Sherman's Travel

Though it may not seem (or feel like it from the weather), we’re already into a new quarter for 2013, which means it’s time to refresh our quarterly app guides! Last week, I started by updating our iPhone guide. Now, I’ll tackle the ever-growing Android platform. If you’re looking to use your phone as a crutch during your summer vacation planning, you’ll want to make sure the programs below are installed. Read more

I admit that I’m pretty particular when it comes to packing for a trip. I have my trusty roller bag that’s perfectly packed with my trip essentials. (I never check luggage – even for month-long trips.) And, I have my carry-on. This is where I keep the necessities for the most comfortable flight possible. Here’s what goes under my seat:

Reading material
I bring print magazines and books on the flight. Sure, they’re bulky, but I hate being the sucker staring off into space when we’re asked to turn off all electronics. I like to pay it forward and leave old reading material for the next passenger. Read more

Awkward poses, people, and situations. Sit back and enjoy as we bring you awkward travel photos every week! Read more

Now, more than ever, technology plays a huge role in booking, planning, documenting, and navigating during your travels. Gone are the days of carrying around printed guidebooks and wind-and-snap cameras; now we rely on crowd-sourced travel and sharing our photos via social media. There are a ton of cool apps out there that help make traveling the world better. We did some research and scouted out some must-try tech tools that will make your next trip that much better. The best news? All but one of the apps are free! Read more

A recent study (performed by Wakefield Research and commissioned by Best Western) found that many travelers find it difficult to take vacation. And when they do manage to get away, they can’t fully unplug from work stress. Fifty-two percent of the respondents said that work was more likely to ruin their vacation than bad weather! And, a whopping 68 percent of people 35 and older said that “their job is the number one reason for needing a vacation, yet a majority does not plan to take all of their vacation time.”

Well folks, rest assured. We’ve got the cure for you. Kick your feet back and relax as we bring vacation to you – and remind you why taking some time off is well-worth it. Now, check out our top 25 deals and get away! Read more

A recent study commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association found that couples who travel together are “significantly more satisfied with their relationships,” than couples who don’t or couples who instead try to spark romance with gifts. Here’s what else they found: Read more

Inspiration for adventure comes from many sources: the pages of a glossy magazine, a well-traveled friend over happy hour drinks, and, increasingly, in just 140 characters. Indeed, Twitter, the social media site once reserved for online bickering between C-list celebs, has emerged as a digital travel journal for some of the world’s top adventurers. Here, a few to keep your eye on. Read more

Apple’s new Maps app has taken a ton of heat in recent days, and rightfully so. The company ousted Google in favor of a homegrown replacement that relies on data from Yelp and TomTom, and the general consensus is that the newer version leaves a lot to be desired compared to the prior one. That aside, the iPhone 5 (and iOS 6, which is also available for free on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S) does have a few features that should tickle the fancy of travelers.

For starters, iOS 6 brings an extra level of intelligence to Siri. As you’ve probably seen in the television commercials, Siri is the integrated voice recognition platform on the iPhone that helps users answer questions, make reminders, and add calendar appointments. But, with the new operating system, Siri is capable of doing more, and most of that benefits those who are routinely on the move. Due to Siri’s newfound integration with Apple’s Maps app, you’ll be able to trigger Siri and say things like, “Take me home,” or, “Show me how to get to a nearby Starbucks.” From there, Siri will be able to launch Maps on her own and start turn-by-turn guidance. iOS 6 is the first version of the iPhone operating system where users have been able to initiate turn-by-turn guidance using just their voice, and it works exceptionally well in testing. Read more

If you’ve followed my coverage of SkyMall over the years (my work in the field predates SkyMall Tuesday), you know that I can’t always pretend to shower praise on every product that I feature. Sometimes, things just don’t hit the mark. What kind of SkyMall expert would I be if I just hid those duds in the closet and pretended that they don’t exist? As such, this week, we must all suffer through a perplexing failure that just doesn’t make sense. We do this so that we can all continue to appreciate the greatness of the SkyMall products that truly do hold value. How can we appreciate the Garden Yeti (now available in medium, large, and life-size) and Carlashes unless we come to understand that they are truly miracles of invention? It’s easy to take SkyMall for granted until you realize that it, too, is capable of disappointing us. That’s why, this week, I point my finger scornfully at SkyMall and demand to know why anyone would ever require this abomination. I give you the Lightweight Travel Robe.

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We’ve all been there: Your plane has landed late and you have ten minutes to get to a connecting flight in an airport you’ve never been to. You have to get from the domestic flights to the international flights and you know there’s a shuttle, but you don’t know where it is. You haven’t got the time to wait in line at the information desk or to try and figure out where the “You Are Here” signs are. Enter Google Maps 6.0 with its new indoor maps, complete with floor plans and indoor search and navigation options. Google Maps can take you to whichever gate you need, no time wasted.

Or that’s the theory, at any rate. Currently, Google Maps 6.0 is available only for phones operating with Android OS 2.1 or above, and only in select locations, most of which are airports and department stores. It’s technically only in its beta stage, so it still has a few kinks to work out, as I learned while testing the new feature in the Herald Square Macy’s.

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