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5 Apps Every Traveler Needs to have a Great Next Vacation

As a travel professional, I always want to book your dream vacations. While I manage all of your travel plans to a T, not all experiences are always plannable. Luckily, there are some great travel apps to help with just about any aspect of your trips. Here is the our list of apps we use at Life is Better Traveling.

An App for: Speaking the Language

When traveling to foreign countries, be sure you are prepared with an app that helps you speak the common language. Google Translate is a lifesaver for any mono-linguist traveler. Translate from 103 different languages just by typing or drawing the word or phrase. Use your phone’s camera to hold up to street signs or even restaurant menus for instant translations. The best part is that the app works without using a wireless connection so you can explore data-free. Navigate with confidence and even learn a thing or two about the native tongue.

An App for: Maps & Directions

Don’t leave home without a solid navigation app for exploring. Apps like Maps.Me or City Mapper offer downloadable maps with turn-by-turn navigation, traffic updates and can even pinpoint local hotspots to check out. Explore points of interest from restaurants to tourist attractions, all with step-by-step directions. Even create driving, walking and cycle routes to save extra time, or just to take in the scenery.

An App for: Packing

Ensure you never forget a thing for their next trip. With apps like PackPoint, you can type in the destination and select the activities planned to create a customized packing list for the trip. It will even check the weather to make sure you are packing all the essentials. Share the list with your fellow travelers so nothing is ever left behind.

An App for: Chatting

Make sure always stay in touch with friends and family. WhatsApp provides free voice calls and messaging when they are connected to Wi-Fi. The group chat feature also allows you to share messages, photos and videos to share their experiences.

An App for: Time Zones

Never lose track of time again. With an app like Circa, travelling to multiple locations across different time zones has never been easier; find the best times for connecting flights and send invitations to other travelers in different time zones to meet up. Now you will never miss a beat no matter how far apart you are.

Recommending helpful apps shows that at Life is Better Traveling we go above and beyond, and care about every aspect of our client’s trip. Contact one of our agents to get started planning your next trip today.

Thinking of planning a 2022 vacation but not sure where to start? Fill out the form below and one of our award-winning travel agents will get back with you shortly.

Prost! 5 European Cities for Festive Drinking

Mary Yohannan on

🍻 Prost! 5 European Cities for Festive Drinking

With international dance floors, sunny open-air plazas and cozy little pubs, Europe is the place to be for booze, wine and beer. While many countries and cities host a good party, few can compare to the unique imbibing experiences to be had in these five destinations.

Munich, Germany

We’ve all heard of Oktoberfest, the 16-day blowout celebrating the Royal Wedding of King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildurghausen. While the wedding may have taken place over 200 years ago, Germans still like to have a good time and continue to celebrate this tradition each year with beer, brats and fun near the end of September.

Not attending the festival? No worries, Munich is a great place to imbibe all year long with fabulous beer gardens like Augustiner-Keller, Hofbräuhaus München and Chineischer Turn, a park with a seemingly out of place Chinese Tower. One great way to see these stops is on a city bike tour, many of which visit the English Garden, home to Chineischer Turn, for a stein or two before calling it a day.

Prague, Czech Republic

Famous for their beer, the people of the Czech Republic proudly tout the title of “number one beer-drinking country in the world”. According to U.S. News, Czechs drink an average of 241 beers per person each year so it’s no surprise that this destination is a great place to kick back and relax with your favorite drink. Beer is available at all hours of the day throughout the city, including breakfast cafes that serve Budweiser, Pilsner Urquell and Staropramen alongside your pastries and tea.

Mykonos, Greece

Sunny island by day, rockin’ nightlife by dark, Mykonos is world-famous for its round-the-clock fun. Home to 32 bars and 19 clubs, this small island is getting lots of attention thanks to Lindsay Lohan’s Beach Club, a docuseries exploring Lohan’s life on her resort, Lohan BeachHouse Myknonos. Pierros, one of the world’s most famous gay bars, is another popular stop at this club-hopper’s haven.

Travelers visiting Myknonos will want to be sure to snap a pic next to one of the island’s 16 iconic windmills that were built by the Venetians in the 16^th century.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Known for its romantic canals, relaxed atmosphere and infamous Red Light District, it’s no surprise that Amsterdam is a top pick for nightlife. Amsterdam’s clubbing scene rivals that of Berlin’s with an endless array of inner-city clubs, some of which have 24-hour licenses, located within repurposed buildings. However, your trip to the Venice of the North doesn’t have to be filled with all-night ragers; Amsterdam also boasts a large selection of laid-back cocktail bars for relaxed and happy sipping.

Stockholm, Sweden

Birthplace and home to legendary DJs Avicii and Steve Angello, Stockholm is one of the greatest party places in Europe. Whether travelers are in search of atmospheric bars, bumpin’ nightclubs or impressive outdoor venues, they’re sure to find something to suit their imbibing needs in this fair city. Stockholm is home to many popular neighborhoods, each with their own niche: The Gamla Stan neighborhood is the perfect place to grab a drink in a cozy pub, Mariatorget is popular for LGBTQ entertainment, the Sodermalm district is known for its budget friendly deals and lastly, Medborgarplatsen is a neighborhood popular with students and heart of the city’s nightlife.

Remember, Life is Better Traveling is always here to help you. We are a female owned, small business and every booking helps a local family. We thank you for your support and thinking of all of our agents during this time.

Deicing the Plane… how it works.

Liz Hough on

We have had a mild winter up until last week when the temperatures plummeted to single digits. Even with this mild winter if you have been flying you will see those trucks out on the runway with the big arms spraying down the airplanes. It reminds me of a car wash but for airplanes. So, what is the purpose of spraying chemicals onto the planes before takeoff?

In the mid 1990’s there were several aircraft incidents where the cause of the crash was due to too much ice build up on the airplane. When this happens, it will disrupt the airflow over the airplane which prevents the airplane from “lifting” off the runway. Since pilots and the crew can’t know how much ice has accumulated on the airplane while standing by or taxing, it had caused major issues. As with everything over the years with the National Transportation Safety Board or NTSB, their investigations help increase the understanding and awareness of how to fix the problem.

Something so simple as applying chemicals that not only help take off ice buildup on an airplane but will also help delay reformation of ice for a certain amount of time, was brilliant. The term “deicing the plane” was now something airports used every day during the winter seasons. Denver International airport was the first airport to have the “fixed pedestal mounted booms” where they could extend up to 90 feet into the air. However, being fixed they weren’t able to get all parts of the airplane allowing ice to build-up where the spray couldn’t reach.

Many airports today use a better approach to making sure that all parts of the plane are being “deiced.” Truck-mounted booms allow crew members to get closer to the airplane. They now have figured out how to adjust the fluid mixtures based on the outside temperature to maximize the amount of fluid that the airplane receives. In one of my readings I found out that some airports, like the Pittsburgh International airport, are reclaiming spent deicing fluid. Since 1995 Pittsburgh International Airport has recycled more than 200 million gallons of spend fluid. That’s amazing!

So if you are flying this winter expect that you will wait in line for your plane to be deiced. I can’t say for sure how long you will wait in line, but the deicing process takes on average 12 minutes. It may seem like an inconvenience to sit there while the plane is getting sprayed down but remember, it helps the pilots get you off the ground safely.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation. Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs.

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Is your family vaccinated for their next vacation?

Liz Hough on

If you have decided to travel outside of the country there are many things that you need to check-off your list to get done. Get a passport, get a visa, if needed, what do I need to pack, how will I be able to translate the language, what will I eat, and the list goes on. One thing that many people forget to do is check to see what types of vaccinations they may need to enter certain countries.

The good news is that many European and Caribbean countries do not require a vaccination to enter the country. However, some countries require a long list of vaccinations including some that you may need multiple shots over a period of time, or they recommend that you receive the vaccination a certain number of days prior to departure.

Now there is a difference in definition as to what the CDC “requires” for vaccinations and what they “recommend” for vaccinations when traveling to certain countries. When they use the terminology “recommend”, this generally means that they are encouraging people to get the vaccinations in helping prevent them from getting sick for those diseases. They always recommend no matter where you travel to that you should have at least a flu shot. If they say they “require” that you get these vaccinations, this means that you may be denied entry into the country if you have not had them. Many times, when a vaccination is required it is mandated by the country you are traveling to. When you get there, customs in country will require you to show proof to get out of the airport.

So how do you know what vaccinations you will need to get for the countries you are traveling to? If you are traveling by cruise line, many times the cruise line will send you multiple email reminders as to what vaccines are required. It also should be clearly noted on your cruise line’s invoice/itinerary as to what you need. If you aren’t sure, feel free to ask your travel agent. Many times, we do have knowledge as to what you will need. However, if you have any other questions make sure to check out the CDC’s website and simply put in the country you are traveling to.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

As always, our team of agents are here to help with any of your traveling needs.

UPDATE: Attention PA Residents!

Liz Hough on

UPDATE: As of September 28, 2018, PA residents will now be able to use their current driver’s license as means of identification to board domestic flights until August 1, 2019.

Governor Wolf’s administration released this information…

https://www.governor.pa.gov/department-homeland-security-grants-pennsylvania-real-id-enforcement-extension/

As promised, Life is Better Traveling is staying on top of current events so we make sure our clients are always informed.

Tips to Traveling Safely

Liz Hough on

Are you becoming nervous to travel?

Here are some tips on how to feel more confident when you travel

We recently had a booth at the Wine and Food festival showcasing wine-themed river cruises. I love talking about Europe, as we have traveled to 19 countries in Europe, and I love talking about river cruising. I was surprised at how much I ended up talking about the “fear” of travel. With the recent events in Spain, England, and France, I had a lot of people tell me that they wouldn’t travel over there anytime soon because of “all the things that have happened.” It is not uncommon for people to feel a bit uneasy at the thought of going to a place where something bad has happened to innocent people. Eventually, time heals and people start to feel more confident in traveling again, but it does take time.

What if you don’t have time to heal and you are traveling soon after an incident has occurred? How do you prepare yourself mentally to travel? Have faith, hope, and believe! Here are some tips with helping increase your confidence to travel.

Tip #1: Lightening doesn’t strike twice in the same place. This is also typically true when it comes to attacks. Once a city or area has been attacked, a large amount of security surrounds that area to make sure it is secure. It becomes very difficult for anybody to try anything suspicious because everyone is on edge and quickly responds by contacting the appropriate authorities. This is typically the best time to travel to these places because you have added security, and you get to experience a city or area come together like they have never done before.

Tip #2: Set up private tours and transfers. With a private tour or transfer, you have less people to worry about if something goes wrong. You have your own personal concierge or chauffeur that can get you away from the area quickly and safely, rather than having to worry about a large group of people all trying to get on a large motorcoach. Private tours also take you behind the scenes of some places so your guides will know the in’s and out’s of the place.

Tip #3: Each day make sure you have your smart devices fully charged. Information is key! If you are feeling unsafe, then you need to be connected to the world to find out what news outlets or bloggers are saying is going on where you are. Also make sure you have data and voice plans available for your phone.

Tip #4: Be open minded about changing your travel plans. If you feel so uneasy or find out information that makes you more concerned about the area you are in, then try to change up your destinations. Make sure to have your travel consultant’s information on hand and give them call to make a reservation at a hotel in another city or country and arrange a private transfer. Yes, it is going to cost more money to change your plans, but hopefully you will feel much more relaxed.

Tip #5: Be aware of your surroundings. This sounds like something you know you should be doing but it easy to forget where you when you are walking around an amazing place. Knowing where you are and making sure you understand where to go in case you have to get somewhere quickly, is key! Every day, when you plan out where you are going, make sure you know exactly how to get back to your hotel or the US Embassy quickly. Like James Bond, have an escape route.

Traveling is a part of life for everyone. Whether you go a museum on the weekend or travel abroad to visit 1000 year old sites, it is part of who we are. The best way to protect ourselves and make ourselves feel more confident about travel is to be prepared. If you have trip coming up, consider trying out some of these tips to help make you feel more at ease so you enjoy your time traveling.

What would you do?

Liz Hough on

If You Lose Your Passport Abroad, Would You Know What To Do?

These Six Steps will Save you Time and Energy…

I recently read an article about a woman who lost her passport while she was traveling overseas. She was frantic, and didn’t know what to do besides go to the closet U.S. Embassy to get a new passport. When she got there they asked her if she had a list of things that they need to get the process started for a new passport but she didn’t. She spent several hours acquiring the things on the list before she went back to the embassy. Once everything was submitted to the embassy, it still took time to get the passport prolonging her trip.

Even though most of us think that a scenario like this won’t happen to us, the truth is we need to prepared when it does. So for your next trip abroad, even to Canada, here is what you need to do if your passport was lost or stolen.

Step 1. Get another passport photo taken right away. You will need a passport photo for the embassy to issue you a replacement passport so get that first.

Step 2. You are going to need identification, evidence of proof of U.S. Citizenship, and your travel itinerary. The best way to have all of this is to make COLOR copies of all these things before you travel abroad, and place copies in your suitcases or other bags that you are taking with you. An easy way to have an electronic version would be to scan in your passport and email it to yourself. Having copies of these will really be handy. If you don’t have copies, make sure that someone you trust from home can get access to them to fax them to the appropriate embassy.

Step 3. Try to access a passport application (DS-11 Application for Passport), and the statement form for Lost or Stolen Passports (DS-64 Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport ). Having these printed out and already filled in will help you get through the process faster.

Step 4. If you have filed a police report with the local authorities, make sure to bring a copy of the police report with you.

Step 5. Head to the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate that can help you get your replacement passport issued. If you aren’t sure where it is, someone within the U.S. can call the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C, at 1-888-407-4747, and they will be able to locate the nearest one for you.

Step 6. Pay the fees associated with getting a replacement passport, however, applicants who are unable to pay the fee will be asked to provide names of persons they feel would be able to assist them financially if there is sufficient time.

Once you have been issued a replacement passport the passport is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children. If you were issued a limited-validity, emergency passport due to urgent travel plans to allow you to return to the U.S. or continue on your trip, once you return home, you can turn in your emergency passport and receive a full-validity passport. Most embassies and consulates do not issue passports on weekends or holiday that they are closed. If it is a life or death emergency they do have after hours duty officers available to assist you in any way that they can.

For your next vacation abroad, make sure to make color copies of all of your identification and give copies to friends and/or family here in the U.S. that you trust. If you have a travel agent who is available, please give them the information also. I always advise my client’s to send me a color copy of their passport so I can easily email and/or fax it out quickly.

Safe Travels!

Airlines are upset.

Liz Hough on

New Changes in Favor of the Consumer?
Find out what 3 changes are coming your way next time you fly…

If you have been following the news this past week, then you may have heard that congress has passed some air travel legislation that will help the consumer, but may upset the airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The lengthy lines to get through security at the airport have been felt across the nation, and by those in the House and Senate too. The new bill wants to offer several ways to expedite the screening process including keeping the PreCheck screening lines open and available during peak and high-volume travel times, especially at the airports who see a huge volume of travelers. When the PreCheck lines are closed, there must be a way to expedited the screening process using “every practicable effort.” What is the definition of “every practicable effort?” Only time will tell. The bill is also requiring that TSA increase the number of people enrolled in the TSA PreCheck program by making it more available for people to enroll. This could be done through Kiosks, mobile devices, and/or other mobile platforms.

Have you ever had your luggage lost or delayed by the airline and didn’t receive your luggage fee back? Well, that will now be a fight with the airline that you will no longer have to undergo. If the airline does not deliver your luggage to you within 12 hours after arrival of your domestic flight or 15 hours after your international flight, the airline will be forced to quickly and automatically refund you “any ancillary fees” you paid for your checked luggage.

For those who have family members under the age of 13, this next portion of the bill that has passed is a huge win. Children under the age of 13 are “to be seated in a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13” at NO Additional Ancillary Fees! These ancillary fees are usually in the form of a seat selection reservation fees including, choosing a window or aisle seat.

Here is a website that shows some of the fees for seat reservations for each airline: http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/4564745/chart-what-it-costs-to-select-your-seat-location.html. The caveat is that this only applies to economy or coach class seats. If a family would like to upgrade to economy plus, business, or first class additional fees would be applied. This rule will probably upset the airlines the most as this will take away from their billions of dollars they earn each year on seat reservation fees. However, it has been a problem with the airlines not accommodating keeping families seated together when they travel. As a parent, it is a very scary thought that my child would be sitting next to a stranger while I am on the same flight.

Over the next couple of months, I hope that we see these changes and they make our lives simpler for when we travel by air.

Is convenience always better?

Liz Hough on

When you travel you always try to make it convenient for yourself. Some of the things that I have purchased over the years to make travel convenient include a blow up neck pillow, a blow up cushioned seat, smart tablets, versatile clothing, RFID blocking purse, belt with hidden compartment for money and credit cards, foldable shoes, various pieces of luggage and bags, etc. Some of these items were amazing and others were a complete waste of money. Now that I have two little kids to travel with, traveling seems like a huge task! Anything I can do to make it more convenient on myself and my husband, I will pay for it!

If you have or had little ones, you remember how getting through an airport, an amusement park, or even getting on a bus at Disney was a difficult task but the one thing that you bring for convenience is a stroller. Nowadays, there are some many strollers on the market and when you find that one you like, you take it everywhere with you including anywhere you travel. The problem with most strollers are that they are beasts! Even folded over they are bulky and weigh over 20 pounds. Now, if you have ever been to Disney then you know that the buses to take you to and from your resort are crowded with people, but most of the space taken up is by strollers. Those people with older children are the envy of the bus, and those of us with our beast of a stroller just give each other the sympathy nod. Same holds true when you are folding the beast at the end of the runway before getting on a plane.

Well, lucky for us we are at that stage with our kids where they don’t really need a stroller, but it is still a good idea to bring one along, especially for the toddler who likes to run away from us in the busy airport. With so many trips coming up this year I didn’t want to buy another stroller, but our umbrella stroller broke on our last trip. Out to the baby store we went, looking to pick up another umbrella stroller but instead we were intrigued by a new stroller on the market. Weighing in at 9 pounds and folding up to the size of large book, how could I not resist checking out this stroller. I had a huge smile on face at the thought of how this would make my life so convenient on our upcoming trips!

The lady at the store, Kathy who needs to be mentioned for having such patience, got out the box from the storage area in the back. Excited to see the product first hand as she had only seen the video of how to use, she came down the aisle with a huge smile on her face. The box for the stroller was the same size of the box that my laptop computer came in. All excited, we started to gather a crowd of employees who also wanted to see the world’s smallest folded stroller. Kathy opens the box that says no assembly required, and takes it out of the bag. As she says watch this, she tries to open it as she had seen in the video, nothing happens. She tries again, and nothing. Another employee takes the stroller and tries to open it, nothing. At this point, we have about 8 employees and 3 customers all around this book size, folded up stroller and none of us can figure out how to open it. My excitement for a stroller with such convenience has turned into frustration and concern about whether I would be able to figure out how to fold this stroller quickly. After losing several employees, the original Kathy, myself, my husband, and two other employees had figured it out after 25 minutes! Even though we watched the video several times, it took us 25 minutes to figure it out. After getting it open, I was disappointed by the lack of a sun screen/visor to protect a child and the stability of the stroller. I also did not like that the seat did not recline for the child. If you are interested in finding out which stroller I am talking about I have conveniently hyperlinked the video. You will be impressed, just like I was. Click Here for Video

I am impressed by this stroller company in general. They have several one touch foldable, light-weight strollers. We did purchase the stroller called the Qbit and it folds up small enough to go into bag that is provided by the company, and is around 15 pounds. Both kids have found it very comfortable to be in and me and my husband have found it very easy and convenient for all of our travel needs. I look forward to using it in a few weeks on our next trip. In the meantime, I am definitely going to be using it around town to check out the stability.

So next time you go to purchase that travel gadget that you will think will make your life so much more convenient, weigh the options, definitely try it out, and check for durability. If it breaks during your trip, then it won’t be so convenient.

A amazing article I had to share.

Liz Hough on

When you find something that resonates with you, you just have to share it!

Find out why I had to share this article….

My heart goes out to the small country of Belgium where their trusting and easy going nature, was taken advantage during the attack back in 2016. When we had an attack on our own country almost 18 years ago, we were probably in the same place, trusting and easy going. We have adapted to understanding that even though the world is a large place, we must now be suspicious and ask questions of all activities that make us uneasy. However, it doesn’t stop us from traveling! Taking the children to Disney World, driving to Colonial Williamsburg, shopping in Manhattan for a long weekend, or even taking that Caribbean cruise. We have learned that if we want to do or see anything, we have to adapt and turn that fear into confidence that if something were to happen, you would be able to stand up against it.

I recently read an article by a travel journalist named Wendy Perrin who wrote about why we shouldn’t fear traveling after an attack and the likelihood of becoming a statistic of a terrorist attack. She called it 7 Keys to Traveling Without Fear Despite Terrorist Attacks. I wanted to share this article because it was so well written and empowering that I hope it makes you feel the way I did after reading it, ready to TRAVEL.

Here is an intro to Wendy Perrin’s article:

1. Grasp how minuscule the statistical probability is of getting caught in a terrorist attack abroad.

According to the U.S. State Department, the number of U.S. citizens killed overseas by incidents of terrorism from 2001 to 2013 was 350. If you’re thinking home is safer, compare that number with the 3,030 killed in the U.S. by terrorism during the same period. More recently, of the 132 lives lost in the Paris attacks, only one was an American; and of the 15 people killed by attacks in Istanbul this year, two were of dual U.S.-Israeli nationality. In terms of street crime and gun violence, most of the U.S. cities we live in are statistically more dangerous than the places we visit abroad. Your risk of being killed in a car crash (one in 19,000), drowning in your bathtub (one in 800,000), or being struck by lightning (one in 5.5 million) far exceed your risk of dying from terrorism (one in 20 million).

2. Don’t confuse the probability of a terrorist attack with the probability of becoming the victim of a terrorist attack.

Is it virtually certain that there will be another terrorist attack in Europe in the next 12 months? Yes. Does that translate into a high degree of risk for the individual traveler to Europe? No.

Click here to read the entire article

NOTE: I am not endorsing Ms. Wendy Perrin, nor am I taking any credit for her article. She is a travel journalist who wrote an amazing article that I wanted to share with all of my friends on my Newsletter.