T+L Editors Share Their Travel Resolutions for 2019
Plan my biggest trip yet
"I'm getting married in 2019, which means I'll also be embarking upon one of the great perks of newlywed-dom: The honeymoon! My fiancé and I take almost any opportunity to travel, but busy work schedules and a wedding budget have limited us to a few long weekend trips over the past year. We're definitely eager to cross a trip of a lifetime (or maybe two!) off our list. In 2019, I'm resolved to work through the logistics, build our itinerary, and book our biggest vacation yet." —Abigail Williams, Senior Audience Engagement Editor
Go somewhere new
"My husband and I both use most of our vacation days to visit our families in France and in South Carolina — both absolutely lovely travel destinations, and we're lucky to have families we like enough to visit regularly! — but it means some years we don't make time for new destinations. I crossed ZERO new destinations off of my travel wish list in 2018, so I'm making it a priority to get to somewhere new in 2019. High on my list are Mexico City, Grenada, Morocco, and Idaho's Dark Sky Reserve." —Skye Senterfeit, Photo Editor
Actually book flight deals
"Flights deals can go as quickly as they come, which is why I'm making it my resolution to become more proactive when it comes to actually booking and taking advantage of flight deals. Having a little flexibility in terms of travel dates and taking the plunge when a deal pops up can mean saving hundreds of dollars. Some particular promotions tend to come around the same time each year, so I'll definitely be keeping an eye on those." —Talia Avakian, Digital News Reporter
Spend a weekend away with my mom
"My mom and I have been talking about spending a long weekend somewhere — just the two of us — for a while, so it's my personal goal for 2019 to find the destination, pick the dates, and make it happen." —Richelle Szypulski, Assistant Digital Editor
Take a train trip
"At T+L, we're always covering these breathtakingly scenic train routes. Whether it’s the Empire Builder to Montana’s Glacier National Park past some of America’s greatest sights, a ride through the Adirondacks in a glass-domed car during peak fall foliage, or the coastal route from Seattle to L.A., I want to book an Amtrak trip I’ll never forget in 2019. Traveling by rail feels romantically vintage, and it’s a great way to learn to slow down and enjoy the journey." —Nina Ruggiero, Senior Digital Editor
Start packing ahead of time
"While I consider myself a pretty savvy traveler, I am notoriously terrible at packing, often waiting until the last minute. I’m that person scrambling at 3 a.m. before my flight to find my outlet adapter and realizing on my way to the airport that I forgot the bug spray (vicious mosquitoes in tropical locations can be a real buzz kill). As a new convert to the Away hardside carry-on — which has two compartments, one designed specifically for hard items — I now no longer have any excuse not to at least pack toiletries, electronics, and shoes ahead of time. Now, as for the clothes... how do I get myself to start using packing cubes? That’s a whole separate resolution." —Karen I. Chen, Editorial Producer
Plan more activities
"My fiancé and I spend most of our time on trips doing one of three things: eating, drinking, or walking. While I love to get a feel for a new place by wandering the streets, snapping pictures, and tasting the local cuisine, I’ve realized we never actually do anything while on vacation. It’s my goal to start scheduling some fun activities — tours, cooking classes, and the like — starting with an appointment at a perfume-making workshop on our trip to Provence this spring." —Erin Lengas, Editorial Operations Associate
Take a river cruise
"I've traveled a lot of different ways: by tiny propeller plane, by creaky Soviet-era train, by bus careening around the side of a mountain. Getting from place to place usually isn't what makes a trip, and (if everything goes according to plan) it's not the most memorable part. But a cruise is the opposite of that — the mode of transportation is essential to what makes the trip special, and helps you see a place from a totally different vantage point. A river cruise is alluring to me because of the small size of the vessel (I don't love crowds), the frequent stops and excursions (which means you really get to know the place you're in), and the fact that, for obvious reasons, many of the world's great cities and civilizations have sprung up along rivers. The Nile, the Danube, the Mekong, the Ganges, the Amazon, the Zambezi...now I just have to pick one." —Hannah Walhout, Assistant Editor
Visit a place I've been meaning to get around to
"For a travel editor, I've got some borderline-embarrassing blind spots. I've been to Kenya twice, but have yet to set foot in Canada. I've seen Idaho and Wyoming, but never managed to get a bit further west to Washington or Oregon. I've been to Florence a couple times, and wandered all around the Amalfi Coast, yet never made it to Rome, unless you count a bus ride from the airport to train station (I don't). This year, I'd love to make it to one or more of the places that have been on my list for ages, if only to feel less guilty about all the times I've smiled and nodded knowingly when someone brought up the charm of Montreal in autumn or their favorite aperitivo spot in Trastevere." —Lila Battis, Food & Travel Editor
Stop leaving so late for the airport
"On days I have flights scheduled, I always intend to leave my apartment three hours before take-off (I'm about 20 minutes away from the airport), but I inevitably end up stalling by going back and packing extra outfits or making sure I have enough charge on my headphones. So while I have never missed a flight, nine times out of 10, I roll up (panicked brisk-walk up) to the gate and have to check my bag because the first four zones have filled up all the overhead bins. In 2019, I will become a human who arrives at the airport with enough time to fill up my water bottle before boarding, or maybe even 30 minutes to pop into the XpresSpa to treat myself to a neck and back massage. Could you imagine having your life that together?" —Richelle Szypulski, Assistant Digital Editor
Spend time in France
"I'm English, and in the U.K. you're either a Greece family, a Spain family, an Italy family, or a France family. Growing up, my parents fell into the first category — to the point where they actually moved to Greece when they retired. Over the years, friends and other family members have relocated to Italy and Spain, but I've never had a good reason to spend time in France. This year I'm determined to change that! Especially now that, as the editor responsible for T+L's coverage of Mediterranean Europe, I spend a lot of time editing copy about its many wonders. I just wish there was time for a Grand France tour..." —Flora Stubbs, Features Director
Visit a new continent
I’ve been to Europe a few times, and I’ve seen a fair bit of North America — but I have yet to see the other continents. Which country (or countries) I want to see in 2019 is TBD: will I see the cherry blossoms in Japan, or soak up the sun on Phuket’s gorgeous beaches? Go on safari in Kenya or hike Table Mountain in Cape Town? Hike in Patagonia or snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef? I don’t know, but I’m excited just thinking about the possibilities." —Elizabeth Preske, Assistant Digital Editor
Start planning ahead
"Being spontaneous is fun and all, but booking trips at the last minute is a habit that sometimes forces me to purchase overpriced plane tickets, miss out on particularly in-demand museum or restaurant reservations, and just stress out more than necessary. In 2019, I resolve to take my own advice and plan ahead, including booking that flight as soon as Hopper tells me to, mapping out my dream itinerary well in advance, downloading any apps I might need before I'm on foreign Wi-Fi, and using the 'front desk trick' to get the best possible hotel rate. Maybe I'll even pack more than a few hours before I leave (with premeditated complete outfits organized by packing cubes)." —Nina Ruggiero, Senior Digital Editor
Maximize long weekends
"I’m notoriously bad at looking at the calendar, meaning I’m usually the last to know when a long weekend is coming thanks to a holiday. So while my friends are out celebrating Labor Day in Mexico City or Nashville, I’m stuck at home twiddling my thumbs. Not a good look for a travel editor, right? In 2019 I resolve to make the most of long and holiday weekends. By taking a Monday off or maximizing a holiday, I’m planning to see more of the world that's available to me within an easy bus ride or quick flight. First stop? Escape freezing New York for a weekend in Savannah." —Tanner Saunders, Associate Digital Editor
Stop overplanning
"I’m a little overzealous when it comes to vacation planning. Case in point: the last time I traveled, I went to three countries in six days and slept at five different hotels. So my travel resolution for 2019 is to try to take the planning down a notch and adopt a more carefree attitude. Just once it would be nice to come home from a vacation feeling rested!" —Siobhan Reid, Associate Editor
Learn how to ski
"Growing up, my family and I typically visited big cities or took beach vacations whenever we traveled. My parents didn't ski — therefore I didn't ski. Flash forward 38 years, and I still don't ski, mainly because I'm too chicken to get out on the slopes. But everyone's got to start somewhere. My dream is for it to be on the slopes of Aspen or Park City, quintessentially cool mountain towns that offer plenty to do in the way of shopping and dining and upscale resort hotels like the Hotel Jerome or the Montage Deer Valley." —Jacqueline Gifford, Editor-in-Chief
Get TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry
"The new year brings on more trips to destinations near and far so I am resolving to finally take the plunge and register for TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry. Most of my travel anxiety happens at the airport so it's a bit silly that I've waited so long to do this when it could ease a lot of the stress that comes before the journey even begins." —Mariah Tyler, Associate Digital Photo Editor
Proactively manage my miles/award programs
"I may be the travel editor in my marriage, but my husband is the numbers guru. His math prowess means he's usually the one tracking, tallying, and generally figuring out how best to use the various miles and credit-card awards we've accumulated between us. In 2019, I'm determined to be more proactive and keep a closer eye on my accounts so I don't spend December racing to amass enough miles for hotel and airline status for the following year." —Sarah Bruning, Senior Editor
At Travel + Leisure, we see a new year as a blank calendar just waiting to be filled in with travel plans. But in 2019, our resolutions include not only traveling more, but traveling better — and we're sharing them with you in hopes they'll inspire you to do the same.