agree with any of the advice, or have some to add?

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  • This might be just our experience, but a book of matches! Our room was full of candles, which we could not light because no one at the resort had any matches to sell us. Not even the bartender could spare a few. WTF.

    Additionally, I found myself wanting to float around in the ocean, and our resort did not allow you to bring the pool floaties in to the ocean. I wished I’d bought and brought a cheap blow-up floaty thing–like many other couples did–so I could float around out there! (Then, give to another traveler when the trip’s over so you don’t have to carry it back!)

    • Both of those are brilliant suggestions! Even at the beach we regularly go to by our house, I always find myself wanting something to float on…yet I keep forgetting to grab one at the store!

  • I definitely second the aloe advice! We didn’t because I forgot to buy it and realized last minute. My husband said we would be fine, so we didn’t get any. We wore tons of sunscreen and I usually tan more than burn, but we both got really burnt and it was my face and head. We went to a small mall within walking distance (we stayed in an all inclusive resort area in the Dominican Republic) and all the prices were like $15 for a small bottle of aloe! All the prices were jacked up because of tourists, so try to bring anything you think you might need (like medications) because you will pay a ton to get it there.

    Also, make sure you bring your insurance cards. My mom always sent us on trips with them and my husband and I brought them on our honeymoon. I’m not sure if they are good out of the country (?) or not, but it never hurts to have them! (We also brought our marriage license, but I’m not sure how necessary that was).

  • Haha, thanks for including my typo catch! Drives me nuts when I make those 🙂

    I cannot wait to hear about your trip! I’m very seriously considering where you’re going for our belated honeymoon/first anniversary trip next March. Have fun!

    • Well you know I’ll be telling y’all alllll about it: you’ll get a full review (and hopefully a glowing reccomendation)!

  • We’re on our honeymoon now, DH is out surfing & I’m sunning on the beach 🙂 From the front lines, wanted to echo two suggestions above. 1) Budget $$ for tips. We are staying at all-inclusive and still tip $2-5 a meal. We’ve made some friends at the restaurants with this small guesture of appreciation. You’d be surprised how many people don’t tip. 2) Do something neither of you have ever experienced. We went ziplining and it was amazing to lean on each other through the fear and exhilaration! Happy honeymooning 🙂

  • I had to add something after reading the first comment – In addition to the floaty, if your resort is all-inclusive you can bring either a koozie or a insulated mug and the bartenders will fill that instead! Frozen drinks melt SO fast there, and we saw tons of people with them – Brilliant!

    Also, I second the suggestion of tipping. Even if it’s only a couple dollars, the wait staff remembers and gives you the best service!

  • We took our honeymoon for our first anniversary, so I brought the ‘sleepwear’ that I wore our wedding night and a few other simple pieces for the other nights.

    I also bring Pepto chewables. I know it sounds weird, but take one in the morning or before a big meal, just to prevent stomach issues. And they help ease a slew of other things!

    I second the divide up your stuff into each others luggage. I also packed one or two sundresses/tops in my carry-on to be safe. Have the BEST time 🙂

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