Taking the Circus on the Road: Mommy Like a Rock Star, Part 3

We’re on Day Three of the ten part series:  ”Mommy Like a Rock Star”.

To catch up, visit here.

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Road trips are legend in rock. Just think of the Blues Brothers – or Spinal Tap!

Of course, they had something going for them that we don’t – no kids.

I mean, did you ever hear a Blues Brother ask “Are we there yet?”

But there’s something so soul-satisfying about a good trip, whether it be to a nearby city for a weekend, or across the country for two weeks.

The other thing rock stars have going for them is the omniscient tour manager. I cannot TELL you what a difference a gifted tour manager makes in the quality of life on the road. Part shrink, part muscles, part concierge – no detail is overlooked, from procuring rooms to shower in during the day to knowing where the closest Panera is.

So in this case…that’s right. We’re the tour managers. But don’t worry, it’s actually a lot of fun. Here are my best travel tips, both on booking and physically travelling with kids.

1. Comparison Shop for airfare up the wazoo – fares vary wildly. Use a site like www.kayak.com, which allows you to shop the same route for multiple carriers.

2. If you don’t find a fare low enough to suit you, and you have a bit of time, set a Fare Alert that will notify you when the route drops below the lowest current. Then, jump on it!

3. Join the e-mail lists of individual carriers, such as Jetblue and Southwest. Also consider downloading Southwest’s “Ding!” application, which will kick down some sweet deals for the airports you list as home base- as many as ten.

4. Sign up for points/rewards programs, but don’t let them tempt you into behaviors you wouldn’t normally engage in to get points. They work best when they co-exist with current behaviors, as opposed to you getting a shiny new card for the extra 10,000 points.

5. Take a good look at the package deal of combined airfare/hotel. These can save you a considerable percentage off of the individual prices.

BUT, if you find a killer fare and want to strike out on your own for hotel, check out www.hotwire.com. They offer super low prices, by not telling you the exact name of the hotel you’re agreeing to sleep in. But, unlike when you bid on Priceline, you do have access to the star levels and neighborhood information prior to committing.

SO, here’s my trick. Check out a Hotwire city. Say you find a sweet Five star Hotel for $89 in the Chelsea District of Manhattan. Look at the amenities listed- is there a pool? Is there a Business center? These are key identifying points.

Now, go to www.betterbidding.com. Go to the Hotwire Forums, and the New York forum. There will be a list of all known hotels, by geographical district. With very little effort, you can figure out exactly which hotel you’re booking, by comparing star levels, amenities, and geographic district. Of course, this only works if you’re A. Slightly obsessive like me B. Really enjoy staying up late and, well, being obsessive and C. Kind of like logic games.

But if you go through the process, there are some truly amazing deals to be had- because the hotels can’t PUBLISH their name, because then their lowest rate guarantees they offer on their own websites would kick in. But they still have to get rid of their remainder rooms.

Voila! Five star living at two star prices.

Which brings me to our next topic:

Spring for the towncar. So often, we take a taxi because it feels less exorbitant, but wind up paying a very similar fare for a much more unpleasant experience. If you book www.jetblue.com/limores, you get 10% off even if you’re not flying JetBlue that day. It just instantly kicks any trip up a notch in the high-falutin’ category. Trust me, it’s a happy thing.

So now. You’ve found your cheap flight and taken your town car to your cheap Five Star hotel – now what???

Well, I’ll bet your kids are crying for food. I’m sure you have tons of snacks…(I roll with a big bag of organic dye-free lollipops, Goldfish Crackers, organic ketchup in packets-no high fructose corn syrup- and Maple Syrup in teeny jars. Like I said, obsessive!)

But the first order of business is NOT to go out and find something to eat…it’s to introduce your clan to the joys of room service. Because honey, after all that travel, a little $2 convenience fee and the mandatory 18% tip are so, so worth it.

I believe in a value scale of travel- I spend money on the parts where I think it matters. Extra $10 to check in early on a self-seated flight? You bet, I’m on it. Extra $40 to check all the bags and be hands free chasing kids at the airport? Absolutely. Fly out at 5 am to shave $15 a head off the fare? Umm. No. That’s where my love of a dollar hits my convenience bone.

Tomorrow: We’ll cover must-have items for setting up camp with your brood in a hotel room, as well as the infinite possibilities borne of Fedexing all your stuff ahead.

Awww yeah, girl. Organization may not SOUND rock and roll, but how else are you gonna get to the show???