The fear is always the same: if I do not plan enough, the trip falls apart; if I plan too much, it feels like work.
We use a simple frame: anchors and oxygen. Anchors are the non-negotiables: flights, first night’s stay, one or two must-do experiences. Oxygen is unscheduled time for wandering, naps, and weather.
Couples on honeymoons often want more oxygen. Multi-gen families often need more anchors so nobody is hangry at 3 p.m. arguing about lunch.
Your job is not to fill the calendar. It is to make sure the important things are handled so free time feels like a gift, not a risk.