Planning a last-minute weekend trip can cause a lot of headaches. I would know. I am the type of person to plan ahead of time or plan at the last minute. There is no in-between. But when I leave things to the last minute, boy oh boy, how the stress levels rise.

The entire purpose of going on a last-minute trip is to take a break, relax, unwind and just let yourself become worry-free (even if it’s for a few days). But once the planning for a weekend getaway starts rolling, people begin to take it seriously, overdo it, and stress themselves out to the point where a relaxing weekend is no more.

So if you have an urge to take a spontaneous last-minute weekend trip without stressing out, check out my tips to help you enjoy your no-stress weekend.

Don’t Over Think It

I am an overthinker, and I am GUILTY of doing this, but listen up. Last-minute weekend trips should be spontaneous, aka BE FLEXIBLE, and not too picky. You don’t need to end up at the airport to head to the big city. You might be surprised what you can find an hour or two from your home.

Now, I like to pick the destination by what would be cool to experience that season. If it’s in the fall, the idea of visiting a farm or cute town sounds ideal. Summer is more for beach towns, in my opinion.

Just keep it simple and don’t overthink it.

Getting There

In my opinion, the perfect trick to an ideal last-minute trip is to make sure you aren’t spending half the time traveling. What is the point? I don’t know about y’all, but the airport stresses me out.

And the same goes with driving—no need to waste a whole tank and still not be at your destination.

When you are looking for a place for your trip, find something easily accessible. You don’t want to spend your last day in a long TSA line. My sweet spot would be 1-3 hours driving or 1-2 hours in the air.

If you want to take a flight, use Skyscanner or Google Flights to find flights that meet your budget. And traveling by car requires you to make sure you check traffic before and after your trip. You don’t want to get stuck in 5 pm traffic.

Lodging

I am probably the pickiest person when it comes to lodging. Why? I am either looking for a hotel when I am in the city or looking for a quaint AirBnB if I am in a small town.

Hotels tend to be closer to touristy areas in the city, but AirBnBs have more amenities when I just want to relax. I like to use Expedia when searching for hotels, but I also compare that price to the website price. Sometimes I find that the hotel is cheaper through their site than Expedia. Figure out what you need, and make sure you compare prices, so you don’t end up overspending or going over your budget.

I also like to see where lodging is compared to the things I want to do. If I know I will be spending most of my time near the town square; I will make sure I am within walking distance or a short drive away.

And don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Pick a few and see who has available.

While I am all about staying with a friend, I sometimes prefer to have some privacy.

Packing

Please do not pack your entire life. I mean it.

Depending on your plans for your last-minute weekend getaway, keep it simple and to what you need—pack for your environment and the things you plan on doing while on your trip. Don’t stress yourself out by overpacking. Take what you need and call it good.

A few ideas:

• Going to a beach town? Pack your sun hat, towels, sunscreen, and sunglasses
• Going on a romantic getaway? Pack your cutest outfits and some breath mints.
• Going on an adventure? Pack your hiking boots, cap, and water bottles.

Pack for what you need, and maybe clothes for a day extra. Nothing more.

And when it comes to beauty and skincare products, take what you need only. Don’t carry your entire bathroom shelf in your bag.

Here is a list of some of my most essential things when traveling.

Things To Do

What you decide to do on your last-minute weekend trip is up to you.

But if you need ideas on places to eat or things to do, my two go-to’s are Instagram and Pinterest. I find both incredible resources to help me figure out what I can do. But remember that you cannot be too picky on your choices if you plan things at the last minute. You have to be flexible and understand you might have to resort to plan B.

Going on last-minute weekend trips can be fun if you can be ready for anything. These trips are supposed to be about being spontaneous and flexible. So enjoy yourself!