Preparing for a holiday well in advance is the best way to ensure your family has an unforgettable vacation. With all the excitement a vacation brings, it's easy to forget the little things. If you make sure you have everything you need before you leave, you'll have time to have even more fun in the sun. Read our travel facts and print out our checklist to make sure you've got all your travel essentials.

5 Canadian travel facts
1. You need a passport to fly to the U.S.
As of January 2007, Canadians require a passport when traveling to the U.S.
For more details and up-to-date information, go to the government of Canada's website, Passport Canada. Parents, keep in mind your children need their own passports and can no longer be listed on yours.

2. 45 per cent of us pay or book online
According to a 2006 Expedia.ca survey, conducted by Ipsos Reid, 45 per cent of Canadians have booked or paid for travel online. If you're traveling and paid or booked online, remember to print out your hotel and travel confirmations just in case.

3. Mexico and Florida top our destinations
The top five overseas travel destinations for Canadians in the first quarter of 2006 were Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom and France. The top five U.S. destinations visited by Canadians in the first three months of 2006 were Florida, New York, Washington, California and Nevada.

4. Overseas trips
Between January and March of 2006, Canadians set a record for the number of trips taken overseas. Statistics Canada reports that Canadians made 2.2 million overnight trips overseas, spending an estimated $2.8 billion.

5. Stateside sleepovers
Trips to the U.S.: According to Statistics Canada, Canadians made 3.5 million overnight trips to the United States in the first quarter of 2006, spending about $2.9 billion.

Page 1 of 2 -- Take the stress out of packing for your trip with our helpful travel checklist on page 2

Checklist
The following is a helpful list of items to remember to bring along on your family's next excursion. Making a list of what you need to bring and packing it in advance is the best way to make sure nothing is left behind.

In your wallet
• Passport and photo ID
• Foreign currency, including foreign change you saved from your last trip and smaller bills for tipping
• Emergency phone numbers, including that of the closest Canadian Embassy

In your purse
• Tickets, itinerary and printed copies of reservation confirmations
• Health insurance and travel insurance documents
• Sunglasses
• Gum and candies, pacifiers and bottles to help with the air pressure in your ears while you're in the air
• A phone card

In your suitcase
• Sandals and shoes
• Socks
• Shirts
• Skirts
• Shorts
• Pants
• Jacket
• Sweater
• Dressy outfit for a night out
• Underwear
• Bras
• Swimsuit and sarong
• Rain gear/poncho
• Compact umbrella
• Beach towel
• Shampoo and soap
• Conditioner
• Hat
• Pajamas
• Sharp items such as nail clippers and tweezers that aren't allowed in your carry-on
• A first aid kit with aloe, lip balm, motion sickness tablets, and Band-Aids
• Contact lenses supplies and extra pair of glasses
• Sunscreen
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Hair brush and hair products
• Deodorant
• Makeup
• Personal hygiene products
• Cellphone charger, and a charger for any other electronics you bring along
• Extra batteries for camera
• Sewing kit
• A backpack for day trips

In your carry-on bag
• Change of clothes
• Prescription medication
• Games, colouring books and activities for kids
• Snacks
• A CD player or an MP3 player, earphones
• Travel journal
• Book/magazine
• Glasses
• Camera

In the kids' suitcase
• Stuffed animal or toy
• Night light for the hotel room
• Plastic bag to keep dirty clothes separate from the clean ones
• Snorkel and mask
• Clothing
• Toiletries

Bon voyage!

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