Vacations aren't what they used to be. Going away used to mean actually going away.
Unless you decided to pick up the phone and call back home, you were on your own to relax, unwind, and soak up your adventure.
That's not the case today. You can stay connected throughout your entire vacation. That's a good thing! It can be fun to stay connected, but it can also ruin your vacation in an instant.
It doesn't matter if you're visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville or you're overseas exploring the Louvre in Paris, you can make sure you stay connected without letting it ruin your vacation.
Use Social Media Wisely
Chances are, you're doing and seeing some amazing things while you're on vacation. It's normal to want to post what you're doing on social media, but you should think twice.
It's a much better idea not to post details about your vacation while you're actually on vacation. If you post pictures and updates, you're basically telling everyone that you're not at home, which can leave your property open to burglaries.
Instead of posting while you're on vacation, save all those pictures and post when them when you get home. That way, you can share the details of your vacation without leaving your home open to bad things while you're gone.
Contact Friends and Family Directly
Just can't wait to share the details of your vacation, and want to do it while you're still away? You don't have to keep everything a secret! Instead of posting updates on social media, simply share what you're doing with your family and friends directly.
You can text or call friends and family members to tell them about what you're doing while you're on vacation. It can be a lot of fun at the end of the day to relive what you did with someone you care about, but it can also keep you safe.
It's always a good idea to tell people back home what you're up to. That way, if something happens at home, they know how to get ahold of you, and if you don't return home when you're supposed to, they know where to start looking.
Use a Private Photo Sharing Service
Telling your friends and family about what you're doing is fun, but it's even better if you can share pictures with everyone.
Make sure your photos don't fall into the wrong hands by using a private photo sharing service instead of posting your pictures on the internet.
A few of the best apps for sharing photos privately include:
23Snaps: Group and caption photos based on what you're doing on vacation and share them with friends and family.
Cluster: Share pictures and utilize notifications, comments, likes, and more.
KatchUp: Share pictures and print them easily within the same app.
Google Spaces: You can share pictures, but you can also share clips from the web privately.
Plan Tech Time Carefully
Staying connected while on vacation can be a lot of fun, but you don't want the time you spend on your phone or your laptop to interfere with your presence in the moment. That means you have to plan tech time carefully.
That includes planning tech time for the kids while you're on vacation, but it means planning tech time for you too.
That doesn't mean you have to avoid using technology if you don't want to. It just means creating rules that work for you. For example, that might mean turning your phone off until after lunch, when you get on your phone for 20 minutes, then turn it off again until you get back to the hotel in the evening.
Know Your Cell Service Before You Leave
Staying connected, however you choose to do it, shouldn't cost you as much as your vacation. Make sure you don't return home to a massive bill by understanding your cell service before you leave.
Did you know you could face roaming charges when traveling overseas, even if your phone is off?
Do you know exactly how much data you can use before your cell phone company starts charging you extra?
You may have to consider moving your SIM card into a new phone or bringing your laptop, depending on your particular cell phone plan.
You don't have to disappear for days at a time when you're on vacation if you don't want to! You can stay connected, no matter where you're traveling, as long as you follow these tips.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
