Celebrate back-to-school season at Barceló Beach Resorts with these two last minute summer packages offering savings of up to 40 percent off.
At Barceló Maya Beach Resort (Mexico), currently in the final stages of a $50 million renovation, families can score a deal on a last blast of fun with a dedicated U-Spa for kids, mocktail menus and more.
Adults looking for a summer-end travel deal can head to Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort (Dominican Republic), offering adults-only accommodations and a PGA-rated championship golf course.
Families can score a deal on a last blast of fun at Barcelo Maya Beach Resort, Mexico.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
It’s not too late to hop in the car and save this Memorial Day weekend - stay 3 nights or more at any Wingate by Wyndham or Ramada hotels and receive 20% off your stay.
1. Washington, D.C.
National Memorial Parade. Washington D.C.What better place to be patriotic than the nation’s capital? Events in the area include the National Memorial Day Concert and the National Memorial Day Parade.
Perfect for last-minute trips from: Baltimore; Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Hartford, C.T.; Louisville, K.Y.; Nashville; New York City; Providence.
2. Atlanta, GA
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Are you one of the 56.7 million* Americans with Irish ancestry? Discover your family roots and track down ancestors with the help of a professional genealogist on this wallet-friendly Discover Your Roots: Genealogy Vacation now on sale at the Aer Lingus Vacation Store.
The 6-night Ireland vacation package starts at $1,399 and includes air, car, 5-star hotel accommodations, 5 nights at a B&B and genealogy consult.
Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland.
Why go:
This flexible ancestral journey offers the opportunity to visit historic castles, archaeological sites and scenic attractions as you experience first-hand the villages of family legend and possibly run into long lost relatives at a local pub.
With pre-paid lodging vouchers and rental car, you’re free to set your own pace as you trace your family history. Staying in traditional Irish homesteads or modern working farms, you’ll experience life as a local and enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the Irish people.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
River rafting. Sun salutations. Mother Nature. Wallet-friendly savings. Women looking for a restorative summer adventure will appreciate this women-only, yoga-focused rafting trip down the Green River through Utah’s Desolation Canyon with Holiday River Expeditions.
Whether you are new to rafting, new to yoga, new to the outdoors or looking for a new girlfriend getaway, this June 2 - 6, 2014 trip welcomes women of all abilities and ages.
The deal:
Book by April 30, 2014 and receive $150 off.
Why go
Not your standard yoga retreat for the uber-fit, this wellness vacation is designed for ALL women including those who struggle with weight, arthritis, chronic pain, sports injuries, MS, aging or mobility related issues. Leading the yoga will be Deanna English, a registered nurse, yoga therapist, and integrative health coach.
What to expect
Rafting splashy rapids that build in intensity each day. Big beach camps with plenty of room for yoga. Excellent inflatable kayaking opportunities. Dramatic canyon scenery. Great hiking. Plenty of down time. Fresh delicious meals. Scenic flight.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Spring may be right around the corner, but in Estes Park, CO., located adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park, winter is far from over. And unlike pricey, hard to access ski towns, in Estes Park, an easy 90-minute drive from Denver, off-peak prices make for some of the best winter deals in the Rocky Mountains.
Here are 4 discounted winter sport packages still available for a last minute winter getaway:
Estes Park Outfitters offers private, customizable snowcat adventures with accommodations at the exclusive, luxurious High Mountain Cabin – inaccessible outside of the package.
Snowcat Overnight Package, Estes Park, CO
DEAL (Save $350): A private two-hour snowcat adventure, a chef-prepared dinner, a one night stay and breakfast. Adventures can be customized to include private cross-country or back-country skiing.The package is available while weather permits. Rates start at $695 a night for up to four people.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Heads-up budget travelers…Generator, the world’s fastest-growing hostel brand, is celebrating the first anniversary of Generator Barcelona with a €1 flash sale* and early bird access now available.
From March 18th at 8 a.m. EST to March 19that 8 a.m. EST, travelers will be able to book as many beds as they want online for the incredibly low rate. Travel is valid for stays between March 18, 2014 to March 17, 2015.
Click here to claim the offer early.
In addition, all guests who book a bed for €1 a night will be automatically entered to win a free upgrade to the Penthouse Suite where rates start at €250/$344 per night. *Based on availability, city tax of €0.72 per night per person not included.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Generator, the world’s fastest-growing hostel brand, is offering incredible winter wipeout deals available brand-wide at their eight locations throughout Europe’s best destinations starting as low as $7 per person, per night.
Winter Wipeout offers are available through December 31, 2013 for travel until February 28, 2014. Starting rates for each property are:
- Barcelona - $13 per person per bed
- Berlin Mitte - $13 per person per bed
- Berlin Prenzlauer Berg - $7 per person per bed
- Copenhagen – $21 per person per bed
- Dublin - $7 per person per bed
- Hamburg - $13 per person per bed
- London - $16 per person per bed
- Venice - $21 per person per bed
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
I’m not a fan of consumer holidays. I am a fan of affordable travel, however. So, if a Colorado ski break, an Italian hiking holiday, or an all-inclusive Mexico beach escape is on your travel wish list, here are four Cyber Monday travel deals to help you save big.
COLORADO SKI BREAK
The deal: Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, located in the heart of Beaver Creek at the base of one of Colorado’s most celebrated mountain resorts, is offering Cyber Monday savvy-shoppers a free night stay and a free day of skiing! Those who book the Ski Free, Stay Free offer can enjoy an extra night as well as an extra day on the slopes. In addition, those who book on December 2 will receive a slope side view upgrade based on availability. This deal represents a 20% savings on accommodations and savings of $200 for skiing.
How to save: To make reservations for this four-night stay, visit http://beavercreek.hyatt.com/en/hotel/offers/offer-detail.html?offerId=52910544 and use promo code CYBER. Offer is valid for stays between December 3-20 and throughout select dates in 2014. Please check the terms and conditions for availability.
To make reservations for this four-night stay, please visit http://beavercreek.hyatt.com/en/hotel/offers/offer-detail.html?offerId=52910544 and use promo code CYBER. Offer is valid for stays between December 3-20 and throughout select dates in 2014. Please check the terms and conditions for availability.
ITALIAN HIKING HOLIDAY
The deal: REI Adventures, a leading adventure tour company, is offering a Cyber Monday deal on its classic Cinque Terre Hiking trip in Italy. Guests who book this trip on December 2, 2013 will receive $700 off any 2014 departure of the trip, a 20% discount. The trip is a stunning tour by foot through the five picturesque fishing villages dotting the Mediterranean Coast of Italy. Guests will hike along dramatic views of the coastline, through chestnut and pine forests and past a 16th century naval fortress – all the while enjoying the region’s renowned wines, gastronomy and relaxed seaside culture.
How to save: Trips can be booked at www.rei.com/adventures (FYI the last time REI Adventures offered a discount was for their 25th anniversary, which was in April 2012.)
MEXICO ALL-INCLUSIVE BEACH ESCAPE
Barceló Hotels & Resorts
The deal: Barceló Hotels & Resorts specializes in all-inclusive resort experiences found in the world’s most desirable locales. The brand’s two multi-resort mega complexes, Barceló Bávaro and Barceló Maya, are characteristic of Barceló’s high quality service and endless entertainment options. Catering to online travel consumers, the brand is offering a 40% discount on stays with a three-night minimum.
How to save: Reservations must be made on Monday, December 2 though the savings is valid for travel throughout 2014, blackout dates may apply. To book, visit http://www.barcelo.com/BarceloHotels/en_GB/offers/cybermonday-deals.aspx.
Sandos Hotels & Resorts
The deal: Sandos Hotels & Resorts is offering up to 50% off at one of Sandos’ four all-inclusive Mexico resorts. The brand’s Mexico collection includes: Sandos Caracol Eco Experience Resort and Sandos Playacar Beach Experience Resort, both in Riviera Maya; and Sandos Cancun Luxury Experience Resort in Cancun. Sandos Finisterra Los Cabos is the fourth and newest Mexico property in the collection, which opened May 2013. Only available for booking on Cyber Monday, December 2, 2013. Valid for travel in 2014; blackout dates may apply.
How to save: To book, visit www.sandos.com, select the Sandos Mexico hotel of choice and then click on the special offers tab at the top of the hotel landing page.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Does the end of summer have you yearning for one last beach fling before the chill of autumn settles in?
I’m in the midst of writing about the Dominican Republic and Mexico this week and have stumbled upon some amazing last-minute travel deals in the process.
Here are three affordable hotel deals in Punta Cana and the Riviera Maya offering exceptional last-minute savings that just might tempt you to hop a flight.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
If you’re like me, always on the lookout for last minute travel savings, this 30% off deal in Chilean Patagonia might be just the ticket for an October adventure.
Why go:
With high season officially beginning in November, the month of October is an ideal time to travel to Patagonia in order to avoid the crowds, but take advantage of the improving weather.
Trip highlights include hiking along the world famous W Route in Torres del Paine National Park, witnessing the birth of icebergs as they calve away from the Grey Glacier, encountering guanacos, pink flamingos, and condors in their natural habitat, and sleeping in tented domes at a luxury eco-camp.
photo courtesy BikeHike Adventures.
The Offer:
All October 2013 departures for BikeHike Adventures’ On the Trail of Chile’s Patagonia are discounted to $1,799 USD, a savings of up to 30%. The 7-day itinerary offers travelers the chance to hike the famous W Route in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. Highlights include the Grey Glacier, the French Valley, the Italian Valley, and the Torres del Paine themselves. Accommodations are in an Eco-Camp with comfortable dome tents that have solar showers and flush toilets as well as in cozy mountain refuges.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Is Russia on your travel wish list for 2013?
Check out this new last-minute booking offer from Grand Circle Cruise Line’s for free round-trip international air fare from 22 U.S. gateway cities on 3 Fall 2013 departures on their 16-day Russia Revealed: Moscow to St. Petersburg river cruise. Offer ends August 27, 2013.
Cruise Russia for less with Grand Circle Cruise Lines
This Russia river cruise is among GCCL travelers’ top 3 most popular river cruises for 2013. In addition, two GCCL Russia ships, the M/S Tikhi Don and the M/S Rossia, were the highest ranked Russian river ships in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2013 Top 100 Cruise Ships in the World.
Here are the details:
Russia Revealed: Moscow to St. Petersburg River Cruise
Explores Moscow, Uglich, Goritsy, Kizhi, Petrozayodsk, Svir Stroi, and St. Petersburg
16 days from $3195 per person (or $200 per day)
SAVE up to $3100 per couple on three fall 2013 departures: Free round-trip international air fare from 22 U.S. gateway cities includes airport transfers and government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. (Please note: visa costs are not included).
Departure Dates & Prices:
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Why Go:
It’s no secret that Peru is one of South America’s hottest destinations with Amazon adventures, the Sacred Valley of the the Incas and Machu Picchu, plus some of the best cuisine on the planet. But the price of getting there isn’t always wallet-friendly.
Move quickly and you can fly for less with LAN Airline’s BIG DEAL Summer Sale on flights to and within Peru. Fly from the U.S. to Lima, Peru with fares starting at $549* and see more of Peru when you visit an additional domestic destination for $14 or LESS. Tickets must be booked together before August 5, 2013 for travel between August 15 and December 5, 2013.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Switzerland ranks as one of the prettiest places on the planet. It’s also one of the most expensive. But that doesn’t mean budget travelers have to steer clear. Here are five wallet-friendly summer deals to help you stretch your dollars and expand your fun.
Alpine Summer Switzerland
Better still, discover how you can win a free one-week Swiss summer holiday.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Latest & Greatest: The newest property from Generator, Europe’s fastest-growing hostel brand, opened this week (14 May, 2013) in Barcelona with beds starting from just €13 per person, per night.
Located in the fashionable Gràcia district, smack dab in the middle of Barcelona’s two main Metro stations of Diagonal and Verdaguer, and as little as 15 minutes away from la playa, this hip new hostel hotel is as wallet-friendly as it is gorgeous and amenity packed.
With free Wi-Fi, a stylish bar and chill-out areas, 24-hour security plus a free walking tour of the city, this cool new hostel is definitely bookmark worthy.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Are you looking for a summer getaway? To help you start planning, and save some money while you’re at it, Destination Hotels & Resorts is offering big saving to those who book early with its Countdown to Summer promotion.
The collection-wide promotion offers special discounts on summer lodging throughout Destination’s portfolio of hotels, resorts, condominiums and vacation rentals with discounts, upgrades, and added-value packages.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Make the most of your tax refund dollars with St Maarten’s Sonesta Resorts’ new, “Tax Back? You Bet!” promotion, a 46% savings on any all-inclusive vacation booked during the entire month for travel the entire year.
Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino, St. Maarten. Photo: Peter Wesley Brown
The resort is offering an additional 21% off (symbolizing the amount of tax & service) on Sonesta’s already low “advance purchase rate” - for a total of 46% savings off published rates.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
“The scent of roasted cumin seeds floating through a Delhi bazaar … a young girl’s bracelets jangling on her arm as she prepares for a festival … Hindu pilgrims descending ghats into the holy Ganges.” Sound tempting?
Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) invites travelers to discover India for less this year, reducing prices on its popular Heart of India adventure by up to $1100 per person for all August, September and December 2013 departures. In addition, there are no book-by dates and single supplements are free.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Finally! Savings for Solo Travelers…
Anyone who enjoys traveling alone, or has little choice but to do so, knows that the decision often carries a costly penalty—the dreaded ‘single supplement’, a hefty fee that hotels and travel providers add to trip rates for solo travelers.
I travel solo a lot and know that single supplements, or lack thereof, can make or break my vacation choices. So, I was thrilled to find this Spring getaway at Vancouver Islands’ Long Beach Lodge Resort offering 40% off savings for solo travelers.
The deal: From now until May 31, 2013, Long Beach Lodge Resort, in Tofino, British Columbia, is offering solo travelers 40% off room rates in the Lodge. “Solo Rates” start at $119 Cdn per night plus taxes.
The place: Famous for its iconic Great Room, where guests are welcome to relax and enjoy the incredible views, Long Beach Lodge Resort is home to one of the best surfing beaches in the area. Having celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2012, Long Beach Lodge Resort is set right on the ocean in Cox Bay, Tofino, BC, and provides beautifully appointed accommodations in a private, wild Pacific West Coast setting. The resort offers 41 lodge rooms, 20 two-bedroom cottages and a full service dining room, the Surf Club and Adventure Centre, fitness room, outdoor hot tub, as well as meeting space and instant beach access. For more information, visit www.longbeachlodgeresort.com.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
I love it when an inside connection turns me onto exceptional savings on vacation experiences that I can pass along and share.
Here are two last-minute deals offering incredible wallet-friendly discounts on March 2013 European river cruises that you won’t find anywhere else.
Combined savings are more than $3,000 pp, but you’ll have to act fast. Booking deadlines are January 17 and 21, respectively. Hope it helps get you Out There!
Special #1:
Old World Prague & the Blue Danube (2013) River Cruise Tour
Explores Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; Austria: Vienna, Durnstein, Melk, Salzburg; Prague, Czech Republic
Regular price: 12 days from $2195
Special Discount: $1,000 pp for 03/07/13 departure (Book by: January 17, 2013 and please use code: TAAA 689)
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
ESCAPE WINTER CHILL WITH GREEN SEASON BOTSWANA SAFARI
Save up to 30% on this 6-night Green Season safari, with rates starting at $3,400 per person including accommodations, domestic flights, meals, game drives and more
Extraordinary Journeys Africa, specialists in luxury bespoke safaris to Africa, is offering an opportunity to trade in the winter chill for an escape to Botswana from November 2012 to March 2013.
During this 6-night safari, visitors will experience breath-taking green landscapes, thousands of animals in the wild caring for their newborn young and millions of birds migrating. With about an hour of rain each day, this “green season” typically attracts fewer tourists, which means a more intimate experience and warm temperatures all at rates that are 30% lower than their peak.
Pricing for this adventure is $3,400 per person for a 6-night stay in Botswana for travel between November 10, 2012 and March 20, 2013*. To receive a quote for dates between December 20, 2012 and January 10, 2013, please contact Extraordinary Journeys.
A 50% discount is available for children 6 to 14 sharing a family room with parents, making this a great option for a family trip over the upcoming holiday and February school breaks.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".