Last Minute Fourth of July Weekend Deals on Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals

The high price of fuel has many staying home this Independence Day holiday weekend. (Source: USA Today) The result: A lot of open vacation rentals.

Oregon vacation home communities Bella Beach and Olivia Beach are offering 10% off with only a 2-night minimum. To take advantage of this offer, you must call 855-238-0184.

Other last minute vacation rentals can be found on Lickety Trip where you can find homes in a particular area that are available in the next two weeks. Then contact the owner and make a deal. And maybe you won't be home for the 4th after all.

Western Washington Wine Country Deal

Wine-tasters, check out these great specials for lodging and tasting in western Washington wine country. For as little as $60/night you can stay in one of Bothell's fine hotels and enjoy complimentary wine tasting and a dining value.

Is Delta Wrong?

Update on 6/28/11 

The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia issued this statement on 6/27/11:

Rumors being circulated via the Internet regarding passenger flight restrictions on Saudi Arabian Airlines are completely false. The Government of Saudi Arabia does not deny visas to U.S. citizens based on their religion.

It doesn't change the content of my article in any way. 

I've watched the growing rancor all over the internet as Delta's new alliance with Saudi Arabian Airlines is more closely examined. USA Today reported on it and then withdrew their article as being incomplete. The issue is that with the new alliance, when you buy a ticket to Riyadh from Delta (which will connect you to Saudi Arabian Air), Delta will have to enforce Saudi Arabia's laws and not board passengers with an Israeli passport stamp.
Delta Airlines attempted to clarify on its blog. Delta representative Trebor Banstetter wrote:

We, like all international airlines, are required to comply with all applicable laws governing entry into every country we serve. You as passengers are responsible for obtaining the necessary travel documents, such as visas and certification of required vaccinations, and we’re responsible for making sure that you have the proper documentation before you board.

 Not everyone is buying it. Rabbi Jason Miller wrote in The Huffington Post:

The issue here is one of principle. Delta isn't being forced to include Saudi Arabian Airlines into its Sky Team Alliance. In fact, Delta could stand on principle and refuse to include Saudi Arabian Airlines based on its discriminatory policy. No, it's not Delta's fault that the Saudi government is anti-Semitic, but it doesn't have to go along with it. It's as if the Saudis are telling Delta that when it comes to Jewish passengers it's name should become an acronym: "Don't Even Let Them Aboard."

And while the focus is on Jews, Religion News Service also reports that Saudi Arabia can deny entrance to anyone carrying a non-Islamic item of faith, e.g. Bible. Women also must be dressed according to Saudi standards of modesty and "be met at the Saudi airport by a man who will act as a chaperone."

While I find this discrimination despicable, it seems Delta is caught in a quagmire. We are not at war with Saudi Arabia, but much of what this little nation stands for rankles most Americans. (And many others.) The Saudi Arabian government is considered an ally by our government in the War on Terror. Should we forbid Americans entry into this country based on its discriminatory policies? Many have legitimate reasons to fly to Riyadh, much as they can't stomach the government who enacted these policies. Delta is not only abiding by the laws of the passenger's final destination but also protecting passengers from being denied entry at the other end.

The sticky point is that Saudi Arabian Airlines is not a free enterprise in a free-market economy. It is a government-owned airline.

So by joining forces for the purposes of business with a Saudi government-owned business, is Delta wrong?

Places Every American Should See

Photo: Ground Zero, www.glasscityconnect.com

A couple of years ago, Budget Travel put together a list of 8 Places Every American Should See. It's a great list but Graceland? Really? Graceland is one of the two I've not made it to so perhaps I shouldn't judge. Pearl Harbor is the other and on my short list of places to see. If the list were mine, I would add Ground Zero, Philadelphia's Independence and Constitution Halls, the U.S. Capitol, White House, and U.S. Supreme Court Building, along with the Memorials of Washington D.C.

What's on your list?

Why the Cheapest Flight Sometimes Isn't: Baggage Fees

When airlines introduced baggage fees I really thought that they would go the way of New Coke and the Ford Taurus. But no such luck.

A Consumer Travel Alliance study* found that "[o]n average, passengers paid a total of $36.80 in fees for every round trip ticket – nearly $150 for a family of four." Budget-conscious when you book, you think you will just take your carry-on.  But in a mad scramble to pack you decide you can't fit it all in, or you don't want to run out to the store for travel-size toiletries. Or your suitcase exceeds the weight limit. And you check your bag, and the airline collects an additional $35+ on your cheap ticket.

Here are some ways to avoid being shocked by baggage fees.

1) Know your TSA guidelines and keep travel-size containers and quart-size plastic bags on hand so you are ready for last minute packing.

  2) Buy lighter luggage. My carry-on choice is the Traveler's Choice Rome Hardside Carry-On. (I have it in silver.) It is so light it feels like it will fall apart, and reviews suggest it will if you check it. So don't. It's a carry-on. And it gets great reviews from those who only carry it on.

3) If you know you'll need to check a bag, use Kayak.com's Toolbox feature which allows you to add the number of bags you plan to check and then adds that into the ticket price so you can see what you will really be paying. Kayak has a nice chart for fees on baggage, pets, drinks and meals and other fees you never thought of.

4) Jet Blue and Southwest are great choices if you need to check bags. Jet Blue allows one free checked bag, Southwest allows two.

Consumers paid $9.2 billion dollars in fees to the airline industry in 2010. These fees are part of the strategy the airlines have used to stay in business during a recession. They aren't going to go away.

*2010 data

First Day of Summer is Free at National Parks

Mt. Rainier National Park. Photo: M. Reitz

June 21 is nearly upon us and marks not only the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere, and the longest day of the year, but also a free day at over 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees.

What parks will be free? Here's the list by state.

So if you have the time, take the family and spend your money on gas and dinner instead of entrance fees.

If She Asks to Nurse Your Baby in Australia, Please Don't Slap Her

A good friend of mine blogs about being an expatriate. She's an Oregonian married to an Aussie living in Hong Kong.

Here's a recent post about foreign spouses in America.

What Have You Done to Travel?

I was 21 when I lost my patience with not being able to afford to travel. So I took a job as a live-in nanny on the east coast. I can't say I recommend that kind of desperation. I quit that job shortly after waking up at 2am to the father of my charges standing over my bed when the mother, a flight attendant, was out of town. But I did spend my days off exploring Washington D.C. and thoroughly taking advantage of my time off.

These days, my family gets along with one vehicle. Without that sacrifice we wouldn't be able to afford to travel, particularly with our children. And riding the bus is entirely worth it to be able to take a weekend getaway now and then.

So what have you done to travel?

Recession Blues: Rental Cars

A few years ago, I made many of my clients very happy because I was usually able to get them a bigger rental vehicle for cheaper than a compact or midsize. I reaped the benefit of their gratefulness simply by taking advantage of the times. In the early days of the recession, travel slowed down but rental car companies had lots of cars on the lot. Gas prices were extremely high and so travelers were opting for smaller cars. The result was a cheap rental on a SUV.

Unfortunately, while the economy still hasn't rebounded, the price of a rental car has changed significantly. Car rental agencies simply quit buying as many cars, particularly larger vehicles that cost more in upkeep and require more fuel.  Car rental prices are steep. And no longer am I barraged with an assortment of special offers and coupons to cut costs. Finding any coupon is hard and usually they make little difference. $5 off a day is significant when your rate is $24.95/day. When it is $68/day, it barely matters.

If you need to rent a vehicle here are a few ways to help keep costs lower:

1) Avoid renting at the airport whenever possible. Rent at the airport and you will tack on an airport concession fee, facility fee, energy surcharge and additional taxes that add up to as much as 40% more than the base rate of the rental. If you need it for more than a day or two on the end of a flight, check out nearby locations and compare the final cost. Is it worth it to take a bus, subway, or cab? (Hertz and Enterprise typically have a lot of off-airport rental facilities.)

2) Don't pay for more than you have to. Be sure you know if you need any extra insurance; if you do, different companies charge differently for what you need. There are differences between additional driver fees too. As well as for car seat rental. If you belong to AAA, you can often have additional driver fees waived, and Hertz provides AAA members with one free car seat. And unless you know exactly how much gas you will be using, never prepay a tank.

3) Shop for the best price. A great place to compare prices among companies is: CarRentals.com. If your plans are set, and you are certain your needs won't change, check Hotwire. You can do this from the CarRentals.com web page as well. If you see a good deal on Hotwire and are prepared to prepay, this is a great way to go.  Priceline is similar but I prefer Hotwire for these reasons: they are very clear about what companies they use and they are all ones with solid reputations and the descriptions include whether you will have to take a shuttle to the rental company or if it is onsite at the airport. Car rental charges fluctuate so if you haven't prepaid consider checking back a few times to make sure you have the best deal. Canceling and rebooking is easy.  And if you are looking at a car rental company directly, always look for the specials on their web site.

And you might decide on that compact car after all.

Groupon + Expedia = Amazing Deals

I've been a Groupon fan for some time. I've bought deals on local restaurants, spas, retail stores, and restaurants all for 50% off or more. Now comes the great news that Groupon is teaming up with Expedia to bring amazing travel getaway deals.  By creating a way for travel vendors to get paid now in exchange for the public getting a steeply discounted price, this is a win-win situation. Sign up here.

Why a light suitcase?

When I was 7 years old, my parents made a trip to Europe. My dad had served in the Army in Germany when I was young and they missed it and the economy at the time allowed them to buy two German vehicles, ship them back to the U.S. and sell them for enough to nearly cover our trip expenses. (The whole trip cost them $800.)

But rather than drop us with Grandma and Grandpa and jet off to Dusseldorf they made a fateful decision. They took my 16-month old brother and me along.  We spent two weeks in Europe, trying to find an affordable hotel in St. Moritz, trying to get to a safe hotel in Amsterdam on New Year's Eve and being offered numerous chocolate bars for "die kinder" all over Germany.

We had a car for most of the trip but we did have a few legs after we shipped our vehicle to the States when we had to take the train. And with a baby, a stroller, and luggage, I was handed the responsibility of the overnight case. In retrospect I was handed a very light suitcase, but to a 7-year old, it was weighty. And when we boarded the train as it started to move and my dad reached back to lift me and my case up, I was hooked. Hooked on the drama of travel and on having my own luggage in hand. Many of my traveling companions through the years might say I was a little hooked on cutting my connections very close.

When I look at the trip from my parents perspective I feel misery. Our return flight took more than 24 hours due to a series of mishaps including being short on fuel and frozen luggage compartment doors. I was so tired I soaked the airplane seat in the middle of the night. All those things as parents that are stressful and hard. But to a kid....It was MAGIC. I was a little embarrassed about the airplane seat but I was never worried.

These days when I think of traveling with my own young children, I get a little stressed out. But I still want to do it. Because I remember what it was like to be their age and get a look at a bigger world. It is a thirst that never ends.

These days, I travel a little less than I would like. I live vicariously when I plan a trip for one of my clients or help answer a friend's question about how to choose a vacation rental. And I try to keep life's suitcase light and not burdened with so many things that we can't afford a getaway or a trip someday.

And when my 7-year old pulls up Google Maps and says "Mom, can we go to Rome, right after we get to DisneyWorld?" I answer: "You'll go there someday, buddy. And when you do, please take me with you."