Best travel websites »
When booking travel plans, I always check every travel website out there - Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, TripAdvisor, Priceline and HipMunk. After spending hours upon hours clicking away on different hotel offers or flights, I finally end up booking from one of the listed websites and wonder if all of that time spent was actually worth it. Did I really get a good deal? Should I just have booked from the company website? Here are my thoughts on the pros and cons about booking from a few of my favorite travel websites:
Read more...Kid-friendly airports »
Before soaking up the hot rays of sun on the beautiful beach or exploring every corner of the enormous amusement park, you have to worry about getting there first! Traveling with your children can be a trying experience—especially when the batteries on their iPods or gaming devices run out (let the headaches begin). While some people, like myself, would rather watch flowers grow than wait at an airport with a group of kids, these notable airports make the wait a whole lot easier.
Read more...Do not say “staycation” »
About a month ago my family had big plans to travel to the Grand Canyon for Spring Break. Our one obstacle in the process seemed surmountable: finding the time to research and book the travel plans. But there’s a new hitch in our plan: our dog is sick. She has cancer and there’s nothing that can be done for her except to keep her happy and comfortable. We have no idea how much longer we have with her, so we will enjoy being with her as long as we can.
Read more...Tips for finding cheap airfares »
We’ve all been hit hard by this economic crisis and one place where its effects can really be seen is in airfare prices. 2011 is already seeing one of the highest spikes in airline fares in quite some time. It’s only March, and most of the major airlines have already hiked up their fees six times since December 2010! Also, many airlines have added a $400 fuel surcharge to each leg of a European trip.
Read more...St. Patrick’s Day festivities 2011 »
Green is absolutely my favorite color. Naturally, I love St. Patrick’s Day! Everyone sports some type of green apparel. Violators beware: the general rule is if you don’t wear some kind of green, you’re vulnerable to pinching! (Don’t forget to dress your child appropriately to avoid this!)
Read more...Translation apps for the worldly traveler »
A few years ago, I ventured into Vietnam, the tropical land where my ancestors came from. I’d never been to Vietnam, so I didn’t know what to expect besides the insanely hot heat. Travelling to a foreign country can be exciting, but also terrifying at the same time. Worrying about surviving in a completely different culture can make your head spin. In addition to adjusting to the time zones, currency, and culture, I had to figure out how I was going to communicate with the people! Although I speak fluent Vietnamese, I never learned to read or write it and being able to pick up a few words off of a street sign wasn’t going to cut it. Luckily, I my mom was with me and I could just follow her around.
Read more...Family friendly Las Vegas »
Spring Break rapidly approaches and I find myself realizing that I have to actually plan my upcoming trip to Las Vegas. I’m not one to get excited about the glitzy offerings that Las Vegas is known for other than the Cirque du Soleil shows and buffets, so I’m trying try to find some activities that can fill my days and nights.
Read more...Plan Your Next Trip with UpTake.com »
This coming weekend my three-year old daughter and I are traveling to Boca Raton, Florida to visit my parents. Like many residents of the Northeast, my parents flock South for the winter to escape the cold. Not only does that benefit them, but gives our family a fun place to visit during the cold blistery winter!
Read more...Traveling the world with Google’s Art Project »
First of all, I love art. I may not know the history behind it or the context within which it should be viewed, but I certainly love to look at it. From historical paintings such as Diego Velázquez’ The Surrender of Breda to Salvador Dalí’s surrealist masterpiece The Persistence of Memory, to even those modern works of art that don’t seem to have any real meaning, I find art to be beautiful and intriguing.
Read more...Planning time for travel plans »
As the car meandered down the interstate towards the setting sun, the children turned to each other in the back seat and said with wide grins, “Wow! That was the best vacation we’ve ever had!”
Read more...