There’s a quiet moment every year, usually somewhere between late winter and the first stretch of longer daylight, when our travel mindset shifts. The boots and coats aren’t packed away yet, but the dreaming starts anyway. Spring and summer travel planning begins to take shape long before anything is booked, and for us, that planning is just as meaningful as the trip itself.
Instead of rushing into dates and reservations, we approach seasonal travel planning slowly and intentionally. Here’s how we start planning spring and summer trips in a way that feels exciting, realistic, and sustainable, without burning out before the season even begins.
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We Start With the Feeling, Not the Destination
Before choosing where to go, we ask how we want the season to feel.
Do we want:
- Quiet weekends in nature?
- A few longer road trips?
- One big anchor trip paired with smaller adventures?
- More rest, or more movement?
Spring and summer can fill up fast, so grounding our plans in a feeling helps guide every decision that follows. It also keeps us from saying yes to trips that look good on paper but don’t actually fit our energy or priorities.
We Look at the Calendar — Gently
Instead of blocking off every free weekend, we start by identifying:
- Existing commitments
- Work heavy periods
- Natural “lighter” weeks
- Long weekends that could support travel
From there, we choose a handful of potential windows rather than locking everything in. This keeps the season flexible and allows room for spontaneity, or rest, when needed. This is the same process we use in our Seasonal Planning Kit, which walks through reflecting on how you want a season to feel before filling the calendar with trips and commitments.
We Choose One or Two “Anchor” Trips
An anchor trip is a larger adventure that shapes the rest of the season. It might be:
- A national park trip
- A longer road trip
- A place we’ve been dreaming about for years
Once that’s chosen, the rest of the season tends to fall into place more naturally. Shorter weekend trips, local adventures, and quieter travel plans can orbit around that bigger experience.
We Balance New Places With Familiar Favorites
Spring and summer planning isn’t just about novelty. We intentionally mix:
- New destinations that spark curiosity
- Repeat places we already love
Returning to familiar spots removes planning stress and allows us to experience places more deeply. It also creates a comforting rhythm in a season that can otherwise feel rushed.
We Build in “Micro-Adventures”
Not every trip needs to be big or far away. As we plan, we leave room for:
- Day hikes
- One night camping trips
- Nearby towns we’ve never explored
- Slow weekends without a packed itinerary
These smaller adventures often become the most memorable and they help keep the season from feeling like one long to-do list.
We Use Winter Reading and Research as Fuel
Books, articles, and quiet research time play a big role in how we plan. Winter reading often plants the seeds for spring and summer trips long before maps come out.
Travel memoirs, nature writing, and even guidebooks help us:
- Discover new destinations
- Revisit places with fresh perspective
- Clarify what kind of experiences we’re craving
Planning doesn’t always look like spreadsheets, it often starts on the couch with a book.
We Plan Enough and Then Stop
This might be the most important step.
Once we’ve:
- Chosen rough dates
- Identified key destinations
- Booked what truly needs to be booked
We pause.
We leave space for weather changes, energy shifts, and unexpected opportunities. Overplanning can steal the joy from travel before it begins, so we intentionally stop short of perfection.
Why This Approach Works for Us
Starting spring and summer travel planning this way keeps the season:
- Flexible
- Grounded
- Aligned with how we actually live and travel
It allows trips to unfold naturally while still feeling thoughtful and intentional. And it reminds us that planning isn’t about control, it’s about creating room for meaningful experiences.
Looking Ahead
As spring and summer approach, we’ll be sharing:
- Seasonal packing lists
- Weekend itinerary ideas
- National and state park planning tips
- Slow travel reflections from the road
If you’re in your own travel planning season, consider this your reminder: you don’t need to plan everything at once. Start with the feeling. The rest will follow.