FUN LIST 2009

Summer Thrills

  1. Hawaii's newest, longest Zip Line is in Maui at Piiholo Ranch. You can scream over gulches and guava trees for five miles. piiholozipline.com. (Courtesy of Piiholo Ranch Zipline)
  2. Meet Choppa, an 18-foot croc who can shred a bull shark with his jaws. Face him from inside a sturdy see-through box, called the Cage of Death, at Crocosaurus Cove aquarium in Darwin, Australia. crocosauruscove.com. (Courtesy of Crocosaurus Cove)
  3. Cranking amps, glaring lights, wall-sized screens of classic performances: Find it all at the new British Music Experience in London. britishmusicexperience.com. (Courtesy of AEG Europe & Thames Clippers)
  4. Since last summer, you can play tug-of-war with one of 11 Bengal tigers at Jungala at Busch Gardens in Tampa. buschgardens.com. (Courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay/Adventure Island)
  5. Defy gravity in Nashville at the new Space Chase wing of the Sudekum Planetarium, a weightlessness simulator that uses harnesses. sudekumplanetarium.com. (Courtesy of Sudekum Planetarium)
  6. In April, The Diamondback ride opened at Kings Island, not far from Cincinnati. The open-air vehicle has no sides—scary! visitkingsisland.com. (Courtesy of Kings Island)
  7. Debuting in July 2009, the Ring Racer in Nürburg, Germany, will be the world's fastest roller coaster. nuerburgring.de. (Courtesy of Schöne Grüsse vom Schulterblatt)

Recent Slideshows

Recent Articles

  • 11 Coolest Winter Places in America

  • 15 of America's Favorite Regional Sweets

  • 12 Hot Springs Worth Traveling For

  • 12 Elevators You Need to See to Believe

  • 12 Top Tips from the World's Best Cruisers

Follow Us!

Booking Tool

Check Current Prices

  1. Hotels
  2. Flights
  3. Cars
  4. Cruises

Choose Sites

Choose Sites

Choose Sites

Choose Sites

Travel Tips

Tagged
Air Travel
382263

Try to book the first flight out in the morning, because those planes often arrive at the airport the evening before. You won't have to rely on an incoming plane, which could be delayed or canceled due to bad weather elsewhere, resulting in your own flight being delayed or canceled.

— George Glover
Tagged
Family Travel
358274

Put toys within kids' reach on road trips. Hang a shoe organizer on the back of the passenger seat so children can keep stuffed animals, books, and games organized in the pockets. Having everything close at hand may help prevent meltdowns along the way.

— Jennifer Casasanto
Tagged
Packing
384318

There's nothing worse than trying to fall asleep under a mosquito net and then realizing that the bugs are finding a way inside. So next time you're heading someplace tropical--where you know you'll be sleeping under mosquito netting--remember to toss a roll of Scotch tape into your suitcase. It's perfect for quick repairs.

— Christopher Swain
Tagged
Packing
352244

Water-bottle holsters are good for more than holding water. I own several Water Bottle Totes by Outdoor Research (orgear.com). With their Velcro-like straps, I can fasten them anywher--to my belt, camera strap, fanny pack, purse, or airplane seat. I've used them at various times to carry my camera, binoculars, snacks, umbrella, battery-powered fan, flashlight, sunglasses, a windbreaker, and a rain poncho.

— Patricia S Beagle
Tagged
Planning
375249

Most hotels provide cloth shoe mitts but not polish. In a pinch, a dollop of skin cream on a shoe mitt (or even a tissue) can make scuff marks vanish and leave shoes as shiny as if they'd been cleaned by a pro.

— John Nechman
Tagged
Solo Travel
364273

If you're traveling solo and want some company for dinner, try the sushi bar at a Japanese restaurant. It's a great place to meet locals. Plus, you'll receive extra attention and special recommendations from the chef.

— Marcie Rubenstein
Tagged
Car Rentals
381258

When renting a car, photograph any damage the car may have before leaving the rental agency; a digital camera records the date and time of each picture. On a recent trip to Argentina, I rented a car with extensive paint damage. When I returned the car, the agency attempted to blame me for the scratches. I showed them my photographs, and they rescinded their accusations.

— Richard L. Garcia
Tagged
Hotels
406349

Remember to check the hours of operation for your hotel's airport shuttle. In Rome,we were surprised to learn that our hotel--which touted its shuttle--only offered the service a few hours a day.

— Gail Moriarty
Tagged
Planning
367265

Play Let's Make a Deal when you're shopping for vacations at travel shows or expos. Go armed with your own research and a credit card.(You're likely to get a better price if you know what the vacation is worth, and if you're willing to buy it on the spot.) I picked two Caribbean cruises and headed to the New York Times Travel Show. After haggling with the competing cruise lines, I was offered the first cruise for $50 less than the best price I'd found online, and they threw in free trip insurance. In the end, I chose the second—$30 off with a free upgrade to a balcony stateroom—and truly got a bargain.

— Michael Marcarello
Tagged
Safety
437309

In order to keep track of my bags, I use a small metal bell--the kind dancers from India wear on their ankles. I thread it with fishing line and tie it to my carry-on. If anyone touches my bag after I set it down, the bell chimes. It's not a very obtrusive sound, but it's distinctive enough for me to notice if a thief is trying to get into my things. The same bell can be hung on the doorknob inside your hotel room.

— Jim Hall
Tagged
Hotels
445349

The help of a concierge at an expensive hotel is available even if you're staying at a motel across the street. Go to the concierge with $5 (or whatever the assistance is worth to you) held discreetly but visibly in your hand. Chances are you won't be asked whether you're staying at the hotel. This worked for us once when we were stranded by a blizzard. We tried to rebook our flights on our own, but phones at the airlines were busy for two days straight. The concierge at a fancy hotel a few blocks away got through on his first try and managed to rearrange our flights for us.

— Janet Willer
Tagged
Planning
446627

My husband and I create personal cards (like business cards) before we leave home. We put our name, address, phone, and email address on them, as well as a picture of us. How many people have gotten home from a trip, looked at a slip of paper with a name and address, and wondered, Who is this? The picture helps link a name to a face.

— Susan Fornoff
Tagged
Packing
346273

Before I embark on a trip, I cover the dirt of my potted plants with plastic bags after watering them well. (Cut a few slits in the bags and keep plants out of direct sunlight.) The soil will stay damp for about three weeks.

— Jean Walsh
Tagged
Planning
374283

Before you leave the United States, photocopy receipts for any expensive items you're taking with you. This way, you won't have to argue with customs on the way home about declaring items you didn't buy abroad. (I'm a photographer, and I always bring expensive cameras on vacations.)

— Derrick Du
Tagged
Hotels
442352

I always bring a small flashlight to hotels in case there's a blackout. The building may not be equipped with emergency lighting, and, if necessary, my flashlight will help me quickly locate the nearest exit.

— Lois Meshonek
Tagged
Planning
349257

Note the expiration dates of any debit or credit cards you plan on using while you're away. In Budapest, I tried to withdraw cash with my ATM card, only to find that it had expired just days before.

— Matt Vance
Tagged
Planning
337275

Before booking your next ski trip or reserving a table for dinner, find out what your credit card company has to offer. American Express sometimes has discounts on lift tickets; MasterCard has offered buy-one-get-one-free at local restaurants; and Discover Card has access to deals to Universal Studios. Check out americanexpress.com/offerzone, mastercard.com (be sure to click on Promotions), and discovercard.com.

— Connie A. Yu
Tagged
Packing
375269

If you're traveling with a companion, pack half of your belongings in his or her suitcase and vice versa. This way, if one piece of luggage gets lost, you'll each still have some clothing.

— Christina Costigan
Tagged
Car Rentals
347268

When booking a rental car online, click on "special offers" or "hot deals" to find the company's current promotional codes. Price your reservation using each code. Also, keep in mind that rates fluctuate according to seasons and slow periods. I managed to save more than $170 on a ten-day rental in Orlando, Fla.,by changing my reservation dates twice and by using different codes.

— Jeff Thomsen
Tagged
Technology
392271

Check out worldclimate.com to find monthly average temperatures and rainfall for thousands of cities worldwide. You can avoid countries during their rainy seasons, and the information is useful for figuring out what to pack.

— Elizabeth Bass
Tagged
Hotels
441314

If you plan to leave a gratuity for hotel staff, follow our friend Phil's good advice: Give it at the beginning of your vacation, not at the end. He introduces himself to the housekeepers early in the trip and hands them a nice tip. Guess who always has plenty of coffee and fresh towels?

— Lou Stover
Tagged
Transportation
357241

When I'm on a cruise with my wife's family and we're in a foreign city for the day, I get off the boat as soon as we dock and hail a taxi. I ask the driver to call his dispatcher and find me a van with an English-speaking driver. Then I negotiate an hourly rate and a pickup time at the dock. The family tours together for a few hours, and then each couple either gets dropped off where they want to spend extra time or returns to the boat (this is great for my elderly in-laws). We get a tailor-made city tour for a much cheaper rate than if we had booked through the cruise line.

— Stuart Hanzman
Tagged
Cruises
408315

Some cruise lines offer discounts on a future sailing if you book it while on a current cruise. Back home, you can transfer the booking to your travel agent and work with them to try to lower the price even further. You'll be able to cancel your booking at no cost if you follow the cruise line's cancellation schedule. This is a great way to get some of your onboard expenses paid for in advance.

— Jeff Putel
Tagged
Planning
356251

If you're divorced and plan to travel out of the country with your children, check the legal requirements in advance. When I tried to take my kids to Cancun, I learned too late that Mexico requires a notarized letter of consent signed by both parents for minors traveling alone or with one parent or guardian. If the parents are divorced, a copy of the parental custody agreement is allowed instead. The airlines enforce this rule before you get on the plane.

— Marge Stratton
Tagged
Air Travel
376280

We've noticed that when booking a flight for our family under one reservation, some airlines will only credit the 1,500 bonus miles (500 for booking online, 500 each way for printing boarding passes) to the person whose name the reservation is under. This is regardless of whether the other family members have mileage accounts. To avoid this, make a separate reservation for each of your family members and then pick seats together.

— Martin Vasquez
Tagged
Hotels
427314

I was heading to the hotel ice machine when I noticed that our ice bucket was looking very tired and missing its disposable plastic liner. My solution: the shower cap that we never use anyway. In fact, it actually worked better than the liner bag because the elastic band held it in place around the top of the bucket.

— Susan Swickard
Tagged
Packing
350250

Pack a travel-size shampoo container refilled with detergent and a one-gallon Ziploc bag for when you need to wash hosiery, bras, and other delicate undergarments. Put a few drops of detergent into the bag and fill it part way with water. Place the garment in the bag, close it up, and shake it around for a few minutes. Instant washing machine! For larger pieces of clothing, I've used the plastic laundry bags supplied at most hotels. Just hold on to the open end tightly.

— Erika Kumada
Tagged
Photography
362268

Put an address label on your one-time-use camera. At a Final Four game in Indianapolis, we exchanged identical Kodak Fun Savers with another traveler so that we could take souvenir photos of each other with our respective cameras. But afterward, we couldn't tell whose camera was whose. Luckily, I remembered how many exposures remained on mine, so we got ours back. Next time, I'll just label it.

— Matthew Richard
Tagged
Technology
385295

When seeking a cheap airfare, don't forget to consult the Web sites of the major charter tour operators--like Apple Vacations, TNT Vacations, Vacation Express, or SunTrips--which frequently sell air-only tickets in addition to air-and-hotel packages. Doing so helped me slash the cost of round-trip airfare to visit my mother in Las Vegas by well over 50 percent.

— Pam McMenamin
Tagged
Family Travel
376254

When my husband and I would stay in a hotel with our two-year-old, a full night's sleep was out of the question. The minute our son opened his eyes (at 2,3,or 4 a.m.), he woke us, thinking it was time to play. We now pack a pop-up tent and set it up in a corner of the hotel room with books, a blanket, and a few small stuffed animals. The tent folds down to a 14-inch circle and weighs about a pound. It works great! My son has his own "room" to sleep in when we vacation, and we all get to sleep through the night!

— Geri Kronyak

Custom Search

Select the details relevant to your trip to see a list of articles that match your needs — it's the best way to get ideas!
SELECT YOUR DESTINATION
SELECT YOUR ACTIVITIES