About Susan J
Susan J., budget traveler extraordinaire, inherited her Yankee frugality from her mother and it has served her well on trips across the US and the UK. Whether scoping out the nightlife scene or searching for that perfect pair of shoes, Susan loves writing and travel. She has lived outside of Seattle, Washington, and in Boston, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She recently returned from a trip to Hawaii, where she made full use of her Go Oahu Card!
Blog posts written by Susan J
December 17th, 2007 by susan j
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We’ve already shared some tips on holiday air travel, but we know that sometimes travel-induced stress can start before you even get to the airport. That’d right… often during peak travel season just figuring out where to park your car can feel like an odyssey in itself. Ed Perkins over at The Chicago Tribune offers some suggestions on . He suggests taking public transportation or flying into a smaller airport when possible. Great advice, Ed!
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
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Go Chicago Card.
December 14th, 2007 by susan j
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As of January 1, 2008, all of Illonois’ bars, restaurants, and sports stadiums must be smoke-free. The city has already . Matt B. over at and Chris at have already blogged about the new smoking ban, which has among Chi-Town’s smoking population. What do you think of the new smoking ban? Leave a comment and let us know!
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
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Go Chicago Card.
December 12th, 2007 by susan j
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but ice storms across the Great Plains have shut down schools and forced delays at . Chicago’s this week calls for clouds and temperatures in the mid 20’s and lower 30’s (slight chance of rain). If you’re flying in or out of the Windy City, it’s probably best to check for delays before you leave for the airport. .
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
December 10th, 2007 by susan j
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The holidays are supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year,” but airline delays, lost luggage, and other trials can turn a holiday trip into a scene from a Chevy Chase movie (not exactly what you had in mind when you booked that flight to visit the in-laws for Christmas).
But don’t despair, as MSN has just posted . I especially like #3, which reminds us to avoid airports that are known for having weather delays and to fly nonstop whenever possible. .
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
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Go Chicago Card.
December 3rd, 2007 by susan j
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‘Tis the season for list making to mark the end of 2007. Children everywhere are hard at work on their wish lists for Santa. The New York Times recently released its list of . And there are plenty of travel-related lists floating around the blogosphere, too. Here are a couple of my faves…
IgoUgo’s is a virtual who’s who of travel blogging. I read several of the blogs listed daily, but a few of them were new discoveries that I’ll add to my bookmarks.
Frommer’s includes some exotic locales like Tokyo and Zurich and a few home grown gems like Asheville, North Carolina and Portland, Maine.
Times Online’s is neatly arranged by networking, multimedia, and so on. I’m still working my way through this one, and it looks like there’s some good ones!
Lonely Planet’s offers some offbeat suggestions for the adventurous explorer.
Travel + Leisure’s is a comprehensive list of the world’s best hotels, spas, cruises, and more.
Thanks to Liz at for a few of these links!
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
November 26th, 2007 by susan j
This week we’re hosting the on the Go Chicago Card Blog. If you aren’t familiar with the idea of a blog carnival, then this will be a great opportunity to discover some new travel blogs and see what’s happening in other cities around the world (no plane ticket required). We’ll start with some posts about US destinations and then move further afield…
Mary Jo at blogged about her
wrote about the , offering coffee recommendations in Salem, Massachusetts.
Jon at discussed up the women’s suffrage movement in the US and suggested a visit to the in Washington, DC.
Speaking of museums, Jamie at the wrote about the .
And now, for some blog posts from around the world…
Andrew at submitted a post about describing the various options for a Mediterranean getaway. Sounds like we could all use a little sun this time of year!
wrote about in Mauritius.
described the from Bangkok, Thailand.
Carol at chronicled her recent and compares Lisbon’s cleanliness and eco-consciousness to that of the United States.
Alex’s post about on offered a taste of the holidays down under in Brisbane, Australia.
shared . Great ideas!
offered some tips on .
Sheila at the wrote about .
Kristie at wrote about .
Tomas Dinges at Chile From Within posted about the attack of the new bus system in Santiago, Chile.
Thank you to everyone who contributed blog posts and to last week’s hosts, . Next week’s Carnival will be hosted by , so check it out!
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
November 20th, 2007 by susan j
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This year the Air Transport Association predicts that , which is a 4 percent increase over last year. If you’re flying this Thanksgiving, then you’ll want to consult . Today and tomorrow, Travelocity’s Thanksgiving Tack Force will hit 10 of the country’s largest airports to offer frequent updates. As of this writing, there were .
You can even set up so you’ll know the status of your flight and security wait times before you arrive at the airport. Also check out Peter Greenberg’s . Here’s wishing you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
November 19th, 2007 by susan j
Planning a trip to a new destination can be exciting, but also overwhelming. Where will you eat? What will you do on Saturday night? Will you be able to find vegan pastries in an unfamiliar city?
That’s why we’re rolling out a new feature on this blog called “Ask a Travel Expert.” If you have a question about where to stay, what to do, or anything else travel-related, then leave a comment and our team of travel experts will be sure to address it in a future blog post. Happy Travels!
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
November 13th, 2007 by susan j
Mickey Mouse lights more than one million lights along North Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to Wacker Drive, culminating in a magnificent fireworks show over the Chicago River for The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival presented by Harris. Photo by Stanley Wlodkowski.
This weekend marks the 16th annual . Extending from the Chicago River to Oak Street, the Magnificent Mile (aka North Michigan Avenue) is one of Chicago’s main thoroghfares between the Loop and the Gold Coast. In honor of the holiday season, the street will be illuminated with more than one million lights.
From the lighting procession led by Mickey Mouse to musical performances by KT Turnstall and Sister Hazel, this year’s festival promises plenty of family-friendly fun and entertainment. Here’s a glimpse at what to expect if you go (the lighting procession will also be broadcast nationally on ABC):
11 am - 7 pm Lights Festival Lane features booths including the Southwest Airlines Mitten Tree, “Christmas around the World” with The Museum of Science and Industry, and more.
5 pm Live holiday street entertainment along the Avenue
6 pm Lighting procession led by Mickey Mouse
6:55 pm Fireworks display over the Chicago River
.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
November 9th, 2007 by susan j
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If you’ve been keeping up with travel news, then you’ve probably read about the recent issues with delays and stranded passengers at several major US airports (in fact, you might have been one of those unlucky passengers and have first-hand experience).
Well, on Wednesday the Wall Street Journal covered . Chicago travelers should be delighted to hear that Chicago Midway Airport is listed as 5th for best on-time arrival rates so far this year. The other airports are in Salt Lake City, Oakland, San Diego, and Houston.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
