10 do’s and don’ts for summer vacation

Harriet Baskas Travel writer

Taking a summer vacation? Don’t forget sunscreen and your swimsuit. (Do I sound like your mom?)  And leave room in your suitcase for great souvenirs for the folks you left behind. (Hint: I collect hankies of the states.)

While on the road, you’re likely to encounter high gas prices, overbooked airplanes, short tempers and long lines. So try to stay cool with these 10 do’s and don’ts for the well-mannered summertime traveler.

Summer don’ts: Barely there and definitely distracted
1. At the airport:  Don’t go bare
It’s tempting to head to the airport in flip-flops, a tank top and shorty-shorts. But there are plenty of reasons not to: you can freeze your bum if on-board temperatures dip and you may give your seatmates an unintended eyeful when reaching up to store your stuff or bending over to retrieve it. Worse, sitting on an airplane in a skimpy outfit might make you sick: airplane cabins don’t get cleaned very often and more than once I’ve seen parents using seat cushions as diaper changing tables. So cover up.

2. Out on the highway:  Don’t get distracted
If you commute, you’ve probably seen folks shaving, applying make-up, reading, eating or text-messaging (or some combination of them all) on their way to work. Highways get even more dangerous in the summer as vacationers try to maneuver through unfamiliar interchanges in rental cars or unwieldy RVs.

So don’t wait until you’re going 70 mph to unfold the roadmap or start searching through paperwork for the directions to the motel. And don’t forget to take a headcount before heading out on the road after a highway rest stop. Especially if you’re traveling with kids, pets or slow-moving in-laws.

More from the Well-Mannered Traveler   You, the pope and the highway to heaven   When camping, mind your Ps and Qs   Dos and don'ts for summer fun   Aliens in the guest room   Be a guest, not a pest   Shhh! Dealing with annoying seatmates   Refine your seatback savviness   Using cell phones in public   Dining out with the little darlings   More columns

3.  In the streets: Don’t be an ‘ugly American’
In this country or overseas, many people say they dream of visiting new places and seeing new things. Yet, once they’re out there, they complain that things aren’t “just like home.” Well, only back home is “just like home,” so if you’ve finally ventured beyond your front door, don’t insist or expect that everyone will speak English, put ketchup on their French fries, or do things the way they do it back in Missouri.

4. On a tour: Don’t be the distraction
OK, maybe you wanted to join that behind-the-scenes tour of the sports dome. But you lost the coin toss and now you’re trailing your spouse and her aunt on a three-hour guided tour of the Dear and Dainty Dollhouse Museum. Some people are actually there to hear the tour guide’s information — and all those corny jokes — so don’t ruin it for everyone else by whining, talking on your cell phone, or cracking wise from the back row.

5. Out in the woods: Don’t make assumptions
Imagine a walk in the woods on a sunny summer day, with the birds sweetly chirping and a brook gently babbling. But beware: a wrong turn on a poorly marked trail or the arrival of a fast-moving thunderstorm can turn an afternoon hike deadly. Don’t start your hike too late in the day and don’t forget to bring water, snacks, a sweater, cell phone and stuff that might just save your life. And don’t ignore signs that say: “Python Crossing,” “Beware: Falling Boulders” or “Turn Back Now.”

Print this Email this Blog this  IM this

MORE FROM SUMMER TRAVEL

Summer Travel Section Front

World's 10 best shopping districts   State Department regrets passport delays   Escape the heat —  to the slopes   Top road trip gadgets   Architectural Idols: Unveiling the new Wonders   Get high on the hog this summer   Road trips can be hazardous to your health   When camping, mind your Ps and Qs   Must-have tools for summer travels   'Rough it' in style in the Northeast   Summer Travel Section Front   Add Summer Travel headlines to your news reader: