Trip Planning Tips

Getting ready for your next adventure doesn’t have to be a chore. This quick and easy guide to travel planning will help make your trip to the Harrison River Valley a breeze.

SET A BUDGET: Know how much you want to spend on your trip in advance. Budgeting will help you plan ahead and pick which attractions to visit. Break down your budget into accommodations, food, entertainment, transportation and extra spending money to cover all your bases. Start with your biggest ticket items to see how much cash you have to play with. If you’re visiting from outside of Canada, exchange rates, travel insurance and visitors visas or electronic travel authorization may also be part of your budget. Pro tip: Harrison Hot Springs has a wide range of accommodation types to meet any budget. Take a tour around our accommodations page to learn more.

BOOK IN ADVANCE: No one likes to miss out. Keep your options open by booking accommodations, transportation (rental cars, flights, etc.) and ticketed events well in advance. Pro tip: Our events page provides highlights of upcoming feature events and attractions by month so you can avoid the dreaded FOMO (fear of missing out).

CREATE AN ITINERARY: Even the most last-minute and go-with-the-flow traveller can still benefit from having a loose idea of what they would like to see and do on their trip. People who like to plan ahead might even want to create a detailed itinerary of their daily activities to maximize their vacation time. Read up on our area and history, things to do and parks and recreation for some ideas. And don’t forget to book in time to relax on the beach or wander around our many shops and galleries. Pro tip: Give yourself a bit of buffer room between activities. You will thank yourself for the extra time to grab a snack, fill up on gas, take a washroom break and stop and smell the roses.

PACKING: Whether you’re a minimalist or need at least two big pieces of luggage for every trip, a rule of thumb is to pack as light as possible. Apart from the essentials – toothbrush, toothpaste, smartphone, passport – what you need to bring with you will largely depend on your itinerary. Visualize the activities you’ve planned for your trip. Will you need a bathing suit, an outfit for hitting the town in the evening, comfortable walking shoes/ hiking boots for exploring nature, warm layers? If you plan on staying for a while, consider local laundering options to extend the life of your travel wardrobe. Pro tip: Always leave a bit of room for purchases you may want to bring home!

PREPARE FOR THE UNSEEN: Did you map it in advance? The advent of Google Maps has put wayfinding at travellers’ fingertips. If you think you might be outside of wifi or internet access, download or print off maps at home. Have a backup plan in case of last-minute cancellations and unforeseeables. Bring an extra phone charger in case yours gets damaged. International travellers may also need adapters for Canadian outlets. Have a backup credit, debit and/or ATM card for emergency situations, such as those times when your wallet secretly decides to take a plunge in the river. Pro tip: Store backup IDs, bank cards and keys somewhere safe, such as your hotel room or a secure locker.

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