http://thetravelchick.today.com Tips for the avid traveler. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 04:25:58 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en  With fuel prices making travel significantly more expensive this summer, many people are choosing to skip the summer vacation and stay at home.   If you're one of these people, there's no reason you can't relax and see some new things anyway.  Everywhere there are towns with hidden gems - historical ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/28/minimizing-flight-costs/ We booked that Disney trip I was talking about the other day. My husband and I have been watching all the news of airlines and the dire predictions about fuel prices and decided we'd better lock in our ticket prices before they go any higher. A few months ago I ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/26/vacation-planning/ There was a time when all an American needed to travel to countries like Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean islands was a birth certificate. I grew up in Michigan, where crossing the Canadian border was undertaken as lightly as crossing into Ohio. Unfortunately, those days are gone. Today ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/25/a-united-states-passport/ Anyone who has traveled by train knows it can be a pleasant mode of travel. The last time I was in Europe I relied heavily on train travel to get around and enjoyed sitting back, relaxing and watching the French, Spanish and Italian scenery roll by. With fuel ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/22/train-travel-something-to-think-about/ I love to travel, but getting to your destination can be a real drag. Crowded airports, delays, outrageous prices for airport eateries serving mediocre food, tiny seats, long, boring hours in flight, and the less said about airplane bathrooms, the better. I know, I'm being so negative! ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/21/air-travel-tips/ Summer is upon us! It's time for swimming, picnics and vacations. If you're like me, you look forward to vacations as a chance to relax, recharge, try new foods and see new sights. But if the skyrocketing gas prices are making you rethink your vacation, you might want to read ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/18/saving-dollars-on-summer-travel/ I think most of us have heard that the U.S. dollar is doing lousy against the euro and for that reason right now is not a good time to travel to Europe. Meal prices are sky high. Hotel costs are outrageous. Money will be flying out of your hands.And yet ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/16/when-only-europe-will-do/ Summer's here and beach towns and other tourist destinations are loading up on activities to keep visitors busy. One of the most popular of these are live music concerts - often free, often taking place in parks. The talent featured ranges from local amateur jazz bands to world-class performers like those ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/12/summer-travel-music-in-the-park/ I couldn't make this stuff up. This is a real news story: Airlines charging by the pound? The gist of it is that airlines are actually considering weighing passengers and making them pay accordingly for their flight. Not weighing the luggage, but THE PASSENGERS. I've already mentioned other stories about airlines ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/09/43/ In my family, we usually do a bunch of little trips a year and one big trip. This year the big trip is Walt Disney World.  My kids have been to China, they've been to the Caribbean, but they've never been to Disney, and now that my oldest is eight, ... http://thetravelchick.today.com/2008/06/08/walt-disney-world-going-to-meet-the-mouse/