No line: The Hertz #1 Club Gold check-in counter.
By Mark Chesnut
Nearly every major rental car company offers some sort of membership club to lure frequent travelers with special benefits. But while most companies offer the same basic amenities — most often, the ability to bypass the main rental car counter, and the chance to receive special discount and sale offers — the programs are not all the same. Shopping around may help you to find the best choice for your specific travel needs. (more…)
Bright lights, big city: Add a Broadway show to your New York City vacation plans. Credit: paulo.barcellos.
By Keith Knapp
As iconic as the Empire State Building and Central Park, New York City vacation plans wouldn’t be complete without experiencing a Broadway musical or play. And as a local New Yorker, fall season finds me in dramatic anticipation as I plan which new shows I’d like to see. The fall 2011/spring 2012 season promises to deliver quite a line-up of performances. Here are a few Broadway shows to consider on your trip: (more…)
San Diego promises a fall bounty, from San Diego Restaurant Week to the Little Italy Festa.
By Francesca Pardo
Now that May gray, June gloom and August shade are over, fall is my favorite time of the year in San Diego. The weather is ideal, the water is warm, the evenings are cool and hotel rates go down. Along with these ideal conditions are a few great things to do while visiting this idyllic city. (more…)
LGBT love: The Orbitz gang at the Atlanta Pride Parade 2010.
By Antoinette Bierman
It’s truly a unique experience to work for a company that champions diversity and equality to the extent that they are active participants in the communities they support. As a first-time volunteer at the Atlanta Pride Festival –to be held this year from Oct. 8 to 9 — I was excited to see firsthand how one of the largest pride festivals in the country would stack up to other great events I had attended. It definitely exceeded my expectations. (more…)
By Rich Mahoney
One absolute truth about cruises: There’s something for just about everyone. This broad appeal also applies to the selection of staterooms. Cruise ships feature a wide range of stateroom categories, but the best one for you all depends on the type of cruise experience you’re after, whether it be excitement, relaxation or both. (more…)
By Mark Chesnut
Few people would choose to vacation at an airport hotel, but when it comes to convenience, these strategically placed properties are among the best options for anyone looking to catch a flight or make a quick business trip. But not all tarmac-adjacent guest rooms are created equal. Here are a few of the best choices around the nation.
Aloft Denver International Airport
Starwood’s relatively new aloft brand, which aims to combine style elements from W Hotels with value prices, offers a fresh-faced option for travelers stopping in Denver. The property features the brand’s trademark cheery colors and contemporary, loft-style decor, as well as 1,500 square feet of meeting space. (more…)
Perfect catch: The 2-hour fishing expedition at Disney's Wilderness Lodge.
By Jill E. Cooper
Ah, fall! To many the season brings thoughts of new school supplies, jack-o-lanterns, apple-picking and piles of leaves. Where I grew up in rural Pennsylvania, autumn also meant hunting season. Men throughout the region gleefully planned their annual retreats to their hunting cabins to spend a few days in the company of friends. There’s something to be said for the restorative value of restful, uninterrupted time in the wild, but who says this kind of therapeutic male-bonding must take place at a hunting camp? To this, I suggest an unlikely place: Walt Disney World. (more…)
Airport oasis: the Delta Sky Club
By Mark Chesnut
Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to relax at the airport or somewhere to get business done in between flights, airline clubs can be the closest thing to an oasis of calm at the airport. Here is a sample of what you can expect to pay at the major airline’s lounges — and what you can expect to get for the money (elite-level members of an airline’s frequent flyer program often can take advantage of a reduced club membership fee; rates listed). (more…)
Melt with a hot stone massage at The Peninsula Spa by ESPA in Chicago during Spa Week (Oct. 10 to 16).
By Valerie Moloney
To-dos: Schedule 6-month dental cleanings for both my girls. Order two years’ worth of photos. Buy birthday present for 5-year-old’s classmate. Get hair did and dyed. Sleep, if possible, for eight straight hours. Schedule a facial or massage during Spa Week, to be held Oct. 10-16. (more…)
Fall for Autumn: London's rustic hues near Tower Bridge. Credit: az1172.
By Kristin Dillon
While crowds flock to the picturesque towns of New England for fall vacations, international cities unwind a notch to render local character (and cheap hotel rates). From the Salon du Chocolat in Paris to fall foliage in Central Park, see what the harvest yields among the panoply of peep in London, Paris and New York City. (more…)
We love to travel, and we love to talk about it. The Orbitz Blog is another way we can share our expertise, advice and the occasional random thought.
Check back often for fresh insight from Orbitz staff and contributors about cool places to visit, fun things to do and smart ways to save.
