Sherman's Travel

For our travel deal-hunting community here at ShermansTravel.com, the name of the game has just changed. Gone are the days of too-good-to-be-true advertised rates of $9 fares to Florida, or flights to Europe for $199 (which could easily double, triple, or even quadruple in cost once a thick layer of airline fees, fuel surcharges, and taxes was coated on). As of today, January 26, new government regulations (which we reported on earlier in the month) require that airlines – and all third-party travel agencies and websites, like ours, that promote their fares – must provide upfront disclosure on the full price of the airfares, including all mandatory taxes and fees, in the name of fair advertising.

Sure, it’ll take a little getting used to seeing the increased flight and vacation package costs at first glance, but, breathe easy – there’s been no actual rate hike here, and in the long run, we think this is just the ticket for our deal-savvy readers like you. Plus, the new rules have also made a provision for some interesting new adjustments to airfare reservations. Here’s a rundown on what the new rules ultimately mean for you:

Are flights and vacation packages now going to be more expensive?
No. You’ll notice that the rates on ShermansTravel.com’s flights and vacation packages will appear slightly higher moving forward, but, rest assured, the deals are no more expensive than they were before this change went into effect. We’re simply listing the deals’ true cost, after taxes and fees have been factored in. The base rates for the deals have remained the same, as have the total cost of applicable taxes and fees – you’re just now seeing them combined in one shot. Read more

If you want to apply for a passport card, the process just got much easier – if you already have a valid 10-year passport book, anyway. Rather than mailing in your passport and DS-82 form, you can now apply online (via an encrypted and secure application) and keep your passport safe at home. Note: The online option is only available as a pilot program which will last until April 22 or 20,000 applications, whichever comes first.

A passport card (also called a PASS Card) is not a replacement for your passport, as it can only be used for land and sea travel between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda – it cannot be used for air travel. It is, however, ideal for frequent border-crossing commuters and cruisers. The card is wallet-sized and contains an RFID chip to speed up the customs process, and is only $30 if you already have a passport. An added bonus: Having a passport card makes it easier to replace a stolen or lost passport – although we hope you never need it for that, of course.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, cruises, and other travel deals.

Chicago’s set to enjoy some time basking in the international spotlight this spring, when it will host several major events like the G-8 and NATO summits and the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. But international VIPs and political bigwigs aren’t the only ones who should be looking to Chicago in 2012 – the city has an exciting roster of new attractions and events for new and repeat visitors alike. We’ve rounded up four of the best of them below: Read more

Steve Cohen, dubbed “the Millionaires’ Magician,” has been a mainstay at New York City’s legendary Waldorf Astoria for the last decade, entertaining upper-crust crowds (royalty, celebrities, and politicians frequent his audience) with his Chamber Magic show – the longest running solo magic show in NYC – held in a Waldorf penthouse on weekends.

In his latest bag of tricks, he’s taking his show on the road in 2012 with a brand-new, bigger-and-better Theater of Wonder show brimming with new illusory acts designed for a much larger setting – the new traveling show is kicking off tonight with a one-night-only performance at NYC’s Carnegie Hall (where tickets have been sold out for two months). Here, Steve sits down with us to offer up a magician’s guide to travel, with insights on his Waldorf Astoria home base, reflections on his former stomping grounds in Japan, tips for travelers interested in magic, and insight on what to expect on his new road show. Read more

The well known mantra “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” usually applies to Sin City’s primary vices: gambling, drinking, strip clubs, and general debauchery a la The Hangover. Now, it will also include target practice with machine guns and sexy “Gun Girls.”

Machine Guns Vegas is a testosterone-fueled shooting range where visitors will be trained to use semi- and full-automatic weapons by NRA-certified women. The “ultra-discreet” gun lounge is located in a 10,000-square-foot facility and will feature a slew of different packages like “The Mafia Experience” (use the choice weapons of Mobsters and hit men like the “Tommy” submachine gun, starting at $99.95 per person) and “Full Auto” (which includes eight different automatic machine guns and an M60, starting at $399 per person).

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The capital of Nova Scotia is gearing up to commemorate the Titanic tragedy’s centennial anniversary in 2012 with a series of concerts, museum exhibitions, tours, and more. Halifax, set on Canada’s Atlantic coast, has profound ties to the legendary ship’s ill-fated maiden voyage on April 15, 1912 – it ended up serving as the final destination and resting place for some 150 of the bodies recovered at sea. More than 1,500 passengers and crew perished in the tragic wreck when the “unsinkable” ship plowed into an iceberg at high speeds. Read more

Ogling the recent viral video of a flock of starlings swooping and swirling about in a mesmerizing phenomenon known as murmuration (watch the stunning footage, shot by two tourists in Ireland, here) had me in a state of awe. So, I simply had to set out to uncover one of the best places for viewing the startling starling phenomenon firsthand (turns out that Somerset, England, is a hot-spot for just that). What’s more, watching the video brought to mind two recent closer-to-home experiences of a similar ilk that unfold in the most unexpected of places, with two U.S. cities that are quite simply for the birds (well, in one case, for the bats!). For culture vultures that swoop in on these urban locales for the regular city-pleasing sights, bites, and cultural might, there’s one unexpected surprise: The opportunity to engage in entirely unique bird- and bat-watching tours. From a bat bridge in Austin to stellar big bird-viewing in the Big Apple, these wildlife encounters comprise surprising and offbeat ecotourism experiences to spice up the standard city tour. Read more

It’s no secret that Brooklyn tourism is booming – if you’re looking to incorporate a visit to NYC’s hippest borough on your next visit to the Big Apple, first plan on bunking down at one of BK’s recently debuted hotels, then sign up for these two unique tour offerings, each affording bragging rights-worthy glimpses of the city that even most native New Yorkers are in the dark about. Whether you’re a film or history buff, each of these expertly executed tours are guaranteed to deliver a little of both, not to mention dole out some Brooklyn-savvy street cred. Read more

Every deal we vet, travel guide we publish, and blog post we write is designed to help you get the most value out of your trips – after all, no one wants to squander those precious vacation days.

Now, we’re bringing that expertise to your home turf with ShermansTravel Local Deals. Each week we’ll present 1 or 2 experiences that you’ll want to highlight on your social calendar. We’ve done our homework, scouring New York City to negotiate the best entertainment packages, VIP restaurant deals, perk-filled theater nights, hard-to-access tours, and more – all offered at 50 to 80 percent off the rack rate.

We’re kicking this off in New York City with half off a two-hour wine-tasting course at Vino-Versity, but stay tuned: More cities and value-packed deals are in the works.

Take a bright, crisp décor, add some 20,000 bottles of the best Portuguese wine and fold it into a hotel with stunning views across a wide river to an ancient city on a hill, and there you have The Yeatman. Portugal’s first and only “luxury wine hotel” opened in September in Porto, the little country’s second biggest city that’s most famous, of course, for Port wine. The property so lovingly acknowledges Portuguese history while single-handedly propelling the city’s hospitality scene into the future that it’s entirely appropriate to agree with its website’s assertion that, “a great classic hotel defines a destination, providing an authentic and memorable sense of place,” and that moreover Porto, a UNESCO World Heritage City, is defined by The Yeatman.

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