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Hotels March 21, 2018

Top 7 hipster hotels

If you’re a hipster, you’re probably the type who won’t want to stay somewhere mainstream.

Airlines March 21, 2018

How to score a seat on a private jet for less than a business-class airline ticket

Whether for business or pleasure, now's the time to check out your new and improved options—before everyone else catches on.

Hotels March 21, 2018

Last-minute summer deal destinations

Here are the top 10 cities that are offering fantastic last-minute savings for summer.

Consumerism March 21, 2018

8 air travel perks that have all but disappeared

Try not to become misty-eyed at the bygone era of in-flight amenities.

Beach March 21, 2018

7 tourist trap alternatives

Name recognition is the only thing you'll sacrifice if you swap out the usual tourist attractions for these lesser-known spots. The rest is gravy: think lower prices, fewer crowds, and more time spent actually enjoying the place you're visiting.

Airlines March 21, 2018

8 budget-busting travel fees to watch out for this summer

You booked the flight, you got the hotel, the rental car – maybe you even figured out how much your food costs are going to run you on your upcoming summer vacation. You're set, you're done, no surprises. Right? Well, maybe not. As we too often find out when traveling these days, the cost of the trip is not necessarily, well, the cost of the trip. Little fees, taxes, charges and surcharges pop up along the way, sometimes so often that before you're even in your destination, your budget has been all but blown up. Hitting the road? Keep your eyes peeled for these eight, often very expensive travel fees. With a little extra effort, many of them can be avoided. 

Budget Travel March 21, 2018

America's best national park campgrounds

There’s no magic formula to finding the perfect national park campground. But with 59 parks to choose from spread across wildly different terrains, there’s certainly one to suit every taste. You might be the kind of traveler who values proximity to the action, who wants to roll out of your tent and be within immediate hiking distance of waterfalls, canyons, geysers and mountain trails. Or maybe you’re heading to the parks with one very specific goal in mind: to catch a trout, to see a wolf, to spy a rare kind of bird only found in these parts, to summit the tallest mountain. Perhaps you’re a more seasoned camper who has already checked off every national park bucket list item and simply wants to find seclusion, privacy, peace and quiet. Or, then again, maybe you’re brand new to the world of camping and you wouldn’t settle for anything less than the relative luxury of a newly renovated cabin or cottage. The truth is, finding the best campgrounds is more of an art than a science. From Alaska to the Virgin Islands, Hawaii to Maine, we’ve collected some of our favorites. And we think we’ve hit the sweet spot—between rugged and comfortable, between off-the-beaten-path and accessible, between popular and underexplored. One goal we always had in mind was to find those campgrounds that best deliver on the promise of the particular national park. If we’re looking for a place to stay in the Grand Canyon, for example, we want canyon views. If we’re pitching a tent in Denali, why not do so in the shadow of the park’s namesake peak? And at a place like Hawaii Volcanoes, we want to be as close to the geological action as possible. Be sure to tell us if we’ve missed one of your favorites. Or perhaps you’re one of those happy campers who wants to keep your hidden gem truly hidden.

Budget Travel March 21, 2018

Fittest cruise ships

Cruises are traditionally a dieter's worst nightmare, almost on a par with French fries, glazed donuts and supersized sodas. According to a survey of more than 1,200 British cruisers, for instance, 52 percent said they’d gained up to 14 pounds during a two-week holiday. Even worse? About six percent reported putting on up to 18 pounds. But going on a cruise doesn't have to mean being cooped up, doing canned excursions, and letting your waistline bulge while you eat coconut shrimp by the pool. Instead, it can mean early morning Tai Chi classes on deck, getting a personal training session in a state-of-the-art fitness center with sweeping views, or putting in an early evening jog in the fresh ocean air. As the public becomes more and more health conscious, cruise lines are offering better options—by way of expanded gyms, fitness classes and over-the-top amenities like jogging tracks, climbing walls and artificial surf waves—to help you stay active while at sea. That way, if you're eating more food (and admit it—you will!), you can balance calories in with calories out without running up and down the stairs or doing lunges down the hallway (and attracting strange looks from fellow passengers). Rather than aim for absolutes—and run the risk of multiple ships from the same company (Royal Caribbean, for instance, would take many slots, based on the sprawling size of its ships alone)—we picked the top ships from 13 different cruise lines, in order to serve cruisers of every stripe, from the family types who might sail with Disney to those who prefer the luxury of a Regent Seven Seas vacation. To come up with our ranking, we looked at passengers per personal trainer, size and number of fitness centers, counted every piece of fitness equipment (at least that we could get numbers for) and factored in number of fitness classes and more exciting amenities like zip lines, rock walls and sports facilities. Ready to set sail on a fitness-friendly cruise? Here are 13 ships with calorie-crunching fitness offerings onboard to keep your waistline intact.

Beach March 21, 2018

How to make the most of summer in the Bahamas

Imagine sitting on a deserted beach in the crystal clear water with a stingray tickling your toes, the palm trees swaying. That was after a  beach picnic lunch of the fish we’d just caught that morning. Talk about catch of the day!  Welcome to The Bahamas.  Summer is a great time to visit, with hotel rates as much as 40 percent less.  Watch more from Eileen Ogintz. And if you thought all there was to the Bahamas was Atlantis and the Nassau you see when your cruise ship stops there, think again. I actually had my toes tickled by a stingray on a deserted beach in the Abacos Islands. This is the real Caribbean—calm waters, warm breezes, spectacular white sand beaches --and no people. I’ve gone bone fishing and gotten up close and personal with swimming pigs in the Exumas, I danced with local kids and got a lesson in making conch salad on a Friday night at Port Lucaya Marketplace on Grand Bahama Island.  I was hosted by a local Abaco family for a Bahamian feast through the People-to-People  Experience that connects visitors with locals—at no charge.  Cruisers can sign up to spend the day with a local Nassau volunteer when their ship is in port and see a different Nassau. This year, you can join in the Bahamas’ 40th anniversary celebration of independence. Independence Day is actually July 10,  but there will be celebrations and special events all summer long—concerts, regattas, parades and more. I just got back from touring some of the Bahamian Islands.  Here’s how to make the most of your time:   

Disney March 21, 2018

10 best kid-friendly hotels with water parks

Who doesn’t feel like a kid again when at a water park? Whether you’re visiting with your own kids, or are just trying to revive your inner kid, a water park can be just what you need for a little fun this summer. We’ve visited tons and tons of water parks during our travels, and have seen all kinds of slides, waterfalls, pirate ships, lazy rivers — you name it! But we whittled them down to the best of the best to show you. So check out our slideshow of the best water parks in the world.

Budget Travel March 21, 2018

13 beautiful natural swimming holes around the U.S.

It's almost summer, and we'll bet you want to go swimming. Lucky you, we found natural spots—gentle waterfalls, deep swimming holes, lazy rivers—where you can relax with a dip.