Travel Planning For Quilt Market
Planning for a big event like Quilt Market is very exciting and can take some time and energy, from finding the perfect hotel to booking the right flights. Once your trip is over or you are ready to plan for next year, how do you remember those small details - like the perfectly located hotel or the best restaurant you found near Market?
By documenting your travel plans and experiences, you set yourself up for even smoother planning next time. Here you’ll see why keeping track of your trips is essential and learn practical tips on how to document your travel details. I have a free printable with everything you need to track to make next time easier.
Quilt Market Planner Printable
First Off - What Exactly Is Quilt Market?
Quilt Market is where quilt shop owners, quilt designers, fabric designers, fabric manufacturers, notion manufacturers, and educators come together to have fun and share about everything that’s new.
This year’s fall Quilt Market is from October 26–28, 2024, with Schoolhouse Series classes October 25th. The annual fall market is in Houston, Texas.
Quilt Market is for business professionals and is not open to the public. The International Quilt Festival (same location) the following week is open to the public.
Why Recording Travel Plans Matters
1. Save Time And Avoid Stress Next Year
Quilt Market and other annual quilting events happen around the same time and sometimes the same place every year. (I’m very eager to find out where the spring quilt market will be!) If you already have a record of what worked well this year, think of how you’ll save time the next year by skipping the guesswork.
- Example: If a certain hotel offered convenient access to the convention center, you’ll know to book the same place again.
- Benefit: You avoid redoing all the research from scratch and focus on refining your trip instead.
2. Get The Best Deals By Booking Early
Seeing your previous plans makes it easier to spot patterns in booking windows and pricing trends. I’ve noticed booking international flights, from Calgary 4 months before is ideal for savings.
- Flights: Did you notice that flight prices were lowest 4 months before Quilt Market? Then went up substantially? Make a note!
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Hotels: Did the closer hotels fill up quickly? You’ll know to book earlier next year.
3. Remember Hidden Gems
When you’re busy with events, it’s easy to forget where you had that amazing lunch. Recording these details ensures that you can return to your favorite places next time.
- Tip: Document restaurants, parks, classes, or booths you enjoyed.
4. Track What Didn’t Work
Not every travel plan goes off without a hitch, and documenting the things that didn’t go well helps you avoid the same mistakes.
- Example: If your flight arrived too late for a planned dinner, make a note to plan the dinner on a different day, or take an earlier flight.
- Benefit: Improve your future trips by learning from past experiences.
How To Record Your Travel Plans
1. Download And Print This Printer Friendly PDF ‘Travel Plans’
You can keep things simple by printing this PDF and putting it in a folder or go digital and add to the file as you go.
Quilt Market Planner Printable
What Categories Are Included
- Flight and hotel details (confirmation numbers, prices, booking dates)
- Transportation methods (shuttles, public transport, or taxi)
- Your daily schedule with room for restaurants, booths you visited, demos you enjoyed and notes for anything else you found useful.
This will also serve as a bit of a journal for what you did.
If you’re like me you’ll wish you would have had this for H+H last spring. I’m learning.
2. Keep Notes On What To Change For Next Year
As you go through your trip, jot down thoughts on what you would do differently next time. Were you overpacked? What exactly did you not need? What do you wish you had? Did you wish you had booked an extra night? These small adjustments will make your next trip even better.
3. Refer To Your Travel Plan Next Year When It’s Time To Start Booking
You are going to love pulling up your Travel Plan Printable when it’s time to start booking for the next quilt market. Easy Peasy!
The Power Of Notes For A Better Trip
By recording your travel plans and experiences, you can eliminate stress, get better deals, and make your future trips even more enjoyable.
Whether you're attending Quilt Market in Houston or any other quilting event, keeping travel notes can help ensure that your next trip will be even better. So, grab the PDF and start documenting your travel plans now!
Do you already keep track of your trips? What tips or tools have you found helpful? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let us know how Quilt Market went for you.