When it comes to traveling, nobody has better recommendations than travel advisors. These professionals plan vacations every day, and they’ve spent years acquiring the wanderlust wisdom to maximize fun and minimize headaches. Keep reading to discover some tips to help you travel better.

Download the Map in Advance

If you’re traveling internationally, there will likely be times when you either don’t have service or can’t find Wi-Fi. In these circumstances, it’s especially helpful to be able to access offline maps on your phone. By downloading the map before you leave for your trip — and maybe even bookmarking some of the top places you want to visit — you’ll be able to easily explore nearby restaurants and landmarks, wander without worrying about getting lost and start learning your new (temporary) neighborhood.

Bring Ziploc Bags

It might seem like a strange thing to bring with you on vacation, but Ziploc bags serve a variety of clever uses while traveling. Whether it’s separating wet clothes on your way back from the pool, saving a few extra baked goods you discovered at that incredible local bakery or storing seashells collected from the beach, you never know how they will come in handy. Plus, they’ll take up almost no room in your suitcase.

Pack Your Pill Organizer

Of course, you’ll be packing any prescription medications, but pill organizers make handy travel companions for a variety of other uses, too. Bring an extra filled with emergency essentials like ibuprofen, Pepto Bismol and Imodium on long international vacations to avoid the expensive — and often bewildering — experience of visiting a pharmacy in a non-English-speaking country. You can also use them to organize small jewelry items and keep necklaces from getting tangled.

BYOB

Toss an empty reusable water bottle in your carry-on before your trip and fill it up after you pass through airport security. Not only will it stay cold longer, but it’s also better for the planet. Plus, you won’t have to wait for the flight attendants to come around with the beverage cart. We like the 360 Traveler from MiiR. $27.95 miir.com

Don’t Obsess Over the Itinerary

The great part about using a travel advisor is that you don’t have to waste time worrying about how you’ll get from the airport to the hotel, stressing over what excursions to arrange or scouring the cruise ship deck plan to find the best available stateroom. A travel advisor can save you hours of unproductive research time with their years of experience so you get the best vacation at the best price — with all the details covered and no time wasted. Even better? You might score some special VIP perks along the way.