Braving the Holiday Travel Season Without Going Bankrupt

Time is ticking if you want to score a decent deal on a place to crash this Thanksgiving. Fortunately, you don’t have to win the lottery in order to pay for a hotel room during the busy holiday weekend. If you prefer to stay in drama-free accommodations rather than bunking at your parents, in-laws or Aunt Suzy’s on Turkey Day consider the following: Holiday Inn: With more than 1,500 locations nationwide, Holiday Inn is hard to beat when it comes to convenience and price. Not only do kids under 19 stay for free, but children under the age of 12 … Continue reading

Parade of Holiday Freebies

Everyone loves a parade, and why not? They are fun, festive, and best of all–FREE! With the holidays fast approaching cities from coast-to-coast are prepping to host a cornucopia of family-friendly parades. The granddaddy of them all is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. It is the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States and attracts millions of spectators each year. However, you don’t have to spend a ton of money traveling to the Big Apple to take in the sights and sounds of these colorful moving spectacles. Rather, gather the kids and grab a piece of … Continue reading

Post-Holiday Travel Deals

Yes, Virginia, there is a way to spare your wallet when visiting New York City during the holidays. Okay, maybe not Christmas and New Year’s, but you can definitely save once January 4th rolls around. Rooms for $99 per night on the Upper West Side! It is possible thanks to the newly renovated, Moroccan-themed Marrakech Hotel. From January 4 through February 28, 2010, you can score a room at the trendy boutique hotel for 20 percent off rack rates. In addition, with each reserved room, guests will receive two free tickets to the Top of the Rock, worth $42. The … Continue reading

Disney Fostering Holiday Greed?

At the beginning of November Disney announced its 2009 “Most Wanted Holiday Toys,” including 12 reasonably-priced toys, labeled “A Dozen Deals Under $25.” The dozen deals list is as follows: *Disney Fairies Tink’s Balloon Playset *Disney Fairies Secret Jewelry Box *Handy Manny Flicker The Flashlight *Mickey’s Mouse-Ke-Tag Game *Minnie Mouse Cupcake Set (Disney Store exclusive) *Disney Princess: The Princess and the Frog Princess Tiana Cooking Set (Disney Store exclusive) *Disney Princess Tiana Classic Doll (Disney Store exclusive) *Disney Princess Tiana Just One Kiss Doll *Disney-Pixar’s Cars Die-Cast: Neon Light up and Lenticular collections *Disney-Pixar’s Cars Toons assortment *Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story … Continue reading

Family-Friendly Holiday Vacation Ideas

Tis the season to be booking holiday cruises, ski vacations and tropical getaways. With students on Christmas break, planes and hotels will be filled to the gills next month. If you haven’t solidified your family’s holiday vacation plans yet, you might want to get cracking. Parents magazine is lending a hand to procrastinating moms and dads by publishing its annual list of top 10 places in snowy destinations that cater to families. The following resorts got high marks for offering a variety of on-site family activities, quality ski lessons for young children, upscale rooms, child care services, kids’ clubs or … Continue reading

Tis the Season For Holiday Travel Deals

On this day after Halloween, most department and discount stores are busy putting out their Christmas merchandise, so it stands to reason that the travel industry would follow suit by advertising their top picks for holiday getaways. If you are looking to spend quality time with your family this holiday season, but don’t want to stay cooped up in the house your entire vacation, consider these budget-friendly travel options: ILLINOIS Splash into the holidays at KeyLime Cove Resort and Waterpark, located just north of Chicago in Gurnee, Illinois. The massive indoor waterpark features multiple tube and body slides, a wave … Continue reading

Let the Holiday Deals Begin

I won’t get too far ahead. I can’t bring myself to think about Christmas yet, but Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner, and if you are looking for super savings on cruises or hotels, then now is the time to get cracking. The following are some of the best fall travel deals on the market right now: HALLOWEEN IN NORTH CAROLINA If you are looking to ditch the little candy beggars this Halloween, then consider visiting Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The picturesque city is home to the Carolina Inn, which is offering a Halloween Night With Dr. Jacocks … Continue reading

Winter Deals in Paradise

It’s that time of year again… a time when 30-foot swells reach Oahu’s North Shore and dozens of professional surfers hit the water to show off their moves during the “Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.” If you are planning to visit Hawaii in the next month, forget about the dozens of pro wave shredders, you need to concern yourself with the tens of thousands of other tourists who travel to the Hawaiian Islands to watch surfers take on Mother Nature. For those of you who don’t know, the “Vans Triple Crown of Surfing” is celebrating its 25th anniversary this winter … Continue reading

Save on St. Patrick’s Day Travel

The luck of the Irish is on the side of frugal travelers this month. Several hotels are offering money-saving deals on St. Patrick’s Day themed packages.  Meanwhile, some cities are featuring holiday fun for the entire family for free, including: California:  Go green in sunny San Diego this year.  On Saturday, March 16th the city will be hosting an Irish bash like no other beginning with a massive St. Patrick’s Day parade.  It features more than 120 marching bands, towering floats, dancers, bagpipe contingents, singers, drill teams, clowns and a variety of other entries.  The parade kicks off at 10:30 … Continue reading

Stretch Your Thanksgiving Travel Dollar

According to Tripadvisor.com, more than 35 percent of Americans will be traveling during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Of the people who are planning to leave town, more than one-third will fly, despite the sluggish economy and higher airfares. The remainder of travelers will take to the roads or the rails to get to grandma’s house for turkey and pie. With millions of people getting ready to hit the highways to drive 500 miles or more during the holiday weekend, gas prices will be an issue. In addition, you will have to factor in hotel costs, especially if you can’t stomach … Continue reading