20 Travel Tips

1. Rest Assured - I always pack an inflatable beach ball in my carry-on for long flights. When I'm ready to sleep, I just blow it up, put it on my tray table, and curl over it to sleep.
2. On The Hunt - When my husband and I visit museums with our children, we always ask the ticket agent if there are any organized treasure hunts. Some museums, like the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, have a list of specific works for are or facts that are interesting to kids.
3. Trick Up Your Sleeve - I came up with a great way to keep from losing my scarf when I travel. As you take off your jacket or sweater, grab one end of the scarf and hold on to it. Once the garment is off, you'll find that the scarf has been threaded through the sleeve.
4. Beyond the Books - Before we travel, my husband and I download podcasts about our destination, and then we listen to them on the way there.
5. Magnet Memories - I purchase magnets when I travel. When I get home, I write the month and year of the trip on the back of each one before I put it on our refrigerator.
6. It's a Wrap - On a recent trip to Italy, my husband and I picked up an Italian newspaper to use as fun and inexpensive wrapping paper. We even matched the section of the paper with the recipient, using colorful photos of soccer players to wrap a gift for a soccer playing relative.
7. Hike Up Your Coverage - If you're going to do any serious trekking, consider buying rescue insurance. The American Alpine Club offers a rescue benefit to its members for as little as $40 per year.
8. Journal on the Fly - When my husband and I travel, I buy a postcard and fill it with info about where we stay, eat, shop and sightsee, and then I mail it home. I use the card as a record for our future trips.
9. Lots to Remember - It's easy to get a little distracted while parking your car at the airport before a flight. So when my husband and I park, one of us always sends the other a text message with info about our car's location.
10. Room for Improvement - It can be tough to figure out hotelroom arrangements if you're traveling with several people. Instead of choosing your room, ask the reservations clerk what he or she would recommend as the best deal for your situation.
11. The Fine Print - I found a way to keep track of all my airline, car, hotel and club memberships without having to carry the ID cards with me. On a wallet-size card, I listed the membership numbers and toll-free numbers for all the programs.
12. Plugged In - When you travel with infants or toddlers, bring a Ziploc full of childproof outlet plugs. You're bound to need them, whether you're staying in a hotel or with friends and family.
13. Sand-Free Solution - Take a container of baby powder along the next time you go to the beach. Before you get back into your car, sprinkle the powder on your feet - the sand falls right off!
14. Picture This - Before a recent trip to Puerto Rico, I went to flickr.com, a photo-sharing website, and searched for images of the island. Just going through people's pictures helped me decide what I wanted to do during my trip.
15. Grand Savings - Formula One fans should buy their Grand Prix tickets directly from the track's official website instead of from formula1.com, online ticket brokers, or scalpers. I've saved up to $80.00 per ticket by doing this.
16. Double-duty Dishes - I often bring along sandwiches or snacks in disposable plastic containers on trips. Instead of throwing the containers away, I save them. Rinsed out, they're perfect for protecting small breakable items in my carry-on.
17. Easy Seat - I used to check my toddler's car seat on flights, but now that airlines charge for extra luggage, I keep it with me. When I board, I can check the seat at the door for free.
18. Wipe Out - Once at a wedding I realized that my makeup had smeared onto my collar. In desperation, I used one of my baby granddaughter's wipes, and it took the stain right off.
19. Checkmate! - A lot of travelers think there's only one security checkpoint to go through when departing from the South Terminal at London's Gatwick Airport. But when the airport gets crowded, a second or third opens. I've always found the upstairs checkpoint to be much less crowded than the main one.
20. Sounds of Slumber - I listen to music when I go to sleep, but it gets tricky when I travel and share a room with others. On a recent trip, I put my iPod next to my pillow, cranked the volume all the way up, and put the earbuds under the pillow. The music was just loud enough to help me fall asleep, but not too loud for my roommates.

Travel for 2009

Check out our list of escorted and group tours for 2009. Food for thought: Alaska is a wonderful destination and we have space blocked on 3 distinctively different Alaska cruises - which one is best for you? A word to the wise: the Alaska packages need to be booked early while cabin selections are the best, so talk to us soon about the highlights of each.

If escorted group travel isn't your "thing" Walt Disney World in Orlando is always a special destination for families. Or if you want just a short getaway, consider a 3-night or 4-night cruise. A cruise vacation has never been more affordable!

Wherever you wish to travel, contact the travel experts at World Travel Center help you with your travel arrangements.