Travel & Leisure Articles & News
Hitchhiking: The Pros and Cons
The pros and cons of hitchhiking? Pro: cheap. Con: dangerous. It's convenient, but unpredictable. No car repair hassles, but the hassle of standing in the rain, waiting hours for a ride. I hitchiked 20,000 miles when I was young, sleeping under bridges and fighting off sexual predators from Canada to Mexico. I loved it, but I wouldn't consider hitchhiking as a primary mode of travel ever again.
Hotels And Other Cheap Accommodations
Hostels have been around in one form or another for a long time. They are oriented towards young travelers and anyone else seeking cheap accommodations. The United States version was originally more complicated, with guests helping with chores, etc. It is much simpler now: you rent a bed instead of a room, sharing the bathroom, living room and kitchen. You have less privacy, but cheaper accomodations, and you get to socialize.
Lone Pine California
Lone Pine, California doesn't look like much at first. It's a dusty desert town of a few thousand, on highway 395, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. There might still be only one traffic light. So what makes it a great vacation destination?
Oldsters Overseas What Seniors Pay for Travel Insurance
While travel medical insurance for senior citizens generally carries a higher premium and a lower maximum level of coverage it is still widely available. In fact, some carriers offer travel medical insurance for senior citizens no matter what their age. One carrier we found offered travel medical insurance for senior citizens over 80 years old, with no maximum age. The maximum coverage for those older than 79, however, is a low $10,000.
Top Ten Travel Tips for Students Traveling Abroad
Although most trips abroad are trouble free, being prepared will go a long way to avoiding the possibility of serious trouble.
Burial Mounds Along the Mississippi
Curiosity bought me here, but something deeper, something more spiritual held me here. The long walk up the bluff left me in need of a brief rest, so I sat on the slope of one of the mounds. The entire Mississippi River valley lay before me. It was several miles wide at this point, but I could easily make out the bluffs to the east. Overhead a red tailed hawk wheeled across the sky.
How to Spend Less and Have a Great Time in Dubai
So you want to go to Dubai but have heard how expensive it can be for both vacationers and business travelers alike? If that's what you've heard, then whoever told you hasn't experienced Dubai. Here are some money saving tips that can cut your Dubai budget in half. Shopping in Dubai If shopping is your pleasure, then Dubai is your dreams come true. Not only do you have some of the biggest malls in the world with all the major brands, but Dubai, being ...
Explore the Adventurous Side of You
Adventure. Do you actually remember the word? When was the last time you went out for some real adventures? Well, you might be having some wrong perceptions about ‘adventure’, considering your everyday life in this concrete jungle as one big adventure (in a way, you may call it an adventure). Well if that is the case, you need to think twice over it.
Conversion Van Camping Tips
Conversion van camping doesn't give you the luxury of life in an RV, nor the discomfort of sleeping in a tent. It can be tough to safely heat a van at night, but it's cheap compared to an RV, and you can go places they cannot. We spent more than 25 nights sleeping in our conversion van last year.
Day in the Life of Travelers to Orlando FL and How Their Story Can Save You Time and Money
MY HUSBAND, OUR VACATION CONDO AND OUR TRIP TO DISNEY In other words, this is a letter about how my husband totally screwed up our trip to Disney, AND totally infuriated me on our honeymoon. We were married in Orlando, after staying at Walt Disney World, but his job needed him for an emergency, so we flew back to Ohio without being able to tour anything in central Florida. We vowed to make our first trip back to Orlando (and the Orlando, Florida area) a special trip, like a ...
Studying the International Travel Insurance Scene
Student international travel insurance is affordable. In fact, it's almost always the most affordable of any international travel insurance. In many cases, students aren't the only one who qualify, either. Some student international travel insurance carriers offer the student coverage and rates not only to full time and part time college students but also to their dependents and other family members, as well as visiting faculty and other scholars. The age limit on this student ...
Tips for Travelers With Disabilities
Each year, thousands of persons with disabilities travel the world by planes, trains, automobiles, cruise ships, and even bicycles. With the proper planning and attitude, travel can be rewarding and adventurous.
Munich Germany 10 Insider Tips
Munich Germany is a city in the state Bavaria. Would you like to know what the real interesting sights in Munich Germany are? I will tell you 10 of my good ones.
Several Facts to Obtaining Cheap Airfares
Airfares Need a vacation but dont want to stay around town? Want to go somewhere exotic, somewhere different? Want to fly but worried about the airfare? Sourcing the cheapest airfare available has been made easier with competition growing between travel agencies as people realize that a vacation need not be all that expensive. Airfare can be a hindrance to the best of vacation plans but it need not be. With so many travel companies vying for your business securing cheaper ...
Destination Dubai
Dubai is one of the seven states making up the United Arab Emirates and it is located in the Middle East at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.
Evolution of the Travel Agent
Years ago, when you wanted to go on vacation, there was only one option. You had to hoof it down to your local travel agency and browse through some travel brochures. Then, when you made your selection, you'd sit across the desk from your travel agent (in a very uncomfortable chair) while they entered all the information on their green monochrome computer screen. Travel agents were the keepers of all travel information. Their life was the stuff of dreams. We imagined they had been ...
Acapulco, One of Mexico's Top Travel Destinations
Today's Acapulco Acapulco is probably Mexico's oldest established resort town but, thanks to a recent renaissance, this remarkable town has maintained its status as one of Mexico's top travel destinations and the place to be to enjoy a magnificent Mexico vacation. It's easy to see why Acapulco attracts travelers of all ages. During its endless sunny days, this Pacific coast town offers beaches that are second-to-none. Visitors can enjoy amazing water ...
Diners An American Icon
The definition of a diner is typically a narrow structure resembling a railroad dining car with the interior containing a service counter with stools for seating. Food preparation is along the back wall behind the counter.
Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage Does your HMO or PPO offer this?
Travelers insurance may be the only way for most Americans to insure they are fully protected in case of emergency medical evacuation while traveling abroad, because for 70 percent of these U.S. resident HMO and PPO medical insurance plans do not cover such an event.
Hotel Security for the Traveler
The sad truth is that criminals target travelers, especially in and around hotels. The abundance of literature on the topic of hotel security does not seem to have deterred criminals from using hotels as a target of their trade. An informal survey of hotel security staff reveals old patterns of crime repeated and new tricks (or new variations of old tricks) continue as before. There are, however, some practices which can reduce your risk of being the target of crime or other hazards in a ...
An Ontario Vacation
The uniqueness of Canada’s provinces makes each one worth visiting. Whether you like to ski or swim, fish or golf, visit national monuments or museums, Canada has it all in one beautiful, thirteen-province country.
Cheap International Travel The Secrets
What is the real secret to cheap international travel? It is the same as the secret to doing anything for less. Learn to be an opportunist. Opportunistic travelers get to travel more, see more and do more. Of course, you can ignore this advice if you have unlimited funds.
Stop the Car! I Need to go to the Bathroom! or Water When Traveling
When traveling, most people are inclined to cut back on their water consumption. After all, they’re a little embarrassed at having to stop every hour or so (on a car trip) to use the bathroom. Or if they’re on a plane, they hate having to climb over everyone else to get to the toilets.
Don't Drink The Water Or Eat It
Definitely don't drink the water if the locals don't. Aside from this travel guideline, it's tough to judge when it is safe to drink the water in another country. It is often best to rely on bottled water, which is available almost everywhere now, and is cheaper in other countries than in the United States.
Must Read Tips For Shopping & Booking Your Travels Online
Booking & shopping online has proven to revolutionize the travel industry. There are many pros to utilizing online booking sites to plan your trip. Bottom line is, it saves you time and money, both important factors when planning your trip.
Cologne Germany 18 Insider Tips Part 2 of 2
Cologne Germany has a lot to offer, and in this second part I give you the remaining 10 insider tips you surely already were looking for...
Hotel Security for the Traveler Part 2
ARRIVAL AT THE HOTEL If you intend to arrive by car and don't know the area, obtain detailed directions from the hotel. Be sure to ask if there are any areas that should be avoided en route, and if possible, plan to arrive during daylight hours. Parking is your next concern. If you drop off your luggage at the hotel and park your car in a public lot, consider how visible your car is, and how safe you will be walking to your car after dark. Find out in advance if the parking ...
Cologne Germany 18 Insider Tips – Part 1 of 2
Would you like to know what the real interesting sights in Cologne Germany are? In this two-part article, I am going to let you know about 18 of my good ones.
International Adventure Travel
International adventure travel: Safaris, balloon tours, swimming with dolphins, bicycling down volcanos, trekking in the Himalayas, Walmart on Christmas Eve - the list is almost endless. This will not be a comprehensive listing of all the adventure opportunities out there. Instead, here is just enough to whet your appetite.
Visit Amazing Chattanooga, TN!!
How about a step back in time? We began our visit at none other than the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, where we stayed in a Victorian rail car. We were there the week or so before their official season started and it was a little quiet. But I was assured that things came a live when tourist season started. However the slow pace was a really nice for us. We had dinner at the Station House where they had singing servers. We also took a carriage ride where all the carriages are assigned a dalmation to ...