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If you have a special event coming up (think of spouse's birthday, anniversary, a promotion at work, and so on) consider planning a mystery weekend or longer getaway for the two of you. One of the first things to consider, however, is whether or not your "surprisee" is going to be amused or annoyed. If it is someone who likes surprises and trusts your judgment, go for it. On the other hand, if you are dealing with a "I hate surprises" kind of person, this probably isn't the best choice for travel plans.

The first thing to do if you are planning to offer this kind of surprise is to research fully online. The internet has made planning for trips and vacations so easy. There is no more guess work like there may have been just 15 or 20 years ago concerning how many hotels are in the area, will there be good places to dine, and how will the visitors spend their time with various activities and attractions.

So fire up a browser to the world wide web and find out what your destination spot offers. A good starting point, even before you look for place to stay, is to be sure there will be enough attractions to keep you busy for the length of your intended visit. If you can't find much to do in the area, it may be a good time to change your destination plans. On the other hand, if you were planning a quiet and romantic getaway of hiking or skiing, you will want to search for places that aren't so busy. So it all depends on your needs and what kind of mystery destination you are planning.

After you have a destination solidified is a good time to check out where you will be staying. Bigger attractions and suburbs usually offer an array of hotels and motels from which to choose, including the major chains. If you would prefer a bed and breakfast, it will take a little more time to find, but still very easy with the help of the internet. Certain bed and breakfast establishments will require a specified number of nights for the stay, so that's one thing for your "to-do list," to check if that is the case.

Another thing to check is whether or not you will have an easy time finding places to eat. Since you are planning a mystery getaway, you are responsible for knowing things like where you will be eating. Make a list (again from the net) so that you know what is available, what cuisine they serve, etc. Find out if your bed and breakfast will serve other meals, too, or if your hotel offers complimentary breakfast.

Plan the entire getaway but be sure to let the person being surprised know what to pack. You will need to mention whether or not a flight is involved, or whether it will be a short or long road trip. No matter how much you want to keep it a complete surprise, it would not be fair to the other person to not know what to pack or how much to pack. As just one example, if you have rented a cabin in the mountains, even if it happens to be July, you will want to tell your travel partner to pack a light sweater. Sure, it will maybe give the surprise away ("A sweater in July? It must be the mountains!") but that's better than being cold in the evening. An alternative would be to try to pack one of their sweaters yourself without them finding out.

Remember things like bug spray or lotion and sunscreen if the season and your destination demands such things. For other planning, simply let your imagination play with possibilities (such as having fresh flowers in the room when you arrive, being stocked up with videos and books if it's a getaway for total relaxation, and so on). Remember that even if the other person finds out and "ruins" the surprise, it will still be a wonderful getaway because everything will have been pre-planned.

Don't forget to make a physical checklist so that you won't forget anything. This is especially important if the other person generally does the trip planning. This includes things such as making sure you have made arrangements for "fido" or "fluffy" if you will be gone for a few days. If pets travel with you, make sure your lodging is pet friendly.