Tips for Tuesdays: Building Anticipation for your Kids

Today's Tip: Before the trip, make up bedtime stories around the sights you'll be visiting. Or, check out these fantastic children's books by Miroslav Sasek. His "This Is..." series includes illustrated books on New York, Paris, San Fransisco, London, Washington D.C., Ireland, Rome, Hong Kong, Greece, Britain, Texas, Edinburgh, Austraila, Venice, Israel, and Munich. The kids will be more excited to see things they've spent nights dreaming about.

Tips for Tuesdays: Stay Over on a Sunday

Today's Tip: This goes hand-in-hand with last week's tip...Stay over on a Sunday. Many hotels get Friday and Saturday night traffic from leisure travelers and Monday-through-Friday bookings from business travelers, so there's a void on Sunday nights - which usually means better rates and a chance at an upgrade. Instead of going for Friday and Saturday nights, book Saturday and Sunday or Sunday and Monday if you can.

Tips for Tuesdays: Fly on an Off-peak Day

Today's Tip: Fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday. Traveling on off-peak days - and at off-peak times - means lower fares, a less crowded cabin, and a greater chance of snagging those elusive mileage-award seats. 

Taking two days off for a long weekend? Instead of a Thursday-Sunday or Friday-Monday trip, save money by flying on a Saturday and returning on a Tuesday.

Tips for Tuesdays: Finding a Great Travel Doctor

Today's Tip: Traveling internationally? With yellow fever (and more) making headlines, it's very important to find a doctor who knows the latest in travel precautions. Plus, most general practitioners won't have the vaccines you'll need on hand (typhoid, for example). Search the International Society of Travel Medicine database for a list of health providers who specialize in pretravel immunizations. 

Also, the CDC Travelers' Health web page offers a vaccination guide as well as notices for high-risk locations, and the World Health Organization puts out a helpful International Travel and Health report annually.