TRAVEL

Holidays are expensive enough, so when it comes to family travel at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, my motto is don’t pay a penny more than you have to. These tips can help keep trip costs in check, and my top tip is really simple: Hurry!by Rick Seaney | ContributorAirline Ticket Shopping Tips• Shop now: If you plan to travel for Thanksgiving, there’s not a moment to waste and you can also buy December holiday tickets now. Do not expect last-minute deals; the once-common bargains no longer exist. Shop immediately.• Figure out your travel dates: Cheapest days to fly during festive periods are almost always the holiday itself, and if you can take off early on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day, you won’t miss much (plus the airports will be super-easy to navigate).• Compare fares: Always ...

Jo Lochabay “I leave a 6-outlet power strip and an extension cord in my suitcase so I never forget to bring them on the family vacation. With our family of five, we need plenty of outlets to charge our phones, laptops and other digital devices, and most hotels have too few outlets in inconvenient locations.”Jennifer Green Belshaw “A lot of hotels in dense cities have limitations on the number of people you can have in a room. They can force you to rent two or more hotel rooms if you are traveling with more than three people, even if there are two beds in a room. Hotels on the outskirts of a town will have larger rooms, but they’re usually far away from the things you want to see. Renting an apartment has worked out great for our family of five. Usually 25% of the cost of a hotel and plenty...

Summer’s the time for a getaway – with or without the kids. Now, let’s make it cheap (or at least, cheaper); here are some days and dates to keep in mind. Bottom line – The best deals are available when most people don’t want to travel. Bonus – There are fewer crowds at the airport.by Rick SeaneyFirst, let’s look at some cheaper dates to consider and then some specific cheaper days.Cheaper Dates to Fly – U.S.The following is true for most routes, but there is always some variation which is why my mantra for airfare shoppers is always compare airfares.• May 16: This is the last day to begin a trip and pay the cheaper spring fares. Starting May 17, higher pre-summer ticket prices kick-in so depart before then.• June 9: This is the last day to take advantage of better fares before the peak su...

How to Find Cheap Flights to Visit Colleges and Universitiesby Rick SeaneySo you’re about to embark on a tour of colleges and universities to see which one’s the best fit for your teen. Or maybe he has already been accepted, and you’re going to scope out the scene with an eye toward dorms or apartments. Either way, you will want to get there for the least amount of money, and here is how to do that.If you’re driving, good news—gas is cheap. That’s good news for flyers, too. Low oil prices mean airfare prices are relatively flat compared to last year. Here are other ways to save:Avoid flying during the most expensive season.Try to avoid visiting schools in the summer time; prices are highest in this peak travel season. Plus, a quieter-than-normal campus won’t give your child a realistic vie...

NEVER FORGET…by Melissa Chaiken | Section EditorI am an avid reader and I love to read a wide variety of genres – fiction, non-fiction, classic literature, historical novels, mysteries, thrillers, biographies, etc. However, sometimes when a book is recommended to me or selected by my book club, I will look at the title or check out the synopsis and let out a little sigh. I am talking about books that are about the Holocaust – I often feel I just can’t read one more book on this subject. It’s painful, it’s gutwrenching and it’s just downright unpleasant to relive some of the most horrific treatment of human beings in our world’s history. Then, I give myself a little jolt back to reality and think, “but isn’t that the whole point?”. Most of us go about our very comfortable lives and cannot e...

by Rick Seaney | ContributorAre you the Family Travel Agent? Most of us have one—an organized soul who can get things done, whether it’s finding the best flight for a European vacation or getting a deal for Grandpa’s annual Thanksgiving visit.Then there are tougher tasks like finding a good fare for everyone going to the family reunion, or the girls’/guys’ getaway to Vegas, or the mini-break at the beach with the neighbors. Or maybe you want to be with your sister across the country when she has her baby. All of these prove to be difficult tasks because of their uncertain dates.Is finding a deal when dates aren’t firm out of the question? No, but the biggest obstacle occurs when you scoop up a perfect deal only to discover the dates don’t work for everyone. Then if you adjust your plans, y...

Travel enriches our lives, broadens our perspective and gives us memories to last a lifetime. Professional travel expert Wendy Sandridge with TravelStore has a passion for custom-tailoring exceptional luxury vacations to help you explore the world your way. She has stayed at the best resorts, set sail on the top cruises, and has had the transformative experiences she will recommend for you. In the pages ahead, Wendy reveals some of her favorite destinations. BON VOYAGE!by Kristin Cicciarelli | ContributorCLICK HERE to see The Good Life Travel Guide!

Looking for a Dream Vacation?Look no further than ‘Travel Mom’ Wendy Sandridgeby Kristin Cicciarelli | Contributor“I center my business around building relationships.”– Wendy SandridgeYou might say that travel agent Wendy Sandridge with TravelStore inherited the travel bug naturally. Her mother, Barbara, owned a travel agency for 37 years, so Wendy grew up lucky enough to experience all the wonders of world travel. Though she started out in the hotel business, she referred so many clients to her mother’s agency that eventually she decided it was her dream career, too. She knew she’d made the right choice during the very first trip she planned. “I sent out an email to 10 friends, asking if they wanted to go on a cruise for fall break to the western Caribbean out of Galveston. We ended up wi...

Paris for our Anniversary? What a Surprise!by Colin Smith | ContributorWhen I saw a client recently, he told me that he was taking his wife to Paris for their wedding anniversary. After I congratulated him (and made a mental note to borrow his idea), I asked about his two children. He told me that they were staying with friends. As his lawyer, I received the following question: since both parents would be out of the country, were the kids fully protected in case of undue travel delay? I reviewed their estate and prepared a few documents. My efforts were beneficial because it turns out that they were in Paris during the latest terror tragedy and thankfully returned home on time and in perfect health.International travel conjures up concerns of setbacks and terrorism, but domestic travel can...

The holidays can be a killer: shopping, cooking and family visiting, not to mention the cleaning up. So you deserve a vacation (or maybe you don’t, but I won’t tell). Fortunately winter is the perfect time for a cheap getaway. Here’s how to create one in four easy steps, but you must act now.Step One: Choose the Right DestinationSome destination ideas that won’t break the bank:• The Caribbean will be pricy, but there are often a few relative bargains including Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and sometimes Bermuda (especially from New York).• Flights to Florida are usually good deals, especially Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando and Tampa.• Skiers should look at two generally cheap cities: Boston, which offers easy access to New England resorts, or Denver, the gateway to excellent skiing in the Rock...