While traveling can be exciting, it may also be stressful. Fortunately, with a little planning and preparation, any trip can be made easier. Here are a few tips that will make sure you’re able to enjoy the time you spend traveling.

Write down your travel plans and leave a copy with friends or family. It is always wise to prepare for the unexpected. Should you go go missing, someone is sure to notice much sooner this way. Knowing what your plans were will also be very helpful to the authorities.

The airport is often the most stressful part of the travel experience. Travelers and airline employees alike are tense, worried and feel alone. The frequent traveler keeps these facts in mind and makes allowances for the stressful surroundings. Remember that everyone in an airport shares a common goal: To get to their destination safely and as quickly as practically possible.

If you enjoy alcohol, there’s no better way when traveling, to get to know a new city than with a pub crawl. Visiting multiple establishments in the same night, will give an interesting cross-section of the city that you wouldn’t gain any other way. Plus, you’ll make some new friends.

When you’re visiting an unfamiliar city, make sure to spend a few minutes chatting with your hotel concierge. The concierge is an expert on the area and it is his or her job to ensure that you enjoy your stay. Ask your concierge to make restaurant reservations or reserve show tickets for you. Your concierge can often get you in to in-demand places.

If you are trying to pack lightly but still want to be able to bring some souvenirs home, you can pack clothing that can be thrown away after it has been worn. This tip works especially well for old underwear or socks that are due to be thrown out anyway. It can also apply to shirts or pants.

Look into restaurants in the area that you are going to be vacationing in. You can gather very useful information about the different places to eat through online travel sites where others who have dined there leave very helpful reviews that can save you time and money by avoiding the places with bad reviews.

Do not carry your passport around wherever you go, leave in a safe place in your hotel room. In the case that you were to use your belongings or get robbed, at least your passport will not be taken. You cannot come back to the country without your passport.

If you have medical conditions or if you want to be on the safe side during your trips, consult with foreign consulates to get a list that contains local physicians that speak and understand English. Your hotel’s concierge can also recommend doctors, including the one that they may use.

Do not allow possible negatives to keep you from traveling. Take these tips to heart, use them and have fun. Rather than stressing the bad things that may happen, you can focus on the positives.