Continuing our series on travel, let’s look at what to do during the trip.

It may seem obvious to say that staying flexible should be a priority. Of course, some things need to be scheduled definitively, but how much you need to schedule depends on the type of trip.

For example: You are on a relaxing beach vacation. Once you have a place to stay, the only firm plans you might need are a few dinner reservations, a nice stack of beach books, and something to do if it rains. On the other hand, if you are headed to Disney World, you’ll want to have all your meal reservations and fast passes in place as early as possible to ensure maximum choice. A trip to a place like Rome is in between. You may need to purchase advance tickets for things like the Vatican Museum or the Colosseum, but you don’t need to schedule every element of every day.

In fact, planning to the minute can work to the detriment of your vacation. Even in places where you need to make plans, you may need to be flexible about changing them. Now, nit everything can be changed, but with a day’s notice, most restaurant reservations can be cancelled or rescheduled. A Fast Pass can be traded in even the day of. Read the policies for anything you book in advance so you know what is possible and what the cost might be.

Staying flexible lets you take advantage of last minute opportunities. Maybe you see a poster for a concert you’d like to attend. (Side note: Pay attention to signs — especially on pubic transportation!) Or you find out there’s a craft show or food festival in the next town. I once discovered that some favorite tennis players were in a tournament in the town I was visiting and tickets were still available.

Staying flexible can help you get the most out of your time away.