You’ll need to act fast on this deal, but starting October 9th, the US Virgin Islands is taking reservations for its Cent-sational Promotion!  What this means for you is a chance to scoop up a room rate of 25 cents per night at participating hotels.  Sponsored by the USVI Department of Tourism, this special promotion will be on sale for 25 days, and is timed to celebrate the issuance of the US Virgin Island’s quarter.
There are sorts of perks that come with this Cent-sational Promotion including:

25 cent room nights at participating hotels, maximum stay of three nights
$25 per person dining  …read more

Vacationing in San Diego is one of those quintessential California experiences.  The weather, the beach, the proximity to Mexico, and all of it seen in countless movies (Top Gun, Almost Famous, Flight of the Intruder) and on television (Gomer Pyle, Simon & Simon, That 80’s Show).
So what is there to do in this second largest city in California?
Here are some ideas, in no particular order:

San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park – Animal lovers will love both of these locations.  The zoo is in Balboa Park and the animal park is a short drive away in Escondido.
Balboa Park – Not …read more

If you thought figuring out a tee time was complicated, the soon-to-open Nullarbor Links is going to make it a whole lot more confusing for you.  Set to open next month (October 22nd, 2009) this will be the longest golf course in the world, stretching nearly 850 miles from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia, and will span two time zones.
Let’s just say, you’re probably not going to walk this course!
In fact, you’ll have to drive between the holes on this 18-hole, par 72 course.  Each hole matches up with a town along the way, and …read more

It’s not officially even fall yet, but for snow lovers it’s not too early to be thinking about this winter’s ski vacation.   And if you’re looking for a ski vacation destination that’s modern and exotic, but still has great prices, take a look at Turkey.  Yes, Turkey.  I thought of it only as a warm weather destination, but it offers some great skiing areas as well.
With altitudes on par with the Rockies or the Alps, Turkey offers a November through April snow season, with modern facilities for downhill skiing, cross country, heli-skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.  The ski resorts offer everything …read more

Here in the US we may be tightening our belts and opting for a staycation, but it’s not so elsewhere.  Research from Visit London and Visit Britain have found that convincing Brits of the value of a staycation has been a very tough sell.  Despite challenging economic times, UK residents will cut back in other areas of the budget in order to put a priority on vacation.
The research showed that although 90% of the population was cutting back on spending in general, only 45% were cutting back on holidays, breaks, or day trips.  Instead, spending was reduced on items such …read more

Don’t use the excuse that you don’t have a passport keep you from planning a Caribbean vacation!  Sure, you still need to get a passport eventually, but till then you can visit US Virgin Islands, a bit of island paradise, with no passport required.  With direct flights (often non-stop) from many locations in the United States, the USVI’s are easily accessible.
I talked a little bit shoulder season, and how that was value-added time to travel.  I even mentioned that the Caribbean was a great place to visit during this time of year.  Turns out, the USVI is offering some pretty …read more

With meals on flights either non-existent, expensive, or horrible tasting, and airport food not too much better, one way a traveler can make their vacation a little more pleasant is to make some food to take along.  You’ll still have to avoid liquids and gels (get those once you pass through security), but packing a few healthy and yummy snacks, can stave off hunger and the crankiness it can cause.
Since I’m not a fan of prepared energy bars (or prepared anything for that matter), I look for the closest thing to real food that I can get, and that …read more

Here are my top recommendations for a fall shoulder season vacation.  These are listed in no particular order, and you could have an amazing time in any of these locations.

San Francisco – Always an expensive city, but fall starts rolling in a few more cloudy and rainy days, making it a bit cool when the sun goes down.  The days are still lovely, and the evening’s cold, crisp air, is not unbearable.  The city looks different this time of year, and it’s in a good way.
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Disneyland – If you can justify taking the kids out of school for a …read more

“When crafting goes on vacation”…you can interpret this several ways:

You get inspiration from your travels or vacation.
You’re on vacation to attend a crafting workshop or lecture.
You’re having a dry spell…or crafter’s block.

Miriam, at Crafter by Night, writes about her vacation, as well as her crafting dry spell .  Many crafters, whether parttime or full time, may relate to her.
How can you overcome dry spells…in your art, your crafting, your writing?

Have deadlines, not set by yourself but by customers or editors.
Visit a gallery…in person or online.
Plan an outing with your family.
Take a walk.
Look through books and magazines for inspiration.
Meet with a group …read more

Deciding where to eat when you’re on vacation can often be an exasperating experience.  After spending hours going back and forth with “I don’t know, where do you want to go?” you may find yourself starving, frustrated, and ending up eating something that you really don’t want.  Yeah, I’ve done that before!
San Francisco, a city full of great food options, wants to make the decision a little easier for you with its website Taste SF.
Organized into useful sections like Inspiring Views (great ideas for special occasions) and brunch, as well as by type of cuisine, price range, and neighborhood, …read more