I’ve written before about “extra” airline fees, including checked baggage fees, carry-on baggage fees, internet purchase fees, telephone purchase fees, seat assignment fees, and bathroom fees–just kidding, I wanted to make sure my readers, (hi Mom and Dad!) were still paying attention. I was fully prepared to pay the additional $10 each for my girls’ carry-on bags. But by driving out to the airport (30 miles roundtrip and I was headed that way anyway), I thought I’d save on the internet or telephone purchase fees.

Because Allegiant doesn’t fly every day, I checked their website to see when they’d be open and staffed. The only information I could find stated that ticket purchases are available in MOST cities for one hour following a scheduled departure. Some airports had listed hours, Medford did not.

Credit card in hand, I made the 30 mile round trip drive, and entered the airport to find four Allegiant employees at the counter. Three of them were checking in passengers for an upcoming flight. The fourth wasn’t doing anything. The line was long, so before waiting, I approached the fourth Allegiant employee. You know, the one who was not checking in passengers. When I asked if I could buy a ticket for a future flight, she smiled politely and said, “We’ll be selling tickets from 3-4 pm today.” It was 1:30.

There I was, ready to give my money to Allegiant Airlines, and there she was, an Allegiant employee with nothing to do. But alas, I could not buy a ticket. I was not there during their ticket-selling window. Not willing to wait 90 minutes, I turned around and drove home, highly irritated, and feeling like a victim of the old bait and switch. Sure, one can avoid paying the internet or telephone purchase fee with Allegiant Airlines, but in Medford at least, you have to be able to go to the airport during a specific one hour period that occurs just two days a week.

Grudgingly, I bought my tickets on Allegiant’s website, where my $29 one way fare turned into a $49 one way fare. Yes, still a good deal, but not the deal I was expecting. If I added in the cost of gas and my hour of wasted time (worth hundreds and hundreds of dollars), I’m not so sure I came out ahead in the end. And even more than that, the frustration of a poor policy that results in poor customer service is what stands out most.

Remember the days before the internet…when you had to book a hotel or vacation home based solely on a guidebook recommendation that offered little or (gasp!) no photos? Thank goodness those days are over. For the most part we can now see exactly what we’re getting into before booking.  However, some hotels do stretch the truth a bit with descriptions and photos in their on line information. And sometimes things don’t really end up looking the way they do on the website. (I always wonder how they can take a hotel room photo in such a way that makes it look 75% bigger than it really is?)

But never fear, there are now many travel websites that offer reviews for travelers like you and me, by travelers like you and me. In fact there are so many these days, it’s hard to wade through them all. Here are some that we’ve found particularly useful. TripAdvisor continues to be one of the most thorough review sites around. I never trust just one or two reviews however, as I’m a pessimist, and always wonder if a hotel has enlisted friends and family members to write glowing reviews. So the more reviews the better, and I especially like those reviews that include candid travelers’ photos of the hotel. (I must digress and ask why, however, travelers include photos of themselves on the beach.) When I’m booking a hotel on Priceline or Hotwire, I also like to look at the bidding forums, here and here, where travelers share information on their results of recent bids. These wonderfully useful details almost always include prices of successful bids and which hotel they were booked with. Sometimes posts will also include a review as well. Another handy review site, but with less hotels in out of the way places, is Oyster, who boasts “undoctored hotel photos” and the tagline “we have sleepless nights so you won’t.”

If you’re booking a home or apartment rental on my favorite site, Vacation Rentals By Owner, and you don’t trust the photos or reviews, you can buy low cost insurance to make certain what you have been promised really exists. On a recent family vacation rental in California’s Napa Valley, it was worth it to me to spend $29 for insurance on a rental that cost $2000. Of course the house was fine, but the insurance gave me piece of mind.

There’s no reason to book a hotel or vacation rental without first reading reviews and looking at photos. A little research time on the front end will make you a happier traveler on the flip side.

In April, a TSA baggage inspector at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport was arrested for allegedly stealing iPads from luggage for the past eight months. Eight stolen iPads were recovered during the investigation. In an article in the Huffington Post, Christopher Elliott writes of other thefts by TSA agents, and wonders if the TSA offers classes to employees on supplementing their income.

I’m most startled, however, to learn that travelers are putting expensive and easy to steal items like iPads, iPhones, and cameras into their checked luggage. It doesn’t matter whether you put a lock on your bag, or that you are sure that all TSA baggage inspectors are upstanding citizens, these items should always be in your carry-on luggage. If you’re not wearing your most expensive jewelry, you should be carrying it in your tote bag (or better yet, leaving it at home and wearing cheap replicas).

If you’re traveling with your iPad or iPhone, Apple now offers a free “find my iPad or iPhone” tracking application, so you can find out exactly where your iPad has gone, even if it’s just under your bed. You can also set a pass-code lock and remote wipe to protect yourself further.

The only thing TSA agents can ever steal from my luggage is my underwear and clothing. If they want it that bad, they are welcome to it.

Ever since I can remember, I loved going to the movies. When I was a pre-teen, living in the Bay Area, it was quite a popular summer activity to get a ride to the local theater and see whatever looked good. I have fond memories of waiting in line for the epic films of my youth (don’t judge, they were epic to me), like Grease, Rocky, Ode to Billy Joe (with Robby Benson!) and of course E.T. and Star Wars. Bob and I saw Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield on one of our first dates; I’m pretty sure I asked him, too. My neighborhood movie house was a four theater box of a building, but every now and then, as I got older and more cultured (well, a little more cultured anyway), I’d venture farther afield and see a movie in a classic theater, like Oakland’s Grand Lake Theater.

I love small and quirky movie houses, and the West Coast boasts some great ones. Portland, Oregon, of course, is home to many. The McMenamins Pubs & Breweries  have some of the most unique, where one can drink a beer, eat a piece of pizza and watch a flick all while lazing on a comfy overstuffed couch. The Kennedy School Theater is housed inside the Kennedy School, which until 1975 was a Northeast Portland elementary school. It was refurbished by the McMenamins and reopened in 1997 as a hotel, restaurant, movie house and more (I’m quite fond of the Detentions Bar). Another McMenamins movie spot that I’ve enjoyed is the Bagdad Theater in Portland’s Hawthorne district. The Bagdad opened in 1927, and is perhaps most famous for the 1975 Oregon premiere of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with special guests Jack Nicholson and producer Michael Douglas.

The above-mentioned Grand Lake Theater has always held a special place in my heart. When Bob and I were dating, we’d often drive to see a movie there (and maybe even hold hands during the show!). We’d try and plan our visit to a time when the always entertaining Mighty Wurlitzer organ was being played before the movie started.

When I’m out of town, and perusing the movie listings, I often base my decision on where the film is showing. On our family’s recent trip to San Diego, we decided to see The Hunger Games and hoped for a unique place to see it. We were lucky enough to happen upon Coronado Island’s art-deco theater, the Coronado Village Theater, which first opened in 1947, then reopened in 2011, after a 10-year closure and significant renovation.

My hometown of Ashland, Oregon, has its own sweet movie theater. Yes, there’s a larger “big city” style theater on the outskirts of town, but the Varsity Theater, a block away from Travel Essentials in downtown Ashland, features a classic neon marquee and mostly shows smaller run independent films. Built in 1937, the Varsity boasts five screens, some in very small and cozy theaters. It is also home to Ashland’s own outstanding Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF), now in its 12^th year.

I hope to get to more little movie houses around the U.S., and see more tear-jerkers like Ice Castles (oddly enough, also starring Robby Benson). But come on, vampires at twilight? They just don’t make love stories like they used to.

Bob and I are just back from Las Vegas, and although it is not my favorite place in the world to visit I must admit there are things you can see in Las Vegas that you won’t see anywhere else.

Most years we head to Las Vegas to see the latest and greatest travel products at the Travel Goods Association show. As in years past, we stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton, recently renamed the LVH (I wonder how much they paid for someone to come up with the new name?), right next to the convention center. This is one of Las Vegas’ older hotels with little charm. Truth be told, the LVH has no charm, not one bit.

In years’ past I’ve insisted that Bob and I walk to various destinations in Las Vegas. While walking is good for exercise and for avoiding seemingly outlandish taxi fees, it often puts you up close and personal with the seedier side of Las Vegas. So this year we bit the bullet and cabbed to our night spots.

We were in Las Vegas for two nights, and although we didn’t see a show on this occasion, on a previous visit we took in Cirque de Soleil’s “O” and highly recommend it. We loved it, and in our opinion, it was well worth the steep (most seats are $155) ticket price. With trapeze artists and acrobats launching themselves from land to water and back in the blink of an eye, “O” is like a highly imaginative and top-notch circus event.

On this trip however, our evenings were devoted to my favorite pastime, eating good food. The first night we ate at Lotus of Siam, which is well off The Strip and in an area our cab driver referred to as Trannie Alley (I’m hoping I don’t need to define that for you). This restaurant has been touted by many as serving the best Thai food in the United States. While I won’t go quite that far (as I haven’t tried all the Thai food in the United States of course), I will say the food was exceptionally good. We told our Thai waiter (always a good sign) that we love Thai food, have traveled in Thailand, and like it spicy. We then asked for his recommendations and he did not disappoint. The first dish, a papaya salad, was on fire, almost too spicy. I was worried that subsequent dishes would be equally hot, but the spice cooled down a bit and we devoured many plates, including Drunken Noodles with Seafood (also know as Pad Kee Mao), a Spicy Catfish, and Crispy Duck with Basil. Lotus of Siam is known for their extensive wine list, but we stuck to beer. It was a very satisfying meal ($80).

On our second night in Vegas, we cabbed to the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino. We had reservations to eat at Jaleo, a Spanish tapas restaurant by Jose Andre, and also wanted to check out the Chandelier Bar. Only in Vegas can you have cocktails inside of a three-story chandelier. The Cosmopolitan is also home to Bond, a bar that is part performance art (with live women dancing in boxes), part musical performance venue, and part bar, true Las Vegas style. We enjoyed our dinner at Jaleo immensely, and were particularly impressed by a couple of tapas dishes, including a chilled almond and garlic soup with crabmeat ($13) that was out of this world.

The lobby of the Cosmopolitan was equally fun and impressive. Large columns in the middle of the lobby and the area behind the check in counter feature an amazing, ever changing electronic art display. When we arrived at the hotel, the electronic display was a library, with books moving in and out of the shelves. When we left, the lobby columns were images of an elevator. Various couples (actors of course) would move up or down the “elevator” out of view, then back into view. On the way up a couple might be arguing, and on the way back down, kissing. It was fun to watch, and quite imaginative.

Speaking of imaginative, a stop in Las Vegas should also include a look at the impressive Bellagio fountains. Set outside the Bellagio hotel, the fountains “perform” to music every 15-30 minutes (depending on the time and day), and you’ve got to see it to believe it. It is a lovely show, and the water seems to dance in time to the music.

So it’s true that there are many cities in the U.S. where I would rather the Travel Goods Show be held, but if I have to go to Las Vegas, I’ll try and embrace it. Rest assured however, I will never ride a gondola in the Venetian hotel and try to pretend I am in Italy.

The main storage section of the Kiva Aircraft Toiletry Kit is a traditional style kit that offers just the right amount of organizational flexibility. It’s big enough to carry everything you need yet small enough to stop you from taking things you “think” you need.

And best of all, when going through security, you’ll simply zip off the liquids bag and coast on through!

(Click on the images to enlarge.)

I hate waste. I like to write grocery lists on used envelopes and I’ll carry paper and plastic in my purse or bag until I can recycle it. I turn off lights when no one is in a room (and sometimes, much to my family’s dismay, I even turn off lights when someone is in a room!). So I was delighted to learn that most major airlines now offer mobile boarding pass services. That’s right, with a smart phone, PDA or tablet, travelers can download their boarding passes and use their mobile device to display them to TSA agents at security and to airline employees for boarding, and do away with the seemingly endless stacks of paper that normally make up your travel documents.

Bob and I recently tested mobile boarding passes with three airlines–United, US Air, and Alaska–on a trip to Las Vegas. We downloaded the Alaska and United Airlines mobile apps to our iPhone and iPad, and lo and behold, at every airport (Las Vegas, San Francisco, and yes, even Medford, Oregon) we were able to show the Quick Response (QR) code from our boarding pass and entirely avoided using any paper. US Air does not currently have a mobile app, but we were still able to download our boarding pass via their website and show the QR to board.

The mobile apps that we tried also offered more excellent features as well, including flight status checks, mobile text or phone alerts, airport maps, and more. Other airlines offer even more services through their mobile apps. Notable services include Cathay Pacific’s city guides, Lufthansa’s 360-degree view of the cockpit and a GPS navigator to show you how to get to your baggage carousel, and Virgin Airlines Jet Lag Fighter which helps you establish and stick to a proper sleep schedule for your destination.

If you’re a mobile electronics users, check online before you fly next time, and find out if your airline has a mobile app available. It not only saves on paper, it’s pretty darn convenient too.

ExOfficio’s travel underwear really do dry in a couple of hours. I take two or three pair when I travel, wash one out in the sink in the evening, and it is dry by morning. No lie. The blend of nylon, lycra and spandex fabric is also so comfortable that I find myself wearing them even when I don’t travel. My cotton granny undies are history (thank goodness!).

In addition to their quick drying attributes, the ExOfficio underwear wick away moisture, are odor-resistant (in case you’re not willing to wash them out every night, ewww!), lightweight and breathable. Now is a great time to give this product a try, as all ExOfficio Give n’ Go Underwear are 25% off.

While we’re fortunate enough to have visited exciting and alluring locales the world over, the truth is that we spend a LOT of time traveling a much less exotic thoroughfare – Interstate 5.

We moved to Ashland, Oregon from the San Francisco Bay Area almost 19 years ago and soon after I was pregnant with our first daughter (What were we thinking? A new business AND a new baby?). We had not yet purchased health insurance in Oregon, but we kept our coverage with Kaiser in California. Yes, it was a “pre-existing condition” that sparked our love affair with the 1381-mile stretch of asphalt that twists through the mountain passes and cuts through the farmland valleys of Washington, Oregon and California all the way from Canada to Mexico.

Soon I was traveling the 700-mile round trip to Hayward, CA once a month for check-ups, and later moved in with my parents from Thanksgiving until Emily was born on December 21 (Yes, Emily, I moved in with my parents, FOR YOU!). I’ll never forget going into labor in the early morning of that fateful day and phoning Bob in Ashland to tell him he’d better get his butt in the car and get down to Hayward, PRONTO. I have panicky memories of him calling from the road (back in the “pre-cell phone” days) to check on my status, from Bill & Kathy’s Restaurant in Dunnigan. You’ll be glad to know, he made it in time, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In the 19 years since, we’ve continued our I-5 adventures, mostly from Ashland to the San Francisco Bay Area, but also to Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Vancouver B.C and Ensenada, Mexico.

Although we don’t often stop for food (Heck, Bob and I don’t like to stop for bathrooms. If we could have forced the kids to pee in a jar, we would have shaved 15 minutes off our time.), we do have a few favorite spots along the way. For years we always stopped for gas and a bathroom break at a Shell station just off the freeway in Dunnigan, where a note on the restroom door said “Bathrooms are for customers only. If you want to use the bathroom, you MUST buy something first.” Oh yes, it was the hospitality that brought us back time after time.

Granzella’s is another regular stop. Located in the not so exciting town of Williams, CA, their deli and store have an impressive selection of quality meats, cheese and other delicacies for a place that is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. If you find yourself getting hungry, and you’re closing in on Williams, it’s worth waiting for Granzella’s. On the occasion that we need a fast food fix, we stop for burgers at In n’ Out in Redding, CA. Their double-double cheeseburger with fries cut right in the restaurant is really good, and the service is old school and friendly (no notes on this bathroom door!). We also never miss the Trader Joe’s stores right off I-5 (in Fairfield and Portland) for lunch treats and groceries.

Other Interstate 5 adventures include the time, four months into that first pregnancy, when our car broke down shortly after midnight in California near the Oregon border. Again, it was before the days of cell phones, so Bob had to stand on the highway and flag a car down. We were fortunate enough to be picked up by an indie rock band in a funky van, on their way home to Portland from a gig in San Francisco. They took pity on the pregnant woman and her husband and gave us a ride all the way to our front door in Ashland.

We still have lots of family dotted along the I-5 corridor and I suspect we might have more occasions to keep rolling up and down I-5 when Emily heads off to college. Maybe it will be north to Seattle, or perhaps south to the Bay Area or Southern California, only time will tell. In the meantime, I’ll be adding these tunes to my road trip play list, and I’ll just keep on truckin’.

by Nancy Bestor

Although I enjoy riding European trains, sometimes a rental car makes more sense. While driving a car in Europe is not without its challenges, it certainly provides easier access to towns off the beaten track. When our family of four is traveling together, it also saves us a lot of money, as train tickets for four add up quite quickly. There’s also lots of fun to be discovered adventuring along the backroads of Europe, or better yet, hitting speeds of up to 120 mph on the German Autobahn.

If your 2012 summer travel plans include renting a car in Europe, all our forecasts say the time to book is NOW. Like airline tickets, car rental prices are steadily increasing as summer approaches. If you want to lock in the best rate, our advice is to contact Gemüt.com European Auto Rentals. Gemüt.com has been booking car rentals in Europe for more than 25 years, and like Travel Essentials, offers outstanding, personalized customer service―as well as the lowest car rental rates. If you have any problems with your rental, or you need advice on where to pick up or drop off your car, Gemüt.com cannot be beat. And if your plans change it’s no problem, as Gemüt.com car rentals can be cancelled with no penalty. Don’t just trust our recommendation, read about their service on Rick Steves’ travel forum here.

Renting a car in a foreign country can be a little daunting, particularly when you’re picking up your car in a country where you don’t speak the language. So, let Gemüt.com European Auto Rentals help smooth out the rough road.