Inquire About Local Holidays Before Heading Overseas
In our Hack Your City series, readers gave travel tips to 35 cities, as well as Disneyland and Yellowstone. But some tips keep popping up from city to city and should become part of your overall travel habits. Not all tips are appropriate for every city, but you should review this checklist the next time you travel to a new location.
Do not sit in an unmarked taxi at the airport
If that’s not the only option, it’s more of a scam than a deal. One friend paid $ 100 to a guy in an unmarked black taxi because she didn’t know anything. It was in New York, where she could take a yellow taxi, Uber or AirTrain to the subway. While it is possible that you will be tricked or mistreated in a licensed taxi or rider, this is less likely and you will at least have some kind of remedy.
Look for discounts for students and seniors
Plus discounts for the military, local residents, EU citizens, or whatever class of visitors you belong to. Google it and you can find unadvertised discounts at museums and other attractions.
Some of these discounts are more unreliable than others. Disney World is renowned for finding any excuse to give you a pin to wear that will induce its working and costume characters to treat you special.
Eat in residential areas
When in doubt, go outside the tourist area for dinner. This varies a lot! If you know exactly where you are going in Times Square, then be sure to check out some of the excellent restaurants in the area. But in general, especially if you want to get away from big networks, head to the area where people actually live. While suburbs and small towns may not have restaurants near people’s homes, cities do. (Thanks to Yags for that.)
And if you do eat in a busier area, avoid places where someone is paid to stand outside and ask you to come in. It’s not a big red flag, but it’s usually an objection. If you want to get really picky, get off the main avenues and only eat in the side streets. This is not snobbery; it’s a way to find a restaurant that needs to make money on good food and experiences rather than walking.
Cook your own food
Or stay in a kitchenette like Airbnb to shop and cook. This is especially useful for long stays and group or family trips when restaurant food becomes expensive, and in expensive cities or places with mediocre restaurants. This was the usual tip for Reykjavik and Disneyland .
Explore local holidays
Once my wife and I got stuck in Madrid because we didn’t understand that a national holiday means that all trains leaving the city fill up earlier. Don’t make stupid mistakes! See national and local holidays, grand parades, and even religious calendars. Some places take Easter, Christmas, Ramadan, or Passover much more seriously than others.
Some cities host giant annual conventions or conferences; You wouldn’t want to be stuck in the middle of SxSW if you just wanted to have a quiet weekend in Austin. And in different cities there are different customs regarding which businesses close on a holiday or weekend. Get ready for closures, crowds, or both. Check with your hotel or landlord, or any restaurant you book in advance.
Investigate local scams
American cities usually don’t have pickpockets, so some adjustment may be needed when traveling to European cities where they are. Think about how you carry your things. Find out quickly what types of fraud or petty crime are common in your destination. Do people offer to be photographed and then demand payment? Do all scammers tell the same story about buying a bus ticket? There is no need to be afraid of the locals – a little ingenuity is enough.
Talk to the locals
Most people in most cities are kind, kind, and nice to visitors. Some of us are very nice because we are outraged by our city’s reputation as an unfriendly person and want to prove that this is not true. And the rest of us are easy to disarm if you’re just friendly and don’t act according to our times. People will proudly recommend their favorite bar or restaurant if you just ask politely.
Use your credit card concierge service
One of the most obscure benefits of a good credit card is the concierge, who can recommend and book restaurants. And while you are doing this, inform the company that you will be traveling so they will not flag your card and check if your card will work at your destination. Do you have a chip and PIN? Is there a transaction fee? God, this gives me a headache, let’s order dinner.
Send your clothes home
If you plan on buying a ton of items on your trip, pack your fixed prepaid packaging (with clothes inside) in your luggage. Towards the end of your trip, send your clothes home separately. You now have room in your luggage for all your souvenirs and duty free goods. (Thanks to Tofkit for that.)
Book yesterday
Your vacation is just two years away and you haven’t bought your tickets yet !? Things are really filling up faster than you think. If you don’t need to pay a large deposit, book as early as possible. But you can always follow the cancellation.
If you are concerned about the cancellation window, in many places you will be able to promote your booking without penalty and then cancel immediately without penalty. Sometimes even during one phone call. It’s silly, but sometimes it works.
Leave your own travel tips below or your exceptions to the tips above. Then check out our readers’ tips on Hacking Your City.