Hop on, Hop off Buses -- Great Way to Tour a City

One of the best ways to tour a new city is to take a Hop on, Hop off bus.  Most major cities including Paris, London and New York offer this service, which allows a guest to pay one fee and take a bus to most of that city's popular tourist sites.  A guest can choose which stops he wants to get off on and visit.  When he is satisfied with his visit, he can then catch the next Hop on, Hop off bus to come by.  In Paris and London, the buses are typically double decker.  Most of these services offer recorded information about popular attractions, as well.

Save Money by Signing up for Groupon Before Your Trip

To save money on services you may want to use while on a trip, sign up for Groupon or Living Social deals for the area you plan on visiting.  For best results, sign up several months beforehand.  I live in the Washington, D.C., area and have seen a number of very tourist friendly deals listed, including Segway tours of the monuments, photography tours of D.C., plus many restaurant deals.

These type of deals are especially helpful if you plan on staying in an area for more than a week or two.  Both Groupon and Living Social often offer deals on such things as yoga classes, cooking classes and other ways to break up a long trip or that can help you learn more about the area you are staying in.

If you are visiting a smaller city or town that doesn't seem to offer these types of deals, look for the next biggest metropolis.  Often, Groupon and Living Social will lump smaller cities in with larger neighbors.

2 Travel is 2 Live

Axioms for travelers to live by:

• Traveling doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. 
• Whatever you save this trip can go towards a new trip.
• Researching a trip beforehand will save you money.
• However, getting lost can bring you some of the best memories.
• Do you really need that souvenier or would that  money be better saved for another trip?
• MOST IMPORTANT:  Enjoy the moment.  Be present in the moment.  Don't be wondering about the next step in your trip or the thing you might be missing.