Travel Tip Tuesday - Mosquito's are out and hungry!

As we close in on the end of summer (and a late one here in the Northwest), you will find that your outdoor activities may be taken over by pesky bugs!  Our backyard evenings are now down to a routine; cover up, get sprayed and stay away from the wetlands. 

Recognize that while traveling you may encounter more than the usual amount of bugs, especially if your packing up for that weekend camping trip at the Lake or taking a jog through the shaded trees.

Here are some tips to preventing those nasty, itchy mosquito bites:

• Spray on bug repellent when going outdoors- don't forget your feet, ankles and the back of your neck
• Cover your body with clothing. If it's extremely hot out, wear thin or lightweight clothes.
• If your camping outdoors, be sure there are no mosquitoes in your tent before going to bed, otherwise they'll be having a blood sucking party all night long - no fun!
• If your staying in another country with major bug issues, request a net for while you sleep
• Don't leave any standing water while your outdoors, even a small bucket of water left untouched will become a Mosquitoes nesting place
• Close the doors of your home while playing outside. Our kids have the habit of running out and leaving them open. This can be hard sometimes but even closing the screen door helps.

Don't forget your pets!

• Yes, mosquitoes like animal blood too, so keep your pets indoors
• Fill any outdoor pet bowls with fresh water daily to keep the bugs out

Interesting Mosquito FACTS:

Who Doesn't like to Travel? Mosquitoes!
Most mosquitoes remain within a 1 mile radius of their breeding site.

Did you think Mosquito's eat blood? (So did I!)
Mosquitoes do not feed on blood. The female mosquito requires a blood meal for development of her eggs.

Find more fun and interesting Mosquito Facts on www.control-mosquitoes.com/

Travel Tip Tuesday - August 17th, 2010

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Deceptive Hotels - How to avoid them

In the digital age of photography, hotels and resorts can be deceptively inviting. Of course I don't expect them to slap up a photo of their maid service area, but manipulating photo's to make rooms, hallways, lobby's and other area's of their establishment to look much larger than they really are in person, isn't acceptable. A slight modification is no big deal, but when I'm expecting a room to handle four people and it's really only made for two, then we've got an issue. When the Olympic sized pool turns out to be slammed packed when there are five other childen occupying it, then we've got a problem. Don't advertise what you don't have and if your service and accomodations are worth the price your offering, you won't need to stretch the truth.

Here is how the story usually goes...

After a little online searching you come across the perfect hotel.  The right amount of space for all your bags, kids toys and the baby's pack n' play.  To top it off, it's right in your budget! 

Maybe the picture looked something like this...

A few weeks later you arrive to your hotel, excited for a great trip.  You walk in the door and here is what you REALLY get...

*example only- this is a great Seattle lodge

Did you really read the room description closely?  That oversized looking King bed turned out to be a Queen and all that floor space - well it was imaginary, or at least a slight "stretch" of the truth!

I've had this happen to me in the past and unfortunately during the moments when space mattered the most.  We had the entire family packed up for a week, crawling, playing and overall movement space was necessary.

How to Avoid them

I've found the BEST way to avoid this situation is once you've lined up your top picks for a hotel or other accomodation, google the hotel name.  See if other families have posted their vacation photos or if other third party booking agencies show more realistic photos of the property.  I have had this completely change my mind on properties when finding pictures from a new angle.  The one that wasn't touched up, stretched out and overloaded with added lighting.  Do the research and you'll be happy you did!

Travel Tip Tuesday - August 10th, 2010

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Lost in the Parking lot? - Travel Tip Tuesday

Ever gone to the airport, theme park or even the grocery store and forgot where you parked?  We'll here is a simple tip that can save you some frustration after a long day of fun with the Family at the zoo or any other place you may get lost in the jungle of cars!

Travel Tip Tuesday - July 20th, 2010

Grab your camera, iPhone or what ever is handy for a photo and snap one of the nearest permanent object that stands out to you. Could be a sign, huge rock or just something near your car.  Don't take a picture of the cool monster truck next to you, because he may not be there when you get back.  Most theme parks also have the identification signs to help you remember, so snap a picture of that.  Then when your day is about done, look back at that first photo of the day and see where you parked.  Super simple!

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This tip could save a childs life - Travel Tip Tuesday

Today's Travel tip comes from my sons Pediatrician.  During our last 2yr check-up he recognized that we do alot of family travel and gave me some wonderful advice. 

About 20 years ago our Pediatrician experienced loosing Three of his toddler patients. All separate incidences and separate families.  All three were on vacation, two visiting hotels and one at Grandma's house.  The toddlers were able to climb out of their beds and cribs and got out the door to the pool.  Sadly their rambunctious toddler curiosities led them to drown in pools during what should have been a fun family vacation. 

Block the hotel door, or any place you stay that's not home - with a chair, dresser or anything you can move to prevent tragedy.  Even if you think your child is unable to climb out of bed, neither did the parents who lost their children.  Our children amaze us by learning new tricks every day and maneuvering their way out the door in the middle of the night is not one we'd like to let them teach us.

I was even a little shocked thinking back on my last trip to Maui and having the EXACT issue with the entry door unlocking when my son pulled on the handle.  I was just generally frustrated that I was having to chase him down the hall every five minutes, but it never occurred to me that the pool was literally just steps away around the corner with no fencing, no locks and literally a straight walk into it at ground level off the grass.

This can happen to anyone, anywhere!  I hope this advice helps just one family to take this simple step to prevent tragedy from happening again.

Do you have any SAFETY tips for traveling with kids?  Please share! ShareThis

Travel Tip Tuesday - July 6th, 2010

Today I thought I'd do something a little different. Not necessarily a tip, but something Fun! 

I have to say I absolutely love how the English refer to a vacation as a "Holiday".  It sounds so much nicer and festive than just a vacation, vacay, road trip...etc.  So here is a list of how other languages translate the word "Vacation".

What do you call your vacation? Have any special lingo for it?

Language   "Vacation"                      Language        "Vacation"

Arabic         عطلة                               Greek             Διακοπές
Bulgarian     Ваканция                       Polish             Wakacje
Chinese       度假                               Romanian      Vacanta  
Czech         Dovolená                         Russian          Отдых
Danish        Ferie                               Spanish          Vacaciones
Dutch         Vakantie                          Swedish         Semester
Estonian     Puhkus                            Thai               วันหยุดพักผ่อน
Finnish        Loma                              Turkish          Tatil
French        Vacances
German      Urlaub

PS - You can imagine how my Spellcheck lit up on this post!

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5 things to remember as you head for the airport - Travel Tip Tuesday

 Here are a few items you want to remember before planning your trip to the Airport.

1. Depending on the length of your flight and what time it is, pack a good snack or even a breakfast, lunch or dinner to go! Liquids are prohibited beyond security, but FOOD IS NOT.  With airlines these days your lucky to get a pack of peanuts big enough to satisfy a bird and getting a small snack onboard runs in the $5-$7 range or more for a whole meal and vendors inside the airport are just as expensive in most cases.

2. Plan your route ahead of time and be sure to give yourself enough time for unexpected traffic. If your visiting a large city and have a mid-day flight home, you're likely to get stuck in the local rush hour.  Ask a local about traffic rushes and they can probably give you some tips on how to get around and when the best time to leave is.

3. Don't forget if your headed home and have a rental car, leave yourself some extra time to refill the tank of gas.  I almost completely forgot this important step on my last solo trip and found myself in a rush to find a gas station that was no where to be found near the airport.

June 29, 2010

4. Check into your flight the day before online and print your tickets.  This can save you some time, especially if your not checking any bags, then you get to head right to the terminal.  If you are checking bags, this can save you money with certain airlines who are offering discounts for prepaid baggage fees online.

5. Expect the unexpected! Even if you've done your job to get to the airport on time and did everything above to assure you didn't miss your plane, don't be surprised if your rushing to the gate only to see "DELAYED" on the board.  I have found that with flying you can't expect everything to go right 100% of the time.  Keeping this in mind, I find myself excited when things do go as planned and just appreciate getting home on time or near on time is just fine by me. ShareThis

Travel Tip Tuesday - June 22, 2010

Most airlines are now charging $15-$30 for your FIRST checked bag and even more for your 2nd, 3rd and so on. Don't forget, this charge is each way, adding up to $30-$60 per person, per trip!  Also don't forget, airlines have a checked bag weight limit, meaning if you go over the typical 50lb limit, you'll have even more Fees tacked on to your luggage, and these can get hefty - quite literally!

Taking a short trip? Check your airlines carry on baggage limit and you can save yourself some cash by hauling it on the plane yourself. Most airlines allow one "personal" bag (i.e. purse or laptop) and one suitcase that fits their size limits.  But, don't attempt to bring more luggage than the limit states, you may be required to check luggage, plus this is just a common courtesy to your fellow passengers by not taking up all the overhead space with your personal luggage.  I must admit, I scowl at people carrying 3-4 bags onto the plane that are clearly over the limit and some how get through the boarding process.  On our last trip to Hawaii my husband and I shared one large bag to check-in and saved some cash. 

Bringing a lap baby? Most airlines will allow an "extra" diaper bag as a carry on for the lap infant.  Check with your airline for lap infant baggage restrictions. 

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Travel Entertainment for $1 One Dollar - Travel Tip Tuesday

Our week in Maui has been full of eventful days, but what to do when your traveling and it's almost time for lights out and you don't have much to do.  We have found on our last few trips that many hotels & condos provide a DVD player. When we are home we don't have much time for movies, so having a movie night on vacation is fun, easy and CHEAP!  For $1.00 you can find the local grocery store or sometimes a McDonald's, Walgreens or Walmart to find a RedBox or DVDXpress movie rental station. Just be sure to return your video the next day and if your staying a while you can pick something new each time you return your video...were on movie #4 this week. And as a trip without the kids, we're able to rent Rated 'R' that we rarely see at home. 

June 8th, 2010

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Travel Tip Tuesday - June 1st, 2010

Today's travel tip comes from a lesson learned last week in Colorado. 

When your visiting a windy city you must do the following;

Place all papers and light weight items in the glove compartment
and
Open ONE door at a time

Otherwise you may end up looking like the goofy tourist chasing after her tour vouchers through the subway parking lot and then having to drive around the block to find them! 
I have never experienced so much wind in my life.  When we got out of the car I was nearly blown away.  And I thought they said Chicago was the "Windy City"! ShareThis

Stretching your Cruise dollar - Travel Tip Tuesday

Travel Tip Tuesday - May 18th, 2010

Many people who cruise choose this form of travel for several reasons. One usually being it's one of the most economical ways to travel for what you get.  Another way you can make your dollar stretch on a cruise is by eating free the entire trip.

If your planning your schedule for a day at port, think about meal times when booking excursions and tours. We try to have breakfast on the ship, schedule a tour or do our own thing in the morning and be near the ship to hop back on for lunch. And depending on how long the ship is in port, we head back to town for the evening and back in time for dinner. Now you can't always plan around meal time, but we have been able to do it on most of our cruises to at least save money on several meals off the ship. If your worried about getting hungry while your walking around port, grab a banana or snack from the buffet that will last in your pack during the day. It'll keep you from drowning your hunger in that delicious looking ice cream at the stand on the corner of "tourist have extra money to waste town"!

Secondly, limit your casual alcohol drinks to maybe "one fun night of drinking" and stick to the free juices, milk and water the ship provides. Or if you must have soda, buy the unlimited card they offer at the beginning of the cruise.  Alcoholic drinks can definitely add up if you don't pay attention to your shipboard account...just wait for that jaw drop when you see the bill at the end of your cruise!

Thirdly, don't waste your money on the paid dining.  More cruise lines are offering "extra special" paid restaurants or even a Johnny Rockets hamburger shop on Royal Caribbean cruise lines - but really people? There is so much gourmet food on a ship in the dining rooms and buffets that paying the extra money isn't worth it! 

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Travel Tip Tuesday - May 11th, 2010

If you missed this one on our Facebook page, thanks to a Travelers Barista Fan (Erin B.) for today's Tip! 

"Babypowder will remove sand! For those times where you are at the park and have sandy feet or if you are at the beach and dont want to have to put the baby in the shower, sprinkle some baby powder and you will be fresh and clean! Stays in the beach bag!"

Do you have a Travel Tip you'd like to share? email me at crystal@travelersbarista.com and I'd love to share your tips as well!

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Tips on Tipping - Add these items to your Travel expense list!

When you take a family vacation what's usually a major factor in where you stay, what you do and how long you're there?  For most of us, that's COST!  "Where can I get the best deals and save the most money?" is what many people consider when booking.  One extra cost that can add up quickly that many of us don't think about is TIPS!

Earlier this year we stayed in a nice hotel with a fancy (aka Expensive) restaurant inside and we found it was our most convenient place for meals in the morning before rushing out and at the end of the day after touring the City of Washington D.C.  The hotel had given us a half off coupon during our stay for the restaurant.  We kept our receipts so we could be sure our room was charged correctly, and it was.  But one thing I noticed as I double checked the charges was how much money we spent on Tips, just on food!

At the risk of sounding like a modern day Scrooge, I will tell you I'm not a fan of tipping and one must go above and beyond the call of duty to get a few extra bucks from this girl!  I have worked my share of serving jobs as a teen and appreciated receiving tips, but I believe tips are earned and I'm definitely not giving my Barista a $2 tip for my $4 cup of coffee, sorry!

Now that I have that cleared up, I wanted to remind you of a few TIPS you may be dishing out (if you chose to do so) during your vacation and if money is your priority for planning, be sure to include these items!

CRUISING:   Gone are the days on a cruise where you would hand your waiter, room steward and other attendants an envelope at the end of the cruise with your desired tips.  Now days tips are automatically applied to your shipboard account and charged at the end of the cruise.  Unless you request otherwise at the pursers desk to have it removed or changed.  A typical gratuity applied by the cruise lines is about $10 per day per person, including children in your cabin.  They divide accordingly to their staff.  With Free-style cruising this is a good way to tip, since you don't have the same waiter and staff each night.  Don't be afraid to lower the tip as you deem necessary, they don't ask questions just change as requested.  Or if you feel someone has done an outstanding job for you on the cruise, hand them a personal tip directly to assure it gets to the right person.
You'll also have your baggage handler at the cruise terminal try their hardest to get a tip from you, and as stated this is always optional.  They do not hand carry your bags all the way to your cabin, but take them to the luggage stations for handling onto the ship.

HOTEL:  At a hotel stay you may find your room maid to be outstanding or sadly disappointing.  This may not be someone you normally tip, but given the right situation you might want to.  Of course a valet parking attendant or baggage handler may also lend a hand while reaching out a hand for a couple dollars.

RESTAURANT:  Of course this is the typical place most tipping goes on.  Whether you sit at the bar for a quick drink or order a full course meal for the family, be ready to add this cost to your trip if you prefer to tip the waiters.  Also remember if your traveling with a party of 8 or more and eat out, you may subjected to an Automatic 15% or more tip on your bill.  If service is less than tip worthy, don't be afraid to speak with the manage to remove or change the amount of this automatic tip, it can be done.

TOURS: While traveling many of us enjoy booking a excursion to highlight our destination.  Don't be surprised when your tour guide reminds you of the wonderful day you've had and how your money helps him survive day to day.  If the tour was amazing and informative, I don't mind giving a couple dollars. I figure if there are at least 30 people on my tour, plus the several other tours they do in a day, my $2 is sufficient. I did already pay to be on the tour in the first place.

What are your thoughts on Tipping?
Do you believe it's necessary or something that is automatic? ShareThis

Travel Tip Tuesday - May 4th, 2010

Planning a cruise to Alaska?  Book at the end of the Season, last half of August and September and you'll find that vendors have marked their store items and great Alaska souvenirs down 50-75% off.  Most shops in these small Alaskan towns rely on tourist to operate and once the cruising season is over they close up shop.  They put their revenue out at remarkable prices!  I got a few great souvenirs for myself and even a nice sweatshirt for less than $12.  Also you'll find the cruise ships mark their Alaska related souvenirs on sale as well, but the best deals are on land! 

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Travel Tip Tuesday - April 27th, 2010

$5 SEAWORLD TICKETS for children through the end of the year!

Now through December 31, 2010, when U.S. residents purchase a full-price adult admission, children ages 3-12 receive a ticket to SeaWorld for only $5.00. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to a wildlife conservation project of your choice

Get your tickets at http://www.seaworldcares.com//

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Traveling the U.S.? Start here! - Travel Tip Tuesday

April 20th, 2010

Have a New destination in mind and don't know where to start?  Search for the city's official Convention and Visitors Bureau website.  They will most likely have a Visitors Guide you can view online or as I prefer, they will mail you the entire Guide for FREE.  I just got my Denver book in the mail today and it has some great information.  They provide local tips on attractions, dining, shopping, current events, accomodations,  maps and more!  It typically takes 2-4 weeks to receive a guide, so order as soon as you know your traveling, or better yet order them for inspiration on where to travel next! 

Check back every Tuesday for a new tip from Travelers Barista! ShareThis

Travel Tip Tuesday!

When traveling with Family, be sure to look for “family lines” at the airport security check in. This can make check in easier and less stressful for your group.

Check back every Tuesday for a new tip from Travelers Barista! ShareThis