(NAPSI)—Whether you’re going over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house, flying off to a beach vacation or heading for the hills to ski, if you’ll be traveling this holiday season, there are nine things you should keep in mind:

• Plan Ahead. Don’t wait until the last minute to book a hotel room or a flight or get your train or bus tickets, in case they sell out early or become expensive as the date of travel draws near. If you’re driving, review all your routes to select the one with the least amount of traffic.

• Pick Your Time. Try to avoid the busiest dates—the day before Thanksgiving and the two days before and after Christmas and New Year’s. If you can fly on the actual holidays, you’re more likely to have smaller crowds.

• Bring Entertainment. Download movies, cartoons, audio books, whatever your family prefers onto your electronics. Bring earphones (perhaps the noise-canceling kind), backup batteries and chargers.

• Travel Light. Consider shipping gifts and nonessentials ahead of time. If you do fly with gifts, keep them unwrapped or in gift bags in case the TSA wants to see them.

• Stay Healthy. Before you go, make sure the whole family has had a flu vaccine. Wash your hands often and carry antibacterial hand gel. Consider a travel pillow to be more comfortable for all those hours in the plane or car.

• Dress Right. Wear lots of light layers so you can take things off or put them on to accommodate different temperatures in the terminal, rest stop and so on.

• Get On The Road To Safety. If you’ll be traveling by car, be sure the brakes, battery, fluids and tires are all in good order. Take a first-aid kit, flashlight, blankets, flares, jumper cables and an ice scraper.

• Know Your Numbers. Keep the phone numbers of your airline, hotel, car rental company and other travel vendors handy so you can call quickly in case of an issue.

• Bring Healthful Snacks. Now you can have something healthful like fruit, crispy like a chip and sweet like candy all at once. That’s because there’s now a gluten-free, Non-GMO Project Verified, OU Kosher, fat-free, cholesterol-free, preservatives-free, no-sugar-added, freeze-dried fruit snack. It’s a good source of fresh fruit nutrients and fiber, conveniently available in seven flavors: apple, Asian pear, banana, cantaloupe, mango, pineapple and tangerine.

Light and flavorful, each bag provides approximately one serving of fruit for 55 calories or less. It has nearly all the nutrients of fresh fruit but a much longer shelf life. It’s even TSA approved and packs nicely into your luggage, carry-on, backpack or purse.

Called Crispy Fruit, it makes a great stocking stuffer, too, once you get to your destination.

Learn More

For further facts and tips, go to www.CrispyGreen.com and www.SmartLifeBites.com.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)