Discover the pleasures of slow food – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

Food is the soul of every city. So when traveling, try to dine at least one restaurant that celebrates slow food – a grassroots movement that marries the pleasure of eating with a commitment to the community and the environment.

Slow food restaurants use fresh, local, seasonal ingredients to craft their dishes. So as you dine, you’re not only pleasing your palate, but you’re supporting local farmers and fisherman as well.

For the lowdown on slow food, visit slowfoodusa.org. The site allows visitors to search for restaurants by state. It also includes information on local farmers markets, farm tours, cooking classes and events.

Looking for cheap lodging? Check on campus – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

Looking for cheap lodging alternatives? Check on campus.

Most colleges and universities offer dorm rooms to rent for next to nothing to non-students during the summer. The price usually includes meals.

Or, if you don’t mind conjugating verbs while on your European vacation, check into an independent language-immersion program. A weeklong stay at a host home with classes can cost the equivalent of a night’s stay at an upscale hotel in the US. Bonus: you’ll get smarter on vacation! Now, who can make that claim?!

Get a mascot! – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

The best advice for anyone taking a road trip: get a mascot.

This doesn’t need to be complicated. On one cross-country trip, my friend and I took a small stuffed goat. Over the course of 3000 miles we told many stupid stories about that goat and photographed him with us in places ranging from the Hoover Dam to the Amish Country of Pennsylvania. A family member recently took a small stuffed Sponge Bob on her trip cross-country.

It’s not what the mascot is that counts. It’s that you have one. It will be the glue that holds the trip together.

Cold water without a cooler – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

Sometimes, we travel without a cooler (when we’re taking a shorter trip or don’t have enough room). But even without the cooler, we always have a way to have ice cold water with us.

To make cold water last the whole day, put a couple bottles of water in the freezer the night before*. Naturally, they’ll all turn to bottles of ice. An hour into the day, after the ice melts a little, you have a nice cold drink of water. When you see a water fountain, you can add more water — or, add water from unfrozen bottles.

In most developed countries, tap water is as good (or better) than bottled. Plus it’s cheaper and greener (of course, it’s ok to use the same bottles over).

* Be sure NOT to insert FULL bottles into the freezer! They might explode or leak when they melt, if the bottle has cracked from the pressure.

Local newspapers make great gift wrap – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

When buying souvenirs in a foreign country, be sure to pick up a copy of the local newspaper. Even if you don’t speak the language printed, the newspaper makes interesting wrap for the gifts you’ll take home.

Bonus points if the recipient is studying foreign languages, as newspapers are good tools for practice.