Part 1: 10 Ways to Prepare for a Relaxing Vacation at Jubilee Suites

Preparing for a relaxing vacation is one of the ways Jim and I have learned how to truly unwind and enjoy our time away from our daily responsibilities. Time and again, in our early years together, we would work right up to the day before our vacation and not be prepared to dive in and start enjoying our time off together when we arrived. We learned the hard way that preparing for vacation is one of the most important parts of a vacation, almost as important as packing the right walking shoes!

Here at Jubilee Suites, we have a trustworthy saying we've said over and over in our 5+ years here as resident owners at Jubilee Suites. 'Spend 3 days at Jubilee Suites, not including travel time, and you'll go home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and ready for whatever comes next.'

We want you to have a great time on your relaxing vacation and not spend too much time getting ready to relax when you get here. So we've put together some tips we've learned from all our personal travels and from our guests here at Jubilee Suites B&B.

1. Plan Ahead: Carefully plan your trip, not just where you'll stay and how you'll get there. Having a well-thought-out, but loose, itinerary can reduce stress during your vacation. Avoid over-scheduling to reduce stress and leave room for spontaneity. It takes time and energy to research an area and decide what you want to experience while you're here, but we've tried to make it easier for you with our extensive list of curated options on our Things To Do page on our website. See all our recommended culinary options, from casual to fine dining, coffee shops, juice bars, and even grocery stores. We include a huge list of recommended water sports, and family activities galore. Also check our blog, Jubilee News, full of our recommendations for the most unique experiences in the area. We also offer a large variety of other guest experiences on our website, all unique to the area. There's no shortage of things to do here. Your job is to decide which ones sound the best to you! If you're really strapped for time, give us a call after you've made your reservation and we'd be delighted to help you come up with a plan to make the most of your time and the area.
2. Pack Light: Avoid over-packing by creating a packing list and sticking to it. Pack only what you need to minimize stress when traveling. Every one of our suites comes with a washer and dryer so you really don't need lots of extra clothes. We've got some lovely clothing stores here and, to me, there's no better souvenir than to pick up a new outfit when I'm in a new town. Fairhope is a resort town and unless you're coming in for a gala, no formal clothes are needed. Anything goes on our streets and in our casual restaurants. Resort casual is the accepted dress code in our fine-dining restaurants. Sports coats are optional. Don't forget a bathing suit! You'll be glad you brought one if you plan to relax on our own 200' Mobile Bay beach or take a day trip down to the Gulf Beaches just to our south about 45 minutes by car.
3. Pack for Health and Comfort:
   • Pack a small kit with essentials like pain relievers, sunscreen, insect repellent, and any personal medications. Pack any necessary prescriptions and make sure you have enough for your entire time away.
   • Organize all your travel documents, flight tickets, Jubilee Suite reservations, and travel insurance information, in a secure travel wallet or folder.
   • Pack travel luxuries to make your journey comfortable, such as a neck pillow, eye mask, earplugs, and entertainment- perhaps a movie downloaded to your phone.
   • Bring items that help you relax, such as a favorite book, essential oils, soothing music, foot balm, or a comfortable travel blanket.
   • Don't forget to pack all your chargers and put a spare charger in your travel bag to avoid running out of battery.
4. Notify Important Contacts: Inform family, friends, and coworkers about your vacation plans and provide them with emergency contact information in case they need to reach you. If you're leaving your pet at home, line up a pet or house sitter and fill them in on your fur baby's routine and what to do in an emergency. Set up a check-in time each day to see how your pet is doing.
5. Prepare Your Home: This may go without saying, but ensure your home is secure before leaving. It's easy to forget to make sure all your windows are locked, for instance. Lock doors and windows, set timers on a few lamps, consider turning off your water heater, set alarms if you have them, stop the mail, and ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your property. Give them a key in case of emergency. Water your indoor plants and set them out of the sun until your return. Make sure your sprinkler system is set up correctly and your lawn care schedule is set. It's such a relief to walk away from home maintenance and know that you have nothing to think about until you get back home.
6. Notify Your Bank: Be sure to let your bank know about your travel plans to prevent any issues with your credit or debit cards while traveling. I always carry a spare credit card in case my card gets lost or stolen or even denied just because I'm out of town.
7. Delegate Responsibilities at Work: We know this is the tough one. We've been there! We try so hard to get caught up and even get ahead of schedule before we leave, when a better thing to do might be to make sure everyone understands that you are going to be gone for a while and that life carries on. If possible, delegate work and responsibilities to colleagues before leaving for vacation. Set boundaries on exactly what kind of emergencies you want to be informed about and prepare to turn off your work brain when you get here.
8. Arrange for Transportation: We're about equidistant from the Mobile and Pensacola airports so if you're flying into either of them, confirm transportation to and from the airport, and consider airport transfers for added convenience. If you're flying into the Fairhope Airport, let us know and we'll be happy to pick you up. Fairhope is a golf cart-friendly town and one of our guests' preferred ways to get around is to rent a golf cart while they're here. If that appeals to you, let us know and we'll set it up for you.
9. Confirm Reservations: Double-check your reservations a few days before your departure to avoid any last-minute issues. When you make your reservations with us, be sure to give us a mobile phone number and an email address you check on your mobile phone. We'll be in touch with your check-in details within 24 hours of your arrival.
10. Relaxation Mindset: One of the most important things to do to prepare for vacation here is to mentally prepare for relaxation. Try to set clear intentions to disconnect from work and stressors during your vacation. Easier said than done, but so worth the effort! Focus on enjoying the present moment.

At Jubilee Suites, we can help you out if you've forgotten anything at all. But we know you'd like to just Be on vacation as soon as you ARRIVE on vacation, so we hope these little tips are helpful.

If you are planning a trip to our area, we'd love to meet you and show you some 5-star hospitality while you're here. We offer our guests a choice of 7 individually-decorated suites, 5 of which are west-facing with view balconies or patios overlooking Mobile Bay. Our fresh coastal luxury and pampering touches mean you'll finally get the vacation you deserve. Choose your suite, book right online here on our website, and after you've seen what we recommend for activities and experiences, give us a call. We'd love to help you plan a vacation to remember with meaningful experiences and memories for a lifetime. Let's get together!

Dana and Jim Maloney