This week: Now's the time to do something new | You never forget your first time. When I think back on the first time I stepped off the plane in Paris (people lit cigarettes the second the airplane door opened, that’s how long ago this was), I cannot help but chuckle. I was so unprepared. I arrived too late to the airport and had a breakdown in the security line (oh what I would have given for TSA PreCheck and Clear back then). When I landed bleary eyed after the red eye, I didn’t know how to get around (cab from the airport? Rookie mistake). I didn’t research what neighborhood to stay in (second rookie mistake), and I didn’t think about where I would eat (you see where I’m going with this). Travel is one area where ignorance is definitely not bliss.
Doing the prep work can be a drag, so let us do it for you. Because we love it. We created our first-time guides to help you easily navigate a new destination or experience. First time visiting Zion National Park? Easy. First trip to the Azores? Done. Never been to Italy? Here you go.
These days I am so grateful for all the resources available to help make travel more seamless (Remember when we all waited in the same airport security line? Now we have TSA PreCheck and Clear). We’re thrilled to help you go places you’ve never been and do the things you’ve never done. For my part, I’m going to take my first-ever sleeper train come fall. Now off you go. – Brekke Fletcher, Senior Director of Content | | | Bookmark this Spain packing list | Heading to Spain for the first time? Our packing guide will help you figure out what to bring, from the obvious things like your passport to the OMG things we usually forget. | | | | Read our expert guide to train travel in Japan | Japan has an enormous number of train lines and different kinds of trains, but it’s surprisingly easy to navigate, even on your first trip, with a maps app and a sense of adventure. | | | | First Everest Base Camp trek? Here’s how to do it | The trek to Everest Base Camp is often the first thing people think about when they start dreaming of a trip to Nepal. Here is our expert-approved guide. | | | | The ultimate guide to Tuscany for first-timers | | | | Guess what? We've rolled out a brand-new SMS program just for you – yes, we send words and photos straight to your phone! Are we breaking the internet? Not quite. But we'd be thrilled if you jumped on board to have a casual chat with Lonely Planet. Plus, you'll get 30% off your first book order. Books and texts galore, folks. | | | The Netherlands is known for many things – sublime art, sustainability initiatives, glorious countryside – but low prices isn’t typically one of them (especially not in Amsterdam, with the capital ranking as one of Europe’s most expensive cities). Here’s how to visit for less. | | |  | Love travel inspiration in your inbox? | | | Share with a fellow travel lover by forwarding to a friend. Did someone share this email with you? Subscribe by clicking here. | | | This email was sent to you by: | Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 | | | |