Orlando is a very popular holiday destination, particularly with families. There is so much to see and do here, world famous theme parks, thrilling rides, and non stop entertainment. Many people however don’t realise that there is a lot more to Orlando than this. The area has many wonderful lakes and rivers. There are fabulous beaches with white sand, golf courses in abundance, and the region is also home to eight major shopping malls.

Orlando airport is located 6.5 miles south of Orlando city so very east to get to and from the airport. There are also plenty of airlines that offer cheap flights to Orlando from all corners of the globe.

If you’re looking for theme parks, then Orlando is very much where it’s at. There are four Disney theme parks which cover a total of around 30,000 acres between them – The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. As well as these, there is also the Universal Orlando Resort which is a joint partnership between NBC Universal and the Blackstone group. It consists of two theme parks Universal Studios Florida, and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, as well as Universal CityWalk which is a night-time entertainment area, and the Wet n Wild water park.

SeaWorld Orlando is another theme park, but on a marine theme. It’s run by SeaWorld parks and entertainment, and is combined with its neighbour theme parks Discovery Cove, and the Aquatica waterpark to form a large entertainment complex that is devoted to the oceans of the Earth and the life that can be found in them.

If you’re looking for something that’s not a theme park, there is still plenty to be found here. The music scene in Orlando is very active, with hip-hop, metal, rock and Latino music all very big. Orlando was also once known as ‘hollywood east’ because of the many movies which were made here, and although this has slowed in the past decade or so, it still houses a large production center for TV shows, and there are many opportunities to be part of an audience available here.

A trip out into the Everglades makes for a wonderful experience. One of the best ways to do this region is by airboat, which gives you a great feeling of flying across the water. There are other ways to see the everglades, canoe, boat, or simply on foot by taking a walking tour. And whichever method you choose, you’ll get to see a variety of birds and animals, including of course the Florida Alligators which are most spectacular.

If you’re looking for something different to do, and a new way to experience Orlando, then a hot air balloon ride might just take your fancy. An hour long sunrise balloon flight with champagne toast, breakfast souvenirs and the chance to take some amazing photos as you travel through the Florida skies.

The Kennedy Space Center just to the east of Orlando, is NASA’s launch headquarters and the visitor center here makes an excellent excursion. This is the only place on Earth where you can tour launch areas, meet a veteran astronaut, see gigantic rockets and have a go in simulators that let you get a feel for what an astronaut experiences when he goes into space. Orlando, Florida has so much to offer that in fact, the only problem that anyone visiting Orlando is likely to have, is how to fit in everything they want to do.

From the business and general holidaymaker to the adventurer and city breaker alike, the cost of your holiday accommodation can be significantly reduced by simply booking via a third party. In some cases as much as a staggering 45%.

According to research conducted by travelsupermarket.com, booking your hotel via a third party will save you an average of 14%. So, by using agents online such as Expedia and hotel brokers such as Laterooms.com along with checking the prices with the hotel themselves, business and holidaymakers can witness the difference themselves, which in some cases can equate to more than 40%.

If you’re looking for one of many weekend breaks in the U.K for instance; a two night stay in Edinburgh from the 13^th July in the Apex City Hotel, will set you back a staggering £234.50 when booked with the hotel itself. When compared to booking via a third party, the same hotel costs a mere £129.37, that’s an astounding 45% difference.

A weekend in Edinburgh isn’t an isolated example. A 2 night stay from the 11^th of September in the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza will directly charge £123.61, while an online agent will quote you a 37% reduction. A similar pattern can be seen with the Millennium Hilton in New York, where savings of £59.55 per night can be found via agents or brokers.

Top Deals

Money saving tips for your accommodation:

• Use online agents or brokers to search for your hotels, there you’ll find a wide range of hotels and it’ll be easy for you to find a great deal.
• If you’re familiar with the name of your desired hotel, type it in to leading agents. You’ll be presented with a variety of different price options for the same room. Searching by name will also bring back a range of different providers competing for your business.
• Consider family rooms for additional savings when you are traveling with your kids.
• Booking midweek dates will leave you open to the best offers on late deals. For business nights, book late to give yourself more chance of a last minute deal on stays during midweek rather than the weekend.
• For bookings during the weekend, opt for early rather than last minute to get early booking offers. Book early for leisure rates.

Information sourced on 02.07.2010 taking 13 popular cities and resorts at random from the top 30 most searched hotel destinations. Searches completed on travelsupermarket.com and on the hotel’s own booking website at same time.

There is more to Turkey than meets the eye. It is not just about the sunshine filled delights of cheap Turkey holidays; Turkey also offers a host of cultural experiences. The following are three must haves for your photo album.

Did you know for example that those enjoying cheap Turkey holidays can explore the ancient city of Troy where the Trojan wars were fought and where the legend of the Trojan horse comes from? Troy is now a ruin but all holidays to Turkey should include a trip the see the ruins. This can be enjoyed on a guided tour and it is possible to see a fascinating reconstruction of the horse.

Another must-do cultural experience is an emotional visit to the battlefields at Gallipoli. The cliffs there were the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of WW1 and it is a very moving experience to visit Anzac cove and the Lone Pine Cemetery with its countless white crosses marking the graves of those, mainly from Australia and New Zealand, who made the ultimate sacrifice. Without those soldiers, it is unlikely that any of us would have the freedom to enjoy cheap Turkey holidays today.

A third fascinating cultural experience in Turkey is a trip around the ancient city of Istanbul. Visit the Blue Mosque, Istanbul’s best known landmark, with its array of minarets. The Topkapi Palace is also well worth a visit to see how the sultans lived. And with plenty of shopping in the old world bazaars, holidays to Turkey can never be said to be complete until you have spent time in this magnificent city.

With cheap holidays to Turkey now widely available, scratching just a little bit below the surface of this fascinating country soon unearths a rich and sometimes turbulent history and a range of possible cultural experiences that few destinations can match.

For most people who have never been on a cruise before choosing the right accommodation for their trip will be a little bewildering as there seems to be so many different kinds on offer. Different cruise companies call their accommodation by different names; cabins, staterooms or suites are the usual terms, and they all mean the same thing ñ your room on board the ship.

Your cabin can be either inside or outside, the only difference being that an inside cabin has no windows. So, if a view is essential to you or you worry about claustrophobia then always book an outside cabin. Inside cabins are always cheaper than outside cabins for this one reason, even though the standard of accommodation is the same for both types of room. If you are the type of person who intends to use the room just for sleeping and changing then this is a great option for you. These days, cruises have so much to offer you can often spend the majority of the time away from your room.

Outside cabins then have the optional choice of with or without balcony. Of course cabins with balconies do cost a little extra, but you have the added luxury of being able to sit outside while at sea or even in port, and enjoy the view in the privacy of your own room with a nice glass of wine.

The higher end accommodation are suites and penthouses which offer more room with usually a separate bedroom and living room area, and some even feature their own kitchens. Some penthouses offer whirlpool baths in the bedroom and really elaborate penthouses can offer Jacuzzis on the balcony, grand pianos and private butler services.

Budget plays a big part in choosing accommodation, but for those who would rather spend their money in onboard entertainment and shore excursions, an inside cabin or outside cabin with no balcony is ideal as all rooms are furnished to the same high standard regardless of room rates. Although, look around for some great cruise deals and you may pick up a balcony room and the same cost of an inside cabin if you’re lucky!

Finding a cheap flight has become quest-like for us frequent low-budget travelers. The most effective ways to find the cheapest flights change often and in order to find the best deals it is essential to pay attention to the newest websites and tools. Here is a list of tips and tricks to ensure that you save your money for your actual vacation.

1. The two most important assets in your quest are patience and perseverance. You will need to devote some time to comparison shopping, so before you start you should settle down at your computer with a cup of coffee and a pad of paper and pen so that you can take notes on the various price offers from the different sites you will need to check.
2. Know your vocabulary- not all search engines are like. There are different types of search engines and each has different strengths and weaknesses. Airfare aggregators work by searching multiple different airlines. Kayak, Yahoo Fare Chase, Sidestep and Mobissimo are all aggregators. It is a good idea to check all of them, however, because they often return slightly different results. Once you have completed these searches you should have an idea of the range of prices you will be looking at for your trip. Often times you will find the cheapest flight through one of the aggregators but don’t give up yet- you need to make sure you haven’t missed out on a deal.
3. For good measure you should now check the traditional booking engines. Traditional booking engines also search multiple websites but they charge a small booking fee if you buy your tickets through them. Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline, Travelocity, Cheaptickets, and Hotwire are all traditional booking engines.
4. Be sure to utilize the best features of each search engine. For example if you are looking for a package deal you should try Site59. If you have flexible travel dates be sure to use the flexible dates feature on Fare Compare and Travelocity. If your destination is not set in stone then try the neat tools on sites like Kayak Buzz, Airfare Watchdog, Farewatch, Mobissimo and Farecast.
5. Check the websites of each individual airline. Be sure to start with Southwest Airlines because the aggregators do not pick up their fares. If you find a fairly good deal through one of the search engines on a particular airline then go directly to the airline’s website and buy the flight there. You will normally get better customer service buying direct.
6. Remember that not all flights are alike. It is more challenging to find a good deal on an international flight than on a domestic one. The websites that are geared for international searches are Mobissimo, Sky Scanner and Do Hop. Most of the traditional search engines also search internationally. Don’t forget to check websites for airlines that operate out of your destination country (ex. Ireland and AerLingus, Mexico and Mexicana). If you are not sure what your destination’s home airline is you can visit WhichBudget.com. For international trips it can also be worth it to talk with a travel agent as they can sometimes obtain special deals.

With the fuel crisis of 2008 causing soaring prices for airlines, it has become prudent to pay attention to deals and ticket brokers in order to maximize your travel dollar when flying. Sites like Kayak.com have become very popular, and there are numerous tricks and tips to use in order to get the best deal possible.

A lot of airlines offer reward miles through frequent flier programs, but one of the best is the Oneworld Alliance, which brings together 10 of the world’s largest airlines. All 10 of the airlines allow miles earned on their partners to be used on their own flights, so you can potentially combine miles from all of your flights amongst the 10 airlines for rewards tickets. For that reason, I generally try to fly only on the Oneworld Alliance if at all possible.

Another opportunity for rewards tickets comes in the form of credit card offers from airlines. Provided you have good credit, you can earn some excellent mile totals from applying for airline credit cards. A friend of mine recently was awarded 75,000 miles through a combination of applying for 3 different airline rewards cards.

Hostels have had a bad rap for a long time, but with the failing economy and people looking to get the most out of their travel dollars, budget accommodations have come back in vogue. My first hostel experience was dismal, with moldy bathrooms and no hot water, as well as cockroaches in the kitchen. That was almost 6 years ago, and nowadays things have changed drastically. Hostels these days offer similar accommodation options to lower-end hotels, at a fraction of the price.

Almost all new hostels will have at least one or two private rooms with amenities like AC, private bathrooms, queen size beds, etc. These are a far cry from the bunk beds, single mattresses, and grungy conditions that many older guests may be expecting. The best part about these new digs? They will generally be 50% cheaper than what you would pay for at a hotel. Hostels also offer amenities like open kitchens, which can offer a significant savings over going out for food every day.

And with a slew of new boutique hostels, the image of a dirty and dripping hostel may soon be a thing of the past. Often themed or run by local artists and musicians, these new hostels offer beautiful artwork, private rooms, and plenty of other amenities without breaking your bank. They have become so common that almost any travel destination will have at least one budget accommodation option like these.

Sites like Hostel Bookers and Hostel World offer thousands of options in cities all over the world, and with membership you can find discounts anywhere you travel. They also run promotions and discount offers throughout the year, so paying attention to their websites and email newsletters could net you some phenomenal savings. This economy has forced people to be careful with their cash, but that no longer means you have to “settle” for a hostel.