There area a ton of websites out there related to travel these days, and some very handy little clickies that I always seem to think about AFTER I get home. If you travel with your laptop, go ahead and bookmark some (or all) of these to have on hand the next time you’re on the road.

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In response to high gas prices and outrageous restrictions by airlines, many people are staying home instead of going on vacation. This trend has given rise to the “stay-cation” - finding things to do in your own hometown (or very nearby) that don’t cost you an arm and a leg.

But what if you want something in between? You want to sleep in another bed for a few nights, and not have to worry about making it up yourself in the morning. And you don’t want to drive far. You’re in luck! Almost every city has a pool of great hotels or resorts, and because travel is in a lull right now, most are discounting their rates to attract visitors.

Find one you like, and call them up. Talk to the manager and ask for a “locals” discount. It’s very likely you’ll get one! Particularly if you are willing to stay mid-week. Tuesday and Wednesday nights are generally wide open and discounted rates are available.

Don’t know where to start in finding a hotel in your own backyard? Have a look at TheTopTenSite.com. For example, here’s what they recommend in the way of boutique (smaller) hotels in New York City.

The Casablanca
The Gansevoort
The Bryant Park Hotel
The Hotel Elysee
The Library
The Gramercy Park Hotel
The W Hotel Union Square
The Lowell
The SoHo Grand
The W Hotel Times Square

Find a hotel that has a restaurant, a bar and a spa, and you won’t even have to go anywhere for a few days! But if you do want to venture out some, don’t forget to check out your city’s convention and visitor’s bureau pages for discounts on local attractions. Now’s the time to check out that museum or art gallery you’ve been meaning to visit. Go on … be a tourist in your hometown! Not only will you get to know your city a little better, you’ll be helping boost the local economy.

Happy Travels!

Should you rent a car when you travel, or no? The decision is a real bugger when you’re planning travel to places you’re unfamiliar with. And with gas prices through the flippin’ roof these days, traveling at all can be a strain on the old pocketbook.

Here some things to consider when determining if you need a rental car as well as a plane ticket, and a few tips to help you find the lowest prices.

If you are visiting a major city, you probably won’t need a car. Major hubs generally have good transportation systems. Do a Google search on public transportation for the city you’re considering visiting. Most large cities also offer prepaid unlimited usage visitors transit passes, so definitely look for those to help save you time and money. New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and London all have good city-wide public transportation. And you can always take a cab in compact cities (like New York).

If you’re having trouble finding a public transit authority, have a look at the city’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website. Many cities that do a large amount of tourist trade often have trolley or streetcar systems in place to shuttle visitors from attraction to attraction. Gatlinburg, TN, and New Orleans, LA are great examples.

Read the rest of the story after the jump . . .

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J.Crew is dabbling in the luxury market with it’s newest project with Globe-Trotter luggage.  The six piece collection of hand-crafted luggage, made in Britain, features black and tan leather with gold hardware.  The pieces evoke the old glamour of travel, before air travel was popular.  The classic lines and color of this luggage is pulling at my heart strings.  I want the whole collection.  The luggage is a bit pricey, but think of them as investment pieces - you’ll have some of the best made luggage in the world, and you’ll be travelling in high style.  The collection is limited and can be purchased online here.

Source

If you’re looking for reasons to commit to carry-on travel these days, look no further.

American Airlines recently announced that traveling with anything more than a carry on and one personal item will cost you. American Airlines is now charging $15 for the first checked bag. Most other airlines let you check one bag, but charge for the second checked bag. However, many airlines are seriously considering following the American Airlines lead and instituting a charge for the first checked bag as well.

Ladies, I say that the thought of paying even MORE money for a flight is a great motivator to see just how compactly we can pack our carry-on bags!

Here are a few tips to help you streamline your carry-on packing:

* Make a list, and check it twice. It may seem like too much trouble but planning your packing can keep you from overpacking (and paying higher fees at the airport), and it can ease your mind about forgetting crucial items. Throw the packing list in the carry-on and check things off when you’re ready to come home to make sure you don’t leave anything behind.

* Invest in a good carry-on bag. Dig out your tape measure and go shopping! You’re looking for a bag no larger than 45″ total, or dimensions of about 22″ x 14″ x 9″. Look for those with an easy-access front compartment to hold your quart-sized liquids ziplock bag. Bright colors or patterns are a good choice for easy identification.

* Scale back on the electronics. If you normally carry a laptop, cell phone, PDA, iPod, digital camera, voice recorder and noise machine (I’m guilty of this), consider investing in an ultra-light new laptop (Apple’s MacBook Air is a great option) and an “all-in-one” cell phone (Palm’s Centro and Treo phones are very well-rounded). Buy an extra charger for each and keep them packed in a ziplock bag in your carry-on.

Read the rest of the tips after the jump . . .

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Samsonite Black Label and Alexander McQueen joined forces a while back to create a limited-edition collection of luggage.  The pieces were incredible and featured black and white suitcases with either an enlarged croc-like pattern embossed on the leather or a faux-spinal column protruding from the front - very avant garde (or scary)!  The collaboration was such a success that the pair are releasing a silver luggage collection for Fall.  ”Created with Bayer, one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and high-performance plastics, the bags’ shiny silver coating feature a special UV resistant mirror paint that won’t crack or scratch. ”  The luggage will be available for sale beginning in September and retails from $800 to $2500.  With that price tag, it’s truly for the “jet set.”
 

Image & Info:  WWD

So you just got the cutest new belly ring. Or maybe you’ve had other more private areas pierced. Whether you just had your piercing done or have had it for years, the metal jewelry you take for granted in your day to day comings and goings could be a security hassle at the airport.

Up until now, proper TSA procedure would require that you remove any jewelry that sets off the metal detectors, probably resulting in you having to get back in line and go through security again. This can be a real bugger if your body jewelry is not meant to come out easily; you could risk damaging yourself or your expensive body jewelry if you’re in a rush to get back through the security lines and off to your flight.

Very recently, TSA has changed its procedure to allow passengers to request a visual inspection instead of removing the jewelry, but hey! Who wants some security agent poking and prodding your piercings, right? Here are a few ideas to help you avoid this embarrassing scene at the airport:

1.  Take your jewelry out before you get to security. Unless the piercing is brand new, it should be fine for most piercings to take out the jewelry for an hour or so while you check in and get through security. Place it in a clean contact lens case, cover with sterile saline, and pack it in your quart-sized liquids bag to present to security. When you’re through security, find a bathroom and replace the jewelry. No harm, no foul.

2.  Make sure you wear body jewelry that is easy to get on and off. If you fly a lot, you definitely need to make sure that you can remove your body jewelry yourself. If you need to have a piercer remove it, you probably shouldn’t wear it while flying.

3.  Carry extra components. If you wear rings with capture beads or removable segments, have an extra bead or segment or two in your bag in case one does a runner while you’re taking off or putting in your jewelry. If you wear jewelry with external thread closures, or with internal thread closures…well, same thing. Have an extra closure or two available in case you lose one.

4.  Try wearing jewelry with plastic or acrylic posts. There are tons of bars and rings available now in plastic and acrylic, materials which won’t set off the security devices at the airport. Consider investing in a few pieces for travel. Just make sure you don’t have allergies to the plastic or acrylic. Some jewelry styles even come in wood or other organic materials. You might just find them more comfortable than metal!

5.  Consider a retainer for travel. Retainers aren’t just for facial piercings anymore. Consider wearing a plain retainer for travel.

6.  The one type of body jewelry you should NEVER wear while traveling? Seamless rings. These require pliers to put on or take off, so traveling with them is totally inconvenient and potentially dangerous.

Whatever type of body jewelry you choose - from earrings to nose rings to nipple rings and beyond - just make sure you understand the potential for air travel security delays and then adjust your jewelry accordingly.

Happy Travels!

If you’re tired of your day job, the 9-to-5, the drudgery of staring at a computer screen all day and getting up occasionally to make copies then you may want to check out this amazing job opportunity at 55DSL. You have the chance to enter for a position where 55DSL will pay your travel expenses around the world!! Here’s how they describe the position:

55DSL is now searching for bright, young and gifted individuals to come work in our Kick Ass Department. This is not a joke, it’s not a competition and it’s certainly not a gimmick. 55DSL needs people to roam the earth and find all that is good and pure and kick ass. Their job will be to film, photograph, and blog, everything they find so the whole world can see just how amazing it all is.

At 55DSL, when we tell you to live a least 55 seconds per day, we mean it.

You can apply online at www.55DSL.COM. They know your job sucks. Make a change and see the world with 55DSL. Best of luck!!

That’s right, this Thursday, April 10th marks our official 2nd Birthday as a public site. To celebrate, on FRIDAY APRIL 25TH, we are having a birthday party at MILK in San Francisco. If you’re in town you’ll definitely want to check this out. We’ve got all ladies on deck including DJ Zita spinning a freestyle set and Celskiii and Deeandroid spinning hip hop. We’re also celebrating the official release of EyeASages’s Married To The Hustle Mixtape and she will be there performing live! We’ve also got lots of goodies in store including birthday cupcakes, goodie bags and yummy, fizzy, pink raspberry beer by Lindeman’s Lambic. Please rsvp to rsvp@misscrew.com. See you there!