Being sick is always a drag. But being sick when you’re away from home is doubly so. Toughing it out in a strange hotel room with none of the items that might make your feel better is miserable. In fact, the only thing that’s worse is being on a crowded plane or train, unable to sleep or get any rest.

We’ve been stricken in Africa, South America, Alaska, and Europe, and an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. And though you can’t prevent everything, you can stack the odds in your favor. Read more…

We’ve just finished two weeks of driving around the South of France, and for the most part, it was a very pleasant experience.

After picking up our rental car at the TGV station in Avignon, we visited St.-Remy-de-Provence, Arles, l’Isle sur la Sorgue, Fontaine de Vaucluse, Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Aix-en-Provence, Cap d’Antibes, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Cannes, Sainte-Maxime, Saint-Tropez, and Bormes-les-Mimosas, without any trouble. Read more…

Very few things make us grouchy right off the bat. But getting lost does. And to be honest, our grouchiness probably ends up inhibiting our ability to regroup and find our way.

That’s why we always take detailed maps and travel directions wherever we go. Plus a GPS. For us, knowing how to get where we’re going is a trip planning essential that makes travel a lot easier. Read more…

Unless you’re very frugal, hotels make up a large part of your travel budget. And they also have a big impact on how much you enjoy your trip. If you’re like us, you really try to make the most of your time in a destination, which means that when you finally do make it back to your hotel, you want it to have everything you need — and be a comfortable haven.

But if you’re not made of money — and who is these days – it’s also important to get the most for your travel dollars. Read more…

It’s a relaxing, affordable way to see the United Kingdom. And the scenery is great. The British rail network is extensive, serving virtually every corner of the British Isles. So you can go virtually everywhere by train.

London has nine major train stations, including Victoria, King’s Cross, Waterloo, Paddington, and St. Pancras. And before you travel by rail, it’s helpful to know what to expect at the train station. See the map and legend to get the lay of the land. Read more…

Back in the old days, when you were going somewhere, you went to a travel agency, and they arranged everything for you.
They reserved your flights, hotels, and rental car with a Computerized Reservations System (CRS) like Sabre or Apollo. And when they were done, out popped a written itinerary showing every detail of your [...]

Travel by train is one of the easiest and more enjoyable ways to explore Great Britain. As a rule, it’s less expensive than renting a car. And because Britain is so compact, you can usually get from one end to the other in a day.

You’ll be able to drink in the scenery without worrying whether you’re on the wrong side of the road, and you’ll arrive at your destination ready to go.

Most British trains are modern and comfortable, and with more than 2,500 rail stations, there’s train service to virtually everyplace you would want to visit. Read more…

A friend at work is going to travel to Italy for the first time and asked me for a little trip planning advice.

It was harder than I thought it would be, because she only has ten days. And there are so many great places to see in Italy that narrowing it down is a real challenge.

My first tip was not to bite off more than she could chew. On your first trip, you want to see as much as possible. It’s only natural. But the less time you spend traveling, the more you’ll enjoy your trip. So we decided that with ten days, she should only stay in three places. That way, she’d only have two travel days. Read more…

In 2006, we flew in business class to Buenos Aires. It took forever to clear customs and immigration. And by the time we got to baggage claim, our travel bag was long gone.
Although we recovered it quickly – someone had picked it up by mistake – spending our first two hours in Buenos [...]

Times have been tough for hotels lately. Their occupancy has been way down. And when their occupancy rates are low, all their other revenue streams – food and beverages, spa services, etc. – suffer too.

Most luxury hotels have big mortgages or management fees that are due every month. So they have to fill their rooms. And sometimes, the only way to do it is to really slash their prices.

So where can you find these great deals and save a bundle at a five-star hotel? Here are three travel websites that specialize in selling luxury travel at a discount. Read more…

Dining out is one of the great pleasures of traveling in France. But Americans are often befuddled or irritated by what they consider to be bad service or rude treatment.

With a better understanding of French culture and more realistic expectations, these problems can usually be avoided. So be sure to do a little trip planning in advance. It will help you feel more relaxed and more confident when you dine in French restaurants – which also aids in digestion. Read more…

But Rome is very much a city of the present. So your trip planning should include some insider experiences that let you enjoy la dolce vita away from the crowds. Read more…

The right hotel can really make or break a vacation. So before we go on a trip, we do lots of research, both on and offline, to try to find the perfect places to stay. But sometimes, it seems like no matter how much trip planning we do, we’re still disappointed. [...]

We adore Paris. Who doesn’t? And the great thing about going often is that once you’ve crossed all the major attractions off your must-see list, you can relax and discover all sorts of wonderful treats you may have missed while you high tailed it from the Musee d’Orsay to the Louvre.

Over the years, we’ve discovered many trip planning ideas to make your next Paris vacation more rewarding – whether it’s your first visit, or your fortieth.

Here are our top ten tips for enjoying Paris like a local: Read more…

Vacation rentals can make a getaway more affordable. But a house exchange can really slash your travel costs. By making your accommodations virtually free, home swapping can eliminate one of the biggest vacation expenses.
Since many house swaps include the use of a family car, transportation expenses are reduced. And you’ll [...]

Last year was a challenging one for airlines, hotels, and other traveler suppliers. But 2009 was a big winner for one segment of the travel industry. It will likely go down as the year of the vacation rental.

PR Newswire reported in July 2009 that 43% of travelers planned to stay in a vacation rental in the next 12 months – 24% of travelers had already stayed in one last summer. And 31% of vacation rental owners reported that their bookings were up this year.

And why not? Vacation rentals offer fantastic value for money. Usually your dollar buys a lot more square footage. For the same price as a luxury hotel room – or maybe even less – you might end up with a bedroom, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace, patio, or lanai. Read more…

These days, checking your travel luggage with the airline is more of a hassle than ever. Not only are you likely to be charged for the privilege, you’ll spend precious vacation time in the baggage claim area. And considering that 1.8 million bags were lost in 2008, your travel bags may not arrive when you do, or even arrive at all.

But the right luggage can help make your trip easier and more enjoyable. And with a few simple packing tips you’ll have everything you need and still feel agile and unencumbered. Read more…

Ten or fifteen years ago, travel agencies made money by selling travel services to consumers. Airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and rental car agencies paid travel agents commissions every time they made a reservation. So their services were essentially free to consumers.

Back then, there was no reason not to go to a travel agent for all your travel needs.

But by the mid 1990s, online travel agencies like Expedia and Travelocity made it easy for consumers to make their own airline, hotel, and rental car reservations. And travel review sites like Tripadvisor, Fodors, and Frommers, Read more…

Having a good hotel room can really make or break your vacation.   Get a big room in a quiet corner with a great view, and you’ll have a wonderful time.  End up in a cramped space above the disco with a broken air conditioner and you’ll wonder why you left home.

But finding the right hotel [...]

Free bags, free meals, free blankets, free seat assignments.  Those amenities are long gone.   Is there anything left for the airlines to cut?   Probably.

But with a little advance planning, you can eliminate many of the hassles of air travel.  Here’s our list of travel tips for a more enjoyable flight.

1) Book a nonstop flight.  Your [...]