Iberostar Delivers 5+++ Star Luxury In The Dominican Republic

The next time you’re craving a luxury Caribbean vacation where you’ll  be shamelessly pampered and treated like a celebrity (all for a reasonable price of course), look no further than the all-inclusive Iberostar Grand Bávaro in Punta Cana, DR. Just when we all thought the development of ultra luxury properties was on the wane, Iberostar Resorts does it again! The Iberostar Grand Hotel Bávaro in the Dominican Republic is a hands-down winner for delivering upscale indulgences coupled with a stunning setting and memorable service.

Linda’s Just Back Trip Report: (You may remember my article on the Iberostar Grand in Jamaica, well the good folks at Iberostar invited me to experience the newly opened Iberostar Grand in Punta Cana – WOW what a resort!  From the moment we arrived and walked through the entrance, I was in awe.  Read more

Caution: Dengue Fever Reaches Florida Keys

28 cases of Dengue Fever have recently been diagnosed in Key West Florida bringing a rapid response from the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District to bring the outbreak under control.  In case you don’t quite recall the details of Dengue, it’s called Bone Break Fever because your bones ache with such intensity that you feel like they have been broken.  SO, for-warned is for-armed, load up on the lots of insect repellent before venturing into the Keys this summer!  Hopefully this is an isolated occurrence and the mosquitoes that spread the virus will be elasticated quickly.

A Great Father’s Day Gift – BBQ Kings Of The South Tell Their Secrets!

Just in time for  Father’s Day we’ve found the perfect gift! Does the backyard Grill Master at your house challenge all within hearing to a “throw down” like Bobby Flay?  Does he mix rubs like a chemist and consider the recipe more precious than Colonel Sanders’?   Is his grill almost as precious to him as his car?  Does he consider tailgating a sport in and of itself?  If so…. you’ve got to get him the Big Book of BBQ – it will become his grillin’ bible!

I don’t know how they did it, but the editors of Southern Living got the Kings of the BBQ joints all across the South to disclose their top secret recipes and techniques.  We’re talking major Pit Masters braggin’ about how they do it best – from brais’n, to marinades, to rubs and jerks, to smok’n low and slow, and all the yummy fixin’s!  Read more

Get To Know Europe’s Family Friendly Vacation Villages

There’s a hidden treasure in Europe that everyone with kids needs to know about – family friendly holiday vacation villages built to entertain families in high style. Think grand resort comes to the countryside – and the prices are outstanding!

For most of us the thought of visiting Europe with the kids in tow conjures visions of  faces buried in tourist maps, schlepping between famous monuments, endless magnificent churches, countless museums and a castle or two.   I suggest you throw a bit of frivolity into your family vacation to Europe with a stay at one of Europe’s family friendly vacation villages – also known as holiday villages, parcs and camps.  There are hundreds of holiday villages scattered throughout Europe specifically designed for family vacation fun.  Each village offers comfortable family style accommodations and is centered around an impressive water feature that provides nonstop entertainment within the park.  Many have a covered ‘water world’ as well, so even on rainy days the fun doesn’t stop.  There are kids clubs offering supervised activities based on age, sports facilities, golf, hiking, biking, zip lines, horseback riding, and a multitude of diversions based on area attractions.  And did I mention the prices are less than you’d be paying at a city hotel?  Here’s a look at three of Europe’s most popular holiday village developers.

Sunparks offer family friendly villa accommodations in holiday villages throughout the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France.  Have you been hankering to visit Provence, St. Tropez and Cannes but thought it was an adults only vacation destination?  You’ll be happy to know that you can rent a Sun Park villa for a week and bounce around the Riviera to your heart’s content.  Be sure to check out their last minute specials, and great discounts offered to travelers age 55+ (up to 40% off)!

Center Parcs has established 17 impressive villages tucked into natural park landscapes throughout Europe.  If your family loves spending time by a scenic lake surrounded by forest, these villages may be the perfect choice.  Accommodations are in a bungalow or villa that feature cozy living rooms with fireplaces and floor to ceiling windows to bring the outdoors in.  The villages offer a huge variety of sporting activities,  ususally a “domed subtropical swimming paradise”, climbing walls and rope courses,  imaginative playground structures, game rooms, golf, tennis, and a great variety of restaurants and shops.  Wouldn’t your kids just love to play Robin Hood and his merry men at this Parc in Sherwood Forest?  Have a look at their photo slide show – it’s amazing!  Sherwood Forest Center Parc

Eurocamp is not just about camping (although you may go gaga over their 3 bedroom tents!), they also offer stays in a variety of bungalows and holiday homes.  This is a large operation with 160 camp developments in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and more.  Eurocamps are like huge nature resorts offering every entertainment imaginable for family fun.  Their goal is to provide a setting where families can “play in safety from dawn til dusk”.  Imagine spending a week at a fabulous vacation village perched at the edge of Lake Garda in the Italian lakes district – it’s very appropriately named “Eden”!

So the next time you’re planning an excursion over to Europe, investigate a stay at a ‘vacation village’.  Your entire family will relax and enjoy new experiences together while meeting fellow vacationers from across Europe.  Since these villages are marketed extensively in the UK, English is widely spoken.  Be sure to read the descriptions of the accommodations carefully as definitions of a “bungalow” vary widely between companies and locations.  We think you’ll find the pricing irresistible – many in the $500 per week range for a villa that accommodates a family of four.  And remember, this is where all of Europe goes to take their summer vacation, so if you’ll be traveling in July and August, you’ll have plenty of company!

Insanely Great Sale – One Week Vacation For $199 – Act Fast!!

Can a week’s vacation get any cheaper than this? I’ve just been reading Arthur Frommer’s Blog (great resource of top travel info), and learned about this insanely great sale.  A full week’s vacation in a resort rental apartment (studio, 1 bedroom or 2 bedrooms) for a mere $199 per week. That’s not per person folks, it’s per unit for a full 7 days.  And these are not some flea bag properties, they are from the apartment rental division of Wyndham Hotels – Endless Vacation Rentals.  There are resort properties located all across the USA, Caribbean, Mexico and Europe!  I just can’t stop using !!!! this is such a great deal.

Here’s the main catch…. this is a “blowout” sale on the Wyndham Vacation last minute site.  You only have until 4pm on Friday 5/21/10 to reserve your vacation at this amazing price, and travel must take place within 30 days.    Can’t get away for a full week?  No problem, check out early (the price is still worth it)…. or split the booking with some friends and each stay a few days…that would be a vacation for $100!!!!

Now if you just can’t carve out some vacation time in the next 30 days, this is a site you should definitely bookmark and keep an eye on.  The last minute page always offers properties at amazing rates that are available for travel within 30 days. The standard rate right at the moment would be $349 per week for a studio apartment, up to $399 per week for a 2 bedroom – still a fabulous deal.  I think this is going to be my new go-to site for booking quick getaways.

Here’s my suggested strategy for cashing in on these offers:

Strategy #1
Pick a few locations from the destination list
Look for available frequent flyer seats and grab them
Go back to the Wyndham site and book the apt rental

Strategy #2
Select a destination that is served by a low cost airline (JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, AirTran etc) and look for a great airfare.  Combine that fare with a one week rental from the Wyndham site.

Strategy #3
See a great airline sale…freeze some seats, check the Wyndham last minute site for an apartment rental.

Make your friends incredulous with envy…”You paid WHAT for  your vacation????!!!!!!”  You have to love it when that happens!

Take A Luxury Mozart Cruise At A Super Low Price

We’ve found a fabulous offer for a European River Cruise that celebrates the life and works of Mozart while cruising along the storied Danube River.  The outstanding two-for-one promotional price offered by eWaterways.com makes this 5 day luxury cruise a can’t miss choice at $418.50 per person (twin share).  That’s less than $100 per day for a 5-star floating hotel that visits intriguing cities as it journeys from Germany to Austria, visiting favorite homes and haunts of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The price includes all meals while on the cruise, wines at dinner, port and local taxes, and specially selected music programs celebrating the music of Mozart.  This amazing pricing is available for two sailings, Monday August 16, 2010, and Friday September 10, 2010

While major ocean cruise lines build ever larger ships so huge that they virtually guarantee long lines, over crowding and an impersonal journey, river cruise lines offer a vacation experience that is congenial, engaging and relaxing.  River cruising is gaining popularity among discerning travelers looking for a relaxed and intimate European vacation.  And since their ports of call are in major cities along notable waterways, it’s convenient to add a short river cruise to any European itinerary.

The Mozart cruise aboard the deluxe Amadeus Royal, is described as ‘a musical odyssey’, visiting cities in Bavaria before making it’s way to Vienna Austria where Mozart lived most of his short adult life.  There will be numerous opportunities to learn about the life and times of Mozart as well as enjoy special performances of his compositions while gliding past magnificent scenery.  This is truly a journey that will lift your spirit and make your heart sing!  Visit eWaterways.com for the full details.

Volunteer In Paradise! – Hawaii Invites You To Make A Difference

Take advantage of new opportunities to volunteer in Hawaii to enrich your soul as well as dazzle your eyes during your next vacation to the Hawaiian islands.  While most visitors to Hawaii focus on experiencing the islands’ dramatically beautiful landscapes and the pleasures of premier luxury resorts, there is a growing number of travelers who wish to experience Hawaii on a more personal level – by volunteering to help preserve the places they treasure.  Several volunteer organizations have taken the lead in coordinating bite size volunteer opportunities that are perfect for visitors to participate in for one day or several hours during their vacation.  These experiences provide visitors with the opportunity to step off the traditional tourist routes to learn about traditional Hawaiian culture, unique plants, fragile landscapes and secluded beaches.  Here’s a look at some of the interesting volunteer opportunities that await individuals, couples and families in Hawaii: Read more

Kids Summer Camps Even Cranky Teens Will Love

Finding the perfect summer camp experience for your ever changing child is an ongoing challenge. For many the vision of spending a week embraced by nature, frolicking in spring fed ponds, roasting marshmallows by a fire and singing kitschy camp songs is utopia, for others it conjures visions of torturous boredom.  Fear not… we’ve got a list of high energy, extremely entertaining summer camps even your most cranky kid will be begging to attend.

Rock Music Summer Camp – The Collective Sound, California and Oregon
Do you have a future Rocker at home who loves nothing better than to practice air guitar techniques every waking moment?  Send them off to TCS where they’ll be paired with like minded aspiring musicians, form a band, learn to write original music, improve their performing techniques in concert like settings, and a lucky few can even go on tour!
Surfing  Camp – Endless Summer Surf Camp – California & Costa Rica
Nothing is as iconic as spending the summer in a pitched tent by the beach, spending long sunny days riding the crest of a California wave.  The Beach Boys embedded this golden vision of summer in our psyche and the dream endures for every generation of prospective surf-bums.  Read more

Invite A Friend To An “Amazing Race” In A City Near You

Just as another competition of The Amazing Race comes to an end, we have word that  “amazing” races are taking place in major cities  across the United States.  Heads up Boston, you’re next on Saturday, May 15th!

If you watch CBS’ popular series The Amazing Race and think, “shoot I could do that”… here’s your chance to grab a buddy and give it a one-day try.  The folks at Urban Dare have designed an adventure race series that visits 32 cities nationwide, culminating in a Super Dare competition with a $5,000 prize. Two person teams are given challenges to navigate urban landscapes in a quest to solve clues, beat the clock, and document their successes.  The contest covers approximately 5 miles of city terrain which can be crossed by foot or public transportation.  Participants are given clue sheets that send them on a mission to complete tasks, solve puzzles and arrive at checkpoints where they receive a ‘passport’ stamp before heading off on the next challenge.  Winning teams typically complete the contest in two hours, with many more arriving at the finish line in four hours.

If you think you are cagey enough to out-wit and out-scramble the competing teams to claim your city’s top Urban Dare championship title, come out to register right up until race time.  In Boston, the competition begins at 45 Union Street, with registration beginning at 11am.  All proceeds from the event go to fight breast cancer, and the winning team will progress to the next Super Dare competition in early 2011.  Visit the UrbanDare.com site for a full list of cities that will host competitions through the summer and fall.

Get Crazy Down By The River At The FREE “Riverrock” Festival in Richmond

What do you get when you mix slippery mud, a field of joggers, mountain bikes, air dogs and rock music?  An adrenaline filled riverside festival, and the best part….. it’s FREE!  Everyone’s invited to Richmond Virginia’s ‘riverlife’ celebration on May 14-15, when the city busts loose and celebrates it’s 2nd annual Dominion Riverrock Festival. This an adrenaline-pumping, get out of your comfort zone good time.  The RiverRock Festival includes a 5K mud run, where grown adults squiggle through pits of mud before finishing the race,  and everyone’s favorite pooch can prove their air-ability by leaping to catch a toy thrown over a huge swimming pool.  Your kids will love the freestyle mountain bike competitions, 10K trail run, tree climbing on Brown’s Island and group raft rides on the James River.  Even kayaking is pumped up with the introduction of “canal crashers” which brings kayak flipping to the world of extreme sports.  There’s something at the celebration for every age and athletic ability.  And it’s all topped off with a rock concert by Grace Potter & the Nocturnals (named by Rolling Stone as one of the Best New Bands of 2010).  So if you’re within a few hour’s drive of Richmond Virginia, you know where you’ll want to be next weekend for two days of hilarity and good times down by the river!!!  Check out all the details at DominionRiverrock.com

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