You’ve got the time off work.

You’ve bookmarked all the good travel websites.

You’ve had your passport renewed.

Your family/friends/mental health has been begging for a vacation for the past 6 months.

But where should you go? Deciding on a vacation spot isn’t always easy. There are so many places to choose from and the options can be overwhelming at times. To help streamline the process and get you on your way sooner, here are five questions to point you in the direction of your dream vacation sooner rather than later.

Who?

The people you are going to be traveling with dictates a great deal about your vacation destination. Are you traveling with girlfriends? Your family and children? Maybe you are headed out on a solo adventure? If you are going to be taking the kiddies along, a family friendly beach or Disney World destination might be your best bet. However, if you are headed somewhere with just your significant other, you might want to settle for a romantic cabin in the woods for the weekend. If you are toting teenagers along, a service or volunteer trip might have a long lasting impact, where as you and your girlfriends might just want some relaxing time at a spa retreat. Whatever you pick, make sure it is appropriate for all concerned, or no one will end up having a good time.

What?

What attractions or activities do you want to see and do while you are gone? Maybe you have always dreamed of seeing New York City at Christmas time, or perhaps you would rather take a step back and visit colonial Williamsburg for a taste of how the early Americans lived life? Maybe you want an adventure hiking the Appalachian Trail or skiing on the slopes of Aspen? Decide if you are looking for culture, relaxation, adventure, or historical on your vacation and you can start zeroing in on your destination.

Weather

Weather isn’t the end all be all of your vacation destination, but you want to make sure that you don’t blatantly disregard Mother Nature’s natural patterns. If you have your heart set on a cruise during the height of hurricane season or skiing during a unseasonably warm winter, you might not get the vacation you had in mind. You can always make the most of the weather conditions you get, but a little planning and research will set yourself up for as close to ideal conditions as possible.

Time

How much time do you have? A weekend? A week? A month? Some destinations are simply not worth the travel time if you don’t have adequate time to enjoy them once you get there. For example, if you have the standard week, backpacking around Europe isn’t really going to work this time (even if it’s your dream). Rather, if you have a month off in the middle of the summer, then the Europe trip might be more in your favor. Don’t spend all your vacation time getting to the destination only to have to turn around and come home before you even get a chance to enjoy it.

Budget

For the most part, there are places and things to do in every location, even on a small budget. Just know how much you plan to spend before you leave because it is very easy to overspend once you are actually on vacation. Remember, too, that there are a great number of places that are close to home and relatively inexpensive that can be a memorable vacation for years to come as well.

This guest blog was written by Freedom Travel, specializing in military vacations and quick trips for members of the military and government personnel. Freedom Travel offers military cruises and military airfare. We can get you where you want to go!