Let’s be honest — getting ready for a trip is often the most stressful part of traveling. Did you lock all the doors at home? Turn off the stove? What time does the flight leave? And where is that confirmation email? The pre-vacation panic spiral is real, common, and can leave you feeling like a chaotic mess before you even step foot in an airport. (Just think of how frantic that opening scene was in Home Alone and know it doesn’t have to be that way.)
That’s why it’s worth taking advice from someone who’s had plenty of experience in traveling well. Author and TV host Samantha Brown has spent more than 15 years exploring the world — often with a camera crew (when it’s for work), and with her husband and twin kids (when it’s for pleasure). So if anyone knows how to travel without losing her cool, it’s her.
Her travel prep style is all about reducing anxiety before it starts — keeping things simple, intentional, and calm. From how to pace your itinerary to the importance of daily rituals, Brown’s tips will make travel feel like the break it’s supposed to be, before and during your trip.
Smart, Stress-Reducing Travel Tips
Pack a week in advance (seriously)
Avoid the night-before scramble by packing earlier than you think you need to. Brown recommends starting a full week before your trip. “I hate that feeling of being rushed,” Brown says. “That’s why I pack a week before and create a checklist of what’s in the bag,” she says. “Otherwise, you start second-guessing everything and tear it all apart.”
Having your suitcase ready in advance gives you mental breathing room to handle other last-minute details, like triple-checking your boarding pass, setting your out-of-office reply, or unplugging the coffee machine.
Arrive at the airport earlier than you think you need to
When it comes to airport timing, Brown takes a hard-line stance: Get there way earlier than the airline recommends. “They say two hours before departure, but I say two hours before boarding time,” she says. That buffer lets you get through security, find your gate, grab a snack and water, and breathe. As Brown puts it, “The best way to remove 90 percent of travel stress is to just give yourself enough time.”
Remember: even dream trips need a warm-up
Even with all the advance prep, arriving at your destination can still leave you feeling disoriented. There’s so much buildup and anticipation, sometimes a year in advance, and suddenly, you’re standing in your hotel room thinking: What now?
“Sometimes, when I arrive at a destination, I sit there and feel paralyzed,” says Brown. The fix? Don’t expect to relax immediately. Start small. “Go for a walk. Bring your kids, or just explore your new neighborhood solo. What’s around you? What’s open? Just walking and getting your bearings helps you adjust and ease into the experience,” she shares. It takes time to rebuild the tiny routines of daily life — where to eat, how to connect to WiFi, what the rhythm of the day feels like. Give yourself that space. Let the vacation settle in around you.
Plan only one big event a day
Trying to see everything is the fastest way to enjoy nothing. Brown suggests limiting yourself to one main activity per day while on vacation, whether that’s a museum, hike, or tour. “You want to build in time to absorb what you just did,” she says, “and not rush to the next thing.” She also has advice for those travelers who feel pressure to make every minute count. “For people who feel like, ‘This is my only shot,’ my advice is: Do those must-see things first thing in the morning. Be productive early, then have a long lunch and be lazy in the afternoon.” This mindset shift builds in flexibility — it gives you time to relax, wander, or pivot if plans change without feeling like you’re falling behind.
Schedule a 3 p.m. break — no matter what
Brown’s not kidding about that afternoon rest: She swears by a non-negotiable midafternoon reset while she’s on a trip. Whether it’s coffee and cake, ice cream with the kids, or just sitting on a park bench, it’s a moment to slow down when energy and patience both naturally tend to dip anyway. “No matter your age, everyone crashes in the afternoon,” she says. “Give yourself permission to be slower.”
Create a simple daily ritual
Rituals help you feel grounded, even in unfamiliar places. Brown picks one comforting thing to repeat daily, whether that’s a local coffee shop she visits every morning, the same ice cream stop with her family, or a morning walk in the nearest public park. “That comfort allows you to relax,” she says. “It becomes something you don’t have to think about.”
So the next time you’re staring down a messy suitcase, a browser full of open tabs, and the creeping dread of forgetting your passport, channel your inner Samantha Brown. A little prep, a little pacing, and a well-timed pastry break can transform even the most chaotic trip into something close to serene.
