Travel
5 More Great Travel Tips
Even though I consider myself a seasoned airline traveler, I am always discovering new travel tips. At the top of my list is TSA Pre-Check. Well worth it!
Even though I consider myself a seasoned airline traveler, I am always discovering new travel tips. I’ll start off my post with my favorite tip, TSA Pre-Check.
TSA Pre-Check
I have been traveling by air quite often in the last few years and decided to apply for TSA Pre-Check. If you haven’t signed up for it yet and take more than a couple of flights a year, it’s well worth it.
I applied this past Spring and have since used it on ten flights in the last few months. I am thrilled that I do not have to wait in long security lines any more which also means I don’t have to arrive at the airport as early (Extra bonus on those early A.M. flights!)
I no longer have to take my shoes or jacket off, or remove my laptop from its bag. The TSA Pre-Check security lines are so much shorter and quicker to go through.
You can apply on line at Transportation Security Administration and either make an appointment for your interview or go as a walk-in.
You will be fingerprinted and go through a quick interview. Within four weeks or so you will receive what they call a Known Traveler Number (KTN) if you are approved. The cost to apply is $85 and your KTN is good for five years.
Once you receive this number, you will need to add it to all of your air travel reservations. I travel on Southwest a lot and added my KTN to my frequent flyer profile. When I make a reservation it automatically gets put on my boarding pass.
Sign Up for Text Alerts
In my opinion flights are being delayed more and more. I like being notified via text message instead of email. A text gives me instant access to the information. When making your reservation, sign up for text alerts. If you belong to a frequent flyer program, add it to your profile.
Don’t Pay for Luggage Until You Arrive at the Airport
I recently had to cancel a flight due to a family emergency. When checking in, I paid for my luggage the day before. I am still trying to get my refund for the luggage as well as the lost ticket.
My favorite airline is Southwest. Luggage is free and there is no cancellation fee. Unfortunately, they don’t always fly to my destination but if they do, they will be my airline of choice.
Run Updates, Back Ups & Downloads Before Traveling
If you are like me and my husband, you travel with your iPhone and iPad or similar products. Be sure to update any apps and back up your devices either in the cloud or on your home computer before traveling.
Don’t wait for the last-minute to download any new movies, podcasts, music etc. We have run into technical difficulties and have learned to do this a few days in advance for a smoother departure. We once panicked that our movies didn’t download properly and were facing an 8 hour flight with no entertainment to pass the time. I had to pay for the airport wi-fi to fix the download error.
Pack Extra Batteries & Chargers in Your Carry On
Nothing drains a phone battery more than flight delays and cancellations. I have had to use my phone to try to re-book flights, notify family and once even rent a car to get home because no flights were available.
After traveling across country, my battery was already down from using the device on the plane. I now carry an external battery that give my devices an extra two hours of battery life.
I am always amazed at how few outlets there are in airports. And just when you think you are lucky enough to find one, it doesn’t take long to realize it’s not a working outlet and that’s why no one is using it.
My favorite story was when we were on our way to Europe and had a layover in the Chicago O’Hare Airport. We couldn’t find an outlet anywhere and wanted to charge our iPads that we had used on the previous flight and at the airport.
We approached a bartender at a kiosk bar asking if he knew where we could charge our devices. He smiled and whipped out an extension cord with room for several plugs. Buy a drink and the electricity was on him. He probably made the most tips out of anyone in that airport. Smart guy!
Additional Travel Tips
If you would like additional traveling tips, visit my previous posts: 30 Packing Tips for Europe and 5 Packing Tips for Europe (& Other Overseas Destinations).
Safe travels and enjoy your summer vacation.
Travel
Favorite Travel Sites
If you like to travel you probably spend a good amount of time on-line doing some research. I do and I have some favorite travel sites to share.
If you like to travel you probably spend a good amount of time on-line doing some research on everything from your destination, flights, transportation, restaurants, etc. I do and I have some favorite travel sites to share. I’d love to know what travel websites and apps you enjoy too.
Here are the travel sites that I use on a regular basis.
Trip Advisor
Head on over to Trip Advisor to read reviews and recommendations from other travelers and to research your destination.
Kayak
Kayak is great for reviewing flight schedules and prices. What I love about this site is that you get to book your flight directly through the airline. I learned my lesson once having booked through a third-party. My flight was cancelled and because I did not book my flight directly through the airline, the airline wouldn’t help me after standing in line for a long time. I had to contact the third-party to re-book.
Hotel Tonight
If you ever need to book a last-minute hotel room, this is your site! Hotel Tonight will let you know what rooms are available. You may be able to snag a nice hotel at a discount due to a cancellation. This is a great travel site for road trips when you don’t know how far you will be driving before calling it a night.
Yelp
Yelp is the queen of review sites for restaurants, hotels, and just about any business you can think of. You can use the app from your phone.
Open Table
I have written about Open Table in the past. It’s my favorite way of making dinner reservations whether I am in a new city or my own home town. It’s easy to use and tells me at a glance what is available for the number in my party and the time frame I want to dine out. This is especially useful for last-minute dinner reservations. You can use the app from your phone. It saves you from calling all over town to see if there are any “open tables“.
Costco Travel
I have found Costco Travel to be very competitive and have saved quite a bit on car rentals and trip insurance. I only buy trip insurance when it’s an expensive trip such as an overseas vacation.
I haven’t booked any trips through Costco as I usually book directly through the airline and the hotel; however, I do know people who have raved about their savings on vacation packages through Costco.
Bed Bug Registry
Sad but true to have to recommend the Bedbug Registry. I have used it for many trips to check on hotels to see if there have been any Bedbug complaints.
My Other Travel Posts
If you are new to my blog, check out these travel posts:
Summer Vacation Road Trip Essentials
5 Packing Tips for Europe (& Other Overseas Destinations)
Your Favorite Travel Sites
What are your favorite travel sites? Please share in the comments below.
Travel
Enjoy America’s Fall Foliage
Fall foliage at its peak is some of Mother Nature’s best work of art. This post offers tips on fall foliage travel, peak times and great photography tips.
The most colorful time of year is just around the corner. Fall foliage at its peak is some of Mother Nature’s best work of art. If you want to get up close and personal with some spectacular fall scenery, this post is for you.
America’s Best Fall Color Drives
I am pleased to share two great articles, one from Travel & Leisure and the other from Fodor’s Travel highlighting the best fall foliage trips to take.
Moosehead Lake Region, Maine
Great Smoky Mountains
Peak Viewing Times for Fall Foliage
When should you travel? Yahoo Travel has a great map showing the average peak viewing times for across the U.S. This chart, of course, is dependent on the summer weather that region experienced.
I also came across this Interactive Fall Foliage Map at LifeHacker. “The 2015 Fall Foliage Map is the ultimate visual planning guide to the annual progressive changing of the leaves. While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is meant to help travelers better time their trips to have the best opportunity of catching peak color each year.”
This year, it looks like the peak viewing time for most parts of the United States is early to mid October, between the 10th and the 17th. If you want to know when the time is right for your area of interest, click on the link above or on the map below to view the Interactive Map. Then just move the slider on the map to see when your area is highlighted in red (but not brown.)
America’s Best Hotels for Fall Colors
Omni Mount Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Whether you want a grand hotel or a Bed & Breakfast, Travel & Leisure has you covered.
5 Tips for Better Fall Foliage Photos
Once you get there you will want to capture the beauty. These photography tips from Popular Photography and Dan Splain Photography offer tips to take the perfect fall foliage photos.
Smokey Mountain Fall Getaway
If you are interested in going to the Smoky Mountains, here’s my post about our Smoky Mountain Fall Getaway. We stayed at The Lodge at Buckberry Creek which was rustic elegance at its best.
Even if you can’t get away for a fall foliage vacation, you can venture out near home to enjoy your local fall colors. Do you have a favorite place to go in the fall?
Fashion
Celebrity Airport Fashion from the 60’s to Today
Back in the day it was a priority to travel in style, whether you were a celebrity or not. See celebrity airport fashion trends from the 60’s to today.
Back in the day it was a priority to travel in style, whether you were a celebrity or not. In those days you flew in your best clothes and many women wore high heels. Perhaps airports weren’t near the size they are today, but still, high heels?
Styles certainly change with the times. Following is a peak into celebrity airport fashion dating back to the 60’s.
Yesteryear’s Celebrity Airport Fashion
Marilyn Monroe stepped out of her tight skirts to travel in more comfortable pants.
Brigitte Bardot’s 1966 tailored pantsuit.
Between the hat and the white boots, Ursula Andress definitely is entering the 70’s with a bang.
via Source Unknown
In the early 60’s Sophia Loren is seen here traveling in a formal dress and hat.
Today’s Celebrity Airport Fashion
Fast forward to today and you will find everything at the airport. I’m all for being comfortable but you can still dress casually with style.
Following are some of my favorite celebrity airport looks. These stars got it right by picking neutrals such as black, gray and navy for their travel wardrobe.
I particularly like wearing darker colors. It’s so easy to get dirty from spilled drinks on the plane or from a greasy luggage wheel.
The majority are wearing flats which are needed for comfort. After all, you want to save your feet for those gorgeous heels for dinner.
First off is Reese Witherspoon who looks chic in black and white.
Here’s another one of her travel outfits. Simple yet stylish.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s gray scarf is the perfect accessory to her all black outfit.
I love Gwyneth’s tailored gray coat.
Nicole Kidman looks stylish wearing all black.
Angelina Jolie is also a fan of all black. It really is the ideal color to wear when traveling to look fresh and clean on arrival.
Hopefully Salma Hayek has a pair of flats in her bag for comfort on the plane. All of these celebrities carry one great oversized bag that is their carryall. No need to carry a purse and a tote.
Cindy Crawford’s scarf and necklace also add style to her simple jeans and sandals look.
Cameron Diaz traveled on the wild side in her animal print pants.
At 77 Jane Fonda proves you can be stylish at any age.
What do you like to wear when traveling by plane?
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