Budget Travel's Blog

The latest travel news, vacation tips & advice, travel apps, and more

Archive: October 2008
oct 31

How to buy euros at today's low rates for a vacation in the future

With the dollar stronger than it has been in years, should you lock in today's exchange rates with a clever new product, the pre-paid currency card?
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39 by Sean O'Neill
oct 31

San Francisco: The Good Hotel introduces the "philanthropy concierge"

A new hotel is helping you include sustainable and volunteer travel during your stay, with rates from $89.
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5 by Alison Rohrs Hotels, Innovations
oct 31

The Great Pumpkin of Halloween roundups

Haunted prisons and inns, Frankenstein's castle, travel horror movies, and "No trick or treat" posters.
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0 by John Rambow Food + Drink, Pop Culture and Travel, Helpful Websites, Innovations
oct 31

Evaluating Orbitz's policy to refund travelers when fares drop

The booking agency shares data on which flight routes are yielding the most refund checks through its Price Assurance program.
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1 by Kate Appleton Airfares & Flying, Helpful Websites, Innovations
oct 31

Le café in Paris: A buyer's guide

Coffee's not the main thing when it comes to going to cafés in Paris
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16 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, France, Paris
oct 30

New York: See the city's beating heart

Every night after dusk until November 17th, Madison Square Park will be embellished with these interwoven rays of pulsing light as an expression of the vital signs of its inhabitants.
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1 by Summar Ghias New York City
oct 30

Video: Spooky Halloween walking tours

Check out some CNN video of the spooky walking tours and Halloween destinations we recently wrote about.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel
oct 30

London: Hotel rooms for under $2

The stylish Hoxton Hotel in London will put 500 rooms on sale tomorrow for less than $2 each, plus more rooms at deep discount.
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1 by Thomas Berger Hotels
oct 30

Paris: Love and shelter for less than 100 euros

A couple of hotels with high style and low prices in Paris, as seen by our Paris embed.
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9 by Meg Zimbeck France, Paris, Hotels
oct 29

$1/day car rentals for trips to Florida

Thrifty is offering a rental fee for mid-size cars of just $1 a day.
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6 by John Rambow Rental Cars
oct 29

How to do adventure travel on a budget

Greg Witt has guided mountaineering expeditions in the Andes, hiked through African jungles, and led archeological expeditions across Arabian deserts. What's his advice for budget travelers?
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30 by Budget Travel Adventure
oct 29

Is the TSA violating your privacy with its new body scanning machines?

On Friday, Germany decided that it would not allow its airports to use full-body scanner security checks. Look at photos of the scans to find out why.
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636 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airport Check-in, Questions and Opinions, Safety and Security
oct 29

Travel organizing website TripIt gets LinkedIn

As of this morning, LinkedIn members will be able to add a TripIt application to their profiles; anytime they want to share information about a trip they're taking, they can just add the info to the TripIt app.
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0 by Beth Collins Helpful Websites
oct 28

Free Krispy Kreme donuts on Election Day

Krispy Kreme is giving away free donuts on November 4th to anyone who votes in the general election.
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2 by Emily Haile Pop Culture and Travel
oct 28

Continental Airlines changes the rules on bag fees

Today, Continental Airlines announced that it will waive fees for the first checked bag for Continental Airlines Chase credit and debit cardmembers.
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3 by Justin Bergman Airlines
oct 28

This weekend: A Warhol exhibit is well timed for the elections

The Pop Art phenom's political works are on display in Manchester, N.H.
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2 by JD Rinne Pop Culture and Travel, Manchester, New Hampshire
oct 28

Cruise lines drop fuel surcharges (sort of)

Carnival and Royal Caribbean refund guests the fee for sailings in 2009 if the price of oil remained under a certain amount. For Carnival, that price is $70 per barrel; for Royal Caribbean, it's $65.
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19 by Justin Bergman Cruises
oct 27

Train toilet bites man

On a French train, a young passenger's cell phone fell into the toilet bowl on the train. When he reached down to get it, the suction system trapped his hand.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel, Train Travel
oct 27

A few good links: who's the worst airline of all?

100 abandoned places, why US Airways loves its extra charges, and making a trip to Delaware.
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1 by John Rambow Art + Culture, Airlines, Luggage
oct 27

Skiing: Whistler and Jackson Hole gondolas and trams go to new heights

A new gondola and a new tram offer new thrills at two great skiing locations.
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3 by Budget Travel Skiing, Whistler, Wyoming, Jackson Hole
oct 27

Bye-bye to blackout dates for Marriott's hotel rewards program

The rules for hotel rewards point programs keep changing, especially when it comes to "blackout" dates for redemption. Here's the latest.
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8 by Amy Chen Hotels
oct 24

Photo tour: Slum dwellers open their homes

Get to know a few families in Caracas, Jakarta, Mumbai, and Nairobi through engrossing photos and audio clips.
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3 by Kate Appleton Volunteer Travel
oct 24

Vacation Rentals: Lessons learned the hard way

We'd have saved ourselves a lot of heartache at our rental in Missouri if we had read Budget Travel's new Vacation Rental Handbook.
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3 by Danielle Lipp Hotels
oct 23

A flight attendant sounds off about "rude" passengers

A flight attendant talks about her top pet peeves. The craziest and most common thing? Strapping their carry on bag's carrying strap around their feet.
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178 by Sean O'Neill Airlines, Questions and Opinions
oct 23

Travel news stories you may have missed

New TSA rule: Fliers must provide full name and birth date, starting in 2009. Plus free ski offers for kids and other news.
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0 by Sean O'Neill Safety and Security
oct 23

A few New York-centric tips for travelers

A few ways to save in New York City.
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1 by Emily Haile New York City
oct 23

Chatting about the future of the travel blog

In lean economic times, it will be harder to make an income from a personal travel blog.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel
oct 23

At this hotel, use an iPhone app to order a wake-up call

Your iPhone replaces "all those little buttons you see on the in-room telephones" at many hotels for ordering room service, setting a wake up call, or requesting missing toiletries.
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0 by Sean O'Neill Hotels, Innovations
oct 23

Recipe for a favorite Czech soup

In one of our latest articles, there's a Czech soup, made with caraway seed and potatoes, that the author ordered every chance she got during her bicycle trip across Europe. Here's the recipe!
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3 by Emily Haile Food + Drink, Czech Republic, Prague
oct 23

Kayak and American Airlines kiss and make up

This agreement brings to an end a months'-long spat between American and Kayak, which owns Sidestep, too.
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0 by Amy Chen Airfares & Flying, Airlines
oct 23

Orlando: Free walking tours beyond the theme parks

Here are a few free tours that allow you to see what else the Orlando has to offer.
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2 by Emily Haile Florida, Orlando
oct 22

Deal: TourCrafters offers 10 percent off all trips

Book by deadline is November 15 (and you have to pay in full by then, too) on travel through Oct. 31, 2009.
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0 by JD Rinne Italy, Florence
oct 22

Flying on Thanksgiving: Who got all the cheap seats?

Is anyone getting cheap flights home on Thanksgiving anymore?
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8 by John Rambow Airfares & Flying, Questions and Opinions, Family Travel
oct 22

This weekend: Watch bucking bulls in Kansas City

The American Royal Complex hosts rodeos, livestock competitions, and horse shows for five weeks each fall. Find out what's doing there this weekend.
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0 by JD Rinne Missouri, Kansas City
oct 21

This time with feeling: 6,000 luxury hotel rooms will be offered at $19.28 a night this Thursday

The first online offer collapsed because of a server overload from too many visitors. This time, you'll go to a different site that can handle the excess traffic. Apply on Thursday at 10 a.m. Eastern.
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9 by Emily Haile Hotels
oct 21

Amtrak makes its best offer yet: Discounted rail passes

Amtrak is now offering Americans the discounted rail passes that previously only foreign visitors could buy.
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19 by Sean O'Neill Train Travel
oct 21

New in Boston*: The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway

The new Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a mile-long park that follows the path of the former highway all the way to the Charles River.
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1 by Budget Travel Massachusetts, Boston
oct 20

How to brew better coffee in your hotel room

Three tips for making the most of your in-room drip coffee maker.
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107 by Sean O'Neill
oct 20

Travel news roundup

New travel rules for 2009, weird statues throughout the world, and some highly enviable hotel jobs.
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0 by John Rambow Art + Culture, Disney, Pop Culture and Travel
oct 20

Cruises: Getting to the meat of the matter

Royal Caribbean is floating (excuse the pun) the concept of charging more for items like premium steaks in its main dining rooms.
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25 by Liz Ozaist Questions and Opinions
oct 20

Dublin: Stay for cheap at a million dollar location

If you are planning on traveling to Dublin in the summer, why not stay at beautiful and historic Trinity College?
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1 by Budget Travel Ireland, Dublin, Hotels
oct 18

Deals: Fly L.A. to Sydney, $760 RT, plus taxes

Book now to fly on dates in November or next May from Los Angeles (or San Francisco) direct to Sydney (or Brisbane).
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1 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying
oct 17

The world's most mysterious sites?

IgoUgo puts together a list of intriguing destinations, such as a town that has had a fire burning underneath it for 46 years and a hill of crosses that will spook you out.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel
oct 17

Sit down and take a trip to France

Whereabouts Press adds more editions to its Traveler's Literary Companion series.
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0 by Laura MacNeil Literary Travel, Pop Culture and Travel
oct 16

The house-swapping expert shares her secrets

Want to try to stay somewhere for free, but have a skeptical spouse? Worried about the safety of your valuables. Our house-swapping expert can help.
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8 by Budget Travel Hotels
oct 16

Video: The 2008 Extra Mile Awards

We recognize Southwest and other companies going out of their way to make travel easier and more affordable during an especially trying time for trip-goers.
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0 by Budget Travel Pop Culture and Travel
oct 16

How green is your hotel?

Why isn't there a rating system or certification system for the eco-friendliness of hotels?
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5 by Sean O'Neill Hotels
oct 16

Equitrekking: Travel adventures on horseback

A lavishly illustrated book that is a companion to the American Public Television series "Equitrekking," will inspire you. Our horse loving reader tells about a New York City reading tonight.
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0 by Beth Collins New York City
oct 15

Get your next flu shot at an airport terminal

More airports are offering flu shots. We point you to a helpful list.
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3 by Sean O'Neill Airport Check-in
oct 15

This weekend: An art lover's paradise in Lancaster, Pa.

Fall ArtWalk 2008 will feature more than 50 arts venues.
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1 by JD Rinne Pennsylvania, Lancaster
oct 14

Naples's city center cleans up its act

The city has been busy making the center of town immaculate.
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0 by John Rambow Italy, Naples
oct 14

Fresh camping gear makes the Great Outdoors a bit more modern

Super-accessorized hammocks, solar-powered water bottles, and highly portable wine make the list.
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5 by Emily Haile Travel Gear
oct 14

Philly's Please Touch Museum gets a new building and new exhibits

The interactive museum reopens this weekend with three times the exhibit space.
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3 by Budget Travel Museums, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Family Travel
oct 13

Travel news roundup

A truly underground hotel, the best time to travel "ever", sandboarding in Oregon, and other news from the past week.
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0 by John Rambow Cruises, Skiing, Hotels
oct 13

Molvania through the back door

The most imaginary country you've never heard of.
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0 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel, Europe
oct 10

Blogger's Choice Awards

Vote for us for "best travel blog."
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0 by Budget Travel Pop Culture and Travel
oct 10

Iceland on sale for the next year or so

The U.S. dollar's buying power has doubled in the past year.
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24 by Sean O'Neill Iceland
oct 10

Megabus: A first-person account of a mishap

What happened when several passengers realized a bus was heading in the wrong direction.
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14 by Beth Collins Local and Public Transportation
oct 10

For travelers still going somewhere, deals are out there

A roundup of the best websites for finding travel deals (including BudgetTravel.com, of course).
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2 by John Rambow Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Helpful Websites, Hotels
oct 10

Follow that story: Banning in-flight access to porn

American and Delta aim to crack down on porn-watchers.
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10 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel, Airlines, Questions and Opinions
oct 10

"Bad times, good prices"

Tips from travelers nationwide on how to enjoy high culture at low prices.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Museums
oct 09

Boston: A new trail on the historical scene

Boston has launched Walk to the Sea, a new historical pedestrian route.
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0 by Laura MacNeil Massachusetts, Boston
oct 09

A satire of Western movies that tours the U.S. this month was a surprise hit in Paris

A quirky new send-up of Western movies--which got rave reviews in Paris--is touring mid-size cities and towns in the U.S. later this month.
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0 by Budget Travel Pop Culture and Travel, Paris
oct 08

New York: The free Times Square walking tour

The Times Square Exposé Tour is worth taking. It'll open your eyes to the neighborhood's good, bad, and even ugly history.
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1 by Budget Travel Walking Tours, New York City
oct 08

This weekend: Take a bite out of Atlanta

Taste of Atlanta will have more than 70 local restaurants participating in a large food festival.
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1 by JD Rinne Georgia, Atlanta
oct 07

Video: A god's-eye view of airplane traffic across the Earth

Take a look at this stop-motion video that in a couple of minutes shows you what 24 hours of air traffic would look like if you were watching from a satellite rotating the Earth.
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0 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel
oct 07

Improbably, the U.S. dollar strengthens

The euro is $1.37, the Canadian dollar is back at 91 cents, and Mexico is looking cheaper than ever.
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4 by Kate Appleton
oct 07

Trip Coach India: a couple more questions

Your questions on India are answered by a writer who recently updated Fodor's India guidebook.
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1 by John Rambow Art + Culture, India, Chennai
oct 07

Wacky hotels: Sleeping in a grain silo may become a thing of the past

Next year may be your last chance to sleep in a grain silo in Akron, Ohio.
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3 by Emily Haile Ohio, Akron, Hotels
oct 06

Travel news roundup

Cheap Broadway seats, what to see in Big 10 college towns, and other stories worth checking out.
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1 by John Rambow Adventure, Art + Culture, Landmarks and Monuments, Laos, Chicago, New York City, Milwaukee, Airlines
oct 06

Kudos to... Air Canada

The carrier is dropping the $25 fee it had enacted to check a second bag on flights. When will U.S. airlines mirror the move?
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1 by Justin Bergman Airlines
oct 04

Talking "Disegalitarianism" with Peter Greenberg

We talked on a national radio show about our recent blog post on the new cruise trend called disegalitarianism.
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11 by Sean O'Neill Cruises, Questions and Opinions
oct 03

Slide show: See Hawaii's modernist gems on exhibit in New Haven

The architect who designed Honolulu's airport has a retrospective on in New Haven, Conn. Check out our slide show!
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0 by Laura MacNeil Pop Culture and Travel, Hawaii
oct 02

House-swapping secrets revealed

In this brief webcast, Joanna Goddard shares tips learned during her many years of house-swapping, which included stays in other people's homes in L.A., Paris, and Switzerland.
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4 by Budget Travel Hotels
oct 02

Trends we like: India bans smoking in public places

An anti-smoking fine of $5 goes into effect.
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0 by Alison Rohrs Pop Culture and Travel, India
oct 02

Give us your tips for cheap travel

How do you manage to travel cheaply in today's economy?
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126 by John Rambow Questions and Opinions
oct 02

A new way to get to the art of San Francisco

A new bus line to help connect many of San Francisco's biggest museums and galleries.
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0 by John Rambow Art + Culture, Museums, California, San Francisco
oct 02

Shopping: Get a taste of Tokyo when visiting New York

On your next trip to New York City, consider spending a vicarious day in Tokyo by visiting the following three, no-frills Japanese retailers.
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0 by Budget Travel Shopping, Japan, New York City
oct 01

This weekend: Chase more than 700 hot-air balloons in Albuquerque, N.M.

More than 700 hot-air balloons, including one shaped like Darth Vader, will take to the skies.
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3 by JD Rinne New Mexico, Albuquerque
oct 01

Where are those much-hyped four-star hotel rooms at one-star prices?

An online auction goes awry.
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7 by Emily Haile Hotels
oct 01

Rental cars: At last, an easy way to be ecofriendly

A new website makes it easier to book a car rental without feeling guilty about your environmental impact by offering free carbon-offset credits plus tips on driving efficiently.
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3 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites, Innovations, Rental Cars
oct 01

Airports: This DVD rental will self-destruct in 48 hours

Starting today, Hudson News stores at airports nationwide will sell the short-term DVD "rentals."
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3 by Amy Chen Pop Culture and Travel, Airfares & Flying