It pays to be young in Rome this August

by Katie Hammel on

To combat the travel lull Rome typically experiences in August, the city is offering some fantastic deals to lure travelers. The catch? You must be under 30 years old to get the special prices.

Head to any tourist office in Rome, show proof that you’re between 18 and 29 years old, pick up your free promo card and use it to get discounts all over the city. 32 restaurants are offering special menus that range from 5 to 25 Euros, with the average price being around 10 Euros for 2-3 courses. Common menus may include pizza or pasta and dessert or a drink. You’ll get deals on accommodations as well, with over 50 b&bs and 20 hotels offering significant discounts.

The card will get you a Roma Pass for 21 Euros instead of 23. The pass is good for 3 days and gets you free travel on city buses and the Underground, and covers admission to 2 museums (after that you can use it to get discounts to other attractions). You’ll also get 10% off at all city-owned museums and 5 Euros off the 20 Euro open-topped bus tour.

Check out the full list of participating establishments and deals available here.

[via Budget Travel]

Free Fridays at Radisson Hotels through summer

by Alison Brick on

I think we’re all sighing a collective “TGIF” right about now.

Fridays have always been golden days for heralding in the weekend. But Radisson is upping their appeal even more.

This summer, get a free Friday stay at a Radisson Hotel or Resort with any regular room reservation on a consecutive Thursday or Saturday. 50% off a 2-day stay, anyone?

The offer is valid on standard rooms (single or double occupancy) through September 15, 2009 at participating Radissons in North America, South America, Asia, or the UK.

In the same Friday vein, Radissons in the US are also offering “buy one, get one free” entrée deals at TGIF restaurants.

[Thanks, ShermansTravel.com]

Catch a fee-free weekend at your favorite national park this summer

by Alison Brick on

Have you hugged a national park lately? Go on, we’ll wait.

(Actually, with state parks in California potentially closing because of the budget crisis, they could use a bit of love, too.)

When you give the love and visit a national park on one of the fee-free weekends this summer, you get it back. That’s when fees will be waived at the 147 national parks that normally charge entrance fees.

The weekends that you’ll want to mark on your calendar are:
• June 20-21, 2009 (Father’s Day weekend)
• July 18-19, 2009
• August 15-16, 2009

Just a few of the national parks that are included: Grand Canyon (Arizona), Bryce and Zion (Utah), Yosemite (California), Haleakala (Hawaii), Yellowstone (Montana/Wyoming), Glacier (Montana), Grand Teton (Wyoming), and Acadia (Maine).

You might have to face a few extra people, but I think these fee-free days bring the parks back to the people, don’t you? And they’re good reminders of what’s at our disposal here in the U.S.

What’s free during the fee-free weekends are entrance fees (usually ranging from $3-25), commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. You’ll still have to pay for things like camping and concessions.

In addition to the waived fees, concessioners at many of these national parks are also offering special discounts at gift shops, restaurants, and tour operators.

10 places to enjoy May flowers for free

by Jamie Rhein on

When my daughter was about five we went on a wildflower hike for Mother’s Day. The hike was free and I remember the day’s loveliness even though this was over 10 years ago. May’s flowers are one of life’s great pleasures. It’s a visual feast with the world’s locations offering their own special palate.

With this weekend being the last chance to see May flowers as in “April showers bring May flowers,” head outdoors to look for gorgeous colors and lovely scents–urban areas are included. Go for a long, leisurely walk around a neighborhood known for flower beds–or find a city garden that’s in bloom.

Here are 10 flower hotspots that I’ve enjoyed in my travels. Besides being beautiful, I’ve included them here because they are free and flowers are part of their glory. The list is in alphabetical order. Even if you don’t find as many flowers as you might have hoped depending upon your timing, none will disappoint.

  • Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, Honolulu, Hawaii. The first time I visited Brenda’s stomping ground, I was mesmerized by its lushness. This botanical garden was designed to “make a place of peace and tranquility.” Featuring endangered and rare plants from several geographic regions of the world that have tropical environments. Stroll here to take in a wealth of diversity, but in one location.
  • Inniswood Metro Parks Garden, Westerville, Ohio. The gardens are exquisite and the children’s area is quite well done. I never tire of going here. Because it’s part of the Columbus MetroParks system it’s free including the fabulous public events that are frequenlty held.
  • Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris. To escape the bustle of the city and tourists who flock to other landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, this is a place to head. People-watching also offers pleasure.
  • Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky. Once, my history buff cousin and I spent a few hours walking along the grounds while he pointed out the burial spots of famous Kentuckians. I also noticed the gardens and trees.
  • Munsinger/Clemens Gardens, St. Cloud, Minnesota. Last summer when we were on our great American road trip, we spent an afternoon strolling through these two adjacent garden’s delights. Each section pays tribute to certain flowers in this park that was begun in 1915, enhanced thanks to WPA money in the Depression, and added onto in the 1990s. It’s sublime and a prime example of what happens when a community works together to create something that everyone can enjoy, even those from out of town.
  • Pino Trail in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The first section is a marked nature trail where signage tells you what you’re looking at. You don’t have to hike the whole trail to enjoy the scenery. Take in the smell of juniper and pinons. Wildflowers with a desert twist are on the menu.
  • San Francisco Botanical Garden, San Francisco, California. I strolled through here years ago. Irises, one of my favorite flowers, are in bloom right now.
  • The Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore at the edge of Singapore’s downtown is known for its orchids. This is a gorgeous place for wandering, particularly since each section has its own nuances.
  • St. Stephens Green, Dublin, Ireland. This Victorian-style garden in the center of the city has been adding beauty since 1880. When I was here, a group of school children kept wanting to play.
  • The United States Botanic Garden, Washington, D.C. Here’s a garden where a part of it was designed to give people ideas to use at home. Pop into the conservatory for a visual and olfactory explosion. The wonderful aspect of a conservatory is that flowers bloom year round. Paul Busse’s wondrous trains, along with their showing in New York, chug here in December.

For an article that lists sublime places to hike for wildflower viewing, click here. The range is from California to Tennessee.

Australian “free” fares must be free from now on

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It’s a seductive little move: offer free flights, and then slap the passenger with taxes and additional fees. Tiger Airways just did it this month. It attracts potential customers, generates buzz … all the good stuff that an airline needs in this market. A new law, however, is going to bring all this to a close. Air carriers will have to disclose all the “extra” costs up fronts, and free, for once, will mean free.

And, it’s not just the airlines. This overhaul of consumer protection laws covers any company that sells travel – including hotels and town car companies. It could even rope in dive tour providers.

We can debate who loses with this development forever, but the winners are immediately apparent: anyone who voted for this law looks like a consumer rights champion. Beat up on the airlines, if you’re an Aussie elected official, and you’re really asking the voters to let you keep your job.