Fishing4Deals, Author at Fishing4Deals

Discount Parking @BWI is Back!

February 18, 2015February 18, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Groupon is offering quite the deal on offsite parking near Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport: just $4.50 per day if you buy a Groupon for three consecutive days. The vendor is Econopark.

Just search for “airport parking” from the Groupon home page.

Econopark is open 24 hours a day and offer continuous shuttle service to the airport.

I have used them and can attest to their good service. It is just as convenient as the on-site parking if not more so.

Three Options for Discount Parking at BWI

You can choose from one of three options offered on Groupon:

$14 for three consecutive days of airport parking at BWI with free shuttle service ($20.55 value)
$22 for five consecutive days of airport parking at BWI with free shuttle service ($34.25 value)
$30 for seven consecutive days of airport parking at BWI with free shuttle service ($47.95 value)

Econopark shuttles pick customers up at their vehicle and transport them to and from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

They will help you with your luggage and they offer free bottles of water — a nice touch.

The parking area is fully fenced and secure. You can reserve online at Econopark Express.com.

The Fine Print for Groupon BWI Parking Deal

Be sure to read the fine print to make sure this Groupon deal will work for you. There are blackout dates and other restrictions.

Groupon expires May 15th, 2015. Limit 1 per person. Valid only for option purchased. Limit 1 per vehicle. Must use entire promotional value in 1 visit. No credit for unused days. Must pay current non-coupon Internet-advertised rate for extra days. Cannot be combined with any other offers, promotions, coupons, or Frequent Parker cards. Not valid for valet service or cruise terminal parking. Reservation required. Must be presented at exit. Subjected to availability. Not valid Easter weekend (April 3-6), Memorial Day week (May 21-26), or Labor Day week (Sept 3-8). One day is considered to be 24 hours.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks if you choose to use them!

New York to Palermo, Italy — $609 Roundtrip

February 16, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Meridian Airlines has lots of availability to Naples/Palermo at $609 round trip — Meridiana Airlines has lots of availability to Naples/Palermo at $609 round trip

Winter got you down? Plan a spring or fall vacation in southern Italy at the low cost of $609 roundtrip.

Meridiana Airlines, a European low cost carrier is promoting its routes from New York’s JFK airport to Naples or Palermo for $609.

These are round trip fares and include all taxes and fees.

Availability at this fare is good.

JFK to Naples $609 — Meridiana’s $285 fare from New York to Naples in April 2015

These low fares are good April through early May, and late August through October.

Meals and checked bags entail extra fees.

Flight frequency and fares increase for the summer holidays.

Tempted?

Free Happenings at the New York Public Library and Bryant Park

February 10, 2015February 10, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Mardi Gras Celebration at Bryant Park, February 14, 2014

When we were in New York City over the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to stop by the offices of the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO).

In the olden days before the internet, you could pick up lots of great tourist information and maps at various international tourism offices in New York.

Walking down Fifth Avenue on our way to JNTO, we passed the main entrance of the New York Public Library and stopped. I had never been inside the library to see the iconic Reading Room. We were there. We had to go in.

It turned out that the Reading Room was closed to the public due to ongoing repairs. I asked the lady at the information desk what other parts of the library we should see, and she encouraged us to sign up for the free building tour. So we did.

Free Building Tours of the New York Public Library

The tour guide was terrific. We got to see the Periodicals Room, the Map Room, and learn about the history of the library and the history of New York City. We never made it to JNTO, but this was a most worthwhile detour.

The New York Public Library offers free one-hour tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Mondays to Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays (except during the summer.) Sign up at the reception desk in Astor Hall.

By the way, if you are in New York at Christmastime, the New York Public Library displays an enormous Christmas tree, decorated with beautiful birds. There were lots of people taking family photos in front of the tree.

Free Ice Skating at Bryant Park

While you are in the vicinity, you might want to try out the free ice skating in Bryant Park, which is right behind the library. There is a large skating rink and during the holiday season the park is ringed with vendors like a European Christmas market. If you need to rent skates the cost is $15. Compare that to Rockefeller Center where admission is $12 for adults, $15 for children, and skate rental is $12.

The rink at Bryant Park is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day from late October through through March 1, 2015.

Juggling Class and More at Bryant Park

Bryant Park offers lots of other free entertainment: Ping pong; juggling classes; Tai Chi; fitness club; and more.

Take a ride on Le Carrousel, which plays French cabaret music. It costs $3 per ride, or $15 for ten tickets. There is no charge for parents to ride alongside their small children.

On Saturday February 14, 2015 at 1 p.m. there will be a free Mardi Gras celebration at Le Carrousel, featuring a Cajun band and a magician.

* * *

I can’t tell you how many reports I’ve read about the Andaz Fifth Avenue on other miles and points blogs. They all praise the view of the New York Public Library.

Next time you are passing by, I suggest you go in.

Where to Eat in Salt Lake City, and Why

February 20, 2015February 8, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

India House dishes are beautifully presented. — India House dishes are sensational.

We stumbled upon India House in Sandy, Utah via one of those restaurant business card displays you often see in hotel lobbies. They were offering a 10 or 15 percent discount, so we thought we’d give it a try. Sandy is about 15 minutes south of downtown Salt Lake City.

If you are traveling along the I-15 corridor in Utah you will find a lot of chain hotels and franchise restaurants. Think Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, or Chili’s. At home and when traveling, we prefer small, local, ethnic restaurants, whether Thai, Afghan, Indian, Mexican, or whatever.

India House is an unassuming family run restaurant, with the most diverse selection of naan I have ever seen. They run a lunch buffet on weekdays for $8.99, including soup, salad, dessert and an array of fragrant vegetarian selections and chicken kormas. You can also order from the menu. The dishes are flavorful and reasonably priced.

I can recommend the Peshwari Naan — a homemade bread with a marzipan like filling. The lamb saag and butter chicken are delightful too.

But don’t take my word for it — read the reviews on Yelp here.

India House has two other things to recommend it:

1) It is part of at the Rewards Dining program — allowing you to earn frequent flyer miles for eating out.

2) It is next door to an eclectic antique consignment shop — really 20 shops in one as they rent space to various vendors.

Earn 2,500 Delta SkyMiles Miles for Eating at India House in Salt Lake City

It was a great surprise to discover that we had earned United Mileage Plus frequent flyer miles for our lunch at India House. This restaurant participates in the Rewards Dining network. You can register to earn miles with your choice of frequent flyer programs.

Early in the year is a good time to take advantage of bonus offers for signing up with various Rewards Dining programs. Different airlines have different offers. The most lucrative offer right now for new sign-ups is with the Delta Skymiles rewards dining program.

New members of the Delta Rewards Dining program earn 2,500 bonus miles after spending $30 at a participating restaurant. Register by March 1, 2015.

Salt Lake City is a Delta hub so 2,500 Skymiles could come in handy.

Sandy Antiques Mall — Sandy Antique Mall
Photo by Joel Shprentz

Sandy Antique Mall

India House Restaurant and Sandy Antiques Mall

The Sandy Antique Mall is next door to India House. It’s an agglomeration of several buildings that seem to go on forever.

Vendors specializing in everything from vintage clothing and jewelry to antique furniture and gadgets have “booths” here.

It’s fun to browse because you never know what you might find.

Many of the restaurants in the Rewards Dining program are unremarkable but India House is definitely worth seeking out.

Do you participate in the Rewards Dining programs?

Hilton Launches Actual Room Selection Via Mobile App

January 28, 2015January 28, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Hilton Select your room — Select your room on Hilton’s app

All the big hotel chains are offering inducements to encourage bookings via their mobile apps. Now, stodgy old Hilton is breaking new ground by allowing mobile users to select their own hotel room.

This is not just picking between a king sized bed or two doubles.

It looks like you will be able to see the exact rooms that are available and make your own selection. It’s sort of like ordering theatre tickets on Ticketmaster, or choosing seats for your flight.

This strikes me as a very innovative incentive to move customers to mobile bookings.

If you are the kind of guest who prefers a room with a view, the Hilton app could be worth trying!

Museum Free-For-All in Los Angeles January 31, 2015

January 26, 2015January 25, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Twenty Los Angeles area museums open their doors to the public on Saturday January 31, 2015 for the tenth annual Museum Free-for-All.

The list of participating venues includes diverse art, cultural heritage, natural history, and science museums.

There are a number of top attractions participating — such as the Los Angeles Museum of Art and the California Science Center, but if I had my druthers I would head over the the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits.

Kids love dinosaurs and what could be better than an active excavation site for dinosaur fossils? We spent half a day at the Tar Pits when we last visited LA with our then school-aged daughter. Regular admission is $15 per adult and $8 per child, so free admission is a really great deal for families!

Los Angeles Museums Participating in 2015 Free-for-All

Here are links to the museums that are participating in this year’s open houses. The Jan. 31 offer is good for general admission only and does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Annenberg Space for Photography
Armory Center for the Arts
California African American Museum
California Science Center
Chinese American Museum
Craft Folk & Art Museum
Fowler Museum at UCLA
The Getty Center
The Getty Villa (Timed tickets required)
Hammer Museum
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA)
Museum of Latin American Art
Museum of Tolerance (Feb. 1)
The Paley Center for Media
The Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
Pasadena Museum of California Art
Santa Monica Museum of Art
Skirball Cultural Center
The Torrance Art Museum
USC Pacific Asia Museum
William S. Hart Museum
Zimmer Children’s Museum (Feb. 1)

Weekly/Monthly Free Admission Days in Los Angeles and Other Major Cities

If you can’t make it this coming weekend, plan to take advantage of the regularly scheduled free admission days at Los Angeles area museums.

FreeMuseumDay.org publishes a calendar of free museums and free museum days for LA and for these major cities:

Check it out!

Pets Always Stay Free at Red Roof Inns

August 24, 2015January 19, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Hold on to your hats, hotel snobs. I just joined RediCard, the loyalty program of Red Roof Inns.

The reason: not only are Red Roof Inns pet friendly, but pets stay free.

From time to time, we travel with our cockapoo, Mitzy. We’ve encountered up-charges at hotels ranging from $20 per night to $75 per stay.

To be honest, I’ve only stayed at one Red Roof Inn, and it was a new hotel in Garden City, Long Island.

The decor was very modern and the room was comfortable. What I liked best, though, was that the floors in the room were a laminate, and that seemed so much cleaner than a carpeted floor. There was free wifi, but no free breakfast.

Reasonably priced hotels are scarce on Long Island. I got the room via a Priceline bid for a 2 star hotel. I was impressed enough with the place that I reserved directly the next time I was in the area. My second visit occurred after Hurricane Sandy, and the hotel was housing many families and their pets that had been displaced by the storm.

Pets Always Stay Free at Red Roof Inns

The hotel I stayed at in Garden City, NY had interior corridors and was designated a Red Roof Inn Plus property.

Our room at the Red Roof Inn on Long Island looked pretty much like this.

Red Roof Plus properties feature: modern decor, flat screen TVs, vessel sinks, wood-like floors, additional electrical outlets, a 100% smoke-free designation, high-end bedding, in-room red accent wall and renovated lobby featuring stone accent wall.

In 2013, USA Today readers voted Red Roof Inn the best budget hotel brand.

All but three of 375 Red Roof Inns accept pets. The exceptions are: Oxon Hill, MD; Flushing, NY; and Queensboro Long Island City, NY.

Red Roof Inn’s Pet Policy

Here is the Red Roof Inn Pet Policy:

One well-behaved family pet is permitted unless prohibited by state law or ordinance
Service animals are always welcome
Pet must be declared during guest registration
Please keep your animal on a leash when outside your room
In consideration of all Red Roof guests, pets must never be left unattended in the guestroom
When you walk your pet on property, please be considerate and clean up after your pet

Check out their pet Facebook page for special deals.

RediCard — The Loyalty Program of Red Roof Inns

The benefits of the RediCard, the Red Roof Inn loyalty program are that you earn 10x points per stay, and a free night with 6,000 points. At that rate, it would take between six and ten paid stays to earn a free night.

You also get free bottled water in your room each day, and a discount of up to 20 percent off the best available rate when you book ten days in advance.

I hear that Red Roof Inn is coming out with a co-branded credit card in 2015. Any takers?

Stuck at BWI? Go Take a Bike!

August 24, 2015January 14, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Rent a Bike at BWI — Time to kill at BWI? Take a bike ride.

Did you know that you can rent a bike at Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) airport for just $5 a day?

If you find yourself at the airport with time on your hands, you can take a bike ride on the BWI Bike Trail.

The 12.5 mile bike trail encircles the airport passing through pine forests and Andover Park, where the Thomas A. Dixon Observation Area offers a great vantage point for plane spotters.

Rent a Bike at BWI for $5 a Day

Zagster rents bikes outside the airport’s International Terminal, near the BWI Marshall Airport Light Rail stop.

You can reserve one of ten self service bikes for a daily rate of $5 for up to 12 hours. This has got to be the deal of the century!

Bikes come with seven gears, front and rear lights, a bell, and a front basket. Riders can make reservations with Zagster via an app available from the App Store or on Google Play.

The BWI Bike Trail

BWI Trail — Thomas A. Dixon Observation Area.
Photo from accounty.org

The BWI Bike Trail begins at the Linthicum light rail station, runs past a historic property on the grounds of the airport, the Benson-Hammond House.

The trail continues along Aviation Boulevard to the Stewart Avenue Bridge.

At the bridge, continue traveling west to the Thomas A. Dixon, Jr. aircraft observation area where there is a playground, bike racks, and restrooms.

Most of the trail is paved, with some boardwalk areas over wetlands.

This trail seems to be a favorite for bikers and plane spotters alike. Now you can enjoy it even if you don’t have a bike. BWI, which was originally named Friendship International Airport, is indeed the friendliest airport around!

Dulles Flyer: $3 per Day Offsite Parking near IAD

August 24, 2015January 10, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

$3 per day parking at IAD — $3 per day parking near IAD

If you need long-term parking at Dulles International Airport (IAD), there’s a deal available for offsite parking that discounts the daily rate by 70 percent — $30 for ten days of parking!

Dulles Park Fly is making the offer through Amazon Local, a discount shopping site.

The Fine Print on $3 Parking near IAD

$30 for up to 10 days parking at IAD — $30 for up to 10 days parking near IAD

Dulles Park Fly is located a few miles from IAD at a Fairfield Inn. They offer a shuttle service to and from the airport twice an hour from 4:30 am to 12 midnight.

Regular rates at the on-site economy parking lot at IAD are $10 per day.

The details:

Limit 1 voucher redemption per individual
Shuttle to airport runs on the hour and half hour from 4:30 a.m. to midnight
Arrive at least 5 minutes in advance of desired shuttle departure time
Entire value must be used by same customer within 10 days of first visit
Promotional value expires 180 days from purchase date
Dulles Park Fly
23000 Indian Creek Dr
Sterling, VA 20166

This could be a a good deal if you have a trip of a week or more coming up.

This offer shows up periodically on Amazon Local, but the last time the ran it it sold out the first day.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks if you choose to use them!

Is Space Travel in Your Plans for 2015?

August 24, 2015January 9, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Kevlar-186f: Where the grass is always redder on the other side

Is space travel in your future?

NASA hopes so!

The space agency is promoting extraterrestrial travel with some fun retro travel posters featuring exotic destinations.

Planetquest is a joint project of NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and California Institute of Technology which aims to search the universe for another earth.

Exoplanet Travel Series — The Search for a Habitable Planet

NASA is promoting Planetquest with its Exoplanet Travel Series, complete with tempting posters advertising some out-of-this-world vacation spots.

The descriptions below are copied from the NASA website.

Kepler-186f: Where the Grass is Always Redder on the Other Side

Kepler-186f is the first Earth-size planet discovered in the potentially ‘habitable zone’ around another star, where liquid water could exist on the planet’s surface. Its star is much cooler and redder than our Sun. If plant life does exist on a planet like Kepler-186f, its photosynthesis could have been influenced by the star’s red-wavelength photons, making for a color palette that’s very different than the greens on Earth. This discovery was made by Kepler, NASA’s planet hunting telescope.

Experience the Gravity of a Super Earth

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