Free Hertz #1 Club Gold membership for Delta Skymiles members

by Scott Carmichael on

Here is a simple bonus promotion for Delta Skymiles members – follow this link, and enter Delta Skymiles as the program name, and 5765 as the promotion code – and you’ll get instant free access to the Hertz #1 Club Gold membership. Of course, if you are not (yet) a Skymiles member, nothing is stopping you from heading over to Delta.com to sign up (also free).

The program normally costs $60/year, but that fee is waived for you. Sadly, the perks are limited to instant vehicle pickup and drop-off, but when you are in a hurry at the airport, every saved minute helps.

You’ll need to provide Hertz with a credit or debit card, and your drivers license number, and after your first rental as a Gold member, you’ll be able to bypass the desk and walk right up to your car. But best of all, you’ll get a nice shiny gold card for your wallet. A list of all Hertz #1 Club benefits can be found here.

Walt Disney World to build new value resort

by Leigh Caldwell on

Walt Disney World says construction will begin this summer on its first new hotel in seven years.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will largely consist of “family suites” that sleep up to six people.

There’s no word on how Disney’s family suites will be configured, but other resorts that offer family suites typically have a larger room that includes a partially walled off space outfitted for children, with bunk beds and a separate television.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will be built on a site that was once planned as a second phase of Disney’s Pop Century Resort, called “The Legendary Years.”

Walt Disney World has two partially built structures on the property. Construction on them was halted when Disney abandoned plans for Pop Century’s second phase several years ago.

The new resort will celebrate animation with themed sections from its movies, including “The Lion King” and “Cars,” according to the Sentinel’s report.

The hotel will be considered a “value” resort, Disney’s term for its lower priced properties, where rooms currently start at $82 per night. It is expected to open in 2012.

A Mexican traveler’s money-saving tips

by Gadling Staff on

Headed to Mexico on a budget? Then you’re headed to the right place. In my experience, Mexican businesses and their employees are some of the friendliest and most service oriented people I’ve met, so you should take advantage of the freebies they’re usually willing to offer to visitors. A couple of years ago I started exploring the country of my ancestors, usually with a friend for company. Here are a few of the money saving tips I learned during my travels to Mexico City, Monterrey, and San Luis Potosi.

Take advantage of the free rides some nice restaurants will offer you back to your hotel
My friend and I discovered this service in Mexico City late one night after dinner and drinks at an Argentine steakhouse. We asked our server if the restaurant could call a cab, and instead he offered us the use of the restaurant’s car and driver. We gave the driver a reasonable tip and saved ourselves the cost of a cab fare. This service isn’t available at every restaurant, but all you have to do is ask to find out.

Don’t be afraid of street food
Sure, we splurged at that Argentine restaurant, but my friend and I also ate a lot of our meals on the side of the road, where you can get a hearty, delicious, and inexpensive meal at a food cart. Believe me, it was not easy convincing my friend that street food is safe and delicious. In San Luis Potosi, I finally convinced him to try a street vendor’s gorditas, which are fat tortillas that are split open and stuffed with meats and cheeses. When we were headed home, he admitted it was the best meal he had the entire trip, and it only cost us a couple of dollars!

Keep reading for more tips below…
Visit free admission museums
They’re everywhere, especially in Monterrey and Mexico City. I couldn’t believe how many museums are gratis, while I pay to get into most museums in the U.S. These attractions are a great way to learn more about the local history and culture. You might be approached by a museum guide, but you probably don’t need to hire one. Most of the Mexican museums I’ve been to are visitor friendly, with written explanations in Spanish and English for each exhibit. A word of caution: get there early. Some museums in Mexico close as early as 4pm.

Grab a free city map and guide instead of buying one
Some cities, including San Luis Potosi and Monterrey, have great tourist information centers. San Luis Potosi has one in the town square, and Monterrey has a couple of them in the bus station. Just ask for the oficina de turismo. It shouldn’t be too hard to find one, and they offer free maps and attraction guides in English, handed out by friendly greeters.

Skip the overpriced hotel breakfast
Many hotels in Mexico offer breakfast, but if it isn’t free, then skip it. The one time I ate at a hotel the food was okay, but overpriced and not so traditionally Mexican. Instead, I suggest hitting the streets to find a panaderia, a bakery where you can buy pan dulce, or traditional Mexican sweet bread. Throw in a cup of Mexican hot chocolate or coffee and you’ve got a quick, inexpensive breakfast. Yum!

Use public transportation instead of a taxi whenever possible
When we visited Mexico City, we decided to take a day trip to Xochimilco, a borough of the city that’s known for its series of canals that tourists and locals travel by boat. We could have taken a cab, but we were told it would cost us around $30. Instead we took the light rail train, which connects to the city’s metro system. It took us a little longer to get to Xochimilco, but we took in the landscape along the way, and it cost us less than $5 round trip.

Book your flight through a Mexican airline
Okay, this tip isn’t for everyone, but if, like me, you live in South Texas or another area near the border, this could work. When I was headed to Mexico City, I had a friend drop me off at an airport near the border in Reynosa, Mexico. If you don’t have anyone to drive you into Mexico, take a taxi or a bus to the airport. My plane ticket from Reynosa to Mexico City cost less than $300 on Mexicana, a reputable airline. Compared to the fares I found on several U.S. airlines, that saved me at least $200.

Shop around for a cash exchange rate
Casas de cambio, or cash exchange houses, are everywhere. Especially in tourist hot spots, you should look around for the best rate. Use an exchange house instead of a bank and you’ll be out of there with your cash more quickly and easily.

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A taste of Cleveland: Shopping the historic West Side Market

by Leigh Caldwell on

I did not have any idea what I was going to find when I hopped a cab in downtown Cleveland one morning last week and headed to the West Side Market. Sure, the folks charged with marketing Cleveland as a vacation destination said the market was great, but that’s their job.

So, I had low expectations. All I was hoping for, frankly, was to find a vendor who was selling a muffin and perhaps some coffee.

And then, I stepped into the yellow brick building that has housed the market since 1912.

Dozens of food booths stretched out before me, selling everything from cannolis to whole suckling pig. There are more than 100 food vendors at the West Side Market, and they represent dozens of different ethnicities. Many of the booths have been in the same family for generations.

It’s one of those rare places where you can buy both tamales and liverwurst, pierogis and lo mein, gnocchi and apricot stilton.

It wasn’t packed, (this was a Wednesday, after all) but the market had a big-city bustle that made for great people watching. The ladies who lunch carried their purse pooches on an outing to get the best price on organic produce, students carried worksheets and took notes on the different ethnic foods available and regulars from around the corner ran in for a dozen eggs and a pound of ground sirloin.

Besides the people watching, the West Side Market is a great stop for travelers looking for a quick bite. Many of the vendors have ready-to-eat foods or foods they are willing to heat for you. There’s also a short-order restaurant, the West Side Market Cafe, adjacent.

Admission to the West Side Market is free. It’s open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at West 25th and Lorain, in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.

And, by the way, I did find that muffin. But not until I had found the a freshly made crepe filled with lemon curd and mascarpone, chocolate bacon bark and caramel cheese popcorn. My apologies to the baker; there simply wasn’t room.

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Brooklyn Bridge Park: The Best New NYC Park

by Amy Chen on

As the weather warms up, New York City’s parks offer some of the best places to picnic. Central Park’s Sheep Meadow is a no-brainer, but Brooklyn Bridge Park may actually be my new favorite place.

The first section of the park opened in March on Pier 1, but only now has the weather cooperated enough to warrant a visit. I checked out the park on a blustery Saturday. Though the wind thwarted my plan to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (something I try to do at least once a year), it was warm enough to linger on a bench and admire the skyline.

The Pier 1 section includes a playground and a waterfront walkway that rivals the nearby Brooklyn Heights promenade. Best of all, if you don’t feel like packing your own picnic, the park is close to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria.

Once completed, the waterfront park is expected to cover 85 acres of prime real estate from Atlantic Avenue to Jay Street just north of the Manhattan Bridge. All in all, this addition to the city’s park system serves as yet another pleasant reminder that some of the best things in NYC are still free.

Details: The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a quick walk from the A/C subway station at High Street.

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