by Marti Mayne with travel expert Eileen Ogintz
Where should we go?
With so many options the decision can send enlightened travelers either into a quandary or an adventure. From resorts and hotels to campgrounds and hostels, travelers have a myriad of accommodations options. Value is the buzz word in travel today, and when it comes to finding plenty of value, a B&B or country inn makes a lot of sense for some, but not all travelers.
The Avon Chambers at Manor on Golden Pond. Photo provided by Manor on Golden Pond, Holderness, NHWhen to B&B?
“If you thought B&Bs weren’t for you, think again,” says syndicated travel columnist Eileen Ogintz.
Of course you’ll find everything you need to celebrate romance at inns and B&Bs from king and queen beds with luxurious linens to deep double whirlpool tubs, double showers and ensuite fireplaces.
But they can also be a terrific place to visit with kids. Some inn owners welcome children with special dress up corners, children’s books and more. And they are a lot more homey than staying in a big hotel.
You’ll get a lot of bang for your vacation dollar too since homemade multi-course breakfasts, afternoon refreshments and evening innkeepers’ receptions at many inns are part of the deal. The extras can add up to more than $100 in value over the course of your stay. Add in fee-free wi-fi, parking, bottled water, DVDs and movies, and much more, and savings add up. “You won’t find those annoying resort fees,” said Ogintz.
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".
Autumn is a perfect time of year to travel. Temperatures are moderate, the crowds of summer vacationers have dissipated and the scenery in many parts of North America are bursting with vibrant colors. These annual displays of nature are the basis of many of Vacations By Rail’s popular autumn rail tours—where the only things more brilliant than the fall colors are the scenic train excursions that take travelers through the spectacular scenery.
One of the premier autumn travel destinations is New England, renowned for its spectacular red, orange and gold foliage on display. Fall foliage rail vacations visit popular New England sights like Boston, Mystic Seaport, the Breakers mansion, White Mountain National Forest and Cape Cod and include spectacular train excursions throughout the region including the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway with some of the steepest railway tracks in existence, the Conway Scenic Railroad, the Cape Cod Central Railroad, and the Essex Steam Train, among others. Some tours, like the 8-day fall foliage favorite New England Rails and Sails, also include scenic lake and harbor cruises, which offer a unique perspective on the stunning colors.
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 planning to forfeit your hard earned vacation days this summer, even though you desperately need a break? Times are tough, you say, this is no time to be thinking about travel. WRONG.
Think back over the last five years of your life. What immediately stands out? Wasn’t it that trip to Yosemite, the cooking school in Italy, the wild flowers in early spring in Provence or the kind merchant whose hand drawn map helped you find your way when you got lost in Bangkok?
Now, more than ever, you deserve a vacation. Here’s why…
1. Doctor’s Orders: Studies confirm what any traveler already knows: vacations are good for your health. Among the documented health benefits of leisure activities are a diminished risk of disease, an enhanced immune system, reduced obesity, and increased life expectancy.
In addition, roughly one-third of employed U.S. adults (34%) reported feeling better about their job and feeling more productive upon returning from vacation, according to Expedia.com’s 2010 International Vacation Deprivation Survey. Take that, Mr. Scrooge.
2. The News Not Fit To Print: Thanks to a daily barrage of gloom-and-doom news headlines, one could easily conclude that life stinks, people are rotten and the world outside your door is unsafe. However, when I scan my database of travel memories, I see a world where kindness is the rule –not the exception.
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".
Discover a New Aloha with NEW American Safari Cruises in Hawaii
To celebrate American Safari Cruises’ inaguaral season in the Hawaiian Islands, a $300 per couple value-added travel credit* is being offered on Hawaii reservations made between June 1 and July 29, 2011, for travel between October 26, 2011 and May 3, 2012.
American Safari Cruises’ 36 passenger Safari Explorer is the only small-group expedition yacht offering overnight cruises in the Hawaiian Islands. Guests sail one-way on an active luxury adventure between Maui and the Big Island that includes exclusive cruise visits to Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi and Molokini.
Unstructured itineraries leave time for seeking wildlife, engaging in active adventure and exclusive cultural experiences on the following two Hawaiian itineraries:
Hawaiian Seascapes: 8 days/7nights
Hawaii’s traditional shores: 11 days/10 nights
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 Camino de Santiago (“The Way of Saint James”) is an 1,100-year-old pilgrimage route across Spain ending at Santiago de Compostela, where, tradition has it, the bones of the saint are buried. Seekers and adventurers from around the world sojourn to Santiago under their own power – by foot, bicycle, even donkey – to earn that most esteemed souvenir: the compostela, or certificate of completion. It’s a challenging journey, complete with mountain passes, unpaved roads, and weather that can be less than cooperative. Easy Rider Cycling Tours, an adventure travel company that specializes in European bike trips, has been guiding bicycling tours along the Camino since 1998.
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".
Legendary river rafting outfitters Bill and Jaci Dvorak know how to plan the perfect family river escape. They’ve been doing it for over 40 years. This year families will be able to take some of the sting out of the high cost of a summer vacation with a special ‘Kids Go Free’ promotion from Dvorak Expeditions.
The location is Utah’s wild and scenic Green River as it flows north to south through the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservations carving the deepest canyon in the state. The week-long trip follows the path of Butch Cassidy’s ‘Wild Bunch’ and explorer Major John Wesley Powell, who titled the barren landscapes “a region of wildest desolation”.
Dvorak’s River Magic Journey for Families along the Green River, however, is far from roughing it. Professional guides handle all the details and are adept at knowing the needs of children and parents in the wilderness. Healthy prepared meals, often Dutch Oven style, include fresh meats and vegetables, breads, salads, desserts and beverages. The staff also take turns being the camp Play, Laugh & Learn Director‚ to organize games, side canyon hikes, campfire storytelling and off-river entertainment for all ages.
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".