If you're planning on a vacation in the near future one of the best things you can do to make sure that it will be the great vacation you want it to be is to plan ahead.

Destination - First things first, right? With that in mind here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing your destination.

Seclusion or Nightlife -

Are you looking for seclusion, or do you want an active nightlife? If you're thinking about a destination the best thing to do is get on the internet and start searching. If you search for information on Cancun or Cabo San Lucas you'll find that they might be good destinations if you want the nightlife. However if you're looking for seclusion and quiet, you might want to keep looking.

All-Inclusive or Traditional Resort -

Are you fine with a large all-inclusive resort or would a smaller resort suit you better. There's a lot to be said for all-inclusive resorts. Personally I think you get a lot of bang for your buck with an all-inclusive. You get your lodging, food, and drink all in one place and it's paid for up front. So you don't have to worry about where to eat, how much is that drink going to cost you, and all that jazz.

However, some people think of the big all-inclusive as the "WalMarts" of the resort world, and they don't mean that in a good way. There is some truth in the criticism that people stay insulated in the resorts and don't sample the real culture of wherever they are visiting. Which is a shame because experiencing the culture of where your visiting is, at least to me, one of the greatest experiences.

Activities or Relaxation -

Do you like water sports like scuba or snorkeling, or do you just want to lay by the pool, or maybe some combination of both? I love everything about being at the beach, except maybe jellyfish, but my favorite thing is being in the water. If you want to swim or ride a jet ski, most beach resorts can accommodate you. But if you want to Scuba dive or snorkel you will need to do some research about places you can go. It's rare to find a resort beach that offers good snorkeling and pretty much unheard of to be able to scuba actually at the resort. So you'll want to plan some excursions ahead of time.

And of course one of the most favored vacation activities, Golf. Many resorts either have a course actually on premises, or in close proximity. Many times you can find vacations that center around golf. Of course you, or the golfer in the family will want to check out details.

Summary -

These are just a couple of questions to get you thinking about where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there. Happy Traveling!