Philadelphia's "The 10 Show!"

This afternoon I gave Philadelphia residents tips on how to take a budget family vacation.

Where's the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia?

Good afternoon Philly!

This afternoon, I'm appearing on WCAU-TV's "10! Show" to talk about traveling in big cities on a budget. For tips from the show, check out this blog post.

As you might have learned from the show, I'm in the midst of a spring break trip with my kids and we're traveling on a shoestring.

Tonight we'll be going out for cheesesteak, Philly's best cheap eats food. But where should we go? Please offer up your suggestions in the comments.

Big Cities, Big Savings, Big Fun

Why America’s cities are great bargains for traveling families

Known for their art museums, fancy restaurants, and sophisticated denizens, big cities seem to offer the ingredients for an expensive vacation. But actually, they provide the exact opposite. An urban escape can be an unbelievable bargain, especially for families. Here’s why:

Cheap, yummy food is plentiful. It’s easy to spend only $5 to $7 per person on dinner when you can choose from ethnic eateries, street vendors, and hole-in-the-walls. In Boston you can nosh on a sausage from Speed's Famous Hot Dog Wagon in Newmarket Square; in San Francisco and Los Angeles you can track down a taco truck; in Portland look for one of the waffle wagons; and in Philadelphia you can fill up with a cheese steak at Campos Deli or Geno’s or Pat’s Steaks.

Museums are free—and fun. Without ever opening your wallets, you and your kids can browse the St. Louis At Museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Cleveland Museum of Art, Los Angeles’s Getty Museum.

Washington, D.C. is the land of free museums, and you can walk right into the National Gallery, Smithsonian, and the recently reopened Museum of American History. In Philadelphia, many of the historical attractions are free: Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Declaration House, and many more.

In many cities you’ll find that museums have special free days and hours. On Fridays admission to the Boston Children’s Museum is only $1. On the first and third Sundays of the month, kids get in for free at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and they can participate in special art projects.

If you want to visit some of the museums that require admission, you can purchase a City Pass (citypass.com), offered in nearly every city across the country. You pay a set price to get into dozens of museums and attractions and save about 50 percent off the price of admission.

No need to rent a car. When you fly into a big city, you can hop on a bus or the metro and zip into town. It’s also easy to get around and see the sights on public transit. This means you don’t have to pay for a rental car or pay for parking, which isn’t a bargain in big cities.

Hotels are surprisingly affordable. Due to the economic climate, conventions are down and business travelers are on the road less so urban hotels are experiencing more vacancies and they’re rewarding leisure travelers with better rates.

It’s easy to score deals on flights. More airlines fly into big city airports—i.e., more competition and cheaper fares. Travelers especially benefit from the bargains carriers such as Jet Blue and Southwest that usually fly into urban centers.

There’s lots to do that doesn’t cost a dime. The best way to find out about free events, activities, and attractions is through a city’s convention and visitors’ bureau. In fact, many bureaus post a list of free things to do on their Web sites. Here are links to a few lists:

Chicago

New York

Philadelphia

Washington, D.C.

Big cities on a budget rule #4: Go out for pizza

After our stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge, we get in line at Grimaldi's a pizza place in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood at the foot of the bridge.

A line of about 100 people are standing outside the door. Should we wait? The smell of sweet tomato sauce wafts out the door...Yes! At this point it's 2 p.m.

After about 15 minutes and watching only one party of two go in the door, my husband suggests that we leave to find another place. But I was determined to stick it out.

An hour passes by and the kids are getting hungry. We step inside a gift shop next to the pizzeria where the owner tells us that Michelle Obama had dined at Grimaldi's only two days before.

I run out of the store to tell my husband. He's impressed and begins to wait in line with a smile on his wife. A Spanish couple behind us reveals to us that they are in line because they had hear about Mrs. Obama's visit earlier that week.

I entertain the kids by making videos of them singing with my iPhone.

It's freezing outside. 29 degrees. Because we packed so light for our trip we're unprepared for the cold. The kids and I go back into the gift shop to get warm.

Another hour passes, and at 4 p.m. we finally walk in the door.

People are stuffed into this tiny restaurant like sardines and gathered around tables covered in red-and-white check tablecloths. They're drinking carafes of wine and eating blistery thin-crust pizzas, the sort that are spread with fresh tomato sauce and chunks of fresh mozzarella.

Here's a photograph of the pizza we devoured. And yes, it was worth the wait.


Why pizza on a big city budget trip? Because a family of four can sit down at a restaurant and enjoy a delicious meal for $30 to $40.

Big cities on a budget rule #3: Walk

My original plan was to spend the day in Central Park--it's the obvious place to take the kids if you're in New York and on a tight budget.

But when we stepped into our hotel room at the Best Western Seaport Inn and peeked out the window and spotted the Brooklyn Bridge, our plans quickly changed.

"Let's walk across the Brooklyn Bridge!"

It's was a glorious day. Sunny and clear. We could see a parade of people walking across the wide-wooden plank elevated above the bridge traffic.

From our hotel, we walked the 5 minutes to the bridge's pedestrian entrance and strolled the span of bridge. We took in spectacular views of Lower Manhattan and my daughter squealed when we were halfway across and she spotted the Statue of Liberty.

The walk takes about 20 to 40 minutes. We did it in 30, and my kids are ages 5 and 7.

Walking: it's free and fun when you're in a big city.

Big cities on a budget rule #2: Take public transit to and from the airport

A $50 cab ride. It's the only way to get into Manhattan, right?

Actually, there's another option, and it's a lot cheaper.

When our family arrived at JFK at 7:45 a.m., we hopped on the Air Train. We paid $5 to ride a train that zips you to the subway. It's free for kids 5 and under, so my son rode for free. We only had to pay $15 for three of us.

At the subway, we paid another $2.25 for my husband and me; the station agent said the kids were short enough to get in free. And so we got into Manhattan for $19.50--more than half what we would have paid a cab driver.

Is there a downside? Well, yes. After taking the train, the subway, and then walking to our hotel, it took us nearly two hours to reach our destination. We would have arrived in an hour in a cab. But when your flight gets in long before anything is open, taking public transit is a great way to kill some time.

Red eye flights and kids: Good or bad idea?

"Do you think taking a red eye with a 6-year-old is a good idea?" a lady asked me in the security line at San Francisco airport. She was helping a young boy lift his little rolling suitcase into the baggage screener.

"I'm taking my grandson on a flight to Washington, D.C., tonight and when I told all my friends they said I was crazy."

I also had young kids -- my 5-year-old son and 7 year old daughter -- in tow, and so I think she was looking for reassurance that she wasn't crazy.

I told her that red eyes are the best way to go with kids.

You keep them up past their bed time so they're especially tired and then as soon as they get onto the plane they flop down into their seat and fall fast asleep. If you're on a shorter 5-hour flight, they don't get as much sleep as they need, but typically they can make up for the lost hours by taking a nap or going to bed early. On longer 10-hour flights, my kids will typically sleep for eight or nine hours.

The lady looked relieved.

Do you ever take red eyes with your kids? Have they been successful?

Big cities on a budget rule #1: Pack light

Hello Rick Steves! You have met your match! I have packed only one pairs of pants, two tops, and a jacket for an eight-day trip. Even you don't pack this light...

Our family of four is traveling for eight days and what you see pictured here is everything we are bringing.

That black roller holds my laptap, some other work stuff, a pair of pants, a pair of tennis shoes, pajamas, and two tops. My kids are sharing the ladybug suitcase for their clothing. My husband has everything he needs in that dark blue backpack. The Thomas the Train backpack holds toys for my son; the floral purse has coloring stuff for my daughter. And that's my black purse on the right.

Packing light is key on a budget trip. You can bring everything on the plane--skipping the pesky airline's luggage fees. And you can more easily take public transit--hopping off and on buses and subways is a pain when you're lugging around multiple heavy suitcases.

Big cities on a budget...or bust!

New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.--I plan to visit these four big cities with my two kids and husband this week. We'll be on a tight budget of about $250 (maybe $275) a day. How will we do it? Stay tuned to find out...

Wickedly cheap tickets

A night at the theater is not part of the typical bargain trip to New York City. And when my kids and I visit the Big Apple next week over spring break, we'll be on a tight budget of about $200 to $250 a night.

Can we afford to catch a show?

Maybe if we get lucky.

Lottery Rush tickets for $26.50 are sold on the day of the performance for Wicked.

Here's how it works: Each day, two hours prior to show time (11:30 AM for 2 PM matinees; 12:30 PM for 3 PM matinees; 4:30 PM for 7 PM performances; 5:30 PM for 8 PM performances), people who present themselves at the Gershwin Theatre box office will have their names placed in a hat. Thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for 28 front-row seats at $26.50 each. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of 2 tickets per person, cash only. Photo-ID.

I think we might give it a try...

Should babies have their own section on the plane?

A recent article on CNN.com on flying with children noted that some people think babies should have their own section on a plane--similar to the smoking section on a restaurant.

"The baby problem is easy to fix if an airline really wanted to provide tip notch customer service. They could issue sound proof baby capsules just large enough for the child to fit in comfortably. Have a sound proof changing room at the back of the plane at which parent child interaction could occur. Last, reconfigure seating so the capsules could fit under the passenger's seat. Mission accomplished. Everyone happy," one reader wrote in.

To me this seems preposterous. I flew many times with my children when they were babies. My daughter slept through a 12-hour flight from San Francisco to Paris when she was only three months old. She never made much more noise than a quiet little peep. When our flight landed, a passenger sitting a few rows back commented on how he didn't even know a baby was sitting so close.

Yes, babies do cry occasionally, especially when they are congested and suffering from ear pain--but is the noise any worse than the guy playing video games with the sound on?

What do you think? Should babies have their own section on the plane?

Virgin gets Mickey ears!

Good news for families: Virgin America is going to Disneyland, according to the NY Times.

Last week, the airline announced new service to Orlando from Los Angeles and San Francisco.

One-way fares will start at $149 and $199 respectively.

How to survive a red eye flight

Next week I'll be taking a red eye flight to New York from San Francisco. I'm traveling without my kids so I wanted to spend as little amount of time away from my kids as possible and so the red eye seemed like the best option. But red eyes are brutal, especially when you have to attend an event, which I do, the morning you arrive.

For some advice on how to survive my flight, I pulled some tips from various articles:

Stick a "Do not disturb" Post-It on your headrest or window. Marie Claire

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. An airplane does not have great air circulation and passengers suffer through grueling dry air. Buy a couple of water bottles once you get past security and drink plenty of water on the plane when offered by the flight attendants. Bring your favorite face and hand moisturizer and use to keep your skin hydrated. Don't forget the eye drops and lip moisturizer. eHow

While on the plane, either bring your own blanket and pillow or use the airline's, plop on an eye mask with cooling gell, and you'll be amazed at how refreshed you'll look when you arrive. StyleHive

Window seats are best for catching some sleep, as there is something to lean against. You also don't risk being woken by a neighbor clambering past to get to the toilet. Seats at the front of the plane are the quietest. The worst seats are on the back row, as often they don't recline. CNN

Reset your watch. You need to start living by your new time zone. Reset your watch before you get off the plane. In fact, I prefer to reset my watch immediately after I board the last leg of my itinerary, as arrival times are always published in the destination time zone, and I know how long to my destination if I wake up and check the time. This can permit me to grab a few extra precious minutes of sleep. Johnny Jet

When's the best time to visit Disneyland?

The Weather Channel has extended its popular travel-planning resource, Destination Guides (weather.com/destinations) so include Southern California's Disneyland. Using the site's "Best Time to Visit" feature you can easily find out when the weather is the warmest, coldest, driest and wettest months along with average temperatures and average rainy, sunny and cloudy days. Now the question is...what's the best weather for experiencing Disneyland? In the rain and cold you're bound to find shorter lines?

Click here for the Disneyland destination guide.

Image credit: My Life in a Nutshell Blog

Where can I find the best street food in NYC?

We're preparing for our upcoming spring break super-budget trip. We'll be traveling between the major cities along the East Coast's I-5 corridor -- Boston, NYC, Philly, and DC -- on the Greyhound bus. We're hoping to stick to a budget of $200 a day.

NYC is our first stop and the plan is to track down the city's best street food: hot dogs, pretzels, roasted nuts. Please leave suggestions for your favorite food carts around the city in the comments.

Would you bring your child to a third-world country?

When my daughter was 4 and my son was 3 we visited my brother -- their uncle -- in Vietnam. We flew into Saigon where we spent about two weeks and then took a bus to a beach town about four hours south.

I was a little nervous about traveling with two young children in a third-world country so we booked a nice hotel in Saigon. I purchased evacuation insurance and tracked down a pediatrician who spoke English before leaving. We also checked in with our pediatrician in the U.S. and got the kids caught up on all their evacuations.

Beyond that I did little prepare for any potential problems we might encounter. I had traveled with my own parents to third-world countries as a child and we always survived.

But most of my friends thought I was nuts. They said things like, "I'm glad it's you and not me" or "I would never do that." It got to the point where I stopped telling people about our plans.

I'm curious to hear how other parents feel about this: Would you bring your young child -- under 5 years of age -- to a third-world country?

Am I raising a traveler or a spoiled child?

My daughter's birthday is coming up. We're throwing a birthday party and inviting her school friends but we also plan to do something special with just family on the actual day of her birthday.

I assumed that I'd be making pancakes that morning and maybe we'd go to her favorite park. In the afternoon we'd go to the movies or get tickets to a children's play, and then wrap things up at dinner with grandma and grandpa. But my daughter clearly had a different plan.

In the car on the way to school, I asked her, "What would you like to do on your birthday?"

"Well, mommy I'd really like to go to Chicago or where I'd really like to go is New Orleans. Do you think we could do that? We could fly to New Orleans for the night? But I'd also like to go to the American Girl Cafe in Chicago. Maybe we could go to both places, Mommy. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Our family travels a lot. My kids tag along with me on my work trips. My dad gifts us airline miles and I'm a whiz at racking up my own miles, so we're taking more trips than we could ever actually afford. I have always thought the exposure is great for my kids and will help them develop a worldly mindset but now I'm realizing that somewhere along the line I forgot to communicate to my daughter that travel is something very special. Yes, birthdays are special but the typical child doesn't just jet off to Chicago on her 7th birthday to have lunch at the American Girl Cafe.

Save our state parks

Last weekend my kids touched a banana slug, watched rock climbers scale unusual rock formations, and learned how to identify a redwood tree.

We spent the afternoon hiking at Castle Rock State Park, a woodsy area on the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about an hour and a half from our home in San Francisco.

I grew up hiking at Castle Rock and so I wanted to show the place to my kids. On weekends, my parents would pack a picnic and we'd spend the day meandering the trails and stopping for lunch at one of the vista points offering views of the Pacific Ocean.

It was special bringing my kids to a place that played a part in my childhood, but I wonder if my kids will be able to bring their kids to Castle Rock?

The state parks are in peril. USA Today recently reported:

Lawmakers in at least a dozen states have contemplated the closure of up to 400 state parks this year, according to a National Association of State Park Directors survey, says Philip McKnelly, the association's executive director.

The exact number to be closed remains a moving target, he says, as budget negotiations continue and compromises such as reducing hours and cutting staff are made to avoid closures.

Government leaders are tempted to view parks as expendable, McKnelly says, although public recreation facilities are important during an era of unemployment and financial stress. "They think, well, this is just play, it's frivolous ... but this is the worst time to be talking about closing parks."

In my state of California our governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed eliminating 220 of the state's 278 parks last year. Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, says that plan was dropped in the face of an "enormous outcry from the public," and now the state plans part-time closure of 60 parks and reduced services at 90 others. Castle Rock is one of those places where services are being reduced.

For traveling families these parks are precious. They offer affordable outdoor fun.

Want to learn what you can to do help save state parks? Visit Save Our State Parks.