Careful planning is important if you’re going to travel for any reason. The following tips can help you.

After choosing your destination, learn more about the place you have selected. Find a map of where you will be visiting and study it for locations you plan to visit. Becoming familiar with the environment ahead of time will make it easy to navigate once you get there.

Only pack the essentials. The less you carry with you, the less chance you have of losing something. Limit the amount of shoes you pack, because they are usually the heaviest and largest items on your trip.

Are you concerned about the safety of the hotel you are staying at? Take along a doorstop. They don’t take up a lot of room in your suitcase.

Check the airline’s website for discounts before you buy your tickets. Travelocity and similar websites aren’t the only place …