Luxury Travel—-Private Jet Vacations

Imagine not having to deal with the hassle of luggage fees or wondering if you’ll miss your connecting flight because of weather delays. Those are just a couple of the perks associated with private jet travel. While most of us can only dream of indulging in such a luxury there are some who exclusively fly via private plane. They are the ones who don’t need to look for private jet travel bargains. However, if you have been saving up to splurge on a once in a lifetime trip you might consider the following private jet package deals. Right now TCS … Continue reading

Travel Tidbits: Royal Viewing and Happy Hybrids

I admit I was a die-hard Princess Diana fan. My mom woke me up at 2 a.m. Hawaii time to watch her fairy tale wedding to Prince Charles. I used my allowance to buy special editions of PEOPLE magazine whenever she was on the cover and I went gaga when her boys were born. So when it was announced that a dozens of Diana’s gowns were going to be displayed at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa in Florida, for a split second I considered making the trip (then reality hit and I remembered that I can barely … Continue reading

Luxury Travel: Europe

Last night as I was watching FOX News I saw yet another story on the weak state of the U.S. dollar. I’m as guilty as they are. Looking through the Families.com archives I noticed that I have written about the pathetic downfall of the dollar at least four times in the last few weeks. Re-reading those blogs inspired me to write this one. Far be it from me to dissuade readers to explore Europe simply because it is more expensive than it used to be. After all, some people have money to burn. Especially the person who is holding the … Continue reading

Travel Tidbits: Getting “Help!” in Ohio and Mexico

Don’t be surprised if you hear cries of “Help!” from visitors in Ohio. There’s something new to shout about at the Rock and Roll of Fame in Cleveland. The Beatles’ classic film “Help!” is the center of a new exhibit that opens at the museum on Saturday and runs through March 30, 2008. The new exhibit pays tribute to John, Paul, George and Ringo’s madcap movie and offers visitors the chance to see memorabilia and artifacts from the film, including the cape wore by Lennon in the Austrian Alps scene, an acoustic guitar he played in the film and an … Continue reading

Tasty Travels

If you are a fan of pizza pies then you might consider hopping on the next flight to Naples, Italy. It’s no secret that the city makes some of the finest pizzas in the world, but this weekend chefs there are offering a one-of-kind pie to honor a special visitor. Naples’ world-class pizza makers have invented a pontiff’s pizza in recognition of Pope Benedict XVI one-day visit to the city to celebrate Mass and attend a meeting. Chefs at one of Naples’ most famous restaurants, the bastion of Neapolitan cooking Ciro a Santa Brigida came up with the idea on … Continue reading

Travel Tidbits: Cha-Ching!

I’ve written about luxury travel destinations and high priced travel items in previous posts, but this next one just might take the cake… or, at least the fruit compote. Visitors trekking to the upscale Sri Lankan resort called The Fortress, located in the coastal city of Galle, can now dine on what is being heralded as the “world’s most expensive dessert.” For $14,500 you can dig into the fruity confection complete with a chocolate sculpture and a gigantic gemstone (that latter is the real deal and is not made for human consumption). I’m not kidding. According to hotel managers, “The … Continue reading

Travel Tidbits: Help For Hybrid Owners and Travelers Who Dine At Hotels

Hybrid owners are getting help from an unlikely source–actor Rob Lowe. The former teen heartthrob (who currently plays a member of Congress on ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters”) appeared before real life lawmakers yesterday to promote tax credits for people who add a plug-in feature to hybrid cars and trucks. Lowe testified before a special House panel in charge of examining energy and global warming issues to plug the plug-in hybrid. He then appeared at a demonstration about three blocks from the Capitol featuring a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius and encouraged his fans to switch to “greener” forms of … Continue reading

Travel Tidbits: Sleeping In Style… At Airports and Hot, Hot Hotels

SLEEPING IN STYLE Typically, when someone mentions that he or she “slept at the airport” I deduce that a flight delay or cancellation forced him or her to seek refuge on the nearest bench in a cold terminal. But, I may have to change my vision of what sleeping at an airport really entails. According to directors at the San Francisco Airport, later this year travelers will be able to snooze in style—-for a fee. Airport officials just announced they have approved a new retailer that plans to sell time slots in “napping chairs.” Weary travelers will no doubt be … Continue reading

Travel Tidbits: It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s… A Swarm of Bees?

I don’t think there is a traveler out there whose heart wouldn’t race upon hearing the warning: “Prepare for an emergency landing.” So I can just imagine what passengers on board a flight from the United Kingdom to Portugal felt this weekend when they heard a “tremendous bang” after takeoff, and then the dreaded emergency landing warning. According to news reports, the “bang” passengers heard wasn’t a hydraulics problem or a piece of the plane snapping off; rather it was the sound of a swarm of bees being sucked into an engine. The good news is that no one was … Continue reading

Travel Tidbits For Food Lovers, Pet Lovers and Sheet Lovers

FREE FOOD FOR NEAT FREAKS Apparently no good deed will go un-rewarded at one of the nation’s busiest airports. According to airport management, if you’re spotted picking up and throwing away trash at Cleveland’s Hopkins International Airport, you could win a discount on your next purchase at an airport establishment. The airport’s new incentive program begins early next year to reward fliers and visitors who help keep the airport tidy. A local newspaper is reporting that airport employees will be handing out coupons for discounts on food and other items to anyone spotted pitching in. The program is part of … Continue reading