Super Useful Travel Links 4.20.12

There have been many cool things happening in the travel world this month, and some not even related to travel, but I've tried to narrow down the most fun and useful links for you, otherwise, I could easily post this series twice a week instead of twice a month. Enjoy and hopefully these will help you out on your own travels and planning.

Am I the only one who kinda wishes they can take their gaming console on the road with them? Dustin at Too Many Adapters has given me new options. Play classic Nintendo or arcade games anywhere you go. Say what? It’s true. You can download some of your favorites to your iPad, play on your Android phone or even bring your Wiimote and play on your laptop. I love it and I’m sharing the love with you. Get your kids addicted to Super Mario Bros or SpyHunter by using their downtime boredom against them. Those are so much better than Call of Duty. (As in they are less graphic. Who worries about the effect of pixelated mushrooms on children? Nobody, because they are fun!)

I've had no less than three people asking me about travel rewards credit cards...this week. Which one is the best? Where can I compare them? Did I get the wrong one? Well, I don't have all the answers, because I'm lame like that when it comes to credit card info, but I happened upon this useful article on CBS News that tells you the 10 Best Travel Rewards Cards. I have heard good things about the Capital One Venture Card, so now there is further proof that it is an all-around great card, but there are 9 more that might fit your life and travel style, so give it a read.

I'm such a fan of hop-on hop-off bus tours, which is funny, because I've never actually been ON one. Next time I'm in a new city that has one at a reasonable price, I will get me some tickets. Perhaps in one of these ten cities that Viator names that have the best hop-on hop-off tours. I particularly intrigued that the island of Malta has one. I've been dying to go there. Coincidence? I think not!

Who's ever forgotten something you needed on vacation? Guilty over here. In the last few years I've forgotten socks (luckily, there was the pair being worn and ONE pair stuffed in a corner of the suitcase), but a lot of washing at night was happening, and the iPod charging tip to my iGo. Oddly, we couldn't find either of those things where we were traveling. Maybe if we'd had this app, we wouldn't have had that problem...except for when we couldn't charge our iPod touch. Goodzer can help you find things you need, wherever you are, and includes pricing, too. Now that's a crazy good app. It only works in the U.S. right now, but it's possible they will expand it to other big tourist destinations.

Ever been scammed on vacation? If not, try to keep it that way by keeping up with the latest scams happening. Don't get all your valuable stolen while an "apologetic" clumsy diner tries to clean up the drink, food they spilled on you, or get taken for a ride (literally) by a fake cab driver. Here's what to look for an how to avoid falling victim. 

Alaska Airlines is one of my preferred airlines and that's why it's so nice to hear that they have taken traveling with your pet to a whole new level. While I haven't actually taken my poor little dog on the plane yet (mostly because I think she might have a heart attack and she probably would rather spend a week or two with her "Grammy"), if I do, Alaska will probably be her first experience with it. Banfield pet hospitals and Alaska have partnered together to make travel with your pet even easier. With a check-up and more when you book a flight for your pet, you will know your animal is happy and healthy. What's more, is the new regulations Alaska has put in place for animal carriers going into the cargo hold. They want you to have peace of mind that your pet is safe, even when you can't see them.

Are you on the lookout for unusual things to do in a city? It might be a tour, but not your everyday tour where there are 50 people and a guide that gives the same version 42 times a week? Well, check out Gidsy, where you can find tours and other cool stuff to do in a city with real people. Yes, I know those normal tour guides are "real", but so rarely are they personable. Why not let a local show you around their city or teach you to make chutney or walk you around the farmers' market to get ingredients for your cooking class that will end your tour? You can find all those things and more there in 6 major cities around the world (so far). Thanks to T+L for their spotlight on Gidsy.

Do you love the idea of cruising (visiting a bunch of different destinations), but don't really want t to spend time on a boat? Check out this new service from a site called Mauiva Aircruise. They bring you the same experience, but you travel by air instead of a ship. It's a definite splurge, and you could almost do it yourself for the same price or cheaper, but you do get to fly on a private jet this way. While the pricing isn't right, the idea is a fairly cool one, considering it can include all your meals and activities.

If you owe the IRS, you better stop saving for vacation and start using that money to pay them back. If a new bill passes through the House, your passport could be suspended for delinquent tax repayment.

So many people balk at my suggestion of carry-on travel, but I think it's just because they think they will totally miss something if they don't bring it. Lou from Zen Habits explains the art of ultra-light packing for his whole family. While I don't think I could get away with so little, it's inspirational. And if they can pack only one extra outfit, then you can surely fit a week's worth of clothing in a regular size carry-on. Just sayin'.


I hope you're enjoying this new series, as I am having a great time collecting links and finally getting to share them, too. Did you find something you wanted to share lately? Paste it in the comments!

Using Your Tax Refund for Vacation Time 4.18.20

Did you know that almost half of Americans are either not using any or all of their vacation time? According to Raddisson and USA Today, 48% use less than half of the 18 vacation days they earn from work. That is a travesty in my book. Seriously. You work so hard all year and you never reward yourself? Sadness! Is it because they don’t think it’s enough time to go anywhere and actually relax? One thing is for sure, most people feel like they need a vacation from their vacation when they go back to work. As much as I know there will be a big stack of paper waiting for me on my return, I need that time off more. One to two weeks of getting away is worth one or two days of harder work than usual. And with tax season ending, now is the perfect time to start planning a getaway of some kind.

I know, I know, like me you see house repairs and bills and probably even school-related expenses for you or your children (or both!), but if you don’t have that time to recharge your batteries, then you will be running on empty and feel more stressed each day. Trust me. You need it. So, figure out what part of your refund you can reasonably live without and put that towards your next vacation…and make it soon. Like within the next 6 months if you can. In fact, if you have the ability to travel in the fall, plan for an autumn getaway, because you can get more for your money, go further and also avoid the summer crowds. Just because you don’t have a lot to spend doesn’t mean you can’t go somewhere worth traveling to.

Budget Travel has come up with 7 affordable vacations you can take now, starting at under $1,000 per COUPLE. Not only are they budget-friendly, but they aren’t your typical vacations. The 7 destinations included are: West Virginia ($818), Folly Beach, SC ($947), Portland, OR ($1,145 – if you choose to come here, please let me know!), North Coast, Dominican Republic ($1,334), Amsterdam ($1,942), Zion National Park ($2,040 – You can visit St. George), Iceland ($2,210). Now, even if some of these places sound boring, don’t judge them based on their names – or prices – and let Budget Travel tell you why they are worth visiting and what you should see or do. Of course, Travel + Leisure has voted Portland the #1 Summer Family Vacation Destination, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have anything to do in the other months. Portland is packed with tons of stuff, and if BT doesn’t convince you, I’m sure I can. You can also follow my Examiner column for cheap Portland activities.

If none of these destinations tickle your fancy, you could always check out the top 10 budget destinations for 2012:

1. Azores off the coast of Lisbon
2. Egypt
3. San Diego, CA (visit Shamu!)
4. Canada’s eastern seaboard
5. Belize
6. San Antonio, TX
7. Poland
8. Taipei, Taiwan
9. Kansas City, MO
10. Athens, Greece (terrible economy = travel bargains!)

For more info on these destination, like where to stay, when to visit and what kind of budget a trip there might fit in, check out the full article – also from Budget Travel.

Remember, sign up for travel alert emails, so you know when prices drop on your preferred destination(s). It’s the easiest way to save money, besides stalking my Facebook page for deals. Another great way to find deals, especially if you aren’t all that set on where to go and just want to go SOMEWHERE within your budget, check out the FareCompare Where-To-Go Getaway Map. Choose your date range and home airport to see rates across the globe!

Don’t forget the rules of packing light when you travel, because it will only save you more. No bags to check means no crazy baggage fees, less stuff to lug around (happy backs are nice on vacation, as are happy husbands/boyfriends) and no hanging around at the luggage carousel for ages. I bet you like to save time and money. I sure do! I’m also a big fan of being able to wheel my bag right off the plane, through the airport and get on my vacation ASAP.

Do you have plans for your tax refund that involves getting away from home?

Planning Your Budget Travel Itinerary 4.14.12

Tomorrow is the last day to enter to win a $100 vacation credit to BookIt.com. If there are 100+ entries at the close, the winner will also receive a copy of my summer ebook.

So, it was brought to my attention that although (most of) you guys know where to find good deals, it’s difficult to also find things to do at your destination and Viator just isn’t cutting it for some. I understand. I’m a crazy Googler when it comes to planning my vacation, but I know that many just don’t have as much time, or the desire, to look at destination websites all day long. I’ll tell you, even I have trouble trying to remember some of the best sites to find things to do where I’m going and have to refer back to my own book. There are just so many good sites out there, but I’ll give you a few that I tend to go back to again and again.

Deer, deer and more deer at a wildlife museum

TripAdvisor – Cliché? Maybe, but I always find some weird things mixed in that people have done that really help me choose something new and different. Of course, this is one of those websites that has long lists of things if you are going somewhere very popular or large. If you are visiting a destination that is not quite as big, it can help you find the three things that they actually have to see, do and eat there. Luckily, you can choose how to sort the long list of possibilities. I usually start with Most Popular and then decide if the first 10-20 even sound remotely interesting to me before trying a different tactic.

Pamper yourself for half off or more!

Groupon – Yes, I know it isn’t so much searching, but it’s like finding buried treasure when you’re emailed a fantastic deal for something you really wanted to do and also wasn’t sure you could afford. 50-90% off is always a great price. Usually, these are good 6-12 months out, so you can sign up for emails for your destination(s) as soon as you know you’re going. We saved hundreds of dollars on our trip to Hawaii. Don’t forget, Groupon isn’t just for the U.S., it’s worldwide, so whether you are going to Florida or Finland, you can get deals!

LonelyPlanet – Their guides are great, but you can save money by using their online guides to plan your trip. The best thing about Lonely Planet is that they don’t assume you have unlimited funds. Nope. They are written by regular people like you and me who don’t actually get paid extra to stay in hotels or eat in restaurants, so they have honest opinions about things and suggest things they could afford, not what they get paid to write about.

Yup, that's an outdoor butcher.

What’s On When – It’s always nice to know about any festivals that will be happening when you get where you’re going. Nothing worse than getting home and realizing you missed some huge thing that everyone was talking about, right? Always go to What’s On When and not only will you see any special happenings going on, you can also look at ongoing events (farmers’ markets, shows) and find out where the good food, activities and shops are. If you’ve been to Vegas, you’ll notice that they have copies of the magazine everywhere. It’s just as informative, but way more convenient (and eco-friendly) online.

Uptake – I always find interesting cheap and free things to do at my destination on Uptake. 80% of it may be wonky things you’ve never heard of and people say sucks, but the other 20% is pure gold! (It really depends on where you’re going, because some destinations have better recommendations than others, but it’s still fun to look at things that are super random and you may not have found elsewhere.

Us at Pearl Harbor on a Groupon tour.

National Geographic City Guides (online) – You can find all kinds of free things to do in a destination with these.  I love it, because you end up finding some pretty cool stuff and it’s totally free. Some museums are only free certain days and times, but it will give you a starting point. And if you aren’t going to be there when the museums are free, many can have a reasonable admission fee, so don’t automatically dismiss them because you won’t be there on a Wednesday evening.

If you still aren’t finding things you want to do, maybe you are just being too picky or are going to the wrong destination, but I’m positive you will find more than enough things that you will think are exciting that are also affordable to fill your days with just by using a few (or all) of these sites. There is a great resource list of planning websites in my budget travel book, too.

Do you have a favorite site you go to for helping you plan your trips?