After I’ve selected the country/cities I want to visit I spend a lot of time doing online research. You don’t have to, because it’s all on our travel blog! Or you can always book an organized tour and forget about it. But, if you’re like me, I would hate to know that I’ve missed something fantastic that is right around the corner, just because I didn’t do my homework. That’s where the internet comes in…

You can research just about anything online. I’m a big one for searching Top Things to do in the country/cities that I’m interested in. I also google UNESCO heritage sites and I check Viator and other similar platforms to see what their top tours are. This will give you a pretty good idea of the must-see attractions.

I also like to get a general idea of the best way to get around, how expensive it is and when is the best time of the year to visit.

Once you’ve decided on your trip, be it a private tour, group tour, cruise or do-it-yourself tour and have it booked, you’re ready to move on to fine-tuning your trip to make the most of your time. Most itineraries have some free days or afternoons for you to do as you please. I use the information I’ve gathered to fill in the free time with mini organized tours, walking tours and seeing sights that are not included in the main tour schedule.

For instance, when we were last in New York City, we booked a food tour of Chinatown and Little Italy through Viator on a free afternoon. There are also a myriad of museums, tastings, monuments, arboretums and natural resources that may attract your attention.

This is also a good time to indulge in your hobbies or special interests. We like to get a massage after a long flight within the first few days after arrival. We also like to go for afternoon tea. You can do a search for your special interest and at the same time bring up Google maps or your favorite maps program on your computer and see which attraction is closest to you so you don’t have to travel all over the city.