Travel Deals

You may recall that not long ago we were trying to get Sandals to extend their special Fly Free plus up to 35% off€ offer, and we are pleased to announce that our campaign worked and the offer is good until the middle of August, at the very least: Get 1 Night FREE plus save up to 50% at Sandals Grande St. Lucian! Find out more. We’ll see what we can do beyond that, but this at least gives our best customers ... [read more]

Usually leading up to Valentine’s Day you’ll see all kinds of vacations for romantic couples advertised, so it’s nice that Expedia has gone out of their way to spread the love into the summer with this sale: Book your Romantic Travel on Expedia.com! They’ve got quite a few really outstanding offers at the moment, including some special ones to Paris, New York City, and Venice. Those places can all be kind of pricey, so it’s great that Expedia also has some packages to Cancun, ... [read more]

Those who’ve decided they don’t want to go to Europe this year because it’s so expensive will be happy to find out that these all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean are really cheap right now: All-Inclusive Caribbean Vacations Sure, part of the reason these things are so cheap right now is because of the so-called hurricane season, but that’s mostly a myth. Most of these resorts only have one storm through their area like every 10 or 15 years or so, and even then they know ... [read more]

The fine people at Spirit Vacations have some deals so good right now that I really had to share this with you guys: All Inclusive Vacation Deals Enjoy 25% – 50% off or more on All Inclusive Vacation Packages. Book today! The best deal is the one they have right on the top of the page. They have several options to the Bahamas and it says you can fly free and save an additional 50% off! It says Last Chance  so I wouldn’t wait ... [read more]

If I was looking for a super cheap trip then United Vacations wouldn’t be the first place I’d look, but that was because I wasn’t aware that they had really good deals like this: United Vacation Packages We provide vacation destinations including the Caribbean, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Mexico and more. The fine people seem to have extended a sale whereby travelers get $125 off to Las Vegas, and there are many more offers where that came from. They have a $300 discount to Italy, and ... [read more]

I just found the kind of deal that really appeals to me. These Caribbean experts have published a deal whereby their Mexico packages are always $50 off if you use this special code: Mexico is Always $50 Off As summer approaches and so many places looking incredibly expensive Americans it’s nice the we have our friends south of the border to turn to. These resorts are jammed all winter and spring, but they start emptying out this time of year so the prices go way ... [read more]

Right now many of the destinations we all like to flock to during winter are pretty cheap, and Funjet has some really good package deals you should consider before booking elsewhere: Funjet Vacation Packages. We offer exciting vacation destinations including Las Vegas, Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean and more. I get a lot of emails here from people asking me if June or July is too late to go to the Caribbean or Mexico, and I always reply that it’s too late as long as ... [read more]

In these tough economic times, more and more people are looking for cheaper vacation ideas. So with that in mind, have a look at the Southwest Vacations packages because this might be just what you are looking for: Southwest Airlines Vacations. Affordable vacation packages to destinations from coast to coast. Many people were thinking Europe would be ideal this year, but with the currency exchange rates lately that’s now out of the question. You probably know that Southwest Airlines has some of the cheapest ... [read more]

The fine people at Carnival are almost being unfair by offering 3, 4, and 5 day cruises at prices so low that we can no longer resist: Recharge your Batteries with 3,4,5 day Carnival Cruises These cruises are starting at $250 per person, and keep in mind that when you take a cruise you are getting your room, food, entertainment, and transportation all included in one price. You have to pay for drinks and shore excursions, but not much more than that. If you instead booked ... [read more]

Some people don’t take Priceline too seriously because of the whole William Shatner thing, but don’t hold that against them because they have some of the lowest prices anywhere: Priceline Last-Minute Package Deals! I think the last-minute deals this year are going to be better than ever because so many people are unsure of the economy that some people are probably canceling their vacations. Their loss is our gain because they lose their deposit and we get really cheap last-minute specials. Thanks, cancellers!

Click on the ... [read more]

The season in the Caribbean still has another month or more to go, but prices are way down so the timing is great: CARIBBEAN Travel Deals I’m not sure how this guy does it, but Caribbean Jim has rounded up some exceptional deals for us at the moment. Actually, I think Caribbean Jim is just a composite of other successful mascots at other companies, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less of a deal-getter for us!

For example, Caribbean Jim tells us that 7-night Barbados vacations ... [read more]

I just came across an astonishing deal and I had to share it with you guys: Last minute travel deals and vacation packages at Expedia.com! Once you click on that link you’ll see the current batch of last-minute vacation deals at Expedia. I don’t know how these prices are so low. Perhaps these are vacations that others have chosen and paid for, but they can no longer go so Expedia is reselling them for a special low fare. It’s got to be something like that ... [read more]

Dear Wade, I see that Carnival Cruises has excellent deals, but my husband has a fear of clowns. Will he be okay? Signed, Concerned Cruiser. Dear CC, yours is a common mistake, but Carnival Cruises don’t actually have American-style carnivals aboard, at least not usually: Sensational Rates on “Fun Ship” Getaways I get e-mails like that all the time from people who assume going on a Carnival Cruise involves riding rusty roller coasters and rickety Ferris wheels. It’s possible they started out that way, but now ... [read more]

Obviously not all cruises are alike, so the best deal for me might not be the best deal for you. This is one reason we are big fans of cruisedirect, who bring us this offer: Online Exclusives – Find the Perfect Cruise When you go to their site you see many major cruise companies with all of their best deals, including some really good last-minute offers. You can enter a destination and cruise length, and their search engine will tell you the best deals and which ships ... [read more]

I hesitate to even post this link because I have a feeling this will completely crash their computer system, but here goes anyway: Southwest Airlines Vacations. Affordable vacation packages to destinations from coast to coast. Okay, so the link text doesn’t do a great job of selling you on clicking, but once you do see the page this will take you to you’ll thank me. Everyone knows Southwest Airlines is consistently a low-price leader among US airlines, and in case you hadn’t heard, their packaged ... [read more]

I’m not sure how they manage it, but United Vacations has come up with yet another winner and I just had to share it with you guys: Hawaii Vacations Save up to $200 on vacations to Hawaii! Use Promotion Code NEWYEAR Think of how many more leis you could buy with that $200 you save! I’m pretty sure state law requires them to put a complimentary one on each arriving guest, assuming it fits around their head. So with this extra cash you could buy a box ... [read more]

Southwest Airlines often has the best fares on flights around the United States, and their vacation deals kick ass as well: Southwest Airlines Vacations. Indulge for less with great rates on vacation packages to Las Vegas

This is a great time of the year to be in Las Vegas. If you play your cards right you can actually have the other gamblers pay for your whole trip. It’s not easy, but it can be done if you put your mind to it and have your autistic ... [read more]

We are constantly on the lookout for the best cruise and vacation package deals around here, and this offer by Carnival Cruise Lines is so good we were thinking Ashton Kutcher and the PUNK’D crew were going to pop out from behind the filing cabinet at any minute – Caribbean Cruise Specials from $219!

Amazingly enough, it was no prank. They are offering Caribbean Cruise Specials starting at $219! Even if it is a prank, I think US law says that they have to honor it anyway, so don’t wait too long ... [read more]

In the cruise industry Carnival Cruise Lines are the 7-million pound monster. You can hardly go to a port of call in North America and the Caribbean without coming upon at least one Carnival cruise ship. They are everywhere.

The cruise monster has no intention of resting on its considerable laurels. Carnival Cruise Lines will begin sailing to South America in 2009. What this means to you, fair reader, is that you will have another cruising option to places like Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago, Chile. That option will inevitably include ... [read more]

If you are American you know that you are not allowed to travel to Cuba unless you get special permission for something like an educational tour or a Michael Moore documentary. If you are an American traveler, you know that plenty of people flaunt this law. They make their way to Cuba via a couple of undisclosed locations (cough* Mexico * cough * Canada).

Knowing full well that you are not intent on breaking any laws and that this is purely aimed at people who can legally travel to Cuba, BootsnAll does ... [read more]

In my vision of paradise cars don’t exist. I think my vision is not one shared by NASCAR drivers or those who like to get around by some other means than bike riding. Cars or no cars, Hawaii has been described on many an occasion as paradise on earth. It is hard to argue with a place that has beautiful white beaches, lush tropical forests, stunning mountains, and, yes, cars.

Some people choose to spend their Hawaiian vacation moving no further than the lounge chair by the swimming pool. Others ... [read more]

Do you remember the olden days when you had to choose between buying a VHS player or a Betamax player? Both were enormous devices that cost more than a pretty penny when they first came out. For those of us who gambled on the VHS player, we got years of quality movie entertainment until one of the kids in the family stuck a peanut butter sandwich in the machine and ruined it. For those who chose Betamax, the gamble reaped little rewards and soon most had to switch over to ... [read more]

Among the many reasons why you shouldn’t move to Florida: alligators, mosquitos, sink holes, hurricanes, people who drive with their left turn signal constantly on, the preponderance of blue hair, OJ Simpson lives there, Don Johnson, the 2000 presidential election and drive-in liquor stores.

The argument in favor of moving to Florida: sunshine.

If you are someone who can live with the unpleasant other things, but can’t live without sunshine then Florida has your name written all over it. Perhaps you aren’t thinking about moving there, but a visit is what you have in ... [read more]

Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerta Vallarta. If most people were asked to name the best places to go on the Pacific coast of Mexico, those three cities would likely be at the top of the list.

Cabo San Lucas is a beautifully located town. Located at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, Cabo has near perfect weather all year round. That is a good thing since it is located next to an ocean that is a virtual playground for fisherman and water sports enthusiasts.

Further down the ... [read more]

Traveling by yourself can be a unique and rewarding experience. It challenges you to figure out where you are going and how to get there. It can also inspire you to make new friends. Everyone loves a solo traveler. Group travelers, not so much.

While an individual trip can be special, sometimes an experience is best when you have someone else around. Someone else to help navigate through the airport customs. Someone else to be sympathetic when you stomach doesn’t appreciate the food it just ate. Someone ... [read more]

If you pay the least bit of news to what is going on in this world of ours you know that China is a country on the move. Its economy continues to surge, its cities continue to be rebuilt and its culture continues to change. These are exciting and dizzying times in China. It is an excellent time to see a historic transformation while it happens by visiting the world’s most populous nation.

A unique way to experience China is on a cruise ship. For whatever reason, there aren’t tons ... [read more]

There are two kinds of people. There are the kinds that like nothing more than to receive a big block of chocolate for their birthday and there are the kinds that like receive one of those boxes that have many flavors of candy. If you are in the sampler chocolate camp and think that variety is the spice of life, you probably will enjoy this 7-night Southern Europe cruise by Costa Cruises.

This is a fast moving cruise that will fill your tourist tummy with some delightful samples of Italy, Tunisia, Spain ... [read more]

It might be built on a swamp and it might be a political swamp, but the nation’s capital is still a great place for children to visit. I should know. Just about every year from third grade through eighth grade my class made a field trip to Washington, DC. It got to the point where I could give a tour of the city better than the tour guide and where I actually grew tired of the freeze dried ice cream at the National Air and Space Museum.

With its many monuments ... [read more]

As nice as he may be and as charming as the tradition is, spending another year watching a ball in New York drop while Dick Clark wishes you a happy new year is something that you should be actively seeking to avoid. Why let everyone else have the time of their life while you sit at home trying to stay up until midnight? This year, you can make it a New Year’s to remember by being aboard a cruise ship.

You don’t have to worry about drinking and driving the ... [read more]

We’ve been hyping summer cruises to Alaska for some time now on this here little blog. Alaska is truly one of the best places to do on a cruise. The only real drawback is that it is far away from where most of us live and as a consequence the cruises that visit the Last Frontier are usually more expensive than those going to the Caribbean and Mexico. That is not necessarily the case at the moment.

As we officially celebrate the first day of summer today we see that prices ... [read more]

As far as countries go, Costa Rica has always marched to the beat of a different drum. Instead of spending the 1980s engaged in war like many parts of Central America, it abolished its military. Instead of chopping down all of its trees and wilderness, it protected it. More than a quarter of the country’s land has been set aside for protection. Indeed, Costa Rica is the exception to the rule and that is one reason why it is an exceptional place to visit.

With one of a kind rainforests, ... [read more]

Some people like to call Reno, Nevada a poor man’s Las Vegas. That isn’t exactly the label one wants to read when they are going to a city that is known for its gambling establishments. Perhaps a better endorsement would be to call Reno a luck man’s Las Vegas.

Poor or lucky, Reno is what it is, which is primarily a city of casinos. That means lots of large rooms with gaming tables where you never can tell what time of day it is. That means hotels that are ... [read more]

Did you know that this is The Year of a Million Dreams? If you have been paying attention to all the Disney commercials recently you couldn’t help but know this. Disney and dreams apparently go together like chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. One person’s dream can be another person’s nightmare, however. Disneyland and the other assorted properties are the happiest place on earth as long as you have enough money to pay through the nose.

Southwest Vacations to the rescue. The little airline that could is doing its ... [read more]

Whenever you come across a travel description of cruises to New England and Canada you are almost always going to see the word “charming”. Unlike cruises to the Caribbean it would not be accurate to describe a Canada/New England cruise as a “sun getaway”. It would also not be right to label it “exotic”. Charming, however, fits the bill.

There is a charm to the way the costal towns in New England and eastern Canada go about things. These are places that are rich in history and where people cling to their ... [read more]

Fireworks, family and fun. Those are the things that many of us associate with the Fourth of July holiday. It was so very kind of the founders of the United States to choose to do the whole independence thing during the summer months. The extra day off during the summer is always a welcomed thing.

There is no shortage of choices available to those who are looking to get away for Independence Day. Heading to the beach is always a popular option, camping out in the woods usually doesn’t disappoint, ... [read more]

If you have read any travel magazines over the years or visited any number of Web sites, you know by now that Negril, Jamaica has been named one of the top ten beaches in the world. Located in the westernmost part of Jamaica, Negril has grown from a sleepy isolated town into a thriving tourist destination replete with the high quality resorts you’d expect to find where there are beautiful sand and clear blue waters.

What makes Negril different than a lot of popular beach resort destinations is that it hasn’t been entirely ... [read more]

Everyone knows the legend of New York City. It is a great place to travel but it is expensive as heck. Everywhere you look there are hamburgers that cost $30 and beers that will run you $20. It is a place to go only if you share the same tax bracket as Donald Trump or if you have a couch to crash on in one of his apartment towers. You’ll need to cash in your 401K plan just so you can spend a night out on the town.

This is ... [read more]

It is almost impossible to believe that yet another generation of children is growing up with Mickey, Pluto and the Disney gang. With so many entertainment options available to children today, it speaks volumes that so many still enjoy Disney movies, cartoons and those big theme parks in Orland, Anaheim, Paris and Tokyo.

The Disney empire spreads its wings far and wide. That includes ruling the high seas, as well. Disney Cruise Line has a couple of boats that set sail on a regular basis from Cape Canaveral, Florida. ... [read more]

Sometimes the best of travel is the planning. It is easy to spend hours looking for interesting sights to visit, scouting out the best restaurants in a foreign city, choosing which hotel you want to stay at, and figuring out how to get from point A to point B without getting stuck in point C. Indeed, vacation planning can often be more fun than the vacation itself.

Vacation planning also takes time and time is something we don’t often in have in abundance in our busy lives. Planning can also be ... [read more]

They call Alaska America’s Final Frontier. The second to last state admitted into the union is certainly not last when it comes to beauty. Alaska’s vast natural resources are legendary and no matter how great you have heard that they are you will still be blown away when you see them in person.

Stunning mountains, gorgeous glaciers, marine and land wildlife these are just a few of the attractions you will see while taking a cruise to Alaska. The famed inside passage is as beautiful a waterway as you ... [read more]

If you have spent any time shopping for cruises, and I am willing to bet that you have because you are reading these very words right now, you know that Carnival Cruise Lines offers up some of the cheapest voyages around. Their appeal is that they have quick voyages that are convenient to large swaths of the population in the United States and that these voyages are affordable. If you are looking for glamour, look elsewhere. If you want cheap fun, think Carnival.

You probably also have come across a number ... [read more]

Nothing in life is free and technically neither is this offer. You do have to spend money to fly to either Hawaii’s Big Island or to Maui. You do have to spend money on a new bathing suit because frankly you should be embarrassed to be seen in that old one. You also have to spend money on a hotel room for at least four nights. If you manage to do all of that, the free reward is within your reach.

Funjet Vacations and Prince Resorts have come together ... [read more]

Perhaps it will be the indelible legacy of the 21st Century. No, not the Internet or artificial sugar made from real sugar. What I am talking about is our modern custom of combing two disparate words into one. For example, did you know that you can combine crud and nuts to come up with “crust”? You can also do it with spiffy and terrific so that it is “spifirific”. But did you know that there is something now known as a “mancation’? Tis true. If you ... [read more]

Sometimes it feels like all we do in life is go from one place to another. We go to work. We go to school. We go down to the local bar to forget about work and/or school. Go, go, go .when is there ever time to sit in a chair and watch the world pass us by? Almost never.

We even choose to be on the go while on vacation. Whether it is a road trip or a backpacking trip or an around the world adventure, we are ... [read more]

Here is a 13-day cruise and overland tour that will blow you away with its incredible scenery, amazing wildlife and outdoor opportunities. CruiseWest is offering a package on a trip that takes you through the splendors of Denali National Park and on a memorable cruise along Alaska’s famed coast.

The trip begins in Fairbanks and heats up right away with a couple of days in Denali National Park. In addition to being home to the tallest mountain in the United States, Denali is a virtual summer playground for bears, elk, moose ... [read more]

Many a baseball fan has made a summer pilgrimage to Boston over the years. The city is, of course, home to Fenway Park, one of the true jewels of the American sporting world. You can’t call yourself a baseball fan or even a sports fan until you have watched a game from the historic stadium. Just be forewarned that it is home to something called the Green Monster. Kind of scary sounding, don’t you think?

If baseball is not your thing, there are myriad reasons to visit Boston in the ... [read more]

The samba, the beaches, the parties¦Brazil is one of the most funnest places to visit on this planet. Imagine the time you will have aboard a 4-night Costa cruise! The Costa Victoria is your vessel on a journey that begins and ends in Santos, a city in Sao Paulo. In addition to being the entry point for the bubonic plague in Brazil in 1899 (no sign of it today!), Santos has the biggest seaport in Latin America, a Coffee Museum that will leave you buzzing and a soccer memorial ... [read more]

There is something indescribable about Italy that sucks you in and makes you one of her own. There is the beautiful countryside, of course, with its quaint towns, rolling hills and relaxed way of life. There are the cities, as well, with their hustle and bustle. There is the Riviera with its stunning cliffs that overhang deep blue waters. There are also the mountains. The Alps and the Dolemites redefine the reaches of land.

Some or all of these components of Italy will likely leave you enchanted, but ... [read more]

Why did they decide to call it New Mexico? It is not like they came up with a newer, better formula like New Coke. Why not just call it North Mexico instead? And while we are at it, why did they have to name the biggest city in the state Albuquerque? Didn’t they realize that name is very difficult for those of us who are spelling impaired?

Thos are the only complaints I have about New Mexico and its biggest city. It is a lovely state with awesome scenery. ... [read more]

One minute you rarely hear about a country, the next it is the darling of the travel world. If your take a bit of time looking at the various travel deals floating around the Web, the odds are good that you will quickly come across something to do with Belize. The Central American country is a hot travel destination this year and it is easy to understand why.

Just a two-hour flight from the continental United States, Belize is an easy-to-reach beach destination. It doesn’t hurt that the country has a ... [read more]

The Pacific Ocean in many parts of North America hardly lives up to its name “peaceful sea”. For large portions of the year the Pacific churns and turns and swells¦and, well, you get the idea. It isn’t exactly the ideal place to be on a cruise. All of that changes in the summer when the seas become a bit more pacific and the costal scenery more visible.

Norwegian Cruise Line has an excellent six-night cruise along the Pacific Coast. Starting in Vancouver, British Columbia, the ship first makes its ... [read more]

Here is your trivial fact for the week. Saint Maarten is the smallest island in the world to ever be partitioned between two nations. The tiny Caribbean island is just 38 square miles and is split in half between the Dutch and the French (who call it Saint-Martin). The island is home to 71,000 people, making it one of the most densely populated places in the world. It also attracts more than 1 million tourists each year.

The reason that so many people are drawn to so small a place ... [read more]

The Dominican Republic is hot, both literally and figuratively. The summer temperatures are steamy and the island’s popularity is even hotter. The Caribbean island is quickly becoming a favorite destination of the jet set crowd (how does one apply to be a member of the jet set?) and it is also becoming a favorite destination for families looking for affordable vacations in paradise.

With its white sandy beaches, crystal clear blue waters, and verdant landscape, the Dominican Republic is a beautiful country. It also has some excellent resorts that won’t break ... [read more]

An old wise man once told me that the best way to save money is to not spend it. He also died with a pile of money and with few life experiences to show for it. Going by his logic, it might seem like a paradox that the more you spend the more you can save. How can you save more by spending more?

United Vacations shows how this contradiction works:

Save $200 on vacations of $3,600 or more Save $150 on vacations of $2,500 – $3,599 Save $100 on vacations ... [read more]

Dilemma time. You have limited vacation time and even more limited vacation money. You have some time off from work stored up and this summer seems like an ideal time to take it. You could stay at home and watch cartoons on the couch all day or you could go on a fun-filled trip that will include fabulous food, entertainment and weather. Is there really any choice? You’ve seen all the cartoons before anyway. The coyote is never going to catch that darned roadrunner.

Carnival Cruise Lines ... [read more]

There is something special about camping. Maybe it is the misquitos or the prospect of getting eating by a bear or eating burnt hot dogs over a campfire that attracts so many of us to campgrounds in the summer and all year round.

It is more likely that we enjoy camping because it is a chance to get away from the grind, it is an affordable vacation option, and it affords us the opportunity to spend time in spectacular parts of the United States. It also gives us all an ... [read more]

There are many places in this big old world that you can go and very few of them are more beautiful than British Columbia, Canada. With its stunning coastline, glorious mountains and relaxed way of life, British Columbia is an oft forgotten North American jewel. That won’t be the case after 2010 when Vancouver hosts the Winter Olympics. Once the world sees how amazing it is you can bet that people will flock to B.C.

Now is the optimal time to visit. The summer months in British Columbia cannot be ... [read more]

When you ask most Americans what their favorite holiday is there is a slim likelihood that anyone would choose Memorial Day. It doesn’t have the gifts of Christmas or the food of Thanksgiving or even the costumes of Halloween. It is a holiday after all to remind us of those who have died for the country. Hardly a reason to celebrate but it does have one thing that all of us can enjoy: the title of being the unofficial start of summer.

The summer months are, of course, the time when ... [read more]

Talk about a bummer. You are a slave to the man for 40+ hours a week. Your own saving grace is that you know you will have a few days off sometime in the future. You start socking away a little bit of money to save up for a cruise. You finally get the cash together, purchase your spot on board and you pack your bags. What you don’t realize is that while you are floating around the sea having a grand old time you still have to ... [read more]

Maybe you are past the age where it seems fun to sleep in a hostel dorm room with 25 strangers snoring all around you. Perhaps you are a road warrior who would like nothing more than to never see the inside of another hotel room ever again. Or maybe you are the type of traveler who likes to hang around a place for a while and to get to know the locals as much as possible.

Even if none of those descriptions fit who you are, you’ll still want to check out ... [read more]

If you have ever in your lifetime had an itch to visit Puerto Rico you will want to read on because I have the perfect scratch just for you. If you have no interest in Puerto Rico whatsoever but still like reading poorly written prose about vacation deals, keep on reading on too.

Cheap Caribbean has an outstanding deal on vacation packages to Puerto Rico. The only real catch is that you have to travel during the summer months sometime between June 14 and July 29, 2007. If you ... [read more]

The only thing cooler than traveling is going on the road to help those who need your assistance the most. Volunteer vacations are becoming increasingly popular especially for large groups like churches, universities and charities. Cheap Tickets has a program to help you save money on travel while you are saving lives and communities.

To qualify for the CheapTickets Volunteer Savings Program, groups must meet the following criteria:

¢ Contain 10 or more travelers ¢ Book hotel plus flight packages for the volunteer vacation on CheapTickets.com ¢ Provide documentation that your organization ... [read more]

It never ceases to amaze how different people in this country live in such different fashion. A person in New York City could go years without ever walking barefooted on grass. A person in a small town in the middle of nowhere could also go years without ordering sushi from a restaurant at 3am. Ours is a big and diverse country and we all go about living in it in our very own way.

AirTran has a deal that is being billed as a way to visit the big US ... [read more]

There are three people. Two of you are in one location and one person is in an entirely different location. You are all headed to the same place to holiday together. How do you make it so that two plus one equals three together in the desired location at the same time?

No, this isn’t a question for the SATs. This is a challenge that travelers often face when they are going to travel together with family or friends. The logistics of making sure that you all arrive in ... [read more]

Pound-for-pound (I should say kilo-for-kilo) Canada is one of the most underrated tourist destinations in the world. The United States’ neighbor is often overlooked by Americans looking to go on holiday. The perception some have is that once you cross the border you will have to contend with polar bears and Mounties. The Mounties part is true. The polar bear part, not so much.

The very real fact is that Canada is a wonderful place to travel for Americans and for people from other countries. It is a large ... [read more]

If you are looking for a quick and easy escape, consider taking a holiday in Montego Bay, Jamaica. With its sheltered Doctor’s Cave beach, clear turquoise waters and pretty surrounding mountains, it is a beautiful place to relax for a few days, especially when you can get an outstanding deal on a flight and hotel vacation package.

When Christopher Columbus first visited the island in 1494 he named the bay Golfo de Buen Tiempo (Fair Weather Gulf). The weather nor the fairness haven’t changed since. Make no bones about it, ... [read more]

Unless you are a polar bear or a person who would like to be a polar bear, chances are you don’t think about traveling to Alaska much in the winter months. But once summer rolls around you might be like millions of people who dream about seeing the splendors of the Last Frontier.

It has reached the point where the Inside Passage between Vancouver and Juneau has become a veritable superhighway for summertime cruise ships. Everyone and their mother are yearning to see the glaciers and wildlife of Alaska and there is ... [read more]

There are many advantages to choosing to travel to Puerto Rico. For one thing it is super close to the mainland United States and relatively easy to travel to. For another thing it is a super interesting island with a unique history and culture. For another it is a place that is used to hosting English speakers from the US. For another it has beautiful beaches and stunning waters. And best of all it is a slice of the Caribbean that doesn’t necessarily come with the Caribbean prices.

Puerto ... [read more]

Portugal is frequently an overlooked European destination. It should not be. A country of beauty and charm, Portugal is an excellent place to visit. And what better way to visit a country that was once renowned for its ocean explorers than to visit it on a cruise ship?

I’ll admit that Holland America’s 10-day cruise to Lisbon from Ft. Lauderdale might seem dull to some people. When you look at the itinerary all you see is day after day of “At Sea”. If sailing on the high ocean is not your ... [read more]

Where would you go if you had an around the world air ticket worth $2,000? Australia? Bali? Argentina? All of the above. The options are endless. Here’s your chance to make your travel dreams a reality. Sign up to take part in BootsnAll’s online Travel Treasure Hunt. You can win a ton of fabulous travel prizes like an adventure trip in Turkey, Eurail passes and a whole lot more.

The contest kicks off on May 1 and it costs you nothing to participate so go ahead ... [read more]

The only thing more foolish than paying full price for a Las Vegas vacation is paying full price for a Las Vegas vacation and losing your mortgage while playing craps. As my grandfather used to tell me when I was a little boy, fly wisely and gamble even wiser. Or something like that. I don’t gamble. I hate making casinos go broke.

With all the Vegas offers out there how does one possibly choose which to take advantage of? That is an excellent question. You should take a ... [read more]

As a bargain airfare shopper you are undoubtedly aware of Southwest Airlines. They invented the cattle drive boarding process and essentially made it affordable for just about everyone to fly. They also have those nifty free drinks coupons. After you use a few of them you will really enjoy being herded onto their planes.

While their flights are a proven entity, you may not be aware of the fact that they also offer vacation packages. Southwest Airline Vacation is what you would expect from the nation’s leading discount ... [read more]

We’re diving head first into the travel season when it becomes expensive to travel to Europe. Everyone and their mother’s mother want to visit the Old Continent during the summer season and that means that the airlines can bend you over their knees and spank you until all of the money falls out of your pockets.

There is hope, however, if you are able to travel between now and the start of the summer crunch (late May). This is kind of the in between period where prices creep up but aren’t quite ... [read more]

Do you ever feel like the weight on the world is on your shoulders? No matter how strong you might be carrying the world’s weight can be a real drag after a while. Before things start getting so heavy that your back, head and appendix start to hurt, you should consider it time to take for a vacation. What better way to lose all responsibilities by allowing a cruise ship to carry your weight for a week?

Carnival is known for their affordable cruises. While they deliver the cheap prices, ... [read more]

Do you remember the months after Crocodile Dundee came out? Every person and their mother wanted to go to Australia. And then they looked at a map and realized that is was slightly further away than Alabama and slightly more expensive to travel to. Ah, the sound of travel plans shattered by money and distance. It is one that brings sadness to my ears. We’ve all experienced it.

The good news is that even without the Croc man on the big screen Australia is still a desirable place to ... [read more]

SE Asia is a culture that must be experienced at its own pace. While the cities are busy and frantic, the countryside is tranquil and decidedly slower. You will have plenty of time to experience this firsthand during an 18-day adventure trip that follows the Trail of the Khmer through Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

The trip begins and ends in Bangkok, Thailand’s bustling and unforgettable capital. From there you go off the beaten path and onto the Khmer Trail by visiting some of Cambodia’s most amazing spots. You’ll also ... [read more]

Is there a community in this world that does not have music? It would seem that music is one of the few common threads that bind humanity. We may not all like the Spice Girls, for example, but we all like something. This has always been the case. Even in ancient times people felt the need to make noise beyond the grunts and groans that come out of our mouths. Music is a universal phenomenon and it isn’t going anywhere soon.

Many people travel to listen to music in ... [read more]

It is hard to imagine that 42,807 people choose to live in the desert. That is the population of Palm Springs, California, a town with an average daytime high of 108 degrees in the summer. That is the population of a place that averages 354 days of sunshine per year and on average receives less than 6 inches of rain annually. How is a town that size able to sustain itself in a place that dry? Do the residents take their buckets and fill them up at the local ... [read more]

Children are an expensive proposition. Between feeding them, putting clothes on their backs and bribing them to behave in public places it costs more than a pretty penny to raise kids. It is amazing that any of us have any money left over to go on family vacations.

Not all family vacations are created equally, of course. You can put the young ones in the backseat and travel to a campground where you can live off of franks and beans and hardly spend a cent. Ahhh, my childhood memories. ... [read more]

It is not every day that one comes across a cruise that makes a port of call in Haiti. The impoverished Caribbean nation once had a thriving tourism business but that has certainly not been the case for a number of years. Perhaps that is all about to change.

Royal Caribbean International offers up a 5-day cruise from Miami that goes to both Jamaica and Haiti. The ship stops in Labadie, Haiti which is described in the following fashion:

Labadie has the distinctive charm of delivering in just one place some of the best ... [read more]

I’d like to take credit for being the one who first said that golf is a good walk spoiled, but alas Mark Twain beat me to the punch. Twain sure did know what he was talking about. You can play golf on a beautiful day in a beautiful location with beautiful people around you and still think that the day was the ugliest day in the history of ugly days.

A few hooks here, a few shots into the water there and the next thing you know you are out a couple ... [read more]

Not very many things stand the test of time. You don’t see many people watching black and white televisions today. You don’t hear too many people using the term “daddy-o” on the streets. You don’t find too many people who publicly admit to listening to Milli Vanilli. Hot items come and hot items go. I blame it on the rain.

One thing that has stood the test of time is the draw that Disneyland has towards children. Even with computer games, iPods and countless cartoons on television, Disney ... [read more]

I am not even going to pretend to know what this means, but for those in the audience who are tech savvy and tied to a handheld device I imagine that your heart is going to go all aflutter when you read this:

Press Release

Recent weather conditions have left airline passengers stranded for hours, and according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, almost one in four flights arrived late in 2006.

Now, Google SMS offers users real-time flight status and airline information, using data from flightstats.com. No more rushing to the airport, only ... [read more]

If you do a Google search for Rome the first thing that comes up is a television series on HBO by that very name. How did a show that has only been around for a couple of years beat out a city that has been inhabited since around the 8th Century BC? The whole thing about Rome not being built in a day doesn’t apply to the Internet apparently. A couple of years is equal to a day when you are talking about development over centuries.

The deal for today has ... [read more]

Forget love and a lifetime of happiness. The real reason to get married is so that you can have a bachelor or bacherlorette party. You can gather all your friends in one place, do things that you would normally never dream of doing and party one last time before you settle into a lifetime of marital bliss.

Ok, so the marital bliss stuff does trump a weekend of fun, but nevertheless a bachelor or bachelorette party is a rite of passage in many parts. What better way to celebrate than to get away ... [read more]

If you were in London this very second check out all the cool things you could be doing. If you are in London this very second, what the hell are you doing reading this blog? Go out and enjoy life already. You live in one of the coolest places on this planet. Go be cool.

For the rest of you, if you want to be cool too and hang out with all the cool kids in London, now is the time of year to get your cool on. ... [read more]

As a cheap travel type of guy, I generally have very little loyalty. I don’t care which airline I fly as long as it saves me money. I don’t care how fancy the accommodations are as long as they are within my price range. I don’t care who rents me my rental car as long as it runs and doesn’t have a used baby diaper in the backseat when I pick it up (long story, best told at a later date). In short, I am the type of person ... [read more]

There might be lovelier places in spring than Paris but I can’t think of many. After the winter gloom departs and the flowers remember that they are supposed to be colorful, Paris comes alive in a way that doesn’t exist the rest of the year. Indeed, springtime is the time for Parisians to enjoy Paris. The tourists aren’t out in big numbers and the city’s many charms are on full display.

Many a person has fallen in love in Paris in the spring and many a couple have rekindled the flames ... [read more]

You can hardly go a click of mouse in your Internet travels these days without coming across some kind of deal on Caribbean vacation packages. In fact, you are likely to come across ads with blinking lights and dancing coconut shells or something equally absurd. I promise never to have blinking anythings on this site. Can’t promise I won’t be absurd though.

Now that the winter holiday rush is over and Spring Break is soon to be a hazy memory, the various resorts in the Caribbean are eager to ... [read more]

Mirrors on the ceiling and pink champagne on ice are not for everyone. I personally prefer mirrors on the floor and pink lemonade. There are, of course, more hotels in Los Angeles than just the Hotel California. The city and, in fact, all of Southern California has some excellent places to lay your head at night when you aren’t busy trying to make it big on the big screen.

Los Angeles area hotels are plentiful and as with most things involved with the city they range from truly memorable to truly ... [read more]

When I arrived in Fiji a few years back I had a backpack on my shoulder and a limited amount of money in my pockets. I was traveling by myself and merely had a travel guide to direct me. I had been on the road for weeks and was feeling completely worn down. I was lonely and tired of people. I had lost faith in humanity. All I wanted to do was go home, a sad thought considering I had just landed on an island that is close ... [read more]

Do you ever find it annoying when people use the word “aloha” when they are speaking English? I do. It is a pretty word and in Hawaiian it sounds great but when you sprinkle it in with English conversation it just sounds silly. That is my pet peeve for the week. You are forewarned. If I hear you saying aloha in an inappropriate setting I will scorn you and not share my delicious freshly sliced Hawaiian pineapple with you.

Now, if you are in Hawaii and you feel the ... [read more]

In our never-ending search to find unusual cruise itineraries we’ve come across this one. It is a 16-day voyage aboard Costa Cruise Lines‘ Costa Magica. Unlike those other boring old cruises that simply go from Florida to the Bahamas, this one is not content to just end there. No, this is a cruise for the adventurer. It is a cruise for people who like to spend time at sea. It is a cruise for the ocean-tested souls amongst us. It is a cruise to Copenhagen, Denmark ... [read more]

This webcast is geared towards travel writers and journalists but if you are a travel junkie you might learn a thing or three as well.

From the press release:

Vacation packages are no longer just for first-time travelers. More than ever, even experienced travelers are booking their dream trips with the ease of one-stop shopping (airfare, hotel and itinerary for one price). Why the trend?

Join us for an exclusive web event for travel journalists hosted by Rudy Maxa of public televisions’ 65-part “Smart Travels series as he talks about:

¢ What makes a good travel package

¢ Who’s buying travel ... [read more]

Greece is a very proud and patriotic country, as well it should be. Greek history is long and storied. It is little wonder that the country’s modern national anthem has no less than 158 verses. It might take you a full millennium just to sing them all.

Fortunately you will not be asked to sing it on Royal Caribbean’s 7-night cruise of the Greek Isles. You might be persuaded to do some karaoke, but that is par for the course on a cruise. This is a cruise that ... [read more]

Some people love the idea of planning for a wedding. I am not one of those people. I understand that it is a magical day that you will remember for the rest of your life, but somehow I don’t think that 40 years from now you are going to remember what kind of flowers were in the centerpieces on your wedding tables. I’d rather just kick back with friends and family members and not worry about planning out every last detail. I am lazy that way.

Carnival Cruise Lines has ... [read more]

Does the thought of wearing cucumbers on your eyes excite you? Does the mere mention of a mud bath get your juices flowing? Do you go to night dreaming about a deep tissue massage?

If you answered yes to those three questions than you are just like me; you are a health spa fiend. It doesn’t matter where the spa is located, I love them. My friend even convinced me to go to one in a strip mall next to a major interstate highway. It was heaven.

I ... [read more]

Here is a way to join the mile-high club without having to sneak off to a cramped airplane restroom while the rest of the cabin is watching a cheesy romantic comedy at 50,000 feet. Simply visit Denver, Colorado and enjoy the company of your significant other in the comfort of a bed, chair, swing, or whatever. After all, Denver is the Mile High City so by my calculations that means you will be in the club. Of course I am not president of the club so I don’t have the ... [read more]

The postcard had to be invented because of Vermont. Many years ago a person must have been traveling through the state without a camera only hoping to share the beauty with her friends and loved ones back home. The spectacular Green Mountains, the charming little villages, the clear blue lakes¦mere words could not do the state justice. She must have convinced someone to take a picture for her and to post it in the mail.

That is always how I envision Vermont. Having spent a lot of time there I ... [read more]

Traveling to Europe in the summer is a bit akin to being a cow in a cattle drive. The herds of masses obligingly travel from one old church to another with the occasional stop at a famous landmark for a picture or two. Not that there is anything wrong with this. Europe is a wonderful continent with no shortages of beautiful sights, but to go there in the summer months is to know the true meaning of an overpopulated world.

One way around this is to travel during the off-season. ... [read more]