You can try Bodyglide which you can pick up at The Running Room or other sports stores. But that is the same idea as the blister sticks. Moleskins also worked really well for my fiance.
As someone who started running this year and never got blisters until I started running, you might want to try running socks. They're made of different materials (other than cotton which absorbs and holds onto moisture). My favourite is Smart Wool but there are a lot of them out there. Be warned, that running socks aren't cheap.
Also make sure that your shoes are the right size for your feet. Sounds dumb but if you're spending hours walking around in them ... I normally wear a size 7-7.5 but for running I'll wear a size 8.