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4 common errors to avoid when traveling

4 common errors to avoid when traveling

Traveling to a new location allows you to explore the unknown. It is a great way to enjoy and experience new cultures, traditions, and cuisines while you unwind. It is also normal to make a few mistakes and dabble in a few travel glitches during the journey. But, at times, these errors can often put a stop to your fun and frolic. Thankfully, some of these mistakes are avoidable. Let’s look at them. 

Overpacking
When you’re traveling, the last thing you want to do is lug around heavy and huge suitcases. Not only will this completely ruin the vacation spirit, but it also could leave you with a sore arm. Overpacking is one of the most common mistakes people make when traveling. In most cases, overpacking starts with choosing an oversized suitcase or travel bag. Instead, start with a carry-on bag and then move to another if you need to. Also, pick out all the items that you want to take on the trip. Then, slowly eliminate some of them and try to find workarounds. This helps you limit your items to only essentials. Another tip, carry neutral clothing options; this way, you can mix and match your outfits. 

Carrying expensive items
Carrying expensive items like jewelry poses a risk when traveling. First, it could make you an attraction for pickpockets. Second, losing track of your items is very easy when traveling. But, this does not mean you should completely avoid carrying any valuable items. Instead, you can opt for a jacket with zip pockets or a constant waist pouch with all your important belongings. Make sure it is always with you, no matter the location. It is also recommended to leave your work cards and other extra items at home.

Creating an over-ambitious itinerary
Check out all the happening spots while visiting a new domestic or foreign place is normal. But, planning to visit all the local sights within a short period could leave you exhausted and unable to enjoy your trip. While difficult, it is best to refrain from creating an overpacked itinerary. Instead, opt for the must-visit places and add some free time. This allows you to slow down and enjoy the place while you get time to relax and replenish your energy. 

Instead of filling up your itinerary, you can also plan a deluxe staycation. For example, if you are looking for a luxurious city getaway, you must consider the hotel suites and rooms at Encore’s Boston Harbor property. This 5-star hotel has been designed as a stylish retreat and offers many amenities to ensure a comfortable and relaxing stay for visitors. 

Booking layover flights back to back
Another common mistake people make when booking a flight through a tours and travels company is opting for connecting flights with little or no room to rest. Sure, booking one flight after the other sounds tempting as it may save time and money, but it could also backfire. Bear in mind that flights can get delayed, and you could also face issues with baggage claims which could take longer than usual to get through security. To avoid such unforeseen situations, remember to keep a minimum of two hours between connecting flights.

Tip: Skip-the-line tickets – How to avoid the queue
You can skip the line at the most popular tourist hotspots with excusive tickets purchased online or with guided tours arranged by locals. Check out skip-the-line Vatican tours of the Sistine Chapel and Colosseum and make bookings in advance on the official website of Vatican Museums. You may also book skip-the-line tickets for the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum online. 

Viator is one of the top travel companies that offers exclusive guided tours, skip-the-line tours, and even bike tours across famous tourist hotspots and holiday destinations in Orlando and various other cities. If you’re the adventurous kind and love animals, a safari tour can be a good idea. Safari packages can be combined and booked in advance with the same tour operator to save time and avoid the hassle of multiple overlapping activities. Wild Voyager is one of the more popular booking portals that offers a variety of luxury safari packages to Tanzania.

Another thing to remember when traveling is to use travel cards that offer air miles. Airline travel cards such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card allow you to earn miles and unlock other rewards. You can use them to book your flight anywhere across the globe including popular European vacation spots such as Paris, France, Rome, Italy, Florence, Milan, Vatican City, or Venice.

When traveling with pets, it is important to consider their specific needs, such as feeding, bathing, and grooming. Pet-friendly hotels offer the necessary amenities for the convenience of pets and their owners, allowing travelers to take their furry friends with them for vacations. In addition, one can check out the booking discounts available at pet-friendly hotels and make the reservations accordingly.

Many may find it difficult to travel with their pets for reasons like hotel restrictions. Here, you can look up people offering pet-sitting and house-sitting services. For instance, TrustedHousesitters is a great online platform and community for pet lovers where you can find experts to take care of your pet and home while you are away.

If you are looking for affordable short or long-term stays, Extended Stay America provides luxurious accommodation, with apartment-like suites featuring free Wi-Fi and fully equipped kitchens. You may stay here for as long as you desire—from a week to over a month.

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5 amazing hacks to book flights for cheap

Airfare is generally the most expensive part of a trip. If you’ve tried booking a flight before, you realize how frustrating it is to see the fare rise every time you search for the same flight. Airlines are trying their best to pull money out of our pockets, so we’ve to become smarter too. Here’s how you can find the cheapest flight possible:Go incognitoHave you noticed a fare hike after searching for the same flight a few times? This is not exactly happening because your flight is in demand. While the exact technical details about how this happens are uncertain, experts say that your browser cookies are to blame. So, it’s always recommended to search for and book a flight in your browser’s incognito mode. The incognito window resets your cookies each time you open it and can help you find a flight at a lower price. Having said that, it is still best to avoid searching for the same flight multiple times.The search engine mattersUsing the right search engine is very important to find the cheapest flight to your destination. Although there’s no single flight search engine that can help you get great deals, Skyscanner, Momondo, and Google Flights are the three favorite search engines among travelers right now. That being said, there’s never a guarantee that they are showing you the lowest prices, so you should check out a couple of other websites before booking.Pick the cheapest day to flyYou might have heard people saying that you can save money by flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday, but it’s not a consistent truth, and there is no “cheapest day of the week” to fly out. Instead, if you want to get an idea of which day(s) can be the least expensive to fly, you must get a quick visual of prices for a whole month. Flight search engines like Skyscanner, Kiwi.com, and Google Flights offer tools that can help you identify the cheapest days or months to fly to a particular destination.Choose a budget airlineFlying via budget airlines is a great way to get a really cheap flight. Budget airlines mostly offer significantly lower rates than bigger airlines, but this comes with compromises like less legroom and no free food or drinks and movies. If you’re ready to lose these luxuries to get a cheap flight, budget airlines are an ideal option for you. A word of caution: always read the fine print before booking, and check the location of the airport where the flight lands, as some budget airline flights land on airports further out of town.Subscribes to airlines’ newsletterSometimes, you can find the best deals directly on the airlines' websites. You can access these deals by subscribing to their newsletter and receive promo codes and special offers that help you book a flight for cheap. If you sign up for the newsletters of multiple airlines, you can create a separate email ID or use filters that automatically move emails to a specific folder so that you find them easily.

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Hidden secrets of the magical Biltmore estate

Biltmore is the largest privately-owned house in the country, and it's a shining symbol of the iconic Guilded Age of the country's history in the 19th and 20th centuries. These qualities, among many others, make the Biltmore estate a timeless experience for the tourists visiting this immaculate residency every year. One can endlessly explore the 8000-acre estate, which includes the 250-room mansion, 75 acres of incredible gardens, and the country's most-visited winery. Biltmore estate Here are some of the most incredible places and experiences to witness in the Biltmore estate: Antler Hill Village The Antler Hill Village offers a tranquil experience to visitors, who can dine, shop, and discover more about the illustrious Biltmore history. Apart from being the home to the famous Biltmore Farm and Winery, this village also has a base camp for fun programs and activities. The farm also drips with exquisiteness; visitors can see the enchanting barn and farmyard, which includes the kitchen garden and adorable animals. Children have a lot to look forward to in Antler Hill Village, like fun family wagon rides, old-world games, and craft activities. Biltmore Winery A trip to the Biltmore Winery encompasses complimentary wine tasting and self-guided tours. Visitors can dine at an inbuilt bistro and witness special wine tours, classes, and cooking demonstrations. Most of them unwind at the winery after a long day of touring the estate. Biltmore House No visit to the estate can be complete without a visit to the grand Biltmore House. Visitors can see the incredible craft and grandeur of the mansion while listening to an audio-based narration of the architecture, history, antiques, and the life and times of the inhabitants of the Biltmore House. While the narration allows tourists to learn several interesting trivia about George Washington Vanderbilt II, a famous art collector and the original owner of the mansion, and his family, they can also discover the mansion at their own pace. Spending at least an hour or two at the mansion is advisable to get a feel of its glorious history. Hidden secrets of the Biltmore estate There are several intriguing tidbits of information that most visitors may not know about the grand estate. Here are a few of them: Pisgah National Forest The Pisgah National Forest was a part of the estate. After George Vanderbilt's passing in 1914, his wife Edith sold a whopping 86,700 acres of the estate to the Government per her husband's wishes. Those acres are renowned today as a national forest, another huge tourist attraction. Vanderbilt Library The vaunted Vanderbilt Library includes an incredible 23,000 books. The reason for the sheer size of the library and its number of books was George's unwavering love for reading. Biltmore tour tickets are available on the official website for guided tours of all the buildings within the privately-owned property. The cost for an adult is about $69. But if you are traveling with kids aged 9 and under, their tickets are exempted. Biltmore also features some unique Fall, Christmas, and Winter tour packages for multiple-day visits. Pricing for the packages will vary depending on the included amenities.

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