Dealing with Hotels

Play the newlywed game. If you're going on your honeymoon, mentioning this when you're making reservations might earn you a modest room upgrade. Hotels have also been known to furnish hungry honeymooners with free breakfast or champagne. One caveat: Hoteliers are becoming hip to the practice of fake honeymooning, so you might have to convince the person taking your reservation that you actually have just married.

Check that rate one last time. If you have a hotel reservation and you suspect business might be a little slow, call the front desk directly -- not the 800 number -- just before you arrive and ask what the best rate is for the evening. In many cases, if it's late and the hotel is not full, you will be quoted a better rate than the one you got when you made the reservation -- hotel managers are fully aware that an empty room generates no revenue. If the rate is not better, simply show up with your reservation as planned. However, if you have guaranteed reservations -- the kind that charge your card even if you don't show up -- this trick won't fly.

Go easy on the unpacking. If you will be staying in a hotel room for only one night, put anything you take out of your suitcase into one drawer only. That way you won't have to go looking through closets and under beds to make sure you didn't leave anything.

Pump up the volume (a little). When you leave your hotel room -- even at a nice lodging -- be sure to leave the TV on with the volume turned up just loud enough to be heard outside the door. Thieves are less likely to try anything if they think someone is in the room watching TV. Read more...

Getting Around

Don't be so cheap you miss a bargain. In San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and other cities, cabs to the center of town cost $30 or more, and shared-van and bus services cost from $10 to $17. But remember that if you're splitting expenses with a traveling companion, the cost of a taxi might be only a tad more than the cost of the alternatives (which usually take longer); with three or more people, a cab can become a bargain.

Check for deals on wheels. When renting a car, find out if any of your frequent-flier mileage programs entitle you to a discount.

Look before you leave. Before you drive away in a rental car, always check for damage, and take the time to point out anything you notice to an agency staffer. Read more...

Exercising

Work out. Ask if your hotel has an exercise room or provides free use of a nearby club. A workout, even a small one, can do wonders when you're traveling, especially if you are eating heavy meals.

Take it easy. On the other hand, don't be a vacation superjock. Unless you are in peak physical condition, do not engage in any strenuous physical activity while on vacation that you do not regularly do at home. Too many vacations are ruined by sprained or strained or broken body parts because someone got a little too adventurous or tipsy.

Take a quick spin. If you like to jog, take a run and you'll get a mini-sightseeing adventure. A run through the countryside is often a rewarding experience.

Have a good chew. When hiking or camping with a limited or rationed water supply, chewing on gum, particularly with electrolytes, helps to moisten the palate, relieving that "parched" feeling. Read more...