As inveterate travelers, my wife, Fyllis, and I always seek ways to explore hidden gems and lesser-known attractions of destinations around the world and to cross paths with people with whom we otherwise wouldn’t come into contact.
With ShoreTrips (Milwaukee, WI; 888/355-0220, www.shoretrips.com), ships’ passengers or any travelers can book independent day tours and ground transfers at 420 river and ocean cruise ports in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia/Oceania and South and North America.
All with English-speaking guides, tours offered are of all types, including driving, walking, cycling, historic, cultural, cooking, kayaking, fishing, whale-watching, etc.
The online Iceland Academy, created by the Iceland Tourism Department, comprises a series of videos with free “classes” taught by Icelanders. Among multiple topics are lessons on Icelandic festivals, Icelandic hot tub etiquette, how to drive in Iceland and how to photograph the northern lights. Visit http://inspired.visiticeland.com/academy.
The United Kingdom’s tourism board continually offers, on its website, limited-time discounts on day tours, city passes and admission fees to particular city sites, such as Red London Bus tours starting at $44 for a 3½-hour tour or 10% off a London Pass. Visit www.visitbritain.com/us/en/shop.
When you check airlines’ websites for airfares, most websites put a “cookie” on your computer. Each website uses the cookie to track your habits on subsequent visits.
I have found that I’m shown the best airfares when I visit the site without a previous cookie or without providing my frequent-flyer number, which can be added upon making a purchase. So after I do a search, I delete the cookie.
Northwest of Shanghai, China, the city of Suzhou — known as the “Venice of the East” due to its many canals — has created an English website.
TraveltoSuzhou.com describes the history of the 2,500-year-old city and lists sites of interest, trip-planning tips, things to do, festival dates, shopping attractions and tour packages.