The summer sun shines brighter and the days grow longer, many of us daydream about pristine beaches, enchanting hiking trails, and scenic drives that make up the quintessential vacation. Whether you're drawn to nearby white sand beaches, the awe-inspiring beauty of Yellowstone National Park, or the cobblestone streets of a coastal city, the possibilities for travel—especially summer travel—are limitless.

But how do you keep your vacation from breaking the bank? How can you beat that FOMO feeling without derailing your financial plan? A financial advisor can help by guiding you through establishing financial goals and potentially freeing up extra cash for that dream trip.

How a Financial Advisor Can Help Craft Your Dream Summer

The latest Bank of America survey indicates that 72% of people have their sights set on a summer getaway. In addition to the wanderlust wave, NerdWallet's summer travel survey reports that Americans are actively preparing to jet off, with almost 50% planning air travel or hotel-stay vacations this summer and aiming to shell out an average of $3,594 for these trips.

If you're envious of the summer travel buzz but unclear about what you can afford, it might be time to turn to a financial advisor. These experts can help you align your financial plan with your globe-trotting goals, ensuring you can join in on the summer fun without derailing your budget.

Here's how expert financial planning can turn your perfect summer into reality while also maintaining your financial stability:

1. Creating a Travel Budget

A financial advisor isn't just for retirement planning or investment strategies alone. They can help you craft a realistic travel budget by avoiding the pitfalls many travellers make in only accounting for major expenses.

Ted Rossman, a Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate, emphasizes the importance of setting a travel budget and earmarking funds for leisure and exploration: "A lot of people don’t set a budget, or if they do, they only account for necessities such as housing and food. Build a line item into your budget for entertainment or travel if you can," says Rossman.

Perhaps you long for Denver's peaceful mountain vistas or Cocoa Beach's warm sands. An advisor can help you determine the amount you'll need to spend on essentials and major excursions such as vacation rentals, theme park tickets, and visits to local breweries. They can also factor in additional costs, ensuring that your budget accounts for every beach sunset, mountain hike, and spontaneous adventure.

2. Optimizing Your Savings

Rossman suggests adopting a systematic approach to saving for travel. He recommends regularly transferring a portion of each paycheck into a high-yield savings account, which typically offers higher interest rates than standard accounts.

"Try to set money aside from every paycheck, ideally in a high-yield savings account. This is a great way to set money aside for a specific purpose and ensures that you have the money to fund your travels instead of going into credit card debt," Rossman advises.

Directing funds to a high-yield savings account provides a disciplined approach to saving for summer vacations. This way, you're ready for high season and won’t have to scramble to book those last-minute Grand Canyon tours or Adventure Island waterpark tickets.

A financial advisor can help strategize the best savings plan ensuring you're financially ready for summer without the hassle of debt or rush decisions.

3. Leveraging Rewards and Points

For 69% of people, using the right credit card for travel is vital.  Utilizing a card that maximizes rewards on travel and dining while also offering perks like hotel discounts, vacation planning services, and travel insurance can really stretch your budget further. But you want to make sure your credit card spending strategy is sound. This is where a financial advisor can help. 

An advisor can help you make sense of APRs, credit card fees, and credit utilization, all while ensuring your budget is set up so that you can enjoy your vacation without worrying about overspending

4. Valuing Vacation Destinations

Whether you're looking to create memories with the kids at Walt Disney World, explore beautiful beaches, or take in the breathtaking views of a national park, an advisor can help you evaluate destinations by considering all factors involved—cost, personal enjoyment, and potential for creating lifelong memories.

.They can help you find affordable ways to enjoy your dream vacation or discover new vacation destinations that fit within your budget—whether that's experiencing the Wild West vibes of Jackson Hole or exploring the rich cultural history of Chicago.

The Aligned Perspective: Taking a Vacation

As you plan your next vacation to destinations such as world-class golf courses, the Kennedy Space Center, or the sunny shores of Florida, remember that prudent financial choices and thoughtful budgeting are key. A financial advisor can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed by providing you with a strong financial strategy that can make your vacation dreams a reality. 

Don’t let travel FOMO get you down. It’s time to stop daydreaming and put your vacation plans into action.