1. New York City, New York (0)
2. San Francisco, California (0)
3. Chicago, Illinois (0)
4. Las Vegas, Nevada (0)
5. Orlando, Florida (+5)
6. Washington, D.C. (+5)
7. Boston, Massachusetts (+8)
8. Los Angeles, California (-2)
9. Honolulu, Hawaii (-4)
10. New Orleans, Louisiana (-3)
11. Seattle, Washington (-3)
12. Miami, Florida (New)
13. Sedona, Arizona (+6)
14. Savannah, Georgia (0)
15. Charleston, South Carolina (+9)
16. Napa, California (+4)
17. San Antonio, Texas (-4)
18. Lahaina, Hawaii (+3)
19. Portland, Oregon (-7)
20. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (+3)
21. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (New)
22. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (+3)
23. Palm Springs, California (New)
24. Naples, Florida (New)
25. Houston, Texas (-7)

Check out the complete list of winners here.

The post TripAdvisor Names 2013 Travelers’ Choice Destinations appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

With the average gallon of gas being $.15 cheaper than in 2012, most travelers say fuel prices won’t affect their plans. In fact, 74% plan to take a road trip this summer and 56% will hit the road for Memorial Day. Traveling by air came in at #2 with 64% flying over the summer and 36% flying for Memorial Day.

A few other notable finds from the survey:

• New York City tops the list again this year for the most popular U.S. destination for summer travel. Boston and Washington, D.C. took second and third, beating out Las Vegas and Chicago, which made the list in 2012.

• Perhaps a reflection of increased consumer confidence, the most popular vacation activity this summer will be shopping, according to more than half of respondents.

• Zip-lining, paddleboarding and renting a bike from a share program are three of the most popular activities for travelers planning to try something new.

• 22% percent say their favorite thing about summer is spending time outdoors, 22% most prefer the extended daylight hours and 18% appreciate the warmer weather.  Larger crowds are respondents’ biggest aversion to summer travel, followed by high travel costs.

• When it comes to favorite summer food indulgences, 33% will splurge on ice cream, 13% will reach for a lobster, and 9% look forward to fried seafood.   To wash it down, the top summer beverage indulgences are margaritas, beer, and iced tea.

“The survey indicates that more people are planning leisure trips this summer, notably as prices at the pump continue to decline year-over-year,” said Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications for TripAdvisor. “Whether they plan to shop, swim or just enjoy the great outdoors, prospects of sunshine and warmer weather have U.S. travelers looking ahead to summer trips.”

The post TripAdvisor Survey: More Memorial Day and Summer Travel in 2013 appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

Exotic Treehouse, Hawaii

Perched mid canopy in the rainforest, this romantic spot for two comes complete with a cedar hot tub on the lanai and an outdoor shower. A TripAdvisor traveler called it the “most unique place we’ve ever stayed.”

Exotic Treehouse, Hawaii

Tropical Treehouse, Puerto Rico

Located on 12 acres of hardwood forest and bamboo groves, this treehouse is not only totally secluded, but offers views of the Caribbean sea.

Tropical Treehouse, Puerto Rico

Treehouse Hideaway, Canterbury, UK

Situated about 20 feet off the ground, this stay features a hot tub, a log fire, and a veranda. One TripAdvisor traveler described it as “Romantic, luxurious, a hidden treasure.”

Treehouse Hideaway, Canterbury, UK

Into the Woods, Whippingham, UK

One of the biggest of the bunch, this two-bedroom is great for families wanting something unique. And it doesn’t disappoint – one TripAdvisor traveler noted that it “exceeded all hopes and expectations.”

Into The Woods, Whippington, UK

The Treehouse, Taunton, UK

Not only does this treehouse have a private hot tub, but you get use of an indoor swimming pool. And it’s also great for families, sleeping 5 if you need it. And travelers love the village it’s in – Halse in Somerset.

The Treehouse, Taunton, UK

The post 5 Vacation Rental Treehouses appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

Nearly 40,000 travelers around the world weighed in, including over 12,000 in the U.S., and here are the final results:

The post TripAdvisor Announces 2013 Travelers’ Choice Awards for Travel Favorites appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

Go ahead, take a bow… then go plan your next trip!

The post TripAdvisor Wins Webby People’s Voice Award appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

Want to add a video of your experience? No problem. If you have iOS 6 or higher or Android 2.2 or higher, you can now share video clips of your travels, too. All-in-all, the new app provides an easy, excellent on-the-go experience for any travel-planning phase.

To download the app, visit the iTunes App Store or Google Play.

The post Newly Redesigned TripAdvisor Mobile App Revealed appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

The One Fund Boston has been established to help the people most affected by the events of April 15, 2013. TripAdvisor is donating $100,000 to help our friends and neighbors recover and rebuild their lives. If you’d like to help too, please join us and donate here.

Boston is a beautiful city, a cornerstone of history and liberty. It’s where most of us at TripAdvisor live and work. Please help us support this great city and its people. Thank you.

All donations will go directly to The One Fund Boston, Inc.

The post Please Join TripAdvisor in Support of The One Fund Boston appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

1. Use the map, even when you’re not connected. Data and WiFi can be both hard to find and expensive in foreign counties. The City Guides app can show you where you are, plus all the great restaurants and attractions near you – even while you’re offline.

2. Point me there – coming out of the subway, have you seen people that are looking at their phone, walk one way then the other?  Point me there helps you avoid this.  Just follow the arrow and you’ll walk in the right direction with confidence.

3. Not sure what to do for a couple of hours or have a free day in a destination?  City Guides has free self-guided walking tours by local experts and travel writers.And many have fun themes, like the photographer’s tour of Paris, or the foodie tour of Montreal.

4. Want to remember your trip? “Check In” to each destination. Snap a photo and write a note.  Share it with family and friends as you check in on Facebook. Keep them up to date with your trip.

5. Check out your journal after the trip on cityguides.tripadvisor.com, remember all your travel experiences, and share it with friends.

6. Want a reservation for dinner, or maybe want to skip the line to a museum?  City Guides can help you book these experiences directly from your phone. Just click the “Reserve” or “Buy Ticket” button.

7. Go metro. City Guides has metro stations for many of the cities, and metro station maps.

8. Help other travelers out by writing a review of places you’ve been.  In City Guides, you can write this even when you are offline, and sync it all when you get home, or when you get WiFi connection.

9. Learn your surroundings. Read more about each city with background information provided by travel writers and other TripAdvisor users.

10. Explore! City Guides has over 80 cities, so pick your next trip and go!

Don’t have the app yet? Download it here.

The post 10 Things To Try On Your TripAdvisor City Guides App appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

With the program in place, you can now tailor your search and choose your stay based on a simple ratings system: Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum which will be easily seen on the accommodation’s listing. Plus, soon you’ll be able to comment with your thoughts on a hotel’s green practices after you’ve stayed – a good way to pay it forward and help others to plan their perfect greener trip.

To learn more about the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders, go to www.tripadvisor.com/GreenLeaders.

The post New TripAdvisor GreenLeaders Eco-friendly Hotel Program Launches appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.

Other survey results:

• -53% say that they’d most like to try a beachfront villa vacation rental
• -89% prefer a vacation rental on a family vacation
• -25% would be most tempted to book if the rental has a private beach

See the full survey results here.

Are you planning on staying in a vacation rental this year? Comment and let us know what made you choose that option.

The post Vacation Rental Stays On the Rise in 2013 appeared first on TripAdvisor Blog.