How to Stay Safe and Healthy When on Vacation

Let’s talk travel. Specifically staying safe while traveling. We tend to think of vacations in solely favorable terms — we think of the fun, the memories, the relaxation, the time spent with friends and loved ones, and so on. However, there’s another side to vacations, too: they can be dangerous, and problematic to our all-around health. Let’s be honest, there’s a lot of scary stuff going on these days and as such, it’s important that you’re taking the time to ensure you’re kept out of harm’s way when you’re on your summer vacation. Below, we take a look at a few tried and tested tips that’ll make sure that your trip isn’t compromised by injury, illness, and more.  

Know Your Destination

A little bit of knowledge will always go a long way when it comes to traveling! Wherever you’re visiting, you’ll need to conduct some research to find any potential problems you might experience while you’re there. Don’t just get sucked into only focusing on the good things that await you. This is more important if you’re traveling internationally, where things like the food and the weather will be less known to you than in the United States, but does apply to other areas of America, too. In particular, you’ll want to research if there are any areas of the place you’re visiting where crime is a problem, and then make sure that you don’t visit them, or at least make sure you’re not navigating the city alone.

What’s the Climate Like?

You’re not just stepping into an area with a different way of life, foods, and natural scenery; there could also be major climate differences between there and where you live. Indeed, this might be one of the primary reasons why you want to travel there — they might get a lot of snow when you have none, or wonderfully warm sunshine when you’re receiving too many inches of rain. In order to stay healthy, however, you’ll need to know the best way of handling areas with more extreme weather.

Let’s think about the sun, for example. Some sun-deprived people get way too enthusiastic when they finally feel the sun’s warm rays, and end up causing harm to themselves. Your skin should not burn! As such, you’ll want to ensure that you’re always wearing sunscreen, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding sunshine during the hottest part of the day, which is 1 – 4 pm. People are a little more hesitant when they’re in colder climates, but it is still important to think about how the cold will affect you, especially if you plan to be out in snowy weather all day (such as when you’re cross-country skiing and so on).

After Traveling

There’s no better way to discover a new region than by getting behind the wheel of a rental car, and driving to see what the destination has to offer. However, it’s important to remember that vehicles are, of course, dangerous, and especially so if you’ve already been traveling for multiple hours on an airplane. As such, you’ll want to take extra care that you’re awake and able to concentrate. It won’t be like driving back home, where you know the roads and understand the local rules — this is a whole new territory, where they may do things differently.

Exploring Nature

If you’re visiting a place that’s especially noted for the beauty of its nature, then you’ll love nothing more than to strap on those hiking boots, get outdoors, and dive right into all the fun that it provides. There’s something that you should always keep in mind, however, and that is that when it comes to search and rescue operations, the person in trouble is nearly always someone who’s not from the local area. They’re on vacation, basically. If you’re going to go out into the great outdoors, then it’s super important that you take some precautions that’ll keep you safe. For example, you should only stick to the trails, and have a sense of how far you’ll be going before you set off. You’ll also need a map, and supplies such as warm clothing and water. If you’re going on a longer excursion, then tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back.

On the Water

When the sun is shining, there’s nothing better than getting out onto the water and enjoying all the fun that it provides. However, as with any body of water, there are always things that can go wrong. If you’re going swimming, you’ll want to check that you’re only doing so in designated swimming areas. If you’re out on the water on a boat, then you’ll need to pay attention to the actions of other boaters. Vacation destinations often have inexperienced boaters out on the water, which can lead to accidents. If you’re involved in one that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to get top-dollar settlements with the help of the Derrick Law Firm. If you’re heading out onto the water with a boating company, make sure they’re professional, have all the correct safety equipment, and put your well-being at the core of their operations.

Late Nights

It’s always fun to kick back and have a couple of beers or glasses of wine when we’re on vacation, but as we all know, there is a danger of overdoing it. If you’re going out on the town, make sure you stay sensible. There’s little good that can come from having too much alcohol, especially when you’re in unfamiliar surroundings. Plus, it’ll have a negative impact on your sleep, and also make you more susceptible to the effects of sun damage.

Where’s the Nearest Hospital?

Finally, make sure that you’re in a position to take care of yourself in case something goes wrong. Knowing where the nearest hospital is — or how to ask where it is if you’re traveling overseas, in a country that doesn’t speak English — could be the difference between a successful trip and a disastrous one. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that your insurance is valid for wherever you’re traveling, or that you have travel insurance if out of the States. You don’t want to risk your health all because you didn’t want to spend money on a hospital visit.

What’s one of your biggest travel fears? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!