Travel Tips & Tricks

Everyone is a different kind of traveler and we want to help however we can. Below you’ll find an exhaustive list of tips and tricks for traveling in general & with us specifically. Some you may know, some will be new, but we wrote down every single thing we could think of that will help to ease your mind in the days leading up to your big reveal! Travel can be stressful - and the surprise aspect can definitely add to that - but we want you to focus on the exciting part so hopefully this will give you all sorts of info to help ease your mind in addition to the FAQ’s on our site. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to shoot us a text. We can’t wait for your adventure to begin!

7 days before departure you’ll get a packing list! It’s your one and only clue for your upcoming trip. This list is just some key items you must know about your destination - think should I bring a swimsuit or snow boots?
You're on vacation so it's always fun to get gussied up for a nice evening. If we're sending you to somewhere that requires a fancy outfit, we will tell you. Otherwise it's your call!
Pack to your weather forecast! Depending on where you're from, you may feel differently about different temperatures. Are you from Minnesota and heading somewhere in the 50s and it feels balmy? Or are you from Florida and 50s means hat and coat? Only you know how many layers you need to stay warm!
Speaking of layers, we love a layer. When traveling it's never a bad idea to have extra layers for going in and out of cold museums in the summer or going into somewhere warm during the winter and being able to unwrap.
Leave room for souvenirs! It’s hard not to overpack when you don’t know where you’ll end up, but we recommend leaving space to buy some things that will remind you of your awesome adventure.
If you're bringing only a carry on, remember you can only have liquid up to 3.4 oz. That means bringing smaller bottles. If you're not sure if it's too big, check the bottle itself, it should have a size listed. Your hotel will have things like shampoo, conditioner, etc so you don't have to bring it unless you want your own. Don’t forget your comfort items - hand sanitizer, lip balm, etc.
Don’t want to buy water at the airport but you can’t bring a larger liquid bottle through TSA, bring an empty bottle and refill it once youre through security
If you do decide to check a bag, be sure not to put anything essential like medication, jewelry, glasses etc in it
Packing isn't just about clothing - don't forget about device chargers and an external battery pack if you have one!
Your package includes a carry on and a personal item. A personal item can be a backpack, a purse, a tote, etc which fits under the seat in front of you and a carry on is a larger bag that fits above you - a small roller board bag, a duffel, etc. If you want to check a bag you can, but you will pay additionally for that at the airport!
The weight limits for checked luggage vary by airline. While most are 50 pounds, some airlines have a limit of 40 pounds while other go up to 70 pounds per bag.
The cost to check a piece of luggage varies by airline as well, but you can expect approximately $35-75 per luggage per flight. That said, some airlines are as low as $0 and as high as $100 per piece of luggage you want to check.

We will check you in for all of your flights so you don't need to worry about that! If you decide to check yourself in or make any changes, just let us know. Otherwise consider it done.
While we will tell you the time your plane departs 24 hours beforehand, it's up to you when you arrive at the airport. Most airlines recommend arriving at the airport around 2 hours before your flight, especially if you're checking luggage. (Please note: checked luggage is not included in your package).
If you are traveling on or during the holidays, leave some extra time for extra long security lines.
If you want to know what the current security lines look like to help you plan better, we recommend downloading the My TSA app where you can see average wait times for most airports in the US.
If you do decide to check a bag, you will go to the counter of your airline and be able to pay for it there. Please note, luggage must usually be under 50 pounds. If you want to double check what can and can't go in your luggage, consult the My TSA app.
Carry on dimensions vary slightly by airline however you will usually be fine with an average sized roller bag. If you're unsure if yours is too large, feel free to text us!
If you have a credit card, check your perks! You may have access to free additional perks like Clear or TSA Precheck to help skip security lines. We love a freebie!

When it’s time for the reveal, we will send you your flight information and a screenshot of a boarding pass if available. However, to keep an eye on things like delays, gate changes, and more, we recommend you download your airlines app and look up your flight using your provided confirmation number so you can get notifications about any significant changes.
If for some reason there isn't a boarding pass available, that's okay! All that means is you have to print your pass at the airport which happens. When you arrive, head to a kiosk or a gate agent to print out your pass.
You can bring a personal item and a carry on onto the plane with you. Be sure to put your large carry on above your head and keep your smaller bag by your feet.
If you feel strongly about getting an aisle or window seat, you can always purchase one once we send you the flight information if there are any available. If you'd like us to purchase them for you, feel free to let us know but please note, it will be at an additional cost depending on the airline/availability.
In addition, we always try to get seats together but we can't guarantee it. Sometimes they aren't available, sometimes they're out of budget, sometimes the plane is just too full. You are welcome to check the app to see if seat changes are available or ask your neighbors to swap with you if you'd like. If sitting together is very important, consider that in your budget and be sure to tell us in the survey!

Rental cars are not included in your initial package. We do take the cost of the car into consideration when planning based on the budget you indicated but don't forget that you will have to pay for that when you land if you need one.
If you do go to a destination that requires a rental car, we will have pre-reserved one for you, no need to scramble finding one yourself, we've got you covered!
Almost every rental car company will require a major credit card to pick up your car. Most do not accept debit cards, so make sure to not forget yours at home!
The main reason for requiring a credit card is rental agencies will put a hold on your card that you give them as a security deposit. This is usually a few hundred dollars. When you return the car, assuming everything is fine, they will release the hold and you will get that money back.
It is more expensive to rent a car if you are under 25, but if that is the case for you, we have taken that into consideration when planning for your budget and also made sure to make the reservation at companies that allow rentals for younger people.
Do you have auto insurance at home? Most times that insurance will apply even if you're driving a rental car. You should also check the credit card you are using to pay for the car, often times rental car coverage comes with it. Then it is up to you if you want to add additional coverage but it isn't usually necessary.
Before driving off the lot, take a close look at the car. Make note of anything like scratches, dings or stains. You want to make sure you get your full deposit back, so be sure to document any pre-existing damage just in case!
Usually, the least expensive way to return your car is with a full tank of gas. Rental companies will refill it themselves but it is often at a premium so if you can, be sure to top up before returning it!
Whenever we reserve you a car, we will only ever put one driver on the reservation. Should you want to add a second driver, that's no problem. However, keep in mind doing that usually does have a cost associated.
During pick up, ask at the rental counter if you'll have to drive through many tolls to get to/from airport. If so, consider adding a prepaid toll card to your rental car. This is optional, but depending on where you end up it may actually be cheaper than paying for each toll along the way
We will always reserve the most cost effective car for the size of your group. Should you want to have a larger car, feel free to ask about upgrading at the counter, however please note that it will cost more.
We will always strive to reserve you the best possible price for your car. However, sometimes car companies offer additional discounts such as military, student, teacher, AAA, corporate or AARP, so if you qualify for any of these, feel free to ask at the desk to see if they can save you anything extra. It won't always work but it can't hurt to ask!
To find the rental car counter once you land, follow the signs in the airport. Some airports have shuttles that will take you to your rental car counter, so don't worry about hopping on it! Just make sure that shuttle will take you to your particular rental car companies counter.
It can take a good chunk of time to pick up or drop off your car, so be sure to plan appropriately. Don’t be surprised if it can take 30-60 minutes but most of the time, it’s expedient and super easy!

Parking isn't included in your initial package, so be prepared to pay to park overnight and around town.
The easiest place to park is usually right at your hotel. The cost may be higher than elsewhere, but it comes with convenience and unlimited ins and outs which means you won't pay every single time you want to leave the hotel, just one daily charge. If you choose to park this way, you will see that cost on the card you provide for incidentals at check in.
If you'd rather save some money, you can definitely Google or ask your concierge to find a nearby lower cost garage/lot to keep your car in. While this doesn't include ins and outs usually, it may cost less for times when you're leaving the car for long stretches!
In many cities, you can pay for parking meters through an app on your phone so be sure to look for that cities parking app when you pull in. No exact change necessary! If you park at a meter, don't forget to set an alarm to remind you to add more money so you don't get a ticket!
We recommend not leaving anything valuable visible in your parked cars, no matter your destination.
Depending on your trip, you may be changing cities part way through and that’s okay! We will book your car to be picked up and returned accordingly, however you may see a one way charge. We have taken that cost into consideration within your budget

If you're on a Whym in a destination that doesn't require a rental car, that's great! That means there are lots of other ways to get around.
When traveling without a rental car, your best option for long distances is a ride share app. We at Whym recommend using Lyft, but there are other options too like Uber, Via, Curb, etc. To use these, download them from the App or Play store on your device, set up an account & input your preferred payment method. You will be able to just put in the name or address of where you want to go and the car will come to pick you up based on your current location.
If you prefer to have a traditional taxi or don’t want to download an app, connect with the concierge at your hotel to get help with what is the best local company to call and how to get in touch with them.
Whether you use Apple Maps or Google Maps, both will provide transit options of many ways to get to your destination (bus, subway, ferry, rideshare, etc). Then you can decide which is the easiest for you!
If you want to try something different, we love the Moovit app! It’s super easy to use and you can download specific cities to work offline so you never have to worry about your connection!
Depending on the city you’re in will depend on the public transportation available. Some big cities like New York & Chicago have major transit systems, where as smaller cities like Pittsburgh and Denver have smaller ones right downtown that are still super usable just don't sprawl as far. We will tell you about the options available to you in your city during the big reveal.
Public transportation like subways and metros are often very safe, very fast, very affordable, and the most efficient way to get from point A to B. Don't hesitate to give it a try, just make sure you're aware of your surroundings. Don't beat yourself up if you struggle finding your way at first, trying something new is part of the adventure!
Depending on how long you’re in your destination for, consider multi day/week long passes to save some money!
A lot of major cities will have bike and scooter rideshares around town. It can be a fun way to get around but be sure to follow all local traffic guidance. To use, download that companies app and you’ll be able to scan the item you’re using and youre off and running! It usually charges based on time & distance.

Your room - along with all taxes and resort fees - are included in your initial package and is prepaid. However, you will have to provide a credit or debit card to check in. The hotel will put a hold on the card for incidentals which can vary - the hotel employee will inform you how much will be held. Assuming everything is fine upon check out, the hold will be released back to you within a few business days.
Since your hotel is prepaid, if you are asked for any payment or see any charge other than the incidentals (mini bar, drinks, room service, etc) on your card, please reach out to us immediately and we will contact the hotel to take care of it.
Many hotel rooms will have a mini bar and/or a small coffee maker right in your room. However, if you need additional things not commonly in hotel rooms (microwaves, refrigerators, cribs, etc) be sure to call down to the front desk and they will help however they can
When booking your room, we can’t guarantee a bed type. If you are a couple, you may have one king or two queens for example. For groups of 3 or 4 in a hotel room, we always will have 2 beds. If you have specific bed needs, please just let us know in your survey in advance!
Most hotels check-in times are at 3pm and checkout is at 11am, give or take. This means your room won’t be ready for you to get into before 3pm and they ask you to be out of your room no later than 11am. If you arrive early or have a later flight, feel free to leave your luggage with the front desk while you go and explore! They will hold it for you at no additional cost until your room is ready or you’re ready to leave for the airport.
Your hotel concierge is your best resource. They’re certainly ours at Whym! We’ve made friends with dozens all over the country. If you need help, have questions, or just want a locals opinion, they’re your best bud.
Tipping isn’t required but is customary for hotel help. Common times to tip are when the concierge helps you, the bellman brings up or down your bags, the valet pulls your car around, etc. Customary tips usually range from $2-20 depending!
If you decide to go to the hotel bar or restaurant, you can have them charge it to your room and they will just put it on the card you provided for incidentals upon checkout.

In your survey, we ask you how much you want to spend on your trip. This is per person and is meant to encompass things like transportation, food & activities. We do not consider things like shopping within this budget.
We use the range you give us as guidance, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. We will make recommendations that will fit into that range, but keep in mind that your can spend more or less depending on what you choose to do throughout the day.
Your hotel & flights are all prepaid and not part of this budget but rather what you spent at the time of booking.

We at Whym love food! Everything from multiple Michelin stars to the best street tacos, we’re in. We recommend restaurants based on your location, what the area does well, and what you mentioned in your survey in addition to our personal faves. All that said though, sometimes a craving just can’t be ignored! If there are places we recommend that don’t speak to you, feel free to go somewhere else that catches your eye while exploring!
Too full and want to skip a meal today but still want to go to the restaurant another day? That’s okay, feel free to swap your restaurants around to fit what you’re after!
If your meal has a reservation, you will see a clock on your itinerary. If you choose not to go, that’s not a problem, just let us know and we will cancel that for you so someone else can enjoy it! Most restaurants do require 24 hours of notice, so if possible, please let us know the day before!
If the restaurant we’re sending you to has a dress code, we will let you know in advance in the blurb so you know what to be sure to wear.
We do not make reservations for every meal because we want you to have plenty of flexibility to explore. Feel free to grab a reservation if you want at somewhere we recommend or anywhere else that catches your eye. Spontaneity is the spice of life!
Feel free to reach out to your concierge if there is a specific cuisine is calling your name and isn’t on the itinerary and we will do our best to recommend some of our favorite spots in town!
Please know that if you listed any dietary restrictions on the survey, we take that very seriously and took those into considerations when planning the trip and making restaurant recommendations to the best of our ability.
Theres no better way to learn a place than eat what they're famous for. You can’t not have BBQ while in Texas or bagels while in New York. Because of this, we’re going to be sure to put those on your itinerary and try to reflect the kind of foods they are known for in that town. We recommend venturing outside of your comfort zone and trying something new!

Your plane has touched down and you received your itinerary! Yay! We recommend reading through the entire itinerary when you receive it rather than go day by day so that if there’s anything you want to swap around or do instead, you’ll know when it would fit best and we say go for it!
Our approach to planning is a careful balance of approaches - we want to highlight the famous musts of the city, some of our local faves we’ve gathered over years of planning, and some of the specifics you mentioned during your survey so that you get a taste of everything on this trip.
Your itinerary is a suggestion, not a mandate. These are things that our well traveled and very experienced team loves and think you’ll love too, but it’s not our vacation, it’s yours! If there is something you’ve always wanted to do or something you randomly stumble upon while exploring, go do it! Whym is all about the spontaneity so we say embrace it!
If you see a clock anywhere on the itinerary, that means that event has a specific start time that can’t be missed. You may see this for surprises, reservations, or certain activities. If you think we won’t make it or you have any questions about it, we’re just a text away!
If you see any grey boxes, that indicates an extra surprise we planned just for you. On average, you will find out what the surprise is going to be about two hours beforehand. For certain surprises, we may tell you earlier, like for example if you have a surprise that needs specific clothes/equipment or if it takes place super super early the next day. Otherwise, the anticipation is half the fun.
For specific destinations on your itinerary, you’ll see we’ve added addresses. In certain blurb blocks, we’ll recommend places by name. We recommend choosing your favorite map app and adding the destinations to that to make it easier to navigate around town while you’re exploring.
If there is anything you need in particular for anywhere we send you - dress codes, certain equipment, etc - we’ll tell you in the blurb for that specific activity so that you’re well prepared.
If you see a blank space on your itinerary, that’s okay! We left them in there intentionally to itinerary account for transportation time, wandering, a coffee break or to just head back to your hotel for some rest and relaxation.
Does your itinerary look fuller or emptier than how you normally travel? We wanted to give you everything we thought you’d like in your surprise destination, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it all. Take the blocks for what they’re worth and enjoy your time exploring a new place! Do it all, do some of it, kick up your feet in the hotel most of the time, or add in 6 more things we didn’t mention, we’re just here to help you along the way!

While you’re on your trip, you will have a team of really great people available to help you with whatever you may need. We’re only ever just a text away to answer any questions you may have so feel to reach out. We’re really friendly, we promise.
We pour our heart and soul into planning for you. We’re a small company who loves what we do and when we get a text saying how much you loved something, we cheer, we dance, we throw confetti in the air, it’s a whole thing. So don’t hesitate to take us along on your trip with you. We’re real people invested in you having a good time, just know we tried our best to make it totally awesome for you in every way we could.
Our concierge team is online to be texted from 9am to 1am EST. If you are actively on a trip when you text us, your message goes to the very top of our (very full) messages app and we will answer as quickly as possible if we’re online. Our inbox sorts by order of whose trip is next - if you’re traveling in a few days, you’re up next, a few weeks out after, etc. That said, we’re a bunch of millennials heavily addicted to our phone, so don’t be surprised if you hear back from us immediately!
Before your trip begins or after it ends, your concierge is still around! They’ll be available via text if you need them, but please expect a 24 hour response time.
The text line is monitored throughout the day every day (see the addicted to our phones comment above) so if you have an emergency, don’t hesitate to shoot us a text!
If you need help after 1am or before 9am EST, you can still shoot us a text and we’ll get back to you ASAP. If you have an emergency, you’ll get a response with a 24 hour phone number to call so that someone can help you right away.

We always leave at least 3 hours empty before your flight home to give you time to get your bags from your hotel, get to the airport, drop off a rental car if necessary, and do any last minute things you want to see in town before your trip comes to an end.
After checkout, you can still leave your bags at the at your hotel and go back to get them before heading to the airport. Just bring them down to the front desk in the morning before heading out for the day and they will be happy to store them for you until you’re ready to depart.
We’ll text you your boarding passes about 4-5 hours before departure, so there is no need to check yourself in, we’re on it!

Our #1 tip? Embrace the unknown! You booked a surprise destination vacation for a reason, and the wait is half the fun. We recommend letting go and going with the flow. Who knows, maybe your new destination will be your favorite place you’ve ever been. No matter what, we promise you’ll go home with a great story to tell!