Planning a surprise trip for that special someone or even family member can be incredibly challenging! Whether it be a weekend somewhere romantic, or a 10 day vacation, here are my tips on how to plan the perfect surprise trip. At the end of this post, make sure to check out my favorite resources for planning surprise trips!
Do Your Research
Does your special someone have a unique interest in everything Greek, but never been to Greece? Does your sister love Justin Bieber, but never been to a concert of his? Are your parents seniors, don’t travel much, but have always wanted to go to Hawaii? Whoever you are planning that special trip for, make sure your travel plans fall within their physical capabilities and personal interests. Remember, you’re planning a trip for someone else and not yourself, be thoughtful.
Plan a Memorable Reveal
When we surprised my dad with a trip to Palm Springs for his birthday, we wanted the presentation to be memorable but not too jarring. I ended up purchasing some custom labeled chocolate bars from a company in the Netherlands, the label read, “Happy Birthday! Today, we leave on a jet plane to Palm Springs!”. We gave them to him as his birthday gift, and as he read the chocolate bar, slight shock began to register. It was perfect. He was excited and happy, and it was completely unexpected. It was the exact reaction we were going for!
Keep the Surprises Coming
My favorite part about planning a surprise vacation are all the fun little details and additional surprises! These are what absolutely makes the trip. For another one of my dad’s birthdays, my mom and I planned an entire “explore Oregon” day. It started with breakfast at a surprise location, complete with his favorite breakfast meal and continued as we made special stops all along our drive up to Portland at locations my dad had mentioned always wanting to visit. At the hotel, there was a bottle of champagne and a nice card waiting to help celebrate the special day. Lastly, at the restaurant for his birthday dinner, my whole family and my dad’s best friends were waiting to help celebrate! My dad was so excited to spend the evening with all of his favorite people and the special surprises throughout the day made it one of his most memorable birthdays!
Takeaway: The details all matter! Make sure the activities and experiences are all high-touch and well planned out! There is nothing worse than arriving at your surprise destination with no plans.
Make Your Final Evening Memorable
Always make sure you end your surprise trip with a secret bang! For one of my mom’s birthdays, we surprised her with a spa treatment at her favorite spa before we whisked her away for dinner out on the town. All the thoughtful touches from beginning to end will help make your surprise trip absolutely memorable!
Resources
Some of my favorite websites for planning are Travelocity, Priceline and Travelzoo. Travelzoo is especially special because you can book discounted experiences and hotel stays directly through their website!
I hope this guide to how to plan the perfect surprise trip was helpful and fun to read! I’d love to hear about some surprise trips you’ve planned, so tell me all about them in the comments below!
XO,
M
As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases as well as on other affiliate links found in this post. Please see my Disclosure for more information.
how to plan the perfect surprise trip how to plan the perfect surprise vacation surprise getaway surprise trip surprise vacation surprise weekend getaway
Leave a Comment