 New York City is a busy, crazy place with five bustling boroughs that you could easily get lost in.
If you’re planning to visit the Big Apple, here are the bare bones essentials and survival tips that are worth knowing before you go!
Urban Travel Survival Tips: New York City
Basics
New York City is made up of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island.
Manhattan is generally the NYC most seen on TV and recognized by visitors but others are definitely worth a visit. Knowing where you want to go and what you want to see helps to plan the rest of your trip.
Need to brush up? NYCgo.com offers a great set of guides on each borough, including each region’s highlights.
In a move that sent both of our mothers into a maternal tizzy, my wife and I recently made the decision to go to Israel and the Middle East this summer. While admittedly tensions in the region have been running a bit hot recently, our choice to go now was based on the following factors:
1. We've both always wanted to go;
2. Due to scheduling conflicts, this will be our only real vacation in the next year;
3. We're incredibly stubborn; and
4. It seems that tensions are always high in the Middle East no matter when you go, so why not go now?
More reasonably, a close friend from Tel Aviv has let me know that he has never encountered any conflicts or major issues in Israel, despite living there his whole life. Combined with our overwhelming stubbornness, that was endorsement enough to get us to book our tickets.
Looks like Continental has drastically dropped the price of a last minute flight from Halifax to Newark (EWR) this upcoming weekend.
source: http://hostelinnewyork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Hostel-in-new-york3.jpg
Hit 'Read More' for details.
 What to Do When You Have a Travel Emergency
Travelling is fun and exciting but let’s face it: there are a dozen factors that could make or break your vacation, especially when you’re in a new, strange place. Best-case scenario: things go off without a hitch. Worst-case scenario: you get robbed or civil unrest breaks out.
It’ll never happen to you, right?
We hope not – but it never hurts to be prepared. Here are some of the most common travel emergencies that take place and how you can avoid them or deal with the situation.
Missing Your Flight
Traffic, woke up late, security lines – whatever your reason may be, missing your flight is inconvenient. If it happens, don’t lose your cool. Be patient and friendly but confident when you speak with airline reps. Instead of complaining, focus on solving the probelm: see what they can do to help you resolve your issues, whether it’s catching the next flight or seeing if another airline offers a similar flight. Be prepared to pay an extra fee.
 Forget Napa Valley — Ontario is the place for oenophiles. In fact, southern Ontario is at the same latitude as southern France and has similar growing conditions. And although the Niagara Region used to grab the lion’s share of attention, we’ve included a few up-and-coming regions that might be off your radar, but worth a tour.
The Niagara Escarpment
The Escarpment is the backbone of the Bruce Trail, Canada’s oldest and longest footpath, and is renowned for its rich ecosystem. It’s also a gorgeous getaway for fine dining and antique shopping.
Visit: While some big-name wineries have lost their personal touch, Vineland Estates Winery gets better with age. It offers the intimacy of a smaller operation with the grandeur of a quarter-century-old winery. Indulge in gourmet food in an elegantly converted farmhouse.
United and Continental seem to be having a huge fare war to Chicago at the moment out of SEA.
source: http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/illinois/images/s/illinois-chicago.jpg
From what I've found so far, there's some incredibly cheap flights around the end of August and throughout September/October. Could be worth checking other months though.
By comparison the cheapest flights out of YVR are $481 during the same time. Could be worth the drive for a 72% discount! Even from Seattle, it's over 50% cheaper than flights ever usually get.
Hit 'Read More' for full details.
It's not the cheapest flight in history to Europe, but it's close. Sunwing has dropped some more dates down to ridiculous price levels from Toronto to London Gatwick and back.
source: http://uk.techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/london.jpg
Hit 'Read More' for full details
Yes, there are some more of those cheap last minute flights to Chicago on United (direct each way). They're about 50% cheaper than the cheapest flights to Chicago normally cost from Halifax.
source: http://www.iasaglobal.org/images/iasa/cloud-gate-grant-pk-chicago.jpg
Hit 'Read More' for full details.
At the moment, Air Transat's July 6-14 flights from Calgary or Vancouver to Munich, Germany stand alone as about the only two great deals to Europe from the West at the moment.
source: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6113/1710/400/kahn_bridge_01.jpg
Hit 'Read More' for full details.
 Canada’s most populated province, keeper of the world’s longest street (Yonge Street), holder of our parliament, centre of our country’s banking and financial industries and home to more than 250,000 bodies of water, Ontario is no doubt the powerhouse of Canada. If you’re planning a trip to Ontario, you may find yourself needing to focus on a particular area of the province, unless you’re spending a few weeks. There are so many interesting family attractions in this province that it is tough to choose a “best of” list.
While certainly not complete, here is a little something for everyone:
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May 2011
