TripWOW, A New Photo Feature From Trip Advisor Is A Knockout!

I just tried out Trip Advisor’s new photo feature TripWOW, and it was nothing short of ingenious – a killer app to add to your knowledge base!  Now anyone can turn their vacation photos into a great destination video in 5 minutes flat – no expertise required.  We’re talking 3-D graphics, background music, interactive maps, everything you’ll need to impress your friends and relatives.  Just log onto TripWOW, select your desired theme, upload your photos, pick some music, add a few picture descriptions and you’re done.  Have a look at my first video of Cat Island in the Bahamas – genius if I do say so myself.

Try making a video yourself – I predict you’re going to love this photo tool!

Big Discounts Make St. Lucia A Must Go Destination!

I love it when this happens! Over the past few days we’ve received two amazing sales notifications for St. Lucia; one from a luxury hotel, and one from an airline – presto… a really great vacation opportunity!

The five-star luxury adult’s-only boutique hotel, Rendezvous Resort on St. Lucia, is inviting travelers from the USA and Canada to save 40% on intimate romantic getaways. The Rendezvous Resort is an elegant, all-inclusive, secluded hideaway where you’ll leave stress and tension behind as you sink your toes into the soft sand and enjoy being pampered by an attentive staff where ‘nothing is too much trouble’.  You can be as active or relaxed as you like, as you sample the resort’s many leisure activities, lovely beachfront, and indulgent spa – a perfect location for couples in need of romance.  To receive 40% off standard rates, reservations must be made by April 30, 2010.

To get to St. Lucia, just rely on Jet Blue and their expanded nonstop flight schedule from New York JFK to Saint Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport (UVF).  Beginning on May 1st, JetBlue will fly 5 times per week on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  To celebrate their new schedule, JetBlue is offering flights for $99 each way if purchased by May 1st, for travel between May 6 and June 16, 2010. The new schedule coincides perfectly with the St. Lucia Jazz Festival that takes place between May 1 to 9.

Combine these two sales, and anyone with a summertime anniversary has the perfect makings of an affordable ultra-pampered celebration!

Pamper Your Mom With Imaginative Mother’s Day Celebrations & Getaways

Mother’s Day is right around the corner (May 9th in case you’ve lost track), and you know that the wonderful Moms in your life deserve way more than a few flowers or a soggy bowl of cheerios.  We’ve searched the internet to bring you imaginative Mother’s Day celebrations and getaways to make this year’s Mother’s Day an extra special one.

Renaissance Hotels have a promotion the whole family will flip over! On Mother’s Day, Renaissance Hotels all across the country will be hosting a special kind of pancake breakfast where kids are encouraged to don a kid-sized chef’s hat and make a custom crafted pancake for their Mom.  Specially designed child-friendly pancake stations will feature fresh local ingredients, fruits, syrups and garnishes to guarantee Mom some VERY creative hot cakes.   They will also be offering great weekend rates for families who want to pamper Mom all weekend long.

Few destinations will be as stunningly grand on Mother’s Day as the stately Nottoway Historic Inn in White Castle Louisiana.  Nottoway is the largest remaining antebellum mansion in the Southern United States, and on Mother’s Day the estate will offer a Gala Jazz Brunch and Mansion Tour.  Experience the grandeur and hospitality of ‘the old south’ for a very special day. Read more

Don’t Take A Disney Vacation Without This App

If you’ll be taking the kids to on Disney vacation this year, here’s a fabulous App you won’t want to do without.  UndercoverTourist.com (a theme park ticket broker) has introduced an iPhone App that gives users up-to-the-minute ride wait times, park and event info, interactive maps, ‘find me’ feature for locating family and friends, parade times, restaurant locations and much more.  Check it out at the iPhone App Store.

Incredibly Cheap Business Class Airfares To Paris In High Season!

Open Skies Airlines has announced an amazing companion airfare promotion to celebrate their new route from Dulles Airport (Washington DC) to Orly Airport (Paris).  Business class flights start at $1,349 one way for TWO passengers! If you’re not familiar with Open Skies Airlines yet, it’s time to become a fan.  Open Skies is a subsidiary of British Airlines and  is an all-business class airlines featuring 2×2 seating throughout the aircraft with cushy seats, premium food service and of course cutting edge entertainment systems.  The promotional fares are available for purchase through May 22, 2010 for travel beginning May 3rd through September 10, 2010 (right through the prime-time summer travel season)!  For slightly higher prices you can catch a Open Skies flight from Newark Airport to Orly as well.  Visit FlyOpenSkies.com to book your flights and to read all the fine print about availability, terms and conditions.

Nibble Your Way Through Hidden Paris With A Famed Food Writer

I have to thank my foodie friend Linda M. for finding this wonderful Paris site and passing the link on to us.   The Paris Kitchen.com is a treasure of French culinary information, edited by Paris Food Writer, Wendy Lyn.  Wendy (an expat from the deep south) shares her most loved food-centric Paris sites including restaurants, neighborhood markets, bakeries, patisseries, wine shops, and off-the-radar gems known only to locals, in her lively blog.

What’s even more exciting, is that Wendy offers culinary tours and walks for travelers who are interested in gaining  a deeper understanding of Parisians and their incomparable cuisine. These insider tours will have you nibbling and sipping your way through Wendy’s little black book of French culinary excellence.  Offered for individuals or groups up to 6 people, Wendy’s tours include a Left Bank Food & Wine Crawl, Chocolate & Pastry Tasting Walk, Champagne Tasting and Appreciation, French Market Walks and more.  What could be more ‘delicious’ than getting a personal introduction to the best food vendors, chefs, wine and cheese shops, and world renowned bakers of Paris?  A walk with Wendy will surely give you insights into French life and customs that will enable you to shop and dine with renewed appreciation wherever you travel in France.

Not interested in the process – just want to dig into a  sublime meal at a buzz worthy Paris restaurant?  Sign on for an outing with Wendy’s inventive Paris Supper Club!  This is a twice monthly series of hosted all-inclusive prix-fixe dinners for six at the hottest eateries around the city.  The summer schedule has just been released and is filling up quickly.  Check your travel calendar and sign up immediately if you’ll be lucky enough to be in Paris on one of their dinner evenings!

So whether you’re heading to Paris soon, or just yearning to do so, enjoy the enthusiastic insights Wendy has to offer in her TheParisKitchen.com website.

Take The Whole Family Out For A Free Day Of Golf At A Marriott Resort

Marriott International has announced its 2010 schedule for free family golf  events at 30 participating resorts from May 1st through November.  Marriott’s 3rd Annual Family Golf Festival promotes a day full of golfing fun to encourage parents and children to learn and play golf together. The event offers free golf instruction, learning clinics, interactive golf games and of course fun prizes.  Last year over 5,000 enthusiastic golfers of all ages participated in the festivals!  You’ll also be happy to learn that Marriott Golf Resorts always offer a Kids Play Free Program for children up to the age of 15 to play free of charge every day after 3:00 pm when accompanied by a paying adult.  Here’s a chart of all of the participating resorts, their location and event dates:  Read more

Airports Across Europe Close Due To Volcanic Ash

Volcanic ash spewing into the atmosphere by the volcano eruption in Iceland has brought air travel in Northern Europe to a halt.  All major airports across Scandinavia, the UK, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland and very likely Germany have been affected.  If you have reservations to fly to Europe in the next 2 to 5 days, you should be in close contact with your airline.  The current closings are the largest shut down of airports in Europe at a time of peace.

The current hope is that the ash will dissipate enough for air travel to resume in another day or two.

Important Questions To Ask Before Booking An Adventure Tour

Anne (a member of our Wicked Good community) recently sent us a report of her sea kayaking misadventure in Belize, leading us to consider the important questions you should ask an Adventure Tour Operator before booking a trip.

Anne had read our article “Lodge to Lodge Kayak Adventure in Stunning Belize” and thought it would be a perfect opportunity to learn to sea kayak in a warm climate and beautiful setting.  Unfortunately the adventure quickly unraveled due to a  moody and impatient guide, pounding rains and dangerous winds.  To Anne’s credit she had done careful research about the tour company in advance and was able to get some compensation after her return, but regrettably it still didn’t save her from a disappointing and physically exhausting experience.  Here are some lessons we can all take away from Anne’s grand misadventure:

1)  Look at that glossy brochure with educated eyes!

• What you see is probably not what you’ll get. Those gorgeous pictures of the adventure tour were taken on a ‘picture perfect’ day in optimal conditions with smiling stand-ins who are in prime physical shape.  The reality is, weather is never predictable and the chance of you getting a full week of ideal weather conditions are slim. Read more

Virginia Invites You To America’s Biggest Open House Celebration

Virginia invites you to come see the splendor of their homes and gardens during the State’s Historic Garden Week from April 17-25, 2010 when scenic gardens and historic homes across Virginia open their gates for public tours. Virginia’s Historic Garden Week is considered to be the largest and grandest ‘Open House’ in America.

The state of Virginia has an abundance of inviting landscapes from seaside communities stretching along miles of coastal beaches, to stately historic mansions and plantations dotting rolling countrysides, to the beguiling rustic life in the blue ridge mountains.  This year will be the 77th Historic Garden Tour in Virginia as more than 250 homes and gardens welcome visitors.   There are over 36 separate tours organized by local garden clubs, each offering a glimpse into 6 or more homes and gardens.  Visitors are treated to strolls through formal and walled gardens, cottage and perennial plantings; and tours of Revolutionary,  Civil War and Victorian era homes.

Everyone who appreciates the beauty of a tended garden, the architecture of historic America and finely executed decor, will revel in Virginia’s “Open House” celebration.  Visit VAGardenWeek.Org for a glimpse at the full schedule of tours by area.

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