THE ULTIMATE
Think: It’s coming to you from someone with TAR Syndrome and high-functioning autism. Over the years of traveling with family and experimenting with major solo trips, I’ve realized the inevitability of obstacles of all different kinds, affecting all sorts of parts of myself. While I’m still quite far from being an expert, below are a number of thoughts I’ve had to wrestle with before hauling myself out of town and while I’m immersed in the action of my destination! There’s much to deal with when going abroad, so for the sake of time at the moment, I’ll only focus on good ‘ole domestic US trips.
TRANSPORTATION
SPECIFIC DESTINATIONS
Along with all this, please remember: don’t let anything trivial deter you from exploring the world. Having a physical condition and being on the autism spectrum, I have learned (and am learning) how to adapt myself to best fulfill my life passion. Experimentation with what works and what doesn’t is a part of the whole process. At the end of the day, you’ll figure it out and have a blast. Happy New Year!!! (PC: iStock, f11photo)
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I was first introduced to Needham, MA-based Tripadvisor back in elementary school, the time I was just getting into booking and travel planning. I created an account (perhaps way underage, like when I was eleven), and use it heavily to this day. And I've found, unlike other slow, ad-clogged sites meant to browse hotels or restaurants or things to do in a destination, Tripadvisor does everything. It is clean, immaculate, secure, genuine, easy-to-use, feature-loaded...and free, of course. I believe it is the premier travel planning/booking website, and I am going to describe the most effective options you have as to the ways you can use it.
Let's start with the mobile app, available for all Apple devices. Since I'm a logical person, I've first laid out the steps you should follow in order to, say, book the best hotel. 1. Open the app, and tap the search icon in the top-right hand corner if not already on the right destination. Search for a city or even a state or region, as it will give you hotels, restaurants, etc. either way. The image above was brought up after typing in New York City. 2. Tap "hotels" underneath the large city picture. 3. Now you are at the list of New York City's 400+ hotels or your city's selection of lodging options. If you don't automatically know which hotel you want, it's time to filter. Nearly on all accounts or occasions, the app will sort by "best value," or the hotels Tripadvisor thinks will best suit any unfiltered circumstances based on nightly rate and amenities, and the value ratings from reviewers. The "best value" list may not place the top-ranked hotels first, so if you'd like to see if the top-ranked options are priced reasonably, click "filter" and "sort by...ranking." I do that oftentimes. However, do click the filter button anyway to choose the various amenities, star categories, types (family, romantic, luxury), or price ranges desired. 4. Here's a rundown of the essential filter options and the science behind each. ———Amenities are fairly straightforward. Based on surveys travelers complete after reviewing and based on company research, hotels with select room/lobby/exterior features (say, accessibility access, free Internet, or free parking) are identified and selected for you to choose from. ———Star categories are entirely determined by Tripadvisor, but most of the time, they correspond with common knowledge or info on the hotel's website. ———Depending on the type of traveler you are, you can filter by hotels that are family-friendly, environmentally-friendly, etc. Surveys from visitors contribute to these selections, and some hotels (such as eco-conscious brand Element by Westin) have their type explicitly stated online. ———The most important filter option is the price ranges. Tripadvisor scans dozens of other booking sites (and uses its own) to compare prices—but, as a side note, Tripadvisor usually offers at least one of the most affordable options. Combine a price range of 0-100 dollars AND other filters, and you're sure to find the perfect accommodation! 5. Once you have filtered and researched (most of the research is all on the hotel's Tripadvisor page, with reviews and amenities and photo galleries), it's time to finally book. If you create an account, it will speed up the process; my credit card information is securely stored in my account, so it takes a shorter amount of time for me. All I need to do is choose the room type I prefer (look at the details carefully, of course!) and confirm the logistics, and then I can hit "book"! Fairly simple, right? Here are other things you can do on Tripadvisor which are also straightforward! 1. Reserve a table at a restaurant: Tripadvisor partners with Opentable to allow diners to reserve a seat directly on the site. 2. Book a tour: In tourist cities, tours are available for purchase on Tripadvisor. Viator.com is a prominent tour site with which Tripadvisor often partners. 3. Access airport guides and airline reviews: Type in the search bar "Chicago-O'Hare" and it will give you information about it! Airlines have reviews (but not airports), so if you're looking for an excellent carrier for your next plane trip (such as Southwest or JetBlue), Tripadvisor will be of use to you. 4. Peruse the map: View a built-in map with marked hotels and restaurants to give you a feel for the location of your accommodations. 5. "Where I've Been"/connecting to Facebook to see friends' travel: This is undoubtedly the most amazing feature of the site. Who said stalking wasn't with good intention? This gives a good excuse to spy. Connect your account to Facebook, and when you search for a city, it is able to show friends' reviews and experiences first. Go further in your account profile, and you can even see a list of the destinations visited by friends! Friends, don't worry: I don't check your travel history thaaat much. Only on occasion! So, with that said, use Tripadvisor!! You will not regret it. It is THE best booking site on the planet. Comment and keep following for more posts! |
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