La Fourchette is the European equivalent of Open Table or Yelp.
You can search for nearby restaurants, read reviews, and make a reservation online. The website is owned by TripAdvisor.
You can also find restaurants offering twenty to fifty percent off menu prices with a prior reservation via the La Fourchette app.
On our recent trip to Paris, I opened the app to search for nearby restaurants.
We were staying at the Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan hotel in the 16th arrondissement — on points, of course.
20 Percent Off Radisson Blu Metropolitan Restaurant
20 percent off dinner at Le Metropolitan Restaurant in Paris
The Radisson Blu Metropolitan hotel is in an upscale residential district near the Trocadero Gardens. The hotel has modern decor, an indoor swimming pool and steam room, a mid-sized restaurant, and a head on view of the Eiffel Tower.
The first restaurant to pop up when I opened the La Fourchette app was the hotel restaurant at Le Metropolitan.
The offer was for a 20 percent discount off of menu prices if you made a reservation on the app.
Other restaurants had offers of 30 percent or 50 percent off, though many of these offers excluded the set price “menu du jour.”
The app lists tens of thousands of restaurants in France and elsewhere in Europe; not all restaurants offer discounts.
In Paris, I noticed that many of the places with special offers were ethnic restaurants serving sushi, couscous, kebobs, or other specialities.
Click here to get an idea of other restaurants that are offering discounted meals in Paris.
Earn Loyalty Points with La Fourchette
You can earn loyalty points for each reservation you make with La Fourchette. They call the points “Yums.” You can cash in your “Yums” in for discounts at participating restaurants.
You may also be able to snag a discounted Paris Museum Pass on Ebay.
I was able to buy two 4-day Paris Museum Passes at about 25 percent off the retail price on Ebay.
Where Does the Paris Museum Pass Offer Free Admission?
These passes provide admission to 60 museums and monuments in Paris and the surrounding area.
With admission at Paris museums averaging about 10 Euros, I am sure we will get our money’s worth out of this baby. The pass allows you to skip the lines for ticket purchases at the Louvre, and you can visit multiple times with a single pass.
Do not confuse the Paris Museum Pass with the Paris Pass, which is a different product. If you do a google search for Paris Museum Pass, the Paris Pass is the first listing. The Paris Pass includes the Paris Museum Pass, a Paris Visite transit pass, and a number of other admissions, and is much more expensive than the museum pass alone.
A purchase of transit or museum passes on Ebay presents some risk, so be sure to verify the seller’s track record before bidding.
Oddly enough, I found a bunch of Paris Metro tickets for sale on Ebay. I snatched them up for half the going price.
The tickets are good for any Metro ride or bus trip within the city. It will be reassuring to have a few of these tickets in my pocket when we arrive in Paris.
This find piqued my curiosity.
Were Paris Metro tickets being sold on Craigslist? Sure enough!
Even more curious are the number of used Metro tickets up for auction on Ebay. And the used tickets cost more than the new tickets!
You can even find Paris Metro tickets for sale on Etsy, though only the used variety.
Check Ebay Before You Travel to Paris!
Check Ebay before you travel to Paris
I was fortunate to also find a Paris Visite transit pass for sale on Ebay. These transportation passes are marketed to tourists who don’t want to deal with buying individual transit tickets. They are generally overpriced, relative to the Navigo transit passes sold to local residents, or even a standard carnet of ten Metro tickets.
On Ebay however, the Paris Visite passes were discounted by 65 percent! I paid just $48.50 for two of these transit passes.
The set of passes that I purchased are good for five days, and include travel on buses, light rail, Metro, trams, the funicular, and the monorail from Orly Airport(ORY) to the RER train station or the bus to the city. They can also be used to ride the train to Versailles!
Airport parking and ground transportation are two of the biggest hidden expenses of travel. Many Paris guidebooks recommend a taking a taxi to your hotel directly from the airport, just to avoid the hassle of transfers upon arrival. Public transit can get us to our destination just as fast, plus we are suckers for multi-modal mass transit.
There is an automated monorail — the Orlyval— that runs from the airport terminal at Orly Sud directly to the RER train station at Antony. From there, we can catch the train to Denfort-Rochereau , where we can transfer to the Metro. A monorail, light rail, and subway ride is a match made in heaven as far as my husband is concerned!
Airport parking and ground transportation are two of the hidden expenses of travel. Luckily, I discovered that unused transit passes are available on Ebay at a great discount.
The Paris Visite transit pass also provides discounts to some attractions like the Salvador Dali museum and the boat rides on the Seine.
There is a good article comparing the various transit pass options in Paris on Points and Pixie Dust.
New York to Paris on Open Skies: $1167 RT in Business Class
I took the bait! Yesterday I saw a flash sale advertised on Dan’s Deals for a $1167 round trip flight from Newark (EWR) to Paris Orly (ORY) in lie-flat seats.
I booked the deal on Open Skies — a “luxury, boutique” offshoot of British Air.
$1167 is the price of a discounted economy fare ticket to Europe during high season!
Having missed the previous day’s hot deal of just $981 RT, I knew I had to act quickly to get in on possibly the second best bargain of the summer.
If this deal interests you jump on it quickly!
Hack this fare down to $1167
How to Hack Your Way to Paris in Lie Flat Seats for $1167 Roundtrip
Open Skies is running a promotion on their nonstop flights to Paris from New York’s JFK or Newark airports. They are advertising a sale price of $1698 round trip for business class, which they call Biz Bed service.
To lower the price by an additional ten percent, apply the promo code CARDOFFERU, which is available to holders of the Chase British Airwayscredit card, and possibly others.
This brings the roundtrip fare for lie flat seats in business class down to $1167, just about the same as the OpenSkies price for economy seats.
Book Now, Ask Questions Later
Please, don’t! These are nonrefundable tickets so you need to know what you’re doing.
But the time was right for me, so I booked the tickets first, and asked questions later.
What is a Luxury Boutique Airline?
OpenSkies has some slick marketing copy on their website — contrasting New York City to Paris, and touting their Biz Bed product.
With tickets in hand, I did some research, and found decidedly mixed reviews.
There are numerous reports on the web about delayed and cancelled flights, tired seats, and subpar service. I may need to temper my expectations to avoid possible disappointment.
Our flight leaves from the Newark airport, which is pretty convenient for us because we can take the train up from Washington, DC.
OpenSkies flies nonstop to Paris Orly, which I understand is a bit closer to the city than CDG.
We will take our chances.
What is OpenSkies’ Biz Bed Service?
OpenSkies touts their Biz Bed class as a “uniquely premium” direct service between New York and Paris.
They claim:
spacious seat that converts to a fully flat bed
access to comfortable private lounges
dedicated check-in, fast track security, and priority boarding
if you’re travelling from New York, a gourmet meal in the lounge before your departure
an intimate and exclusive cabin with only 20 seats
soft under-mattresses, luxurious Egyptian cotton duvet, full-size pillow, and pajamas
exclusive and attentive service
the finest French cuisine with a 4-course menu cooked by master chefs
the finest wines French vineyards have to offer
the famous Ladurée macarons
a personal iPad, loaded with movies, music, games and entertainment
noise cancelling headphones
space for a handbag and small suitcase onboard, and three pieces of checked luggage included in the fare
OpenSkies promises French champagne and macarons
It all sounds a bit over the top. Personally, it’s the Ladurée macarons that caught my attention!
Having never travelled in Business Class, I am sure I will be grateful just to stretch out.
I am not under any illusions about the “luxury” of air travel.
Suggestions for Paris, please!
I’ve been to Paris several times, but not in the last 25 years!
If you have any suggestions of the best places to stay (e.g. neighborhoods) and things to do, please share in the comments.
We hope to take some day trips by train so I welcome any ideas on destinations within striking distance of Paris.
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)
Choose your Groupon!
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.
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.
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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
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!
I have $20 worth of unused credits sitting in my Uber account, but when I flew into LaGuardia (LGA) last month I found a much better deal on ground transportation to Manhattan with Dial 7car service.
I am a budget traveler so limousines and black car services are not my thing — but this car service was the cheapest and fastest way to get my family of three and our bags to the hotel.
The driver was punctual, polite and pleasant and the cars were comfortable, convenient and commodious.
The regular fare from LaGuardia to downtown is $34 plus tolls and tax, but I used a discount code for $5 off. Unlike Uber, car services are regulated and required to carry insurance.
How to Book Dial 7 Car Service from New York Airports
You can call Dial 7 at (212) 777-7777, but it is easier and cheaper to book ahead online. The airport specials available with online booking are as follows:
From LaGuardia Airport
$34
From JFK Airport
$48
From Newark Airport
$48
Rates do not include tolls or gratuity.
Special coupon codes are frequently available. Check these sources:
For instance, I recently spotted this deal on Twitter: $5 off LGA rides (Code: DECAIR1); $7 off JFK/EWR rides (DECAIR2).
When you get to the airport and have gathered your bags, you simply call Dial7 and they will direct you to your waiting driver outside.
There are many similar car services in New York — this is just the one I happened to try.
Everything worked seamlessly, on the busiest travel day of the year! It beat standing in the cab line in the rain or taking the airport shuttle bus and stopping at a dozen hotels.
Travelzoo is offering admission tickets to the Met for $19, or four tickets for $60.
The usual “recommended” admission to the museum is $25 per adult, and free for children under 12.
The regular fee includes admission to the museum including all special exhibits plus same-week admission to The Cloisters. The website states: “To help cover the costs of exhibitions, we ask that you please pay the full recommended amount.”
If you would like to pay less than full recommended admission, please go directly to The Metropolitan Museum of Art to pay as you wish.
I turns out that that the Met and a number of other New York City institutions are required to accept voluntary donations for admission.
You can pay whatever you want, every day, all year long.
The execution of this policy was the subject of some litigation in 2013. The lawsuit contended that the museum was obscuring the option to pay less than full price, because the sign by the entrance indicated “suggested donation” in small print. You can read more about this issue in The Atlantic and the New York Times.
I have fond memories of visiting the Met and the Cloisters as a kid. Both were pretty magical places, where I felt transported back in time.
I think the admission fee is fully worth it to visit a world class art museum. However, if the cost of admission is holding your family back from a visit, know that you can pay what you wish and it is perfectly okay.
Pay What You Wish at the American Museum of Natural History
Pay what you wish at the American Museum of Natural History
Some other New York museums that have the pay what you wish policy are the American Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Cloisters, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
Every Thursday, the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance sends out the Culture Flyer — a guide to free and half price performances and events for the coming week.
You won’t find tickets to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra or to traveling Broadway shows here.
But there are plenty of offers for free and half-price theater and dance events, art openings, concerts, and other fun stuff.
If you are interested in the offbeat and the avant-guard, Baltimore definitely beats straight-laced Washington, DC!
Culture Flyer: Weekly Newsletter
For example, this week the Culture Flyer features:
If a trip to Niagara Falls is on your bucket list, listen up!
Every Tuesday through Friday, Amtrak publishes its weekly SmartFares.
These fares offer discounts of 25 percent off the regular one-way fare.
This week, you can find discounts on about a dozen classic train routes including the Maple Leaf from Utica, New York to Niagara Falls.
Also available this week: discounts on the Crescent line fromAtlanta to New Orleans;the Coast Starlight from Sacramento to Los Angeles; Lincoln Service, from St. Louis to Chicago; the Cascades, from Vancouver to Seattle; and several other regional routes.
I was married in Garratt Park, Maryland, a small railroad suburb of Washington, DC.
We wanted to flag down the train after the wedding, to begin our honeymoon in style:
To Niag’ra in a sleeper, There’s no honeymoon that’s cheaper, And the train goes slow. Ooh ooh ooh! Off, we’re gonna shuffle, Shuffle off to Buffalo.
Amtrak’s SmartFares
There are some important rules and limitations on these SmartFares.
The most obvious things to watch out for are the advance purchase requirements, the inability to use the tickets for a weekend trip (no travel on Fridays or Sundays), and the fact that the fares are nonrefundable and non-changeable.
