If you want to compare airfares easily online, one new tool is offered by FareCompare.com. Their newest feature lets you track the lowest fare prices between cities, and rates each fare from 0 to 4 stars. Except with this ratings system, the stars are objective: Only deals that are close to or better than the all-time low price can rate 4 stars. It’s a simple way to get some perspective when you’re searching for airfares.

Then there’s Farecast.com . Their Farecast Deals are reportedly the first “scientific” set of airfare deals. They are generated only when fares reach certain historic low prices, as calculated by their airfare prediction engine, which has literally billions of prices on file. …

A reader from Bellingham, Washington asks “Should I get travel insurance for my upcoming safari vacation?”

For big trips like safaris, when you spend a lot, insurance can be a good idea. And when you get insurance, make sure it’s from an independent company, not the travel company you bought your vacation from.

Among the companies offering comprehensive insurance are Travel Guard, Travelex, Access America, and Travelsafe. To compare different insurance policies, try http://insuremytrip.com and http://tripinsurancestore.com .

And remember, even if you have health insurance, it probably won’t cover you when you’re abroad. So for extra peace of mind, consider medical evacuation insurance from companies like Medjet Assist, Air Ambulance, or International SOS. That way, if you do get …

We made fun of my sister mercilessly — behind her back, of course.

That’s because when my sister Amy’s three kids were little, she wouldn’t go anywhere on vacation — to the beach, the ski slopes, even across the country to visit the family — without a sitter to help. So indulgent, we all said cattily.

So expensive. Maybe.

But she’s the one who got the last laugh. She’s one of the few moms I know with young children who would come home from vacation rested and relaxed.

“It’s my vacation too,” she’d say airily, as she left the sitter in charge to go out for dinner or shopping. She didn’t have to worry about leaving …

The British pound may be hitting record highs against the dollar, but it’s still possible to get a reasonably-priced place to stay, even in London.

And even in some of London’s swankiest districts, you can still find relatively affordable lodging.

Take the popular Kensington area for example.

While the Milestone Hotel’s rooms right on the district’s main avenue start at 250 pounds per night, others, like Base2Stay near Hyde Park, are far cheaper.

For less than 100 pounds per night, your room will include a kitchenette, free Internet, and an oversized bathroom.

At 20 Nevern Square in the nearby neighborhood of Earl’s Court, 99 pounds will get you an Eastern-themed room with king-size bed and a full breakfast.

And at …

If you’re sharing this Mother’s Day with mom or the kids, why not skip the traditional pedicures and facials and try out something unexpected and inspiring?

We’ve compiled a few weekend trip ideas to bring your family together, whether it is just you and mom or a girlfriend group getaway.

Who knows, maybe an adventurous Mother’s Day will become your annual tradition!

Surf’s up! How about offering to teach mom to “hang ten” at a weekend women’s surf clinic?

Visit Oregon’s Northwest Women’s Surf Camp and treat mom to the Girlfriend Getaway Weekenders package. Over two days you’ll learn to surf with instructors and practice in the ocean with …

Low-cost airlines have revolutionized air travel in Europe, even if they haven’t quite done that in the US. Here’s what that means for you. In Europe nowadays, you don’t have to fly between big cities, you can often find plenty of affordable flights directly into smaller towns–or even between small towns.

Small airports like Limoges, France and Charleroi, Belgium now offer some very cheap connections to London and other major cities. So forget flying into Rome and getting a connecting flight to smaller cities like Pisa. RyanAir even recently offered once its famous one-cent fares to Pisa from London-Stansted. These days, airlines like Flybe, WizzAir, easyJet and Ryanair connect smaller cities non-stop with London, from Pula, Croatia to La …