A Trip to Vegas

CNN Money’s top pick for a last minute getaway is Las Vegas which is said to be a better deal this year with comparatively lower airfare and room rates. And you might even be able to get a better deal if you can snag an early summer discount. Other places on CNN’s list include Orlando, Miami, New York and Chicago (and you can make even more savings by snagging our latest off airport parking deal).

Picking a Deal

Budget Travel Adventures recommends a search with flexible dates to find the best Memorial Day travel deals. Of course, you may have already missed the best airline deals, but you never know – there could be something left. If you just want to get away for the weekend and don’t mind where you go, then a Priceline search could be the way to go. Check out our three part series on Priceline to help you get the best deal if you go this route.

Washington, DC

Another Memorial Day travel option is Washington, to check out some of our national landmarks and join in with the celebrations. Of notes are the National Memorial Day Parade and the PBS National Memorial Day Concert and an Arlington Cemetery Tour. There are other ceremonies at the US Navy, World War II and Vietnam Veterans memorials too.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Park Ride Fly USA supports our military year round with off airport parking discounts for military men and women. Find out more about our Military Rewards program. (Image: The U.S. Army/Flickr).

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And that brings us to holidays. Everyone loves a good trip away, but if you want to be green then that does pose quite a big stumbling block. After all, taking a plane to Spain is going to leave a huge carbon-footprint, as is driving to Newquay in your petrol or diesel-powered car. So what can you do to be environmentally-friendly but still have a holiday to remember?

First off, you need to be realistic about your green-credentials. Yes, you want to be as responsible as possible, but it’s almost impossible to do have a holiday were you won’t leave at least a small carbon footprint, so bear that in mind. So, without further ado, here are five suggestions for a fun yet earth-friendly vacation.

A Local Vacation

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Now, we know this doesn’t sound the most appealing of vacations. After all, the whole point is supposed to be that you get away from the daily grind, right, so who wants to stay in their country of origin? Well, fair enough, it might not be particularly exotic but, wherever you live, there’s a lot of fun stuff to do, especially if you’re willing to go off the beaten track. Buy or hire a nice efficient car (electric would be best!) and go exploring!

Ethiopia Highway Tour

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Operating since 2006, Highway Tours in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has been catering to the eco-conscious to a big fan-fare. While Ethiopia may not seem like the most obvious of choices for all holiday, it is one of the most beautiful and intriguing destinations for those who enjoy activities such as bird-watching and viewing historical monuments.

Couple that with the diverse culture and you’ve got yourself one hell of an interesting holiday that won’t put a big dent in your carbon conscience.

Hiking Holidays

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Hiking vacations have one particular green benefit: you can take them anywhere! The only limit is your imagination, so grab a pair of sturdy boots and head for the hills. Wherever you are, you can be guaranteed that there are some beautiful spots for a good hike, whether it’s hills, mountains, deserts or forests. Just be sure to clean up after yourself!

The UK’s Lake District

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There’s plenty of places to explore and fun to be had in the Lake District. You don’t need to hit Lake Windermere to enjoy everything that this beautiful part of the country has to offer. Places like Grasmere have stunning views, fantastic pubs and, most importantly, lakes to have fun in. Carbon-free fun like kayaking and boating can be found all over the Lakes!

It’s just another option for those searching for a low-cost, low-emission holiday away.

Ice Hotel

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One of the most famous hotels in the world is the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Finland. Made entirely from ice, as its name might suggest, the Ice Hotel is probably the most environmentally-friendly hotel in the world thanks purely to its materials it is made from.

You can’t get any more natural than ice, so if you like your nipples to be tough enough to puncture through a diamond-glazed window then the Ice Hotel is the perfect place to rest your head at night.

If you’re thinking of vacationing in the UK, check out car hire in London, Manchester, Birmingham and more from Vroomvroomvroom.co.uk

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Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

I’m quite a connoisseur of Caribbean beaches and I have to say that this beach looks amazing! It’s got miles of powdery white sand alongside the clear blue Caribbean Sea. And if you’re there at the right time, you might spot some humpback whales as they migrate. (Image: Digitized Chaos/Flickr)

Matira Point, Bora Bora, Tahiti

Just mentioning the name Bora Bora conjures up magical, mythical paradise. It’s an island known for romance, aided by the beautiful surroundings. While it’s a major tourist destination, there are places on the island where you can feel blissfully secluded – and it’s a great place to hunt for black pearls too. (Image: Jean-Sebastian Roy/Flickr)

Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles

Set in a protected bay and against the backdrop of large granite boulders, this beach has fine sand and beautiful turquoise water. The sand is a beautiful pale pink, which is why this beach appears on so many photographs. According to CNN, you’ll need to take a ferry, an ox-cart and a walk to get to this beach, but it’s well worth the trip. (Image: Reed Wiedower/Flickr)

Malaysian Beaches

Most people agree that Malaysia has some of the best beaches in the world, but opinions are divided as to which beaches actually belong on the list. Candidates include Pulau Perhentian Kecil where you can swim with turtles and sharks (small ones, luckily) and Datai Bay on Pulau Langkawi, an island where you can enjoy forests as well as the beach. (Image: Dmitri Klimenko/Flickr)

Hawaiian Beaches

There are also plenty of Hawaiian beaches on the top world beach lists – it’s just a matter of picking the ones you like best. Honolulu, Maui – there are great beaches on every island – and surfers in particular will enjoy the beaches here. (Image: Tony Faiola/Flickr)

So, what did you think? Do these beaches get your stamp of approval? If not, drop us a comment about which other beaches should be included – we’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Travel Planning

But in bigger cities, planning a trip usually meant time thumbing travel agents’ brochures and even more time sitting at a desk in their office trying to create the perfect itinerary. Then you had the choice of booking your hotel in advance via the agent, phoning the hotel yourself or turning up at your destination and hoping you would find something suitable (this worked well for vacations, which all had an air of adventure).

DIY Trip Planning

Even though some of us complain about the hassle of travel planning these days (though there are plenty who love the process), that’s probably because we are doing it ourselves and have access to all the options travel agents used to handle for us. Instead of having them login to SABRE or another travel itinerary planner, we can comparison shop on flight aggregation sites, then go to individual airlines’ sites to book our trip and arrange our seating. We can book insurance separately via other sites and then try to get the best deals on hotel accommodation, airport parking and rental cars via different websites. It can take hours.

Nostalgia about Travel

The more I think about it, the more I think there was something to be said for handing over the fine details to a professional while you got on with the rest of your life. It was blissfully simple and a good travel agent was a great find. That said, now when I travel I feel more in control of deciding how the trip will play out. There’s also so much info on travel forums to help with itinerary planning when you reach your destination that it’s a bit like crowdsourcing your travel plans – and that has quite a ring to it, don’t you think?

What travel experience from the past are you most nostalgic for? Which one don’t you miss at all?

Planning a trip during the summer? Check out Park Ride Fly USA’s latest discount airport parking coupon for big savings on off airport parking. (Image: Ole Husby)

Credit Card Payments

Let’s start with how you pay. Since you have to spend some money anyway, you might as well pay with the right credit card. As well as the points you can rack up with your regular card provider, which you might be able to use for travel rewards, there are also branded cards which give additional points. If you have a Disney credit card, then you might gain enough for an extra night’s stay or early admission to one of the attractions. The more rewards you can get for a single spend, the more cost effective your vacation will be. One warning, though, read the fine print when you sign up for a card – you don’t want to have to pay annual fees if you can avoid it.

Reward and Points Schemes

Your credit card is only one way to earn rewards but practically every travel industry service provider has a reward scheme, covering everything from airport parking to hotel bookings – and everything in between. While these started as loyalty programs, the best approach is to sign up for all of them – why limit yourself to one discount? When you join a frequent flier or hotel points program, you gain points for making the purchase you’re making anyway and you can get upgrades and other rewards after you have racked up a few points. A free night in a hotel room or VIP treatment at your airport parking provider give you more for your money.

Comparison Shopping

The final component for a smarter, cheaper trip is monitoring the rewards available and the deals on offer by comparison shopping. It’s always worth checking to see how you get the best overall deal – don’t be swayed by the headline figures. You can save hundreds of dollars by doing a little research and seeing which add-ons are included in a scheme you’re already part of. What tips would you add for getting more for your money when you travel?

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Image: Snugglepup/Flickr

Amelia Earhart Memorial (Harbour Grace)

1. Let’s start with Amelia Earhart’s own achievement. She was the first woman to make a solo transatlantic flight in 1932. The flight, from Northern Ireland to Newfoundland, took 13 and a half hours.
2. The world’s oldest aviation race is the Gordon Bennett cup, a gas balloon race that first took place in September 1906. In 2005 Bob Berben and Benoît Siméons steered their balloon from Albuquerque to Canada, a distance of 2,100 miles.
3. The first woman to break the sound barrier was American Jacqueline Cochran who piloted an F-86 Sabre past Mach 1 in May 1953. She went on to set several speed records into her 60s.
4. The world’s first commercial electric plane is the Yuneec e430, a two-seater which can fly for up to 3 hours. It costs $89,000.
5. In February 2008, an an Airbus A-380 became the first commercial aircraft to complete a flight using natural gas fuel. The flight, from Bristol in the UK to Toulouse in France, lasted three hours.
6. In March 1999, Swiss Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones of the UK finished the world’s first non-stop round the world balloon flight. It was also the longest ever balloon flight, covering 25,360 miles and lasting 477 hours and 47 minutes.
7. Russia’s Sergei Krikalev has spent more time in space than anyone else, racking up a total of 803 days, 9 hours and 39 minutes.
8. Jamaican-American Barrington Irving is the youngest person to have circumnavigated the globe. He completed a 97 day flight between March and June 1007 in the Inspiration.
9. Frederick W Finn of the UK, has made the most supersonic passenger journeys, crossing the Atlantic 718 times between 1976 and 2003.
10. The fastest speed recorded for a non-space aircraft is 4,520 miles per hour (Mach 6.7). The record was set by Major William J Knight of the USAF in an experimental aircraft in October 1967.

Want to find more flight records? Check out the FAI site for information on women and flight and new flight records.

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Image: Joanna Poe/Flickr

Spectacular and Affordable Vacation Homes

Apps like HomeAway can help bridge the goals of cost efficiency and spectacular by providing ways to save through vacation rentals and traveling like a local. Vacation rentals are ideal for many reasons including:

• You can pick and choose where you would like to stay, how much to pay, and what amenities are necessary. By cutting back on the extra fees some major hotels charge, you can have a more indulgent time on the important things, like sight seeing, touring, or an exotic excursion.
• Vacation rentals are homes in established communities. Get the best of both worlds by being in a new place while enjoying the lifestyle of a local at the same time. Neighbors may be able to provide inside tips on area hot spots.
• The exclusive use of a property comes with unmatched privacy, making it a truly unique home away from home. There is no need to deal with check-ins, lines, parking, or bellhops. When you arrive at your destination, you’re home.

These benefits are the perfect addition to a vacation that requires a unique flavor at a local price. Because you can be selective about the where, when, and how much, you have complete control of your trip. For travelers, this means an amazing vacation to escape the ordinary at an ordinary escape price.

Discover Your Destination Like a Local

Traveling like a local is a great way to experience new places and bring out the best elements in foreign areas. Before leaving for lands unknown, investigate all the offerings for that area. For instance, if you were going to Florida, wouldn’t you want to know where the best beaches are? This helps make the trip more meaningful and avoids an overly touristy feel. Local restaurants, shops, or sights are usually missed because they don’t make it on the popular websites. To save a major amount of money, take a new perspective on a trip. Avoiding big tourist destinations can lower expenses enough to actually pay for your vacation rental. Some of the things to look into are:

• Local restaurants
• Unlisted town or village events
• Community events meant for the locals
• Trails or hikes not found on any brochure

To find these buried treasures during your next trip, visit forums frequented by locals or previous guests. You might be surprised at what real people have to say about attractions that aren’t even mentioned in the guide books.

These are fantastic ideas for traveling like a local, getting away from the ordinary, and not spending an arm and a leg in the process. What’s your favorite way to discover hidden gems during your trips?

Jessy Troy is the lifestyle writer for Dobovo, the free tool to find an affordable Kiev apartment for budget-friendly Europe traveling!

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Turkey

Turkey has a diverse climate but in the summer the temperature can rise to a scorching 40 degrees Celsius. That’s beach weather by anyone’s standards. It’s got plenty of beaches to choose from, but among the best are Patara on the Turquoise Coast, Icmeler and Olu Deniz. And let’s not forget the beaches in Antalya. Fun fact: this is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited areas and it includes the city of Troy made famous in Greek mythology.

Spain

Spain has a lot to offer, beach-wise, whether you’re attracted by wall to wall people at Fuengirola or the expansive beauty of Canary Islands beaches such as Playa Las Teresitas in Tenerife and Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria. Benidorm and Lanzarote’s Puerto del Carmen are also worth a trip. TripAdvisor’s recommendation is Port d’Alcudia in Spain which has beautiful white sand and some nearby Roman ruins to visit. Fun fact: Mount Teide in Tenerife has the world’s third largest volcano.

UK

You don’t expect to see the UK on a list of best European beach locations, but it seems that Bournemouth beach has made the cut. TripAdvisor users put this beach at number 4 on the list of Europe’s ten best beaches. It’s got an  artificial reef and a very nice strip of sand, as well as the traditional pier. Fun fact: In 2007 Bournemouth was named the happiest place in the UK.

Portugal

A trip to the Algarve is a highlight of many European holidays, with travelers enjoying the cliffs, sandstone and beautiful, dramatic scenery. Good beach picks include Sagres and the beaches of Albufeira. Fun fact: Portugal had the world’s first global empire which lasted from 1415 to 1999.

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1. Preparing for emergencies is a good idea – and that’s what insurance is all about. Unless you have a crystal ball, and are absolutely sure nothing will go wrong on your trip, then it’s probably a good idea. Suppose something happens in your family and you have to change your plans? Trip insurance can insure you against the financial penalty you would normally incur for altering travel arrangements at the last minute.

2. Health issues can strike at any time. Even if you’re perfectly healthy when you start the trip, you or your loved ones could end up having to be rushed to hospital or flown home. This can be expensive and is unlikely to be covered by your domestic policy. A travel insurance policy with medical cover is a good fail safe.

3. Although you don’t own your rental car, you’re responsible if something goes wrong with it. Dents, scratches and other damage – the kind people do in car parks and then quietly drive away from – will all cost you. Taking insurance about this incidental damage will help your wallet in the long run.

4. While you may have an existing policy, can you be sure it will cover you against every eventuality? What about trip interruptions or cancellations and theft of or damage to your belongings? Read the fine print carefully to see if you need additional cover.

5. One thing you can’t predict is the weather, though goodness knows the weather forecasters make a valiant effort. However, even they get it wrong much of the time. Bad weather can cause delays and cancellations and can even completely ruin your holiday. If you’re taking a winter break and there’s no snow or a summer break where there are rain and storms, it might be better to defer your holiday. Having the right insurance policy means you won’t lose your money.

6. In the last few years, we’ve got used to hearing about companies going bankrupt or folding overnight. If this happens to your travel company, where does that leave you? If you don’t want to be up the creek, then a travel insurance policy gives you some financial protection.

As you can see, buying travel insurance can be a no-brainer under these circumstances. So think about this carefully when you book your next trip.

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Check Out Your Options

One of the first things to do is research your diet options and one of the best places to get the help you need is via Twitter, Facebook or another social media site. If you want to know the best places to get gluten free food in San Francisco someone is bound to know – and most people are willing to help. Do a wider web search to see what food options are available when you arrive at your destination or at the airport before you travel. Most places are pretty good about signalling when a meal contains something you may react to.

Flying Long Haul

On a domestic flight, you probably won’t get any food and can purchase or take something suitable with you. On long-haul, though, you might not have a choice. Luckily, most airlines cater for all kinds of diets, offering kosher food, halal food, food for diabetic diets and vegetarian and vegan options. You’re pretty sure to find something you can eat among those options.

Making Your Wishes Known

Traveling to a place where you don’t speak the language. Then it’s back to the web to find out the words you need to indicate the diet you are on or the foods you need to avoid. I can tell people I don’t eat meat or ask if a particular dish contains meat in four language – and counting. And just in case you don’t get the information you require, prepare a little card with the phrase for ‘I’m allergic to [name of food] in the target language.

Finally, it’s always a good idea to keep some snacks on hand in case your flight is delayed or even cancelled. At least then you won’t have to worry about keeping your energy levels up while you wait!

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