Budget Travel's Blog

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

Archive: November 2009
nov 30

Paris: Museums on strike?

Will President Nicolas Sarkozy's effort to make cultural institutions "more efficient" wreak havoc at popular tourist attractions?
Read Full Post »
0 by Meg Zimbeck Museums, Europe, France, Paris
nov 25

More Black Friday travel deals

Black Friday isn't just about door busters and discounted TVs at the mall. Airlines, hotels, and resorts are getting in on the action with deals of their own.
Read Full Post »
3 by Brad Tuttle Florida, Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Hotels
nov 25

Paris: Tips on renting a bike

We sip a little espresso, stroll in the Luxembourg Gardens, and crisscross the city on the public bike system. Here's what we learned.
Read Full Post »
5 by Sara Morrow France, Paris
nov 25

Readers' best Australia photos

You impressed us with your fantastic photos of Australia; we picked 18 shots for our slide show.
Read Full Post »
3 by JD Rinne Australia & South Pacific
nov 25

Paris: Champs-Elysees holiday treat

The famous (but touristic) avenue transforms into something magical as the holiday season approaches.
Read Full Post »
13 by Meg Zimbeck Landmarks and Monuments, France, Paris
nov 24

Speedy Italian lessons over drinks in Rome

Extreme Language Exchange pairs up native English and Italian speakers.
Read Full Post »
3 by Kate Appleton Art + Culture, Italy, Rome
nov 24

Fee rebates for lucky fliers

About 2,000 lucky travelers will get cash back this Wednesday.
Read Full Post »
0 by Sean O'Neill Airport Check-in
nov 23

7 Polar Express train rides

The North Pole is a lot closer than you might think, thanks to these magical holiday train rides based on the popular movie and book.
Read Full Post »
3 by Brad Tuttle National Parks, Train Travel, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, Family Travel
nov 23

Galileo, in bits and pieces

Two fingers and a tooth from the body of my favorite heretic were recovered recently, and will soon be on display in Florence.
Read Full Post »
0 by Steve Merrill Museums, Italy, Florence
nov 23

Paris: Brigitte Bardot on an eclair

A pastry hommage to a '60s siren.
Read Full Post »
2 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, Pop Culture and Travel, Europe, France, Paris
nov 20

Literary Paris: A lesson in pictures

Check out free events at the famous Shakespeare & Company bookstore.
Read Full Post »
1 by Meg Zimbeck Literary Travel, Europe, France, Paris
nov 20

Black Friday: Shop for travel deals

The day after Thanksgiving is a huge shopping day, even for travel deals.
Read Full Post »
1 by JD Rinne Hotels
nov 20

How to predict which airports will experience delays around the holidays

Airport delays can certainly dampen the festive mood. By dorking out with some airport data, you can play the numbers to decrease your chances of delays and cancellations.
Read Full Post »
3 by Brad Tuttle Airfares & Flying, Airport Check-in
nov 19

Le Beaujolais Nouveau Est Arrive!

A light, fruity red goes on sale today.
Read Full Post »
3 by Sean O'Neill Food + Drink, Europe, France, Paris
nov 19

Family Travel: 12 holiday spots to let your kids burn off some energy

Here's a roundup of 12 cool new exhibits at family-friendly, very interactive museums around the country.
Read Full Post »
3 by Brad Tuttle Museums, Chicago, Boston, Michigan, Family Travel
nov 19

Video simulation: Captain Sully's miracle landing

An animated video of Flight 1549. This video presents the alternate audio tracks of mission control and Captain Sully.
Read Full Post »
4 by Sean O'Neill Safety and Security, Travel Video
nov 19

If you're flying today, brace for delays

A major FAA computer glitch has been resolved, but it will likely take hours to process the backlog of delayed flights.
Read Full Post »
0 by Kate Appleton Airfares & Flying, Airport Check-in
nov 18

Airfare sale: $70 to Florida, $100 to Caribbean and Mexico

USA3000, the quasi-charter flight operation that sells directly to the public, offers a sale to warm destinations for travel during winter's coldest days.
Read Full Post »
1 by Brad Tuttle Caribbean, Jamaica, Mexico and Central America, Florida, Chicago, Airlines
nov 18

London: Sherlock Holmes tourist trail

Prowl the detective's former stomping grounds with a free DIY walking guide.
Read Full Post »
0 by Sean O'Neill Literary Travel, United Kingdom, London, Helpful Websites
nov 18

Gear: Shake it like a Polaroid picture

A digital replacement for Polaroid users.
Read Full Post »
0 by Amy Chen Travel Gear, Travel Photography
nov 18

Money-back offer: Orbitz juices up its pledge

If someone else finds a better rate at Orbitz on a hotel stay you've booked, the company will automatically reimburse you for the difference and send you a $50 code good toward a future booking.
Read Full Post »
9 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites, Hotels, Innovations
nov 18

Carbon offsets: Worth it?

Budget Travel tackles the question, "Are Carbon Offsets Worth It?"
Read Full Post »
3 by Sean O'Neill Eco-Green
nov 17

Gear: Magic Mouse as travel gift

The traveling digerati looked up from their Twittering for a moment when Apple unveiled its tailless Magic Mouse, the first mouse to use multi-touch technology—which gives versatility in tight spaces.
Read Full Post »
1 by Sean O'Neill Travel Gear
nov 16

Q&A with Debbie Dubrow of DeliciousBaby.com

The author of the popular blog DeliciousBaby.com, where the motto is "Making Travel with Kids Fun," reveals tips for surviving airports and picking sightseeing ideas your kids will like.
Read Full Post »
1 by Brad Tuttle Airlines, Airport Check-in, Family Travel
nov 16

Romantic Paris restaurants

We answer some of the reader questions about restaurant recommendations, requested via our new Paris City page.
Read Full Post »
18 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, France, Paris, Questions and Opinions
nov 13

NYC: Free WiFi in Times Square

Yahoo began offering free WiFi to anyone in Times Square's public area to anyone wanting to surf any site on the Internet.
Read Full Post »
4 by Budget Travel New York City
nov 13

Where to eat and sleep in Miami?

We're adding brand-new pages on Miami and want to hear about your favorite restaurants and hotels.
Read Full Post »
8 by Budget Travel Florida, Miami
nov 13

Craft & Design museum turns 5

The San Francisco Museum of Craft & Design's latest exhibitor works with wood to create fascinating sculpture.
Read Full Post »
0 by JD Rinne Art + Culture, Museums, California, San Francisco
nov 13

NYC: 4 pros give travel tips

Four travel experts weigh in on what to do in New York City.
Read Full Post »
13 by Sean O'Neill New York City
nov 13

Iconic Italian designs on view

A new exhibit sheds light on Italy's design reputation, plus the raved-about MAXXI museum opens for a two-day preview.
Read Full Post »
0 by Kate Appleton Architecture, Art + Culture, Museums, Italy, Rome
nov 11

Death in Venice: Residents plan the city's funeral

Gondolas will escort a coffin through Venice's famed canals this Saturday in a symbolic funeral organized to highlight the disastrously shrinking population.
Read Full Post »
11 by Kate Appleton Italy, Venice, Eco-Green
nov 11

Frequent Flier: The 100,000 mile sign-up bonus

An offer from British Airways and Chase.
Read Full Post »
12 by Sean O'Neill United Kingdom, London, Airlines, Frequent Flier Miles
nov 11

Readers' best nighttime photos

See the illuminated Temple of Luxor, the twinkling lights of San Francisco's Bay Bridge, late-night diners in Rome, and more.
Read Full Post »
7 by Kate Appleton Travel Photography
nov 10

Cheap airfares: British Airways sale

Fly overseas, from $600 roundtrip.
Read Full Post »
9 by Sean O'Neill United Kingdom, London, Airfares & Flying
nov 10

Video: Burning Man '09 time lapse

Here's a startling, colorful, fiery dusk-and-nighttime film of "the annual art event and temporary community in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada."
Read Full Post »
2 by Sean O'Neill Nevada, Helpful Websites, Travel Video
nov 10

Video: Kisses from Paris

A new 3-minute film of lovers making out all over lesser known areas of Paris is a Web hit.
Read Full Post »
5 by Sean O'Neill Pop Culture and Travel, Europe, France, Paris, Travel Video
nov 09

New York City: What to see with your tween girl

A parent asks: "What hip things can I do in NYC with my teenage daughter when she accompanies me on her first big-girl trip?" We team up with Newyorkology to give ya the scoop.
Read Full Post »
30 by Budget Travel New York City, Questions and Opinions, Family Travel
nov 09

London openings: 3 worthwhile new restaurants

Critically-acclaimed—yet affordable—gems.
Read Full Post »
15 by Budget Travel Food + Drink, United Kingdom, London
nov 08

JetBlue revamps its rewards program

JetBlue makes it less straightforward to earn free flights. But it also adds more flexible ways to fly for free.
Read Full Post »
3 by Sean O'Neill Airport Check-in, Frequent Flier Miles
nov 07

Video: San Francisco aerial shots, amazingly up-close

Get a true birds-eye view of the world via a high-definition camera mounted on a remote-controlled helicopter.
Read Full Post »
3 by Sean O'Neill Innovations, Travel Video
nov 06

Last Chance: Mad Men-themed trip sweepstakes!

The grand prize? A four-day, three-night New York City getaway including airfare for two, accommodations at the Waldorf-Astoria, a souvenir wardrobe item from the show, etc.
Read Full Post »
2 by Valerie Rains Pop Culture and Travel, New York City, Questions and Opinions
nov 06

Where to eat and sleep in Costa Rica?

We're adding brand-new pages on Costa Rica and need your help to build them. Share your favorite hotels and restaurants!
Read Full Post »
53 by Budget Travel Costa Rica
nov 06

NYC: Free ice-skating at Bryant Park

The city's holiday season is already getting in motion: The Pond at Bryant Park and 125 surrounding holiday shops opened today.
Read Full Post »
3 by Kate Appleton New York City
nov 06

Delta offers free Wi-Fi over Thanksgiving

In a promotion with eBay, the airline is offering a holiday perk.
Read Full Post »
0 by JD Rinne Airlines
nov 06

Luggage Theft: A couple may have stolen nearly 1,000 bags

A couple is suspected of stealing hundreds of bags from Phoenix airport.
Read Full Post »
10 by Sean O'Neill Airport Check-in, Luggage, Safety and Security
nov 06

Photo Contest: We have a winner!

The winner, from central Illinois, was on a mother/daughter trip in Venice when the shot was taken. The prize is an air/6-night all-inclusive package for two at a Caribbean resort.
Read Full Post »
4 by Budget Travel Italy, Venice, Questions and Opinions, Travel Photography
nov 06

Paris: Our new city page

If you're going to Paris soon, or you're just back, you can comment, ask questions, or leave recommendations and tips for other travelers—and you may hear back directly from our editors in real time.
Read Full Post »
16 by Budget Travel France, Paris, Helpful Websites, Innovations
nov 05

Paris: Top 5 free things to do in November

What's better than free? Free in the City of Light, that's what.
Read Full Post »
25 by Meg Zimbeck Europe, France, Paris
nov 04

Tech: Evernote's app lets you search for text in photos

The free app can recognize the name of a bottle of wine on a menu or of a church on a sign. Never forget the details of your trip again.
Read Full Post »
2 by Sean O'Neill Innovations, Travel Gear, Travel Photography
nov 03

Hotels: Four-star Omnis from $69 a night

Eighteen hotels, mostly in the southern half of the U.S., are going for 40 percent off regular rates at the same destinations now on sale in a national fare war, making luxury affordable.
Read Full Post »
0 by Sean O'Neill Texas, Ft. Worth, Hotels
nov 03

Paris: Does the "affordable" restaurant still exist?

Once upon a time, at least according to Paris legend, it was possible to dine exceedingly well for not a lot of money.
Read Full Post »
12 by Meg Zimbeck Food + Drink, Europe, France, Paris
nov 03

Drive a rental car to Florida for $1 a day

Here's an exception to the widespread trend of car rentals getting more and more expensive.
Read Full Post »
22 by Brad Tuttle Florida, Massachusetts, Boston, Rhode Island, Providence, Texas, Vermont, Rental Cars
nov 03

Video: What travel pros won't tell you

As part of the show's special series "Things They Don't Want You to Know, Nina talked about what the travel industry doesn't want you to know—from rental cars to airport luggage scales.
Read Full Post »
16 by Budget Travel Pop Culture and Travel, Airport Check-in, Rental Cars, Travel Video
nov 03

Bixi bikes are headed to Boston and London

The popular bike-sharing program in Montreal is going global.
Read Full Post »
11 by JD Rinne United Kingdom, London, Massachusetts, Boston, Innovations, Eco-Green
nov 02

NYC: The Ace Hotel opens The Breslin restaurant

The Breslin, an edgy bar and restaurant, has opened at the Ace's outpost in Manhattan's Flatiron neighborhood. The Sensible Aesthete drops by and calls it Pig Heaven.
Read Full Post »
4 by The Sensible Aesthete Food + Drink, New York City
nov 02

The easternmost part of the U.S. is...

... Point Udall in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Take a peek.
Read Full Post »
6 by Sean O'Neill United States Virgin Islands, St. Croix