Travel Tonic

Bringing you what’s new in travel for February 6th 2010

• Smart Deal of the Week: Pack Your Bags, the Dominican Republic Is 40% Off – Carrie Havranek posted this over on Frommer's : It's winter in North America, so that means it's high season in those warmer, sunnier places. But it doesn't necessarily mean high prices, at least not with this promotion from Apple Vacations.
• Top 10 Tools for Finding Cool Stuff Nearby – Lifehacker's Kevin Purdy just posted this article:
  

  Sometimes the most interesting stuff in an unfamiliar city is hiding in plain sight. With the right location-aware and map-friendly web tools, you can find the best cheap eats, picture-worthy sights, and much more. Start with this list of in-the-know apps. …

  Read the rest at Lifehacker

Bringing you what’s new in travel for February 5th 2010

• Everything You Need to Know About Airport Security: A Primer for 2010 – Smarter Travel has posted some info about airport security: The past several weeks have been eventful ones in the world of airport security. But now that the dust has settled, it's time to lay out the basics every traveler should know before heading to the airport this year.

  Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.

• Rome: 5 best February values – Katie Parla recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:

  Join the Carnival celebrations Rome is embracing its carnevale traditions for the first time in centuries. The events lineup, spanning February 6 to 16, includes costume parties, musical performances, butteri (equestrian shows by Tuscan cowboys), and a parade in Piazza Venezia on February 14. Fireworks will cascade over the Pincio Hill, near the Piazza del Popolo, on Carnival, February 16. Free.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for February 5th 2010

• Readers’ Choice: Favorite island getaway in the world? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:We’re giving you the floor! We recognize that our readers are true experts, so we want to hear your thoughts on all sorts of travel topics.
• Olympics sites of the past and future – AmyS_travel recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:The U.S. hockey team’s “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid. Michael Phelps’ slew of swimming records in Beijing. Nadia Comaneci’s groundbreaking gymnastics routine in Montreal. The Jamaican bobsledders’ display of heart and sportsmanship in Calgary.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for February 4th 2010

• Click fast: 99-hour sales in the Caribbean & Mexico – JD Rinne recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:
  

  (Courtesy laratada/myBudgetTravel)
• Would you skip hotel housekeeping service for a $5 daily credit? – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:For every day you opt out of housekeeping at a Starwood hotel, you’ll get 500 bonus loyalty points or a $5 credit at the hotel restaurant.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for February 3rd 2010 through February 4th 2010:

• New site PackLate lets you rent a place after all – Sean O’Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:Have you ever been tempted to take advantage of the vacation-rental clearance—booking a beach home or mountain condo mere weeks before check-in?
• Google Map Buddy Generates High Resolution, Full Size Area Maps – Lifehacker’s Kevin Purdy just posted this article:
  

  Want a wall-sized satellite view of your neighborhood? A full-page street map of the town you’re visiting? Google Map Buddy, a free, portable map maker, grabs data from Google Maps and arranges it exactly how you want it. …

  Read the rest at Lifehacker

• Allerglobal Generates Allergy Travel Cards in Multiple Languages – Lifehacker’s Jason Fitzpatrick just posted this article:
  

  Having food allergies can be a big enough hassle in your native country, let alone when traveling where you don’t speak the language very well. Allerglobal helps you make language-specific food allergy cards to communicate in restaurants. …

  Read the rest at Lifehacker

• Have a (scientifically) happier vacation – Sean O’Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:
  

  (Courtesy pasotraspaso/Flickr)
• Couches in Coach: What Air New Zealand’s Gamble Means for You – Smarter Travel has posted some info about coach class: The coach-class upgrade could signal big changes industry-wide. Plus, updates on oversize passenger charges and why to avoid JFK this summer.Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.
• Family travel: “Stop telling us to pack light!” – Sean O’Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:An interesting discussion broke out in the comments on our recent post about whether shipping your bags to your destination is smart.
• San Francisco: Night at the museum – Justine Sharrock recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:
  

  The California Academy of Sciences (Courtesy Cheryl Lemanski/myBudgetTravel)
• 17 great destinations for chocolate lovers – RobinD_travel recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:Thank goodness for the equator. Its humid climate, regular rainfall and good soil are the perfect recipe for growing theobroma cacao, also known as the cacao tree. Its fruit is the precursor to Toblerone bars, Baci chocolate kisses, Lindt truffles, Hershey’s chocolate bars, Cadbury Crème eggs, Fran’s salted caramels, Ghirardelli squares and all other manifestations of chocolate goodness that are found in abundance this Valentine’s month.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for February 2nd 2010

• From Twitter – Feeling safer? RT @fox5sandiego Phony U.S. Marshal, prisoner make it through airport http://bit.ly/caKFvT
• Dirty tricks used with “Dirtiest Hotels” list? – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:TripAdvisor dished some serious dirt last week with the release of a list of the Dirtiest Hotels around the world, based on traveler reviews. Unsurprisingly, some hoteliers and industry reps weren’t too happy, and some are even threatening to sue, crying foul play.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for February 1st 2010 through February 2nd 2010:

• Super Bowl travel, without a super-high cost – Danielle Lipp recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:
  

  (Courtesy Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association)
• Introducing the “Skycouch” – Brad Tuttle recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:Air New Zealand has introduced a new couch-style seating arrangement, with cushions that flip up to make for comfortable and easy lounging. Most innovative of all: The Skycouch is in economy class.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for January 31st 2010 through February 1st 2010:

• San Francisco: 5 Best February Values – Justine Sharrock recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek's Travel Blog:
  

  (Courtesy Mini/myBudgetTravel)
• Olympic-Themed Vacations: Vancouver and Beyond – Smarter Travel has posted some info about 2010 winter games: With the 2010 Winter Games fast approaching, there's no better time to experience the Olympic thrill. Parents of Olympic athletes share their advice for successful snow-filled vacations.

  Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for January 27th 2010 through January 29th 2010:

• Cruise news: Norwegian offers studios for singles – JD Rinne recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:Norwegian Cruise Line announced this month that it will be offering studio cabins on its ship Epic. The exciting news: The studios are priced with solo travelers in mind.
• Readers’ Choice: Favorite and least favorite airlines? – Budget Travel recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:We’re giving you the floor! We recognize that our readers are true experts, so we want to hear your thoughts on all sorts of travel topics.
• Wackiness on the waves – AmyS_travel recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:When I was little, my idea of cruises was shaped by the TV series “The Love Boat”: I saw cruise trips as happy but staid experiences, where you had quite a bit of sedate fun but did little out of the ordinary. To put it mildly, I was wrong.
• Belize: Answers to your vacation FAQs – Sean O’Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:
  

  (Courtesy ashled2/myBudgetTravel)
• LaptopFriendlyCafes Finds Great Wi-Fi Spots Worldwide – Lifehacker’s Kevin Purdy just posted this article:
  

  Not every coffee shop is friendly to laptop toters these days. Then again, some are absolutely great to set up inside. LaptopFriendlyCafes.com lists more than 300 places around the globe that have plugs, Wi-Fi, 3G, and, oh yes, coffee. …

  Read the rest at Lifehacker

• Norwegian Cruise Lines Reaches Out to Single Travelers – Smarter Travel has posted some info about norwegian cruise line: Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Norwegian Epic includes 128 studios designed for single occupancy. But are these small cabins worth the price tag?Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.
• London: Best places for afternoon tea – Alex Robinson recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:
  
  [+] Enlarge photo

  The scrumptious raspberry macaroon at Claridge’s Hotel, an Art Deco jewel in London (Courtesy vancouvergirl/myBudgetTravel)

  The top traditional places downtown for afternoon tea are Browns (brownshotel.com) which won the Tea Guild’s award for the best tea in the capital in 2009 and the Dorchester (thedorchester.com). Both are expensive at around $50, and whilst you don���t have to dress up to the nines, they are conservative establishments where people talk in hushed tones.

  Personally, I’d opt for somewhere cheaper, younger and less stuffy. Go to Bloomsbury (a neighborhood near the British Museum, made famous by the Virginia Woolf and her literary set) and drop into Bea’s (beasofbloomsbury.com), which offer sumptuous cakes and tea in a little café for around $12. And whilst it’s a 40-minute subway trip from the city center near the Canary Wharf financial district, the Mudchute Kitchen (mudchutekitchen.org) has generous farmhouse teas with a strong brew and cream cakes, on a 32-acre urban farm, also for around $12. It’s cozy spot, and kids are welcome as well.

• Find a Cheaper Car Rental Rate Away From the Airport – Christopher Elliott of Tribune Media Services posted this over on Frommer’s : You can save over half off the price on your next car rental if you skip the airport agencies, but this won’t always lower your total cost. Here’s why.
• New Taxes, Fees, and Charges for Travel in 2010 – Smarter Travel has posted some info about rental charges: Tourist taxes, extra car rental charges, and airline fees for travelers departing out of Britain are just a few of the new costs you can expect to encounter this year.Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.
• Ithaca, N.Y.: A travel deal for teachers – Sean O’Neill recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:Why aren’t more travel deals aimed at teachers? Leading by example is the small town of Ithaca. From Feb. 12-21, Ithaca is holding its fourth annual Winter Recess, with deals offered explicitly for educators and their families.
• Landmarks at 30,000 feet – RobinD_travel recently posted this over on the Bing Travel Blog:The next time your jet is soaring through the lower stratosphere, grab a window seat and take the opportunity to enjoy a short lesson in U.S. history, geology and geography.

Bringing you what’s new in travel for January 26th 2010 through January 27th 2010:

• San Francisco: A foodie’s food court – Justine Sharrock recently posted this on This Just In… Newsweek’s Travel Blog:In food-obsessed San Francisco, even the mall rats are gourmands.
• Putting Non-Liquid Toiletries to the Test – Smarter Travel has posted some info about toiletries: Looking to travel light without going without? Our intrepid testers put four alternatives to liquid toiletries to the test. Find out which delivered, and which fell short.Head over to www.smartertravel.com to read the whole article.