trip-planner

Trip Planner

Most trip plans fail one of two ways: a Pinterest list with no shape, or an itinerary so packed it's a forced march. This builds a real one — clustered by neighbourhood so you're not zig-zagging, paced with actual downtime, honest about what needs booking ahead, and clear about where you should check current local info rather than trust a plan.

What This Skill Produces

• The day-by-day itinerary — grouped by area, with a realistic number of things per day and built-in slack
• Book-ahead flags — what sells out or needs reservations, and roughly how far ahead
• A tuned packing list — for the destination, season, and activities (not a generic list)
• A rough budget range — lodging / food / activities / transit, with the big swing factors named
• Verify-locally notes — opening hours, closures, tickets, and safety that change and must be checked near the date

Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:

• Where & when — destination(s), dates or season, number of days
• Who's going — solo / couple / family with kids / friends (changes pace and picks)
• The vibe — relax / see-everything / food / outdoors / culture / budget-backpack vs. comfort
• Constraints — budget level, mobility needs, must-dos, and no-gos

Framework: A Plan You'd Actually Enjoy

1. Cluster geographically. Group each day by area to cut transit time — the biggest hidden cost of a bad plan.
2. Pace for humans. 2–3 anchor things per day, not 7; jet lag on day one; a slow morning somewhere.
3. Flag the bookable. Separate "just show up" from "sold out a month ahead."
4. Budget in ranges, honestly. Give a band and name what moves it (season, lodging tier, eating out vs. in).
5. Say what to verify. Hours, seasonal closures, and safety change — mark them "check near your date," don't assert them as fixed.

Output Format

[Destination] · [dates/season] · [travellers] · [vibe]

Budget band: ~[range] — swing factors: [x].

Day by day

Day 1 — [area]: morning … · afternoon … · evening … · (built-in downtime: …)

Day 2 — [area]: …

Book ahead

• [thing] — ~[how far ahead]

Packing (tuned)

• [items specific to season/activities]

Verify near your date

• [hours / closures / tickets / safety to confirm]

Quality Checks

• [ ] Each day is clustered by area to minimise back-and-forth
• [ ] Pace is realistic (downtime, jet lag, not over-stuffed)
• [ ] Book-ahead items are separated from walk-ups
• [ ] Budget is a range with the main swing factors named
• [ ] Time-sensitive facts (hours/closures/safety) are flagged "verify," not asserted as current
• [ ] Packing list is specific to the destination/season/activities

Anti-Patterns

• A march — cramming every landmark into every day.
• Zig-zag routing that ignores geography and burns hours in transit.
• Asserting current hours/prices/closures as fact — flag them to verify.
• A generic packing list that ignores the actual climate and plans.
• One-size pace for a family with a toddler and a group of 20-somethings.

Example Trigger Phrases

• "Plan a 5-day trip to Lisbon for a couple who loves food."
• "Build me a Tokyo itinerary — first time, 7 days, mid-budget."
• "What should I do in Rome in 3 days with kids?"
• "Help me plan a relaxed week in the mountains."
• "Weekend city break — give me a day-by-day and a packing list."