The trick to having a successful and affordable trip is planning ahead and planning thoroughly. Keep the spirits high and the costs low by following a well-traveled ensemble director's suggestions as presented in this article. These tips include finding local attractions that are unique to the city that the group will be visiting, looking at alternatives to chartered buses, shopping around for hotels, and calling restaurants ahead of time, as they may offer a group price that is cheaper than their regular rates. It also suggests hosting fundraising activities to help cover expenses.