Posted in Architecture, Cheap Activities, Free Stuff, Photos, Travel, USA, Web Tips, tagged Central Park, New York City on 8 January 2009 | 6 Comments »
I’m sadly making my way back across the Atlantic today, but before I go, I wanted to share a picture from my brief visit to New York City. This fair maiden guards the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park, which I walked from top to bottom on New Year’s Day.
Have you already completed your first travels of 2009? Have something planned for January or February? Please share your destination in the comments.
Posted in Contest, Reader Tips, Travel, USA, tagged New York City, Washington DC on 8 December 2008 | 13 Comments »
Tickets are purchased but plans are still loose: the no-budget traveler is tackling the American capitals of New York City and Washington DC at the start of the new year. 
With just 2.5 days for each city, time and money are at a premium. What budget secrets have you uncovered for museums, transportation, or restaurants? What are your favorite free sights and experiences? What is best avoided at all costs?
Share your voice of experience and earn a modest prize if I deem your advice the best or most useful. Entering is easy: simply leave a comment below!
Posted in Cheap Activities, Entertainment, Free Stuff, Travel, USA, Web Tips, tagged Ben Allison, Carnegie Hall, concert, Man Size Safe, Neighborhood Concert Series, New York City on 5 December 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Carnegie Hall offers a variety of free concerts as part of their Neighborhood Concert series, playing throughout the year at locations around New York City.
Tonight at 8 p.m. you can enjoy Ben Allison & Man Size Safe at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. (Listen to clips of the group at benallison.com > videos/photos.)
Other concerts this month include:
Falu (listen)
Sunday, December 7 at 2 p.m.
Flushing Town Hall
Alexander Fiterstein & Friends: The Zimro Project (hear Fiterstein here)
Sunday, December 14 at 4 p.m.
Brooklyn Central Library
Check out the interactive map or see the program by borough (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island).
Posted in Airports, Asia, Caribbean, Carnivals, Cheap Activities, China, Entertainment, Europe, Free Stuff, Germany, India, Italy, Lodging, Museums, Public Transport, Travel, United Kingdom, USA, Web Tips, tagged Broadway, Carnival of Cities, Cirque du Soleil, Dominican Republic, Dublin, Ireland, London, Mexico, New York City, Rome, San Francisco, Thailand, Washington DC on 26 November 2008 | 2 Comments »
Greetings fellow travelers and welcome to this week’s Carnival of Cities. I’m happy to be your host as we jet around the world following tales of tapioca, tumbling and taxidermy. Intrigued? Read on . . .
New York City, NY, USA: Sascha Zuger from Travel Savvy Mom scoops a great hotel package, describes her run-in with Sesame Street’s Gordon and highlights the Kids’ Night on Broadway offer in her post Broadway, Baby!
Rome, Italy: speaking of perfect hotels, Mara at Mother of All Trips has identified a real winner for young families near the Coliseum in her post Mondays Are for Dreaming: Hotel Lancelot.
Naples, Italy: Karen Landes is blogging at WhyGo Italy on the shades of life on display when slicing Naples in two in the post Spaccanapoli: Naples’ Historic Main Street.
Washington, DC, USA: Jon at The DC Traveler gives us a peek at the folks folding themselves in half and risking their lives nightly for our enjoyment when he goes Backstage at Cirque du Soleil KOOZA.
San Francisco, CA, USA: DFernandez takes us along on a twisty insider tour of his favorite tourist spots in The (Crooked) Road Not Taken at You’re So City.
London, UK: Caitlin at Roaming Tales is serving up top tips for London’s East End — not the least of which is where you may spot folk-dancing squirrels selling high-end clothes . . . Check out her post A Stroll through London’s Quirky East End for directions, or simply let your badger on a leash lead the way!
Prescott, AZ, USA: Granny J takes in an impressive number of public scupltures in Prescott’s Heroic Bronzes at Walking Prescott.
Dublin, Ireland: A detail on the airport wall caught the eye of Fin Keegan in the post Bitter in the End.
Dresden, Germany: You’d have to be blind to miss the detail on the tiled wall called the Procession of Princes in my post Saturday Photo Friday #4 here at Less Than a Shoestring.
Bangkok, Thailand: The news about hundreds of air passengers stranded as rebels seize the airport putting your Thai travel plans on hold? Conan Stevens serves up a perspective on the impact of the foreign spender in Is Thailand Safe to Travel in Now?
Shanghai, China: Our benevolent leader Sheila Scarborough gives us the scoop on a bubble tea chain discovered in China which has a branch in — no joke — Albuquerque in the post Stop into China’s rbt for Tea and Juice Drinks at the Family Travellogue.
Mexico City, Mexico: Gilocafe has a video to share from their visit to Teotihuacan Pyramids: Mexico City, Mexico.
Kanyakumari, India: Maneesh of Admirable India shares his photos from two museum visits in the post Trip to Kanyakumari: Chapter 2: Wandering Monk Exhibition, Kanyakumari and Government Museum, Kanyakumari: Part 1.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Jason Sarracini of Trip Quips gives a quick resort tip for a stay on the island.
That concludes this week’s Carnival — the next Carnival of Cities will be hosted by the friendly folks at UpTake. Submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post about any aspect of ONE city to the next edition before next Tuesday using the carnival submission form. If you like these posts, try browsing the extensive Carnival of Cities archives.
Posted in Travel, USA, tagged New York City on 19 November 2008 | 3 Comments »
Let’s say a certain no-budget traveler was considering some field research in NYC around New Year’s . . .
Would you be around to meet up? Have a guest bed to offer? Or will you all be off somewhere else?
No promises at this point, just threats. Leave your offers in the comments or send a message via the contact tab.
Posted in Cheap Activities, Entertainment, Free Stuff, Online Media, Travel, USA, Web Tips, tagged Lozano-Hemmer, Madison Square Park, New York City, Pulse Park on 31 October 2008 | 1 Comment »
I’m a big fan of installations — high-concept, usually temporary, art displays — the appreciation of which increases the more of yourself you give over to experiencing the piece.
Though I’ve never (gasp!) really been to New York and I can’t imagine myself living in the city, I do have an appreciation for the way art installations are often integrated into public space there. So it should be no surprise that I was disappointed to have missed “The Gates” by Christo, nor that I am now encouraging anyone who has the chance to visit “Pulse Park” by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, residing till November 17 in Madison Square Park.
I mean, when else will you have the chance for your heartbeat to dance across prime real estate in 200 theatrical spotlights? Seriously cool!
So to my New Yorker friends and readers: get thee down to the Flatiron District after dusk and light up the night — I want to see your pictures and live vicariously through you and your cardiac rhythms!
Thanks to This Just In for the tip.
Posted in Architecture, Automobiles, Carnivals, Central America, Cheap Activities, Food, Free Stuff, Lodging, Museums, Travel, USA, Web Tips, tagged Asheville, family travel, Honduras, Lawrence, Milwaukee, New York City, Orlando, private island, road trip, RTW, San Francisco, staycation, Washington DC on 14 July 2008 | 2 Comments »
Welcome to the sixth Travel on a Shoestring Carnival for the Americas. Here you’ll find North American, Central American and Caribbean travel tips for those without a lot of money to spend.
Photographic inspiration this week comes from Ralph Grunewald via Intelligent Travel’s Global Eye feature. You can read the details of his photo from the Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin here.
Kicking us off this week is Alistair Wearmouth at Away.com Family Travel Blog, giving us a rundown of his Top 10 Budget Vacations for Families.
Elizabeth helps you curb your hunger for under $2 in The Cheapest Lunch in Washington, DC posted at Go Green Travel Green.
Stephanie keeps costs down vacationing in the area around Asheville in her post Fun and Frugal in Western North Carolina at Stop the Ride!
If it’s a trip to the Mouse you’re after, Karyn has useful information on visiting Orlando, Florida on the Cheap at All About Orlando. She writes, “With the economy the way it is many visitors planning trips to Orlando are looking for discounts or other ways to save money. Here are some of the best ways to see Orlando and save a few bucks in the process.”
Ashley Thompson of Intelligent Travel gives readers the lowdown on one of the most interesting cities in Kansas in There’s No Place Like Lawrence.
When in Texas, Sheila Scarborough of Perceptive Travel Blog outlines a delightful, free and “funky” museum in Houston in her post Baby, You Can Drive My (Art) Car.
If it’s Northern California you’re headed to, check out Weekend Sherpa‘s regularly updated advice on what’s cheap, free and on.
If NYC is on the agenda, you’ll want to read these sites:
Mother of seven Jeana Mitchell shares tips on traveling cheaply with a brood in the post 20 Money Saving Tips For Traveling with a Large Group at Family Hack.
Hilary Green‘s post Best Road Trip Cars at Cars for Girls outlines the average cost of an 800-mile road trip in eight of the season’s newest models.
And if you decide you can’t afford to drive away after all, Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips – Taking A Staycation posted at Tip Diva, saying, “With gas prices and travel costs rising, many people opt just to stay home on their vacation time – hence, a ‘staycation.’ But being at home, or close to it, can make it seem like less of a break. Here are ways to ignore the fact that you’re home and enjoy your time off.”
If you inherit some money, don’t spend it on airfare! You might just afford your own private island (some are far cheaper than you can imagine). Read more in Neelakantha‘s post 10 Beautiful Private Islands for Sale (That You Could Actually Afford) at International Listings Blog.
Nick presents Honduras wants Sustainable Tourism industry posted at EcoFuss Green News, saying, “Honduras is a cheap Central American destination, and new eco-friendly development could make it an attractive destination.”
Finally, if you’re looking for inspiration to stop resting on your laurels and start experiencing life under your own steam, look no further than Couple Quit Jobs, Sold Possessions To Bicycle Around The World For A Year…Find Adventure And Freedom posted at The Life Less Traveled. “In 2006, James and Sarah Welle sold all of their possessions and left their comfortable jobs at Microsoft to bicycle around the world. During their year-long adventure, the pair encountered interesting people, delicious food, new found athletic prowess and the realization of how close at hand freedom and the choice to shake up your daily life truly are. Read about how they decided to bicycle around the world for a year…and how you can, too!”
Thanks to everyone for participating. Submit your blog article (or encourage your favorite travel bloggers to submit) to the next edition of Travel on a Shoestring: Americas using the carnival submission form. Next week this time we travel to Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. You can still submit your posts to that carnival till Wednesday.
Posted in Cheap Activities, Entertainment, Free Stuff, Information, Travel, USA, Web Tips, tagged Los Angeles, New York City, studio audience, television, tickets on 30 May 2008 | 2 Comments »
Vacationing in the New York or Los Angeles areas? Perhaps a local without air conditioning seeking reprieve from the summer heat? A fun and free activity is to become a member of a live studio audience for one of your favorite talk shows, game shows or sitcoms. (Heck, you never know — you may be called down to be the next contestant! Plus, talk shows are always giving their studio audiences great swag.) I once attended an evening taping of the show “Dharma and Greg” while in Los Angeles for a newspaper conference. It was interesting to see the set and the actors up close and get a sense of how the industry works, and it definitely made watching “my” episode on the tube more exciting!
Find all the details, including where to request tickets for your program of choice, after the jump.
Posted in Carnivals, Cheap Activities, Drink, Food, Photos, Public Transport, Sports, Travel, USA, Web Tips, tagged Costa Rica, Las Vegas, New York City, San Francisco, Santa Barbara on 10 March 2008 | 4 Comments »
Better late that never, welcome to the fourth Travel on a Shoestring Carnival for the Americas. Here you’ll find North American, Central American and Caribbean travel tips for those without a lot of money to spend.
Photographic inspiration this week comes from the ever-inspiring Global Eye at Intelligent Travel. Mary Hockenbery snapped this photograph of a heart made of horseshoes on a rancher’s fence — check out the details in Hearts in Nevada.
Geographically closest is Ben‘s post Save Money in Las Vegas – A Cheapskate’s Guide to Sin City, over at Money Smart Life. Ben writes, “I had just as much fun as everyone else at the conference and left with more money in my pocket!”
Driving over to California, Mudslide Mama of the Traveling Mamas explains that a supposedly expensive tourist destination needn’t break the bank in her post How To Have a Budget Vacation in High-End Santa Barbara. Then CalebL outlines budget entertainment in one of San Francisco’s parks in the wonderfully titled If a bum can live there, I can afford it, posted at City on a Dime.
A red-eye to JFK has us arriving just in time for Sarah‘s tour of New York City’s art highlights in her Directory of NYC museum free/pay-what-you-wish days posted at SARAHSPY. Chris Christensen of the Amateur Traveler has hot tips on unique and inexpensive places to stay in NYC in his podcast interview with budget guru Pauline Frommer.
South of the border, Janelle Nanos of Intelligent Travel elaborates on the rewards of enjoying local sports after becoming a Mexican soccer fan in Been There: Becoming a Fan.
Finally, James Brausch of Costa Rica HQ shares general advice on potables and getting around in his posts Costa Rica Drinks and Transportation In Costa Rica. From his pages, I convolutedly linked to a really useful site, Travel for Kids. They have an excellent section on Costa Rica; their Americas selections further include Canada, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and the U.S. What is especially noteworthy about this site is their recommendations of appropriate kid lit to read in preparation for the trip. Definitely worth checking out for my librarian friends or those traveling with tots in tow.
Thanks to everyone for participating. Submit your blog article (or encourage your favorite travel bloggers to submit) to the next edition of Travel on a Shoestring: Americas using the carnival submission form. Next week this time we travel to Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. You can still submit your posts to that carnival till Wednesday.
Posted in Information, Lodging, Sports, Travel, USA, Web Tips, tagged dog show, dogs, New York City, pets, Westminster Kennel Club on 18 February 2008 | 5 Comments »
Last week’s Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York left me with two thoughts burning in my mind:
First, OH MI GAWD SOOOOO CUTE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE MOMMY I WANT ONE RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!
I mean, you saw the Best in Show winner Uno, right? WOOK AT HIS WITTLE FACE! I’m not even really a dog person (gentle reader, please don’t hold it against me!), but I want an arrROOOOing bucket full of beagles to take home with me. All the press for this cutie has rekindled a desire for a beagle I developed after staying at a B&B near Middlebury, VT, that had two or three fat beagles lazing around on the couch, tummies exposed for scratching by a never-ending supply of guests, in front of a fire in the common room. Boy, did they have the life!
But enough of that. The real question is: where do those thousands of dogs and their owners stay in New York City? Find this answer and other advice for keeping your pets in top form on your travels after the jump.
 | RB on About |
 | Bernard on Thursday Photo Friday #13 |
 | jony on WARNING: RyanAir Online C… |
Crossing My Radar Global Voices on Travel
