How to Plan and Book Your Vacation Activities With TripAdvisor

This is a sponsored post written as part of the TripAdvisor Ambassador Program.

Whenever we are planning a family vacation, the first place I visit to do my research is TripAdvisor. In fact, most travelers associate TripAdvisor with great deals on hotel stays, but the company offers much more than that. Did you know that you can plan and book your vacation activities like guided tours, experiences, and other attractions directly on TripAdvisor's website? I had no idea until recently. I think it’s a great way to make the most of any trip, without worrying about lines or the availability of activities you are most interested in.

This service is especially valuable if you really enjoy traveling but not the planning that goes into it beforehand. For me, booking the trip is the easy part, but when it comes to figuring out what to do when we’re there, it’s been a struggle. Luckily, TripAdvisor has over 760,000 activities spanning the globe in their database, so you won't have to research anything on your own. Better yet, each option includes honest reviews written by past TripAdvisor clients to help you determine which ones are the best for you! Popular attractions have tens of thousands of reviews to browse, so you will be able to make an informed decision. Add in the convenience of booking attractions directly on TripAdvisor, and the resulting travel experience is difficult to top.

We recently traveled to Nashville to see the total solar eclipse. Since we were only going to be there for two days, we really needed to be smart with our time. Because of this, I decided to use TripAdvisor’s booking service to book a meal at the Hard Rock Cafe. Nashville is known as Music City.

What better way to enjoy the music scene then by eating at a place filled with music memorabilia. I had never booked a restaurant prior to traveling before but thought it would be a good idea since we always waste so much time trying to decide on a place to eat.

The whole process was super easy. Simply access TripAdvisor.com on your device of choice and click on the “Things To Do” tab located on the top of the page.

Type the name of your destination into the search bar provided, and all of your options will appear instantaneously. When you find the most appealing options, you will be prompted to pay and receive immediate confirmation of your purchase. It literally took only a few minutes.

We were totally happy with our choice too! This was the first time we visited a Hard Rock Cafe. Although downtown Nashville was very crowded because of all the people who traveled there to see the eclipse, the restaurant itself was not. When we arrived, we showed them our voucher from TripAdvisor and was seated within minutes. We enjoyed the food and the ambiance of live music performed by Paul Childers.

Not having to worry about where to eat left more time to explore a bit. We saw tons of cool murals like this one.

Our favorite discovery in Nashville was the Parthenon. I had no idea there was a full-size replica of the Parthenon in Nashville. It was a cool discovery. Unfortunately, our time in Nashville was very limited. We definitely want to visit again, and now we know that we can book all of our tours in advance.

This service is also valuable if you are looking for something to do near your hometown. Many residents do not know about everything there is to do in their local area, so booking through TripAdvisor can help you get an experience you didn't even know was available.

Whether you are planning your next vacation from home, looking for an exciting day outside of the house, or already on vacation, booking attractions on TripAdvisor is a great way to travel without the headache. Be sure to take advantage of this convenient service the next time you're looking into attractions!