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Tag: travel magazines

  • Books and Magazines for Frugal Travelers

    Let’s face it. Frugal traveling takes work. You need to research the best options so that you can get the most bang for your buck.

    Luckily, there are many good references out there to help with this process. Here are some suggestions of books and magazines that will guide you along your journey as a frugal traveler. All of these titles are available on Amazon or many of your other favorite online bookstores. Books Travel Happy, Budget Low Susanna Zaraysky (2009) With over 160 websites and 200 trips, Travel Happy, Budget Low helps international travelers discover how to travel on the cheap in planes, trains, and buses, how to find inexpensive meals, and how to book inexpensive hotel rooms or stay for free with locals. How to Travel Practically Anywhere Susan Stellin (2007) New York Times contributor Susan Stellin provides readers with timesaving tips to navigate their travel planning, including how to negotiate fare prices or how to resolve issues when you are unhappy with your accommodations. A must read for 'cheap' travelers looking to get the most out of their travel experiences. The Rough Guide to Europe on a Budget Rough Guides Series (2010) This multi-contributor volume contains tips for finding the best deals while traveling through Europe, including transportation( by InterRail, Eurail or bus) tips, ideas for what to see and do in each country, current descriptions of the best hostels and budget hotels in Europe, bars in Europe, cafes, cheap restaurants, and European shopping and festivals. This guide is a must read for frugal travelers planning a European vacation. In general, the Rough Guide books tend to be full of great ideas for travelers on a budget. The Little Budget Travel Book David Ning (2009) [caption id="attachment_5136" align="alignright" width="199" caption="These books and magazines will give you plenty of tips on how to make the most of your time and money while traveling."][/caption] A concise guide, jam-packed with general tips for stretching your dollar while traveling. Even if you’ve been traveling frugally for a while, this is worth a read. Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a Year at the Cost of Staying Home Phil White (2008) Phil White gives readers helpful tips for planning the trip of a lifetime on a shoestring budget. A must read for frugal travelers looking to embark on an epic voyage. Secret Hotels: Extraordinary Values in the World’s Most Stunning Destinations Erik Torkells and the Editors of Budget Travel (2007) From the editors of the magazine Budget Travel comes an array of breathtaking lodging options at reasonable prices (most listings are under $200 per night). In general, the Let’s Go series also offers great advice for travelers on a budget. For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.letsgo.com/. Based in the UK, the graphically appealing Vice Travel Guides offer advice on off-the-beaten path travel destinations. For more information, see http://www.viceland.com/guidetotravel/. Magazines Budget Travel One of the best-known budget travel magazines on the market, Budget Travel provides readers with up-to-date tips on budget transportation, hotels, restaurants and activities in a variety of international locations. For more information, visit the magazine’s website at http://www.budgettravel.com/. Afar Magazine Though not specifically about budget travel, Afar provides suggestions for alternative travel (humanitarian travel, volunteer travel, eco travel) and inspiring articles that will help to shape your travel philosophy. For more information, visit Afar’s online community at http://www.afar.com/.

  • Travel – Inspired Holiday Gifts

    Looking for great gift ideas for the world traveler in your life? Or perhaps you can’t afford to take a big trip this year and are looking to live vicariously.

    Here are some of the top travel- inspired holiday gifts for 2010. Travel Books If you are you in the market for original, sophisticated travel books, look no further. The Taschen book company, headed up by Dr. Angelika Taschen, has a reputation for publishing gorgeous tomes with large glossy photos and well-written content. As far as I’m concerned, these are the ultimate coffee table books for any traveler. Be sure to browse their website for tempting books in a variety of prices points about nearly every location on the globe. Here are my suggestions of Taschen books that are sure to please travelers on your holiday gift list (they also make great treats for yourself and can scratch the travel itch): Taschen's Paris by Angelika Taschen (2008) This beautiful hardcover volume is full of Dr. Angelika Taschen’s personal Parisian favorites - hotels, boutiques, restaurants, bars, cafés, and more. Berlin by Hans Christian Adams (2007) This 672-page photographic journey into the city's history is both comprehensive and aesthetically pleasing. I purchased my copy as a remembrance of my incredible time in Berlin. African Interiors by Dr. Angelika Taschen and Deidi Von Schaewen is a two-volume set of traditional and contemporary African home, hotels and restaurant interiors. I own it and page through it often while fantasizing about my eventual trip to African someday. Great Escapes Mediterranean by Christiane Reiter and Angelika Taschen Part of Angelika Taschen’s Great Escapes series, this book is full of the very best images of hotels and beaches in Greece, France and Italy. Of course, guidebooks-- such as those published by TimeOut, Fodor’s, Lonely Planet, Moon, or the independent British publisher, VICE-- are always good options, as are foodie travel narratives like those by Anthony Bourdain. Electronics Of course, mobile devices like Androids, iPads, iPhones, iPods, etc. are all the rage for tech-savvy travelers. Though the initial investment is not exactly conducive to most frugal travelers budgets, the long- term payout can be great. With time and money saving iPhone apps (that range from $0.99-$5.99), these devices can be a traveler’s best friend. World-travelers used to long layovers and flights will also love the mobile reader options on all of these. It is now possible to download an Amazon Kindle app on to any one of these devices (that allows you to transfer all of your books over should you choose to change mobile devices in the future-- a great way to protect your investment). Remember that with internet access, you’ll also be able to check out your favorite travel blogs for posts and travel tips while you’re on the road. Magazine Subscriptions Magazine subscriptions are the gifts that keep on giving…all year long. Of course, there are the usual glossy suspects that appeal to world travelers (Condé Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, etc.). May I suggest these two publications as alternatives. They are magazines geared toward “the rest of us” - those who can’t afford (or perhaps don’t want) to indulge in 5-star hotels and $10,000 cruises. Both focus on cultural content and “off the beaten path” travel accounts. Afar Magazine: This magazine is dedicated to covering stories on adventure travel, philanthropic travel and really digs into cultural content. It doesn’t hurt that the photos and layout are breathtaking. Pology: Each issue of this world cultures magazine is chalk full of impassioned travel vignettes, poetry and photo-essays.