planning your year of travel
Planning travel one trip at a time often leads to rushed decisions, higher costs, and calendar chaos—especially for families. A full-year travel plan gives you clarity, balance, and something to look forward to in every season. Think of it less like locking yourself into rigid plans and more like creating a flexible travel rhythm for the year ahead.
This guide walks you through how to plan your trips for the full year in a way that’s realistic, budget-aware, and actually enjoyable.
Want help turning this into action? Start with a simple yearly travel vision exercise or family planning conversation - try our vision board or conversation card tools!
Step 1: Start With Your Yearly Travel Vision
Before opening Google Flights or saving hotels, zoom out.
Ask:
What do we want this year to feel like—restful, adventurous, cultural, playful?
How do we want travel to support our family life (connection, learning, downtime)?
What season of life are we in right now?
For families, this is a great moment to include kids. Simple prompts like “What kind of trips sound fun this year?” or “What do you want to try somewhere new?” help align expectations early.
Pro tip: Capture this vision in a short paragraph or vision board. You’ll come back to it when decisions get hard.
Step 2: Map the Year at a High Level
Next, look at the full calendar year—not individual trips… yet.
Mark:
School schedules and breaks
Work busy seasons
Known commitments (weddings, family visits, events)
Months that tend to feel exhausting or slow
This gives you a realistic framework for when travel fits.
A helpful structure:
1–2 anchor trips (big or meaningful)
1–3 smaller getaways (long weekends, regional trips)
Built‑in rest months (no travel at all)
Not every month needs a trip. White space matters.
Step 3: Choose Trip “Buckets” Instead of Exact Plans
Instead of planning every detail upfront, assign each trip a bucket.
Examples:
Winter: Cozy city + museums
Spring: Nature or national park
Summer: Family adventure or extended stay
Fall: Cultural city or food‑focused trip
This approach keeps planning flexible while giving you direction. You can adjust destinations later based on flights, deals, or energy levels.
Step 4: Align Travel With Your Budget Early
A yearly plan works best when budget is part of the conversation from the start.
Try this:
Decide on a total annual travel budget
Roughly divide it by trip type (anchor vs. small trips)
Leave a buffer for surprises or last‑minute opportunities
You don’t need exact numbers yet—just ranges. This prevents over‑committing early and feeling stressed later.
Family tip: Planning the year together helps kids understand trade‑offs ("We’re doing this big trip, so we’re keeping spring simple").
Step 5: Lock In the Right Things at the Right Time
Not everything needs to be booked at once.
Book early:
Flights for peak seasons
Lodging with limited inventory
Experiences that sell out (festivals, special tours)
Wait on:
Restaurants
Day‑to‑day activities
Transportation details for flexible trips
A full‑year plan helps you see what actually needs early action—and what doesn’t.
Step 6: Create a Simple Planning System
Keep everything in one place:
A shared calendar with trip placeholders
A notes doc for ideas and links
A travel planning folder (digital or physical)
For families, tools like conversation cards or trip vision boards can turn planning into a collaborative ritual instead of a solo mental load.
Step 7: Revisit and Adjust
Life changes—and your plan should too.
Every few months, ask:
Does this still feel right?
Do we need more rest or more adventure?
Is anything feeling forced?
The goal isn’t perfection—it’s intention.
Why Full‑Year Planning Actually Makes Travel More Fun
When you plan travel for the full year:
Decisions feel calmer
Spending feels more intentional
Everyone knows what’s coming
Anticipation becomes part of the joy
You’re not just planning trips—you’re designing a year of memories that fits your real life.