Cheap Travel Tips

The economy may be wobbly, but our travel dreams are still strong — for good reason. Europe is every bit as magical as ever, and no recession can change that. What matters is how well you manage your travel budget, and how you use those skills to create a better trip. Playing your cards right, and spending less will lower the barrier that separates you and the culture you’ve traveled so far to experience.

To help you keep your dream trip affordable, here are 50 thrifty ways to stretch your travel dollar in Europe…

A B&B offers double the warmth and cultural intimacy for half the price of a hotel. You’ll find them in most countries if you know the local word: Husrom is Norwegian for sobe which is Slovenian for Zimmer which is German for rooms in a private home.

Avoid touristy restaurants with “We speak English signs” and multilingual menus. Those that are filled with locals serve better food for less money. I look for a short, handwritten menu in the local language only. Go with the daily specials.

Fly open-jaws — that’s into one city and out of another. Save time and money by avoiding a needless costly return to your starting point. When considering the beginning and end points of a long trip, try to start in mild countries (such as England) and work into the places with greater culture shock (such as Turkey). This way you’ll minimize stress, and save countries offering the cheapest shopping — and greatest health risks — for the end of your trip.

Read the other cheap travel  tips!

Non-Smoking Hotel Rooms Not What You Think

Think you’re saving yourself from cigarette smoke by booking non-smoking hotel rooms? Think again.

A new study in the journal Tobacco Control shows evidence that “thirdhand smoke” — which is air that’s been polluted by tobacco smoke — is present in both smoking and non-smoking rooms.

“Partial smoking bans in hotels do not protect non-smoking guests from exposure to tobacco smoke and tobacco-specific carcinogens,” San Diego State University researchers wrote in the study. “Non-smokers are advised to stay in hotels with complete smoking bans. Existing policies exempting hotels from complete smoking bans are ineffective.”

Read the rest of the dangers about non smoking rooms here!

Ways To Improve Travel Industry

Few things are worse for the traveler than nasty surprises.

Yet we keep traveling.

Not simply because we like to travel or because we must travel, but because we accept that the world is an imperfect place and the travel industry an imperfect business that likes, when possible, to get by on the bare minimum.

Nevertheless, there are some fixes that could be implemented quickly and cheaply that would make travel much more pleasant for everyone.

We seek neither the impractical (first-class leather seats in coach), the implausible (teleportation), nor the unrealistic (airport concourses that demand less walking than a breast cancer fund-raiser).

Even better, none of the brainstorms below are protected by patents, licenses or other legal restrictions, so Big Travel can feel free to scoop them up and begin making our lives better right away.

Read the rest of the article about Ways To Improve the Travel Industry

Biggest Cruise Booking Mistakes

The entire idea of going on a cruise may be daunting for newcomers, but it shouldn’t be. Simply avoid these 10 common mistakes. Brush up with these tips and you won’t be making the biggest cruise booking mistakes.

Pick the Wrong Cruise Line or Ship

Selecting the right cruise line and ship makes a world of difference. That decision will determine if you fall madly in love with this type of travel or run screaming from the gangway. Each cruise line has its own style and price point and each ship has its own vibe that often depends on the ship’s age and amenities, crew, guest contingent, and the ports the ship calls upon. If you stay at full-service hotels like Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton on land, booking an inside cabin on a budget line like Carnival or Norwegian Cruise Line might be a mistake. Likewise, if you’re traveling with small children, be sure to select a company like Disney Cruise Line that caters to families and offers special programs for kids. The best way to learn about different cruise lines is to talk with friends and family who have sailed before.

Read the entire article about the biggest cruise booking mistakes!

See Through Futuristic Plane

Airline Rankings

Airline Rankings

Virgin America is the highest-quality major airline in the United States, according to the 2013 Airline Quality Rating report, an annual study of airline performance. The lowest-rated? United Airlines.

The privately owned airline – founded by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson – has only been operating in the U.S. since 2007, but after just five years in the air it leads the way in timely arrivals, baggage handling and customer service. This is the first time it’s been included in the AQR ratings.

The Airline Quality Rating report is the premier statistical study of major airline performance in the United States and has been conducted annually since 1991. It’s authored by Dr. Dean Headley, a professor at Wichita State University, and Dr. Brent Bowen, a professor at Purdue University.

See where your favorite airline ranks!

Life Changing Vacations for Kids

Life Changing Vacations for Kids. We all know that as we grow older, special occasions can become “less special”. The older you become, the more responsibility you take on, and consequently you realize just how much work has to go into making a great moment really great.

But when you’re a child, you relish in every special moment that arises. Even something as little as losing a tooth becomes a magical night as you let your imagination run wild about that popular fairy that will soon be visiting your room with a reward.

Point is, vacations are wonderful for adults, but think about the vacations you went on as a child. You had no responsibilities. Every meal was cost free. And the only stressful thing to think about was whether you or your sibling would get the window seat on the plane.

Adults need vacations for relaxation. A child needs vacations for making important memories. Here is a list of 10 places that can change your child’s life.  Remember, even the smallest event can create a wonderful lifelong memory for a child.

See The Entire List!

Best Eats at Busiest Airports

Best Eats at Busiest Airports

Whenever someone starts talking about the “good ol’ days” of air travel, remind them about eating at old school airports.

Back then, a meal at the airport meant horsing down a candy bar from the gift shop and wrestling with a vending machine for a can of soda.

Nowadays, large, medium and even some smaller airports provide legitimately good restaurants, with enough interesting offerings and atmosphere to make that three-hour layover just a little less hellish.

There’s still room for culinary upgrades — as noted below, some airports haven’t yet figured out that sitting on planes makes us hungry and irritable — but the best places to eat in the country’s busiest airports (ranked by passenger traffic, per FAA statistics) generally range from good to great.

Read the entire list of Best Eats at Busiest Airports

Last-Minute Family Friendly Spring Break Trips

Last-Minute Family Friendly Spring Break Trips

No plans for spring break yet? Don’t panic. There are still some great deals, no matter your budget or family vacation preference. Check out this list we’ve found and plan a trip for spring break this year!

Full List Here!

What Airlines Won’t Tell You During Safety Demonstrations

From Huffington Post:

What airlines won’t tell you during safety demonstrations. Have you ever wondered exactly why airlines dim the lights upon landing, making you grope to find the overhead light just as you were about to finish your Sudoku? (Hint: It’s not to save electricity. Read the answer at the end of this article.) Or why it’s so important to put your own oxygen mask on before helping others? Or what’s it like jumping onto a 737’s inflatable emergency slide? And just how heavy are those over-wing exit doors?

If you’re a bit of an airline nerd like me (I said a bit, by the way, I’m not one of those plane spotter types), then you might have been curious. Or maybe you’re the cautious kind, the kind who wants to have every possible advantage the next time there’s a “Miracle on the Hudson” or if you’re landing at one of the scariest U.S. airports.

Well, British Airways has just the thing: the BA Flight Safety Awareness Course, a modified version of the same training that flight crews go through after they’re hired and then once a year thereafter. Even if you’re not the pessimistic or overly cautious type, it’s a fascinating way to spend a day in London.

You get to jump down an emergency slide! And if you’ve ever wanted to pull the inflation cord on one of those airplane life vests, well this is your chance. You also get to evacuate a cabin filled with “smoke” (it’s the kind used in a theater or rock concert, but does the trick). You’ll practice the fine points of the “brace position.” And best of all, you understand why some of those more obscure procedures and safety warnings are part of the flight experience.

Read the entire article here!