Itinerary budget planning

Itinerary Budget Planning

Route Optimization

• Choose cities that minimize total driving time
• Consider geographic clustering (e.g., Cleveland→Dayton→Cincinnati forms a logical loop)
• Start and end at the origin city for round trips

Budget Components

1. Accommodations: price × nights per city
2. Meals: restaurant average cost × number of meals
3. Transportation: Self-driving costs (gas estimated from distances)

Cuisine Diversity Strategy

• Map required cuisines (American, Mediterranean, Chinese, Italian) across meals
• Use restaurant Cuisines field to match — many restaurants serve multiple cuisines
• Spread different cuisines across breakfast, lunch, and dinner slots

Accommodation Selection Criteria

• Check maximum occupancy >= party size
• Check minimum nights <= planned stay duration
• Filter by house_rules for specific needs (pets, children, smoking)
• Balance price vs. review rating

Day Planning Template

• Travel days: skip meals during long drives (use "-")
• City days: 3 meals + 2-3 attractions
• Transition days: breakfast in departing city, lunch/dinner in arriving city

Output Format

JSON with plan array (7 day objects) and data_sources array. Each day: day, current_city, transportation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, attraction, accommodation.