Spring Break Destinations

December 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Spring break is a rite of passage for college students – as they take a week to have fun in the sun before hunkering down for final exams. For families with younger children, the week off provides an opportunity to travel. Here are some destinations that may appeal to the college crowd or to families seeking a spring break escape.

College students who want to stay stateside on vacation should consider perennial spring break destinations such as South Padre Island, Texas, Panama City Beach, Florida, and Florida’s South Beach. If fun in the sun isn’t your cup of tea and you want to go abroad, Europe is a popular place for American students. The weather in Europe tends to be chilly when most American students take their spring break — but the continent features plenty of shops, restaurants and museums to explore.

If you’re a college student who want to do some good on spring break, check out volunteer vacation opportunities. Habitat for Humanity welcomes student volunteers who want to help build homes for people in need. The American Hiking Society can set you up on a volunteer vacation where you’ll help clear trails in America’s national parks.

The top destination for families on Spring Break is, yep, Orlando, Florida. The appeal of theme parks such as Disney World, and Universal Orlando keeps families returning year after year. In addition to the theme parks, Orlando enjoys its proximity to great beaches and sports fans can catch baseball teams at spring training.

Additional hotspots for family Spring Break vacations include Washington, D.C., and Hershey, Pennsylvania’s Hershey Park. For a little more adventure, try visiting a ranch resort in Arizona, or go on a ski/snowboarding holiday.

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Visiting America’s Largest Malls

December 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Shopping is a popular pasttime for vacationers. Power shoppers may want to visit mega-malls in order to cruise hundreds of stores and score deals on everything from clothing to cosmetics. Here’s some info on a few of America’s largest malls:

1. In terms of square footage, the King of Prussia Mall, located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the largest in the U.S. It boasts 400 stores and is anchored by chains including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Lord & Taylor. It is divided into two sections, the Court and the Plaza. In addition to department stores, King of Prussia Mall features jewelers Cartier & Tiffany and outposts from designers such as Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren.

2. While slightly smaller in square footage than the King of Prussia Mall, the Mall of America has an impressive 522 stores, making it a popular destination for visitors from far and wide. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, the Mall of America is home to stores including Nordstrom, Macy’s and IKEA. It also houses an underwater aquarium and roller coaster!

3. Ranking just behind the Mall of America in square footage, the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California has 280 stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Sears. In addition to shops, South Coast Plaza is home to performing arts venues, an art gallery and a museum, making it a cultural as well as a retail destination.

4. Florida is home to two of America’s largest malls. The Aventura Mall in Aventura Florida has 275 stores including anchor shops Sears, JCPenney and Nordstrom. Outlet shoppers can dig for bargains at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise–it has 350 stores including a Super Target, JCPenney Outlet and Neiman Marcus Last Call.

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Travel Trends for 2011

December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Looking to take a vacation in the New Year? Consider these locations and travel trends, which are predicted to be popular in 2011:

1. Cruises – In 2011, cruises are expected to take off, with Hawaii and Alaska being among the top domestic destinations for prospective cruisers. Internationally, cruises to the Caribbean and Mediterranean are expected to be popular.

2. Las Vegas and Orlando remain top destinations for domestic vacations. Tourists are drawn to Vegas nightlife and casinos, and Orlando is a perennial favorite for families with its array of theme parks and proximity to Florida’s beautiful beaches.

3. Internationally, cities such as Tangier, in Northern Africa, Valencia, Spain and Tel Aviv, Israel are emerging as travel hotspots. This is due to a burgeoning art scene and new shops and restaurants in these three locations.

4. U.S. travelers planning European vacations continue to cite Paris, London and Rome as must-see cities.

5. Vacation rental homes are gaining in popularity; tourists can save money when renting a home for a week as opposed to staying in a hotel. Also, staying in a rental home permits travelers to get more of an authentic experience, especially when visiting destinations abroad.

6. Green travel is also becoming a factor that people take into consideration when planning a vacation. Travelers are seeking eco-friendly hotels or vacations that are more nature based as a way to connect more with the environment.

7. There will be less last-minute leisure travel in 2011, as more tourists say that they plan to book trips at least eight weeks in advance.

8. Tourists will seek out activities such as visiting historic sites, hiking and enjoying water activities in 2011.

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Galapagos Vacations

December 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Galapagos Islands is home to more than 9,000 animal species. Some of these species won’t be found anywhere else in the world. It was on Galapagos that Charles Darwin carried out the research that laid the foundation for evolutionary theory. Visitors to the Galapagos see a wide variety of animals, as well as beautiful beaches and volcanoes that lend to the island chain’s popularity for nature/adventure travelers. Activities available to Galapagos vacationers include camping, hiking and snorkeling. Many trips start in Ecquador, from there guests take a short flight to reach the Galapagos Islands.

-Celebrity Cruises to the Galapagos expose guests to activities such as snorkeling and bird watching. They also get to see green turtles lay their eggs at Las Bachas. On a seven-day cruise to Galapagos, travelers can partake in local cuisine, go shopping and take nature hikes. Packages are inclusive, with room service, food and beverages as well as gratuities.

-Lindblad Expeditions hosts a 10-day adventure trip to Galapagos. Guests get a cahnce to go snorkeling and hiking. They also visit locations such as Espanola, home to an albatross species that can’t be found anywhere except on the island. Lindblad tours are staffed with expert guides that can answer guests’ questions about the wildlife encountered during the tour. Travelers’ home base during the trip is an expedition ship equipped with a library and lounge. The ship also has kayaks and gear for snorkeling.

-Amazing Galapagos tours kick off on the island’s Charles Darwin Research Center. There, guests attend an orientations session. While on a 4, 5, or 8-day tour, guests can enjoy hiking, mountain biking and snorkeling. They get to see the animals that have made the islands famous, such as giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies.

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Pack Like a Pro!

December 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Is packing your bag the most frustrating part of preparing for your vacation? Follow a few easy tips that will have you packing like a pro!

1. Roll your clothes. When you roll clothes, they take up less space than when you fold them. The best items to roll are skirts and pants.

2. Use layers of tissue paper for delicate items such as evening clothes. Items rolled in tissue paper tend to get less wrinkled.

3. Don’t overpack. This makes it more difficult for security screeners at the airlines to go through your bag. If they have to remove items, you run the risk of having something damaged.

4. If you’re flying, place items such as toiletries (in the approved 3 oz. size) in plastic bags for easy handling.

5. Traveling as a pair or group? Each person should place a change of clothes in someone else’s bag, in case their luggage is lost.

6. When packing a backpack, place the heavier items, or things such as dirty clothing on the bottom, and the lightest items should go on top.

7. Pack medication, paperwork and one change of clothes in a carry-on bag. Again, this saves you from being stranded without the essentials if your checked bags are lost or delayed.

8. Pack shoes in shoe bags. This keeps other items in your suitcase from getting dirty, and keeps the shoes from getting scuffed.

9. If you are flying, leave about a half-inch of space in bottles of liquid. This will keep the bottles from bursting due to changes in cabin pressure on the plane.

10. Plan on doing a lot of shopping while on vacation? Then pack one smaller suitcase and nest it inside a larger one. You can put your purchases inside the larger suitcase for the return trip.

8. Pack your laptops or other communications gadgets. This helps you communicating with important persons like online trading broker or your colleagues etc.

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Travel Tips for Single Women

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

OK, single ladies. You’re eager to hit the road, but before you do, check out these tips that will help ensure your vacation is just as safe as it is fun!

1. Learn the customs of the place you plan to visit. If you’re visiting a country or region that is more conservative, respect that and don’t dress provocatively.

2. If a man asks you if this is your first time visiting your destination, tell him that you visit frequently and continue on your way. This way you do not seem naive or vulnerable.

3. If you are traveling solo, ask the desk clerk to write down the name of your hotel room number instead of saying it out loud.

4. Solo female travelers should make copies of their identification and itinerary and be sure to leave it with a family member or friend.

5. US citizens should register with the State Department if they are traveling abroad. You can provide them with names and phone numbers of emergency contacts back home.

6. You may love to show off that nice, new handbag, but carrying a purse can attract thieves. Don’t be afraid to tuck money in your bra and if you insist on carrying a purse, wear it with the strap diagonally over your body instead of just on one shoulder so that it can’t be easily snatched.

7. If you find yourself the center of unwanted attention or pestering — do not hesitate to go into the nearest hotel, shop or restaurant and let an employee know.

8. At your hotel, always use the deadbolt, don’t open the door to strangers and always use the main entrance to the hotel when coming or going.

Most importantly, trust your instincts!

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Eco-Friendly Hotels

December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

If you are committed to living green, you don’t have to abandon that commitment just because you’re going on vacation. Eco-friendly hotels and resorts combine luxury with sustainable business practices to provide you with a vacation that is comfortable but also environmentally conscious.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants sponsors an EarthCare program where company employees make sugggestions on how to make hotels more eco-friendly. For example, at Kimpton Hotels, phone books are provided to guests upon request, instead of placing on in every room. This is one of the initatives that has helped each hotel in the chain save about 130 trees per year. Kimpton Hotels are all listed as Energy Star partners, and some, such as the Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia, are LEED-certified.

Hotel Indigo backs a number of sustainable initiatives for its properties, such as using green cleaning products, testing biodegradable food containers, and launching a water conservation program. Hotel Indigo properties are located in the United States, Canada, the UK, and China.

At the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel in California, rooms are lit with solar tubes and painted with low-emission paints. Recycling bins are placed in each guest room, and toilet paper and facial tissue are made from recycled products. Responsibly harvested wood was used in the LEED-certified hotel’s construction.

Hotel Terra in Jackson, Wyoming, is LEED-certified and follows a number of environmentally-friendly practices. Water conservation systems such as low-flow showerheads and low-flush toilets result in a 34 percent reduction in water use annually. Bed sheets, towels and bathrobes are made from organic cotton, and compact fluorescent light bulbs are used throughout the property. A food composting program has been implemented in the hotel’s restaurant, and refillable aluminum bottles replace disposable plastic bottles of shampoo, soap and conditioner.

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