SmartFuel Keeps You Safe and Finds You Cheap Gas

More than just a price checker, the SmartFuel app for iPhone and other Apple devices also ranks fueling stations in order of cleanliness and safety. With more than 1 million price updates daily, and a route checker, you're sure to find the best of the best wherever you go. Simply search, choose, and record your savings! SmartFuel is free for the first 30 days, and only $4.99 for 6 months, $8.99 for one year, or $14.99 for two years. Watch this video on using the SmartFuel app and get started traveling smarter today.

Wunderground.com--Your Ultimate Trip Planning Weather Source

Avoid weather delays on your next trip. Wunderground.com will help. With Wunderground's Trip Planner, Road Trip Planner, and Flight Tracking you can plan your trip around storms. Or, if you're already locked into your travel plans, you will know whether you need to pack sweaters or shorts.

To use Wunderground, input your dates of travel and your destination into the Trip Planner or Road Trip Planner, and using a historical database, Wunderground will tell you what kind of weather to expect.

To use Flight Tracking, select the option from the Travel & Activities Menu, select an airline, and input your flight number. Or, simply take a look at the live Doppler radar map and take note of any red dotted areas, which indicate flight delays due to poor weather.

Use Wunderground to check weather conditions anywhere you want, including severe storm outbreaks such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The Wundermap will give you an aerial view of a city or neighborhood, and the health map will let you know if there are any virus outbreaks.

Stay safe and dry on your next trip--check out these resources and much more at Wundground.com.

How-to Keep Fit While Traveling

Do you return home from vacation five or ten pounds heavier? You don't have to. Try these tips and exercises and stay fit no matter where you go.

• Exercise first thing in the morning, before you're exhausted from the day's activities.

• Stick to your exercise plan no matter what or where you go.

• Pick an exercise that is easy to do no matter where you are.

• Bring your gear so there are no excuses.

What kind of exercises can you do away from home?

• Hotel pool? Hit it early in the morning and swim laps.

• If your hotel has a fitness center, take advantage of it. Get your cardio in on the treadmill or lift weights.

• Walking or jogging is easy to do anywhere, and a great way to get to know the place you're visiting.

• Hike. If you're visiting a rural area, this activity might already be on your list.

• Road trip? Stop off at historical markers and roadside attractions. Stretch, do jumping jacks, and maybe even get your walk in.

Vacations don't have to be a stress on your body or set you back on your diet and exercise routine. Plan ahead and you can keep fit while traveling.

Build Your Stay with Stay.com

Voted one of Time's 50 Best Websites, Stay.com is no ordinary travel planner. Sure, you can do all the normal stuff you do on other travel websites, including find information about a city, chat with fellow travelers, and book hotel rooms. But Stay.com steps it up a notch, turning travel planning into a fun and social activity.

Once you find your destination, read the reviews, view sites and attractions, and plan what you want to do, you can put everything into your own personal travel guide. The guide can be saved to your cell phone and viewed offline, or printed out into a compact format which you can fold and put in your pocket for easy reference. Plus, share your guide with friends and family, and continue to collect places you like, and add them later.

Plus, with Stay.com's Easy Hotel Booking, you can:

• Find reviews and make reservations at more than 100 000 hotels
• Reserve with secure booking
• View negotiated deals
• Take advantage of no cancellation fees
• View customer reviews

Check out Stay.com's Guide and get started today.

Create Your Own Travel Guide from Stay.com on Vimeo.

Smart Snacks for Traveling

Most convenience foods are loaded with salt, fat, and sugar, and when you're traveling, you may not have time for much else. There are alternatives, however. What snacks should you reach for instead of the pop, chips, and candy bars?

• Granola or protein bars. Just watch out for sugar and calories.
• Fruit and yogurt parfaits are great choices at the drive-through window.
• String cheese will give you calcium and protein.
• Reach for the water instead of pop and other sugary drinks.
• Baked whole grain crackers are becoming more common in convenience stores and airports.
• Nuts. Loaded with protein and unsaturated fats, nuts are healthy snacking food.
• Trail mix. Again, just watch out for sugar and calories.
• Fruit. An apple a day keeps the doctor away!
• Dried fruit--easy to keep in the car, your purse, briefcase, or backpack.
• Veggies. Just watch what you dip them in.
• Beef Jerky. Go with low sodium.

2 Ways to Save Money On Cab Fare

Share with CabCorner
Want to reduce the cost of your cab fare to and from work or the airport? Cabcorner.com connects people with similar destinations so they can share taxis, and the fare. Cabcorner.com is also available as an iPhone app.

Calculate Your Cab Tab with Bing Maps
A new feature of Bing, the Bing Map will now help you calculate your cab fare by using estimated pick-up, time traveled, and distance. It will also show you the shortest course, so you don’t waste your money by taking the scenic route

5 Useful Travel Gifts

Digital Travel Luggage Scale
Check the weight of your baggage before leaving home, and save on costly baggage charges at the airport. The Digital Travel Luggage Scale will measure weight up to 88 pounds. It also features a bright, blue back-lit display, auto power off, and a quick release strap that easily adjusts to any size handle. Measures only 5.5" x 1.25" x 1.25" for easy storage. $16.95

Vapur Anti-Bottle - Flexible Water Bottle The Ultimate Water Bottle! Reusable, foldable, washable, freezable, attachable, identifiable, and completely BPA free. Vapur's Anti-Bottle Water Bottles are constructed with three layers of durable FDA approved plastic that is stain resistant and odor and taste free. When in use, the Anti-Bottle is designed to stand. When empty, roll, fold, or flatten the bottle for easy storage. The bottles can even be filled with water and frozen for use as an ice pack.. $9.95

Camping Survival Tool With 10 survival tools included in one compact package, you will be prepared for most outdoor situations. The Tool includes a whistle, compass, fire starter flint, LED light, thermometer, mirror, level, magnifier, and a hygrometer to measure humidity. $12.95

Sun Visor Organizer
Store all of your travel gadgets neatly and securely with the sun visor organizer. The organizer will accommodate your cell phone, MP3 player, headset, garage door opener, flashlights, pens, maps, chewing gum, and anything else you may need while on the road. $19.95

ICOON: Traveller's Language Kit ICOON is perfect for traveling in areas where you don't speak the native language. With ICOON, you simply point to the picture of the item or service you need, and let the pictures speak for you. The size of a passport, this mini booklet has 76 pages and over 2,000 pictures of everyday essentials in twelve different categories. $12.95

Best Hotels to Work From

Traveling on business? It's likely you will be working out of your hotel, so which hotels offer the best services for business travelers?

According to Forbes, the following are best bets.

• Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Work areas complete with fax, printer, dual-line telephones, and wireless internet are available at standard fare prices. Also take advantage of the nearly 2 million square feet of meeting space.

• Le Meridien in San Francisco's financial district boasts that business travelers can "practically roll out of bed right into their meeting." The hotel has high speed wireless internet, 24 hour room service, ample meeting and event space, and plenty of travel rewards.

Checking in with Fortune magazine, they recommend:

• Ace Hotel in New York City. Enjoy free wireless internet, faxing, printing and copying services, a ballroom for corporate events, trendy restaurants, and even indie movies on demand.

• The Crosby Street Hotel in London provides free Wi-Fi, ample meeting space, and a 99 seat screening room.

• In Chicago, head to The Elysian. Though you will spend $395 and upwards, this hotel claims to "bring the office to the room." Staff members are trained and prepared to handle most any business request, including executing a Power Point presentation

Smart Traveling: Outsmarting Thieves at Home and Abroad

Tourists are often targets for thieves because they carry cash and other valuables. To avoid falling victim to theft, here are several steps you can take.

Use a Money Belt. Money belts are small, zippered pouches that fasten around your waist and remain hidden under your pants. Put your cash, passport, and other important personal items in the money belt, instead of carrying a wallet or purse.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Don't leave your camera on the table at a restaurant or sitting next to you at an event. Wear it around your neck or keep it completely out of sight.

Use the Hotel Safe. If you plan on leaving valuables in your hotel room, use the hotel safe.

Don't Flash the Cash. Keep only a limited amount of cash on your person, and when you use it, only pull out what you need, not your entire wad.

Stay Alert. Always be aware of your surroundings, and what is happening around you.

Fun Social Networking Sites for Travelers

IgoUgo
IgoUgo won the Webby Award for Best Travel Site in the US in 2005, and it’s only gotten better. Not only can you compare rates on all sorts of trips and travels, you can read stories and tips, share your travel experience, ask questions in the forum, view photos from traveler’s top picks, and much more. As a bonus, contributors to IgoUgo are awarded GO points, which can be redeemed at online retailers and used for frequent flyer miles.

TravBuddy
With TravBuddy, not only can you share reviews, memories, and photos, you can find travel companions and meet new friends. Create a profile page, and personalize it with travel maps, games, and more. Trav Buddy is free, and has been featured in PC World, Real Simple, and Budget Travel.

Ten Tips for Traveling with Pets

1. Consult with your veterinarian to ensure your pet is healthy enough for travel.

2. Make sure your pet has the appropriate vaccinations, such as a current rabies shot. Many airlines will require a health certificate.

3. Find pet friendly airlines and lodging in advance, and ask what constitutes pet friendly—do they require a deposit, is there a designated pet area, etc.

4. Make sure your pet is wearing an identification tag with a phone number where someone can be reached.

5. Find a transport crate large enough to accommodate your pet and his or her belongings, such a food and water bowls, blankets, toys, or a litter box. If you're traveling by air, check with the airline for transport crate guidelines.

6. If your pet has never traveled before, take him or her on a few trips in the car to find out how he or she will react.

7. During the trip, make sure your pet has food and water. Be aware, however, that your pet may not eat or drink much during travel.

8. If your pet needs any medication, make sure to have enough on hand for a few extra days in case your traveling takes longer than expected. It is also a good idea to have a small pet oriented first aid kit on had.

9. If traveling with a cat, always keep the cat in the crate. A dark blanket draped over the crate will help keep the cat calm and quiet.

10. Prepare for the weather. If a hot streak is expected, make sure your pet is hydrated. If it's going to be cold, include a blanket in the pet's crate. In any event, avoid leaving your pet in the car alone for extended periods of time.

Urban Hiking: Exploring Cities on Foot

The word "hike" usually conjures up images of dense woods, towering trees, and wildlife. A recent article in Eco Salon http://www.ecosalon.com/guide-urban-hiking-tips/ however, explores the idea of Urban Hiking—exploring cities on foot.




What can an Urban Hike entail?

Walking residential neighborhoods.

Exploring communities within the community, such as China Town, or Little Italy.

Hiking districts, such as antique, art, or food districts.

Journey to city parks.

Make sure to take your camera and capture the city's unique architecture.

Survival Tools and Signals to Get You Rescued

Is your vehicle equipped with survival gear? How would you fare if you were trapped somewhere and needed to be rescued? How Stuff Works put together a list of survival tools and signals for such an event. Here are the top three:

Fire. According to the article, the internationally recognized distress signal is three fires in a triangular formation, or three fires in a straight line about 80 feet apart.

Smoke. If it is daytime, smoke sends a better signal than fire. Three puffs of smoke in the air is the international signal for trouble. You can achieve the three puffs by covering the smoky fire with a wet item, such as a jacket or blanket, then pulling it off.

Mirror. A mirror or other shiny object can help you signal an airplane or helicopter flying overhead. Tilt the object back and forth to get their attention.

Lesser Known Sites That Can Save You $ on Airfare

These smaller, relatively unknown sites may be your solution to affordable airfare.

SkyScanner.Net includes a wider variety of budget options than the traditional aggregators. SkyScanner also allows you to search rates for an entire year, which is extremely beneficial if you like to book early, or have a flexible schedule.

BudgetFlightFinder.com helps you find budget airlines that fly a specific route.

Tripeedo.com searches across dozens of carriers and aggregators and opens their sites on a separate window. This allows travelers to view any advertised specials any flights they might not otherwise see.

5 Cool Ways to Cut Travel Costs

Want to save on travel expenses without taking a lame vacation? With a little bit of legwork, find out how you can still have fun without breaking the bank.

Cheeps and Twitters
If you’ve been avoiding social media sites such as Twitter, you may want to think again. Many companies now use these networks to market to customers. Jet Blue, for example, “Cheeps” exclusive deals and last minute discounts on Tuesday mornings. Other companies using Twitter to advertise great deals include United Airlines, American Airlines, Travelocity, FareCompare.com, and many more.

Bucket Shop
Bucket Shops, such as Airbrokers International, offer deeply discounted international airfare. These companies buy blocks of tickets from the airlines, then resell them to individuals and travel agencies. Before buying from a Bucket Shop, verify that they are reputable.

Clear Cache
Who would have thought that clearing your internet browser records could save you money? Well, according to National Geographic Traveler, it can! Apparently, websites you surf and spend money at track your purchases and will actually charge you more based on your spending history. Clearing your cached sites in Internet Explorer is easy. Click on Tools, Internet Options, and select Delete Browsing History.

Go Rental
If you’re going to be vacationing for a week or more, consider renting a vacation home instead of staying in a hotel. In many places, you can rent a home at a weekly rate for less than you’d spend on hotels. Plus, you have the added bonus of being able to cook, which means you won’t be spending gobs of money on dining out.

Write It Off
Business travelers, don’t forget to take a tax write-off for allowable expenses. And keep those receipts in case you get audited.

Sources:
“57 Ways to Cut Vacation Costs”
via National Geographic Traveler

“10 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs This Year”
via New York Times

Quickly and Easily Search for Cheap Airline Tickets with Momondo

Momondo.com is a cutting edge search engine recommended by Frommer's, Smarter Travel, Time, and CNN, among other places. As a search engine, it searches multiple websites around the world, through hundreds or airline company websites, online travel agencies, etc., to give you the cheapest flights available. No need for you to spend hours online checking individual sites and comparing them. Momondo does it for you! (They do not sell tickets, however, but they will link you to where you need to go.)

At Momondo, you can also book a hotel, and find out information on your destination. Their travel and city guides are continuously updated, with information on food, fashion, art, lifestyle, shopping, sites, nightlife, transportation, and more.

Your Guide to Creating a Camping Gear Kit

A heavy duty plastic container, or two, is a great way to store all of your camping essentials. Use this list to help you create a camping gear kit.

Kit Items:

• first aid kit, including space blanket
• flashlight
• sunscreen
• sunglasses
• bug spray
• wet wipes
• hatchet
• camp shovel
• waterproof matches
• garbage bags
• table cloth
• tin foil
• pot holders
• can opener
• bottle opener
• paper plates, paper cups, plastic utensils, pots, pans, spatula, tongs
• paper towels
• biodegradable dish soap, sponge
• water purifier
• extra batteries
• GPS/compass
• MREs (Ready to Eat Meals) in case of emergency

Items to Pack Alongside Kit:

• potable water
• firewood, kindling, newspaper
• lantern
• camp stove
• fuel for lantern and camp stove
• tent
• sleeping bags, pillows, extra blanket
• camp chairs
• portable toilet and biodegradable toilet paper
• personal toiletries
• camera, film
• rain jacket

Unusual Spring Break Destinations

Crater of Diamond State Park
Located in Arkansas, the Crater of Diamond State Park is the only diamond mine in the world open to the public. Bring the entire family here to search over 37 acres of an ancient volcanic pipe that brought diamonds to the surface. More than 40 other types of rocks and minerals can be found at the park as well, and you keep what you find! Other area attractions include old mining ventures, natural forests, museums, and more. Camping and lodging available nearby.

LL Bean Discovery Schools
With locations throughout the Northeast and Midwest, L.L. Bean offers outdoor adventures for the entire family. Create custom adventures, or choose from their preset courses, which include fishing, kayaking, bicycling, and more. Walk-in adventures cost only $15 at retail stores.

Family History Library
The Family History Library in Salt Lake City is one of the world's best places to search for genealogical records. With over 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed records; 727,000 microfiche records; 356,000 books; 4,500 periodicals; and 3,725 electronic resources, you're sure to find something about your family!

Arcosanti
In the high desert of Arizona, about 70 miles north of Phoenix, lives the experimental town of Arcosanti. Arcosanti was built as an alternative to urban sprawl and ecologically unsound living practices. You can take guided tours of Arcosanti, or participate in workshops, programs, and other events at the unique town.

Online Sites that Help You Save Money on Fuel

There are numerous sites on the internet to help you track your fuel consumption and save on gas. Here are 3 of the best:

Gas Buddy. Gas Buddy is a popular site that will help you find the cheapest fuel rates in your city. Simply type in your city, state, and zip, and you'll have access to prices all over town.

Fuelfrog. Easily track gas mileage and be alerted to any changes in your vehicle's fuel efficiency with Fuelfrog.

AccuFuel. AccuFuel is an app for your iPhone or iPod Touch. It monitors your vehicle's fuel consumption and efficiency with each fill up, and presents the data in easy to read graphs.

Which Airlines are the Safest?

The Daily Beast recently compiled data and crunched numbers to determine which U.S. based airlines have the best safety records. The rankings were based on two criteria: accidents and incidents. The data took into consideration both 1 and 5 year records. Their findings, for national carriers, ranked from best to worst, are as follows:

1. AirTran
2. JetBlue
3. Southwest
4. US Airways
5. American
6. Alaska
7. Continental
8. Delta
9. Northwest
10. United