Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Best Sites For Travel Deals - Find Out Who's The Best

Ah, the infamous question... Which sites, if any, are the best for finding cheap travel deals? Well, that's not the easiest question to answer, but if you're at all like me, you'll know that you can literally spend hour after hour searching the internet for that "perfect deal." And to tell you the truth, I just got tired of the same old runaround each and every time that I wanted, or had to, travel. So, I spent a little time to put together this little review of some of the best travel sites on the net.

#1 Travel Site

This first discount travel site is one that has really opened my eyes to lots of great travel deals. It's called Travelocity, they offer a huge range of features that can get you to where you want to be, and often times for a fraction of the cost.

Their #1 Feature/Benefit

This incredible tool can get you amazingly cheap prices. It's called FareWatcher Plus. It literally keeps track of travel deals & cheap prices for up to 10 destinations of your choice, insuring you the best possible rate on hotels, flights and more.

#2 Travel Site

Here's one that thousands if not millions have benefited from. It's called Expedia, and they defiantly pack a punch when it comes to saving you money.

Their #1 Feature/Benefit

They offer a huge selection of popular world travel destinations, including the option to earn reward points with your travels. So if you love to travel like I do, this can really help out.

#3 Travel Site

Here's one of the greats and I'm sure you've heard of it. It's called Priceline, and they truly are one of the greatest and most popular sites to use when it comes to great family travel.

Their #1 Feature/Benefit

This is, at least in my option, one of the neatest features/benefits in online travel. It's called Name Your Own Price, and it is truly a blessing! It actually gives you "the traveler" the ability to negotiate for that bargain price each and every time you travel.

Well friends, I hope you've learned something new that will help you to save money on your next family vacation or business trip. Just remember, traveling should be fun, and you CAN save money!

Stop Paying those Ridiculous Prices... Get More of the Travel Reviews & Tips that will SAVE you Money! And Find Out which Discount Travel Websites will Benefit you Before you Pay!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._R._Roberts

Secrets of Budget Travel for Families: Real Tips You Can Use Before Your Next Vacation

No question, you can drop thousands of dollars on a one-week getaway, but you certainly don't have to. If you know a few simple secrets, you can stay within your budget and still enjoy an exciting, unforgettable trip with the kids. All it takes is a little creativity and knowledge.

Here's what you need to know:

Saving on Family Airfare

Airline travel is unquestionably expensive, but many opt to fly over driving because of the time involved, as well as the cost of gasoline. There are a number of steps you can take to reduce your family airfare.

Many airlines still allow children under the age of two to fly free. The caveat is that no seat is guaranteed for the free price. Mom should expect to hold baby or toddler in her lap during the flight. Many times the airline will try to seat families traveling with a non-ticketed child next to an empty seat so that baby isn't restricted to a lap during the whole flight.

If you don't need much advance notice you can pick up some great last minute online fares. This is often difficult when a parent needs to schedule time off work and the children are in school. However, if you can leave on a moment's notice, it is a wonderful, affordable option. Do a Google search for "last minute flights" to locate these rates.

To save even more on airline travel, it really helps if you can be flexible with your travel dates. Typically Monday, Friday and Sunday are departure days that garner higher rates than if you left on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. It used to be that you had to stay over on a Saturday to get a better rate, but that's not always the case. Online booking sites, such as Travelocity and Expedia, allow you to play around with different dates and find out, at a glance, what your best option may be. One day earlier or later can save you big on the price of the ticket.

Also, check surrounding airports at both the departure and the arrival city. You may need to drive an hour or two to get to the different departure or arrival airport; however if it saves enough money on each ticket, it will be well worth the drive.

One family in the Midwest finds it much more affordable to fly out of O'Hare in Chicago. Yet they live over three hours away from ORD and also do not particularly care to drive in Chicago traffic. They found a win/win solution.

They drive 90 minutes toward Chicago and then pick up a motor coach bus that drops them off at the terminal of the airport. The children ride the motor coach for free and there are no long term airport parking fees either because they left their car at a park and ride. It's a creative way that offers them less hassle and cost less money in the long run.

Saving on Food While Traveling

Recent airline security makes it difficult to travel with food and beverages in carry on bags. However you can place some staples inside your suitcase and check your luggage under the belly of the plane. Peanut butter, bottled water, crackers, fruit and cans of tuna make great snacks when the kids are hungry. You can pick up additional items such as a loaf of bread, once you land. Don't forget to pack a can opener.

If you are driving to your destination pack a cooler full of food. It may be a little tricky making space in the trunk for the cooler; but once you realize the cost savings of not having to eat out every time someone is hungry, you'll be glad you brought it with you.

Saving Money on Lodging

You can also save money on lodging. Complete an online search using the words "kids stay free hotel." You'll be amazed at the number of hotels and inns that offer this perk. Also look over their amenities because many hotels also offer free continental breakfast.

Continental breakfast means a variety of things. In some places it means cold bagels, a banana and orange juice. In other hotels and suites, free continental breakfast includes sausage, cereal, eggs, potatoes, bagels, bananas, apples, oranges, juice and coffee. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and nothing like a free one to start the day right!

Traveling with the family on a budget doesn't mean you have skimp and cut back. It just means you may need to be creative and flexible – and that's what having a family is all about.

Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape at http://www.momscape.com. Visit today for the latest online Coupon Codes including coupons for discount travel packages.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_Jefferson

Traveling On A Budget

How to Travel Cheap - Family Vacation on a Budget
By Terrie Bryan Platinum Quality Author

Almost everyone loves to travel. I sure do, but I have to do so on a budget. If you are looking for ideas on how to travel cheap with your family, I've gathered a few hints together that may help you.

If you'd like to vacation at the beach, try getting several relatives together and split the cost of a rental on the beach. This will save you money in several ways. First and foremost, the cost of the rental will be split between all of you, and second, you will save money on meals because you can cook many of them yourself at the place you are renting. My family did this one year, we split between 3 families and it is one of my most memorable vacations ever. It was right on the beach and so much fun to wake up and take a long walk on the beach without many crowds and without being in a hurry to go anywhere. We ate out plenty, but we did save quite a bit by cooking quite a few of our own meals. Great fun.

Another great low-cost idea on how to travel cheap is camping. Now I will admit I am not much of a camper unless I have electricity, air conditioning, a shower, etc. But I know that there are many people who really enjoy the great outdoors complete with tent and sleeping bags. Kids really love this too! So if you are the outdoorsy type, give it a try on your next vacation and save some serious money at the same time. I can't vouch for this personally but those in the know say it is really enjoyable. If you are one like me who likes to travel with the RV or camper, places like Jellystone Park Camp Resorts and KOA are well known and plentiful, and they offer many family activities that don't cost an arm and a leg.

Here's another tip on how to travel cheap if you are planning a vacation to another state. Go online and check out the local newspaper. There are many deals and advertisements on how to save money, plus lots of local activities with coupons. If you can, have a copy mailed to you.

If possible, try to take your family on vacation in the off season, meaning try to avoid the middle of the summer or right at holidays. Sometimes you can get your kids some time out of school if they will make up the work. Or maybe you will be visiting some cultural areas with museums and science centers, and you can have your kids write up a paper for extra credit. Traveling in the off season is a great idea on how to travel cheap.

Finally, remember to purchase necessities before you leave (for example, sunscreen, aspirin, deodorant, toothpaste). These can be more costly if you have to buy them at the shop in the hotel. Purchase beforehand at the discount store or even the dollar store to save a few bucks.

These are just a few tips on how to travel cheap and have a great family vacation.

Want to find out how to travel cheap? Wonder how everyone else finds such great deals online? You can't afford not to check out http://www.the-cheap-traveler.com for secrets straight from a fired travel agent to you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terrie_Bryan