Know Before You Go: A Guide to Summer Travel

Sometimes a hectic, hassle-filled summer vacation can make you feel more than sunburned. But don't fear: Knowledge is power. Doing a little bit of research before you travel can save you time, headaches, and money. We've compiled a list of links, tips and tricks to make traveling this summer as painless as possible.

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection provides a list of average airport wait times. For example, at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, the longest wait times in July are between the hours of 9 and 10 p.m. (as high as 2 hours and 20 minutes). According to the data, it seems the best time to arrive at the airport that month is between 7 and 8 a.m. or 10 to 11 a.m., when average wait times hover around 30 minutes.

• The Federal Aviation Administration has a handy map that gives up-to-date flight delay information. You can search by airport or region.

• Before packing up the kids and the suntan lotion, check the UV index and beach water quality at your destination. You might learn that a nearby beach is closed or that there's a permanent advisory against swimming due to bacteria levels (see Kings Ferry County Park in Brunswick, Georgia, south of Savannah). If your beach isn't monitored, you might want to find out why.

• The U.S. Department of Energy offers tips on driving more efficiently and can help you calculate your miles per gallon and compare it with EPA test ratings. Pack lightly: Using a roof rack for extra storage on a trip can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent and 100 pounds of luggage in the trunk reduces a car's fuel economy by one to two percent, according to fueleconomy.gov.

• Apple makes a neat widget that finds the cheapest gas station according to zip code. AAA also has a fuel price finder.

• You're on vacation—slow down! (Or at least go the speed limit.) Traveling at slower speeds can increase your gas mileage on a long trip. In many hybrids, the motor alone provides the power at lower speeds.   

• And, finally, contrary to popular opinion, turning off the AC doesn't save gas, it just makes you cranky, according to a really interesting article by consumer site Edmunds.com that tackles the myths and truths of fuel economy.

Photo: Raoul Pop via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool

Comments

[John Ur]

Air conditioning doesn't waste gas?!?!? I've spent way too many hot summer days sweating my tookus off because I was too stingy to put the AC on :)

[Emily]

Popular Mechanics also offers "10 Quick Fuel Efficiency Tips to Beat the Gas Crunch"

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4264938.html?series=19