Free Travel and Vacation Information

If you have never traveled outside of the United States this probably means that you do not have a passport and have probably never even tried to get one. A passport will be needed for generally every foreign country you might travel to and is always needed to get back into the United States when you have been out of the country.

If you follow these simple instructions, you should have no trouble acquiring your first passport. Remember, no matter where you are taking your holidays to, if it's not in this country you need this document proof of who you are and where you are from.

The first thing you will have to do is fill out an application for a passport which is called a Form DS-11 which you can get from online and download it. Fill it out completely and then bring it with you when you apply for your passport in person.

You will need to find a place that takes passport photos and it is required that you have them take two photos that are exactly the same. They can be no bigger than two inches by two inches. The photos have to be your full front view of your face, definitely no profiles are allowed and it must be from your shoulders to the top of your head and it must have only a white background. Photo studios and even many post offices will take these types of photos for a fee.

To find your local Passport Acceptance Office you can get on the U.S. Department of State site and find one near you by just putting in your zip code and it will give you a list of offices that are in your surrounding area. When you have found the one closest to you, you can then take all necessary items to them to apply.

You will need to make sure that you have proof of your citizenship in the United States. This will generally be your certified birth certificate or if not born here it will need to be a naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship. If this is not your first passport and you have an expired one you can bring that instead.

You will need to also have identity proof. This would need to be your driver's license, state ID or some sort of government or military ID. These all will have a photo on them with your most current information for them to verify who you are.

After you have done all of this you can take all of your information down to your Passport Acceptance Office a long with an application fee as well as what is called an execution fee in order to get your passport. You will need to give these fees to them when you turn in your application. This can take as long as six weeks after you hand in all of this.

So it is very important that you get this done several months before you actually plan to go on your vacation. However; if you waited to get your passport, you can pay an additional fee and they can have your passport ready for you in two weeks.

Try applying for your passport from September to February, the reason for this is that there are less people applying for passports at this time of year. You should also note that when taking your passport photo do not even wear a hat and make sure your eyes are wide open and keep a natural and relaxed look on your face when taking the photo.  

Whether you are planning on using vacation packages or all inclusive holidays there are always important essentials that you need to have when you are making your plans for any kind of travel, especially if you are planning to go outside of the country. Packing probably is one of the biggest parts of traveling so it's always a good idea that you you have some important items packed to go with you no matter what kind of vacation it might be.

Make sure that your suitcase, duffel bag or even backpack have some sort of wheels on them. This type of luggage is going to put a lot less strain on you and it is going to make bringing your luggage with you a lot easier and more effortless.

Make sure that you have some sort of day pack with you. This is always good to have to carry your maps, your water and any snacks you might need throughout the day. A day pack may not look as nice as a tote but they are able to make sure the weight of your items are distributed correctly so that it is far more comfortable on both your shoulders and your back.

Always make sure that you pack some comfortable shoes. Make sure to leave all high heels. You need shoes that you can truly walk in with comfort. If you have to go out and buy new shoes it is always a smart thing to break them in before you go on your trip. A vacation can quickly be ruined if you end up with blisters on your feet.

Personal items like medications, personal toiletries all depend upon the individual and their needs. It is advisable to include amongst your personal items things like small bottles of lotions and gels for dry skin or any abrasions you might get during your travels. Make sure to pack all of your personal hygiene items as well as any medications you need to take. It is not a good idea for when you are traveling to put your pills in those weekly organizers, always bring the prescription bottles they come in. And if you wear glasses for any reason, make sure that you bring them with them, even an extra pair might be advisable. If you wear contacts, it's a good idea that you have plenty of solution for the trip.

Don't think that you can't be a target for pickpockets. They are everywhere you go and are quite good at relieving you of your money, ID and passports. So make an effort to protect yourself. One way is to buy a money belt and actually use it. Only put things in your purse and day pack that you can easily be replaced.

Always make sure that you have some sort of rain gear. Make sure that you have an umbrella that is collapsible, have a a jacket that is water repellent or a poncho. Unless you are headed for some place like a dessert, make sure to be prepared for changes in weather.

If you are going to need some way to get up at a certain time, don't rely on any wake up services that might be offered by the place you are staying at. It is always a better idea for you to have some sort of travel alarm to wake up to. You can buy a clock or take advantage of alarms on a watch or even on your cell phone.

If you happen to be going out of the country it is a good idea that you have some sort of adapter and converter for the different voltage that you will experience in different countries. A lot of appliances like hair dryers, your camera charger, computers and phones have different voltages but some may not and you will need a converter.