Isn't it interesting how one expert in a business will tell you one thing, and another will tell you the opposite, and to some extent they are both correct. Less than a week after I read the article "Save Hundreds of Dollars with a Summer Rental", which advocates waiting 2-3 weeks before you leave to get lodging deals, this article:"The Summer Travel Size-up" appears and says that planning ahead is one key to bargains. I tend to agree with the latter expert, because in many cases, the best options (at least for lodging) disappear quickly. I started planning a side trip to NYC this summer hoping to go the week after I visit my vacation home in Maine in July. Low and behold, not only were the vacation rental apartments I wanted already booked, but so were the best suite hotels in Manhattan. Forget about deals! I just want good, uncramped accommodations... I ended up having to go the week before I planned - Tip: Be Flexible in your Travel Plans
Anyway, don't wait - book early. However, if you haven't firmed up your plans for summer the second expert has other good advice: try off season. The Caribbean and the desert Southwest are two spots where you can get more than your money's worth in the summer, you just have to approach things differently. If you are headed to the Caribbean or southeastern Unites States, pick up trip insurance just in case, and plan on spending lots of time snorkeling in the clear water or sipping cold cocktails to keep cool. If you head to the desert, get up early in the morning to enjoy the outdoors before it heats up; spend 11-5 relaxing at the movies, taking in a museum, or shopping in air conditioning; and head back out for dinner and evenings outside in the great summer nights of Palm Springs.
Keep this in mind for fall travel: the National Parks clear out considerably after Labor Day, but book now for fall and Holiday stays. Personal favorites for shoulder season travel: Zion, Bryce, and Yellowstone.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
ABC News: Americans Still Traveling Despite High Prices-Tips to Save on Vacations
ABC News: Americans Still Traveling Despite High Prices - I'm still going are you? ABC News says yes.
AAA says 1 million more Americans will travel this coming weekend, the unofficial start of the summer vacation season.
Check out the ABC travel article above for a few of their tips that are decent, but DO take advantage of these:
Stay at a vacation rental instead of a hotel. You'll save and save again. You can choose from coastal cottages, Caribbean villas, to condos in resort settings.
Eat at Least One Meal a Day Out of a Restaurant - buy a cheap cooler that you can throw away or leave behind if one isn't supplied with your rental. Stock up on local specialties and bring along a picnic, or eat cereal and fruit on the patio. Your waist and wallet will thank you and you can spend your money on local fun, or save it for another vacation.
Search for Coupons and Deals Online. Before you go, pick up an Entertainment Guide for your destination or check out the special attractions online. Do a search for "attraction discounts" and see what local stores might have well priced tickets. Costco and other warehouse memberships are famous for this.
AAA says 1 million more Americans will travel this coming weekend, the unofficial start of the summer vacation season.
Check out the ABC travel article above for a few of their tips that are decent, but DO take advantage of these:
Stay at a vacation rental instead of a hotel. You'll save and save again. You can choose from coastal cottages, Caribbean villas, to condos in resort settings.
Eat at Least One Meal a Day Out of a Restaurant - buy a cheap cooler that you can throw away or leave behind if one isn't supplied with your rental. Stock up on local specialties and bring along a picnic, or eat cereal and fruit on the patio. Your waist and wallet will thank you and you can spend your money on local fun, or save it for another vacation.
Search for Coupons and Deals Online. Before you go, pick up an Entertainment Guide for your destination or check out the special attractions online. Do a search for "attraction discounts" and see what local stores might have well priced tickets. Costco and other warehouse memberships are famous for this.
Save Hundreds of Dollars With a Summer Rental
ABC News: Save Hundreds of Dollars With a Summer Rental -great headline, misleading and superficial article. As someone in the vacation rental business I am thankful that the reporter chose to publicize the opportunities for vacationers by staying in homes rather than hotels. At the same time, I am terribly disappointed that she neglected to really research and portray the situation realistically. Her tips are in italics:
Save 20 Percent to 50 Percent - verses a hotel stay. She got this right. Typically the guest will get 2 or more bedrooms and more for the price of one. The cost savings grow exponentially when you figure in eating at the rental for at least 1 meal a day. We like to eat breakfast at home, pack a lunch for our activity of the day, and splurge on dinner.
Come and Go as You Please - this holds true for off season, and shoulder season rentals, but in many many desirable summer vacation spots, owners and agencies dictate a specific weekly stay, with most being Saturday afternoon to Saturday morning. Why? The peak season pretty much pays the bills for many folks, and owners cannot afford to leave a few days vacant. Why Saturday to Saturday? When you figure it out let me know!
It Pays to Wait - well maybe, but probably not for the nicest places. Remember this: the best places usually fill up very quickly. Waiting until 2 weeks before your vacation is VERY risky. Many owners do not negotiate on prices; but if they will it will be last minute. I recommend picking out your favorite place, and emailing the owner or agent to let you know about last minute cancellations or specials for the time of travel, but be prepared to do something else. My summer weeks can book up as early as a year in advance on both the West Coast and the East Coast. You can sign up for last minute specials for all of my places...
Size Matters - if you have more than 6 people, start looking a year in advance, or rent more than one vacation rental. The easiest groups to accommodate are 2-4. Don't wait if you have a larger or extended family.
Barbara's Top 3 Vacation Destinations include Tybee Island, GA; Treasure Beach, Jamaica; and Lake Ouichita, AR - I'm sure these are great places, but since I haven't been I cannot judge. I would like to try out Tybee Island myself though. My usual picks would of course be my own coastal places in Maine and California(though I don't get to vacation much at them because they are booked all summer...) those aside, I'd highly recommend Martha's vineyard or Cape Cod, Southern Oregon along the Rogue River, and out of the box: a New York City vacation rental (our pick for this summer). You would be hard pressed to find much for July or the first 2 weeks in August now. So look for something out of the way or non traditional.
A Great Deal Is Just a Click Away - oh how true... The author names a few good sites, but there are many. Start with a Google (or other)search using the terms "Your Dream Location" Vacation Rental. See what pops up for vacation rental listing sites, or even owners (though they will probably be found deeper in the search results.) You can also just start at any of these: vacationrentals.com; greatfamilyrentals.com; petfriendlyrentals.com; or even craigslist.com. I'm biased, but I wouldn't bother with a rental agency or property manager. They take a 10-50% cut, and leave the owner with less money to keep your vacation rental nice.
Most of all - enjoy your vacation this summer!
Save 20 Percent to 50 Percent - verses a hotel stay. She got this right. Typically the guest will get 2 or more bedrooms and more for the price of one. The cost savings grow exponentially when you figure in eating at the rental for at least 1 meal a day. We like to eat breakfast at home, pack a lunch for our activity of the day, and splurge on dinner.
Come and Go as You Please - this holds true for off season, and shoulder season rentals, but in many many desirable summer vacation spots, owners and agencies dictate a specific weekly stay, with most being Saturday afternoon to Saturday morning. Why? The peak season pretty much pays the bills for many folks, and owners cannot afford to leave a few days vacant. Why Saturday to Saturday? When you figure it out let me know!
It Pays to Wait - well maybe, but probably not for the nicest places. Remember this: the best places usually fill up very quickly. Waiting until 2 weeks before your vacation is VERY risky. Many owners do not negotiate on prices; but if they will it will be last minute. I recommend picking out your favorite place, and emailing the owner or agent to let you know about last minute cancellations or specials for the time of travel, but be prepared to do something else. My summer weeks can book up as early as a year in advance on both the West Coast and the East Coast. You can sign up for last minute specials for all of my places...
Size Matters - if you have more than 6 people, start looking a year in advance, or rent more than one vacation rental. The easiest groups to accommodate are 2-4. Don't wait if you have a larger or extended family.
Barbara's Top 3 Vacation Destinations include Tybee Island, GA; Treasure Beach, Jamaica; and Lake Ouichita, AR - I'm sure these are great places, but since I haven't been I cannot judge. I would like to try out Tybee Island myself though. My usual picks would of course be my own coastal places in Maine and California(though I don't get to vacation much at them because they are booked all summer...) those aside, I'd highly recommend Martha's vineyard or Cape Cod, Southern Oregon along the Rogue River, and out of the box: a New York City vacation rental (our pick for this summer). You would be hard pressed to find much for July or the first 2 weeks in August now. So look for something out of the way or non traditional.
A Great Deal Is Just a Click Away - oh how true... The author names a few good sites, but there are many. Start with a Google (or other)search using the terms "Your Dream Location" Vacation Rental. See what pops up for vacation rental listing sites, or even owners (though they will probably be found deeper in the search results.) You can also just start at any of these: vacationrentals.com; greatfamilyrentals.com; petfriendlyrentals.com; or even craigslist.com. I'm biased, but I wouldn't bother with a rental agency or property manager. They take a 10-50% cut, and leave the owner with less money to keep your vacation rental nice.
Most of all - enjoy your vacation this summer!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Fodor's Travel Wire | 6 Tips for Wrinkle-Free Packing
Do you hate to iron? Do you hate it even more when you are on vacation? I just learned a few tips from Fodor's Travel Wire | 6 Tips for Wrinkle-Free Packing. As a former frequent flier and business warrior, I thought I knew all the tricks to keeping clothes wrinkle free or at least only minorly wrinkled. Tips #2, about the plastic is news to me. Try it, and let us all know if it really works on your next vacation.
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