Want to avoid getting stuck in traffic this 4th? There's an app for that

Our family will spend the Fourth of July with some friends in Lake Tahoe. This means we'll be driving Highway 80 from San Francisco to Sacramento and then on into the mountains. This 200-mile stretch is notorious for traffic and a trip that's supposed to be only four hours can easily turn into six, seven, nine, even 10 hours. I'm not kidding. It gets that bad.

We're hoping to avoid the traffic and so our plan is to leave Thursday night after 7 p.m. We'll return on the morning of the Fourth, skipping holiday activities on the lake and fireworks. We feel it's worth leaving early to avoid the traffic jams.

I was also interested in finding out if there are any apps for the iPhone that can help track traffic. It seems the best available is SigAlert. The app is tied into the state highway patrols' data and offers the most-up-to-date traffic maps available through any app.

I checked out the list of maps available for California and sure enough, they've got our trip entirely covered with maps for San Francisco, Sacramento, and Davis/Yolo, El Dorado, and Placer Counties.

You can easily zoom in and out of the maps and the app will give you estimated travel times for your selected route.

We won't necessarily gain any time on our trip by checking SigAlert and then finding out that there's a major jam ahead in Sacramento. But it will help us determine when to stop and grab dinner--and if that traffic becomes unbearable bad during our drive on Thursday, maybe we'll just pull over and stay the night in a Best Western and then hit the road early Friday morning. Who wants to sit in traffic when you have two little kids in the car?

TSA to perform fewer child pat downs

The Transportation Security Administration has been under fire for performing pat downs on children.

There was a national outcry when a YouTube video of a 6-year-old getting a pat down went viral. And then a parent took video footage with the hands of a TSA official all over a baby.

The TSA now says it will be giving fewer pat downs though they'll need to continue to use the procedure in some instances, according to the Associated Press.

Summer bargin destinations 2011

USA Today has put together a roundup of five affordable destinations for this summer. New York City, Houston, Costa Rica, Reno, and Fort Myers, Fl., all make up the list.

New York makes the cut because this city is full with new hotels, which keeps rates down. Houston is in it's of-season in summer as its baking hot so you're bound to find deals. Also, it's now the largest hub of the largest airline in the world: United-Continental so you're bound to score cheap plane tickets in and out of this Texas city.

Why Fort Myers? Continental just announced mid-July airfare sales and hotels are slashing rates. And Costa Rica is on the list because the Central America country is in the midst of its wet seaon--yet this can also be a beautiful time to visit. Usually the rain only falls in the morning. Finally, Reno is a deal thanks to new airline service and affordable hotel rooms.

Read the full USA Today article

Free entrance day in National Parks

More than 100 national parks that typically charge an entrance fee will let travelers in for free on June 21, the official first day of summer.

Florida's Everglades, California's Yosemite, Colorado's Mesa Verde, Oregon's Crater Lake, Utah's Arches, Washington's Olympic and Wyoming's Yellowstone are among those waiving entrance fees.

More info

Earn a free night with Best Western!

Stay three separate times between June 19 and August 14, 2011, at any Best Western hotel, and earn a free night voucher.

Register here

BBC: Babies vs. business travellers

This from BBC's Passport blog:

The problem with babies and business travellers is that neither really wants to be on the plane in the first place. And both are prone to tantrums.

Babies are aboard because their parents want them there. Business travellers are there because their bosses or clients want them to be.

The tension between the two groups reaches a fever pitch in the summer, when business travellers have to start sharing their space with throngs of vacationers. That’s when you’ll hear business travellers whining (like babies) about needing special “family” sections on planes, banishing children from business class or reserving certain flights for “adults only”. They express their frustration in-flight by banging noisily on their laptop keyboards, talking loudly with colleagues, or by drinking too much and then laughing out loud (or crying) at movies on their new iPads.

Since most babies can’t talk yet, they don’t really have a say in the matter. But they communicate their dislike of the grouchy old business traveller in other ways — by kicking their seatbacks, shrieking nonstop for hours or smelling up their space with a leaky diaper or vomit.

“I find that most babies are well behaved on flights,” said Amy Graff, Best Western’s family travel expert. “Unfortunately, it’s the ones who misbehave that give others a bad reputation.” With two kids of her own, Graff recommends that when business travellers see well-behaved babies, they should point it out to the parents with a compliment.

In any case, as peak summer travel season approaches, it’s inevitable that the two groups will meet again. And it is the business traveller that needs to take the high road and be the mature one in the relationship. So here is your advice for dealing with:

The crying baby
With a shrill squeal only a mother could love, the crying baby is by far the most frequently noticed type of travelling baby. Business travellers can put up with occasional wails during takeoff or landing, but their blood pressure rises and eyebrows arch when the baby shrieks throughout the flight, especially if it is overnight. To avoid going over the edge and throwing a tantrum, business travellers should pack earplugs or invest in a good pair of noise cancelling headsets, and don’t glare at the parents of a crying baby. “The glares from other travellers make the parents feel more stressed. And then the babies pick up on the stress of their parents and cry even more,” Graff said.

Read the full post

Photo: Flickr

Ask Amy: Where should I eat during a two-day visit to Paris?

Question: My wife and I are going to be traveling to Europe for a little over a week at the end of August. We need some help in planning our Paris trip though. We only have two days there and want to make the most of it. We know the big landmarks and will be visiting those but was looking for your expertise in finding a nice hotel for a reasonable price ($100-150 per night) as well as the must hit restaurants. We want to experience the best food and local eateries that Paris has during our short visit.

Have you been to Paris and can you offer any advice?

Answer: Yes! I've been to Paris. In fact, my daughter is named Paris!

I recommend visiting BestWestern.com to find well-priced accommodations. The world's largest hotel family has about three dozen properties in the City of Light. The Grand Hotel De L'Univers in the prestigious Saint German Des Pres, the Quartier Latin Pantheon near Notre Dame Cathedral, the France Europe in the trendy Marais district, and the Ronceray Opera, among several others, are in your price range.

Here are a few restaurant recommendations:

Bistrot Victoires: Classic rustic French cafe near the Louvre. Affordable. Casual. Try the steak and chips and the creme brule.

Chez Georges: 1920s-style bistro. Lively atmosphere. Order the rib roast served with a rich potato gratin.

Rino: Hip spot in the Bastille for dinner. Modern European food.

Mi-Va-Mi: In the heart of the Jewish quarter, try falafel and spit-fired schwarma.

Berthillon: You'll have to line up for a scoop but it's worth the wait at this tiny ice cream shop on Ile Saint Louis.

Top 5 Ways to Avoid the Crowds in National Parks

Summer is here. Schools are out and families are getting ready to take off on vacation. This means our nation's national parks will start to fill up. These parks, from Yellowstone to Yosemite, allow kids to get up-close with nature and offer great value for families. But they can also become overwhelmingly crowded. For some tips on ways to avoid the crowds, we checked in with award-winning travel writer and photographer, James Kaiser.

1. Get an Early Start
Sunrise is a breathtaking experience in any national park. But most park visitors, snug in their sleeping bags or in a comfy lodge, sleep right through it. Wake up early and you'll be treated to incredible views without the crowds, even at the most popular viewpoints. And don't forget to pack your camera. Sunrise bathes the parks in soft, beautiful light—perfect for taking gorgeous landscape photos.

2. Go for a Hike
Sad but true: Most national park visitors never venture farther than 100 yards away from their cars. Of course, if you're looking to avoid the crowds this statistic is great news. Go for a hike and the crowds will start to thin out immediately. Choose a challenging trail and you'll really get away from the masses. As a general rule, crowds diminish exponentially for every step you take away from the pavement. And remember: hiking trails often lead to the most spectacular viewpoints.

3. Avoid the Hotspots
Most national parks are famous for a specific spot—Yosemite Valley in Yosemite, Old Faithful in Yellowstone, Mather Point in Grand Canyon. But take Robert Frost's advice and choose the road less traveled. It really will make all the difference. Follow the herds and you'll find more herds. Do a little pre-trip research and you'll discover that some of the most beautiful places in any national park are often some of the least well-known.This is where a good guidebook can really come in handy. Plan your trip ahead of time and you'll know exactly where to go—and where not to go—as soon as you arrive.

4. Take Advantage of the Night.
After a long day of exploring and sightseeing, most visitors are eager to head to bed. But nighttime is when Nature puts on one of her finest shows. Most parks are located in remote areas free of light and air pollution, which means clear skies perfect for stargazing. To help visitors enjoy the night sky, many parks offer free astronomy programs. Still need convincing? This year Memorial Day falls within a few days of the new moon, which means dark skies perfect for viewing distant constellations.

5. Pack a Picnic Lunch
Most national park visitors leave themselves to the mercy of park restaurants, which are swamped with crowds on big weekends. The result? Long lines for tables, bathrooms and parking spaces. The solution? Pack a picnic lunch. In addition to saving hours of time and frustration, a picnic lunch will probably be tastier, healthier and cheaper. Best of all: you can enjoy it at a beautiful viewpoint while everyone else is waiting in line!

Photo: Yosemite County Tourism Office

A new website for road-trippers

Planning to hit the road this summer? Check out the new All American Road Trip site, sponsored by Valero gas station. The snazzy new site with a sleek design offers detailed rout maps for class trips, ranging from a journey along Route 66 to a drive along the Great River Road, tracing the full length of the Mississippi River. You can also build your own road trip.

The sites spits out itineraries that direct you to major cities, national parks, and points of interest, including the locations of Valero stations and convenience stores along the way. You can also check out Yelp reviews for suggestions on local stops.