Budget Travel's Blog

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

Archive: November 2010
nov 30

Travel gift ideas that won't weigh anyone down

Airline gift cards, hotel vouchers, frequent flier mile gifts, and travel hacking courses all make for great gifts. Batteries not necessary.
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0 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Frequent Flier Miles, Hotels
nov 30

Travel games: Scavenger hunts by cell phone are all the rage

Scavenger hunts are exploding in popularity thanks to a new cell phone app.
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3 by Sean O'Neill Apps, Cell Phones and PDAs, Innovations, Technology
nov 30

Readers' Choice: If money were no object, where would you travel?

If you could go anywhere in the world, what would be your ultimate dream destination? Tell us below. The more detailed you can be, the better.
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118 by Budget Travel Dream Trips
nov 30

New York City: New (relatively) affordable hotels

Midmarket brands are opening sleek hotels across lower Manhattan, delivering a quality of life most new arrivals take years to achieve.
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17 by Sean O'Neill New York City, Hotels
nov 30

London: Royal wedding-themed vacations

An insider's guide to the key spots to see this year related to the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.
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3 by Sean O'Neill Festivals, United Kingdom, London
nov 29

River cruise deals: 2 for 1 specials, no single supplements, and more

Once the weather turns cold, river cruises aren't exactly top of mind among travelers. That's why it's smart to think about river cruises right now.
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4 by Brad Tuttle Cruises, Europe, Prague, Paris, River Cruises
nov 23

Call for unique travel tips!

What is your best money-saving, time-crunching, fun-optimizing vacation strategy?
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5 by Andrea Minarcek
nov 23

Black Friday and Cyber Monday travel deals

Book these hotel, cruise, and air/hotel deals now through Monday—no waiting in line necessary!
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6 by Kate Appleton Cruises, Real Deals, Hotels
nov 23

Readers' Choice: What's the best amusement park?

Make your case! Our November 2011 Readers' Choice issue will be devoted to what you tell us about this and other travel topics.
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224 by Budget Travel Amusement and Theme Parks
nov 23

London shopping: A new mall with spectacular views

The first new shopping center in London's financial district in 130 years offers a spectacular rooftop view of St. Paul's Cathedral.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Shopping, United Kingdom, London
nov 23

Rent a car, drive to Florida for $1 a day

One of the cheapest road trips imaginable is possible during the slow travel period after Thanksgiving and before Christmas.
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1 by Brad Tuttle Florida, Rental Cars
nov 22

A new train connects Madrid and Valencia in 95 minutes

As of December 19, the new service will cut the journey by 60 percent while only raising the ticket price about $16.
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1 by Kate Appleton Train Travel, Spain, Valencia, Madrid
nov 19

A genius travel beauty tool for just $15

Finally, a device that makes it easy to transfer perfume into a TSA-approved, travel-sized container.
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1 by Valerie Rains Shopping, Airport Check-in, Packing, Travel Gear
nov 19

Readers' Choice: What's the best all-inclusive resort chain?

Make your case! Our November 2011 Readers' Choice issue will be devoted to what you tell us about this and other travel topics.
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51 by Budget Travel Resorts
nov 18

Study: Travel agents making a comeback

A new study shows that more people are using travel agents than in the past.
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28 by Danielle Lipp Before the Trip, Online Travel Agencies
nov 17

On your next NYC visit, are you Brooklyn-bound?

For your next NYC visit, check out a new, handy guide to the borough, and our picks for places to eat and shop.
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11 by Michael Lala Architecture, Art + Culture, Art + Culture, Food + Drink, Great Public Spaces, Historical Travel, Shopping, New York City
nov 17

Readers' Choice: What's your favorite national park?

What is your favorite national park? Tell us below. The more details to make your case, the better.
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89 by Budget Travel National Parks
nov 17

Airport scanners: Will you join National Opt-Out Day?

Complaints about full-body scans and pat-downs at the airport are getting louder. Pilots unions and libertarian groups are calling for boycotts.
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180 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airport Check-in, Questions and Opinions, Safety and Security
nov 16

Readers' best Caribbean Sea photos

Nothing inspires a beach escape quite like a dreamy photo. These 25 sun-drenched images show off the appeal of destinations like Cozumel, Vieques, and even Cuba.
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1 by Kate Appleton Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, Travel Photography
nov 16

How to fight a cold on the fly

Colds can ruin your vacation, unless you take some steps to treat the symptoms.
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2 by Sean O'Neill Health and Hygiene
nov 16

Ask Trip Coach: Safaris

The next Trip Coach topic is a biggie -- big in terms of complications and expense, and big in terms of an amazing experience like none other.
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16 by Brad Tuttle Safaris, Africa, Trip Coach
nov 15

Airplane-safe pens: Worth their premium price?

Pen makers have touted "airplane safe" pens for years. We test pens that won't leak in flight.
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4 by Sean O'Neill
nov 12

Sneak peek: Aloft's first NYC hotel will open in Harlem

The chic, affordable hotel brand is finally coming to New York and wants to make a big impression, starting with keyless check-in.
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8 by Kate Appleton Nightlife, New York City, Hotels, Innovations
nov 12

Readers' Choice: What's the most beautiful city in the world?

We're giving you the floor. To gear up for our second annual Readers' Choice issue in November 2011 we're turning to the true experts—you!
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212 by Budget Travel
nov 12

4 cool new ski resort features you just gotta check out

A self-operated roller coaster that zips through the forest sounds pretty cool to us.
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0 by Brad Tuttle Skiing, British Columbia, Colorado, Utah, Vermont
nov 12

Rome: A cool restaurant and art space in San Lorenzo

The neighborhood has gotten more shabby-chic, and a testament to that recent change is Pastificio San Lorenzo, an innovative restaurant in a former pasta factory.
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1 by Sofia Celeste Food + Drink, Italy, Rome
nov 11

Would you pay extra for an allergy-free room?

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1 by Danielle Lipp Health and Hygiene, Hotels, Eco-Green, Family Travel
nov 11

Are all of these airport security measures working?

TSA declines to comment on "unbelievable" case of identity fraud on recent Air Canada flight.
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6 by Andrea Minarcek Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Airport Check-in
nov 11

San Francisco: Sweet treats to try before you die

We think you should get dessert first and try these 50 sugary confections.
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0 by Justine Sharrock Food + Drink, California, San Francisco
nov 10

Readers' Choice: Tell us your favorite hotel chain!

To gear up for our second annual Readers' Choice issue in November 2011 we're turning to the true experts—you!
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81 by Budget Travel Hotels
nov 10

Controversy: Hitler exhibit now open in Berlin

"Hitler and the Germans: Nation and Crime" has drawn big crowds and a lot of discussion.
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5 by JD Rinne Museums, Germany, Berlin
nov 09

Free in-flight Wi-Fi on three airlines this holiday season

Bring your laptop: From November 20 to January 2, all passengers flying domestically on AirTran, Delta, and Virgin America get free in-flight Wi-Fi.
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0 by Brad Tuttle Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Helpful Websites
nov 08

4 ways to get a free hotel room this fall

Check out these off-season hotel promos to snag a bonus night free.
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1 by Brad Tuttle Hotels
nov 08

You may be tagging your own bags soon

On some flights on American Airlines and Delta, passengers at selected airports will be encouraged to use kiosks to print their own luggage routing tags.
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5 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airport Check-in, Luggage, Safety and Security
nov 08

Cigarettes made for in-flight smoking: Good or bad?

Electronic cigarettes could make flying fun again for American smokers.
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65 by Sean O'Neill Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Health and Hygiene
nov 05

Readers' Choice: Favorite (and least favorite) airport?

Tell us your favorite (and least favorite) airports—and why—by posting a comment.
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129 by Budget Travel Airfares & Flying
nov 05

Rome: 5 best November values

Our picks include a fashion exhibit, jazz concerts from $7, and a new Italian restaurant that does brunch right.
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1 by Sofia Celeste Art + Culture, Art + Culture, Food + Drink, Italy, Rome
nov 05

Adioso: A travel deal search-engine for the spontaneous

But is it better than Kayak?
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0 by JD Rinne Airfares & Flying, Helpful Websites
nov 05

San Francisco: 5 best November values

Hiking on Alcatraz, visiting Dogpatch, and finding a speakeasy are on our calendar this month.
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1 by Justine Sharrock California, San Francisco
nov 04

Controversy: Are you the cause of 'sidewalk rage'?

Cities love tourists for the money they bring to the local economy, and yet the locals often hate how visitors clog the streets and sidewalks. One city wants to do something about it.
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13 by Brad Tuttle United Kingdom, London, New York City
nov 04

Liverpool: John Lennon remembered with series of cultural events

Earlier this month, Liverpool launched a two-month-long cultural program honoring the life of former Beatle John Lennon through a series of live music, film, poetry, and art events.
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1 by Danielle Lipp Art + Culture, Art + Culture, Music and Dancing, Pop Culture and Travel, United Kingdom, Liverpool
nov 04

London: 5 surprising essentials to see before you die

Here are attractions you probably haven't you heard of but are affordable and truly worth your time.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Museums, United Kingdom, London
nov 04

How travelers can complain effectively with social media

One savvy Facebook message or one clever "tweet"—forwarded to friends—can snowball and draw the attention of a travel company's highest officials to resolving your customer service problem.
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1 by Sean O'Neill Helpful Websites
nov 04

London: How staying near Paddington can make your trip better

In west central London, it's smart to stay in the quiet area near Paddington Station, which provides speedy access to the city's iconic destinations.
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12 by Sean O'Neill United Kingdom, London, Hotels
nov 03

What's new in airport security?

We check in with the TSA and see what they have in store for us the next time we going through security.
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11 by Nicholas DeRenzo Airfares & Flying, Airlines, Airport Check-in, Safety and Security
nov 03

Breeze through security with TSA-friendly fragrance products

We've all encountered a peculiar odor during a trip, whether it's been on an airplane, in a rental car, or even in a hotel room. A new company called Scentsy is angling to fix that very problem.
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9 by Danielle Lipp Shopping, Health and Hygiene, Packing, Safety and Security, Travel Gear, Family Travel
nov 03

Readers' Choice: Tell us which airlines you love (and hate)!

We're giving you the floor! We recognize that our readers are true experts, so we want to hear your thoughts on all sorts of travel topics, starting with your favorite (and most hated) airlines. Our November 2011 magazine issue will be devoted to what you tell us.
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200 by Budget Travel Airfares & Flying, Airlines
nov 03

How to bring wine back from overseas

Pack strategically with clothes or one of our recommended products to safeguard your wine.
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9 by Sean O'Neill Food + Drink, Shopping, Wine, Packing
nov 02

Rome: What to eat in winter

Winter's chill arrived earlier than expected this year, but Romans are more than happy to welcome the season's hearty vegetables.
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3 by Sofia Celeste Food + Drink, Italy, Rome
nov 02

What would make you boycott a state or country?

On Tuesday, Sept. 14, France went down in the history books as the first European country to ban veils that cover the face—namely, the burka that's worn by some Muslim women.
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35 by A. Christine Maxfield Europe, France
nov 02

London hotels: Want that towel? You have to pay $2.40

London's most affordable and centrally located new hotel, Tune Hotels Westminster, greets guests with all-new costs. Pay $2.40 for a towel rental, $4.80 to activate the TV each day, and more.
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32 by Sean O'Neill United Kingdom, London, Hotels
nov 01

Airline reviews: Find out if an airline is any good

Is there a way to figure out if an unfamiliar airline is safe…and if it's comfortable? An expert reveals the answer.
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14 by Sean O'Neill Airlines