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

Ah, the summer road trip! There’s nothing like packing the family into the car and leisurely making your way across the country, or the continent, for that matter, to see a place you’ve never been to before.

Among the most popular attractions this time of year: any of the state and national parks and campgrounds; theme parks like Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Studios and Sea World and of course beach towns like Daytona Beach, Fla., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Carlsbad Beach in Calif. But what would you do if you got into a car accident far from home? Would your auto insurance policy still cover you?

For most companies, the answer is yes, as long as the crash happens in one of the 50 states. If you’ll be traveling beyond the border, into Canada or Mexico, or heading over to one of the U.S. territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, etc.) you’ll want to call ahead to make sure you’ll be covered.

In general, your U.S. auto insurance does not cover you abroad, according to www.travel.state.gov, a service of the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the U.S. Department of State. However, your policy may apply when you drive to countries neighboring the United States, such as Mexico and Canada.

Allstate, for example, offers its customers coverage in all 50 states and the U.S. territories, all of the Canadian provinces, and 50 miles into Mexico. Check your insurance policy before driving in another country, and find out how much insurance is required to be carried in that country and how to purchase it.

You can easily obtain this information when you request car insurance quotes online or over the phone. The companies you are dealing with should have information on hand about the requirements in the country you need coverage in.

Keep in mind, even if your policy is valid, it may not meet that country’s minimum requirement. If you are under-insured for a particular country, auto insurance can usually be purchased separately on either side of the border. Price out a temporary policy by obtaining several car insurance quotes to make sure you are getting a good deal.

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.

Los Angeles Times Travel Editor Catharine Hamm gives expert video advice on how you can make sure youI don’t end up paying hidden hotel fees during your vacation.

Transcript:

What kind of hidden fees are commonly found on hotel bills?

You can be very surprised by a hotel bill because it can be chock full of hidden fees, fees that you didn’t know about when you booked your hotel room. For example, many hotels charge an occupancy tax. That’s on top of sales tax that you may already be charged.

You may also be charged a fee for using the telephone in your room; local calls may be exorbitantly high, domestic long distance can be sky high and, of course, international can be through the roof.

You may be charged a fee for using the Internet or you may be charged a fee for restocking the mini-bar. That’s a new one, a $3.5 charge sometimes that’s tacked onto a bill if you’ve taken something out of the mini-bar which is on top of what you’ve taken out of the mini-bar. So you need to be really careful and take a look, and ask about those fees even before you book the hotel.

What are “resort fees?”

Resort fees are fees that are charged above and beyond what your regular room fee is, and they’re often charged for the gym, the spa, the pool, etc. Whether you use any of those facilities or not, you are charged for those. Sometimes the resort fee is as much as $15 a day. That is per day, each day that you’re there, so they can really add up.
Will the hotel waive the fees if I do not use the services?

A hotel won’t waive the fees if you don’t ask. I think the important thing to do is, if you see a fee on your bill that you’re unhappy about, or for a service or amenity that you did not use, ask in a reasonable way if that fee can be waived. Very often hotels will accommodate that, but not always. You won’t know unless you ask.

Courtesy: Catherine Hamm