Buy a newspaper – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

You don’t have to spend a fortune to bring home a great reminder of your trip. A newspaper purchased during a trip provides a fun look into local life and can easily jog your memory.

Buy a newspaper or two and pick up free local guides whenever possible. Once home, revisit the vacation locale by browsing the weather forecast, restaurant reviews, local happenings and events, and other memorable news that occurred while you were there.

Bonus: You can share the newspapers and guides with others who have never been there but who would love to visit.

Postcards as guides – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

The cheapest way to quickly discover what an unfamiliar city has to offer is to peruse a postcard rack and buy a few that intrigue you.

Postcards not only highlight “sight-see-worthy” locations, but if language is a barrier, just show the cab driver the picture, and you’re on your way.

Once you’re at your location, write a memory of your visit, mail it to your residence, and add to your scrapbook.

The biggest plus? No need to carry the heavy travel guides with you.

When packing with kids, make it a game – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

I was famous for forgetting major components when packing for a trip or vacation… items like socks and underwear, stuff you really need. So I created a game for my family to pack quickly and easily without forgetting a thing.

  1. I make a list for each child and the quantity they need, i.e., undies 5 pair, socks 5 pair, etc.
  2. I gather everyone into the living room. From the list, I will call out, “Five pairs of socks!”
  3. Each child has to run and locate the item(s) I called out before they return. Whoever returns first gets a point, and the winner gets a special pre-trip prize.

This will continue until all the items are in their suitcases, and my sanity is restored.

Visit a ghost town – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

If you’re looking for an interesting side-trip, or you just want to get out of town for a quick day trip, visit a ghost town.

To find a ghost town, log on to ghosttowns.com, which lists hundreds of ghost towns by state and county and describes what makes each spot unique and “ghostly.”

You may be surprised at how many ghost towns are in your area. Just don’t get scared.

Pack a power splitter – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

We all know there aren’t enough power outlets in airports, so pack a power cord splitter for long layover.

For roughly $5, you can purchase a cord that allows two or more plugs to access the same outlet. You won’t hog an outlet yourself, or — even better — it might work to your advantage if all outlets are otherwise occupied: you can share someone else’s power.