Plan A Family Surf Vacation – And Bring Your DOG!

Ever wonder who could learn to surf faster – you or your frisky pup?  Bring the whole family (plus the dog) on vacation to the Loews Coronado Beach Resort in San Diego California and find out! The Loews family of hotels loves pets and has developed imaginative vacation opportunities for travelers who want to bring their beloved dog or cat along on vacation.

The Coronado Beach Resort offers Su’Ruff Camp at Coronado’s Dog Beach where dogie surf instructors treat your favorite pooch to a one hour surfing lesson. But first they’ll need to look the part…. shake on a pair of complementary brightly colored board shorts and a designer surf bandanna – and don’t forget the camera!!  VIPs (Very Important Pets) are treated to gourmet room service, including a Surf & Turf dinner for surfer dogs and rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles for your favorite felines.  Loews hotels customarily offer a special room service menu for cats and dogs, specialized bedding, leashes, collars, litter boxes and pooper scoopers.  You’ll also find pet-walking trails and pet-sitting services available at many properties as well.

And if your favorite 4 legged champ turns out to be a real surfing superstar, you may want to return in May for the 5th annual Surf Dog Competition that takes place on May 22, 1020.  This fun event attracts big crowds with proceeds going to a local charity.  Your dog doesn’t like water? – No worries, check out the Pumped Up Pets program and exercise along with your pet instead.

All the amenities are not just for the pets.  Your family will find lots of space to play in the sprawling ocean front resort spread over 15 acres.  You’ll find 3 swimming pools, an 80 slip marina, tennis courts, whirlpools, bike and rollerblade paths, and paddle boat rentals to name a few of the family friendly offerings.  Check out the hotel and all the special packages at LoewsHotels.com.

(Photos are from Loews Hotels’ website)

Celebrate Chinese New Year With Great Deals In San Francisco

No city outside of Asia celebrates Chinese New Year with such exuberance and fan fare as San Francisco.  (Over 600,000 firecrackers make quite an impression!)  The entire month of February is dotted with celebrations that culminate with the grand parade and community fair on February 27th.  2010 is the Year of the Tiger with New Years day falling on February 14th – Valentine’s Day.  (Boy did that other Tiger have bad timing- it’s definitely not his year!)  But for YOU, all the signs are pointing to a perfect year to visit San Francisco and take in the festivities for both Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year.

Thanks to low cost carriers like Virgin America and JetBlue, air flights into San Francisco have never been more robust or lower priced.  (Currently $109 each way from NYC to SFO on Virgin America.) Couple that with the number of great promotional offers by hotels, and you have the makings of a wonderful mid-winter getaway.  Here’s a sampling of some terrific hotel offers we’ve found:

King George Hotel – $69 per night through April (some blackout dates apply) from Travel Zoo
Sheraton Fishermans Wharf – $109 per night through March 31st from Hotels.com
Hotel Niko (city center)  – $92 per night through April 15th from GetARoom.com
The Huntington Hotel (Chinatown) – $150 per night from Booking.com
Sir Francis Drake Hotel (Union Square) – $149 per night from Booking.com

Free Disney Park Passes – Volunteer A Day, Get A Day

The Disney organization is doing it’s part to encourage volunteerism across the USA in 2010.  Disney will be  giving away 1 million one day passes to either it’s  Disney World Florida or Disneyland California parks.  Simply volunteer for one day at an approved organization and you will receive a voucher for a full day park admission. Families can volunteer together to earn up to 8 free passes (for one household) as long as adults are over 18 and children are over the age of 6.  All participants must have residence in the US, Canada or Puerto Rico.

Here’s how it all works:  Beginning on January 1, 2010, log onto the Disney “Give A Day, Get A Day” website and register everyone who will be volunteering.  During the registration process you will be able to select a volunteer opportunity organized by the HandsOn Network.  The HandsOn Network which has 70,000 affiliated agencies across the country including Habitat for Humanity, local food banks, health care centers and local educational programs.  There should be no shortage of volunteer opportunities near your home.

Once you have completed your volunteer day, you will need the volunteer organization to verify your participation.  Once Disney receives your verification, they will email you instructions to print out your free pass vouchers.  On the day you wish to visit the Disney park, you will present your voucher for a free pass.

At Walt Disney World in Florida the free one day pass will be good for admission to the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, or Hollywood Studios.  Black out days are March 29-April 4th and July 4th.

For Disneyland California, the free day pass is good for the Disneyland Park or Disney’s California Adventure Park.  Black out days in California include 2/13-14, 3/21, 6/21-22, 7/4, 22/21 and 12/11-12.

If you plan to purchase multi-day passes for your family, the volunteer voucher can be exchanged for a “FastPass” for quick access to the park’s most popular (and crowded) attractions.  Or your pass could be donated to a designated non-profit organization for an underpriviledged family to use.

Congratulations to the Disney organization for inspiring volunteerism in both old and young across the United States and Canada.

Like Restaurant Week? You’ll Love The New Spa and Hotel Weeks!

It’s Harvest Time – Visit A Nearby Vineyard and Do The Stomp!

Only in San Francisco – 3 Unique Tour Expriences This Fall

Unique West Coast Inns and B&Bs

Virgin America Keeps Getting Better and Better

Summer Volunteer Opportunities in the National Parks

Be A Master Winemaker For A Day in Napa California