You’ve planned for your European vacation for months, but when your plane touches down, you find yourself tired, irritable, and in no mood for doing all the fun things you planned. Welcome to the not-so-wonderful world of jet lag.

Jet lag typically occurs after a long flight that crosses three or more time zones. Symptoms include fatigue (often with difficulty falling asleep), irritability, decreased ability to function, stomach problems, headache, and aching muscles.

There is no magic cure for jet lag, but there are ways to abbreviate it and lessen its impact.

Avoid alcohol before and during your trip. Drinking alcohol during your flight can cause dehydration which is often listed as a cause of jet lag. Alcohol can also disrupt your sleep, impair your judgment, and make it harder to get back on a normal schedule.

Avoid caffeine and sugar during your flight. Caffeine and sugar may produce a quick, temporary boost, but you’re likely to crash and feel worse later on.

Drink plenty of fluids. Water is best, but juice or coffee will also do. Staying well hydrated will help minimize jet lag symptoms.

If you fly at night, try to sleep on the plane. Make yourself as comfortable as possible with pillows, blankets, eye masks, earplugs, etc. Conversely, if you fly during the daytime, it’s better to stay awake during your flight.

Start your trip well rested. If you start out tired and stressed, you’re already “behind the eight ball.” Plan ahead as much as possible and give yourself plenty of time to pack, catch a good night’s sleep before your trip, and get to the airport.  

Arrive ahead of when you need to perform. If you’re traveling for business, try to get to your destination a few days before you’re expected to attend meetings or give presentations.

Medication? Some studies have suggested that the hormone melatonin may ease the symptoms of jet lag. If you experience severe jet lag, talk to your doctor about your treatment options.

On the day you arrive at your destination, stay awake until local bedtime. If you’ve been up all night on a flight that lands at eight in the morning, you’ll probably feel like falling straight into bed, but resist the impulse. The sooner you get your system attuned to local time the better. Spend the day engaged in quiet activities, eat healthy light meals, and go to bed when the locals do. You’ll wake up refreshed and ready to get down to the business of enjoying your trip.

If you vacation in Philadelphia, there are certain things you’re almost obligated to see: the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Betsy Ross House, for instance. This article looks at a few attractions that may not be household names but that are still worth seeing if you travel to the City of Brotherly Love.

Christ Church Burial Ground, 22-26 N. 2nd Street, 215-627-2750

Christ Church was founded in 1695. Its burial ground spreads over two acres of land and contains more than 1400 grave markers, the earliest dating back to 1721. The Christ Church burial ground is the final resting place of such luminaries as Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Benjamin Rush, the Father of Modern Psychiatry. A new tour of the burial ground entitled Declaring Freedom: Slavery in Philadelphia is conducted every hour on the hour.  

African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, 215-574-0380

Founded in 1976, the African American Museum was the first city-sponsored museum to focus on the Black experience in America. Today the museum offers exhibits pertaining to the history and culture of African Americans from colonial times through the present day. Items on display include art, photographs, books, domestic objects, and costumes.

Bartram’s Garden, 54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard, 215-729-1047

Bartram’s Garden is the oldest botanical garden in the United States. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin once walked along its tranquil pathways. The famous garden features herbs, vegetables, flowers, and woody plants. In addition, the site also contains historic buildings, archeological digs, a wetland, a meadow, and a river trail. Bartram’s Garden is a great place to get away from it all…without ever leaving the city.

Mutter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street

The Mutter Museum, which is administered by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, was founded in 1858 to allow medical students to examine physical curiosities. Today the Mutter Museum’s bizarre medical collection is open to the public. Visitors can see exhibits such as the death cast of the ”original” Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, a cancerous tumor removed from the jaw of President Grover Cleveland, the skeleton of a man who grew to be seven and a half feet tall, and medical tools of days gone by.

Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave., 215-243-5347

The Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in the United States. It offers eighteen distinct habitats featuring almost every creature imaginable from bears to tortoises. Feline fans will be fascinated by the new Bank of America Big Cat Falls. Those whose tastes run to more exotic creatures will revel in the Dodge Rare Animal Conservation Center where animals such as the pygmy marmoset and the Madagascar giant jumping rat are on display. Kids will enjoy the Children’s Zoo where they can get hands-on time with some of the gentler animals.

So if your upcoming travel plans include Philadelphia, don’t forget to wander off the beaten path to some of the lesser known–but still very enjoyable–attractions.      

Sometimes you just need to get away from it all. But if you have a pet, worries about how she will get along can put a damper on your vacation plans. What to do with your pet while you’re off seeing the world? This article offers some suggestions.

Bring Your Pet Along

A lot of people travel with their pets. If you’d like to give it a try, plan your vacation to include only pet-friendly hotels and camp sites. If you’re going to be driving long distances, it’s also a good idea to take a couple of trial spins in the car with your pet to make sure your four-legged friend will tolerate being on the road. My plans to take my cat on one of my vacations didn’t work out because during the trial runs I learned that she howled loudly from the moment the car started until the moment it stopped. I didn’t think I could handle five hours of that, so kitty stayed home.

A couple of final thoughts: Make sure your pet wears a collar with identifying information and bring along proof of vaccinations. If your pet has been micro-chipped for identification purposes, so much the better.

If your travels will take you out of the country, your pet may be better off staying behind. Many countries have strict quarantine regulations.

Find a Kennel

Kennels vary as widely as hotels in quality. Some of them are merely adequate while others could give the fanciest spa resorts in Vegas a run for their money.  

Visit several places to get an idea of pricing, atmosphere, and services available. Do the animals seem comfortable and entertained or do they simply sit in cages all day? Does the staff interact with the animals? If your pet has special needs, make sure the kennel is able to handle them.

When you drop your pet off, bring along a favorite toy and a towel or article of clothing with your scent on it. If possible, board your pet for a short trip first. Then, if she does all right, you can plan longer vacations.

Hire a Pet Sitter

A pet sitter is someone who comes into your home to feed, water, and interact with your pet while you are away. A pet sitter can be a professional from an agency or your next door neighbor’s (responsible!) twelve year old. Pet sitting is a good option for animals who don’t do well in kennel situations such as exotic pets.

When hiring a professional pet sitter, look for someone who is licensed and bonded and ask for references. You can find professional pet sitters through word of mouth or by looking in the yellow pages of your local phone book.  

Before leaving on your vacation, meet with the pet sitter to familiarize her with your pet and your home. Make your expectations clear. “I want Rover walked for at least fifteen minutes every day,” or “Don’t try to touch Fluffy because she tends to nip at strangers. Just leave plenty of food and water for her.”

Owning pets doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a wonderful or even a prolonged vacation. Just make sure you’ve made arrangements for your animal companion to receive loving care whether from you on the road, from a caring staff of professionals in a kennel, or from a pet sitter in the home.

There’s a small percentage of the population who flies on a regular basis for work or pleasure, but most of us only ever get on a plane to go on a vacation, and maybe very rarely for a business trip. It’s a fairly uncommon occurrence, so it’s no surprise that most people don’t know all the tricks of the trade when trying to get the absolute best deal when paying for a flight. A lot of us just call our travel agent, or order them online, and think nothing of it. We discount the price of the airline ticket as part of the trip, and go on with life. There are however, several tips that we can follow to save a lot of money on airline tickets, which will give us more money to play with when we’re on the trip. Here are some tickets to make flying a bit less expensive.

Get a Package – Sometimes if you buy a hotel room with an airline ticket, you can save a significant amount of money. Doing this will bring more money into the booking agency, and they’ll certainly share some of that income with you in the form of cheaper prices.

Remain Flexible on Dates – If you’re going on vacation, and planning for tickets months ahead, you should check and see how much difference it would be by moving your trip ahead or back a couple of days. There are instances when you can save $200 on a ticket just by moving your flight one day.

Look for Nearby Airports – Sometimes it will be cheaper to fly into a smaller nearby airport rather than going to a major city. Look for multiple airports near where you are going, and see if any of them in reasonable driving distance are cheaper than the one you had originally considered.

Take Extra Stops – Non stop flights are usually the most expensive, if you have plenty of time, check out if there’s any sort of connecting flight that you can take, chances are it’ll save you quite a bit of money.

Use Search Engines – There are sites such as Kayak and Sitestep which will scour through all sorts of airlines and booking agencies to find you the best price on your flight. Be aware that their prices might not be the most up-to-date, because of caching software implemented by the search engine.

Book Online – You’ve seen the commercials for these places for years now. They’re online booking agencies, such as Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity, that will search through the major airways and try to find you the best deal.

Sure, we all enjoy our modern conveniences, but sometimes it’s fun to be swept back to a simpler era. If you like to imagine life when men were dashing knights and women were lovely queens and princesses, consider dropping in on a Renaissance Faire during your travels. Here are a few good bets scattered around the country.

Colorado Renaissance Festival in Castle Rock, CO

The Colorado Renaissance Festival is held each weekend from June 14 through August 3.  If you’ve never been to a Renaissance Faire before, you’ll be amazed at all the people in brightly colored costumes walking around and interacting with each other in the language–or at least the accent–of the day.

Along with the standard Renaissance Festival fare, you’ll want to pay attention to themed weekends. On 6/21 and 6/22, for instance, the theme is Royal Ale Festival and Military Appreciation Weekend. Free ales and lagers are available for sampling, and military personnel receive buy one get one free tickets. The children of people with a military ID also get in for free.

The entertainment at the Colorado Renaissance Festival is amusing and sometimes even awe-inspiring. It includes jousting between dashing knights, musical programs, comedians, and even a stage hypnotist.  

King Richard’s Faire in Carver, MA

King Richard’s Faire is located in Carver, MA, an easy drive from both Boston and Providence. It runs on weekends from August 30 through October 15.

Here you’ll find many booths where artisans sell sculptures, clothing, pottery, walking staffs, jewelry, and even carved wooden dragons.

The exotic Royal Zoo at the festival offers a wide selection of big cats including tigers, jaguars, and leopards. Another fun diversion is the Gaming Glen where you and the younger members of your party can try your luck in games designed to test your skill.

Don’t worry if all the sightseeing is making you hungry. Vendors are available to sell such delicacies as turkey legs, steak on a stake, strawberry shortcake, clam chowder, and meat pie.

Kansas City Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs, KS

The Kansas City Renaissance Festival is held weekends August 30 through October 13. The fairgrounds are a short drive from Kansas City. 2008 will be the Kansas City Renaissance Festival’s thirtieth year, making it one of the longest running Renaissance Faires in the country.

In terms of entertainment offerings, the KC Ren Fest provides more than 500 costumed ladies and gentlemen (and fairies, sprites, elves, etc.), artisans (162 shops), entertainment ranging from wholesome to downright naughty, psychic readings, and even a petting zoo.

If you get hungry, there’s plenty to eat. Start with the smoked turkey leg, get your veggies from a hearty serving of roasted corn on the cob, and round out the whole thing with a glass of ale and chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick.  

Camelot Days, TY Park in Hollywood, Florida

November 15 and 16th (10am to 5:30 pm) are Camelot Days at TY Park, located near Greater Fort Lauderdale. Camelot Days do not last as long as many other Renaissance Festivals, but they provide a beautiful array of performers, artisans, and fine food. If you have any fantasy or history lovers on your holiday gift list this year, Camelot Days are a great time to shop for them.

But don’t spend all your time (or money) in one place. Wander over and watch the breathtaking living chess game. And if you’re lucky, you may even see the royal court parade by.

Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco, CA

Okay, so this isn’t technically a renaissance fair. It’s still a beautiful reimagining of the past into which imaginative tourists can immerse themselves. The Dickens Christmas Fair is open on weekends from November 28 to December 21.

It’s a great place to do your last minute Christmas shopping, with booths focusing on the arts, clothing for adults and children, jewely and accessories, pottery and glass, leather, pewter, and even a few toys.

Activities include psychic readings for the grownups and the Children’s Painting Garden where children can make ornaments for their Christmas trees. Of course, children are also welcome to go whisper their deepest wishes in the ear of a very friendly Father Christmas.

And don’t worry about feeling peckish while you’re taking in all this history. Food ranges from a low-key paper plate of fish and chips to a unique dining experience at Shangri La indian Cuisine.    

“I’d be bored out of my mind on one of those cruise ships,” people tell me–at least people who’ve never been on a cruise. If you’ve been reluctant to join the cruise set for fear you won’t find enough to do at sea, you can put those worries to rest. This article will show you how.

1. Shop

Cruise ships are floating cities, and they certainly don’t skimp on the retail sector. You can buy anything from expensive jewelry to a bottle of aspirin. On days at sea and towards the end of the cruise, the shops often offer bargains to entice you to part with your money.

2. Swim

Fabulous swimming pools are part of the cruise experience, so put on your swimsuit and enjoy! A word of caution: the sun can be very hot and bright at sea, so use plenty of suntan lotion. You don’t want to spend your cruise in the sick bay being treated for a sunburn.

3. Play a Game

There’s no shortage of fun and games onboard ship. On almost any given day you’ll find trivia, card games, dance contests, puzzles, bingo, table tennis, and much more. And don’t forget about the ship’s casino where slot, video poker, and table games abound.

4. Learn Something New

Cruise ships employ a variety of experts to teach tourists about everything from cake decorating to fine art to marine wildlife. Keep an eye out for topics that interest you.

5. Eat

From a sumptuous breakfast to the midnight buffet, cruise ships offer round-the-clock dining opportunities. Better yet, most meals and snacks are included in the price of the cruise. So take advantage of a leisurely four-course dinner or enjoy high tea in the afternoons and know that you won’t have to pay an extra penny for your indulgence.

6. Exercise

Now that you’ve eaten your weight at the buffet, it’s time to work off all of those extra calories. Cruise ships offer full gyms with state-of-the-art equipment, but if a traditional workout doesn’t appeal to you, consider a brisk walk on the promenade deck. You’ll get to admire the view and do something good for your health at the same time.

7. Get a Massage

The onboard spas are a wonderful place to get pampered. Enjoy a traditional massage or go for something a little different like a hot stone massage or a full-body seaweed treatment.

8. Catch a Show

In the evenings, cruise ships transform into a cross between Vegas and Broadway and entertainment rules. Whether you want to laugh at a comedian, ooh and ah over breathtaking dance moves, or relax with a drink and listen to a piano player, you’re likely to find exactly the show you’re in the mood for to wrap up your busy day.   

9. Enjoy the View

You don’t have to be busy every minute on days at sea. Part of the fun of cruising is simply relaxing and watching the ocean drift by.      

If you’re traveling out of your locality and you want to drive, a rental car is just about the only way to go and the car rental companies know this. You’re standing at their front desk and the only way to get to your destination is to rent a car from them. They can get away with charging you as many junk fees on top of the price they quote as they want. These companies know that if you don’t rent a car from them, you’re up a creek without a paddle. Car rental companies, hotels, and local governments are using this to their advantage and are charging all sorts of money-grab fees and taxes that will substantially increase the price of your rental car.

Local governments see out-of-town travelers, especially those who are there for business, as major targets for taxation. These people who are traveling have no say in what taxes they have to pay and they won’t be around long enough to do anything about it, so they’re just stuck paying the high taxes. Cities and counties frequently charge taxes on a per-room basis for hotels, taxes on car rentals, and taxes on other services that are frequently used by travelers. Local governments know that voters are much less likely to revolt on a tax for people who do not live in their locality, so they gouge travelers whenever they pass through.

Hotels are another frequent offender of charging extra fees on top of what the room supposedly “costs” to stay in. Before you book your room, make sure to check and see if there are any daily facility fees that you have to pay. When shopping for a hotel room, do as much comparison to see what the actual cost will be as possible. Expedia’s hotel room search service does a good job at including the miscellaneous fees that hotels tend to add on.

Airlines will frequently charge you a passenger facility charge or PFC that’s a big cost. Terminals will sometimes charge you for passing through their halls, and Congress approved it. There are also charges for federal security service, charges per flight segments, and the list goes on. The pricing that you see for a ticket will be very disingenuous, so when you think you are getting the best deal, you might be getting ripped-off.

Nothing spoils a road trip faster than a little voice from the back seat of the car saying, “Mommy, I don’t feel good.” Unfortunately, motion sickness is a fairly common problem for children, and you’re likely to run into it from time to time.

What Causes Motion Sickness?

Motion sickness occurs when the brain gets mixed messages from the eyes and from the inner ear as to whether the body is moving or not. Motion sickness is a common problem of the immature nervous system. Most kids grow out of it as they get older.

What are the Symptoms of Motion Sickness?

The most common symptoms of motion sickness are nausea and vomiting, though your child may also suffer from sweating, dizziness, headache, and increased saliva in the mouth. The symptoms start soon after the trip begins and usually disappear almost as soon as the car stops.

What Can You Do About It?

If your child suffers from motion sickness, there are several techniques you can try.

First, encourage your child to look out the window. Many kids try to pass the time on the road by playing video games, watching a movie, or reading a book. Unfortunately, this creates conflict between the eyes and the inner ear and increases motion sickness. So, urge your child to look at the passing scenery. If your child is too young to understand why this will help her feel better, make a game of it. Ask her to count all the red cars on the road, or to watch for horses in the fields.

Open the window or turn the air conditioner on your child’s face. Some cool air against the face can ease symptoms considerably.  A cool, moist washcloth or towelette often has the same effect.

Offer a light snack. The key word, of course, is “light.” Don’t stuff your child full of greasy food, but do offer a sip of water or soda or a few plain crackers.

Decrease stress. Children can become anxious when their routine is disrupted, even for something fun like a vacation, and anxiety can make the symptoms of motion sickness worse. Keep your child in the loop by explaining your plans carefully and allowing your child to make choices when possible. (”Are you ready to stop for lunch now, or do you want to keep going for another half hour?”)

Provide frequent breaks. Motion sickness usually disappears as soon as the car stops, so pull over frequently for restroom breaks, light snacks, short walks, etc. Knowing that the next break is coming up soon can help children feel less anxious about long road trips and decrease motion sickness.

Consider medication. There are several over the counter medications available to decrease motion sickness. They are usually very effective, but may have side effects such as a dry mouth or drowsiness. When in doubt, talk to your child’s doctor.

Your family road trip can still be a fun-filled event, even if your child sometimes experiences motion sickness. The simple techniques described in this article can help.   

If you’re in college or just have a lot of free time and want to spend a weekend with friends and want to enjoy something different from your home town, a road trip is a great way to go on vacation and spend a minimal amount of money in the process. These trips can create some great bonding, allow you to see some new sights, and have a lot of fun in the process. Here are some tips to go on a road trip without breaking the bank.

Get Your Vehicle Ready – Before you leave for a trip of any distance, there’s some basic maintenance tasks that you should perform. Check the pressure on each of your tires and make sure the air filter black and dirty, and make sure that the oil level is okay. These things will make sure you’re getting the best mileage on the trip. Having tires properly inflated will increase your mileage by .5 MPG. Having properly replaced oil and a clean air filter can save you about 2 MPG together. This might not seem like much, but over a long car trip, it can really add up.

Take the Optimum Route – MapQuest and Google try to do their best to give you what they think it’s the best way to go, but they have a tendency to push you onto interstates when it might not always be the best idea to take them. When I was planning a trip to the city of Aberdeen, SD, Google and MapQuest both told me to take the interstate, when it made a lot more sense to take some of South Dakota’s highways. In fact, Google’s suggestion was an hour longer of a trip. Look at some good old fashion maps and make sure you’re taking the best route.

Bring Snacks – Before taking off, pack up some bottles of water and a few cans of pop in a cooler. In addition bring some of your favorite snacks, this way you won’t get suckered into paying for high-cost convenience store items. You’re going to have to stop for gasoline, and usually you end up buying a pop and some candy. Instead bring it with you, so that you can save a decent amount of cash.

Gas Prices – You should plan where you are going to get gasoline before leaving on a trip. There’s a 17 cents per gallon difference between where I live now (Madison) and my home town of Mitchell, which is only an hour away! Go to a website like Gas Buddy, and figure out where it’ll be the cheapest to buy gas at. There’s a big difference between gas states on a state by state basis, and the further you get away from refineries, the more money you will pay. It’ll take some time, but you can save a ton by figuring out where to buy gas before leaving.

Get the Right Hotel – If you have to stop on a trip, stay as cheaply as you can while remaining in a safe environment. You’re only going to be there for enough time to sleep, so don’t spend a lot of money on a hotel. Stop at a local gas station and get a list of local hotels. Call four or five of them and see which has the best price. In high-school, I frequently made phone-calls for people and the differences in price ranged anywhere from $60 a night to $140 when I worked at a gas station. Make sure you’re not paying too much for a hotel room!