Sea Palace St. Maarten

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!

Finding the perfect summer camp experience for your ever changing child is an ongoing challenge.

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.  The Endless Summer Surf Camp is an all-inclusive immersion into the surfing lifestyle, riding the waves, hanging out with friends, beach-side BBQues, not to mention expert instruction and video analysis.  It’s so popular you may never want to grow up – so they also offer adults only camps and Surf and Turf (golf and surfing camps).
Skateboarding/BMX Camp – Camp Woodward, CA, CO, WI, PA & China!
Are your energetic kids always propelling themselves several feet off the ground no matter what devise is under their feet.  Whatever your child’s wheel frenzy of the moment is, the Woodward summer camps will send them on the half-pipe ride of their dreams.  These camps offer every extreme sport instruction you can think of including skateboarding, inline, BMX mountain biking, gymnastics and cheer leading – all staged in the most impressive action sport parks imaginable!
Snowboarding Summer Camp – High Cascade – Mt. Hood, Oregon
For some lucky boarders the snow never stops falling – such is the case in the glacier bowls of Mt. Hood.  And there will be no pointy toed devices here…. its all about boarding, no skis allowed!  All you Shaun White’s in training, pack up your board and head west to Mt. Hood.  Sorry Chris…. wish these camps were around when you were one of the first boarders on the slopes – you would have loved this!
Eco Rainforest Adventure - Lodge at Chaa Creek Summer Camp , Belize
Answer the call of the wild on this one week Eco immersion into a pristine rain forest experience.  Licensed naturalist guides will lead day hikes into ancient Maya sites where campers will learn about biodiversity, natural resource conservation, Maya traditions and healing methods.  Every participant will gain a new lifelong appreciation of their relationship with ‘our fragile earth’, while interacting with the rain forest habitat.
LEGO Building Fantasy Camp – First Ever LEGO Summer Camp – Atlantis Resort, Bahamas
Everyone loves LEGOs and now your kids can have a master building experience while the whole family vacations at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.  Three five day Lego workshop camps will be offered in July where kids work side-by-side with a LEGO Master Builder to construct an impressive ‘mega project’.  The camp experience provides hands-on building challenges that encourage teamwork, creativity and fine motor skills, as well as fun resort activities like a resort-wide scavenger hunt with access to behind-the-scenes areas not usually open to resort guests.

So there’s no excuse for a dull summer – exciting summer camp experiences are just a few clicks away!

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.

Nearby you’ll also find the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin founded by the former First Lady and actress Helen Hayes.  Over 178 acres are devoted to nurturing the native plants of North America in 16 themed gardens.  Their current newsletter has a terrific article on hikes throughout America that will bring you to wildflower vistas.

California - When it comes to a dazzling productions, no one does it better than California.  The spectacular picture at the top of our post was taken along Highway 58  in San Luis Obispo County.  This area is renowned for jaw dropping floral displays along the Temblor Range – well worth a spring road trip!  Traveling further south in California (northeast of Los Angeles) you’ll find Lancaster and the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve.  Their annual California Poppy Festival takes place from April 24-25 in celebration of the State’s flower – the poppy. 

For breadth, variety of color and ultimate showmanship, head way down south to the Carlsbad Flower Fields where you will find a dazzling crop of ranunculus bulbs just coming into bloom.  The Flower Fields of Carlsbad farm are open from now until May 9th from 9am to 6pm daily.

Splendid wildflower displays can be found throughout California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas.  Tune in to the daily wildflower reports and pictures  at DesertUSA – wild updates, and get out where the ‘Wild Things’ are!

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.

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)

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

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.

Spa Week - Yea, it’s back!   Starting on Monday October 12th and running through October 18th.  (Ahhh that’s what I should do for my birthday!)  The promotion features $50 spa treatments at over 750 luxury spas in 30 consumer markets across the USA and Canada.   The intent of the promotion is to introduce a new generation of spa enthusiast to experience and benefits of a wellness spa visit.  Find a complete list of participating spas near you at SpaWeek.com.

And here’s a totally new concept – Hotel Week. The very first Hotel Week event will showcase exciting properties in San Diego California from November 13-26, 2009.  Travelers will be able to take advantage of hot deals and pomotions at more than a dozen high profile properties.  What a terrific time to plan a family getaway!  San Diego has a lot to offer visitors – the world famous San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park, Lego Land, Sea World, a magnificent harbor, 70 miles of beaches and of course that Mediterranean-like climate that we all crave.  Check out all the details at HotelsWeeks.com.  Looks like there are many more cities across the US who are working on their own Hotel Week promotions in the coming months.

California – Sonoma County Grape Camp
White Crane Winery Grape Stomp – Livermore
St. Supery Winery, Napa Valley
Schramsberg Vineyard, Napa Valley – Camp Schramsberg
Calaveras Grape Stomp, Sierra Foothills

Maine – Vin Fest at Cellardoor Vineyards, Lincolnville

Minnesota - Midwest Weekends (9 Great Grape Stomps)
Morgan Creek Vineyards – Annual Great Grape Stomp, near Mankato MN

New York – Crush on Niagara Wine Tours
Brotherhood Vineyards – Hudson Valley (Oldest continually operating vineyard in USA)

North Carolina – Duplin Winery Annual Grape Stomp, Rose Hill

Texas – Vintage Oaks, Texas Grape Stomp Championship, near San Antonio & Austin

Washington – Columbia Valley Winery Association
11 Vineyards including Columbia Crest and Oakwood Cellars

I just love going on house tours – getting a glimpse into the imaginative design executions of decorators and homeowners.  San Francisco has one of the most intriguing home tours imaginable – the  Floating Home House Tour that has far more whimsy than most.  Located across the bay in Sausalito are 5 floating home marinas with over 400 floating homes forming a community of artists and free spirits.  You’ll find homes crafted from retired rail cars, pirate ships, shipping barges and just about any material that will float.  The house tour takes place on September 26th from 10am to 4pm and visits 20 homes each year.

Dragon Boat Festival – Treasure Island hosts the International Dragon Boat Festival from September 26-27th.  This festival gathers 100 competitive dragon boat teams from around the world as teams reenact a race tradition begun 2,000 years ago in South China.  Each team has 20 synchronized paddlers, a drummer, a steersman and a lovingly crafted, highly decorated dragon boat.  But the entertainment isn’t all on the water, there will be spectacular cultural performances, hand made crafts, international food tents galore, and a Dragon Land activity tent for kids.  

Airship Ventures Zeppelin Tours – Up, Up and Away – sightseeing in San Francisco has never been so exciting.  There’s something magical about the site of the Goodyear Blimp gliding over a football stadium that tickles our imagination and has us wishing we were up there with the crew and photographers.  Well your chance is at hand thanks to Airship Ventures who offer iconic aerial tours in their new Zeppelin, Eureka.  This aircraft is one of three in existance in the world, offering expansive viewing windows, high tech navigation, and a low and slow flying experience.  12 passengers and a crew of 2 pilots share the journey sailing over the Golden Gate Bridge, over Napa and Sanoma Valleys, or along the Big Sur coastline.  You’ll enjoy a birdseye view of the beautiful San Francisco region on a quiet, smooth and leisurely flight.  (FYI – the aircraft is filled with non-flamable Helium, unlike the Zeppelins of old).  This is definitely an experience to add to your bucket list!