New book helps families pack and stay smarter on vacation
2010-03-29
With the summer fast approaching, many families are preparing for summer vacations, family reunions and college touring that will take them to any number of different hotels across the world. A new publication from Budget Travel Magazine seeks to help travelling families maximize their experience on the road and get the most out of their stays.
Entitled the Smart Family's Passport, the new book is a compendium of roughly 350 travel tips sent in by actual travelers and aimed specifically at anyone traveling with children. The tips cover a variety of topics from crossing language barriers to keeping children entertained on long flights.
Travelers who use hotel safes run the risk of forgetting their valuables when it comes time to check out. One reader advises that cautious travelers place a shoe inside or on top of the safe to remind them of the items inside, lest they head to the airport without their passport, wallet or keys.
Another tip, highlighted by a columnist with USA Today's Hotel Check-In blog, suggests that travelers interested in booking with the same hotel in the future ask the housekeeping staff to recommend the best rooms. The author notes that front desk staff might not know the condition of the rooms or might push more expensive packages, while housekeepers can recommend from first-hand experience.