Traveling

More Small Items to Travel With
We generally suggest you travel with as little “stuff” as possible, yet there are always a few small things we really like to have, which can make your travels much easier. We’ve mentioned some here in other Travel Tips. Here are a few more items to consider:

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  Strapping Tape – The kind we prefer is fiber tape about an inch wide. It’s untearable, and can be used for everything from strapping up damaged luggage, to packing a box for shipment home, to being used as a clothesline.
  
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  Corkscrew – If you enjoy wine on your travels, pack a small “waiter’s” corkscrew (in your checked luggage). Sometimes we just can’t find one and don’t want to only drink screw-top wines. As a bonus, many corkscrews include a handy small knife (good for cutting that strapping tape).
  
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  Ziploc Bags – The quart size is now required for your liquids and cosmetics and such when going through airport security. But an extra half dozen or so take up no room in your luggage and have dozens of uses for organizing, collecting, leftover lunches, and containing leaky shampoo bottles.
  
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  Small Bills and Change – Whenever you travel, in the U.S. or internationally, save your small bills and some coins for your next trip (unless you’re sure you’ll never go back to that country). Sure, ATMs give you cash in the airport, but that’s usually in larger bills. Small bills are great for tipping shuttle drivers, and change can speed up your travels through highway toll stations.
  

Quiet Times to Travel
Many of us prefer the quieter seasons for travelling. We all know how busy and crazy summer (July-August) can be at popular attractions. Seasoned travelers also know to avoid the U.S. spring break/Easter holiday periods. In our opinion, some of the best times to travel in the U.S. are:

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  The first week after the New Year. Ski areas are quiet, and even in warmer destinations the crowds are gone as people stay home and settle in for the new year.
  
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  Fall in general (September-October), and especially the first week after the Labor Day holiday. Many Americans have used the last of their vacation time over the holiday weekend, and are back at work and staying home.
  
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  The two weeks after the Thanksgiving weekend. Americans do their holiday traveling at Thanksgiving and again starting the week before Christmas (and through New Years).
  
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  The two to three weeks after spring break and Easter. School breaks vary, and Easter changes yearly, but the early spring period right after Easter is usually a slow time.