Last year on our flight to Las Vegas, I asked several of the other passengers if they would like to partake in a drawing for a chance to win money before landing in Vegas.
Several passengers were interested, so we got a trash bag and a marker, and each passenger that wanted to play wrote their seat number on a dollar bill and placed it in the trash bag.
After asking everyone if they wanted to play, we had a young passenger draw one of the dollars from the bag and that person won all the cash.
On cruise ships, most hallways and doors look alike — especially after a few drinks.
To help identify your room, bring along a picture of something familiar, like the family dog — but NO personal pictures, for safety reasons — and tape it to your door along with a BIG stick-on Christmas bow, glittery streamers, or other eye-catching, but easily removable object.
No mistaking your room now! Plus, you’re frequently reminded of your great dogs, waiting for you back home.
Want to find the best restaurants while on vacation? Not only will Yelp help you find which restaurants are nearby, it also provides user reviews for each restaurant, so you really know what you might be getting into before you arrive at the establishment. The site also includes nifty, useful filtering options, so you can zero in on exactly what you need.
No access to a computer? No worries. Yelp also comes in several mobile flavors, including for the iPhone, Blackberry and Android-based smartphones like the Motorola Droid.
Visit the Yelp website and see for yourself.
It might be a simple suggestion, but… bringing a bike (or two) on your next road trip will yield rich rewards.
Not only does a bike ride stretch your legs after hours in the car, it helps provide a lay of the land when you make a pitstop. Further, you’ll absorb more local flavor (markets, parks, impromptu street performances) than is possible solely on foot. Finally, riding a bike is good exercise! (And who among us didn’t eat just a little too much on our last vacation?)
Bike racks conserve trunk space but if you manage to fit the bike inside your vehicle you’ll have less logistical hassle. Pro tip: Folding bikes like those made by Bike Friday take up less space.
See also: 20 great bike rides
Walkie talkies use radio waves to communicate directly with each other, unlike cell phones, which rely on a cell phone tower as a go-between.
People on road trips often end up in rural areas where cell phones are useless. A couple of inexpensive walkie talkies can help your group stay in touch, as well as keep the kids entertained.
Bonus tip: Walkie talkies also work on cruise ships!