1. Fees for using frequent flyer miles are on the rise! More and more airlines are charging flyers to cash in their miles -- so don't wait too much longer to use yours!


2. Taking a vacation has proven health benefits -- so take some time off and feel better!


3. Now that the summer is half over, travel bargains abound everywhere! For example, we've found plenty of good deals recently at CheapTickets.com.


4. With all the bad news in the world -- soaring oil prices, plunging real estate values, a bear market, global warming, the mortgage crisis -- won't it be nice to think about something else for a while?


5. Even the travel industry is going green, so you even while you are away, you can be helping to make the world a better place.
   
6. TheInsiderTravelGuides.com has lots of insider tips for visiting Bermuda, Boston, Hawaii, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco so with all that info just a mouse click away, planning your trip will be easy!

• Give some thought to the specific needs of your vacation location: a beach vacation has a different set of requirements than a getaway in the mountains. The web is full of ideas for what to take to different places (like our check list for Hawaii). We also recommend that you check out the weather in advance so your clothing choices will be appropriate.
  
• Plan your outfits for each day of the trip and keep the bottom half of your wardrobe (pants, shorts, skirts) very basic. You can mix in different tops to create new outfits. Stick with a just a few coordinating colors so that you won't need to pack extra shoes or accessories.
  
• Keep in mind that many hotels offer a variety of amenities (like shampoo/conditioner/body lotion, hairdryers, robes and beach towels) that you won't need to bring from home. Check with your hotel before you leave to see what items they offer in each room and what can be provided upon request.
  
• Consider wearing your bulkiest pair of shoes and sweater or other outerwear onto the airplane to save space in your suitcase.
  
• Add an extra bag (something light and easy to roll up in your existing bag) if you like to shop - no need to have the extra baggage both ways.

How to Pack

• Lay everything you intend to take with you out on your bed to make sure that you have everything you need (and nothing you don't need) before you start to fill your suitcase.
  
• Use every possible inch of space by stuffing shoes with socks, undergarments, and other small items. Use shoe bags to keep the rest of your clothes neat and clean. Pack your shoes at the bottom of your bag so their weight won't damage the rest of your belongings.
  
• According to TSA guidelines, liquids, gels and aerosols that you want to carry on the plane must be in three-ounce or smaller containers and in a one-quart, zip-top bag.
  
• Use a clothing compression system to make the most of the space in your suitcase. You'll also find that clothes in these special bags arrive with fewer wrinkles since there is less of the friction between items that is the cause of wrinkling.
  
• Don't wrap the gifts you are bringing to friends and family before your trip since TSA agents may unwrap them at the security checkpoint. Instead, wrap presents after you arrive or pack them in a gift bag.
  
• Use bright luggage or luggage tags to help you identify your bags easily, especially if you'll be checking luggage.

Special Packing Tips for Kids

• If you are traveling with children, the usual advice about packing as little as possible doesn't apply: you'll need plenty of activities for travel time. Take along an assortment of toys, crayons, books, snacks and a bottle of water for each child. It can be helpful to bring new toys – the novelty may keep your youngsters entertained for longer periods of times. Remember to be consider of you fellow travellers and pack only quiet toys if you're traveling by airplane.
  
• Pack more food, diapers, etc. than you think you'll possibly need, in case you encounter long delays.
  
• Prepare a small first aid kit with the basics (bandages, pain reliever, stomach medicine, first aid ointment, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, stain removal pen) and a travel-sized sewing kit. You'll be glad you did. Keep it with you on the plane.
  
• If your children are old enough to walk, let each child be responsible for a backpack filled with on-board activities and a rolling carry-on (sized appropriately) with clothes and other items.
  

• Slow down! Yup, we've all heard it, but now we should all do it! Since fuel economy drops rapidly over 65 mph, make sure you don't rest your foot too heavily on the gas pedal.
• Keep your speed steady. Lots of quick starts and stops use more fuel than maintaining a consistent speed. So on the highway, use your cruise control (except on hilly areas, where you can save more gas by picking up speed as you coast downhill and slowing down a bit as you head uphill). And in town, watch the cars and traffic lights well ahead of you so you don't need to slam on the brakes quickly.
• Keep your tires inflated properly. Your car manual and the tires themselves will tell you what pressure level is appropriate.
• Lighten your load. It takes more fuel to move a heavier car around, so if you still have that bag of sand in the trunk to help out with winter ice, and you have an unused luggage rack on the roof, it is time to remove them. Remember that even the little things add up, so remember to keep your car cleaned out!
• Let the breeze blow. At speeds of less than 60 mph, you'll save gas by cooling off with a breeze from an open window; at 60 mph and above, it is better to use your car's air conditioning system.
• No more circling. Can't find the perfect parking spot? Quickly settle for second (or third, or fourth) best rather than wasting fuel driving around the lot. And as an added bonus, a bit more of a walk will help your waistline as well as your wallet.
• Keep Clean. Clean the air filter monthly to keep your engine running efficiently.
• Don't Idle. If you are stopping for more than a minute, it uses less gas to turn off the engine and start it up again than to leave it idling (of course this doesn't apply in traffic or at stoplights). Similarly, "warming up" your car just wastes fuel, except during winter in the coldest of climates.

On Vacation

• Don't get lost. Use a GPS device to ensure that you're always on the right route so you don't spend extra miles out of your way.
• Tune in to technology. Use web sites like those from traffic.com and the Federal Highway Administration to avoid detours and traffic tie-ups that would otherwise cost you extra time and fuel.

Web Resources

• Find the gas station with the lowest price in your neighborhood at GasPriceWatch.com and GasBuddy.com.
• More resources for finding cheaper gas are at MSN.com.
• Look for credit cards that offer rebates for gas purchases at BestCreditOffers.com and inns that are reimbursing you for your gas expenses at About.com.

Above all, you need to plan every car trip like the investment it is. If you can just as easily accomplish your goal by walking or biking or using public transportation, it almost goes without saying that that's what you should do. But if you truly need your vehicle, think about mapping out each stop in a careful, organized fashion so that you drive as little as possible.

• Brooklyn Bridge
• Brooklyn Piers (between piers 4 and 5)
• Pier 35 in Manhattan (at South Street and Rutgers Street)
• the north shore of Governors Island

While there are a variety of recommended venues for viewing the waterfalls (including Battery Park in Manhattan, Pier 11 in Manhattan, the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, the Brooklyn Height Promenade, and Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park), two of the easiest ways are just driving along the FDR and taking a Circle Line cruise.