1. Travel

Affordable South America: Ecuador

Airfares to South America are beyond reach for many budget travelers. Most of them search for trips to Brazil, Argentina or Peru. Those are all great places to visit, but for an introduction to the continent that is more affordable, consider a visit to Ecuador. Airfares tend to be lower, and both food and accommodation is affordable too. Americans also save on currency conversion costs because Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar.

More About Ecuador
Budget Travel Spotlight10

8 Costly Las Vegas Travel Mistakes

Sunday May 13, 2012

Millions of visitors arrive in Las Vegas each year with little understanding of the city. The mistakes that spring from this lack of knowledge can lead to overspending.

It's very easy to spend far too much for show tickets, hotel rooms and entertainment.

It's a unique and popular destination, so budget travelers should consider at least 8 Costly Las Vegas Travel Mistakes and tips for avoiding those pitfalls.

Extra: Take a look at costly travel mistakes in other cities.

Deals for the Week of May 14

Sunday May 13, 2012

Here's the latest list of 10 travel deals for this week. Many of these links lead to offers with a very limited shelf life, so if you're interested, act quickly. But don't act so quickly that you miss the fine print. Spring Travel Deals aren't quite so fleeting, and are also worth a look. Among this week's deals: discounts on the Paris Pass as well as sales on stays in Las Vegas and at all-inclusive resorts.

How to Save Money on Urban Travel

Sunday May 13, 2012

Big cities are distinctive, and those differences make them worth visiting. But you'll also find some similarities that can become predictable and money-saving. For example, big cities frequently better mass transit and more competitive pricing on airfares. Take a look at a step by step approach to saving money on urban travel. Don't get lost in a big city's high prices. Learn ways to make every city an affordable destination.

Summer Vacation - A Travel Guide

Sunday May 6, 2012

Useful travel writing does more than describe mountain grandeur and appealing cities. It provides the details necessary to formulate a solid itinerary.

Guides across the About.com travel channel are dedicated to providing that kind of content. Every day, they post stories focused on information upon which you can take action.

Recently, I drew upon these deep resources in the creation of a summer vacation travel guide. As the work unfolded, Guides sent me suggestions for links; sometimes I discovered great content on my own that fit the summer vacation theme. I've earned an even greater appreciation for the stellar work of my colleagues.

The result is about 150 links from more than 40 About.com travel Guides. Start with these links and you'll find additional stories. In other words, you should be able to surf your way across the About.com travel channel and plan a great summer trip.

The guide is organized into nine sections:

Summer at the Beach | London's Big 2012 Summer | More Summer Destinations | Summer at National Parks | Summer Events | Summer Cruises | Summer Camping and the Great Outdoors | Summer at the Theme Parks | Summer Vacations with the Family

Don't put off your planning. Get started now and bookmark this guide for further consultation in the coming weeks as your plans take shape.

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