travel tips

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How to See the World for Free (or Almost Free)

Couch surfing, home exchanges, and housesitting are some novel options

(Newser) - Credit card rewards can be your ticket—literally your plane ticket—to a dream destination. But even if you've earned what you need to get to where you're going, the accommodations could be a different story. What do you do if you don't have enough points or...

5 Places You Shouldn't Visit in 2018

Maybe hold off on that Taj Mahal trip till 2019

(Newser) - At the beginning of each calendar year, travel companies and publications often push out lists of places around the world you should try to explore in the coming months. Fodor's takes a different tack with its "No List," detailing the locations it thinks you should avoid in...

Get Deep, Weird With Anthony Bourdain's New Travel Guide

Explore Parts Unknown went live this week

(Newser) - Move over, Rick Steves. Travel and Leisure reports Anthony Bourdain has released an online travel guide called Explore Parts Unknown to go along with his hit CNN show. The digital guidebook is chock full of features, with Eater warning it "will kill your productivity." The guide claims it...

Why You Should Renew Your Aging Passport Now

Delays expected with increased demand until 2018

(Newser) - If your US passport is set to expire in the next year or two, you might want to jump the gun and send your forms in now. The State Department warns 17 million new passports and renewals will be issued in 2016—up 1.5 million from last year—and...

10 Travel Scams You Must Avoid

Extra fees and useless 'deals' abound in travel business

(Newser) - Travel agencies and other travel organizations pull many schemes that are unethical without being illegal—so be wary. The Daily Beast presents 10 of the most common scams you should watch out for:
  • Travel clubs. They can cost thousands of dollars, and give you little but a few discounts to
...

101 Places You Don't Need to Visit
 101 Places You 
 Don't Need to Visit 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Jun 13, 2010 8:54 AM CDT

101 Places You Don't Need to Visit

Disneyland Paris is just too obvious

(Newser) - Had enough of all those lists of places to see before you die? Then check out 101 Places Not to See Before You Die, which focuses on “overhyped tourist sites" and the like. A sampling, courtesy of USA Today :
  • Ibiza: The Spanish party isle is a great place—"
...

Best New Travel Websites
 Best New Travel Websites 
Aug 28, 2009 3:25 PM CDT

Best New Travel Websites

Get advice from locals, exchange currency, and more

(Newser) - The summer is winding down, but there’s still time for a last-minute vacation. The Times of London lists 10 new websites to check out:
  • Tripbod: Answer questions about your interests and hobbies, and a local expert will plan an itinerary for you.
  • Vimeo: The travel group on this video
...

Best and Worst Airports for Sleeping
 Best and Worst 
 Airports for Sleeping 
TRAVEL
Jul 20, 2009 6:31 PM CDT

Best and Worst Airports for Sleeping

The budget traveler can save money, but should avoid certain airports

(Newser) - Looking to save a buck or two on your next vacation? Consider sleeping in the airport: It’s not “just for the young budget traveler” anymore, says the Guide to Sleeping in Airports. The website ranks the best—and worst—to sleep in, Reuters reports. Best:
  1. Changi, Singapore
  2. Incheon,
...

How to Travel Like 007
 How to Travel Like 007 
Nov 1, 2008 5:46 AM CDT

How to Travel Like 007

(Newser) - Britain's deadliest spy not only ducks bullets and beds babes—he lives a life of high luxury around the world. Travel and Leisure reveals where you can vacation like a glamorous spy:
  • Fifty London: This casino/bar/restaurant/nightclub charges $1,165 for a year-long membership. Bond actor Daniel Crag has been seen
...

Your Airport To-Not-Do List
 Your Airport To-Not-Do List 
Jul 18, 2008 5:25 PM CDT

Your Airport To-Not-Do List

Four stupid ways to spice up your travel experience

(Newser) - Air travel not stressful enough for you? US News and World Report presents four ways to land yourself in a planeload of trouble.
  1. Use words like “bomb” and “hijack”: A man in Boston jokingly told an airport clerk he was “here to blow things up,” and
...

Vacation Too Pricey? Try the Staycation

Strapped would-be travelers get creative in turning home into exotic destination

(Newser) - Some Americans aren’t letting high fuel prices and a weak dollar get in the way of travel plans, the Wall Street Journal finds. Wannabe wayfarers are taking the “staycation”—a holiday spent at home—to new heights of creativity, with one Bronx woman swapping a trip to...

How to Take a Solar Eclipse Road Trip

Hit the right spot and see 93M miles into the distance

(Newser) - Thousands of people will trek to the hinterlands on August 1 just to stand in the dark for three minutes. The reason: a total solar eclipse is set to sweep over a path spanning from China to Canada. Wired clues would-be eclipse chasers in on ways to maximize each sunless...

How to Get Booted From a Plane
 How to Get Booted From a Plane 
Mar 19, 2008 6:01 PM CDT

How to Get Booted From a Plane

Skimpy dress, smelly passengers test airline staff

(Newser) - If you've ignored the safety briefing on a flight, consider yourself lucky: A Ryanair passenger was kicked off a plane for talking during one. The Times of London runs down 10 silly reasons why fliers have gotten booted from their flights.
  1. Group cheers: Fans of a British soccer team broke
...

25 Ways to Save in Europe
 25 Ways to Save in Europe 
Mar 19, 2008 12:16 PM CDT

25 Ways to Save in Europe

Don't let the dismal dollar derail your dream vacation

(Newser) - Worried that exchanging your dollars into pounds will leave you with pennies? MSNBC outlines 25 ways to stretch your money in Europe.
  1. Find no-cost entertainment, like free days at museums or public concerts.
  2. Use a credit card or get cash from an ATM for the best exchange rates and lower
...

Weary Travelers Offer 12 Good Lessons

Columnist pumps experts for hard-earned knowledge, tips

(Newser) - MSNBC travel columnist Christopher Elliott asks those sulky veterans of the airways— business travelers—for their best tips on making life on the road tolerable:
  1. Expect nothing, and you won't be disappointed.
  2. Be nice. It can't hurt, and it might even help.
  3. Never pay cash—credit cards offer some protection
...

Top 10 Hidden Hotel Fees
Top 10 Hidden
Hotel Fees
Nov 25, 2007 11:24 AM CST

Top 10 Hidden Hotel Fees

Secret ways hotels gouge you when you're not looking

(Newser) - If you're hurrying to catch a plane, you might sign that hotel bill without a second glance.  Avoid unpleasant surprises by looking out for Forbes Traveler's list of hidden fees:
  1. Resort fee: Some resorts tack on a $10 to $25 fee per day for use of their facilities... even
...

15 Must-See American Sights
15 Must-See American Sights
Nov 11, 2007 8:23 AM CST

15 Must-See American Sights

Forget Paris—these great vacation sites can be found in your own backyard

(Newser) - Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die, turns Forbes readers onto her top 15:
  1. The Pacific Coast Highway
  2. Monument Valley, Utah and Ariz.
  3. Texas Hill Country

Before You Take That Cruise ...
Before You Take That Cruise ...
Oct 23, 2007 6:04 PM CDT

Before You Take That Cruise ...

Five things every intrepid traveller ought to know before shipping out

(Newser) - Don't travel blind on your first cruise.  USA Today has some tips for novices:
  1. Find the right cruise for you by consulting CruiseCritic.com, TripAdvisor.com, or a travel agent.
  2. Need formal wear for dinner? Probably not, but check out the eating arrangements before you pack.

Lonely Planet Will Keep BBC Company

British media giant buys 75% stake in popular travel brand

(Newser) - The BBC is lacing up its hiking boots after acquiring a 75% stake in travel guidebook company Lonely Planet. The deal, announced today, nets the BBC a travel brand with a library of some 500 travel guides, a popular website, and a TV series shown in 100 countries. It’s...

10 Hotels With a Wild Streak
10 Hotels With a Wild Streak
Sep 24, 2007 5:59 PM CDT

10 Hotels With a Wild Streak

(Newser) - For travelers bored with the conventional comforts of most hotels,  MSNBC offers some more creative choices:
  1. Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai—desert conservation preserve
  2. Anatolian Houses, Turkey—five adjoining volcanic caves
  3. Baron Island—nature reserve on volcanic island

20 Stories