When planning off-season excursions, the key is to consider some venues that might normally seem a bit counter-intuitive. Since school has already started, where are the places that families with kids normally go? Similarly, Europeans, who traditionally vacation in August, are also back at work by mid-September. So their popular haunts are going to be much less crowded...

If you can think along those lines, you should have no problem finding a great off-season deal in a fabulous destination. Here are some tips:

1. Ask yourself what you want to do at your destination. As an example, summer is Europe's most popular season, but the winter months are also a great time to enjoy the indoor attractions, such as museums, shopping and fine dining, without having to worry about crowds or lines. 

2. Get started online. Start with the large travel websites, including: Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com, Expedia.com and Hotels.com. Other popular sites for frequent travelers: Sidestep.com, Kayak.com and Mobissimo.com.

For cruise deals, see: CruisesOnly.com and CruiseCompete.com. For extra special celebrations, check out deals on four- and five-star accommodations on LuxuryLink.com, and first-class airfare at FirstClassFlyer.com.

3. Once you decide where you're going, call the airlines and ask them to pull up all the published prices for the route. This will help to find the cheapest flight that also meets your needs.

4. Call before you book online. With many airlines, if you book by phone you have 24 hours to cancel. With Internet sites, you often have to book immediately or risk losing the deal. Many times airlines and hotels will match or beat Internet offers.

5. Consider several options. In the off-season abroad, it might cost the same to stay in a small- or medium-sized hotel as it would to stay in a family-run hotel or pension. So the real question becomes: What kind of travel experience do you want?

6. Try something out of the ordinary. If you're interested in a cruise, consider either a repositioning cruise (designed to get the ship from one of its serving destinations to the next) or dates scheduled for the first or last week that the cruise ship serves your destination. The first or last week often book for lower prices than the rest of the season. One possible risk: The weather might not be as good.

7. Don't be afraid to try the last-minute approach. You can benefit from the world of unsold inventory in the off-season. Some great websites are: 11thHourVacations.com, lastminute.com, and LastMinuteTravel.com.

8. Another strategy of the off-season is to just show up. With hotels, it's a great time to just walk in and bargain for the best room rate you can get. Since the off-season means plenty of empty hotel rooms, if you don't get a price you like, simply go down the street.

9. The off-season is the best time of year for on-your-own, do-it-yourself travel. Scope out hotel websites and get the scoop on family-run hotels and pensions by checking out guidebooks.

10. It never hurts to ask for a better deal. It's the off-season, and therefore it's less crazy. You should be in a better place to request exceptions and they should be in a better position to give them to you.

 
Rail travel has a lot of advantages over other forms of transport. Pretty much any large city in the world is serviced by at least one railway line, along with countless local and commuter services. Many of today's trains still have historic names such as the Trans-Siberian Express or Sunset Limited, Blue Train, or Orient Express, and follow the same routes as their original namesakes.

Trains allow you to travel in safety and comfort, and their old-worldly charm sets them apart from more mundane means of transport. They pollute less, rarely suffer from weather delays and won't give you jet lag. You can talk to your companions, read a book, play some cards or have a snooze. When you're not captivated by the passing landscape, you might go for a stroll, have a meal in the dining car, make friends in the bar or watch a movie.

Trains can be a very inexpensive way see the world, especially if you use an unlimited ticket such as Eurorail, Interail or a North America rail pass. Train travel is great for people who are afraid of air travel, have a medical condition which would make it unsafe, or simply don't want the inconvenience of driving. It may also be a novelty, especially for families with children, who are usually fascinated by trains. It's often easier to care for small children on a train than on a plane or car trip. Some people go by train solely for the amazing scenery or to relish the journey itself, giving them a peaceful respite on either side of their destination.
Here is one approach to packing that will help you optimize your space, stay organized, and keep your clothing wrinkle-free.

The Bundle Approach - For this ingenious method of packing, you'll need luggage that opens up and lays flat. You will also need a flat, soft, pouch-like rectangular "core" with dimensions that are at least 1/2 to 3/4 the size of your luggage compartment. This can be a pouch filled with underwear or something similar.

Start with your sports jacket or the longest, most wrinkle-prone item you have. With the collar or waistband flat, place it against the bottom edge of the bag and drape the rest of the garment over the opposite side of the bag. Take another garment and place it in the opposite direction, flattening and smoothing out both garments in the bag and draping the remainder over the side. If you have pants or other narrow items, do the same with them in the narrow direction of the bag. Keep alternating your items, ending up with the most wrinkle-resistant clothes you have.

When you finish, place your "core" in the middle. Now you're going to start folding the garments over the core and each other in the reverse order you put them in. If you fold something over and there's excess draping over the sides of the bag, tuck it underneath the bundle.

What you will end up with is a bundle of all of your clothes that looks like a pillow. You can pick it up in one piece. It's compact and doesn't waste space in your luggage. If done properly, each layer should result in a self-contained bundle at each section. Plus, because of the way things are folded, your clothes are less likely to wrinkle.

To find something in the bundle, simply lay it flat and unwrap each layer until you find what you want. Take the item out and refold the rest.

Think you need a vacation now? Just wait until you're scouring the Internet for cheap air fare -- then you'll really be ready for a week off!

Unfortunately for weary travelers, there's no real shortcut to finding cheap airfare. As with any purchase, you need to shop around to get the best deal -- by trying different booking sites, altering your dates, and waiting until just the right time to purchase.

Here are some tips:

1. Always shop around.
No matter how good it sounds, you should never book the first fare you see. Start your search by checking a few of the major online travel providers, like Travelocity, aggregator sites like Kayak.com, or consolidators like CheapTickets.com. Then, head directly to the airline websites to see if the same flights are any cheaper (some airlines guarantee the lowest possible fares on their own sites). If you don't see anything in your preferred price range, don't be afraid to bide your time and watch the fares for a bit. Most major booking sites will e-mail you when your fare drops to a price within your range.

2. Buy early.
Especially during peak travel periods, making reservations late in the game can cost you a lot of money. Airline ticket prices typically go up 21 days, 14 days, 7 days and 3 days before flying, so if you're planning ahead, try to make the call before these deadlines. If you're traveling internationally, you'll want to book at least 3-6 months in advance for the best deals. However, sometimes you can get lucky if you wait...

3. Buy late.
You can often buy tickets at the very last minute for a great price, if the airlines have failed to fill their seats. Many airlines offer weekly newsletters that feature their best last-minute deals. You can also find many of them listed at sites like LastMinuteTravel.com. If you are flexible and can handle the suspense, you can find great deals on flights to attractive destinations.

4. Know when to buy.
The hardest part of booking a flight is knowing when to stop tracking fares and make that final purchase. If you're flying within the U.S. or Canada, Farecast.com can help you reach that decision, offering fare predictions for more than 75 cities. Just plug in your itinerary and the site will advise you either to book now or to wait, depending on whether the fare is expected to rise or drop. HINT: Most airlines launch fare sales on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

5. Flexibility is key.
Check out the fares from all of the airports near you, depending on how far you're willing to drive. Many airfare search engines will ask you if you are willing to depart from or arrive in more than one city. Also, experiment with different travel dates--shifting your itinerary by a week or even a few days can make a significant difference in price. The best deals are usually found on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

6. Look into discounters.
Discount airlines can save you a bundle, but they're not always easy to find. Luckily for us, discounters are cropping up more frequently on aggregators and booking sites (Kayak now offers fares for JetBlue, Spirit and AirTran, for example). If you're traveling outside the U.S., don't forget to check the international discounter airlines as well.

7. Use those miles!
Why pay a fare at all when you can use your frequent flier miles? Although redeeming miles has gotten more difficult in recent years, it's still a good option to consider, particularly if you're booking early; airlines designate a very limited number of seats on each flight as eligible for award travel, and these seats go quickly.

8. When fares go down, request a refund.
If fares go down after you've purchased your ticket, ask for a refund! You may not always get one, but policies vary by airline -- and many do not publicize the fact that they will refund you the difference if prices go down.

9. Look into air passes.
In order to promote tourism in their countries, many national airlines offer air passes at reduced rates for tourists. If you're planning to do extensive travel in one country or region, an air pass might be your most cost-effective option. Planning an even bigger trip? Look into around-the-world tickets and fares.
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Destination: Relaxation


Feel like you need to get away in order to really wind down? A peaceful travel destination might be just what's in store. Here are a few places to relax that you may not have considered before.
  • Turks and Caicos Islands - Quiet, remote islands with beautiful beaches where the number one activity is doing nothing at all.
  • Italy's Lake District - Enjoy waterside promenades and serene outdoor activities while taking in castles, villas, harbors, and lush scenery.
  • Tobago - While Trinidad is bustling with activity, it's quiet counterpart is treasured by birders, scuba divers, and those looking to get away from it all.
  • Hot Springs, North Carolina - Tucked away in Western NC, Hot Springs is renowned for its healing mineral springs and resplendent mountain setting.
  • Salt Spring Island, British Columbia - Watch otters, seals, eagles and heron or just gaze at the stars in this jewel of British Columbia's Southern Gulf Islands.


Video: Puerto Vallarta Ecotour



Resources: Traveling in a Troubled Economy
Here are some online tools to help you save a few bucks when making important travel choices...

Read advice and reviews from real travelers, so you know you're getting the best deal before you go: TripAdvisor.com

Create a budget for your airfare and other travel expenses with this Travel Budget Calculator

Check out Gasbuddy.com for a rundown of the lowest gas prices across the country

Get exchange rates for any currency with this online currency converter

Find the best airfare fast at FareCompare.com

Find the best rates for flights and hotels with this comprehensive travel search engine: Mobissimo.com


How to Stay Healthy While Travelling


There is little worse than planning a long-awaited vacation only to find yourself getting sick during that intended fun time. It takes months to plan a lengthy trip, and when you become ill somewhere along the way it can ruin your time and memories.

Instead of sightseeing or lying on the beach, you are in your room, alone and unable to do what you want. Given the need to avoid illness on a trip, it is a good idea to look at a few tips on how to remain healthy while traveling.


It is actually fairly easy to stay healthy on vacation. You need to plan. Before you depart, check the climate so you pack the right types of clothing. You certainly don’t want to be stuck in a blizzard without a coat, gloves, and a hat, so travel prepared by knowing the predicted weather at your destination.

Additionally, research the particular area in which you will stay to learn whether there are drinking water restrictions. You’ll find that many people who travel to other countries wind up in bed with “Montezuma’s Revenge.” It would not be a bad idea to buy bottled water when you are in any country other than your own simply based on the fact that you do not know the contaminants in other nation's water supplies.

Another important tip is to consider what you are eating. Granted you want to splurge a bit, but it is vital that you keep your dietary restrictions prominent in your mind.  It is no different with other foods that don’t sit well with you. Just because you are in a different location doesn’t mean you can dramatically change your eating patterns without unhealthy consequences. This includes overeating -- a common practice while on vacation.

Lastly, don't neglect to bring any medications your doctor has prescribed for you. In another country, it will likely be more complicated acquiring a dosage that covers your visit time.

If you follow these basic recommendations, you will likely remain healthy and enjoy your time away from home.
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