Things You Never Knew, You Never Knew
Surprise Travel is simple. Select your dates, decide your budget, and complete the Pre-Trip Survey - then the Pack Up + Go Travel Planning Team will take care of the rest.
There are a few factors to consider when completing the Survey so that we can create a surprise vacation curated to your specific interests and preferences and we wanted to share some things you never knew you, never knew you could request for your Trip!
Things you never knew you, never knew:
Adding Time Restrictions
Destinations to Avoid
When You Travel, What Do You Prioritize?
Is There Anything Else We NEED to Know?
Reservations
Flights
Activities
No-Go Destinations
Regional Travel
Adding Time Restrictions:
There is a section on the Pre-Trip Survey that will ask you to add any time restrictions for your travel dates. This is your opportunity to let our Travel Planning Team know if you have any requirements or preferences for when you depart or get home. Your Pack Up + Go Surprise Vacation is all about YOU, so if you aren’t a morning person and would prefer to depart a little later in the day or would like to return home before 8PM, please let us know!
At Pack Up + Go, we’re all about maximizing our vacation time, so keep in mind that if you don’t include any time restrictions we will assume that you can depart first thing in the morning and return in the evening.
Destinations to Avoid:
Recent Trips:
If you have gone on vacation recently to a destination in the US, please let us know — we don't want to send you somewhere you recently visited! You may include up to 8 places on the Survey.
Upcoming Trips:
If you have another trip coming up in the US, please include that information on the Survey so that we know not to send you there.
Hometown Assumptions:
The Pre-Trip Survey will ask you what your hometown is, as well as any destinations that you have lived in or spent significant time for school, work, or family. If you list a city in these places, our Travel Planning Team will not send you to them. However, we will not make assumptions about other destinations that are unlisted. Even if a city seems obvious to you, if you have visited a place often and do not wish to return, list it on the Survey.
When You Travel, What Do You Prioritize?
On the Pre-Trip Survey, you can choose from a number of options that will let our Travel Planning Team know what is most important to you when traveling. Your answer to this question will help them determine how to allocate your budget for your vacation package.
You’ll be able to choose from the following options to select your preference:
Comfort while traveling to your destination
Doing as many activities as possible
Food and dining experiences
Getting around your destination as efficiently as possible
Hotel and luxury accommodations
Is There Anything Else We NEED to Know?
You can let our Travel Planning Team know any specifics you have in mind about the following topics in the Pre-Trip Survey section labeled, “Is there anything else we NEED to know?”
Reservations:
There are so many great restaurant options nowadays and we want you to explore the best of the best, but so do many other visitors! For this reason, our Travel Planning Team always tries to include at least one dinner reservation so that you don’t have to fight the crowds or stress out choosing. If you definitely want reservations for both nights you are in town or if you have a particular cuisine in mind (“A Japanese restaurant would be amazing, please avoid Gastropubs”), please let us know on the Pre-Trip Survey. Also, if you are traveling on a weekend (Saturday + Sunday), let us know if you would like us to snag you a reservation for brunch.
The best part of reservations is that you can always cancel them if your plans change or you decide you are in the mood for something else!
Activities:
If our Travel Team has funds left over after purchasing the items guaranteed with your vacation package, we will purchase add-ons for your Surprise Getaway. If you have a particular add-on in mind - such as a food tour, tickets to a comedy show, or a gift card to a ride share service - please include that information on your Pre-Trip Survey.
Even if we can't afford activities in your budget we are happy to reserve: car rentals, massage appointments, and dinner reservations - let us know if you'd like this even without it being covered and if you have a max budget.
No-Go Destinations:
Though we’d love to have this superpower, we are not mind-readers. If you have a city that you really don’t want to visit (for any reason) let us know. Similarly, if there is a specific city vibe you are aiming for (“I’d love to visit a smaller city”) that will help our in-house travel agents narrow the list of possible destinations for you.
Regional Travel:
If you've always wanted to go to a specific region (e.g. southwest, northeast, etc.) - include that info. While we can’t always guarantee it, we'll do our best to make it happen.