Let Your iPod Do The Touring

Independent travelers rejoice!! You can now turn your iPod or MP3 player into your personal tour guide in all the major cities of the world. Read more

Tips For Driving In Ireland

The rolling green countryside of Ireland is best explored by car, but you’ll need some quick tips before venturing off:

Tip 1: You need to opt for full rental car insurance coverage. Most credit card companies DO NOT provide collision damage insurance in Ireland. Maybe it’s the narrow roads that dance between stone walls and heart stopping drop offs, or perhaps the wild fucia bushes that reach out and scrape the paint right off your car door, or the pesky mountain goats that appear like magic in the middle of the roadway. Whatever the reason, if you rely on a credit card for coverage, you’ll need to confirm with your company in advance about exactly what coverage they offer in Ireland. Be sure to carry more than one credit card, in case damages are charged to your card leaving you with little remaining charge capacity. Read more

Air, Rail, Bus in England

The UK has terrific public transportation. Below are guides and resources for Airports, London Tube, Brit Rail and Ferries to Ireland and France.

England Transportation sites:
Air: Airport Info, Healthrow Express, Gatwick, Express, Airport Transfers
Tube and Bus: London Tube, London Journey Planner, National Coach
Rail: Brit Rail, Euro Tunnel, Euro Star, Rail Network
Sea: Hoverspeed, Brittany Ferries, Sea France, Ferries to Ireland

6 Ways To Protect Your Money While Traveling

Rule #1 – Be aware of your personal space. In the U.S. we take for granted that we won’t be pushed, pulled or jostled on a regular basis and that items hanging about our body are safe. In the rest of the world, the rules are different! If it’s hanging free, it’s up for grabs. Read more

Great Google Travel Tricks

Google is amazing! Did you know you can punch the travel info you need right into the Google search box? For instance enter “AA123″ and get your American Airline’s flight status. Give these a try:

• Weather London = local weather
• SFO Airport = airport conditions
• AA123 = flight status
• 100 USD in Euros = currency conversion Read more

Where To Find The Best Last Minute Vacation Deals

Help, I Need A Getaway NOW !
The internet is filled with sites proclaiming great last minute deals. Most are standard booking engines dressed up with lots of graphics and limited offers. Here are sites I’ve found that really deliver offers that will have you making plans and packing your bags. Read more

Find The Lowest Airfares Every Time You Travel

It’s an airfare jungle out there! Here are 3 easy must do steps to find the lowest airfare every time your travel.

#1 Visit a metasearch ticket site to identify available fares. These engines search multiple ticket sites at once. Here are our favorites.

KAYAK
ORBITZ
FARE CHASE
QIXO
MOBISSIMO
SIDE STEP

Kayak is my new favorite site for quick fare searches. It allows you to enter desired travel times right in the beginning and has a neat graphic chart showing you if today is a good day to purchase. If the lowest fare is available for your desired flights at an airline’s website, always purchase there. It’s much better to be holding a ticket issued by the airline you’re flying with in case of flight delay or cancellation. Orbitz gets my vote for best non-airline site. They have an easy to navigate site and superior after-purchase services. On a number of occasions I’ve found lower fares on Orbitz than on an airline’s site, so I always include them in my fare searches.

#2 Search low cost carriers that don’t appear on general booking sites, Southwest and Spirit Airways.

#3 List your travel parameters in a fare tracking system.
Kayak has a great link right on the home page and Orbitz has a terrific tracking system as well. I usually list the ticket price I’ve paid and ask to be notified if a lower fare comes up. Last year I saved $300 on tickets to the Caribbean because I was able to call the airlines as soon as a sale was announced and have the tickets reissued at the lower price. I LOVE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS!  Update – Orbitz has added a fare guarantee program that notifies you if anyone pays less for the exact flights you have purchased and sends you a check after you’ve taken your flights.

#4 Search by flexible travel dates. Orbits, Travelocity and Cheaptickets (to name a few) let you search by flexible dates.  You enter your city parameters and the prefered timeframe and the system will give you a chart of the lowest cost days of travel for your journey.