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To Plan This Summer's Travel, Talk To Friends About Last Summer

A boat enters the channel leading from Lake Michigan to Round Lake, in Charlevoix, Mich., where Ed spent some time last summer. KNKX travel expert Matthew Brumley says to begin your search for summer plans by talking to friends.
Ed Ronco
/
KNKX
A boat enters the channel leading from Lake Michigan to Round Lake, in Charlevoix, Mich., where Ed spent some time last summer. KNKX travel expert Matthew Brumley says to begin your search for summer plans by talking to friends.

The arrival of spring has KNKX travel expert Matthew Brumley thinking ahead to summer. He's already planning where he'll go with his family when the weather turns warm. 

But doing that search – and getting it all set up – can seem overwhelming. Here’s his advice:

Talk To People

Ask friends and family where they went last summer.

"It's better than anything else," he said. "I usually get most of my ideas from friends."

You can also call local tourist boards, and then cross-reference with websites like TripAdvisor. But Brumley says nothing beats a good recommendation.

Book Now

If you have a very rigid schedule, and know there’s only a specific window for your vacation, book now. If you have more flexibility, you might be able to take a little more time with your research.

The closer you get to a vacation without making plans, the more flexible you’ll need to be.

Be Flexible

If your hopes are dashed, and the place you really wanted to go is booked up, that might not be terrible. Sometimes it can lead to new discoveries.

Be open to trying a new place, or staying just down the road from where you originally planned. It can be a good way to find new additions to your list of favorites.

Any Advice?

If word of mouth really is the best place to start your vacation search, let’s hear your advice. Where have you been recently that you’re willing to recommend to others? Share your ideas in the comments below, and we’ll mention some of them on an upcoming episode.

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"Going Places" is 88.5's weekly exploration of travel. Our travel expert, Matthew Brumley, is co-founder of Earthbound Expeditions on Bainbridge Island, which provides small group travel to clients including KNKX. Never miss an episode again. Subscribe to Going Places with iTunesGoogle Play or Stitcher.

Ed Ronco is a former KNKX producer and reporter and hosted All Things Considered for seven years.