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Posted by C. Inskip January 12, 2009

Some travel and hassle savings tips I live by and thought I'd share regarding traveling with teens.

1) It doesn't ALWAYS cost more to stay in an all-suite hotel. I found that Sommerset Suites in San Diego is priced comparably with other area hotels. This way we give our teens and ourselves some extra space.

2) Even if you can't find an all-suite hotel, look for one that at least has an in-room refrigerator without the honor bar. That way, you can bring some drinks and snacks with you and you won't end up broke by the multiple trips to the hotel vending machines or by ordering room service.

3) Get them involved right from the start in planning the trip. My son found lots of things he really wanted to do, like going to the San Diego Aerospace Museum - and many of them didn't cost much. He checked out some online travel guides and also researched information through the CVB sites. It got him interested in the trip which helped everyone's peace of mind.

4) Set a budget for incidental spending and stick with it.

5) Allow your teens some free time to pursue their own interests. One idea that's worked well for us is occasional dinners apart. We go to that nice quiet restaurant we've been longing to try, and we give our boys $7 to $10 each to go check out the local pizza, etc., setting a rendezvous time for everybody.

Posted by C. Foote. on January 8, 2009

There are so many great and FREE things to do in California. We just returned from a road trip along the coast, staying near San Francisco, then down to Cambria, and on to Venice Beach. Some great free things we experienced:

1)Lands End coastal trail. It's a fairly easy 3-4 mile trail in San Francisco with great views of the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate Bridge. Park in the Merrie Way lot. More information at www.parksconservancy.org

2) Piedras Blancas Rookery. Just off Highway One near San Simeon you can spot the elephant seals right on the beach. Even though they're pretty close, you might want to bring you binoculars to really get a close look. I hear best viewing is January - May.

3)First Fridays at Abbot Kinney. We were lucky enough to be in Venice beach for this monthly event. Gallery owners play music and stay open late. It was great fun to see all of the art and the people-watching was pretty great too.

Posted by Alyssa K. on December 1, 2008

Don't forget to enjoy the simple things while you are on vacation; a beautiful sunrise or sunset, a local festival, a walk on the beach - these things are all free. Enjoy time together, look, laugh, enjoy. Sometimes the best things in life really are free!

Posted by Barbara S. on November 9, 2008

Use public transportation - it makes for a great adventure. We never take the bus or train at home and when we were on vacation we hopped on the bus all over the place and we spent $3 or $4 dollars a day. We got to check out the sites instead of looking at a map.

Posted by Stephanie S. on November 8, 2008

Since traveling with a family takes a lot of planning, I always have a packaing list for everyone so that I don't have to buy last minute items which were left at home.

Posted by Sharon G. on November 5, 2008

A lot of hotels have mini bars that charge really high prices, $4 for a candy bar! I always make sure that I have plenty of snacks and drinks for my family when we travel. Everyone knows that the mini bars in the hotel rooms are off limits! I really apreciated having an in-room refrigerator with room for us to keep our items cool.

Posted by Lorraine N. on November 1, 2008

I never planned for Internet access charges and when I got my final bill I saw that I had been charged $10 a day. I know that Pacifica Hotel Company doesn't charge for internet access - thank you

Posted by Mike B. on October 24, 2008

When making an airplane reservation be sure to enter your Frequent Flyer Membership information. It may save you from having to pay additional money for your luggage.

Posted by Kevin K. on October 17, 2008

My advice to other travelers is to book your airline direct with the carrier. I booked with Orbitz and when my flight was cancelled, I couldn't get the carrier to fix it - I had to call Orbitz and have them rebook. A major hassle when you're at the airport!

Posted by Lisa V . on October 3, 2008

Look for discounted admmission coupons or tickets. They can be found everywhere - travel magazines, online offers, retail stores. Saving a couple of dollars here and there ads up. Also look for FREE Admission days at attractions such as musuems. Planning a FREE day can save you a bundle on admission.