How To Pick A Vacation Destination That's Awesome

You've only got a week or two for your vacation-maybe less. You've worked overtime or gone without so that you can pay for it. In the days leading up to your time off, you'll probably log some late nights at the office, in the effort to make sure there aren't any problems while you're gone.

In other words, you sacrifice a lot to take a vacation, so you'll want to make sure it's worth every penny it cost to fund it, and every extra hour you had to work to pull it off. Since picking the right vacation destination is one of the biggest factors in having an awesome vacation, let's take a look at some tips that will help you pick the perfect spot:

What are you trying to accomplish?

This may seem like a no-brainer: "Well, duh, I'm trying to accomplish a vacation, of course!" But people take vacations for different reasons, and those reasons can in turn affect your choice of vacation destination. If you're looking to catch up on your chores around the house during your time off, for example, you may decide you don't want to travel at all during your vacation, since you'd be better off staying at home.

Some of the common motivators for a vacation are:

• "Cutting loose"-pub crawls, night clubbing, lots of rowdy socialization
• A desire for luxury-lots of food, drink and spa treatments
• A desire to see beautiful scenery and connect with nature
• A desire to visit famous places and landmarks
• Experiencing new cultures
• Exploration, adventure and discovery
• Learning and growth
• Participation in an activity (Skiing, hiking etc.)
• Quality time with significant other, kids, a best friend or other family members
• Relaxation or "chill time"

Once you've connected with your priorities, you'll be able to eliminate some options. A couple who likes to visit famous places might decide that this is the year to finally make that New York City trip, for example, until they also realize that this year really want a relaxing getaway where they can just chill out. New York isn't really a place where you go to chill- but Key West is. For that couple, the Key West destination is actually a much better choice-it indulges their need to see famous places along with their desire for a trip that's focused on down time.

Don't force a vacation destination on someone.

If you're traveling with a group, you may not be able to find a destination that's number one on everyone's list of preferences, and that's okay as long as you at least have some degree of consensus about the location.

That being said, it's best not to force a vacation destination on someone. If your kids are dead set against visiting Nashville and no amount of encouragement (or threats) can make them have a good attitude, you may be setting yourself up for a vacation that's ripe for lots of conflict and little fun. In those cases, it might be better to go back to the drawing board, all the while making plans for an adults-only trip to Nashville sometime in the near future.

Keep a running list of vacation ideas.

Some vacation destinations are absolutely amazing but don't enjoy as much visibility as the likes of Paris or Florida. Therefore they may not spring to mind whenever you sit down to plan a trip. Keep a list of spots that are on your bucket list, along with the interesting places you learn about during the rest of the year-like when a friend posts pictures on Facebook, you read about them, or you hear them mentioned during a favorite TV show.

Consider your special needs.

Along with setting your vacation priorities, you'll want to consider any other needs that might inform your choice of vacation location. For example:

• Do you want to bring your pet?
• Are you bringing children?
• Do you want to drive or fly?
• Do you need convenience, such as the kind that comes with all-inclusive resorts or cruises?
• Does anyone in the vacation party have physical limitations?
• Do you need to be able to conduct business while you're gone?
• How much do you want to spend?
• Are you limited by seasonal considerations?
• How long can you travel?
• How far in advance does a particular destination require deposits and reservations?
• If a vacation idea requires equipment and knowledge (like skiing), do you have time and budget to acquire either?

For more great vacation destination ideas, click here to visit Lift's West, a luxury Southwest ski resort!

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