How to use Foursquare to plan your trip

Posted by Gio Palatucci

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about how to plan a trip using Twitter, which was inspired by a new report that found more travelers are turning to social media and community review sites to plan their trips. I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I fall into that social-travel-planning group. I love crowd sourcing, which is why, after the success of leveraging Twitter to plan my upcoming trip to Portland, I decided to use Foursquare next.

Many people fire up this popular social check-in app to earn points and badges or score deals each time they visit a local restaurant, venue, airport, museum, etc. But Foursquare can be a useful tool to plan a trip before you even hit the road. Not only does the app help you discover great places but it organizes all the information in one location, and once you have arrived at your destination, Foursquare will send you to-do list reminders. How great is that?!

Here are few ways to use Foursquare to plan your next trip:

1. Create your own lists 
   The secret to great trip planning using Foursquare is lists. Building a list organizes your research and allows the app to ping you when you check into a location that’s close to a spot on your list. Check into a museum? Ping! “Reminder: Restaurant X on ‘Y List’ is only Z blocks away!” 
   
   So how do you build a list? Foursquare has a handy bookmarklet that you can drag and drop onto your web browser so if you come across the website of a great bookstore or coffee shop, you can quickly add the place to your Foursquare list with just a few clicks. Also, an increasing number of travel brands and publishers are jumping directly into the social check in game by adding a “Save to Foursquare” button directly to their websites.
   
   I love Foursquare lists because of the address information-- this is a location-based service app after all. I’m working on a list for Portland. Check it out and tell me what it’s missing.
   
   
2. Follow Lists
   Don’t have time to do any research? Let the experts do the work for you! Two great sources of Foursquare lists are travel brands and locals. The most social-savvy travel brands are curating their content with Foursquare lists. For example Time Out New York is winning on Foursquare with lists like “Cheap Eats: Fill Up for $15 or Less in NYC.” Or more appropriate for my trip, I’m following Eater’s, “Portland Eater 38,” an “ever-evolving” list of the editors’ 38 favorite restaurants in the city. I can either choose a specific eatery to build into my itinerary or follow the whole list.
   
   Finally, the best recommendations come from locals, so I try to seek these folks out on Foursquare to see where they have recently checked-in or browse lists they have already created. For example my “Portland” search helped me find WhyGoPortland, an indie travel guide to PDX, and their list, “Must-See Portland: The Classics,” which sounds perfect for a first time visitor like me. The same search also helped me find local MLS soccer team, the Portland Timbers’ Foursquare list, “Official Pub Partners,” which will come in handy since I scored two tickets to the team’s match against the Chicago Fire.
   
   
3. Real-Time Search
   Get advice from locals by searching the check-ins of folks who have made their Foursquare profiles public-- perhaps foodies, shop owners, or regular residents. The results might help you score great insider recommendations. This type of check-in search is a bit easier during your trip rather than before, but it can work either way. Plus, don’t forget to read the tips section to help you pick the best dish off the menu, find the secret bench in the park, or discover the code word to get $1 off your order.
   
   
4. Return the Favor
   After reading all these juicy insider tips to help you unlock the 'best of the best' of the city you’re visiting, don’t forget to return the favor when you get home. I’m often guilty of forgetting to do this, but when checking in at your favorite hometown spots, leave a tip or suggestion to guide future visitors.

Do you use Foursquare to plan your trips? Tell me your tips and tricks in the comments section.

GP

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