Save Money on Travel this Summer

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Puerto Vallarta Summer VacationAhh, summer vacation is just around the corner. We keep hearing about how gas prices are continually on the rise, and how people are stretching the dollar further now than ever before. But let’s face it — you work hard all year round, and you certainly deserve a little R&R. The good news is that you can afford to travel and experience a wonderful summer vacation.

How can you save money on travel this summer? Glad you asked!

Flexibility goes a long way when you want to save money on travel. If you’re open to different departure and return dates, you may be able to get a better deal on already cheap flights, hotels and vacation packages.

Insider’s Tip: Flying midweek on Tues/Wed can save you a bundle. Wait til later in the afternoon, too, to find out which airlines are slashing prices to compete.

Creativity can also help you save money on travel this summer. For example, flying from Toronto to Colorado roundtrip can cost about $800. But if you take a train, bus or drive across the border to Buffalo, you could fly to Colorado for about $500 or less.

Insider’s Tip: You can save even more when you use a travel agent to book everything at once – car rental, flight, hotel, etc.

Luggage: Travelling light helps when you’re flying. To save money of travel expenses at the airport, try to check as few bags as possible, and keep them light. Overweight bags can really put a dent in your wallet. Even carry-on bags can cost, so be sure to check if your airline lets you carry-on for free or not.

Insider’s Tip: Read “9 Things you Didn’t need to Pack for the Cruise” to get some packing tips on how to travel light.

Sensibility: avoid getting sucked into buying things you don’t need! A friend of mine recently travelled to a sunny destination all-inclusive resort and before she even left the airport she was reeled in by time-share sales people who managed to fandangle $75 bucks out of her. How? They offered an “amazing deal” on a trip to the local attraction, combined with breakfast, mimosas, the whole nine yards. And all you have to do is “listen” to a spiel.

Insider’s Tip: What they fail to mention is that you have to get to this location at your own expense (at 6am tomorrow, btw), and the finer details state that you must sit there for an 8-hour presentation, pay for your food after the free breakfast, and then you have to sign your life away in blood to get the tickets they promised you to swim with the dolphins. OK, not literally, but you get the idea ;-)

If you have some helpful hints on how to save money on travel this summer, we’d love to hear from you! Share your ideas below.

Niagara Falls Approves Death-defying Stunt

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Niagara Falls Looking for exciting trip ideas? Consider joining the estimated 200,000 on-lookers as Nik Wallenda attempts a death-defying stunt at Niagara Falls. The daredevil arrived this past weekend to begin practicing his 1,800-foot tightrope walk across the American and Canadian Falls, which is scheduled to take place on June 15th.

After being turned down by the Niagara Parks Commission in December, Wallenda appealed the decision in February and was granted permission to walk the tightrope across the Falls. In a surprising turn of events, the second NPC vote was unanimous, not only giving Wallenda the go-ahead, but also allowing future daredevils to perform the stunt “once a generation,” which means one lucky candidate every 20 years or so. The decision was made in an effort to pay tribute to the history of daredevils that helped make Niagara Falls the global tourism destination it is today.

“To get that green light, I feel like I’m on top of the world,” Wallenda said. “Even though I heard no, there was no point that I thought this wasn’t going to happen. It’s a dream, and I hope it’s inspirational to everyone out there.”

After a decade-long ban, why the sudden change of heart by the NPC? Money talks. “I look at this as a fantastic opportunity for us to make money,” said NPC commissioner, Vince Kerrio. “We’re already busy in July and August so I think it would be better if it was in June. Let’s do it at a time when it would help us.”

Wallenda will practice twice daily at the Seneca Niagara Casino on a 365-metre wire, and invites the public to watch for free. He expects the 548-metre Niagara Falls tightrope walk to take about 45 minutes, crossing from Goat Island in Niagara Falls, N.Y. to Table Rock in Niagara Falls, Ont., which has never been done. The first tightrope walker to cross the Falls (much farther downstream) was Jean Francois Gravelet, aka the Great Blondin, back in 1859.

Gravelet’s numerous stunts began a succession of future daredevils, some of whom managed to survive:

  • Annie Taylor, a 63-year old school teacher who went over the Falls in a barrel in 1901
  • Bobby Leech, who went over the Falls in a steel barrel in 1911
  • Quebec native Jean Lussier went over in a 6-foot rubber ball in 1928
  • Andrew Jenkins crossed a tightrope riding a velocipede in 1869
  • Maria Spelterina, the only woman to cross the Niagara gorge on a tightrope, did so in 1867

In preparation of this spectacle, many hotels on both sides of the border are already booked to the max, so visitors are encouraged to make reservations sooner than later. Visit walkthefalls.com for viewer information as it becomes available and consult your vacation expert at tripcentral.ca for lodging on both the US and Canadian sides.

 

Top 7 SmartPhone Travel Apps

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Travel AppsNo matter where you look in the airport, train station, or bus stop, you’ll find people with their heads down staring at a handheld of some sort. Many of them are even searching desperately for quick travel information to get where they’re going. Unfortunately, you sometimes see people doing the same thing while driving to their destinations. Sidebar: not cool, stop doing that.

To avoid the hassle of finding last-minute directions and details, you need to know which travel apps to load on your smartphone to help make your trip as smooth as can be–and you really should do that before you leave the house. We decided to do the research for you and here are what we think are the top travel apps for people on the go.

Cheap Gas: This one shows you where to get the cheapest gas wherever you are. It’s a free app that uses your handheld’s GPS system to pinpoint where you are, and then lists all the gas prices within a certain radius.

Zagat: Gives you access to restaurant reviews and ratings from Zagat Guides. Browse online or off to find the closest Thai take-out, 50s diner, or fine dining restaurant. Very handy when you’re in a strange city.

UrbanSpoon: With this little app all you have to do is shake your phone and watch the dials spin like a slot machine .When it stops, up pops a guide to the best local restaurants. It’s a fun, free app.

Where: Need to know what’s around you within a few blocks? This app helps you find everything from Starbucks to movie theaters and show times. Another free app.

Find My iPhone: Obviously this one helps you … yep, you guessed it … find your phone! A few simple setup steps and if you leave it somewhere accidentally, you can view a map on any computer to see where you left it. You can also send a message to help retrieve it, and remotely erase its data.

Wi-Fi Finder: Don’t pay int’l data rates, just find the nearest Wi-Fi signal. This finder tracks over 200,000 hotspots in 135 countries. This one’s free, too.

HD Video recording: This app is built into the new iPhone, so you don’t have to download it. It allows you to film every memorable moment of your life in 1080p HD, which makes your vids crystal clear.

Do you have a few favorite travel apps that our readers might find really handy? We want to hear from you, please share it with us below!

5 (other) Things to Do & See in San Francisco

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Golden Gate Bridge San FranciscoIt’s the city by the Bay, famous for Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. But there is so much more to see and do in San Francisco! Fortunately, because the city is considerably small (by “big city” standards), spanning just 49 square miles, it’s easy to see more sites and experience local attractions.

Here are 5 (other) things to do and see in San Francisco – something for everyone:

  1. For Shoppers: Union Square is a shopper’s paradise. Here you’ll find all the major department stores as well as exclusive designer boutiques. The Square stretches along streets including Post, Sutter, Grant, Stockton, Powell and Geary. In San Francisco’s Westfield Shopping Centre you’ll find the 2nd largest Bloomingdales (runner up to New York, of course) and the 2nd largest Nordstrom in all of the US.
  2. For Couples: North Beach, which isn’t a beach, but rather a romantic Euro-style neighbourhood.  Here you’ll find sidewalk cafes and restaurants, perfect for an intimate lunch for two. There are also lots of small shops along Columbus and Grant Avenues near Washington Square.
  3. For Artistic Types: San Francisco is internationally recognized for its superior opera, symphony and ballet companies. Experience the culture as playwrights Sam Shepherd and Tom Stoppard did when they introduced their works to the San Francisco theatre industry way back in the day. Be sure to visit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, too, as well as the Palace of the Legion of Honor, both devoted to the finest classical and contemporary arts.
  4. For Foodies: Oh the food is so good in San Francisco! So many restaurants, so little time. Tantalize your palate with fresh local ingredients coupled with authentic international flavours. San Fancisco chefs show off their creative genius in all types of cuisine, including Italian, Moroccan, Malaysian, Russian, Spanish, Indian, and fusion, which combines anything and everything.
  5. The Adventurers: Cable cars have been a major form of transportation since the 19th century.  The cars run on tracks high above the city, providing spectacular panoramic views of rolling hills. They are actually propelled by massive cables running along three routes underground.

What are some of you favourite things to do and see in San Francisco, the City by the Bay?

Titanic II: Would you Cruise it?

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Titanic being built

Original Titanic under construction. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress (George Grantham Bain Collection) via Bloomberg.

It’s finally happening. I’ve been wondering how long it would take for one crazy billionaire to decide it’s time to rebuild Titanic. I thought it might have been Trump or Branson, but it turns out it’s going to be Australian mining billionaire Clive Palmer who plans to build a 21st-century replica of the infamous unsinkable ship.

Tired of the same old golf courses, mining projects and hotels, Palmer had to dig deeper to continue satisfying his urge to push the limits of what money can actually buy. A typical cruise ship costs about $500 million to build–that’s no small feat for someone in the cruise liner business, let alone a newcomer to the industry like Palmer.

Palmer claims the replica will have 840 staterooms just like the original, which sank on April 15, 1912 off the coast of Newfoundland. Also like its predecessor, the ship will have 9 decks, swimming pools and gymnasiums, and will be “every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic,” he said, adding that it will, of course, also have state-of-the-art technology and the latest navigation and safety systems. (At the risk of sounding pessimistic, that’s basically what they said about the first one.)

Blue Star Line (similar to the original White Star Line) was registered on April 18th as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Palmer’s Mineralogy Pty. Worth $5.3 billion, Palmer is Australia’s 5th richest person in the world, according to BRW magazine rankings.

Titanic II is set to sail some time by the end of 2016 from England to New York, accompanied by the Chinese navy. I have just two questions: a) how much will a ticket cost? b) would you buy one?

 

2 Canadians ‘n a Bad Aussee Walk into a Bar

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Wait … that’s not a joke! But we are talking today about two of Canada’s little hideaways, and one Bad Aussee in Austria. We frequently get requests from travelers who are looking for more than a cheap flight and a standard beach resort vacation. They want to find a quaint little haven tucked away just off the beaten path. So I asked the tripcentral.ca agents, “Of all the places you’ve travelled, what is the most spectacular hidden gem?”

These are just 3 of their choices – you’ll have to stay tuned for more.

Alert , Nunavut (North Pole)

Sadly, our agent didn’t see Santa Claus while visiting Canada’s North Pole, but she did see the most breath-taking Aurora Borealis. Alert, Nunavut, is the northernmost permanently inhabited town in the world, just 817 km from the North Pole. The closest Canadian city, Iqaluit, is over 2,000 km away! If you’re looking for a unique vacation destination, this is it!

Bad Aussee, Austria

Check out city centre spa, which offers medicinal brine baths and the Kneipp Cure therapy. Invented by German priest Sebastian Kneipp, it combines cold-water treatment, diets, and outdoor exercise. For music fans, book your trip to see the 14th annual Spring Jazz Festival (Ausseer Jazzfrühling) in June!

Pugwash, Nova Scotia

Take a trip out east this summer to Canada’s very own Pugwash, a quaint little village of approximately 900 residents on the Northumberland Strait of Nova Scotia. Check out the Pugwash Harbour Fest in July, which includes water and land events, live entertainment, contests and recreational activities for the whole family!

We’d love to hear about your hidden gems, too! So please leave us a comment and tell us about the best vacation you had … off the beaten path.

Top 6 Best Beaches: According to Vacation Experts

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We polled our very own vacation experts—who have travelled the world—to find out once and for all where the most beautiful beaches of all time are hidden. The results are in! These are the top 6 best beaches according to tripcentral.ca vacation experts:

Australia Beaches

#6 Fraser Island, Australia
Stretching more than 100 kms along the southern coast of Queensland, Australia are the breath-taking beaches of Fraser Island. Measuring 23 kms at t its widest point, Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the entire world. Here you’ll enjoy over 100 fresh water lakes wrapped by white sandy beaches, ancient rain forests and stunning sand cliffs.

Punta Cana beaches#5 Punta Cana, DR
No shortage of white sands and turquoise water here! Take your pick of six different beaches stretching along 63 kms of Punta Cana’s coast. From North to South, they are: Macao Beach, Areno Gordo Beach, El Cortecito, Bavaro Beach, Cabeza de Toro and Cabo Engano Beach.

Varadero Cuba Beaches#4 Varadero, Cuba
Often hyped as the best beach in Cuba, Varadero’s sand has been called, “smooth, silky, and soft.” Some even say, “it looks and feels like white powered sugar!: The 20 km long peninsula runs along the north coast of Cuba, and is one of the only beaches where you’ll find calm waters, warm as a bath all year round.

Shoal Bay Anguilla#3 Shoal Bay, Anguilla
Several of our agents tell us that the sand at Shoal Bay is so soft and powdery it’s like walking on a cloud! On the smaller side, this Caribbean beach stretches just a mile or so in either direction from its main point, where you’ll find lots of beautiful reefs. Plenty of great bars and restaurants here, too!

Seven Mile Beach Jamaica#2 Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica
If adventure by day and relaxing sunsets by night appeal, then Negril, Jamaica is the place to be. This tropical paradise boasts the famous Seven Mile Beach, which offers easy access to water attractions such as snorkeling, diving and jumping-off points as high as 40′! Frequently found in top 10 lists, Seven Mile Beach is simply breathtaking.

Turks and Caicos Beaches#1 Turks & Caicos
Last but not least, winning by a majority vote and claiming the top position by our tripcentral.ca travel experts, Turks and Caicos! The Turks and Caicos Islands are surrounded by the world’s third-largest coral reef and have some of the finest white-powdered beaches of anywhere in the world. The only thing more exquisite is the heavenly turquoise waters that gently caress the soft sands. Hands down, the best beaches of all time!

What do you think is the most beautiful beach of all time? Share your list of the best beaches with us below!

Mayan Riviera Excursions: Chechen and Chacah

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Chechen Chacah Trees

Sounds like some kind of wild ballroom dance! But no, Chechen and Chacah are two trees found in the Mayan Riviera. The Chechen is a poisonous tree, while the Chaca is its antidote. The coolest thing about the two is that they actually grow right next to each other. Mother Nature was really on her game that day!

The two trees are most commonly found in Cancun and on Mayan Riviera excursions. While taking a tour through the jungles of Coba, our guide pointed out the Chechen tree and gave us strict warning not to touch it. I guess past experience had proven to her that as soon as you tell people not to do something, they do just that – and so she quickly showed us the Chacah tree growing right next to it. The nectar within the Chacah quickly soothes the burning rash that Chechen can cause.

Our guide also shared the Mayan legend that tells the tale of two brothers, each holding great strength, but who were very different in nature. Kinich, the youngest, was kind and gentle, while his big brother Tizic was a big ole bully.

It seems that they both fell for the same girl, Nicte-Ha. As sibling rivalry would have it, they declared a one-on-one battle to the death. Last man standing gets the girl.

The battle went on longer than anyone ever thought it would, and it ended up being more torturous than imagined. Irony stepping in, each brother died in the arms of the other. The story goes on to say that after death, they begged the Gods for just one last chance to be with Nicte-Ha in the land of the living.

Careful what you wish for! Tizic was returned to the earth as the Chechen tree, oozing venom that burs the skin of anyone who touches his branches. Little brother Kinich was sent back as the Chacah tree, whose new-found destiny would be to ease the pain of Chechen’s poison with a neutralizing serum.

What happened to Hicte-Ha? She died of a broken heart, evidently, though we don’t know which brother caused her to shed those deadly tears.

Take whatever moral from this story that you please, but the practical lesson is that when you go on Mayan Riviera excursions, don’t touch the trees!

My Trip to Manhattan – a travel agent’s review

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By Kaylee Knight

New York City SkylineSpringtime in Central Park… there’s no better time to book a trip to Manhattan! I was there twice in the past six months and want to share some of the highlights.

My first trip to Manhattan was in September 2011. We stayed 4 nights on Lexington Avenue at the Doubletree by Hilton. I loved it! Although not right in Times Square, it was very convenient to all attractions, and allowed us to see things we might have missed if we stayed only in the Times Square area.

We had so much fun the first time that just last month I surprised my boyfriend with a special birthday trip to NYC, where we, along with his 6-year-old daughter, had an adventurous 3-night getaway at The Westin in Times Square. I chose the Westin this time because its location in the heart of Times Square was more convenient for travelling with children. The Westin in Times Square was nice but I find if you stay in the Times Square area you can miss the ‘hidden treasures’ of NYC.

Hotels in Manhattan

When it comes to hotels in Manhattan, the Doubletree on Lexington was quite nice with an inviting lobby and clean rooms—small and simple, but very nice. The rooms were also clean and a little larger than those at Doubletree. We did have a small situation with one of the staff but management handled it quickly, and we were compensated with free room service on our last day, which was nice.

The Sites

Some of my favourite memories from our visit to NYC:

  • The Broadway show, Wicked
  • The evening bus tour to Brooklyn, where we took in a NY Yankees vs Boston baseball game
  • And seeing a live taping of the Jimmy Fallon Show

I highly recommend the on/off bus tour to everyone visiting New York City. It’s by far the cheapest and easiest way to see all the cities attractions. The great thing about Manhattan is that you can also see and do so much just by walking. So if you’re planning to see the sights, make sure you bring your walking shoes.

NYC Nightlife

Sticking to the popular hotspots on this trip, we ate at Olive Garden and Hard Rock Café—which had great food and was buzzing with tourists. So much time was spent walking the streets of NY, though, that by the time we were finished we were totally exhausted. Next time I’d still like to see more pubs/restaurants that aren’t as main stream, which is why I enjoyed the Lexington Avenue location.

Both trips were very action packed, and we did a lot of walking! But we got to see and do all the things we intended on seeing and doing. I planned our daily outings very carefully. I had a written agenda for each day, which gave us peace of mind knowing we’d be able to fit in all the attractions, shopping, dining, etc.

I definitely have a sweet spot for the Big Apple. Next time I visit I’d like to stay in a different area. Times Square is neat, but I want to see more of the ‘real New York’ that is not quite as touristy. I’ve done that part, now I’d like to see the rest.

For more information about booking your trip to New York City, call me at 1-800-665-4981 Ext: 7207.