Here are some useful resources that will provide you with a host of ideas and inspiration for your trip, wherever you decide to go:

TripAdvisor.com

Explore user-generated videos, pictures and reviews that provide unfiltered insight. It’s easy to view subjective rankings of attractions and locations – you can even check out the restaurants in the area. Search destination ideas on the site’s inspiration generator by region with categories to choose from like “Family Fun,” “Romance” and “History & Culture.” This can be a great way to explore options you’ve never considered without actually having to risk a bad trip.

The Travel Channel

Available through most cable TV companies, The Travel Channel’s original series will make you want to leave for a permanent vacation. Watch Anthony Bourdain eat local delicacies or live vicariously through Samantha Brown as she treks around the globe. Behind-the-scenes footage of restaurants, stores and tourist attractions are designed to give even the most discriminating traveler a few destination ideas. And while you are watching TV, be sure to check out innovativelanguage.com‘s Word of the Day application for satellite TV providers, which can start teaching you a new language every time you turn on your TV.

National Register of Historic Places

Pinpoint the type of historic sites you’d like to see, and locate them using the official U.S. government registry of historic places and national parks. Find lesser-known sites close to home and along your already-planned vacation route. Official documentation and photos are available online to help you determine what best fits your interests and schedule.

American Association of Museums

Use the database of www.aam-us.org as a starting point for finding interesting museums by city, state or even exhibit type. This can be a great way to get your family interested in culture, and you’ll never regret exposing your kids (or yourself) to something new. Remember the search function only covers member institutions, so be sure to check other resources if the museum you want isn’t showing up. Try a local or regional visitor’s bureau for a comprehensive search of museums in a specific area.

Old vacation photos

If all else fails, consider revisiting past destinations. Perhaps there were a few sites or attractions your budget and schedule didn’t previously allow for that you can now explore. Narrow down what you’d like to do and make room for some relaxation time. There’s nothing better than being familiar enough with a location to leave your worries behind. Talk with family members or anyone else who will come along again to find out what they liked and could stand to skip this time around. Also be sure to check out any attractions that have opened or changed since your last visit.

Courtesy: ARAcontent

The Social Security Administration reports that since Oct. 1, 2008, early retirement claims have soared to record levels. Baby boomers opting to retire at age 62 are settling for as much as 25 percent less in income per month than if they waited to retire at age 66. What can baby boomers and retirees do to supplement their incomes when traditional jobs are unavailable?

“Consider becoming a professional tour director,” says Ted Bravos, chief executive officer of International Tour Management Institute (ITMI). “Even during these uncertain times, travel and tour companies are seeking qualified people. Boomers possess the life experience and maturity that makes them terrific tour directors.”

In the U.S. alone, the travel industry creates over 17 million jobs and produces more than $740 billion in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Travel and tourism remain among the top revenue producing industries in the world.

Professional tour directors earn an average of $150 to $350 per day plus all-expense-paid trips. And, it does not matter where the tour director lives, because many tour companies pay for travel from their home to the tour destination and back. Tour directors can determine how many days each year they wish to work and which areas of the country or the world they wish to experience.

Many ITMI boomer alumni like Jerry Flavin have found rewarding encore careers as tour directors. Flavin enthusiastically states, “I can only say that the change from a legal career to a career in travel and tourism has been a boost to my retirement years. The fact that I am dealing with people from all over the world is stimulating, educational and rewarding. I am so happy I developed this career change, and now I can be an instrument of peace.”

Since its inception in 1976, ITMI has launched thousands of travel careers. As the first certified professional tour directing program in America, ITMI alumni are sought after by major tour operators such as Adventures by Disney, Australian Pacific Touring, Globus & Cosmos, Tauck World Discovery and Princess Cruise Lines, to name a few.

What does a tour director do?

Tour directors represent the travel organizer for whom they work. They prepare commentaries and briefings about each area and are prepared to answer commonly asked questions and deal with everyday problem solving. Most importantly, they relate well to people. They set the tone and ensure that participants enjoy themselves.

How can someone become a professional tour director?

By enrolling in ITMI’s certified program, students learn all aspects of tour directing in two short weeks. Because over 60 percent of the program is conducted in the field, participants receive the intensive real-world experience, which prepares them for paid assignments immediately upon graduation. Individual strategy sessions, held after course completion, help students identify their immediate and long-term objectives, and allow staff to determine which tour operators will best meet their goals.

The instructors also help students with resume preparation and assist them in arranging interviews with prospective employers. Many graduates secure their first assignment within a few weeks after course completion. For more information about full- or part-time tour director opportunities, e-mail Joan Keddell at travel@itmisf.com, visit www.itmitourtraining.com or call (800) 442-4864.

Courtesy: ARAcontent

A shorter, thriftier trip is likely to be by car. The inevitable rush to make the most of the limited time away after a tiring work week can create fatigue, so don’t make it a dangerous driving situation. Enliven your senses with essential oil scents.

Ditch the cardboard cutout car “freshener” that hangs from the rearview mirror. Not only distracting, these products are usually saturated with synthetic fragrance chemicals and probably aren’t the best thing to inhale while enclosed in your vehicle. Instead, rely on a sleek essential oil diffuser that plugs into your automobile’s phone charger power outlet. These devices feature small paper fiber pads to which you can apply your own custom blend of essential oils, allowing you to not only scent the air inside the car, but also to provide refreshing aromatherapy benefits to help keep you alert and focused on the road.

A simpler, alternative way to diffuse is to apply several drops of oil to a tissue and tuck it carefully into one of the vents in the dash.

Try these essential oils for the car:

• Peppermint essential oil – refreshing, awakening, uplifting.
• Eucalyptus essential oil – bracing, purifying, protecting.
• Lemon essential oil – pleasant, deodorizing, cheering.

How clean is your hotel room?

Overnight stays in less than posh hotel digs may be part of the money-saving travel trend. Even upscale hotels aren’t immune to dirt and germs, or worse, an apparent outbreak of bedbug infestations in the United States, recently publicized by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Bedbugs aside, there are always nagging doubts about just how clean a hotel room actually is. Has the shower or tub been scrubbed or merely wiped down? Is the toilet sanitized? Has the bedspread ever really been thoroughly cleaned? Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself after you check in, but before you settle into your temporary overnight home.

Air and Surface Sanitizing Spray

Feel good about travel with a bottle of homemade purifying aromatherapy solution that relies on pleasantly scented and highly effective essential oils, rather than harsh chemical disinfectants. The following spray will help you create a hygienic environment in your temporary hotel home. Apply it to tub, vanity and toilet surfaces.

Ingredients:

Empty 12 to16 ounce spray bottle
10 ounces water
2 ounces isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol or vodka
1/2 teaspoon tea tree essential oil (antimicrobial)
1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil (cleansing)
1/2 teaspoon lavandin essential oil (protecting)
1/2 teaspoon sweet orange essential oil (freshening).

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in the spray bottle. Shake and apply to a washcloth, and wipe down the TV’s remote, the clock radio, the door handles and the faucet handles in the bathroom.

Purifying and Relaxing Linen Mist

Here are some great tips for making a strange bed feel more like home. Take along your own pillow and replace the ones provided. Create your own linen mist and use it on your own bed at home, then travel with the same blend, taking a little bit of home with you. When you arrive at your destination, turn down the covers, exchange the pillows and apply your signature scent to the bed.

Ingredients:

Empty 4 to 8 ounce spray bottle
4 to 8 ounces water
13 drops lavender essential oil (relaxing, calming)
5 drops lavandin or spike lavender essential oil (purifying, protecting)

Directions:

Combine the water and oil in the bottle. Shake the contents thoroughly just before application.

Remember to look for pure and natural essential oil brands like Aura Cacia that don’t include synthetic petrochemical fragrances. For more information on how to enhance your life through aromatherapy, visit www.auracacia.com.

Courtesy: ARAcontent

To ensure that you have everything you need and are able to pick up where you left off upon your return home, consider the following when preparing for your vacation:

Make a list and keep it handy

Make a list of your doctors’ phone numbers and the names of your prescription drugs and be sure that medications and important numbers are packed in your carry-on luggage or are easily accessible when traveling. If you have your doctor’s phone number handy, you can call for a refill or replacement prescription in case of an emergency. If traveling to a foreign country with a pre-existing medical condition, the U.S. Department of State recommends you carry a letter from your doctor describing the medical condition and any drugs you are prescribed — including generic names.

Be sure to also keep a list of other important contact names and numbers. You never know when you may need the phone number of your boss, next-door neighbor or auto mechanic. If your return is delayed or you realize you forgot to turn the automatic sprinkler timer on, having these numbers readily available will keep stress out of your vacation.

Stay connected, even while away

Be in control of your finances before, during and after your trip. No matter how well you plan ahead, all too often you receive a pressing bill, need to transfer money or check your balance while you are away. Taking advantage of innovative and popular banking tools, like Bank of America’s free Mobile Banking service, gives you immediate and secure access to your finances through your mobile phone. In today’s unpredictable economic environment, it has never been more important to have control of your money whenever, wherever you need it.

Mobile Banking allows customers to:

• Check balances and transactions on checking, savings, credit card accounts and mortgages and home equity lines held with Bank of America.
• Pay bills and e-bills.
• Transfer money between accounts and to other Bank of America customers.
• View transactions for checking and savings accounts, mortgages and home equity lines, including posted and pending transactions and verify that your paycheck deposited into your account.
• Locate any of Bank of America’s over 18,000 ATMs and 6,100 banking centers.

Turn it off

Before you leave on your trip, turn off the water to avoid potential water damage while you are away. After a relaxing vacation, no one wants to return to a flooded home from broken toilet, sink or dishwasher pipes. Also, never leave the dishwasher or washing machine running as you depart for your vacation. If something were to happen, it will be a long time before you’re back to catch the problem. And be sure to make one last electricity check before taking off. Leaving appliances plugged in and the lights, radio and ceiling fan on is a fire hazard, not to mention an unnecessary addition to your electric bill.

Communicate

Contact your credit card company to notify them about your travel plans. More and more, credit card companies are monitoring your spending in order to help quickly catch fraudulent activity, but this can potentially get in the way if you don’t notify the company about your travel plans. The company could put a hold on your account, preventing you from using your card on your trip. Be sure to contact your credit card company early, notifying them of your plans before leaving and keep the toll-free number on your traveling list of contacts so you can always follow up if necessary.

For more information on Mobile Banking, go to mobilebanking.bankofamerica.com.

Courtesy: ARAcontent

“Each year, the U.S. Department of the Treasury receives more than 1.4 million inquiries regarding paper check-related problems,” says David A. Lebryk, commissioner of the Treasury Department’s Financial Management Service.

Yet, approximately 10.5 million Americans continue to receive their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments by paper check each month. The Treasury Department’s Go Direct (R) campaign encourages senior citizens and people with disabilities to switch to direct deposit.

Increased safety, convenience and reliability

When there’s a problem with a Social Security payment, nine times out of 10 it’s with a paper check, not a direct deposit payment, says Lebryk.

Paper checks can be vulnerable to financial crimes like theft and fraud. In fact, the Treasury Department investigates more than 70,000 cases of altered or fraudulently endorsed checks each year, totaling $64 million in estimated value.

“In 2008 alone, more than 485,000 Social Security and SSI checks were reported lost or stolen and had to be reissued,” says Lebryk.

Direct deposit is also more convenient and reliable. There is no more waiting for a check to arrive in the mail, and there are no more worries about delivery delays due to severe weather, local emergencies and other check related problems. Last year alone, severe weather events forced alternative delivery arrangements for millions of Social Security and SSI paper checks.

“Switching to direct deposit for federal benefits is such an easy way for people to safeguard their money, especially when traveling for extended periods of time,” says Lebryk. “Your money is deposited to your account on payment day, so there’s no need to worry about delivery delays or a check sitting in your mailbox while you’re gone.”

Prepaid debit card option

In addition to direct deposit, the Treasury Department recommends the Direct Express (R) Debit MasterCard (R) card as an alternative to paper checks for people without bank accounts.

More than half a million Americans signed up for the optional Direct Express (R) card in its first year of availability, according to the Treasury Department. A recent survey of cardholders finds that 95 percent say they are satisfied with the prepaid debit card, and 86 percent say they would recommend it to family members or friends who receive a federal benefit payment.

With the Direct Express card, cardholders can make purchases, pay bills and get cash at thousands of locations nationwide. Sign-up is free and no bank account is required. While most services are free, there are fees for a limited number of optional transactions and services.

Making the switch is easy

It is easy to make the switch to electronic payments for federal benefits. To sign up for direct deposit, call the Treasury Department’s Go Direct campaign helpline at 1-800-333-1795 or visit www.GoDirect.org. To sign up for the Treasury-recommended Direct Express card, or to learn more about the card’s features and fees, call 1-877-212-9991 or visit www.USDirectExpress.com.

The preceding information has been provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service.The Go Direct (R) campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Banks. The Direct Express (R) Debit MasterCard (R) card is issued by Comerica Bank, pursuant to a license by MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard (R) and the MasterCard (R) Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. The Go Direct (R) logo, Direct Express (R) logo and Direct Express (R) are service marks of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

In this video, travel strategist Joel Widzer gives his advice on how travelers can find out if your overseas trip requires additional travel documents.

Transcript:

One of the best tools to use when you’re travelling internationally is the website at the State Department: www.state.gov. Also what you can do, is you can also check with your airline. Your airline will have the most up to date information with respect to entry requirements. So if you’re in doubt, call your airline, let them know where you’re travelling, and ask them what type of documentation and what type of visas are required for that country.

Jen Leo, the Daily Deal Blogger for the LA Times Travel Section answers the question: How do I redeem my frequent flyer miles?

Transcript

Redeeming your frequent flyer miles is a straight forward process. Go to the website of the airline and go to their frequent flyer program section. Go to the section that has ‘redeem miles’ and then see what all the toys and goodies you can buy with your points are. It’s kind of like if you are at the fair and you have those extra tickets. Just keep your frequent flyer number handy so that when you do call the representative, or sign in on the website, you have your number ready and they can log you in, check your bank account, so to speak, and then start redeeming your miles.

Courtesy: Jen Leo

Families are tightening their budgets, and for many this means fewer activities outside of the home. With less dining out, movie outings, sports games or even summer camp, there’s no better time for budget-conscious moms and dads to really connect and spend quality time with their kids.

Start at Home

One of your biggest monthly investments is your family home, so why not get your money’s worth? If your kids don’t think staying home is cool, here’s your opportunity to get creative.

• Establish a weekly game night. There’s no need to buy new games. Simply ask other parents if they have games that you can borrow.
• Subscribe to a home movie rental service. Let the kids add their favorite movie to the queue as a reward for an accomplishment.

Dining in Style

With the kids out of school and longer days, there is no better time for the family to be together than at dinnertime.

• Keep the meal simple so the family can prepare it together. I like to use affordable canned vegetables, like Libby’s, in recipes and as side dishes because they are delicious and easy to prepare.
• Dine outside at least once a week. It doesn’t matter if you have a patio or you do it picnic style.

Get Out of Town

You don’t have to give up the precious memories created during annual summer vacations. While theme parks and tropical escapes may be the gold standard of summer retreats, there are a lot of great locales closer to home.

• Look for locations three to four hours away to save on airfare, and make it a road trip.
• Try camping. Once a popular option, many young families are getting back into the adventurous spirit of camping.

For more tips from Hannah Keeley on how to connect with your family, visit the Libby’s Vegetables Web site at www.GetBacktotheTable.com.

About the author: Hannah Keeley is a mother of seven, the host of “Hannah Help Me!” on PBS and author of “Hannah Keeley’s Total Mom Makeover: The Six-Week Plan to Completely Transform Your Home, Health, Family, and Life.”

Courtesy: NewsUSA

Unlike other travel brackets, gay travel has remained steady despite the economic recession. Gay and lesbian couples travel more often and spend more money while on vacation than straight couples. According to a 2006 study conduced by the U.S. Travel Association, gay men spend about $800 per trip. Straight men spend $540.

Cities are heeding the trend. In 2003, Philadelphia launched its $300,000 a year “Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay” marketing campaign. Now, the city ranks as America’s 13th largest gay and lesbian travel destination. Southwest Airlines is currently working with the city to attract even more gay and lesbian visitors.

In addition to Philadelphia, Miami, with its historic art deco hotels, beaches and happening nightlife, continues to draw gay and lesbian vacationers. But as the gay tourism market becomes more competitive, the city is working to draw new visitors. In April 2009, the city held a Gay Pride Festival to celebrate gender rights and sexual equality. Twenty thousand visitors showed up to enjoy a parade and the Miami Gay Men’s Chorus and to wave rainbow-colored flags.

“In the past few years, other cities like Key West have cut into Miami’s gay tourism,” says Frederic S. Richardson, CEO of MOD Hospitality (www.eastcoastventures.com), which owns the Astor and Clinton hotels — two of the top-ranked hotels in South Beach. “It’s time that Miami reasserts itself as one of the gay cultural centers of the world.”

Chicago, which hosted the 2006 Gay Games — a quadrennial athletic and cultural event — continues to pursue gay and lesbian tourists. The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau writes a quarterly newsletter directed toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender travelers, and plans to host an International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association board meeting.

“Chicago, frankly, is just now catching up to other cities who have been aggressively wooing the pink dollar,” said Mark Theis, executive vice president of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, in an interview with the the Chicago Tribune. “We want people to know how gay-friendly we are and the wealth of attractive assets we have.”

Source: NewsUSA