How to have the Perfect Night Out Abroad

Heading on a perfect night out in your own city is one thing, doing so on vacation is another. Unless you’re of the spontaneous kind, it will take some solid planning and tight organization, but doing this will help make the entire experience abroad an amazing one.

Of course, while a vacation itself is fun, it’s always better to stay aware and to be the safest you can be. It’s not uncommon for even mostly safe countries to have people who are willing to prey on tourists either financially or physically. For that reason, and for the overall enjoyment of a perfect night out, consider the following tips:

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Plan Your Visits & Journey Arrangements

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We all know what it’s like when you make plans with friends, everyone says “Yeah! We should do that!” and then when it actually comes to that night, the plans all fall apart. People either bail, don’t want to do x,y, and z, or just forget altogether. You might stick together with your friends, but you might not have an exact plan — which isn’t completely bad, but it can be a mistake.

It’s important to know where everyone wants to go to eat, drink, dance, etc. Sometimes, it’s even best to make an actual plan. Where are you going to meet? What time? And Does everyone know how to get there? This can make finding each other easier (especially if some of you don’t have working phones abroad). You can even consider using the Uber contact phone number to organize a night out with a big group – just in case. This can help you avoid scrambling for a taxi during the busiest night of the week, especially during tourist season.

Travel In Groups

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The best method to avoid being preyed on by those looking to pickpocket or misdirect you is to hang around in groups. There is bound to be at least one observant and intelligent person among you, even when dealing with a wine buzz. (And let me tell you…this is very important in some places that are friendly but still active around tourists like Barcelona.)

Traveling in groups can help your group look more intimidating to someone, because not only do more bodies potentially mean more defensive capabilities, but more eyes are able to observe, and there are more to help if one person has a little too much fun in one night. Isn’t it fun to look after one another? Just be sure to do regular head counts to ensure everyone is with you, and try to dissuade people from breaking off from the group and going too far.

BTW – has anyone ever noticed how when guys party together they all end up on their own? But when girls party together, they usually stick to one another and make sure the other gets home?

Do Something Different

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You can also go touristing and have the perfect night out in your own city. You don’t have to go abroad to have fun! But if you do go out in a different country, make sure you go somewhere specific to that country to experience the authentic nightlife. For example, head to the beautiful wine bars in Italy, or go tapas hopping in Spain. There’s no limit to what you can do, just make sure to know who you’re with, where you are, where you want to go, and how to be safe. But most of all, have the perfect night out!

Extra Tips:

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• Make sure to carry cash and a card or two with you just in case.
• Make sure your phone is fully charged in case you get lost and need to use your data or need to contact someone you lost track of
• Wear comfortable clothing — or at least bring light spare clothes (or an extra pair of flats) that can make you feel better in weird or uncomfortable situations
• Remember, you don’t need to drink to have fun!

How do you and your friends have the perfect night out?