How to get a good last-minute travel deal
Budget-minded travelers often plan their vacations months in advance so they can find the best deals. But if you’re yearning for a last-minute summer or early fall getaway, there’s good news: Fuel prices are relatively low, and you can find good deals on airfares, as long as you know where to look. You have more options for places to stay, too. Kiplinger expects gas prices to run... READ MORE
Classic resort offers nostalgia weekend
The 200-year-old Omni Bedford Springs Resort, a luxury hotel in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains, is well known for its state-of-the-art golf course, mineral springs spa treatments and scenic hiking trails. But what guests discover upon arrival is that Bedford Springs offers more than just a relaxing getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The hotel lobby provides a... READ MORE
Roadtrips worth taking with grandkids
If you’re like many grandparents who can’t get enough of their adorable grandchildren, nothing could be better than an overnight trip with them. But vacations can also be tricky and even stressful, especially when traveling with a wide range of ages. There can be meltdowns, fights and temper tantrums. (And the grandchildren can have them, too!) When friends ask me about... READ MORE
Travelers: don’t forget ‘overhead’ costs
Over the years, you’ve probably seen many “tips” about avoiding high city-center hotel prices by staying in suburban hotels. But when you factor in the “destination overhead,” you often conclude that rather than fight the hassle and time of commuting, you’re better off finding a cheaper hotel in the city. By “destination overhead,” I mean the daily or hourly out-of-pocket ... READ MORE
Feeding stomach and soul on Italian trail
Long ago, religious pilgrims trudged up and down the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the Kumana Kodo Trail in Japan, and other lengthy footpaths to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Many still do. Not only do these trails lead to sites of profound religious significance, but the physical challenge, even suffering, is believed to help pave the way to enlightenment. Similarly, the... READ MORE
Miami’s South Beach is funky, funny and fun
Miami’s South Beach — a 10-mile stretch of fine, white sand and sparkling, turquoise water along Ocean Drive — is the setting of seemingly endless happy hours, a bohemian playground for all ages, nationalities and ethnicities. SoBe, as locals call it, has attracted celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Marilyn Monroe, Princess Di and Michael Jackson. Desi Arnaz got his... READ MORE
Car rental gotchas and how to avoid them
Renting a car, like buying most travel services, exposes you to a few gotchas that can make your experience more expensive, less pleasant or both. But you can also avoid most of them, most of the time, by vetting your rental company and reading the fine print before you put down your credit card. Insurance catches Insurance has always been the main minefield of renting a car. The rental... READ MORE
Grandparent’s quandary: What’s my name?
We’re about to become grandparents! And to be honest, since we are the last of our friends to have that honor, I’ve heard some unique stories about choosing a name. Not the baby’s name. Thank goodness that’s not our problem. My husband and I are trying to figure out what we will be called by the grandkids. It seems that whenever I get together with my peers, this topic always... READ MORE
Alabama’s Gulf coast popular year-round
My first thought was that I must have taken a wrong turn. The scene outside the car windows — Dollar Stores, Waffle Houses and tattoo parlors — hardly matched the almost poetic name of my destination: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Ala. Small, aging wooden houses, some of which had seen better days, lined the narrow lanes off the main road. Before long, though, I came upon glitzy... READ MORE
A unique visit to Alaska in a small yacht
The Inside Passage in Southeast Alaska is the kind of place that inspires multiple visits. On my first two trips, I cruised past its lush rainforests and coastal mountains via the large, state-run ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway. On my most recent trip, though, I hopped aboard the 85-foot MV Windward buy robaxin online... READ MORE
