Tag: Convenience Stores

Where To Find Travel Maps

Before going on any trip whether you are driving it or going by another other modes of transportation, it is important to have a variety of travel maps available. The last thing anybody wants to have happen is getting lost on his or her trip. Being lost takes valuable time away from enjoying yourself if it is a pleasure trip, or takes away from working time if the trip is for business.

There are several places to find travel maps, and most of them are very easy to come by. The two most obvious places in first getting travel maps is to go to your local grocery or convenience stores. They may not have a wide variety of maps, but they are a very good source for road maps that cover all of the United States. Another obvious place to go to for purchasing travel maps, in particular road maps is most any gas station. Anyone who has ever been lost in a strange town knows how important gas stations can be when in desperate need of a map.

Along with these places, another good source for obtaining various types of travel maps is by contacting the tourism office of your travel destination. They can be contacted through the internet or by phone. Along with maps, they can also send other information regarding their destination. This can be very valuable to people who have never traveled to that particular place before. Keep in mind, this source is usually best for people who have ample time to prepare their trip as it may take a little while to receive the requested maps.

Travel agencies can also be very helpful in getting travel maps. They generally have a wide variety of maps, which may be included in brochures for certain destinations. If they do not have a particular travel map you need, they usually know where to go to get it because of their large database of contacts.

Along with the traditional ways of getting travel maps, another source that has become very popular, are online travel maps. Using a variety of sites, all one needs to do is type in the starting point and the end point and a map along with driving directions can be printed up. This can be very valuable to anyone who is traveling last minutes and does not have the time to find maps other ways.
If you are planning to rent a car, talk to the car rental agency. They too can be very helpful in getting travel maps for practically any destination, or general road maps.

If the trip involves traveling by plane, just about any gift shop in every airport has some sort of travel map available. If you travel often, it may not be a bad idea to get several maps of various locations that you are interested in traveling to.

Once arriving at your destination, if you are still in need of travel maps, hotels are another place to look for these maps. You can obtain them either by simply asking the front desk for maps they can give, or by visiting the gift shop. They will also have brochures available for their destination, which will include small maps of the area.

There are many ways to getting travel maps, and while one source is not necessarily better then another, the most well informed traveler will say that using two or three sources for obtaining travel maps will generally be the wisest idea.

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Preparing for a Last Minute Holiday Travel

Last minute holiday travel requires making whirlwind preparation. In such instances, youre liable to make mistakes but you can minimize them when you use the guide below.

Book online; book direct.
Travel agencies and other usual avenues for making vacation arrangements are probably closed during the holidays. Youre going to waste a lot of time if you insist on one thats stayed open while the rest of the world goes on holiday. To save on time, money, and effort, just book everything online. Brick and mortar shops may close but websites are usually ready to serve 24/7. Better yet, why not call directly the hotel or airline youre interested in? Thats sure to get results!

Make advanced reservations.
Its sheer folly if you assume something will be available during the holidays. These are, after all, the busiest time of the year. Burn the phone lines if you have to. Stay online 24/7 if necessary. Do whatevers required until youre able to secure a reservation.

Get stocked and stuffed.
Anticipate your needs. This is even more critical if youve booked a cabin, cottage, or any other type of accommodations that doesnt come with room service. Stock on food, medicine, cash, and the likes. Holidays mean a lot of closed signs hanging on doors but you shouldnt pin all your hopes on convenience stores. Before leaving home, be sure that youve already raided all your cupboards and the groceries if necessary.

Leave early.
Traffic is absolutely horrible during the holidays and thats an indisputable fact. Denying the truth wont help so its important for you to leave as early as you can. If you leave during peak hours, youll have to contend with impatient drivers and frantic crowds.

Check transportation.
If you are going to drive to your destination, make sure you have a professional check your car. Get a full tank of gas to reduce the need for making unnecessary stops. Plan your routes carefully. Use your GPS or any other reference tool to determine the best routes. Determine the number of pit stops required for your travel and make sure you time each and every stage of your travel so that you wont find yourself taking a wrong turn in the wrong place at the wrong time. Surely youve seen enough slasher movies to know what happens when you make a wrong turn, dont you?

If youre going to rent a car for your last-minute travel plans, you need to choose a suitable vehicle for your vacation plan. A flashy sports car may make a great choice for weekend getaways and short trips but its not the perfect transportation mode if youre going to explore rough mountain routes or trek desert paths.

In any case, make sure to read terms and conditions before paying for your car rental. Be sure to verify insurance details of your rented car. This way, if something bad happens, youre not liable to pay.

Adapt.
Things can and will go wrong one way or another. Think about it. Even though youve planned everything to the last detail during your last vacation, something still ended up wrong. What more when youre having a last minute vacation?

When misfortune indeed strikes, just learn to accept it and move on. Its the holidays, after all! Be jolly, forget about the hassles, and just look forward to having some great R & R when you finally get to your destination.

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