Sometimes, the desire to travel arises when you see an alluring picture in a magazine, or remember an earlier trip you took. Once it arises, you begin to think about the possibilities: a warm, sunny place in the south while the cold winter winds are blowing, perhaps. Then it is time to begin making arrangements. This article contains some great tips to help you out on your next travel excursion.

When you arrive in a new hotel room, let the hot water run in the shower for a little while. Even the nicest of hotels can be somewhat dirty. Letting the hot water run will help kill spores that the regular cleaning might have missed. You aren’t paying for the water bill in the room anyway.

Pack your own pillow. If you have trouble sleeping away from home, try bringing your own pillow along. Some people find it difficult to sleep in a bed that isn’t their own. Having a familiar pillow under your head can make a surprisingly huge difference. It could mean the difference between sleepless nights and being well rested for another day full of activities.

Buy airport carry-on sized toiletries when flying to your next travel destination. Store them in zip lock bags in your luggage and you won’t need to worry about security confiscating them.

Make sure to research what the weather is going to be like in your destination. This will allow you to pack more appropriately. If it will be cold, you will need to take lots of layers. If it will be warm, then you know you can pack a lot of light weight clothing and sandals.

When planning a trip, don’t count on a single booking website to show you the lowest fares. Compare prices across a variety of sites, including meta-searchers if you can find them. Also check with the airline and hotel directly, as they may actually be able to offer you a better rate than the website.

Enroll in the loyal customer club. These clubs reward you with a free night after you’ve stayed a certain number of nights at their participating locations. Even if aren’t planning to stay with them again, enroll anyway. Being a member often entitles you to extra benefits–anything from drinks to internet access–during your stay.

Travel agencies can sometimes clear out a specific airline or hotels inventory. Look in your local paper or other local publications for specials and sales. Sometimes these can be a great way to take a getaway on a budget. There will be limited amounts of these available, so act fast.

To make a long airport layover fly by in a flash, see if you can purchase a day pass for one of the airport’s exclusive lounges. These lounges are meant for the airlines’ best customers, but with a day pass, you will be able to relax in style with free food and drinks, as well as, clean bathrooms, while you wait for your flight.

As you can see, there are many possibilities. The dream of travel can be fulfilled by a combination of accumulating the resources needed, by careful planning and by a good knowledge of the destination you choose. Then, when you return home, you will have wonderful memories to sustain you, until the next trip!