Research Your Destination’s Rules and Regulations… By doing so, there will be no misunderstandings once you arrive at your destination.

Check Out the U.S. Embassy’s Website… You will be able to get the latest advice and alerts for any country that you would like to visit. Simply click here to visit U.S. Embassy’s Website.

Research the Local Events That You Would Like to See… This will help you from missing out on great events when you reach your destination; like festivals, ceremonies and natural events

Purchase a Guidebook… Guidebooks usually include maps, key words or phrases, and give you enough detail on certain sites and provide you with plenty of detail. Amazon.com has a nice selection of guidebooks for sale on their website. Your local bookstore may also have exactly what you need

Pack an Extra Set of Clothes in Your Carry-On Bag… You will have an extra set of clothes to wear in the unlikely event that the airline loses your luggage. Don’t laugh, it happens all too often!

Find Out How Many Bags You are Allowed to Check-In… Every airline has its own set of guidelines as to how many bags can be checked-in or carried-on for free. Make sure that you know what your airline’s rules are to avoid additional fees when you check in at the airline counter.

Bring a Few Snacks With You… Traveling in the U.S. or abroad is fun, but finding a good place to eat can sometimes become a task. Bring small snacks that will tide you over until you find that perfect restaurant.

Tie a Ribbon on Each Piece of Luggage… You will be able to quickly recognize your luggage when arriving at your destination by simply tying a brightly-colored ribbon to the handle of each piece of luggage.

Check the Expiration Date on Your Passport… Make sure that your passport has not expired, passports must be valid six months after your return date. An expired passport can create overwhelming problems for you when trying to enter or leave a foreign country.

Bring a Copy of Your Passport With You… If your passport gets stolen or lost you want to be sure that you can still get back into the country, or be able to prove your citizenship at the very least.

Prepare an Extra Copy of Your Passport… Leave a copy of your passport at home or with someone that you trust completely.

Prepare an Electronic Copy of Your Passport… Attach this copy to an email and send it to your email account. You will then be able to access that copy from any location in the world should the need arise.

Register Your Passport When in a Foreign Country… If a problem should arise while you are in a particular country, it will be easier for your government to contact you and get you to safety.

Contact Your Doctor… Make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations that you will need and renew all of your essential prescriptions.

Contact Your Medical Insurance Provider… Make sure that your policy will cover you overseas in the event of an emergency. If it doesn’t, you should consider buying additional coverage for that period of time.

Look Up the Monetary Conversion Rate Before You Travel Abroad… Make sure that you do your math before you leave on your trip so you know what the conversion rate is. There are available apps for your cell phone that can provide you with this information.

Go to a Bank or ATM to Convert Your Currency… Be careful that you get the current rate when you convert your currency. A bank or ATM is your best bet!

Go to Your Local Bank if You Have Foreign Currency When You Return Home… Your local bank should be able to convert any foreign currency that you might have when you return from your trip. There may be a fee involved for the conversion. Check this out before you leave on your trip.

Maintain a Fair Amount of Foreign Currency When Abroad… You will find that some places of business will not accept a credit card or U.S. currency; which may include a train or a bus.

Contact Your Credit Card Provider… Make sure that you will be able to use your credit card in the country that you will be visiting. Also tell your provider the dates that you will be out of the country and the country, or countries, that you plan to visit. If your provider does not know you have gone abroad, they might suspect foreign purchases to be fraudulent and immediately terminate your credit card.

If You Should Lose Your Credit Card… Contact your credit card provider immediately and let them know that you lost your card. Your credit card provider will most likely terminate your credit card at that time.

Always Bring Two Different Credit Cards When Traveling… You will always have a spare in the event that your credit card is lost or stolen. Make sure that you do not keep your credit cards together in case of theft. The hotel’s safe is a good place to keep the spare.

Contact Your Cell Phone Provider… Ask your provider to activate your phone’s global capabilities. There’s usually a charge for doing this, but it is much less than the roaming charges that you’ll get if you don’t.  Contact Your Cell Phone Provider… Ask your provider to activate your phone’s global capabilities. There’s usually a charge for doing this, but it is much less than the roaming charges that you’ll get if you don’t.

Check the Voltage Used in the Area That You Will be Visiting… There is nothing worse than having an adapter and still not being able to use the electronics that you brought on your trip because the voltage isn’t high enough for that country. You can buy an adapter locally that will allow you to utilize your electronics.

Cell Phone Users Should Buy an Adapter for Their Charger… If you want to use your cell phone abroad, make sure that you are able to charge it while away from home.