Buy A WONKA Bar – Win A Trip Around The World!

The chocolicious folks at WONKA are bringing back the giddy excitement of finding a Golden Ticket inside your candy wrapper, but this time instead of a tour of the chocolate factory, the prize will be a trip around the world for FOUR! We’ll all become ‘Charlies’ as we excitedly unwrap our prized WONKA bar hoping to reveal one of the 10 Grand Prize Golden Tickets that will fly each winner and three of their friends or family members on a trip around the world.

In celebration of the launch of their new candy line, WONKA Exceptionals, the candy makers at WONKA have come up with an “exceptional” sweepstakes as well.  In all, there will be 10 Golden Grand Prize Tickets for trips around the world for four, plus there are almost 4,000 instant win Purple Prize Tickets that award prizes such as airline vouchers, Ticketmaster gift cards, $25 movie certificates, and vouchers for free WONKA Exeptional chocolates.  The new chocolate bars are the Scrumdiddlyumptious Chocolate Bar, Chocolate Waterfall Bar, and the Domed Dark Chocolate Bar.  Each bar or pack of mini’s will feature a “Golden Ticket Burst” to identify the package as possibly holding a prize ticket.

This Easter season I won’t be hunting for chocolate eggs…. I’ll be on a WONKA Golden Ticket hunt instead!!

Dust Off Your School-Girl Kilty Skirt And Head To New York’s Tartan Day Scots Celebration

As the sound of fiddles and flutes fade away from St. Patrick’s Day, another group of Celts are tuning up their pipes for a grand Tartan Day celebration. Beginning on April 2nd, New Yorkers and visitors will gather on Ellis Island to kick off the 9th Annual Tartan Week celebration in recognition of Scottish heritage in the United States.

Scottish festivities unfold from Friday April 2nd through Sunday April 10th as Tartan Day on Ellis Island kicks off the celebration with performances by pipers, drummers, singers and dance companies.  All Tartan Day events on Ellis Island are free of charge and totally family friendly.  Uptown On Saturday 4/3 runners in kilts (and other outfits) will take to the streets for a 10K Scotland Run while Scottish entertainers keep the spectators tapping their feet.

On Monday evening April 5th celebrities, top models, actors and executives join  Sir Sean Connery at M2 for the Glenfiddich Dressed to Kilt fashion show for the benefit of charity.  This year’s theme “Mad For Scotland” is bound to produce some outrageously fun plaid designs!

Wednesday April 7th brings Whisky Live to Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on the Hudson River for a gala evening of Whisky tasting and education.  All the world’s great Whiskies are gathered together in one exhibit hall where attendees sample offerings from premier producers and distillers and attend ‘education and entertainment zones’, where they will learn the intrigues of coopering, whisky blending, cocktail making.

Scots celebrations culminate with the grand National Tartan Day Parade on Saturday April 10th starting at 45th Street and winding its way up 6th Avenue with over 2,000 kilt clad pipers, drummers and Scottish groups.  Grand Marshal Alex Fergusson is sure to set a lively tone to the festivities!  And for those who just want a great thing to come to an end… there’s the Post Parade Party at STOUT.

This is clearly a week filled with hearty laughter, moving music and a tipple or two of fine Scots whisky!

Wild Things You Make My Heart Sing – It’s Wildflower Season In The Southwest!

Do you remember the 60′s initiative of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson to plant wildflowers along the nation’s highways?  It seemed everyone back then was enamored of daisies in their hair and wild things growing in the fields (and some of them got us in trouble!)  Flash forward 50 years and the quest to catch a glimpse of fields filled with riotous wildflowers in full bloom gets thousands of travelers planning their spring road trips.  This year the unusually stormy rains of this past winter promise a spectacular wildflower display.  Here’s a primer on where to find landscapes painted in every color of the rainbow courtesy of mother nature.

Texas – Wildseed Farms, Wildflower Celebration April 3-18th
Located between Austin and San Antonio Texas, you’ll find Fredericksburg and Wildseed Farms, one of the premier producers of wildflower seeds in the United States.  In April their 200 acres of meadows, walking trails and fields erupt with swaths of bluebonnets, red corn poppies, verbena, Indian paintbrush and dozens of other species.  During April there will be celebrations each weekend with live entertainment, brewgarden chuck wagon BBQs and pick-your-own bouquet walks.  Don’t miss the intriguing Butterfly Haus with over 200 species of butterflies floating from bloom to bloom. Read more

3 Unexpected Travel Trends You Need To Be Aware Of

The rapid pace of technological advancements brings increasing ease of communication and accessibility to travel  information, as well as new conveniences for making travel decisions and reservations.  There is a flip side to this equation however; new trends also provide opportunities for unintended consequences, potential new fees and electronic vulnerabilities.  Here are three emerging situations that savvy travelers need to be aware of – 1) Increased flight cancellations expected due to new DOT Flight Delay Regulations, 2) New foreign exchange fees charged by credit card companies for purchases made from foreign based companies, 3) Study finds hotels are new favorite target of sophisticated identity thieves.  Read more

It’s Restaurant Week in Newport RI

Don’t miss the spring restaurant week in Newport Rhode Island that runs between March 19-28, 2010.  In this bustling seaside town there are wonderful restaurants with accomplished chefs on every block.  This is the perfect time to take a mini excursion and indulge in some exceptional seafood.  Three course lunches are $16 and dinners are $30 at over 35 participating restaurants.  Find all the details at GoNewportRestaurantWeek.

Crystal Cove Beach Bungalows Transport You Back To The Golden Days of Early Hollywood

Tucked between the tony enclaves of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, on California’s sunny southern coast, lies a charming seaside sanctuary dotted with cozy beach bungalows preserved from a bygone era.  More than a dozen Crystal Cove Beach Cottages (located within the Crystal Cove State Park ) have been lovingly restored and are available for rent by the day or week.  Originally constructed as a set for a South Pacific movie, snug beach homes continued to be built throughout the 30′s, 40′s & 50′s as rustic retreats for silent film stars, rum runners and a rising Hollywood elite.  The Crystal Cove Beach Colony developed into a nature sanctuary where only the tides brought change.  An active Crystal Cove Alliance association successfully saved the community from redevelopment into a massive beach resort and is gradually refurbishing 46 homes to their original vintage condition.

Today, there are 10 individual restored cottages for rent year round, as well as 3 dormitory style homes.  Some homes are located directly on the 3.5 mile stretch of beach, while others enjoy a bluff top perch with sweeping coastal views.  The prices to rent these historic gems are astonishingly low, resulting in a brisk competition for vacation availability.  Cottage rental rates start at $125 per night, and all are under $200 per night as the base rate.)  All reservations are handled by ReserveAmerica.com (800-444-7275) and availability (for 7 months ahead) is posted on the first day of each month at 8am (pacific time).  It is recommended that you pre-register on the site in advance so you can click right through to the reservation without having to fill out preliminary information.  Reservations can be made for a maximum of a 7 night stay or for a little as one day.  It is also recommended that you read all tips about securing a reservation at the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages reservation information page.  Those lucky enough to snag a reservation will be treated to a memorable stay at one of the last undeveloped yet accessible coastline beaches in all of California.

Here’s a link or more information on the southern beaches of California and the web page for the Crystal Cove State Park.

Yippie – Turks & Caicos Is On Sale!

Those of you who know me well, know that although I’ve traveled all across the globe, Turks and Caicos is the only destination I’ve ever seriously considered moving to.  Yes, it’s that wonderful!  Spectacular beaches, aquamarine and electric blue ocean, friendly locals, world renowned bone fishing, an eclectic array of restaurants, and gorgeous upscale resorts await.  The fact that it was protected from major development until a dozen years ago, helps to explain why it remains a pristine paradise that attracts movie stars and beach lovers alike.  But alas, as luxury resorts have gone up, so have the prices.  It’s been rare to see dramatic sales in Turks and Caicos – so when promotions are announced, it’s time to celebrate and book a trip.  Here are details of the best current promotions:  Read more

The Ultimate Slumber Party – Sleep ON The Great Wall Of China!

A journey to China is filled with dozens of unique travel experiences for first time visitors. The miles of neatly parked black bicycles, the first time you’re offered a “1000″ year old egg to eat, the brightly painted Ming Dynasty temples, the sheer size and breadth of the highways and public squares, and the pace of new construction, all create a juxtaposition that is staggering.  At the top of most traveler’s sightseeing list is a visit to The Great Wall, located about 3 hours outside of Beijing.  What a shame it would be to travel all the way to China, and all the way to The Great Wall only to be herded like lemmings onto a restored section of the wall with hundreds (maybe thousands) of other sightseers.  Forget about jogging on The Great Wall… you’ll be lucky to find a spot to peep over the parapets and glimpse the countryside beyond.  If you’re like me, there will be way too many heads and necks in your view!  And don’t spend too much time walking along the wall, for you’ll surely want to visit the gift shops and purchase your requisite “I Climbed The Great Wall” t-shirt before the bus leaves.  The picture above was shot on May Day with a few of my fellow sightseers!!!  Fortunately there’s another way….

The folks at TheChinaGuide.com (an American managed/Beijing based travel company) offer a unique and intriguing tour to The Great Wall that includes a “Sleep On The Wall” experience.  (Less adventurous travelers can opt to stay in a traditional courtyard hotel at the base of the wall instead.)  The tour visits a section of the wall that is less frequented by tour buses, so you will have plenty of opportunity to roam.  Following dinner in the village and an evening hike along the wall, tour participants who opt to ‘sleep on the wall’ climb to a watchtower along with their guide, and bed down in a cozy sleeping bag with sleeping mat.  After a night of imagining you’re a trusty tower scout watching for an invading Mongol army, breakfast arrives (hot coffee, muesli and fruit) and it’s off for a 6 mile walk to discover more mysteries of the wall along with your guides.  Imagine the stories you’ll have to tell when you return home.  “I not only climbed the wall, I lived on it like Chinese soldiers did thousands of years ago”!  Here’s a link that will bring you to a full description of this unique Sleep On The Wall tour.  You might also like to read the trip report and watch a video by a Toronto Star reporter.

Now for the rest of us who are not entertaining a trip to China in the near future…. TheChinaGuide website has an outstanding feature -   360 degree panorama videos of  major sights in and around Beijing including The Great Wall,  Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, The Forbidden City, and Olympic stadiums – you’ll almost feel like you’re there.   Enjoy this virtual tour of Beijing!

ps – the photos in the article were not taken on The China Guide tour – they are my photos from a previous visit to China.

Virgin Atlantic Wants To Know – Are You A Swinger?

No, we’re not talking about stepping out with the Virgin Fly Girls (although I’m sure they’d get plenty of volunteers), we’re talking about exuberant golfers who love competition!  Members of Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club (the free to join frequent flyer program), are invited to join Virgin’s online Golf League where you can find golf buddies across the globe.

Here’s what’s in it for you!

• Find a golf partner wherever you travel around the world
• Monthly contests for photo of the month, video of the month and player of the month
• Connect with other golfers through the Virgin’s Golf Blog
• Read course reviews by other members and contribute your own
• Win a spot in a Ryder Cub style competition – Europe versus the rest of the world.  The golf championship  will take place in September in the UK for the top 12 Swingers!
• The first 100 Swingers to submit a score will receive a special Swingers goody bag.

All great reason to join Virgin Atlantic’s Flyers Club whether you plan a cross-Atlantic journey in the near future or not!

1,2, Free! Stay Two Nights, Get One Free Hotel Deals

Major hotels are jumping on the Buy Two, Get One Free bandwagon. Rather than reducing their rates in general, hotels are offering customers a free night’s stay instead.  Stay for two consecutive nights and get one free equals a 33 1/3% price reduction for your overall stay.  For instance if you stay two nights at $150 per night and then get one night free, you’ve actually spent $100.50 per night – a bargain!  Here’s a list of properties offering the 2+1 specials:

Four Seasons Hotels want you to ‘stay longer’.  They’re offering a 3rd night free in many of their locations including Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Palm Beach, Miami, Atlanta, Austin, Alexandria and Philadelphia to name a few.  There are several international destinations included as well – Whistler, Prague, Dublin and more.  Check the website for hotels that are participating in the “Stay Longer” program, it may just make staying at the top luxury properties within your budget!

Trump International Beach Resort in  Sunny Isles Beach Florida, offers “Free Fridays”.  Book a minimum of a 3 night stay that includes a Friday night, and you’ll receive Friday for free along with a full American breakfast.  Book by March 16th for stays through March 31, 2010

Lake Tahoe – March in the Mountains at Heavenly Now this is a deal!  Stay at the Big Pine Mountain House, Lakeside Inn or Blue Lake Inn and ski at Heavenly Ski Resort for two days and you’ll receive the third night at the hotel and third day of skiing free.  The promotion is valid weekdays or weekends through April 18th and starts at $75 per person per night!

St. Martin Radisson Resort & Marina wants you to recharge this summer – when you stay for 3 nights you’ll only pay for two.  Your stay will include complimentary breakfast for two, (kids stay and eat free), and you’ll get a 10% discount on Le Spa services.

Half Moon Bay California – Located on a beautiful stretch of vibrant coastline a bit south of San Francisco, this community wants you to stay a few days to discover their many attractions.  There’s top tier golfing, biking and hiking; surfing, whale watching and horseback riding on the beach.  Fifteen lovely lodgings are offering the 3rd night free through April 15th.

Loews Hotels are promoting Loews Long Weekends.  Stay Thursday through Saturday night and take 30% off your bill at participating properties.

Choice Hotels International has a great twist on this offer – stay two separate nights by April 30th and you’ll receive enough Choice Privilege points for a free night stay.  Be sure you sign up for the Choice Privilege program prior to your stay.

And don’t miss the spring sale from Expedia.  They have a promotion featuring 3rd, 4th or 5th nights free throughout major vacation destinations around the globe.  Book by 3/18/10 to get the promotional rates.

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