51 Mini Family Vacations
Parenting.com looked at all 50 states -- plus Washington D.C. -- to bring you a great list of fun and affordable mini-vacations.
Airfares
New travel sites and apps worth checking out
It may seem a little early to think about the holidays but not if you’re planning to travel.
So I thought I’d share some terrific travel sites and phone apps, many of which are new that I think are worth checking out.
Autoslash.com - This has by far become one of my favorite sites when booking a rental car. You pick the dates you need the car and the site constantly searches for the best deal. As the deals change it secures the best one for you. This one is a real time and money saver.
Adioso.com – This might be my new favorite. The site launched this summer and it does something many other travel sites can’t. It allows you to put in things like “travel from Austin to anywhere under $200 next week” and actually get a list of places you can travel. It also has a really neat section where when you list Austin to whatever location you want it will pop up a chart that shows you when the prices of flights tends to drop. It’s pretty cool.
Gas bag - This is a free iPhone app that helps you find the cheapest gas prices near your location. It’ll not only show you the closest gas station but tell you what they’re charging. Right not it is only available for the iPhone or the iPad.
Next flight - This is another iPhone app that costs $3 and will list all the flights available from any destination for a particular day.
Speaking of airlines, it’s more important than ever to factor in the airline fees when you travel. Kayak.com has put together a list of all the airlines and their fees that can help you determine if that holiday airfare is really the best deal.
Fodor’s one of the premier travel planning companies which writes some terrific travel guides has some new city travel apps. They cost about $4 but they’re great if you’re planning to visit places like New York City or London. They are only good for the iPhone.
Retail me not.com - This is a site I normally check before buying anything online. However, until recently I’ve never really thought about looking here for travel deals. They do exist. Type in your airline or a travel site like Travelocity and check out the coupon codes before booking your next vacation.
Putivnyk.com - This site is fairly small but it’s one of the few places I’ve found that lists promotional codes for several airlines including US Air, British Airways and Southwest. Definitely worth a check.
[Via KVUE by Terri Gruca]
Resorts celebrate 10-10-10 with discounts
Get ready for a flurry of fun 10-10-10 promotions and incentives -- especially from the travel industry.
For instance, starting at midnight on Oct. 10, five resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico and Belize are offering deals ranging from $10 room nights, $1,010.10 packages and Twitter-only offers. The deals run the gamut, but the common denominator is you can only book them through 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 10.
Here are a few of the best offers:
[source AJC]
Shaving costs of summer travel to Hawaii
Avoid the holidays and you'll find deals to and in Hawai'i throughout fall, winter and spring. Summer? Not so much, as families with school-age children surge in, along with kidless travelers wooed by the isles' best beach-going weather. But thanks to the slow pace of economic recovery (some in the Aloha State might question even calling it a recovery), there are a few ways to save on this year's summer vacation.
For more tips check out this article
Win $5,000 & Your Photo on a Frommer's Cover
Enter the Frommer's Cover Photo Contest to get your photo on the front cover of a Frommer's book and $5,000 cash.
It's easy to enter - just follow the steps to upload and tag your photos. Our panel of judges will select the winning photo, plus four runners-up will receive a prize pack of guide books and Lug travel accessories.
Don't hesitate, Enter as often as you'd like now through March 31, 2010.
The Latest from Johnny Jet's Travel Blog
Travelzoo.com I have been receiving Travelzoo’s Top 20® list since it first launched back in 1999. They feature some amazing deals from more than 600 travel companies, which list their very best offers with them. The secret: jump on these deals the moment (every Wednesday around, 11AM EST) the email arrives in your inbox because the Top 20 list is sent to over 11 million subscribers. View Other Blog Stories.
Plan ahead for holiday travel with AAA tips
Thanksgiving has Americans eager to travel and spend time with family and friends this holiday season. With over 38.4 million people expected to travel 50 miles or more to their Thanksgiving destination, AAA recommends travelers plan ahead and be flexible to help ease holiday travel stress.
“The holiday travel season is an extremely busy time of year for everyone,” said Jacklyn Ghergurovich, AAA spokesperson. “In order for travelers to join their family at the dinner table on time and stress free, it is important to plan ahead.”
When planning holiday travels, AAA recommends the following tips to help keep the holidays enjoyable and ensure travelers reach their destination ready to enjoy food, friends and family:
Europe's best Christmas Markets 2009
If you're considering visiting a Christmas market in Europe this year, our 2009 Christmas Market guide aims to highlight some of the biggest and best Christmas markets around, of the many thousands taking place across Europe this year. Discover some of the most atmospheric and festive Christmas market destinations in countries such as Germany, Poland, France, Hungary, Czech Republic and even the UK.
Running While You Travel: 3 Easy Tips for Making It Happen
We've all explored new places on foot, but are you the type of traveler that likes to see sights on the run? If so you wouldn't be alone. Thousands of runners from all over the world will be descending on New York this weekend for the New York City Marathon, a race that is close to 42,000 runners strong. Here are three different ways for you to get off the boring hotel treadmill and get outside...
T+L's best travel photography tips
There’s no better way to remember a trip than through pictures. But too often those pictures don’t come out to our satisfaction. Why is that castle out of focus? Where is the amazing beach I thought I snapped? What’s with that devilish red glare in people’s eyes?
Happily for trip-taking shutterbugs, the path to better travel photos is clearer than ever. Digital Cameras are more convenient and reliable, with different models geared for all skill levels and needs. T+L’s photo editors test-drove the latest cameras and found many worthwhile options — though they do have their strengths and weaknesses.
WanderTot: New Family Travel Blog Offers Tips on Travel with Kids
WanderTot.com is the place to go for the latest family travel deals, the best places to travel with kids, the funniest family vacation stories and the most helpful tips for traveling with kids.
n this economy, many families have reduced or cut their travel budget completely. This may affect their children more than they think--according an analysis of a U.S. Department of Education study released last week by VacationBetter.org, first-graders who took a family vacation over summer break did better in reading, math and general knowledge than their peers who did not vacation. WanderTot inspires families to travel again and provides tips on how to travel on the cheap.
WanderTot tells of a four-day family vacation to Las Vegas for just $200 and lets readers in on their money-saving secrets, with plenty of ideas for free and cheap things to do in Las Vegas with kids. Other affordable, kid-friendly destinations covered so far include Estes Park in Colorado's Rocky Mountains and San Diego, California, with reports on Orlando and Miami, Florida; Kodiak, Alaska; Paris, France; and many more family vacation destinations to come.
Travel etiquette tips to avoid being Taylor Swifted
Whatever happened to common courtesy? Congressman Joe Wilson shouts “You lie!” to the President. Serena Williams hurls abusive language to a lineswoman for a foot fault call at the U.S. Open. Kanye West grabs the Video Music Award from Taylor Swift’s hands to declare Beyoncé the winner. Civility, manners, and politeness are fast becoming nostalgic memories, and Machiavellian tendencies are becoming more prevalent. This has been unfortunately true when we fly, which is why good manners are more important than ever to make for happy travels. Ed Uyeshima shows how you can do your part from beginning to end:
Free Personal Stylist For your next Vacation, Night out, or just because you need a reason to go shopping
How to earn more frequent-flier miles
The average leisure traveler no longer has a prayer of compiling enough miles for a free trip simply by flying a few times a year. Most airlines now demand more miles before you qualify, and they expire quicker than ever -- in 18 months, typically. Today you must pile up points by every means available, and do so in a hurry. That means taking advantage of the airlines' partner programs and being smart about how to use them.
