Six things to do while planning a fall getaway

It’s officially cuffing season, meaning it’s the time to try and sneak in some outdoor time before the winter months hit us with harsher conditions. For that reason, we’re giving you some of the best fall vacations for couples to consider doing in the next month or so, because, c’mon, who doesn’t enjoy some crisp, cool air?

While the idea of a weekend getaway with your significant other and/or friends sounds awesome, it’s not always the easiest to plan. You can run into conflicting schedules, high prices on certain weekends and the most obvious hiccup — time to actually plan the trip the right way.

That’s why we’re giving you some no frills tips on what to do before booking your trip, which will lead to decreased excuses when it comes to putting a fall vacation getaway together. Inevitably, these will leave you and your significant other happy with the decision to take a weekend together somewhere, which always makes it a much better experience.

Ask WHY you’re going on a fall getaway

Before you actually decide when and where you want to take this little weekend getaway, you should ask yourself what the purpose of this trip actually is. Is it to celebrate an anniversary with your girlfriend? Is it just something to escape the same weekend routine of going out to bars and drinking? Is it to get a group of friends together to experience something new? Once you figure out the reason for the fall getaway, you can determine how you want to proceed with planning the right one.

Decide on the group who’s going

Assuming you’re not just taking your significant other on a couples getaway, it’s important to figure out the group of people you want to join you. This can be other couples or just some good friends who are open to take a little adventure. Something to keep in mind, though; the more the people, the harder the trip will be to plan. General hiccups will be things like deciding on a weekend to get out of town, as well as where to go and, of course, the overall cost for accommodations. That’s why focusing on the best fall vacations for couples is probably your best bet.

Compare prices

From various weekends to the costs of Airbnb vs. hotels, you should always compare prices when planning a weekend getaway. For instance, some places offer specials during a certain window, while others jack up the prices because they’re so busy this time of year with people doing the exact same thing you’re trying to do. No one wants to pay full price for something, so see where you can save some dough when putting together your fall getaway.

Plan ahead

Thinking you’ll get out of town this weekend and still save money? You’re probably being a little bit delusional. We’re not saying there aren’t last-minute deals at certain places, but, chances are high, you’ll see jacked up prices for booking so late in the game. Considering it’s almost October, you’ll want to aim for a weekend two-to-three weeks from now to get end-of-the-season prices. It might not be as warm out, but if it saves you some cash, packing heavier clothes isn’t a bad thing.

Be flexible with your plans

OK, so you’ve gotten through a bunch of the above steps, but still find yourself struggling with locking down the perfect fall getaway. First of all, that doesn’t exist, so get it out of your mind that it does. Second, in order to plan a successful trip, you’ll need to stay flexible with your plans. That means going a little bit over budget in certain aspects if need be, or going to a different destination because it’s closer, therefore giving you more time to do things once you arrive. Rather than spin in circles, determine the nonnegotiable things and plan around those.

Bring the right clothes

You’ve done the hard part by booking the trip, now’s the time to execute it by living your best life… comfortably. Just because a place says it’s 70 and sunny during the day doesn’t mean it’s not going to be in the 40s or 50s at night, so bring the proper clothes to stay warm, dry and all-around comfortable. There are few things that can ruin a fall getaway faster than the wrong wardrobe, so dress appropriately for whatever you decide to do.