May 24, 2012

Can the Finer Things Be Frugal? Food and Beverage Tips for Frequent Travelers

sushi

If you’d rather not worry about coupons and restaurant specials, these elegant food and beverage choices are almost always a safe money-saving bet. Sushi: Chic, sophisticated and downright sexy, sushi bars represent a remarkably affordable culinary indulgence. One example? The Buddha Sky Bar in Delray Beach, Florida. The hip urban atmosphere makes a fabulous backdrop [...]

Affordable Ways to Experience Las Vegas, Nevada

P1000366

Known for its glitz, glamour and cha-ching price tag, Las Vegas tempts many a traveler to its world-famous collection of dinner shows, spas, restaurants and shopping venues. Hoping to experience Sin City on the cheap? Try these tips. Food: Happy hour deals offer a source of cheap eats for Vegas visitors. Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and [...]

Photo Feature: The Old City

THPF 30 Israel 022 from Art Explosion

The old city portion of Jerusalem is one of many interesting places to visit on a national tour of Israel.

Photo Feature: Market in Israel

THPF 29 Israel 009 from Art Explosion

Market experiences are among the many fun things to do in Israel, including spending time in Tel Aviv, exploring the cultural scene in Haifa and hanging out along Lake Tiberius.

Photo Feature: Sporty Road Trip Vehicle

THPF 27 Transportation 0361 from Art Explosion

Depending on how many people need to come along on your family road trips, you may be able to get by with a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle. These days, it’s important to choose a few travel apps to make your trip as easy as possible.

Photo Feature: Vintage Car Close-Up

THPF 26 Transportation 0252 from Art Explosion

Vintage may be enjoyable for history buffs, but they are also fun to take on scenic drives with a special someone. Consider one the next time you are booking a rental car.

Photo Feature: Scenic Train Ride

THPF 25 Transportation 0251 from Art Explosion

This image of a scenic train ride reminds me of the one I used to take frequently between Verona, Italy and Lake Garda.

Photo Feature: Luxury Car Rental

THPF 24 Transportation 0239 from Art Explosion

The POTUS may have the ultimate private car, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy similar comfort in your own rental cars.

Photo Feature: German Folk Performance

THPF 23 Germany 004 from Art Explosion

There are many fun and interesting things to experience throughout Germany, including Oktoberfest in Munich, beautiful castles and the museums of Berlin.

Get an Affordable Taste of Olympic Adventure in Utah’s Park City

Downtown Park City by Myscha Theriault

The upcoming London Olympics have many searching for sportier vacations. Park City, Utah, home to numerous high-altitude competitions during the Salt Lake games, offers a world-class getaway with an authentic Olympic vibe. Activities: Ready to relax? Align Spa’s atmosphere is part Zen garden, part Bohemian loft. Their $35 Ski Boot Revenge treatment includes a foot [...]

Photo Feature: Couple on Paris Bench

THPF 22 Paris 101 from Art Explosion

This picture is a fun example of travel photography because it leaves no doubt as to the subject of the image. Two people having an intimate moment before a picnic lunch is something many people think of when they think about visiting Paris.

Photo Feature: New York City at Night

THPF 21 New York City 008 from Art Explosion

The Big Apple is a fun place to visit, but the price tag can be more than a little cha-ching if you want to do your vacation up right. It pays to research ways to save money on things like ground transportation and hotel accommodations ahead of time.

Photo Feature: Winter Mountain Vista

THPF 20 Winter Scene 102 from Art Explosion

When travelers want a great ski vacation, they head for mountains similar to the one shown in this photo. Locations like this are also fantastic for winter destination weddings and snowshoeing.

Photo Feature: Arlington Ceremony

THPF 19 Washington D.C. 025 from Art Explosion

Arlington National Cemetery is a popular stop for tourists visiting Washington, D.C. and parts of Virginia. Other nearby vacation options include Shenandoah National Park and Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Photo Feature: Scuba Fun

THPF 18 Under the  Sea 0512 from Art Explosion

For those who are seriously interested in exploring the scenery under the sea, a scuba diving vacation is a popular option. Granted, you’ll have to put your time into the proper training first. After that however, there a number of places around the world that are worthy of your tourist time.

Photo Feature: Boats in a Marina

THPF 17 Tropical Paradise 60 from Art Explosion

This image of several boats in a Marina is a quintessential example of Florida travel photography. Whether you’re kicking it on the deck of your pleasure cruiser in Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Sarasota or Longboat Key, you’ll be doing it picturesque blue water just like this.

Photo Feature: Sandy Seclusion

THPF 16 Tropical Paradise 35 from Art Explosion

This image of a secluded beach is motivation enough to take a high-end scuba diving vacation or hop a flight to Bermuda. Many excursionists enjoy beach travel, whether it’s to Fiji, Greece, the Bahamas or Belize.

Photo Feature: Cliffside Ocean Scene

THPF 15 Tropical Paradise 28 from Art Explosion

Ocean scenes are a fun way to practice your travel photography. They also provide inspiration for beach getaways, romantic weekends and scuba diving.

Photo Feature: Parked Cars

THPF 14 Transportation 0127 from Art Explosion

An often unavoidable travel expense is the booking of rental cars. Depending on your destination, they can be critical to getting where you need to go and having the type of tourist experiences you’ve been dreaming of.  Rural Tuscany, France’s Alsace region and Costa Rica’s Monte Verde Cloud Forest are all easier to explore by [...]

Photo Feature: European Canal Boat

THPF 13 Transportation 0085 from Art Explosion

Canal boats are a popular way to tour Europe’s waterways and cities, including London. For those interested in purchasing their own narrow boat for remodeling, one of the most affordable countries to do so is Belgium.

Photo Feature: Flight Path

THPF 11 Transportation 0032 from Art Explosion

Air travel can be stressful for road warriors. Whether you are stuck handling flight delays at the gate or kicking back enjoying the perks of priority pass lounges, it’s still no fun to be stuck at the airport when you’d rather be at home or enjoying your chosen destination. Productive ways to kill time include [...]

Photo Feature: Elaborate Thai Structure

TPHF 10 Thailand 12 from Art Explosion

This image demonstrates another popular travel photography subject, traditional architecture. When vacationing to Thailand, two of the best places to image architecture are Bangkok and Ayutthaya.

Have a Fabulously-Frugal Vacation with These Hotel Freebies

Hotel Freebies

When trying to get the best bang for your vacation buck, it may pay to bear in mind that the biggest value may not come with the lowest bargain-basement price. If the lowest room rate available will still require you to dish out an additional $350 per day to cover meals, cocktails, activity fees and [...]

Photo Feature: Still Shot of a Scottish Church

THPF 09 Scotland 70 from Art Explosion

One fun way to practice your travel photography skills is to explore the historic churches of the various destinations you visit. This particular church was imaged in Scotland, where numerous old buildings, including various ancient castles are available for tourists to explore.

Photo Feature: Venetian Vaporetto

THPF 08 Rome & Venice 131 from Art Explosion

This vaporetto, or Venetian water bus, is one popular way to see Venice, Italy on a budget. It’s also a great place to practice your travel photography skills on an afternoon ride back to the train station. There are many beautiful sights to see and fun things to do in Venice, including St. Mark’s cathedral, [...]

Photo Feature: Shore Scene in Hawaii

THPF 07 Hawaii 221 from Art Explosion

This shore scene photographed in Hawaii is not only picturesque example of travel photography, it also displays one of the biggest cost-saving strategies for scuba vacations – shore diving. Because shore dives don’t require boat transportation to the exploration site, the cost per dive is significantly lower.

Photo Feature: Hawaiian Beach Scene

THPF 06 Hawaii 004 from Art Explosion

This beach scene from Hawaii exemplifies both travel photography and the allure of beach travel. Tropical vacations to places like this one are a sought-after item on the tourism belt of many excursionists.

Photo Feature: London River Scene

THPF 05 London 05 from Art Explosion

River scenes like this one will be a common sight for those checking out the London Olympics this summer in England. The games celebration will include a number of no-cost events for travelers on a budget.

Photo Feature: Miami Waterfront Cityscape

THPF 04 Miami 47 from Art Explosion

This striking waterfront cityscape image was photographed in the sexy Florida city of Miami, known for its bling, celebrity spotting and exceptional Florida shopping.

Consider Off-Peak Travel for the Best Vacation Deals

off peak travel cabin

Seasoned vacation veterans know that the sweetest getaway deals can be obtained by planning for off-peak travel experiences. For example, my husband and I traveled from Lake Garda to Slovenia’s Lake Bled one year during what would have been Labor Day weekend back in the States. We chose this particular weekend because it allowed us [...]

Photo Feature: African Zebra

THPF 03 Africa 071 from Art Explosion

Zebras are one of the most striking animal encounters one can have, and certainly worthy of sharpening up your travel photography skills for. This image in particular has me wanting to fly into Cape Town to tour South Africa and make my way to other fascinating countries on the continent.

Photo Feature: Pink Birds of Ecuador

THPF 02 Ecuador 002 from Art Explosion

These colorful pink birds photographed in Ecuador remind us that in addition to historic tours of Quito, Amazon wildlife spotting in Misahualli and indigenous craft shopping in Otavalo, Ecuador is also an excellent birding destination.

Photo Feature: Woman’s Golf Swing

THPF 01 Golf 004 from Art Explosion

This woman is enjoying a golf getaway and practicing her skill set at the same time. Golf vacations are popular across a wide age range, with popular destinations including Bermuda, Florida, the Bahamas and Arizona.

Making the Most of Family Resorts

St Kitts Resort

It’s a common scene for those traveling with children. Parents trying to tempt their kids away from the perfectly-picturesque pool at their chosen family resort with tickets to an over-priced theme park just down the street. A theme park that may offer only slightly more in the way of water-based fun. Toss in a toddler [...]