Peter Greenberg: 2012 Olympics

By: Peter Greenberg | Source: AARP.org

Is it too early to start planning for a trip to the 2012 Olympics in London? Specifically, we are interested in London as our primary venue but with side trips to surrounding countries. As this is our first time traveling abroad as well as to the Olympics, would you recommend a package tour, or, with planning, an adventure for two active, mature travelers?
–Rebecca, Chattahoochee, Fla.

It’s never too early to start planning for your trip, but you probably won’t be able to purchase a reasonably priced airline ticket or book your hotel just yet. About a year in advance, though, we’d suggest you begin that process, as reservations for everything will fill up quickly, and hotel deals in particular will be very hard to find. The Olympic Games really have a way of suddenly making a city very expensive! (Advertisers and other sponsoring corporations tend to block large numbers of rooms in advance).

Booking a tour with a reputable company or an experienced travel agent will seriously reduce the amount of planning you have to do, but it also takes many of the choices out of your hands. You’ll probably end up paying a little more for your trip, and you most likely won’t have the freedom to take many side trips or to choose your own hotels. But for first-time travelers, package tours are a good way to go. The key here is to pick a tour that also offers you plenty of free time in the schedule.