How to use OneNote to plan a road trip or vacation

If you’ve ever tried planning a vacation or a road trip, you know it can be a hassle. Friends and family members flake at the last minute, travel costs can be expensive, and if you’re driving, your car may encounter mechanical issues on the road. Help prevent any vacation woes by creating a road trip itinerary or travel template in Microsoft OneNote.

How to plan your next road trip or vacation with OneNote

Creating an itinerary helps organize your vacation or road trip. You can schedule all the sights you wish to see, store directions, take note of road and weather conditions, have easy access to travel and stay information, and more. An itinerary is time management’s best friend while traveling.

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Why you should use OneNote to create a travel template

OneNote allows you to create a shareable itinerary so you can share it with people you are traveling with. OneNote syncs across all devices so if you need to make a last-minute change to your schedule, everyone will see it. You can create different sections to organize your itinerary by date, location, or to jot down quick travel notes. OneNote allows you to add pictures, files, and video to spruce your itinerary design.

What to include in your OneNote travel itinerary

A list of potential destinations. When you plan for a trip, research is important to outline all the places you want to see, the opening and closing times of popular attractions, directions to get there, and notes about what you can do once you’ve arrived. You can even include links to Bing Maps to make traveling easier. After visiting a location, you can even include videos and pictures in the itinerary to make your itinerary into a digital scrapbook.
Flight numbers, QR codes, addresses of places to stay or eat. Put all the important stuff, like a link to your flight’s boarding pass, your car rental’s reservation number, and your hotel address into one of your notebooks. You can even password-protect them in case you lose any of your devices. Make sure to confirm information with your airline, accommodations, and rental agency before arrival. Create a section for all your travel information and divide it into different pages to keep all your information organized.
Areas of interest. If you’re traveling with a group, it may be helpful to list people’s interests by name and easily consult their tabs to find similarities and suggest new options for destinations and adventures.
Medical history and contact info. In case of an emergency, it’s important to keep contacts and medical history in one place. Create a table in OneNote to store traveler information. Include traveler names, phone numbers, dietary restrictions, medical conditions, and an emergency contact. Make sure they review the information you have logged and update it as needed.
Your budget. Embed budgeting spreadsheet from Microsoft Excel into OneNote. Account for potential travel costs including travel, hotel and car reservations, food, attractions and more. And if you’re taking a road trip, don’t forget to budget for gas and rest. Read more on tips for traveling on a budget.
A to-do list. Don’t leave for your trip without checking off everything you need before you get on the road or into the air. Note what toiletries, clothes and identification are needed for your trip. Create a checklist on OneNote, pack your items, and check items off your list as your go. If you’re taking a road trip, ensure your car is in tip-top-shape to make it through the drive. Apply to-do tags to categorize any needed car maintenance and use the Outlook task function to set reminders.

For jetsetters and road trip junkies alike, creating itineraries with OneNote can help you see the world and make your next adventure memorable. Up next, learn what essentials you’ll need to pack for your trip.