If you’ll be taking vacation time in the coming year and plan on flying, here are some shopping tips to give your undivided attention to.

When to buy

If you’re shopping for domestic flights, check prices on Tuesday afternoons. This is an old tip but still valid because most U. S. carriers continue to release sales on Tuesday morning, and competitors quickly drop their fares to match the better deals.

When to fly

Weekdays continue to be generally cheaper times to fly than weekends for most flights. In the U.S. specifically, the cheapest days are typically Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. A good itinerary (旅行计划）for the expensive U.S. spring break travel period is Tuesday to Saturday; it won’t be cheap exactly, but it will save you money (in most cases) over weekend-to- weekend travel.

Direct vs. connecting flights

Compare the price of direct with connecting fights. Sometimes adding a stop to your route will save you money, and it might be enough to endure the extra-long flying day. Some examples:

Boston to Seattle: $247 direct, $234 one-stop

San Francisco to Raleigh/Durham: $553 direct, $362 one-stop

Okay, the savings on Boston-Seattle might not be worth it to you, but I’ll bet you’ll think twice about the direct flight for San Francisco to Raleigh.

Compare, compare, compare

Stifle the impulse to go to your favorite airline site to purchase tickets without doing any comparison; it’s a disaster. Example: Let's say you want to fly from New York to London and figuring your favorite U.S. legacy carrier will get you there for the best price.

Airline price: $554 round-trip

Comparison price: $486

Obviously, the legacy carrier did not have the cheapest flight, but wait, there’s more: The comparison site also showed a cheaper flight from the same legacy carrier ($521 ). See what you’re missing when you fail to compare?

Do you want to travel to the New England Aquarium and experience it? If you are an Aquarium super fan, I believe you must be interested in some information below.

Animal encounter Programs

Dive into the water with a seal. Stand on top of the four storey Giant Ocean Tank to feed the animals. Go behind the scenes of your favorite exhibits. Whether you have an unquenchable curiosity about oceanic animals or you want a brand-new observation on popular exhibits, fascinating Animal Encounter programs are designed for the Aquarium super fans. Call Central Reservations at 617-973-5206 to book your program.

Daily Performances

Don’t miss a day in the life of the New England Aquarium. Be sure to catch our daily events, which include penguin feedings, seal training sessions, dives in the Giant Ocean Tank and live animal performances. Our daily schedule will tell you when and where to watch your favorite program. All programs are included with admission.

Special Programs

Join us for family activities at the Aquarium, where we explore the blue planet most days through art, animals and other activities. We focus on one animal every month with Blue Discoveries Family Day, from octopuses to whales. These activities are included with admission. For a fee, schools and other qualifying groups can also choose Explorer Classes for kids and special 3-D showings.

Virtual Tours and Videos

Before stepping foot in the Aquarium, explore some of our special exhibits and learn what to expect. Check out the Field Trip Orientation video before arriving with your group. The How to Be a Shark and Ray Whisperer video gives special instructions on how to best experience our shark and ray touch tank. The Blue Impact virtual tour highlights some of our exhibits as it explains the impact of climate change on oceans around the world.

Holiday makers wanting to get away from the pressure of modern life might consider staying at a wooden hut in Sweden.

The Kolarbyn Eco-Lodge Hotel is not for everyone. If you can’t even understand the idea of living without electricity, running water, or a modern toilet, then the charm of this place will probably not appeal to you. But for anyone trying to escape the pressure and busy life of the big city or take a break from the Internet and other modern devices, this place is a paradise(乐园). Located 1 km south of Skarsjon Beach, in the middle of a pristine Swedish forest, Kolarbyn Eco-Lodge consists of 12 wooden huts with nothing but two sheepskin-covered wooden beds, and a wood stove that uses wood cut by the guests themselves.

Self-catering breakfast, lunch and dinner consist of items like spaghetti（通心粉）, tomato sauce, bread, fruit and eggs that tourists have to cook themselves over an outside fire; there is no shower, only a nearby spring and as for toilet, visitors are encouraged to go behind a tree, or visit one of the two sheds（棚子）.

Adding to the charm of this place is the long coal-making tradition of Kolarbyn. Locals have been building these huts from wood and mud for over 400 years, and a few of them came up with the idea of recreating a few of them in the woods as an eco-lodge to keep tradition alive in the area.

“People visit Kolarbyn lodges because they want to experience the nature and to test sleeping in the historical huts. They want to get away from the normal life,” the owner Andreas Ahlsen said. “The huts themselves are relatively small, as if they are too big , it will destroy the nature experience.”