Trip Research & Itinerary Planner

# Trip Research & Itinerary Planner

Research destinations using Brave Search, then build a detailed day-by-day itinerary with real venues, map links, and booking URLs.

## When to Use

- "Plan a 5-day trip to Lisbon"
- "Create an itinerary for a weekend in Austin"
- "Research the best things to do in Tokyo in April"

## Requirements

- **Brave Search MCP** for destination research
- Filesystem for itinerary storage
- `jq` for parsing search results

## Workflow

### Step 1 — Gather Trip Parameters

Collect from user:
- **Destination** (city/region)
- **Dates** (or duration)
- **Travel style** (budget, mid-range, luxury)
- **Interests** (food, history, outdoors, nightlife, art, family)
- **Constraints** (dietary needs, mobility, traveling with kids/pets)
- **Budget** (approximate daily budget)

### Step 2 — Research Destination

Use Brave Search MCP for real, current data:

```
brave_web_search: "best things to do in {CITY} {YEAR}"
brave_web_search: "{CITY} hidden gems locals recommend {YEAR}"
brave_web_search: "{CITY} best restaurants {CUISINE_PREFERENCE} {BUDGET_LEVEL}"
brave_web_search: "{CITY} neighborhoods to stay {TRAVEL_STYLE}"
brave_web_search: "{CITY} weather {MONTH} what to pack"
brave_web_search: "{CITY} public transit day pass tourist card"
```

Extract:
- Top attractions (with addresses and opening hours)
- Restaurant recommendations (with price range and cuisine)
- Neighborhood guide (where to stay, what's walkable)
- Transportation options (metro, bus, bike, rideshare)
- Local tips (tipping culture, safety, scams to avoid)

### Step 3 — Build Day-by-Day Itinerary

Organize by geographic proximity to minimize travel:

```markdown
# {CITY} Trip — {DATES}

## Day 1: {NEIGHBORHOOD} — Arrival & Explore

### Morning
- 🛬 Arrive at {Airport}. Take {Metro/Taxi} to hotel (~{TIME}, ~${COST})
- 📍 Check in: {Hotel Name} — [Google Maps](https://maps.google.com/?q={ADDRESS})

### Afternoon
- 🚶 Walk to {Attraction 1} — {1-sentence description}
  - ⏰ Open: 10am-6pm | 💰 Entry: ${PRICE} | [Book tickets](URL)
- ☕ Coffee at {Cafe Name} — known for {specialty}
  - 📍 [Google Maps](https://maps.google.com/?q={ADDRESS})

### Evening
- 🍽️ Dinner at {Restaurant} — {cuisine}, ${PRICE_RANGE}/person
  - 📍 [Google Maps](URL) | [Reserve](URL)
  - 💡 Try the {signature dish}
- 🌙 {Evening activity} — {bar/nightlife/evening walk}

### Getting Around
- Day 1 is walkable within {neighborhood}
- Buy a {transit card} at the airport for ${PRICE}
```

Repeat for each day.

### Step 4 — Add Practical Info Section

```markdown
## Practical Info

### Budget Estimate
| Category | Per Day | Total ({N} days) |
|----------|---------|------------------|
| Accommodation | ${X} | ${X*N} |
| Food | ${X} | ${X*N} |
| Activities | ${X} | ${X*N} |
| Transport | ${X} | ${X*N} |
| **Total** | **${X}** | **${X*N}** |

### Packing Checklist
- [ ] Weather: {temp range}°F — pack {layers/sunscreen/rain jacket}
- [ ] Adapter: {plug type} (buy before or at airport)
- [ ] Docs: {visa/passport requirements}
- [ ] Apps: {useful local apps — transit, food, maps}

### Emergency Info
- Emergency: {local emergency number}
- Embassy: {address and phone}
- Hospital: {nearest to hotel}
```

### Step 5 — Save Itinerary

```bash
mkdir -p outputs/travel
cat > "outputs/travel/YYYY-MM-DD-{city}-itinerary.md" << 'EOF'
{FULL_ITINERARY}
EOF
```

## Important Rules

- Always use Brave Search for current data — don't rely on training data for prices, hours, or venue status
- Include direct Google Maps links for every venue
- Note when info may be seasonal or subject to change
- Include booking/reservation links where available
- Add alternatives in case of weather or closures

## Example Prompts

- "Plan a 5-day trip to Lisbon, mid-range budget, love food and history"
- "Create a weekend itinerary for Austin TX, budget-friendly, outdoorsy"
- "Research Tokyo for 10 days in April — cherry blossom season"