Mauna Lani Bay Hotel - Hawaii

The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, built on the site of ancient Hawaiian fishponds, is full of the authentic island spirit in Hawaii. With almost 350 rooms, this is a full-service beach resort, complete with two golf courses, an indoor-outdoor spa, beach cabanas, tennis courts and even a turtle-feeding program. But it’s a modest-size resort by Hawaiian standards, and it manages to retain an independent spirit. Things are intimate here, and guests are all the happier for it. Click here to learn more.

Insider Tips for Catching a Cab

A corollary to Murphy's Law (that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong) is that when you most need a taxi-cab (e.g. when it is bitterly cold, pouring rain, or you're in a terrible hurry), there are none to be found.  Here are a few tips for increasing the odds that you'll catch a cab when you need it most:

• Head to a hotel.  Since hotel guests are a big user of taxis, many cabbies are in the habit of swinging by to pick up a fare.  If a doorman hails a cab for you, tip him just as you would if you were staying at the hotel.  (And even if you have to wait a bit, why not do it under the hotel's marquee?)
• Consider a corner.  By standing at the intersection of two streets, you are twice as likely to successfully hail a cab.
• Think centrally.  Empty cabs tend to head toward the center of town on the major roads, so you should, too.  For example, if you are at the Javits Center in New York City, head east toward Port Authority Bus Terminal. 

Insider Tips for Packing for a Beach Vacation

Whether your travels are taking you to the pink sand of Bermuda or the gorgeous beaches in Hawaii (or even your local beach or pool), you'll want to be prepared with all the essentials you'll need:

1. A fluffy towel or beach mat (check with your hotel to see if they will lend you towels for the beach before you pack).
2. Sunblock - bring more than you think you'll need so you can reapply often.
3. Sunglasses - protecting your eyes from the sun's rays is a must!
4. Lip balm - look for one with SPF.
5. Flip flops or other comfortable sandals - you need to protect your feet from hot sand.
6. Refillable water bottle - you need to stay well hydrated.
7. Empty plastic bag - indispensable for wet towels or bathing suits, for keeping the trash off the beach and/or for packing your shell or driftwood collection.
8. Baby powder - use it to help wipe the sand off -- this really works!
9. A sturdy tote to carry all your essentials with you.  We recommend using the same tote you use as a carry-on on the plane, making sure that it is washable (since it may get covered with sand or salt water) and that it has comfortable straps that don't dig into your shoulder.

The Benefits of Renting from CarRentals.com

More cars. More locations. More value. Car Rentals from $16.95 a day! CarRentals.com works directly with many car vendors to offer value priced car rentals at over 15,000 locations. Car Rentals.com offers retail car rental and works with tier two and tier three vendors like Fox, Dollar, Budget, Thrifty and many more. Car Rentals.com offers one-way car rentals, as well as off-airport and on-airport locations.  So if you are planning your summer getaway, why not give them a try?

Must-Have Items to Pack in Your Toiletry Kit

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive here at The Insider Travel Guides, is "what should I pack and what should I leave behind?"  When it comes to beauty and toiletry items, there are some obvious must-haves.  Here they are:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shaving essentials
• Comb, brush, styling products
• Moisturizer (air travel is always drying to your skin)
• Lip balm (your lips get dry, too).  Note: we like to travel with multi-purpose products and so pack Vaseline, which we can use as a lip balm, moisturizer - especially for the dry skin in elbows and heels, and make-up remover.
• Deodorant
• Make-up basics (as little as possible, and in the smallest packaging you can find)
• Emergency first-aid kit with band-aids, antibiotic cream, Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, antihistamines 
• A bottle of baby aspirin - its clot-busting effect can save your (or someone else's) life in the event of a heart attack.  Just chew on one of the 81 mg tablets until emergency medical assistance arrives.  (Note: this is a good thing to make sure is in your carry-on bag.)

So what should you leave behind?  Here are our top choices:

• Soap/Bodywash, shampoo and conditioner (most hotels provide these)
• Hairdryer (ditto)
• Large glass bottles of fragrance (or anything else)

Scoring U.S. Open Tickets

At The NYC Insider, we've long been fans of the U.S. Open (to be held in NYC this year from August 30th through September 12th) and for years, we've featured tips and tricks for scoring tickets to this event.  But this year, we've found a new way to get in. 

Fandango, the movie web site, is offering $12 U.S. Open tickets for a limited time. Purchase tickets now to experience the US Open for the price of a movie ticket! Follow these steps to purchase your tickets:
Step 1: Click this "Buy Tickets Now" link
Step 2: Select a US Open session from the list of available sessions
Step 3: Enter WFANDANGO within "Enter offer code/password"
Step 4: In Pop-up window that reads "Offer code accepted" click "Show Offer on Map"
Step 5: Scroll over interactive seat map and select a section for seats
Step 6: Select the seats you wish to purchase
Step 7: In pop-up window click "Select" next to "Promotions and Special Offers: WFANDANGO"
Step 8: Repeat steps 6 & 7 for each seat you wish to purchase
Step 9: Click "Checkout" to complete your purchase


We recommend that you act now, as we are told that supplies are very limited.