Archive for the ‘Vacation’ Category

As the days get closer to your next vacation your mind is no doubt racing with things to remember. Everything from calling a friend to watch the house, to getting a sitter for your pet, to telling the mail carrier about your leaving the city. There are a million things to do to give your mind less stress before you head out on your vacation, but what about doing something to alleviate the stress you have from a potential disaster vacation? This is often forgot about once the trip is booked and paid for, no one remembers to double check and plan ahead for a stress free vacation.

Best thing to do is call the hotel and the airline to make sure that they have your reservation on file. I know you may have an email or a confirmation number that you feel puts you at ease but it is amazing how easy these places can lose that information especially if there was a computer failure or bad weather. It’s best to call ahead and look a little foolish than to be standing in line at the airport without a flight or a hotel to go to.

Traveling light is always recommended. Find out ahead of time what the carry on policy is for the luggage through your airline. The more you can bring on the plane the better. The last thing you want to risk is that someone is going to lose your luggage and you end up spending half of your trip waiting for your luggage to come. However, if it looks to be inevitable that you are going to have to check your bags than you might want to consider checking them all, except for your multi-media bag. This just makes it more enjoyable to only have to carry that through the airport rather than an oversized suitcase that might have trouble getting on the plane in the first place.

Traveling doesn’t ever have to be a nightmare if you are just smart enough to plan ahead for it and enjoy your vacation without stress.

If you are planning your next vacation you are probably certain exactly where you want to stay, you have got the location down but are you clear on the hotel you want to be at? With so many hotels to choose from, especially in a very tourist friendly location, finding the right one can be a bit overwhelming. Where to go? Will it be what you’re looking for? Will you regret it? These are all things you have to think about and with just a little bit of planning you can find yourself on your way to the best hotel you have ever stayed at.

First things first: are you driving? If you are then this makes your search much easier. Having a rental car or your own car in the city means you have little to no need to rely on public transportation and therefore the commute won’t be a big deal. But if you are planning on walking and taking the bus everywhere than you want to be sure that where you are staying is in a convenient location. This means not just looking at the online information about public transit but actually calling the hotel you are thinking about and asking them not only the public transit situation for their hotel but for the city in general.

Once you determine where you are going to be staying, generally, be sure to look at the user reviews when you are narrowing down a place but to take those reviews with a grain of salt. Are they complaining or raving about the cleanliness? Is it minor details they didn’t appreciate or was there a serious lapse in service. Sometimes these reviews are very helpful and other times it’s about really looking at the review and seeing what they are saying and what they are leaving out.

Once you have found a place that fits your location, your transportation, and the reviews were up to par then it’s time to book your hotel and enjoy your vacation in comfort and style.

How do you take a vacation you have always wanted and do it for less? How do you enjoy everything a town has to offer without breaking the bank? These are questions everyone asks when planning their next trip. No one wants to go into debt for a good relaxing time in the destination of your choice but the vacation you really want can sometimes set you back more than you bargained for. So how do you do your vacation for less? Luckily there are ways to do it for less and ways to do it with the same quality you had before.

The first thing is to think about when you take your vacation. Going to a destination in an off season can save you a ton of money. Warm wheather places in the fall can be much cheaper because people fear that there won’t be the sun they have been clamoring for, but taking a vacation off season doesn’t mean cold weather it just might be a little more inconsistent weather.

Buying flights on Tuesday or Wednesday nights are also good too. Before you go to a travel site to buy the whole trip all at once check the airline sights at these times because it is well known that those are times when they run deals for flights. If you can find a cheaper flight than on those travel sights you could save 100 dollars and over on the right flight.

If you are saving money on the flight then you could give some serious thought to giving doing a hotel that is a little off the beaten path. Instead of staying right on the resort you could take a hotel a little off the main tourist area and save yourself some money. A lot of times these hotels are within walking distance of the stuff you want or there are shuttles that will take you to wherever you want to go and it could be a great way to save considerable money on the vacation you have always wanted.

Taking a vacation is one of the most fun experiences you can have in your life but sometimes there are obstacles that make taking a vacation a little harder. Kids is one of the biggest obstacles that you can face when it comes to travel and vacationing. It is often the main reason parents shy away from taking vacations altogether. But taking a vacation with kids doesn’t have to be as stressful as it could be. You can bring your kids along on vacation and still have a great time if you are smart enough to do it the right way.

First, if you are not planning on visiting the Magic Kingdom and would rather go somewhere a little cheaper than a simple search of the outlying area you are going to should help decide if it is kid friendly. Search that area and kids attractions and it should get you to a website where all that information is available. If you can’t find enough information then you may want to shy away taking your kids there.

What you are looking for are good local parks, good kid friendly restaurants, and an attraction or two that is specifically designed for kids. If you are staying at a hotel then you should ask the front desk for a television with a DVD hookup so you can bring your kids favorite movies. Usually the front desk will make the exception because you are dealing with children. You should also inquire about hotels in the area that have child care services. This could be a great way for you and your spouse to get a break for a few hours while you get a bite to eat or hang out at the pool.

If you are looking for something a little different you might want to make a choice to go with a hotel that has efficiencies or even go so far as to rent a condo so you have all the comforts of home including a full working kitchen. Taking kids on vacation does not have to be a pain.

You are probably sitting at your computer right now daydreaming about the next time you can leave the shackles of your office and take a long overdue vacation. You are searching websites as you read this and the time can’t come soon enough. But let’s face it, when the time comes you are going to be poised to take the same run of the mill vacation you always do. Some boring plan ride into a boring, albeit beautiful setting. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take a vacation that is a bit off the beaten path and have the time of your life doing it. So here are a few vacations that might be worth exploring.

Road Trip – This is the way people used to see America. Not from a plane ride but through the eyes of the car and an amazing time. They used to experience the wonder that the country holds. So now is the time for you to do it too. Get yourself a road map and a chunk of time and plan on seeing the sights of the countryside. This is a great alternative and it will cost you less than what you are paying for a traditional vacation.

Staycation – This might seem like a boring way to spend your vacation but if you live in a city like Chicago or New York then a staycation would be the perfect opportunity to enjoy your own city. Living and working in you home city doesn’t give you a lot of time for you to enjoy the things that makes your city the wonderful place it is. So save yourself some money and some travel time and explore your own hometown.

Camping Vacation – Instead of spending your time in doors, spend that time outdoors. Camping in a great place like Yellowstone or Yosemite could be a great way to get in touch with nature and have some of the best memories of your life. Rough it and find yourself talking about the experience for years. Either way it beats the traditional.

Since June 1 of 2009 there have been new passport requirements set in place but there is a loophole when you are going on certain vacations that can help you save time and money. If you plan to cruise to another country, as long as you take a “closed loop” cruise a passport is not required.

A “closed loop” cruise is where you leave from a United States port and return to a United States port. Even though you dock and disembark in a foreign country, since the embarkation process and final debarkation process is only done at American ports, a passport is not needed. You will still need identification paperwork to board the ship such as a birth certificate, driver’s license or other form of picture identification that is accepted. However, this still saves time and money because now you do not have to acquire a passport and worry about it getting to you on time for you to take your trip.

There are reasons to go ahead and get one if you have the time. If you find yourself in a foreign country and miss your cruise boat or have to remain in the country due to illness or an accident, this is where you will need a passport since you may have to fly on an airplane to get back to the United States. This is a chance you can take and only you can decide if you want to risk it but if you anticipate a relaxing cruise where you know you can be back on the boat in time to set sail, you can skip the process altogether.

Many major cruise lines head to exciting destinations that are included in the “closed loop” tours including Mexico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Honduras, The Bahamas and more. As long as you leave from the United States and return to the United States while on these trips, you’re all set.

Hurricane season is from June 1 – November 30 each year although storms can form earlier or later than the designated dates. This can mean that travel to Atlantic areas during this time can be disrupted. If you plan to vacation or travel to the southern states of America or the Caribbean area during this time of year you should keep a few things in mind.

Travel insurance is an excellent resource to have in case your vacation plans are disrupted due to a hurricane or tropical storm. Most will offer reimbursement so that you do not lose your money. Cruise ships, for example, will have to make detours or go to different ports in case of a hurricane and offer travel insurance as well. Although it can be pricey at times, it’s in your best interest to be covered since a hurricane can pop up unexpectedly. Also, if you have travel plans booked months in advance, there is no way to tell if a storm may hit during that time period so again, you are covered in case of bad weather that would otherwise ruin your plans.

You can keep up with weather in the tropics by visiting the National Hurricane Center website. Not only can you view storm activity but you can look weeks in advance leading up to your trip to monitor any storm activity. Storms can still form without warning but most of them are usually known about in advance. Keep in mind that during a major storm air flights can be canceled, hotels can be evacuated and cruises can be detoured, canceled or have itinerary changes.

Most likely a storm will not interfere with your travel plans but it is a good idea to be proactive in having travel insurance and keeping up with any storm activity during hurricane season. Some seasons are more active than others but you never know when one can hit and wreak havoc on your vacation.

It’s no fun at all to go on a wonderful trip only to realize you are missing something. Whether it’s a piece of jewelry or electronic equipment, sometimes you have already traveled hundreds of miles before you realize it. No matter where you may have lost your item there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure the chances of a safe return.

If you lost your item at a motel or hotel call them and tell them as soon as you realize your item is missing. Most motels and hotels have a policy that they are not responsible for lost items but every one of them will have a lost and found area so talk to someone in charge who can ask housekeeping if the item was found. You may have to pay shipping costs if they have indeed found your missing item but the sooner you call, the better chance you’ll have of getting it back and always remember to use the motel safe if possible if it is available. That way you’ll have a much easier time remembering to check it before you leave.

If your item was lost on a cruise ship call the customer service number to the company you used and be ready to give out your name, cabin number and the date of your sailing. Cabins are cleaned immediately after each disembarkation so chances are you item has been moved to the lost and found area. It’s best to call as soon as you realize it so that there is a possibility the ship has not sailed again and can be double checked if lost and found has no record of your item.

No matter what type of trip you took or where you stayed, each will have different policies and different chances of you getting your item back safe and sound. However, if you start the process as soon as possible the chances are greater of a safe return of your belongings.

When traveling with children you want to make sure they’re as safe as possible whether you’re driving or staying at a hotel. Here are a few tips to help ensure the safety and well-being of your children while on vacation.

Be sure to pack the essentials. If you’re going to a sunny area be sure to pack sunblock for your child. Even a few minutes in a stroller can mean a nasty and painful sunburn. Check the bottle and make sure that it is safe for children or purchase a child-specific sunblock. Sunglasses with a UV filter and sun hats can help keep your baby safe from harmful sun rays. Bring a first aid kit with the basic items such as ointment, alcohol pads and a thermometer. If you are taking formula on the trip be sure to have a cooler or some type of refrigeration so it does not spoil. Wipes for toys and other objects are excellent to keep germs away from your baby’s mouth.

If you are staying at a hotel there are a few ways to safeguard the room. Look for exposed outlets and cover with electrical tape if you have a toddler that will be crawling or walking around. Remove or move to an out of reach area any dangerous electrical items such as an iron or hair dryer and be sure bags for disposal cups is kept out of reach. You can cover any sharp edges of tables with a washcloth and some electrical tape if you plan to spend a large amount of time in the room where your toddler may be at danger. Check the doors on balconies to be sure they lock well and there is no danger of your child getting out onto the balcony without you being there.

With just a few proactive approaches, you can safe proof your children from harm.

If you are lucky enough to be able to take a vacation any time of year then there are a few things to consider on when it is the best time to take your trip. A lot of different factors can depend on when it’s the best time to go on vacation.

If you have children in school you may want to plan your vacation around the summer holiday or Christmas break. If you are going to a warm climate such as the Caribbean or a place that is particularly hot, you may want to go during the winter months. Areas in the Caribbean can have temperatures close to 100 degrees during the summer with very high humidity. If you visit in the winter months not only will there be less crowds on average but the temperatures can range in the 70′s and 80′s Fahrenheit for a much more pleasant vacation.

If you plan to enjoy winter adventures such as skiing or snowboarding then a call ahead to your destination can let you know when they are the least busy and when the best weeks are for that perfect snowfall.

When planning a trip to a theme park keep in mind that summer months and holidays are the busiest times of year. The same can be said for cruises. Even a trip to Las Vegas can be more crowded during these times. While none of the above mentioned trips have off times for business, there are certain times of the year where you can find it less crowded than usual. Just before the holidays, fall and winter can be best for certain theme parks and October and the day of major holidays is your best bet for Las Vegas.

Make sure to check with the venue you plan to visit for off-season rates. You may save more money but be sure to ask about specific closing times on theme parks since many have winter hours that differ from the rest of the year.