Budget Travel's Blog

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

Archive: February 2009
feb 27

A hotel without borders in Linz, Austria

This year's European Capital of Culture has even gotten creative with its accommodations.
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0 by Kate Appleton Austria, Hotels
feb 27

Cruise savings: The time is now

Cruise lines are squeezing their suppliers to lower costs, but they aren't cutting back on the frills.
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4 by Laura MacNeil Cruises
feb 27

How much is an airplane bathroom worth to you?

Time to start skipping the giant sodas?
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80 by John Rambow Pop Culture and Travel, Airlines
feb 26

Top Chef finale: New Orleans highlights

In its two-part season finale, the reality TV show traded New York for New Orleans, where Mardi Gras celebrations were heating up.
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1 by Budget Travel Food + Drink, Pop Culture and Travel, New Orleans
feb 26

Paris: Drinking down at the local zinc

It isn't the menu that defines a zinc bar, it's its slightly nostalgic feeling and its motley mix of regulars.
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0 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, France, Paris
feb 26

Hot Property: How do you like the view?

Arizona and Utah's remote Monument Valley now has a touch of green thanks to the new 90-room, Navajo-owned View Hotel.
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2 by Budget Travel Arizona, Utah, Eco-Green
feb 25

Video: Yes, you can take a family vacation

The Budget Travel Minute is here to help. These videos share practical advice to ensure a fun, smooth, and affordable getaway.
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0 by Budget Travel Food + Drink, Health and Hygiene, Family Travel
feb 25

Zoo babies: Where to get your daily fix

We thought we had a thing for zoo babies, but here's a blog brilliant and shameless enough to devote itself entirely to that beat.
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3 by Kate Appleton Zoos, Family Travel
feb 25

This weekend: Stomp your feet at the Creole Crawfish Festival

Dance to upbeat Zydeco music, then sample gumbo and crawfish. Lots of it.
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0 by JD Rinne Food + Drink, Mississippi
feb 24

Fire sale at Air France

Cheap tickets to Europe, as low as $146 each way.
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3 by Laura MacNeil Airfares & Flying, Airlines
feb 24

Rental cars: Making those highway tolls easier to pay

Now you can rent an E-ZPass or I-Pass transponder when you book a rental on Travelocity.
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6 by Thomas Berger Rental Cars
feb 24

Accor Hotels' 3-day sale in the Asian Pacific, from $35

Good deals in Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, and more.
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0 by JD Rinne Hotels
feb 24

Paris: Crêpes from street to chic

A guide to one of the best street foods in town.
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4 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, France, Paris
feb 24

Now you can see hotel starting rates on Kayak

Kayak has now made it easier to see daily rates for hotels, and also to share great flights with others.
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2 by Amy Chen Airfares & Flying, Hotels, Innovations
feb 23

A few good links: Throwing beads edition

Weird fashion photos, NOLA's Magazine Street, fancy Euro hostels, and a much grassier Tokyo.
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0 by Budget Travel Japan, Tokyo, Louisiana, New Orleans
feb 20

Remembering 1969: New exhibit to open in Montreal

The April exhibit will feature unpublished photos and other mementos from John and Yoko's bed-ins.
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0 by JD Rinne Museums, Pop Culture and Travel, Canada, Montréal
feb 20

Honeymoons on a budget

Associate editor Laura MacNeil will be taking your questions on honeymoons this morning.
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0 by Budget Travel Romance
feb 19

Paris: Food gifts that are light on everything but calories

Presents that won't hurt your budget or your back.
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7 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, Shopping, France, Paris
feb 18

This weekend: Flower power in Providence

The 16th annual Rhode Island Flower Show is thinking big with the theme this year.
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1 by JD Rinne Rhode Island, Providence
feb 18

Drama at the airport: Learn from an expert

Missing an important flight can bring out the tears and frustration in the best of us.
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7 by John Rambow Pop Culture and Travel, Airlines
feb 18

A few good links: Travel stuff to leave home without

Rip-off airports, no more complaint line for United, and travel trends in a recession.
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0 by Budget Travel Washington, D.C., New York City, Local and Public Transportation
feb 17

Paris: Romance without the masses

If you want to use Paris's most famous sights as a backdrop for wooing, you're going to need a plan.
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2 by Meg Zimbeck Romance, France, Paris
feb 13

Living vicariously: Oscar-inspired travel deals

Chasing down deals in the cities where Oscar-nominated movies are set.
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1 by JD Rinne Pop Culture and Travel, Germany, Berlin, Spain, Barcelona, California, San Francisco
feb 13

Paris: Eating haute for not a lot

For savvy gastronomes, going to an extraordinary restaurant for lunch rather than dinner is a no-brainer.
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10 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, France, Paris
feb 11

This weekend: Toast your sweetheart in Oregon

The Willamette Valley's wineries host a special event this weekend.
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3 by JD Rinne Wine, Oregon
feb 11

Photos: New Apple software uses facial recognition to sort your albums

Software in Apple's iPhoto suite uses facial recognition technology to help you identify friends and family in your pictures without having to tag them by hand each time you see them.
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6 by Amy Chen
feb 10

Video: In Thailand, the skies are still friendly

In this Thai Airways commercial, a young woman requests a slice of cake, and the entire airline responds.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Thailand, Airlines
feb 09

Think you know Priceline?

Longtime Priceline spokesman Brian Ek is blogging about where the deals are. We recently sat down and talked with Brian.
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115 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Helpful Websites, Hotels
feb 09

A few good links: The craziest street views on Google Maps

Choosing the right credit card, women-only hotels, Santiago tips, and more.
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0 by Budget Travel Chile, Santiago
feb 06

"Laid off? Take off!"

In a promotion, tour organizer Intrepid Travel will take 15 percent off the cost of trips between now and June for anyone who can prove they've been laid off.
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7 by Alison Rohrs Solo
feb 06

Seize the moment to book bargain airfares

Airlines have announced at least 20 sales since December 30, and some fares are down more than 50 percent from last winter.
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4 by Kate Appleton Airfares & Flying, Airlines
feb 06

Disney World: Be idolized

Next week at the new American Idol Experience attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios, anyone can be the star of the show.
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0 by Budget Travel Amusement and Theme Parks, Disney, Pop Culture and Travel, Florida
feb 06

Marriage proposals on the silver screen

As Valentine's Day closes in, here are some of the most romantic big-screen settings for popping the question.
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3 by John Rambow Pop Culture and Travel
feb 05

Shopping: Fred Flare's weird-but-useful travel items

The online shop carries lots of goofy items worth packing for a trip.
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13 by JD Rinne Shopping, New York City, Travel Gear
feb 05

Audio: Listen to Captain Sully talk with the control tower

Listen to the communication between air traffic controllers and US Airways flight 1549 before it splashed onto the Hudson River on January 15.
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3 by Sean O'Neill Airlines
feb 04

This weekend: Celebrate Black History Month in Philly

The City of Brotherly Love hosts the Quest for Freedom Live and Learn Weekend.
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1 by JD Rinne Art + Culture, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
feb 04

Strike! How to lessen the grief of a Paris grève

January 29 marked the first French strike of 2009, and it's already being referred to as "Black Thursday." What's the best way to deal with one if it happens to you?
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9 by Meg Zimbeck France, Paris, Helpful Websites
feb 04

Google's new travel app Latitude is part of a "location-aware" trend

Check out some cool new apps for your cell phone that take advantage of new, GPS-based "location aware" technologies.
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4 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites
feb 03

Video: Istanbul, color saturated

An artist's take on his home city, Istanbul, Turkey.
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0 by Sean O'Neill Turkey, Istanbul
feb 03

New York City: Snowboarders in East River Park

This weekend, a pro snowboarding competition comes to Manhattan's East side. Catch it live, or online.
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16 by Danielle Lipp New York City
feb 03

A few good links: Philly's good eats

36 hours in Vail, a super-eco resort, getting beer ads on flight attendants, and a big drop for Vegas.
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0 by Budget Travel Colorado, Vail, Nevada, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
feb 03

Enterprise adds 5,000 hybrid rental cars nationwide

This winter, 5,000 more hybrids became available nationwide for rental via Enterprise, Alamo, and National. But you should follow our tips to book a car hassle-free.
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2 by Sean O'Neill Rental Cars, Eco-Green
feb 02

Airfare secret! Airlines using "coupons" for their best deals

Within the past six months, most of the major airlines have offered promotional codes to claim their cheapest fares. To get the codes, sign up for the airlines' frequent flier programs and e-mail newsletters.
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14 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying
feb 02

Hotel deals: A new site does the heavy sifting for you

DealBase is a new way to figure out if a vacation package is actually offering you a discounted price, comparing it with the cost of booking the components separately.
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2 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites, Hotels