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Archive for the ‘Travel & Leisure’ Category

Top Travel Trends in 2010

11 Jan

Author: Larry Austin
Source: ezinearticles.com

The holidays next year will be to a great extent affected by the economic recession most countries suffered this year. That however does not mean that people will not go on holiday, but that instead they will be more careful with how and on what they spend their money. Holiday makers will spend more time searching for great deals, such as exploring new travel destinations to find the best bargains and joining Online Travel Agencies (OTA) to gain good discounts. Below are some of the predicted top travel trends for the year 2010.

1 – Looking for budget options

Economical holidays will the key deciding factor this year, with holiday makers searching out the best budget details and discounts. Make sure when you plan your holiday this year, not to just go for what looks like the best rate, but hunt deeper for complementary give-aways, such as a free night’s stay on a multiple night stay, gift cards, spa credits, coupons and free dining etc.

2 – Eco Travel

Humans are slowly but steadily becoming more aware of their impact on nature. Think ‘green’ is the trend these days, with its effects being felt even by the travel industry. Most travelers look for eco friendly holiday options, holidays that cause minimum damage to nature. Eco travel was born out of this need and is a continuing trend for 2010.

3- Mixing business with pleasure

The world is always on the go, with most travelers finding it more economical and viable to mix business with pleasure. Nowadays business travelers look for accommodation options that cater to all their business needs while providing leisure activities as well, so they can enjoy the best of both worlds.

4 – Latin adventure

Latin America is finding itself growing more and more popular with travelers as a luxury travel destination.

5 – Train Travel

Rail travel in Europe has grown popular, as this is an economical way of traveling while enjoying the wonderful scenery on the way. This has become even more popular with the new high speed rail links into Spain and Italy.

6- Going Mobile

With the growth of mobile applications and capabilities, it is now even easier to plan your travels, such as tracking flight information and planning itineraries. Mobile phones now play a very important role for travelers in helping them with their travel planning. They are used to receive information from travel agents etc and are fast proving to be invaluable to travelers.

7 – One platform for travel plans

With the busy schedules most of us have, it is easier to have one central platform from which to plan your travel details. This way you can keep track of everything happening in the travel industry, be up to date on the latest happenings and not just make one off purchases. The Internet offers strong travel centric sites where such central services are offered, so that people can plan every aspect of their travels, from creating the trip, to searching for accommodation, getting advice about the intended trip, finding the best deals down to updating profiles so as to keep friends and family informed.

8 – Adventure Travel

The year 2010 will find people looking for holidays with more action. Most now look beyond the standard and look for adventure such as jumping out helicopters, skiing, safaris, bungee jumping as well as more personalized holidays with private tours of museums and art galleries. For the more adventurous a growing trend is to take a high-speed car tour around major cities!

9 – Seeking out new hotspots

As with everything in this world trends change. As travelers expand their travel horizons, China, India and the Gulf States find themselves growing into the latest hotspots. This trend will grow more in 2010 as travel to the ever popular European destinations at the moment for most, is not economical. So traveling to China, India and the Gulf States gives the traveler an exotic holiday while being easy on the purse, with favorable exchange rates and low travel costs.

Roomsnet UK
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Choosing Your Next Travel Destination

10 Jan

Author: D. W. Brooks, MD
Source: articledashboard.com

If you are planning to take a vacation this year, think about what you really like to do, because this will make your trip more meaningful and fun. Travelers often take “safe” trips that their friends recommend, but is that always the best plan?

It’s good to ask yourself these questions before starting to plan your vacation:
- Do I want to relax?
- Do I want adventure or a learning experience?
- Do I want to get away from my job?

Once you know the answers to these questions, then you are ready to plan your trip.

Vacations are important for our emotional, physical and mental well-being and give a person a chance to relax, renew energy, and free oneself from the daily routine. Vacation destinations could be far away or nearby. Wherever the vacation may be, it serves the same purpose. It is the satisfaction that is most important.

Generally, there are some different types of travel according to activities involved. Here are some of them:

1. Rediscovering nature. Rediscovering travel is all about nature and everything in it. It revitalizes the soul while smelling and feeling nature.

2. Tribal cultures. In today’s world of high technology, it is fun to experience the simpler life of the tribal people who live close to nature in the same way for the past thousands of years.

3. Responsible Diving. Diving not only let travelers appreciate what is under the sea but also making the traveler more aware of the conservation effort.

The country one is planning to travel to also leaves a great mark on the traveler’s diary. Here are some of the more popular destinations today:

1. Thailand. It is an Asian country bounded by Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Behind the back draft of Thailand’s jungles of bamboo, rubber trees and vines are five-star hotels with modern conveniences. In some parts of the country, elephants are still being used to lift timbers and buffalos are still being used in farming.

2. China. China is now the second largest country and fastest growing economy in the world. Many parts of China are still unexplored by tourists; however, the eastern portion is now popular with the western tourist. First class hotels now offer the best amenities.

3. Italy. Italy is a boot-like shape country bounded by Switzerland, Austria, France, and Slovenia. One main attraction in Italy is St. Peter’s Square where the Pope resides but there are lots other interesting sites to see such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the many basilicas (churches) throughout the country.

4. Caribbean. Caribbean is an archipelago of islands, 2000 square miles across. Most of the islands are plateaus and eruptions of underlying mountain systems. It has nice beaches of crushed coral and white or pink sand and the water at the shore is a deep blue.

The success of any vacation will not depend by how much the traveler spends or the destination. It will depends on how the traveler enjoyed it and how he/she was able to achieve his primary goal of “getting away from it all.”

 
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Tips For Getting the Best Deal When Traveling

10 Jan

Author: Alton M Terrell
Source: ezinearticles.com

Do you want to get the best deal when traveling? This is actually not easy to find the best deal for traveling. However, the following tips can help you to meet the best deal when you are going to go for traveling.

The first thing that you have to do before you go to travel is to make the list of the needs that you want to bring on your trip. Do not forget to check whether the needs are already completed before you leave.

Moreover, if you still cannot decide the destination, you need to make list of the top three destinations. The destination you are going to choose will determine travel supplier you are going to use. For instance, a travel supplier which has specialization in Australia cannot give you the best deal to travel to New York. Also, consider about the price, do not let your pocket drain because you choose the wrong travel supplier. So, you have to make sure that you choose the right travel supplier.

In addition, if you want to get the best price for your trip, you need to do some research to compare price which is offered by different travel companies. By using internet or brochure, you can get the information about the cost that you need to spend for traveling. However, you also have to consider about hotel, transportation, tour destinations, and meals which are offered by the travel company so that your trip will be perfect.

Finally, if you want to get the best deal when traveling, you have to carefully consider about everything you desire and need. Also, making preparation is important since you must make your trip to be comfortable. So, you can follow some tips above and get the best deal when traveling.

Alton has already made many interesting articles during his life. Instead of writing article about traveling, he also writes about elmo party supplies, which leads you to find kitty party supplies and information you are searching for.

 
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Costa Rica Eco Vacation – Traveling Within Costa Rica

09 Jan

Author: Lisa Khajavi
Source: ezinearticles.com

What is the best way to travel within Costa Rica? Once you arrive in Costa Rica, either through the Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia, or the Juan Santa Maria Airport in San Jose, you will need to decide how to get to your vacation destination.

Due to international carrier arrival times, many travelers need to spend the night in San Jose when arriving to and departing from Costa Rica. There are many sights and activities to justify spending perhaps 2 or 3 nights total in the San Jose Central Valley. However the great majority of the tourism destinations are well outside of San Jose. There are many options which include public transportation by bus, minivans with drivers, tour buses, taxis, rental cars and flying. Public buses are very inexpensive but take the most amount of time with many stops. Minivans and larger tour buses are also very time consuming. Taxis only make sense if the trip is local due to expense and lack of comfort for longer trips. Most tourists find renting a car exasperating. With little or no road signs and no numbered address system, one might end up driving in circles looking for the first right after the Coca Cola building which no one happened to mention no longer exists!

I love to drive and have my own vehicle here in the Central Valley. However when I travel on weekends or vacations outside of San Jose, I always choose to fly. It is scenic, relaxing, saves time and is the greenest option in Costa Rica. For example the 208 km trip from San Jose to Quepos would take almost 4 hours by car, but only 25 minutes by Nature Air. The 4 hours does not take into account anything like road work, cows crossing, accidents, or flat tires from potholes and the like! These events are unfortunately commonplace and add frustrating, unknown time to your trip. Further, there are no shoulders, emergency lanes, or exits for bus stops. When a bus makes a stop, it blocks traffic.

I value the unplanned detours in life, but I have found in Costa Rica I get to my destination and then (if at all) rent a car to meander and explore the areas I am interested in. This way if you have an interest to drive here, you may partake of some driving adventure and see the local sights, but not be as likely to jeopardize your itinerary. I have heard so many stories of people driving or being driven to their destinations, only to cancel the return trips and fly instead! It is easy to see why- flying Nature Air is like an added value scenic tour with beautiful views and efficient travel times. You will arrive and depart in the relaxed ‘pura vida’ mood, making the most of your precious vacation time.

To elaborate on the point of traveling green, there are many layers to consider. From an emissions standpoint, the greenest way to travel within Costa Rica is by turboprop airplanes, or airplanes with propellers.

Nature Air’s fleet is comprised of the De Haviland Twin Otter and King Air, both twin- engine turboprop planes. Looking at a study of emissions per passenger km for travel, the least emissions per passenger were generated by turbo prop planes, then bus, and finally the most emissions were generated by cars. I don’t mention trains (the least emissions) regional jets or larger aircraft (the most emissions) because these are not options to travel once you are within Costa Rica.

When you plan trips outside of Costa Rica and wish to reduce your carbon impact, trains are the best option as they produce the least amount of emissions per passenger. To reduce your carbon footprint for the inevitable international airfare on large aircraft to Costa Rica you may choose to purchase carbon credits to offset this portion of your trip though organizations such as Fly Neutral (flyneutral dot org) or Carbon Fund (carbonfund dot org).

In addition to lower emissions, flying to a destination has less overall impact on the environment than ground vehicles. It is not just the higher emissions produced by cars, trucks, and buses but many other factors that impact the environment. The roads required to support vehicles disrupt animal corridors and increase likelihood of more development in the area. The increased traffic produces sonic pollution which adversely affects wildlife. This is an ongoing challenge of growth and development versus preserving nature. One of Costa Rica’s most important industries as a whole is tourism. The key feature is nature and all the glorious flora, fauna and geography.

Nature Air has 17 destinations and brings more than sixty percent of its passengers within 10 kilometers from national parks or other ecotourism destinations. These natural wonders are the future of this stunning country. By choosing to fly, your contribution will be less impact in these zones. Not only is flying a greener choice to start with, but Nature Air additionally offsets carbon emissions through the carbon neutral reforestation/protection of rain forest program in the Osa Peninsula. Further, with the use of biodiesel for all ground vehicles, an extensive recycling program and other environmental education programs, the choice to fly Nature Air is even more environmentally friendly.

Come check out the best scenic tour in Costa Rica- each flight is a VIP front row “sky tour”.

Lisa Khajavi is a Costa Rica Travel Designer and member of Nature Vacations Costa Rica. Nature Vacations is the premier travel agency of NatureAir.com, the first carbon neutral airline in the world. For more information about experiencing an Eco Vacation in Costa Rica feel free to visit us here: Costa Rica Eco Vacation.

 
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BEAUTY Calls! – A Travel to Deserts in INDIA

09 Jan

Author: SearchPooch.com
Source: articlesbase.com

Visiting places is in our blood �” we all enjoy it. Be it the next stop light tiny plaza or Eiffel Tower, the basic goal of having a good time amidst this hectic life is well served. I wonder when pre-humans or humans constantly traveled places in search of food and shelter, what surprises they must have met in daily lives. And surprises are plenty if one lands in India known for its rich culture and established traditions. And, if it is going to be India then Rajasthan, the land of colors and traditions, will be amongst the top choices on any tour of this country of rich culture and tradition. Rajasthan is the place where you will experience the real historical beauty of India. You will just love the place and cherish the trip forever. It is India’s one of the very famous tourist destinations inviting people from all over the world. This beautiful place is famous for its historical tombs, magnificent palaces, unforgettable monuments and out-of-this-world deserts. Touring a place like Rajasthan would definitely give you a taste of travel which would be like no other �” even among Indian travelers list, it finds itself among the toppers. What else do we want for the worth of our investment? The most famous place in Rajasthan is the capital city of Jaipur, also known as the Pink City. The other popular places of the state are Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Udaipur, Mount Abu and Bikaner. One of the major attractions of the state is the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, built by Maharaja Jai Singh in the year 1799. The beauty of seeing it during the sunrise is very commendable. The architecture gives a feeling of “million windows”. The other major attractions are Mount Abu a beautiful hill station, Ajmer Sharif, Pushkar Fair, Jantar Mantar, Chittaurgarh, Jaiselmer fort, the Thar Desert and many more. Jaipur has come to the limelight for being the largest gem cutting centre in the world �” ladies think jewelry. It is the best place to get precious stones such as diamonds, emeralds, and ruby etc. Tourists who visit Jaiselmer can’t afford to miss the camel safari which is situated in the heart of the Thar Desert. It is also famous for various temples, forts and ancient palaces. The architectural beauty of Rajasthan is grand and spectacular. The beauty of its monuments, palaces and forts is something which can never be forgotten. Another historical city Ajmer is well-known for the Ajmer Sharif and museums. The adventurous journey in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries such as Ranthambore National Park which is a part of Project Tiger, Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuaries and Sariska Wildlife sanctuaries are really enjoyable by the tourists. Parks such as Amrita Devi Park and Machia Safari Park are very popular. The colorful markets are also very attractive for the tourist where you can find handicraft items, gold jewelry and a special type of footwear called “Jootis” which will definitely draw your attention. It’s a land known for folk dance, music, and colors. The women dress up in colorful costumes embroidered with mirror, zari, and gota. They wear silver jewelry along with this costume. The men wear traditional achkan, pajama and colorful turban which look very beautiful. Without knowing the costumes and ornaments of Rajasthan one’s trip to Rajasthan is incomplete. Rajasthan is the state of Rajputs or, translated literally means sons of kings, the descendants of warrior clans. Rajasthan, literally known as the land of Kings, was ruled by several kings for years and years. All the monuments, ‘havelis’ or huge residences, palaces, and temples etc were built during the reign of different kings and reflect the status of their affluence. Some of the majestic palaces have been converted into hotels for the tourists to experience what royals used to enjoy. In addition, there are other hotels bearing Rajasthan’s heritage like Taj Lake Palace, the Oberoi’s Rajvilas hotel, the Rambagh hotel, etc. How can we talk about Rajasthan and not mention its cuisine! Taste buds will miss the cuisines as you would leave the place. The king’s palace has dishes that imbibe the royal taste. It’s basically vegetarian food made up of pure ghee as Rajasthani’s are pure vegetarian. But this doesn’t bring a limitation to finding equally delicious non-vegetarian food in the land. Natural beauty is plenty. Rajasthan is a desert treat for eyes, it’s blessed with several natural lakes. While talking about flora it has Northern Desert Thorn Forest, and fauna such as deer, tiger, blackbuck, Bengal fox, eagles, wolf etc. Although expensive, the Palace on Wheels train journey is designed to flaunt the sheer elegance of Rajasthan as you lose yourself in a cross-desert land ride to witness where heritage is of utmost honor. Book early a ticket on Palace on Wheels, if you are planning a trip because the rush hour is 24X7 for booking on Palace on Wheels. The climate over there is extreme that is hotter days and colder nights but still people love to visit the place no matter what because at last the thing which matters is having an unforgettable experience at such a nice place. When are you planning your visit to the most beautiful historical place to rejuvenate yourself and take away the good memories with you? You better plan it with at least a month’s window at hand as the place has so much to offer and it won’t be surprising if you meet your couple of old family friends there.

SearchPooch.com

 
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What To Do Before You Go Travel Tips

09 Jan

Author: Darlene Berkel
Source: articledashboard.com

Vacations are what everyone dreams of as they pass through the drudgery of everyday life. Vacation is a term used in English speaking North America to describe a lengthy time away from work or school, a trip abroad, or simply a pleasure trip away from home, such as a trip to the beach that lasts several days or longer. The term derives from the fact that, in the past, upper-class families would literally move to a summer home for part of the year, leaving their usual family home vacant.

However, a quality vacation requires a considerable amount of preparation in order to ensure a leisurely time away. The most important tip before you go on vacation is to ensure that the mail, paper and package deliveries are rerouted prior to leaving your home. The fastest way to alert a burglar that your home is unattended is to allow the daily newspaper to pile up on the front step or in the newspaper box. Taking a few moments to contact the postal delivery person and newspaper delivery person could make all the difference.

Responsibility Before Play

Another important tip before you go is to visit your local financial institute and purchase travelers’ checks. There is no other way to insure that the money you have been saving for your vacation will be will remain yours and not a pickpocket’s. A very important tip before you go on vacation is to prepare appropriate and accurate travel documents. If you don’t have a passport and think you might need one, now is the time to get it. If you have a passport, now is the time to renew it — even if it’s not set to expire anytime soon. Travel abroad and you’ll notice how often you have to show your passport: at hotels, banks, Internet cafes. So securing your passport before you go is an absolute must!

Many countries are specific in their requirements. Make sure that you have all necessary travel documents gathered into one place, generally keep them with the airline tickets, and ensure that everything is properly dated, signed and notarized. Without the proper documents, you can be denied entry to another country or be unable to return to your own.

It is always valuable to research the climate of the destination when organizing your travel wardrobe. Before you go tips are many but the need to pay close attention to the weather is an absolute must. The weather has been suggested as an environmental factor affecting physical activity. Particularly in temperate climates, the weather varies considerably by season and even day-to-day. Weather or time of year apparently impacts all socioeconomic groups as a barrier to physical activity.

A well-prepared wardrobe will make your vacation run smoothly. Always pack neutral colors and basic items to insure that you are covered for all situations. For women, a black cocktail dress is always a saving grace. Men should always pack a button down shirt and dinner jacket and slacks for those special nights. It is taking the time to pay attention to the details that will save you time on your vacation.

Before you go, Remember your goal is Fun

There are so many different ideas and suggestions when traveling, everyone has an idea of what works best. Before you go tips are as plenty as the options for travel locations. However, it is most important that you secure your home, your identity, and your finances prior to departure. Everything else has a way of working itself out in the end. Once you have ensured that the most important security items are organized and taken care of, remember that the final part of a vacation is to enjoy it.

 
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Beach Holidays Using Cruise Line Travel

08 Jan

Author: Paul Symonds
Source: ezinearticles.com

If you are looking for the top beach destinations around the world, there are hundreds of beaches to choose from worldwide and many have natural beauty, beautiful sandy shores and excellent facilities. You can easily search the internet to find the top beach destinations around the world and this part is easy but the later part, which involves the selection and the plan, is tough.

Ideally, you should select some destinations and then you should start to filter out the ones which do not match your requirements. Filter your priorities for example by, budget, recreational facilities, weather for the times when you want to go and user reviews.

Visiting beach destinations need not only involve a direct flight and hotel at a resort. A cruise holiday for example takes you to numerous beach locations on the one trip and this can act as an economical and incredibly memorable trip of a lifetimes. Cruising also offers you all the facilities that you can imagine and combines some of the best food you will ever have the chance to try on holiday. Cruises also combine other services including for laundry, shopping, live entertainment and everything you need for a holiday.

Cruise travel helps you to plan your trip in a more efficient way if you want to see multiple places in a short time. You can travel from beach to beach while enjoying the sea all the time from the comfort of your room in the cruise. The cruise will have a planned tour and they will include the best beaches in the world if you choose locations such as the Caribbean or South-East Asia as your cruise destination area.

The amazing thing with some of the massive new cruise line ships is that some of them have their own beaches and pool areas. You can tan yourself and lay down on the sands for hours, diving in the water whilst the ship takes you from A to B. Make sure if you can also to combine a little travel to the nearby towns, go to the forests and meet the locals. This will enrich your experience and you will be able to move around at will.

Combining beach locations with cruise ship travel is a wonderful way to form a fabulous holiday of sun, sand and sangria.

Paul loves to travel and writes about Marais in Paris and Barcelona local transport.

 
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Bolivia – Travel Destination Tips on Where to Go

08 Jan

Author: Matthew Coe
Source: ezinearticles.com

When in Sucre cheesy as the ‘dino mobile’ looks a trip to the dinosaur footprints will exceed your expectations. Thecost of avisit is cheap and the prints are extensive – it’s justsuch a shame& quite unbelievable that such a treasure is still part of a working quarry. The prints scale a sheer rock face which shakes withdynamite explosions from the baseeven as you watch- let’s hope that UNESCO win their battle and these footprints are preserved forfuture generations.

Do not miss the world wonder which is the salt flats of Uyuni. There are 2 choices of trip – either a 1 day trip out to the salt flats & back or a 3 day trip across the salt flats and on in to San Pedro De Atacama – Chile. If Chile is on your travel path then this is probably the best trip to take as you will see all the attractions of the salt flats along with the red & green lagoons & flamingos. The 1 day trip will however cover the salt flats element and from Uyuni you can get an overnight train down to the border with Argentina. These trains do not leave every day though so worth checking before you arriveto avoid a prolonged stay in Uyuni. Once in Uyuni every shop is a travel agent and trying to choose who to go with blows your mind – all offer pretty much the same thing the decider needs to be how good their English is and the state of their vehicles. All operators have books with reviews from previous travellers so have a read of these before you decide.

La Paz is the unofficial capital of Bolivia and the biggest city at high altitude in the world. It?s a fascinating city, full of markets .. including the notorious witches market where Bolivians buy llama foetuses which hang in the doorways of all the shops – they?re believed to bring good luck if placed in the foundations of a building. For all those that have read ?Marching powder? – yes the prison is still there but unfortunately when we were there nosy backpackers were no longer permitted access (although in Bolivia money talks so if you’re feeling brave it could be worth a try!).

By travelmatty, a backpacker who loves to travel
Wikidtravel – Independent travel site for backpackers

 
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Tips For Healthy Trips

24 Nov

Author: Wade Gibson
Source: articledashboard.com

You may want the first person you tell about an upcoming vacation to be your insurance agent. The U.S. Department of State recommends travelers check to see if their health insurance is valid in different destinations, before heading off on a trip. Doing so could help save you more than a few headaches while you’re on the road. Try these additional tips for staying healthy while traveling:

Know Before You Go

Talk to your doctor about the places you plan to visit and find out if you need any vaccinations before going. Remember that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says some vaccines take up to six weeks to become fully effective. That means if you need a shot, you should try to get it well before your actual trip.

Healthy Travels

Pack prescription medication and basic over-the-counter medicine in your carry-on luggage-not in your checked bags. That way, if your checked bags get lost, it will just be an inconvenience and not an emergency. Also, make an effort to sample the local fare, but be certain to tell your waiter about any food allergies you may have before ordering.

Fun In The Sun

Even if you’re not going to Tahiti, odds are you’ll be walking around in the sun. Be sure to protect yourself by using a sunblock with an SPF of at least 15 and a wide-brimmed hat. Just know that not all hats block the sun’s rays equally well. Some are specifically designed and certified to offer maximum sun protection and some are not. For instance, hats made by Tilley Endurables are certified with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor of 50+ (the highest rating given). Tilley Mesh Hats are also equipped with new “3D” mesh fabric as well as Hydrofil™ Anti-Sweat Bands. Like all the company’s hats, they block 98 percent of the sun’s rays and are designed to keep travelers’ heads cool.

 
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Avoid Caution Flags On Your Next Family Road Trip

24 Nov

Author: Stacey Moore
Source: articledashboard.com

“Most of my fondest family memories are from the road trips we have taken over the years,” said Rusty Wallace, retired NASCAR driver and Nextel Cup champion. Wallace and his wife and three kids have spent a lot of time traveling on the open road and have learned the do’s and don’ts of road trips. The stress and frustration that can come along with highway traveling can be easily alleviated with some planning, creativity and preparation. Americans are expected to take more than 328 million leisure trips this spring and summer (according to the Travel Industry Association); here are a few tips and tricks from the king of road trips to make those getaways fun for the entire family:

• Safety check. “Before the race cars hit the track, the most important thing is to make sure they are in top-notch running condition,” Wallace said. “The same thing goes for my family cars.” Wallace advises taking your car in for a tune-up before heading out on the road so that you can reach the checkered flags safely.

• Planning your trip. Surprises and unfulfilled expectations can lead to frustrations, but planning ahead can help everyone know what to expect along the way. Wallace recommends using trip-planning software such as Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator to help your family plan the perfect road trip. A reassuring voice along with accurate and simple mapping information will guide you to your destination. It also has easy-to-use tools that allow you to plan a personalized road trip from beginning to end.

• Speed bumps. Even if you plan all the details of your road trip, there are still bound to be some unexpected speed bumps along the way, such as road construction and traffic congestion. But don’t let that ruin the fun. Streets & Trips can route you around the delay and get you back on track in no time.

• Pit stops. “On the track, we get in and out of pit stops as fast as we can, but when I’m with my family, we make pit stops fun,” Wallace said. Make your pit stops enjoyable for everyone and long enough to allow a break from the road. If one of your road trips ever takes you to Rusty Wallace’s home state of North Carolina, he recommends visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

• Get creative. The next time your family plans on hitting the road, try planning a themed adventure. Wallace suggests taking a trip across the country to visit all the NASCAR races, but if that doesn’t suit your family’s interests, Streets & Trips can help you customize a trip that will be fun for everyone.

 
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