Best End-of-Summer Travel Deals

July 24, 2017 by Ivana De Domenico

Vancouver, Canada: For a dream trip that won’t break the bank, visit Vancouver. The city has something for everyone. The city is hip yet classy, with great restaurants and tons of art. Outside the city, it gets even better. The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful natural region, and vancouverites have taken pains to preserve that. Kayak the bay or hike the lush forests surrounding the city.

San Jose, Costa Rica: August is the beginning of the rainy season, and you’re likely to see showers most afternoons. That said, mornings are usually clear, it’s well below the hurricane belt, and the lower prices (and smaller crowds) more than make up for the weather. Hotels rates are about 25% cheaper in August compared to the high season.

As for San Jose, the city contains many cheap hotels and hostels. It’s not as big as a tourist destination as a lot of other places in Costa Rica, but if you look you’ll find nature tours, historic architectures, and lots of museums.

Hong Kong: Like Costa Rica, August is the wet season in Hong Kong, meaning lower prices and smaller crowds. But if possible, hold off until the first week of October, to see the Mid Autumn Festival. In exchange for steeper hotel prices, you’ll catch an endless wave of free entertainment, from parades to dragon dancers to lantern displays.

Orlando, Florida: Traveling to Orlando in August is a gamble, but one that can pay off richly for bargain-seekers. August marks the start of hurricane season, and even without the storms, the weather can get pretty hot and muggy. That said, flights and hotels are record cheap, and the lines at Disney or Orlando Studios are way shorter than they would be during the high season. If high prices have been keeping you out of the “vacation capital of the world,” August is the time to make your move.

Berlin, Germany: Look up hotel or restaurant costs for Berlin, and you’ll be shocked at how cheap they can be. This vibrant city offers tons of museums and historical sites–many of which are free or at least very cheap–by day, and bustling nightclubs and bars by night. Plus, there’s great public transportation, flea markets, and hiking in the Grunewald. The weather in August is quite hot but not unpleasantly so, and the end of summer comes with lots of public festivals, including the International Berlin Beer Festival, Potsdam Palace Night, and the Spondau Citadel Music Festival.

Famous Literary Locations Around the World

May 20, 2017 by Ivana De Domenico

If you happen to be both an avid reader and a globetrotter, why not plan your next vacation around one of these famous literary locations? Think how incredible it would be to walk in the footsteps of your favorite author- to sit where they sat brainstorming their next masterpiece and wander the same streets they tread upon in years past. When all that stands between you and one of these locales associated with a famous author is a plane ticket, you do not want to miss out on what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a visit. Instead of going to the same old place your family vacations every year or shoveling thousands of dollars into a luxury resort vacation, consider planning your next vacation around one of these famous literary locations.

Prague, Czech Republic:

If you’re willing to make a trip all the way out to the Czech Republic, you’ll find yourself in the birthplace and final resting place of novelist and short story writer Franz Kafka, one of the most prominent literary figures of the 20th century. Spots you’ll want to hit include the author’s childhood home (although the house was rebuilt, the original front door was preserved), the Old-New Synagogue where he attended services, the home where he spent his adult years at 16 Dlouha, a monument to Kafka in the city square, The Kafka Museum, and Kafka’s grave at New Jewish Cemetery.

Bath, England

In addition to being a charming English city teeming with history from its 18th century Georgian architecture to its ancient Roman baths, the city of Bath is a mecca for Jane Austen fans. While in this city, take time to indulge in everything quintessentially British: Stop for afternoon tea and a famous “Sally Lunn Bun” at Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House, and afterwards browse through some of the acclaimed independent bookshops in the city, such as Mr. B’s Emporium of Reading Delights and Topping & Company. Oh, and then celebrate the Great English novelist, Jane Austen, behind such famous works as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility by touring the Jane Austen Centre, a museum dedicated to Bath’s most famous resident.

Yasnaya Polyana, Russia

Leo Tolstoy, author of Anna Karenina and War and Peace is regarded as “one of the greatest authors of all time.” With a visit to Yasnaya Polyana, the author’s birthplace and residence throughout his life, you can tour the writer’s home where he penned his most famous works and visit his grave nearby.

Dublin, Ireland

In between pints of Guinness, take some time to explore some of the iconic literary landmarks in this beautiful city. Visit the Trinity Library where you can view the Book of Kells, believed to be written in 800 AD. Also, if you’re a fan of Oscar Wilde, you can visit the author’s childhood home. Dublin was the home to Irish author James Joyce as well, and you can learn more about his life by visiting the James Joyce Centre and taking a tour through the city of locations that served as inspiration for his works.

Oxford, England

In addition to being home to one of the largest bookstores in the world, Blackwell’s, and the world’s premium institution of higher education, Oxford was the stomping ground of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. The two author friends, who dubbed themselves “The Inklings,” would meet at the Eagle and Child Pub to discuss their literary endeavors.

Paris, France:

Paris is a dream romantic and cultural getaway as it is, and bibliophiles will delight in its literary offerings. First and foremost, Paris played host to “The lost generation” of writers including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and T.S. Eliot, American expatriates who wrote some of their most famous works there. You can also tour the nooks and crannies of the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore.

Edinburgh, Scotland:

A trip to Edinburgh for any Harry Potter fan would not be complete without a visit to The Elephant House, the cafe where J.K. Rowling started writing the Harry Potter books as a struggling, down-on-her-luck writer living on welfare. Who knows? You when you take a seat with your cup of tea, you may be sitting in the very spot J.K. Rowling once was.

Hartford, Connecticut:

Most of these locations are in Europe, so if you live in America, you won’t have to travel as far for this one. Make a trip out to Hartford to visit the Mark Twain House and Museum, a National Historic Landmark and the victorian home where Mark Twain lived and wrote from 1874-1891. While you’re there, you won’t be at a shortage of things to do; Hartford is a bustling city, and there are plenty of shops, restaurants, and beaches nearby in places like Greenwich and Mystic.

Stratford-Upon-Avon, England:

Another English city (you could plan a literary tour through England!), Stratford-Upon-Avon is believed to be the birthplace of the one-and-only, enigmatic William Shakespeare. You can visit the 16th-century restored Tutor home where Shakespeare is believed to have been born and learn more about the author’s life, as well as the childhood cottage of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife. Stratford-Upon-Avon is also home to the Royal Shakespeare Company, a theatre troupe that performs Shakespeare’s plays throughout the year at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Amherst, Massachusetts:

If you’re a fan of Emily Dickinson, be sure to pay a visit to the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, where you can visit two historic homes associated with the reclusive poet. The Homestead was Dickinson’s birthplace and home, while the Evergreens located next door was the home of her brother Austin, his wife Susan, and their three children.

Tips to Avoid Overpacking

February 21, 2017 by Ivana De Domenico

As a woman who travels a lot, I’ve had to learn how to cut back on what I bring. With airlines such as United Airlines getting stricter about their carry-on regulations and airports in general enforcing tighter security, it is especially important that you know how to avoid overpacking. There are certain essentials for any trip that you’ll want to make sure you include, but if you follow these tips, I think you’ll find that there are many items you can afford to leave behind.

If you’re traveling on a plane you should, of course, be aware of the carry-on limitations, such as the maximum dimensions for carry-on bags (9”x 14”x 22”), prohibited items, and the liquids rule established by the TSA. Nevertheless, whether you’re escaping for a week-long getaway to an exotic destination or just an overnight trip, there are some general guidelines you can follow for a smarter, less-stress packing experience. Why lug a giant suitcase around and practically throw your back out hoisting it into your trunk or onto the baggage check conveyor belt when you end up using only half of what you brought? Follow these simple tips and you’ll be an expert packer in no time!

Tip 1: Plan your outfits ahead of time for every day of your vacation and pack one extra. Instead of aimlessly throwing shirts and pants into your suitcase, actually put pieces together and pack one extra outfit just in case of an emergency (spills, rips, etc.). Certain pieces of clothing, such as jeans, can be worn more than once. You will save yourself a lot of space and also a lot of anxiety over whether or not you’ve remembered everything if you plan ahead.

Tip 2: Make a list. Again, to save yourself from unnecessary stress, make a checklist of everything you absolutely need for your trip. If you’re unsure about something, then you probably don’t need it, but if it helps, you can divide your list into sections- definitely and maybe, for instance- and cross off items as you go.

Tip 3: Check the weather before you go. There’s no sense in taking up extra space and weight in your suitcase with heavy, bulky clothing if it’s going to be 80 degrees and sunny wherever you’re going. There’s a glorious invention called the internet that allows you to check the day-to-day weather predictions several months into the future.

Tip 4: Use organizers. Organizers are your travel buddy when it comes to efficient packing- this is what they were made for! Use a separate pouch for your toiletries, makeup, and jewelry to save space and keep your things organized.

Tip 5: Give yourself plenty of time. Trust me, you do NOT want to make the mistake of scrambling to pack your bags an hour before you have to leave to catch your flight. That just creates unnecessary stress! Have your bag completely packed (zipped and ready to go) at least the night before you leave so you won’t impulsively toss in excessive items in your haste to leave on time.

Stress Sells: Travel Companies Tapping Into The Psyche of the Stressed Out Traveler

January 25, 2017 by Ivana De Domenico

Here’s an interesting idea: openly acknowledging, even advertising, the downsides of traveling to sell the experience to Americans eager for an escape. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? According to an article from The New York Times, many traveling companies are embracing the idea of self-mockery as a marketing tactic to get more people to travel. Getting through a stressful journey makes the destination all the more rewarding, or at least that’s what some travel companies are claiming.

In the past, hotel ads have emphasized the luxurious nature of traveling, while glossing over its tendency to be stressful and irritating as well. But some companies are testing out a new approach. A recent ad for Westin Hotels & Resorts reads, “Take back what seat 34E took from you.” Other ads from the hotel chain reference how traveling can disrupt one’s sleep schedule and diet. Westin is going where few travel companies have dared to go before, openly acknowledging what a hassle it can be to get away for some r&r.

Other companies are following suit. For instance, HomeAway reinstated a campaign it began last year featuring travelers experiencing awkward or unpleasant situations while on vacation as a strategy to compete with rival Airbnb. Hilton Hotels & Resorts coined the catchphrase, “Stop clicking around” to showcase the frustrating experience of searching for the best hotel deal online.

Even airlines are picking up on this trend of embracing flaws. There is not a lot these companies can do to make flying seem more glamorous, expect for promoting business/first class, so instead airlines like American Airlines and JetBlue are encouraging passengers to make light of the uncomfortable, often stressful, experience of air travel. American Airlines, for example, is advising travelers how to be the “world’s greatest flyers,” with tips like brining noise-cancelling earphones to drown out the wails of crying babies.

According to The New York Times, “Although it might seem counterintuitive, acknowledging negativity can make a brand seem more credible.”

What to do?