Spring and summer are always popular times to travel abroad, and it’s important to prepare as much as you can for your adventure. Whether you’re studying abroad or taking a vacation, planning ahead and knowing the ins-and-outs of an area is key to really making the most out of your trip.

Here are 11 helpful tips to make your trip the best that it can be.

1. Learn a few common words and phrases in the native language.

Even if you don’t know a single word in the native language, I definitely recommend you pick up a few to help you get around. I’m not saying you need to learn how to be conversational in a language overnight, but looking online for words like “hello” and “please” can really make all the difference.

First of all, trying to use the native language is a sign of respect and appreciation for the culture, and second of all, you can really make yourself stand out from the average, obnoxious, American tourist.

Best example, I went to Budapest and I didn’t know a lick of Hungarian. I went on Duolingo and learned a few words and phrases like “please” and “thank you” because at the very least, I thought I would try to be polite in the native tongue. I wrote the phonetic of the word in my notes on my phone so that I always had them with me in case I forgot.

I’ll tell you what; I went out to a nice dinner one of the nights that I was there and used my extremely (and I mean extremely) limited Hungarian. The waiter gave me and my friend a free glass of famous Hungarian liquor with dessert. I looked at the menu and a single glass would have costed the equivalent of $20. My friend noted that it was probably because I was trying to speak to them in Hungarian and the liquor was a sign of appreciation. The waiter also gave us an amazing recommendation for a dance club.

So definitely try to learn at least a few words in the native tongue. You might get free stuff.

2. Get Google Maps and download the map of the area you’re in so you can use it offline.

This was an amazing tip I was told and it is honestly such a lifesaver. First of all, Apple Maps is the absolute worst and you should already have Google Maps. If you don’t, download it right now!

Once you’re at your destination city, get to somewhere with Wi-Fi (your hotel/hostel or a café will probably have it), open Google Maps, go to the top left corner with the three bars and click it. Click “Offline areas”, then click “Custom area” and click “Download.”

This allows you to access the map of your area when you’re not on Wi-Fi. Therefore, if there is somewhere you need to go, you can just put in the address and it will put a pin where it is. The car function with the directions works like normal, however if you are trying to get walking directions, it will not give you step by step instructions. However, you still have the blue dot with the arrow indicating the direction you are going and the pin of the location so you can just zoom in and maneuver yourself.

This way, you don’t need to turn on your Data Roaming and have your cellphone bill be through the roof when you get back home.

3. If the menu is in English, you’re in a tourist trap.

I’m not saying that the restaurant is not good, but typically if there is a menu in English on the outside then it’s safe to say you’re in a pretty touristy area. Again, not saying the food won’t be good, but you could definitely find a more authentic place.

Also on this note, I’d be weary of restaurants that have someone standing outside trying to get people to come in. Again, not saying these places won’t be good, I just find it annoying and aggressive. There are usually only restaurants like this in touristy places too.

If you’re cool with being in a touristy place then don’t worry about this, but I like to keep my touristyness for the sights and my food for the authentic experience.

4. Have a plan, but also don’t be afraid to go with the flow and see what happens.

Of course if you’re visiting a place and you’re only going to be there for a short amount of time, plan out the must-sees in that area, but if you’re going to a city and want to just get lost, I promise you’ll find the best stuff when you just are wondering.

When I was in Budapest, I literally stumbled upon a dope ruin-bar. I didn’t know they were there because they are not heavily advertised on travel sites. Sometimes just walking around and getting lost is the best way to find the best stuff.

5. Ask locals for recommendations.

If you’re at a café or a restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask locals some cool spots to check out! They live there and probably know all the cool, underground places that no tourists go too. I’ve found some amazing lounge, cafes, and restaurants just by asking locals where to go.

6. Hostelworld is your best friend, but don’t book through them.

Hostels are the way to travel for cheap. Also, hostels are so much fun and such a unique environment. You meet people from literally everywhere and hostels usually host cool events throughout the day.

You can find great hostels with ratings, prices, and everything else on Hostelworld.com. However, I would only use Hostelworld as a reference. I booked through Hostelworld when I visited Portugal and I thought that by booking through it, I already paid for the hostel. It turned out that Hostelworld just makes the reservation for you and you have to pay them a few bucks to do it. Skip that and just book directly through the hostel’s website, but still use Hostelworld for the reviews and overviews of the hostels in the area.

7. Don’t travel in huge groups.

Honestly, I wouldn’t travel in a group larger than six. I know they say “safety in numbers,” but it’s honestly the reverse when you’re an American in a foreign country. First off, you stick out like sore thumbs based solely on your clothes. Second off, you’re probably all screaming loudly in English. This will definitely make it that much easier to pick you out as a tourist and you could definitely be victim to pickpocketing.

I usually only travel in groups of about four, and I try really hard to blend in as much as possible. I haven’t been pickpocketed yet, so I’m assuming it’s working.

8. Book flights one-way rather than round-trip.

I’ve been dubbed the Queen of Traveling in my study abroad group because I try really hard to travel for cheap. One trick that’s helped me significantly is booking flights one-way rather than round-trip. First off, you have more flexibility with the times you fly because you are only looking for one-way trips as opposed to booking a round-trips where both flights come as a packaged deal almost.

Second off, it tends to be cheaper when you book two one-way flights rather than a round-trip. For example, I looked at flights from Sevilla to Paris round-trip and it was a good $50 more than just booking a one-way trip from Sevilla to Paris and then Paris to Sevilla. Also, I was able to get better times to fly than what the round-trip offered.

9. Use Google Flights to book trips but be aware of which airport you’re flying into.

Google Flights is god sent. You put in where you’re traveling from, traveling to, and your dates and it gives you all the airlines that are flying those date putting the cheapest at the top. If you can afford to be flexible with dates, you can use their price calendar feature which shows you the cheapest days to fly.

One warning is that you need to be aware of which airport the flight gets into. For example, if you are going from Sevilla to Paris and you see a flight for 13 euros, be aware that you’re probably not flying into the main airports in Paris, but rather BVA which is almost two hours outside of the city. So what you save in flight costs you will just use for a taxi.

10. If you’re traveling for the weekend, only bring a carry-on.

Do not check a bag if you are just traveling somewhere for the weekend. One, you have to pay a lot for it, two, checking a bag, especially in a European airport, is a literal nightmare, and three, baggage claim is horrible.

Save yourself the time and money and just use one carry-on bag with all your stuff in it. I usually just use my backpack that doubles as my school bag. I don’t have to worry about checking a bag and I can go straight to security. Also, you don’t have to worry about losing your bag.

11. If you’re going to be in an area for a while, get an intercambio.

Intercambio is Spanish for an exchange. This is an extremely popular thing in Spain where you meet another student from Spain who wants to learn and better their English. You guys meet for coffee or dinner or whatever you decide and speak have the conversation in Spanish and half in English. It’s a great way to better your language, learn more about the area and culture, and you get a new friend!

I’m not sure if this necessarily is a thing outside of Spain, but if you are traveling to Spain and you’re going to be there for a while, I definitely recommend getting an intercambio. It’s literally a free language lesson.

With these tips and tricks, you’ll definitely have the time of your life! Go out there and experience the world!