Subject:

planning

We're recuperating after having houseguests for a week, so we're revisiting this good advice for the occasion. It's nice to have visitors, but recovery always takes a while.
-Austin
You've probably had one or two in your life, we all have. Who, you might ask? Clueless out of town friends, that's who. Odds are you've been that unprepared friend more than once yourself. I've got a few tips to help you be a better visitor the next time you head off to see far-away friends.

Often, when planning a trip to a city, we find ourselves looking downtown for accommodations. After all, on paper, business districts are attractive because they tend to have more transit, more well-known museums and attractions, and swankier hotels. However, in reality, staying downtown often leaves the traveller surrounded by homogenous financial buildings, lunchtime-only or high-end restaurants, and department-store shopping. If you're looking for a more offbeat trip, then staying downtown may not be for you.

Big cities have lots to see and many travelers often fall into the trap of trying to see too much, too quickly. If you're going to be staying for several days, it pays to listen to your mom's advice: don't wander too far.

Dear Travellious,
I've been hearing more and more about travel insurance lately, but I'm not quite sure what it is or if it might be useful. Could you clue me in?

Chuck, from Idaho

There are certain times of the year when you just don't want to be somewhere. Take Washington, DC, for instance, where most tourists visit in the summer when it's hot, sticky and downright miserable. But, a smart tourist knows to go in the shoulder seasons when the temperatures are more pleasant and you can see such natural beauties, such as the annual Cherry Blossom Festival on the Tidal Basin in April.

Timing is everything when it comes to travel, and knowing what to expect and when to expect it is a crucial step in planning a successful trip. Click below to see my tips on planning when to go somewhere.

Trying to keep in touch with the folks back home while abroad can be difficult, if not downright expensive. However, with a little bit of knowledge (and the right kind of mobile phone), you can keep your friends and family abreast of your journeys without going broke.

For Americans traveling to Europe, you may be able to use your mobile while on vacation. While it may seem obvious, it pays to to first do a little bit of research and verify that your phone actually works overseas. Its no fun to get off the plane and realize that your lifeline to the world is cut off while you're away from home.

As many travelers can attest, walking is a huge part of traveling. Planning a walking route can be difficult, because it's difficult to tell if a road is walkable. Well, wonder no more, because Google Maps now has a "Walking Directions" feature that should help everyone avoid getting lost. Now if they could just add a feature that would prevent you from having to walk up steep hills...

Let's say that you've just bought tickets to London, you picked out a hotel, and even have a few museums you want to see. It's party time, you're going on a trip!
You've got your major sites figured out, but what will you do with the rest of your time there? You might want to stop in a pub or two, compare fish and chips shops, or simply go shopping. But where should you go? The choices are almost endless. Guidebooks won't have many options, so you're stuck doing it yourself. I'll show you how you can use Google Maps to help you solve this problem.

Is it ghetto or not? Will there be anywhere good to eat nearby? One of the most time consuming parts of picking an area to stay, and consequently what hotel to choose, is figuring out what it has to offer. A helpful tool for researching neighborhoods is Walkscore, a site that calculates the walkability of an area based on how many restaurants, grocery stores, libraries, etc are nearby. While it was intended to be used by home buyers, this site is very helpful for travelers, as well.

Who doesn't love a good holiday? No work, plenty of relaxation, and time to do whatever you want. In the United States, this often mean hitting the road and getting out of town, along with thousands of your closest friends and neighbors. So, if you're planning on taking that quintessential American road trip, I've got a few times for you to avoid so that you can keep from getting caught in another classic American pastime: sitting in traffic.