Savvy Wi-Fi citizens should not only be on the lookout for fast and nearby hotspots, but also be sure to lock down a secure Internet connection. Accessing open Wi-Fi signals can expose you to hackers, malware, and viruses, which can put private information at risk. At Boingo, we don’t want you to worry about practicing Internet safety, so we’ve developed a handy solution for you – Boingo Security VPN! Continue reading
Carrie Finley-Bajak’s goal is to visit every continent before she turns fifty years-old. Since she has always had an affinity for the ocean, cruise ships are her chosen mode of transportation. According to Carrie, cruises “offer a combination of adventure and a touch of elegance.” She shares her nautical experiences on her travel blog, Cruise Buzz. We caught up with Carrie, a Boingo member, at BlogWorld LA 2011 and learned plenty of valuable tips for traveling by sea. Check out Carrie’s top three tips below for booking the perfect cruise vacation. Also be sure to follow her on Twitter (@CruiseBuzz) to get regular updates on her reviews and adventures. 1. Cruise Myth Busters Some misconceptions about cruising are: the world is flat, the ship is to crowded, a person will get sea sick, the cabins are small, there is nothing to do, all you do is eat. All false. 2. Get It Right The First Time The number one prerequisite for a potential cruise passenger is a love for the sea. If the idea of sailing on the wide-open ocean on a ship sounds like fun, then I would suggest taking a cruise. However, I will caution that the biggest disservice
I recently vacationed on Kauai, the fourth largest of the Hawaiian islands. The island — with its waterfalls, canyons, rainforests, caves and secret beaches at every turn — is a nature lover’s paradise. Since I’ve had the pleasure of multiple visits to the “Garden Isle,” I’ve compiled below my top adventures on Kauai. Also, watch the video above for a visual feast of Kauai. What’s your favorite Hawaiian island, and what are your recommendations for activities there? 1. Take a Hike According to travel website GoHawaii, 90% of Kauai is inaccessible by road. That’s why hiking is the penultimate activity on Kauai. There are a seemingly endless number of trails of varying distances and difficulty. I have frequently stumbled upon deserted beaches, deep canyons, and waterfalls of all sizes. You’ll encounter stunning scenery on any hike you choose but a must-see is Waimea Canyon on the west side of the island. 2. Go Kayaking Rent single or double kayaks and paddle through breathtaking scenery accessible only by boat. I rented kayaks through a tour group led by a knowledgeable guide. We paddled down a river, docked our kayaks, and then hiked to a massive waterfall and watering hole. Lunch was included. Check out
Meet Dan and Audrey, the husband and wife team who have been “measuring the Earth” by way of sixty-five countries in over four years. They’re adventurers with a love of street food (guinea pig excluded), traveling by public transport (yes, even chicken buses) and meeting people from all walks of life all over the world. They’re accustomed to wearing many hats, often shedding their dusty traveling clothes for professional presentations, conferences and projects. The love of travel is only one reason that keeps Dan and Audrey on the road. The couple also aims to “humanize” the places they visit by sharing articles, photos, videos and audiocasts on their blog, Uncornered Market. Equally important is their hope that through personal interactions with people all over the world, they will “alter the view of America that people get from” the media and pop culture. They consider these efforts to be a form of public diplomacy. Find out more about Dan and Audrey’s journey, learnings and recommendations on their blog. You can also follow along with their journey on Twitter and Facebook. Currently, Boingo members Dan and Audrey are touring Berlin, and they were kind enough to share their top five recommendations for
Click play on the video above and check out the array of destinations visited by the Boingo community this past summer in 2011. Just a word of caution: the photos could trigger or exacerbate the post-summer blues. If you’ve seen our videos before, you might recognize that we often use Animoto to produce our videos. Unlike standard photo slideshow programs with static presentations, Animoto creates polished and animated visual stories that look polished and professional. The company says the foundation of their platform is a “patent-pending Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology that thinks like an actual director and editor.” We couldn’t tell you what that means exactly but we can guarantee that the resulting production — complete with a music soundtrack — will make you look like a cinematic genius. Animoto offers a range of pricing plans, including: Lite for free, Plus for $30/year, Pro for $249/year and a Reseller option for $499/year. Here’s a quick tutorial on the Animoto user interface: Step 1: Choose a template. Animoto offers various background templates, some of which are available to free accounts. There are also several holiday themes. Step 2: Upload photos and/or video clips. You can retrieve media from your computer, Facebook,
“A Perfect Day For Travel” Beautiful images of New Zealand accompanied by the lovely voice of New Zealand singer and songwriter Bryce Wastney. “Caravan” An oldie but goody song by Van Morrison that celebrates the joys of road-tripping. “Kilimanjaro. Chill Out African Music” Images from a group’s journey to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, with a pretty African music soundtrack. “Top ten most beautiful cities of the World” One traveler’s montage of ten favorite cities accompanied by catchy dance beat. “Landscapes Of Mozambique, Moçambique” Fun to stunning views of Mozambique enhanced by a festive soundtrack.
Travel expert Johnny Jet, né John Einar DiScala, has been blogging about travel tips for well over a decade. His website has been named ”one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel” by Budget Travel Magazine, and the L.A. Times calls it “one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet.” Johnny has even authored a popular travel guide book, You Are Here Traveling with JohnnyJet.com: The Ultimate Internet Travel Guide (You Are Here, 4). And to think that this travel guru once had a fear of flying! A frequent Boingo user, Johnny Jet has experienced the delights of too many cities to count (to date, he has visited over sixty countries). Yet ask him to name his favorite city in the world, and he answers with no hesitation: New York City. Below, Johnny provides his top five tips on traveling in the Big Apple. Have you explored these Johnny Jet recommendations on New York City? 1. Take Public Transportation From the Airports Pack light if you plan on taking public transportation from the airport. When I land alone at LGA, I take the M60 Bus to 125th Street and then either take the subway down to my family’s apartment or the
Chris Guillebeau is among a small but growing community of folks who have taken the road “less traveled” by opting out of the 9-to-5 office career and making a living through full-time travel. Guillebeau’s on-the-road entrepreneur ventures have ranged from exporting Jamaican coffee, founding a publishing business in Africa, to authoring the bestselling book, The Art of Nonconformity. He’s been featured in The New York Times and Business Week, and he also writes for CNN, the Huffington Post, as well as his own travel blog. So besides the fact that Chris Guillebeau leads an enviable life of full-time travel, what makes the guy so special? Because he’s built an existence around the philosophy of non-conformity. ”You don’t have to live your life the way other people expect you to,” Guillebeau advises. His inspirations and instructions for leading an unconventional life, changing the world, and achieving personal goals are followed by people all over the world. Chris Guillebeau has traveled, communicating the gospel of non-conformity, to 150 countries and counting. We’re delighted to help keep Guillebeau connected along the way. “Boingo is helping a lot with my worldwide travels,” he recently told us. “I had no idea you guys had so many hotspots.” One place
Museums are great for expanding one’s creative and cultural horizons, but they can be quite a time commitment (e.g., the Louvre). The good news is that there are plenty of small museums all over the world that can be toured within one or two hours — perfect for business trips with limited leisure time or twenty-four hour layovers! The Boingo team recommends ten small museums below for quick, eye-opening experiences. Have you been to any of our recommended museums and if so, do you agree they are worth the visit? Which other small museums do you recommend for our traveling community? The Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam was formerly the hiding place of the Frank family during the German invasion of World War II. “Walk from room to room to see where Anne and her family hid for two years before they were discovered and arrested.” – Darren Levy, product management The EMP Museum in Seattle, Washington is a music museum that is “very interactive and fun for all musical tastes.” Exhibitions include artifacts and memorabilia celebrating the music and history of luminary musicians (e.g., Nirvana) and influential instruments. – George Metalsky, partnership marketing manager The Freer Sackler Museum in Washington, D.C.
Play unlimited golf and stay in a rustic log cabin in Northern Michigan for $149 per night (or $238 for two nights). Rates are for stays Mondays through Thursdays, September 12-October 13, 2011 at the Garland Lodge & Resort. Rooms feature cathedral ceilings and stained glass windows, and the surrounding grounds hold four full golf courses (72 holes). (Via Lonely Planet) End your summer with a bang and go ziplining between the trees in Portland, Oregon! Seriously — and bring the kids. The adventure takes place at Tree to Tree Park, “a playground in the trees featuring aerial ropes courses, zip lines and tree-top obstacles.” Admission is $45 per adult and $25-35 per child. Stay at a participating hotel and add some wine touring along the Sip 47 wine route. Hotel accommodations range from $109 to $249. (Via Frommer’s Travel) Enjoy a two-week Mediterranean cruise that will be a feast for the eyes, as well as fodder for the brain. Swan Hellenic is offering a tour of the most historic ports in Athens, Greece, Sicily and Italy that will be curated by experts in ancient history and geology. The price per person starts at $1899, and the cruise departs on October 14, 2011 from Athens. (Via Sherman’s Travel)
Flight attendant and Boingo superfan Sara Keagle invited us to join her and fellow flight attendant, Mimi, on their travel podcast series, The Crew Lounge. We had a hoot of a time chatting with the two travel veterans about everything from Boingo social media customer care, plane passengers behaving badly, to forging friendships on Twitter. Listen to the podcast for travel insights, airplane shenanigans and witty flight attendant banter. If you enjoy the experience as much as we did, be sure to download their free shows. Thanks to Sara, Mimi and the UPGRD team for having us a guest!
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