The Modern Travel Agent (Part 2)

Awhile back I had written a post with the intent of answering a lot of questions that we receive frequently which really boil down to this one..."what is the difference between using you or going on the internet and doing it myself?"  I focused that post on explaining who we are as modern day travel agents.  Please feel free to go back and revisit that article at your leisure.  But I feel a part 2 is required because we still get asked a lot of questions that lead me to believe that a lot of potential customers have no real idea of what we do and how we work & benefit them when it comes to travel planning.

So instead of focusing again on who we are, lets focus this article and who we are NOT.

1.  We are NOT cyber robots.  That seems obvious but when people compare us living and breathing professional travel consultants to the likes of Booking.goodluckwithgettingwhatyouthoughtyoupaidfor and cyber gnomes, it makes me think the obvious is not so obvious.  When you call or email or text or do a face to face visit with us, you are speaking to real people who have real families and live in real homes just like you do.

2.  We are NOT order takers.  We do not encourage our clients to do all the work and all the research and spend countless hours on hoards of websites perusing scores of travel options and then simply take what they want and hit the "book it" button.  Instead, we do all of the work, spend our time and energy scouring the resources we use, as professionals, to find that perfect vacation that fits what our clients told us they wanted out of that perfect vacation and then we send that perfect option to the client for their final approval before anything is ever booked.

3.  We are NOT the cheapest option.  Many will come to talk to us only because they think or they have heard that travel agents are cheaper than the internet.  While some travel agents attempt to buy a client's loyalty by offering kickbacks or huge discounts, we are not that agency.  We offer the best value.  Value is very different than cheap.  If someone is looking for the cheapest option, then there are countless websites saying they are the cheapest which means no one will really know if they received the cheapest price.  Do you pick your Dr's based on them being the cheapest?  Do you pick your lawyers or financial planners because they said they were guaranteeing to be the cheapest?  We don't expect you to choose to work with us because we are the cheapest either.

Modern travel agents are again thriving because of the things we are as well as the things we are not. Clients are coming to us because we save time and energy.  They are coming to us because they trust our knowledge and experience and can offer ideas that they may never have thought of.  They are coming to us because they appreciate our service and love knowing we are THEIR agents, not the resort's or the cruise line's or the tour operator's etc.

So are you wanting to take a dream vacation and don't know where to begin with the search process or can't seem to pull the trigger because you are overwhelmed with countless options and opinions from friends and online reviewers?  Search out a professional travel consultant (i.e. us here at H&K) and let us show you why you will never want to try to book a vacation without our
help again.

The Non-vacation Vacation

Before we get started...lets peruse good ole Webster's Dictionary and refresh our memories of what the word "vacation" actually means.  Go ahead...I will give you a minute if you want to look it up yourselves.  While you are doing that, I will fill everyone else in on what Webster has to say.

Vacation

1) a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday

2) freedom or release from duty, business, or activity

3) a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended

Now I thought most adults and even most younger children had a pretty good grasp of what the word meant, but from I am seeing these days from friends, peers, family members etc is telling me that our Country has totally lost the notion of what it really means to take a vacation.

Families pack up once, maybe twice a year (if they are really lucky) and head out on vacation and one of the absolute must-packing-items is a small laptop.  Well most won't call it a laptop but instead will call it a "smart phone."  But let's be real.  That device you carry in your pocket that now requires its own sub-packing list (i.e. charging cords, portable chargers etc) is in all reality a mini laptop because it does pretty much the same thing a laptop can do.  It sends and receives email.  It can access files.  It has everyone's database installed for the most part.  It edits pictures and can post to all social media outlets.  Oh...and to ensure you stay connected to your work, it rings and dings even while on vacation in foreign countries thanks to international cell plans and sim cards.

So imagine for a moment sitting on a tranquil beach somewhere in the South Pacific.  Palm trees are swaying.  The crystal clear blue seas are lapping up on the beautiful white sand beach.  Got a visual? Now picture everyone sitting on that beach with their laptops open and everyone is typing away.  Quite a sight it would be, eh?  If we actually saw a bunch of people doing that while surrounded by such beauty and tranquility, we would be flabbergasted by such people who can't seem to get away from their work long enough to enjoy some time reflecting on more important things in life and letting their brains and their bodies truly vacate.  If you really want a horrible visual...imagine those same folks with their laptops open and their spouse and children are sitting their being ignored during a time when the family was supposed to be enjoying some time away together.  

Well lets do some self-examination real quick.  There is nothing different between the person sitting on vacation with their laptops open and the person sitting in that same spot staring down at their smart phone all the time.  All the smart phones have done is make it less conspicuous when people are spending their days on vacation wrapped up in work and what is going on back at the office or home.

It's sad, but we have become a nation that no longer truly understands the importance of taking time away from work.   Recent studies have shown that there is even a horrible trend that is being called "vacation shaming."  Co-workers and bosses are shaming those who actually try to take off their allotted vacation time as if it is some less-than-honorable thing now to want to spend quality time with those who should mean more to you than your work.  The shaming should really be going the other direction, right?.  Why are we not shaming the ones who think work is more important than family and health and spiritual wellness?

This non-vacation vacation trend has been getting worse and worse as the years go by and, for some reason, it is more of a US trend.  Other countries have long recognized the need for time away from work and balance in their life.  Countries like France.  The French receive around 30 days of vacation.  Guess how many they actually take on average?  If you guessed 30 you were correct.  Germany also gets around 30 days off of work and they take an average of 28 of those days off.  Finland, Austria, Italy all have around the same number of days off and the majority of the workers take almost all, if not all of the paid time off of work.

Where are we here in the USofA?  We are WAY down the list...almost dead last in fact.  We get an average of 15 days off of work and most only take 12 of the 15.  Some will act as if that is something to be proud of.  But lets also see where we are on another list.  We are third only to India and China when it comes to anxiety, depression and drug&alcohol use.  Go figure!  We wear this work honor badge like it is something to be proud of while our society suffers from mental stress and disorders.  What relieves stress and anxiety?  Balance in life can lead to a much less stressful and anxious life.  Balance meaning taking time to focus on other things than just work and jobs.

Many no longer allow themselves to be free from duty or business.  Many no longer suspend work to go find rest and recreation.  Too many sacrifice the things that hopefully last longer than some job such as their family or their spiritual life. Too many are wasting the precious moments they have with their spouses, kids etc while they bring work with them on the very thing that is supposed to be a break from work and stress and anxiety...that thing we used to call...vacation.

So what happens to us if this trend continues?  If more and more of us decide work is more important than being "present" with those we care most about, what happens to our mental and physical health? Ask yourself a question.  If you were to become ill due to stress and anxiety at work and you were hospitalized, how many of your co-workers or bosses would be there at your hospital bedside?  How important would that job really be if you Dr gave you bad news about the state of your health?  Would you say, "excuse me Dr, but I need to check my email real quick before you continue with your prognosis."?

That is where a lot of you are headed if things don't change.  You sit there now engrossed in your phones never giving your brain and body a chance to rest and recoup.  You sit there ignoring what is around you while you check texts, emails, voicemails etc and all the while your body and mind and family are begging you to stop.  Meanwhile your mental and physical health is declining as is your life expectancy.

So stop.  Stop and take a look around you for Pete's sake.  Stop and ponder what is really important in life.  Stop before you regret the moments lost, moments you will never ever get back.  Stop and take a real vacation for a change.  Your body, mind and soul and for sure your family will appreciate you for doing that.

Travel: A True Gift

This month's post is brought to you by one of H&K Luxury Travel's travel consultants, Amber Dixon.  She is a great resource for family vacation planning and we are proud to have her as a guest writer for our blog.  Enjoy her insights and tips.

As a parent it is so easy to get caught up in the day to day grind of school, homework, activities, cooking and laundry – not to mention making sure you are raising your children to be decent, productive human beings.

One of the greatest gifts I have been able to give myself and my children has been one on one travel. I was recently in New York City with my middle son, Thomas, and it was the best trip ever. Just the two of us – no siblings, no spouse, just us. We were able to focus on the things that Thomas likes to do, move about the city more quickly than if we had more people in tow, and he had my undivided attention. But the greatest part of traveling one on one with one of your children is that you learn things about them that you didn’t know before – like the simple fact that Thomas likes kid shows that aren’t animation and wanted to see the new Beauty and the Beast movie.

Traveling with kids – no matter how many – always brings unique challenges and you can make the most of your vacation by making some simple choices and thinking ahead.

1.  Choose Your Flight Times Wisely
Do as I say, not as I do. We live a couple of hours away from the closest large airport so when we travel as a family we generally pick a late morning/early afternoon flight so that we don’t have to wake up and get everyone ready at the break of dawn. I chose an early morning flight for our one on one trip to New York City which required us to leave our house before 6 am. That was a mistake. Thomas was tired by the time we got to New York City and we spent most of the first day just hanging out and had an early bed time. A later flight would have allowed us to sleep later and be more adventurous our first day in the city.

2.  Let Your Kids Do Weird Things
Thomas loves pigeons. When we were in Washington Square Park there was a man who was feeding and holding pigeons. Now, this is not normally something I would encourage my children to do because it seems ridiculously dirty.  But I could tell Thomas really, really wanted to hold and feed a pigeon as he stared longingly as some other kids joined in. So I handed him a few dollars to donate for the bird seed and he had the absolute time of his life with those pigeons!

3.  Consider Your Kids Interest
Maybe the most important thing to consider when traveling with kids is what they are interested in. No matter where you travel if your days are full of only things that interest you as the parent then your kids behavior is going to be less than ideal. Thomas loves candy so we made several stops at candy stores, including Dylan’s Candy Bar. We also took into consideration that Thomas loves dance, drums and was interested in seeing the One World Observatory when planning our days. We also chose to see STOMP off-Broadway and Thomas belly laughed throughout the show because it fit his taste in entertainment and humor perfectly.

4.  Be Flexible
When traveling with kids even the best plans need to be tweaked. One of the things we wanted to do was eat at the Cookie Do restaurant that has recently become a viral sensation. But, due to the weather (it was cold and rainy) I knew that no one would be happy to wait in the two hour line. We also spent more time than I would have preferred playing in Central Park but at the end of our trip that was exactly what Thomas needed to do before traveling home.

So take your kids to explore new places! It is one of the most precious gifts you can give your children and yourself.

When To Buy Your Airfare

This article may NOT contain the answer you are looking for, but I do hope it clears up some of the confusion and misinformation that is floating out in cyberspace when it comes to the best days and times to buy airfare for your upcoming dream vacation.

First, here is a fact about airfare prices,  they fluctuate on almost a minute by minute basis.  The fluctuation is due to computer algorithms that set prices based on the number of seats still available on a certain flight.  As seats sell, prices change.  Its good ole supply and demand, plain and simple.  There are a lot of detailed articles out there trying to give more detail into why prices are so different for the same flight on any given day, but it all boils down to economics.  If a flight is a popular route, you can count on the fact that prices will reflect it (i.e. supply and demand) and that won't matter if it is on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc.

Second, we get asked all the time whether it is cheaper to fly on a Tuesday vs a Friday etc.  The answer still goes back to supply and demand.  It very well may be cheaper because a lot of business travelers leave out on Sundays and Mondays and come back on Fridays or Saturdays.  But keep in mind that airlines know this and the number of flights reflect the busier days and routes which brings up the issue of availability and the number of connections.

Third, what you see when it comes to the published fare may not be the real cost of flight.  For example, you bought a ticket on "ABC Airlines."  Then when you went to choose your seat, the only available seat for the price was a middle seat near the back bathroom.  So you see that the seat is in an awful location but you also see there are other seats that you can upgrade to for the everyday low price of $60.   So you waited until Tuesday to buy that airfare that was $30 lower but ended up paying $60 more for a seat you actually want to sit in.

So with all of this said, here are the factors that should play into your decision of when you want to buy your airfare:

1) How committed are you to the trip?  If your trip dates are set due to vacation schedules and you are set to a certain departure and return date, you should consider buying your airfare as soon as you can. I say that because if your vacation destination is a popular one, the good flights (good times and connections) can sell out while you wait to see if the fare is going to drop $20 to $50.

2) Single vs multiple connection flights.  Let's assume there are no direct flights between where you are and your destination so you will have at least one connection.  You need to weigh the importance of the number of connections as well as the layover time.  Waiting to buy on a certain day of the week and at a certain number of days before your trip can put at risk losing the best connection and layover times. Was it worth the difference in airfare if you now have to stop at 2 different airports before reaching your final destination?  Each connection carries its own risks such as the chance for bags to get lost or issues with weather or airplane equipment.  The money you might save may seem insignificant if you spend the first two days of your vacation in the same clothes you started in.

3) Time of year.  if you are flying to a destination that is popular during a certain time of year (i.e flying to Europe in June or July), the prices will not only change rapidly, but again, flights can literally sell out.  The direct flight you wanted from Chicago to Rome not only could be sold out, but the longer connecting flight may also now cost more because you waited.

Let me summarize by telling you how we consult our clients when it comes to purchasing their airfare.  If we know that the client's dates are set and we know that destination is a popular one for that time of year, we always encourage them to buy as soon as possible with only a few exceptions.  We advise them to consider the single vs multiple connection.  We help them see that taking the last flight out may appear cheaper but it may not be worth it if that flight is canceled and there are no longer anymore options out that night.  We make sure sure our clients see that the cheaper flight may have a layover until the next morning which means there will be an overnight hotel stay which also now adds to the cost.  We make sure our clients know that if it is important that they are seated together, then we need to grab the flights and seats when we can to make sure that happens.

So do you see that waiting to buy airfare on a certain day or picking days of the week that you think will be cheaper may not be the best choice?  Its not a simple answer of "always buy on Tuesday because its cheaper."  Let professionals help you understand the pros and cons of waiting or not waiting.

Taking a Bite Out of the Big Apple

As a first timer to New York City, I wasn’t sure what to expect…I mean sure I have heard plenty about it and my husband has been several times and LOVES it.  But this mountain loving open space seeking girl isn’t exactly super excited about all the tall buildings and city life.  So to say I was a bit worried I might not love it is an understatement.  BUT, it was truly fabulous!  There are so many fascinating things such as the sheer number of Starbucks in a 10 block radius, or the number foreign languages I heard…but what stood out the most is the number of people ALWAYS around…not matter what part of town you are in or what time of day…there are so many people.  In a good way – mostly.  ;-)

When starting to plan our trip I did what any good travel consultant does…research.

When it came to trying to figure out where to stay, there were so many great choices of course.  But we landed on a new hotel that has a totally different approach to hotel living.  We stayed at the EVEN Hotel near Penn Station.  The reason I wanted to check it out is because it has a unique opportunity for the hotel guests.  Each room has a workout space in it equipped with an exercise ball, yoga mat, exercise bands and loads of workout options from a booklet to multiple workout channels for you to  turn on.  From the catchy slogans on their signs to the water bottle for us (to be more green) this place impressed me the most by their outstanding service.  Some of the best service I have ever had at a hotel to be honest.  They have a healthy option restaurant, Cork and Kale, for breakfast, dinner and on the go meals.  Of course this type of hotel wouldn’t be complete with a 24 hour fitness center with more equipment for you to use to make certain you can stay healthy while traveling!

Since we chose to stay there, I made sure to get over to a couple other hotels so that I can see which room I will stay in next time I visit.  The first stop was the JW Marriott Essex House.  WOW.  What can I say?  Luxury feel, fabulous location, amazing views of Central Park and the city, great restaurant and bar, the list is long.  What stood out the most you might wonder?  The size of the rooms!   Even the standard room is quite big for New York hotels.  Plenty of space to move around, ample storage for your luggage - you don’t ever feel cramped.  The overall vibe of the hotel was really nice, not pretentious, but rather a pretty affordable luxury hotel.   The ballroom is remarkable for your next wedding or other event  - where you will always be the ONLY event going on in that space, not matter how big or small.  We dined in the restaurant and were impressed by the food and wine selection as well the ambiance.  If you want to buy a table for breakfast the morning of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you can enjoy a fabulous meal while watching the parade cruise by your table.  You will even have street access if you prefer that.  It would definitely be great to go back there for that event.  To sum it up, you just can’t go wrong with this luxury hotel.  The JW Marriott Essex House – a must!

One other hotel I wanted to check out was the Lotte New York Palace Hotel – it is right across from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  Another fabulous location with great city views as well as views of the famous historical St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  This luxury hotel is another gem of New York City.  The attention to detail and the thought behind each finish is truly amazing.  The standard rooms and suites are also quite large with several great options for families or multifamily travel.  There are a few options to have a cocktail at, a breakfast lunch/coffee place, and a restaurant that will be serving breakfast only soon with lunch and dinner to come in the months ahead.  The most interesting place to get a drink there is Rarities.  This place is essentially a drinkable museum.  You must have a reservation to get in, but once you are in, you can try liquors and wines that have some amazing story behind them and were likely purchased at an auction.  It truly is a “rare” find.  You do not have to stay at the hotel to have a drink there…just be sure you get your reservation made in advance!  My absolute favorite place in the hotel though is the Jewel Suite.  A 3 story room with your own personal elevator, outdoor patio with fireplace and hot tub as well as plenty of tables and chairs to sit around while enjoying the stunning view of the city.  Jewelry designer Martin Katz helped create this stunning room with his jewels showcased in the room for you to enjoy.  This room has multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, an office that is too pretty to work in really, and the most amazing gathering area with the 3 story windows for you to take it all in.  This suite is only matched by one other suite in town – and happens to be right next door in the Champagne Suite.  A much more masculine room, but the same amazing views and features, the completely different décor including much darker wood finishes.  This suite will not disappoint the Dom Perignon lover with the displays of Dom around the room and the glass chandelier that was made to look like champagne bubbles in your glass.  Yes, the attention to detail is unmatched.

So many things to do and see in NYC and too many to try to list here in this blog.  One of the most unexpectedly interesting things we did was the Rockefeller Center Tour.  I had no idea it was going to be mostly outside and all about the 19 buildings that make up Rockefeller Center.  Who knew?  Our tour guide was amazing and just the right amount funny!  We learned a ton and were in awe most of the 75-minute tour.  It is worth it if you haven’t done it.  Some must-do’s in my opinion would be to visit the 911 Memorial, walk the financial district, get to the Top of the Rock and for the romantics out there, take a carriage ride with your sweetheart through Central Park.  That is just the beginning of things to do over a long weekend in the city that never sleeps.

 New York is known for great food…and it did not disappoint.  We had dinner at Minetta Tavern – a great spot in Greenwhich Village that seemed filled will locals.  It’s been around since 1937 and for good reason.  They are known for their Black Label Burger, but have a wide range of options from Roasted Bone Marrow to King Salmon and so much more.  Great wine list, excellent Martini, and impeccable service.  If you decide to go, be sure to make reservations a few weeks in advance!

We also hit David Burke Kitchen in SoHo.  My husband has been there for dinner a few times so we had planned to have brunch there, but ended up doing breakfast, which was amazing!  Best French Toast I have ever had!  Most unique Bloody Mary we have come across – but the hubs says it was amazing!  You can’t go wrong with anything you order any time of day!  Reservations are ideal.

Of course we hit the random pizza joint on the street to grab a slice and it was great! 

One more place to note that we hadn’t planned on going to but SO glad we did is Patsy’s Italian Restaurant New York.  It is a family run restaurant that has been there since 1944 in the Theater District in Midtown Manhattan.  From the moment you walk in the door you are greeted with fabulous service and likely to see at least one of the family members.  They have only had 3 chefs – the late Patsy himself, his son Joe, or Joe’s son Sal (who has been running the kitchen for the past 29 years).  The best service we have ever had, some amazing Italian food and we even got to see Tony Danza dining at his regular table.  And yes, we made eye contact but I did not bother him.  ;-)  This restaurant is a must!  And you will want to have a reservation there also!     

If you have the opportunity to go to the Big Apple for the first time or your 10^th time, there is always something new to see or a restaurant you haven’t hit.  Needless to say, his first time visitor will be back!

(Article contributed by Jamie Eldridge, H&K's adventure travel expert.  You can see her profile by clicking on this link H&K Luxury Travel)

Travel Trends for 2016

A new year is upon us. New years bring new beginnings and new opportunities.  Maybe you are one of those persons that like the newness of the new year.  Maybe you like to think about doing things you have never done or seeing places you have never seen.  Well the travel industry is well equipped this year to offer everyone something new and exciting.  Here are some examples of what is hot for 2016.

1) Cuba.  This destination has been making the news now for quite some time but it is still very misunderstood.  It is not "open" to tourism as some headlines make you think.  But it is accessible through the right tourism channels.  Now is the time to investigate those channels before it does become more open and more hotels and resorts descend upon the pristine beaches staking their claim for the future.

2) The "other side of Mexico."  Major hotels and luxury resorts are seeing the potential in places like Cabo San Lucas and Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa.  These are still destinations where you can escape the larger crowds that flock to the Caribbean side of Mexico.  Hotels to consider are the new The Cape in Cabo and Capella in Ixtapa.  Enjoy some of the most gorgeous sunsets and beautiful beaches found anywhere in the world.

3) Experiential Travel.  More and more travelers are weary of the same old same old when it comes to vacationing.  Sitting on a beach with an umbrella drink was fun the first 5 or so times, but thanks to social media, more travelers are seeing that there are exciting experiences awaiting them out in the big old world.  So travelers are now looking for their vacations to be one of a kind experiences that they can brag about to their friends via sites such as Instagram, Snapchat etc.  This makes destinations such as Costa Rica or Guatemala places that are seeing increases in tourism.

4) Year of the Dragon.  I am using that phrase generically to show that so many areas of Asia are on the radar now for 2016.  When large luxury hoteliers such as St Regis or the Four Seasons start building new properties in areas, you know that they are seeing trends that are making these destinations the next hot area.  Such is the case with Japan, China and Korea.  If you have been to Hawaii, you are already half way there.

5) River Cruising.  No longer are river cruises for those that carry certain cards to get certain benefits because of their birth dates falling before a certain year.  Get what I mean? Tour companies such as Tauck and Disney are seeing that river cruising is for all age groups within a family.  It is one of those vacations where grandma, grandpa, mom, dad and son and daughter can all go together and have something enjoyable to see and do during the vacation. This means that staterooms, menus and activities are all being designed to cater to all ages and families are seeing this as a great opportunity for the whole group to get together for a once in a lifetime vacation.

Giving Winter the Slip

One of my favorite songs that I love to listen to in the winter is "Under the Sun" by Michael Franks.  One of my favorite lines in the lyrics of that song is when he says "Snow in my shoes, mid-winter blues, have got me down, just point me south lets go now, the clothes on back are too Pasternak, from soul to crown, where in the hell's the snow plow? Down 95 we'll come alive, and by the time we get somewhere near Savannah, give winter the slip, it's well worth the trip..."  Don't we all want to give winter the slip after a few days in the 20 or 30 degree temp range?  Palm trees, sand and sun start to call our name.

Well the problem comes in when people come to us, as their trusted travel professionals, and say they are ready to give winter the slip but they prefer to be able to drive to that sunny and warm destination. Or they are willing to leave the Country, but only on a short cruise or a short flight to the Bahamas.  Trust us when we say that driving as far south as the Keys or even planning a trip to the Bahamas in January or February will NOT guarantee that you will be giving winter the slip.

I have personally traveled to Florida (by car) and have cruised to the Bahamas twice in December and January and at least 3 trips were met with cool to cold temperatures.  There is nothing more disappointing than stepping out on the white sands of the Bahamas in a hoodie.  Nobody wants to be packing a hoodie for their winter escape.

So where are some places that you can travel to in the winter where you will be truly giving winter the slip and leaving your hoodies and warm socks back at home?  Here are our top 5 based on flight distance from the USA or cruise length.

1. Cancun, Mexico.  Even if you get down there and the temps are in the low 80's, no hoodie required.  You will be met with white sand beaches, blue Caribbean water, friendly people and a warm sun. 
2. San Juan Puerto Rico.  Flight times are good from most major airports, easy immigration process for US citizens, and plenty of warmth, sun, and sand.  And, it is a destination rich in culture.  
3. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  Some are thinking...where did you say?  This awesome destination is on the Pacific side of Mexico and offers a true winter escape and is a nice change in scenery for those who have been to Cancun more than once. 
4. Turks and Caicos.  If you look on the map you will see that T&Cs are closer than most other Caribbean destinations from Miami International Airport.  If you have not visited this destination yet, it needs to be on your radar before it becomes even more popular and more crowded. 
5. 5 night Caribbean Cruise.  Royal Caribbean offers 5 night options from Tampa as well as Port Everglades (Ft Lauderdale).  The 5 night cruises will usually take you as far south as Cozumel (short ferry ride from Playa del Carmen and Cancun).  4 night cruises can't get that far south usually unless they sail from Galveston TX and we have our reasons why we are not recommending those cruises.  Trust us.

So there you have it.  Our top five pics for giving winter the slip without the fear of winter sneaking into your checked luggage. And all of these are not going to require an all-day travel experience to get there.  

I Left My Heart in Savannah

I know, that is not the right lyric but if you have ever visited Savannah GA, you will know what I mean.  I completely understand why writers use it as a back drop for their novels.  I know now why photographers flock to its squares.  I am fully aware now why food shows shoot episode after episode there.  I understand 100%.  And I also understand why it is a city where romance blossoms.

It is everything a traveler could want out of a destination.  It is steeped in so many centuries of history.  Pirate stories, revolutionary and civil war stories make Savannah a historian's paradise.  You see its history around every corner and on every step that you take down one of its cobblestoned streets.

I could go on and on but what I want to do is give you an idea of how to spend a weekend in this southern gem.

First...try to stay somewhere along Bull Street.  The Mansion on Forsyth Park offers a very unique experience with a very eclectic design in the main hotel building which is juxtaposed against the historic mansion adjacent which houses the hotel's main restaurant and lounge.  Or you can choose to stay at he Hilton Savannah DeSoto which is also located on one of the historic squares, but closer to the main downtown area of Savannah.  Or maybe you prefer smaller, boutique hotels.  If that is the case, try a few nights at the Eliza Thompson House which too is situated right on one of the 6 parks/squares that are along Bull Street.

Once you are situated in your hotel, get out and walk.  Don't take a shuttle, don't call a cab...walk.  Walking is by far the best way to enjoy Savannah over a weekend. Walking allows you to stop and savor what you are really seeing with your own eyes.  And make sure your phone/camera has plenty of storage space.  You will want to snap a pic of literally everything you are seeing.  So as you are walking, you will notice the small, local pubs and bistros that go from Forsyth Park all the way down to Bay Street.  Pick one and enjoy an awesome dinner.  One with a fun atmosphere for your first night would be the Six Pence Pub.  Try the shrimp and corn chowder (if available) or the crab cakes.  And get yourself a pint.  Its an English Pub for Pete's sake.   Finish the night with a historic tour via a horse carriage and take in the romance of a southern night.

The next morning, wake up and head down to the "Arts Cafe" which is affiliated with the Savannah College of Art and Design.  A piece of Savannah History resides inside.  It was such a refreshing alternative to a heavy, southern-fried breakfast.  Healthy eating and the south can go together and they do well at the Arts.  You can't miss it.  Just look for the big red bus inside and ask about it while you are there.

Now that you did not have a heavy, painful breakfast, enjoy some more walking around and take in some of the many boutique decor and clothing shops along Bull Street and within two blocks on either side of Bull Street such as One Fish, Two Fish or Folklorico.  After you have shopped and explored...take a break at the Crystal Beer Parlor and act like a local because this is a local's watering hole.  Take time to read the menu on the outside of the building and you will appreciate what you are about to step into.

Then...go back to your hotel and take a breather and prepare yourself for one of the most confusing, yet pleasurable dining experiences of your life.  You might want a shuttle or pedicab ride to get to this next dining experience since it is down on Bay Street.  And please don't confuse this place with some of the other more touristy options down in that area of town.  Bay Street is where you can find all of the souvenir shops and other tourist-oriented activities,  but surely you can see that this itinerary is leaning heavily towards the local scene in Savannah.  And the Treylor Park is nowhere (currently) on the tourist's radar.  As we sat and ate our PB&J chicken wing appetizer, we noticed it was filled with the younger, local demographic and yes...I said PB&J chicken wings.  Just go with it.  Hope you get there thirsty because the beer and bar menu is something you need to venture into.  Then load up with the chicken pancake tacos.  Yep, you heard me correctly again.  That is fried chicken strips inside a savory pancake topped with some form of strawberry concoction that made me want to reenact the scene from When Harry Met Sally.  So go and enjoy my friends.  You will want to tell everyone about the transcendent food experience you just had and they won't get it until they too head to Savannah to hitch up at the Treylor Park.

So after your brain catches up with your stomach,  enjoy a leisurely stroll back up Bull Street and make a stop at The Public Kitchen and Bar and have their mixologists whip you up something real nice and again enjoy feeling a part of the neighborhood.

So...now you have come to the last morning.  I say head to 700 Drayton which is inside the mansion section of the Mansion on Forsyth Park Hotel.  Their omelet and pancakes were incredible.  Service was a tad slow but we had to remind ourselves that we were in the south and southerners tend relax more and enjoy life so sit back, take in the ambience of the restaurant, sip your coffee and let Savannah take your heart one last time (like it did mine) before heading back home.

Not a Good Fit

NOT A GOOD FIT

A big mistake that almost every small business person makes starting out is thinking that every possible client is a great client and good fit for their business.  I made those same mistakes and have made them even recently.  But with the exciting changes coming to my agency, I have had to really put into practice the truth that not every possible client is a good fit for me or my agents.  It will help you, our valued-clients as well as anyone reading this post, to know what is NOT a good fit for us when it comes to those you might want to refer.  Here are some characteristics that some have that make them NOT a good fit for what we do:

1) They are checking multiple online sites and want someone only to match or beat the prices they are finding.  There is always someone out there wanting to beat someone's price and we are not in the pricing-war game.

2) They don't value our expertise or our personal service.  This really goes with the first one.  Someone just wanting the "lowest possible price" usually does not attach value to a professional's knowledge and personal experience.

3) They expect us to give them freebies in order for them to work with us.  We are not here to win someone's loyalty by throwing gifts at them.  We have bills to pay just like our clients do and this is our livelihood as well as our profession.

4) They expect us to reply to texts, phone calls and emails well after what some consider to be normal business hours.  While we are always accessible for our clients who are traveling, we do have lives just like everyone else does and we need our time with family as much as anyone does.  We may choose to work after hours, but that is our choice and clients cannot expect us to be watching our phones for questions at 9pm on a Friday night, for example.

5) They just don't want to listen.  There are clients out there who refuse to take any advice we give when it comes to flights, resort or hotel reputations, etc and then come back and complain about the very things we tried to warn them about.

If you are reading these and thinking...but I thought travel agents always guaranteed the best price... you have been misled.  What we do is provide the best vacation value.  Lowest price does not equate to best value.  Our expertise and skill allow us to provide each client with the best overall vacation which could include the best possible flight times/connections, the most favorable room location at their resort, the most memorable tours/excursions etc.  We guide our clients on how to navigate customs, we offer insider information when it comes to restaurants and sites to see and our custom itineraries may never be the lowest priced option.

So, if you find yourself in one of the areas listed above, then you are probably not a good fit for us and we would be glad to refer you to a website that would be willing to work with you. But if you do value professional service and expertise and want the best overall value from your dream vacation/adventure, then we would be thrilled to consider you our client and we would be honored to become your travel consultants for life.

Supplier Spotlight: Tauck

Not all tour operators are created equal.  When someone sits down with a travel professional to start planning their European or Australian or African tour, options are usually presented that fit with a client's budget, timeframe and overall vacation goals.  Some client's budgets are more flexible than others yet some may hesitate to go with the tour operator that is the agent's top choice simply because it is higher priced.

Well please know that not all tour operators are created equal.    The one I am going to spotlight takes tours to a level that is hard to surpass.  Tauck Tours has fast become my number one choice for my clients.  Do all of my tour operators provide good service? Yes.  Do they all provide clean and safe accommodations? Yes.  Do they all offer a knowledgable guide and comfortable transportation? Yes.  But the memories made during a trip of a lifetime are in the details and that is where Tauck sets itself apart.  

Everyone can offer a tour of Italy, but not everyone touring Italy will get a chance to eat with a Contessa in her private villa.  Everyone can take a tour of France, but not everyone can have dinner at a private country estate in châteaux country with a hunting hound demonstration in full regalia.  Everyone can go on an African safari, but not everyone can offer their child a chance to walk with an elephant during lunch at an elephant sanctuary.  Those are some of the Tauck differences.  

But the biggest differences to me are when clients come home from a Tauck tour and can't wait to tell you what they experienced.  The biggest difference is when clients say, "We will never ever allow you to sell us anything else but Tauck."  And the absolute biggest difference is when a client tells you the following stories related to their Tauck guide going the extra mile:

"Our guide knew that our family was related to a famous sculptor/painter from a small town in Italy and one night we came back to our room where a small gift was packaged and waiting on our bed.  The guide had found a local bookstore where they had two copies of a book related to our ancestors work.  He bought the books, gift wrapped them and had them sent to our rooms."

That same client went on to tell me another story about how their guide went above and beyond and had paid attention to every little detail.  The client went on to say, "We have been on good tours, but nothing compares now to our Tauck tour. It was incredible."  

When clients return and give you reports like that, it makes our jobs so worth it and it solidifies the decision to make Tauck our number one choice for guided tours throughout the world.  It's seldom that I spotlight one tour operator over another, but in this case, Tauck gets a huge tip of the cap from me.

 Contact me and let me show you how Tauck can help you see the world in a way like no other tour company can.

Costa Rica is Pura Vida...When Done Right

You feel it as soon as you land in Costa Rica.  There is a sense of peace or relaxation that permeates the air.  Is it the people?  Is it the culture?  Is it the landscape all around you? Yes, yes and yes.  See...Costa Ricans have embraced a living and existence centered around "pura vida" which simply means "pure life."  People, friends and family are important.  The land around them that they work, live and play in is highly regarded and protected.  Every level of creation that co-exists with them is valued and loved.   While tourism is on the rise, Costa Rica is not willing to lose its identity for the sake of bringing in more and more tourists.  If you plan on visiting Costa Rica, you too must respect and value everything around you.  They do not tolerate visitors who want to come in and destroy things for the sake of pleasure or recreation.   But everything combined in Costa Rica is what sets it apart from so many other tourism choices and it is what makes it one of my most favorite places to visit.

I could write this whole article on why I loved the change in climate such as when you drive from the dry Guanacaste area and trek up to the lush rainforest that surrounds the Arenal volcano.  Or why I loved the smiles on literally everyone's faces.  Or why I loved the noises of the wildlife that are around you every day.  But I really want to focus this blog on one thing...where you stay in Costa Rica is probably the most important decision you will make in regards to your vacation.

Costa Rica does not take up a large footprint when it comes to land mass.  It is smaller than the State of Kansas.  So you would think you could stay about anywhere and be close to about anything.  But that is where so many make a mistake.  Getting around Costa Rica by bus or car can be an adventure. The roads are windy and rough in several spots which makes travel somewhat slow-going.  So while it looks like it should be only a 30 minute trip (as the bird flies) turns into a 90 minute trip by car due to having to slow for every corner and fender-dismantling bump in the road.  So staying in one area of Costa Rica can pretty much isolate you from a lot of other areas unless you like spending hours in a car each day introducing your kidneys to your tonsils.

But this is where Costa Rica is so unique.  One area has you looking down on the rainforest from your cloud-forest lodge while another area has you surfing with dolphins and taking in the beautiful sunset over the Pacific and those two areas can be separated by a 4 hour one way trek.  So splitting your stay between various areas is the ideal thing to do.  I know I know...unpacking and packing back up is not a fun exercise, but you will thank me when you get home.   Take 3 or 4 nights and spend them in the lushness and quietness of the rainforest.  Become one with nature.  Find your inner zen. Take lots and lots of videos and pictures.  You will want to because you will want to capture all there is to see so you can make your friends back home green with tree-frog envy.  Then pack up, brace yourself for the denture loosening drive down the mountains to the beautiful Pacific and enjoy a new sense of relaxation as you kick back in your hammock with a local Imperial (google it) in hand.

So you took my advice, you planned a split stay.  Yay!  Now here is another bit of free advice.  Choose a lodge or hotel that lets you actually experience Costa Rica.  We had the pleasure of staying in two different resorts during our stay.  One was the RIU Palace Costa Rica and the other was a boutique hotel called El Mangroove.  Go ahead...take a guess as to which one I am about to write a very favorable review for.  Any guesses?  How many think the RIU? Bzzzzzz!!  Wrong! For those that already guessed El Mangroove...ding ding ding.  You win.

When you come to Costa Rica, you need to stay at places that try to incorporate as much of the local decor, landscape and food into their resort as possible.  The RIU Palace came up with a big zero in all three.  If you go to a RIU Palace in Cancun. Take good pictures because you will not need to go to another one anywhere else.  They all look the same.  Same room decor.  Same lobby decor.  Same bland buffet choices.  Same non-local specialty restaurant choices.  Same drinks same everything.  It is really a shame.  You trek all that way to a new destination only to be welcomed by the same thing you would see in Jamaica, Cancun, Punta Cana etc.  It is just no bueno.  I read the reviews of those traveling to the RIU in Costa Rica and I shake my head at today's travelers, especially those from here in the US.  I read things like "best food ever" or "most luxurious place we have been" or "best resort ever" and it just makes me cringe.  What have we done?  Have we become a society that thinks travel to a foreign Country needs to be as homogenous as possible as to not take us out of our social comfort zone?  Have we become so used to mediocrity that we actually think bland food, stale bread, luke-warmed entrees are a step above what we normally get?

If you are not used to what I just wrote above, then the RIU Palace Costa Rica is not for you.  I will give the RIU Palace high marks when it comes to their staff.  For the most part, every staff member was friendly and happy and always greeted you with a friendly "hola." Our pool guy, Jose, was awesome.  He paid attention to what we liked to drink and was always around when we needed him and was a genuinely warm and friendly guy.  So the staff at the RIU gets an A!  The rest of the RIU gets a C...maybe C+.  The thing that really surprised me was how cheap things were done in the rooms.  Plywood and white paint were the two most-used supplies when decorating the room.  The coffee table, the desk, the headboard were all nailed-together plywood and simply painted white (and the paint job was not that good).  They then simply laid a glass top on the desk and coffee table which is something I have never seen before in a 4+ star resort.  The whole room was a "get up in the middle of the night nightmare."  The glass top on the coffee table had 4 sharp corners and were perfectly placed at shin level.  They then thought it a good idea to place the whirlpool tub directly between the bed and the bathroom and it too had some really nice pointy corners that would love to welcome a leg or a toe at 3am.   I just kept looking at the layout wondering, "what were they thinking??"  But here is where I get picky in case you think I am not being picky enough yet (HA)...our room was "ready" for us by around 2:30pm the day of our arrival.  We had found some trash that was had not been picked up when we sat our things down and then found the remote control  for the TV to be all cracked and busted.  I went to turn on the TV and nothing worked.  I opened the remote and discovered the batteries were in backwards.  Yes I know that is picky, but this is supposed to be a 4+ star resort.  If you tout yourself as a 4+ star resort, then attention to detail is a must.  If you replace batteries in a remote, the first little detail you should do is make sure it works.  And if you replaced the batteries, surely you noticed that the back of the remote was broken.  When you see things like that, it makes you start to look around.  Our rain shower head in the shower was broken to where it was more like a rain pour instead of a shower since water was coming up around the shower head and not through it.  Then once you see that, you notice that one of the glass blocks they used to separate the shower from the rest of the bathroom is cracked in half.  Would I have noticed all of this had the remote worked and not been busted up?  Maybe, but 4+ star resorts have to do better in my opinion if they want to be lumped into the "deluxe or luxury" resort market.  Other than the landscaping and staff, there was nothing deluxe or luxurious about this resort.

Now...lets move to the second part of our stay and get back to some more positive things.  El Mangroove does it right.  They thought things out.  The construction, the decor, the layout of the resort fits perfectly within its surrounding environment.  Service?  Impeccable.  Staff was friendly and there for anything you might need.  Rooms were what you expected at a 4+ star resort.  Clean, comfortable decor, tons of space for clothes etc.  Their rain shower head worked as it was supposed to.  Food and drink were excellent.  If you are a foodie or a mixologist...this is the place for you.  They did a good job of incorporating the countries abundance of fresh vegetables, fruits and fish into their menu.  The fish tacos at their pool/beach side restaurant were wonderful.  I am bragging on their food because it enhanced the stay.  The food and drink are a part of a hotel's success or failure and El Mangroove gets a A in the food and beverage department.  Service was great at their pool or in their restaurants.   Was it slow at times?  Maybe, but you are on vacation!  Why are you in a hurry for your meal to get over?  Central and Latin Americans are not on the same rushed schedule as we are here in the US which makes me quite envious to be honest.   The only other negative some might find with the resort is that a lot of the rooms will not have a view of the ocean.  They built the resort to go with the landscape, including existing trees and many of the rooms have wonderful mangrove views, but only a small handful have ocean views.  This is a small resort.  If you want big and sprawling and lots of restaurant choices onsite, this is not the resort for you.  If you want a relaxing, intimate, luxury, service-oriented resort, then check out El Mangroove for your vacation to Costa Rica.  They exude "pura vida."  You will actually know that you are in Costa Rica.

So before I end this article...I have to give a shout out to CATOURS.  We used them for our excursion up to the Arenal volcano area where we zip lined at speeds up to 50mph and at heights above 600ft over the top of the rainforest.  We also had the pleasure of having one of their expert guides along with us who helped us understand even more why Costa Ricans believe in pura vida. We also used them for our transfers from airport to hotel, hotel to hotel and then hotel back to airport.  They were wonderful and professional and I HIGHLY recommend using them on your next trip to Costa Rica.

So in summary...please do Costa Rica right.  Pick a place that let's you see the culture and the environment and for sure plan it to where you will come home knowing full well what pura vida really means.  You won't be sorry if you do.

The "Splurge Affect"

How many times have you or someone else said, "let's splurge" when it comes to dinner choices or while out shopping for various things?  We all like to splurge occasionally and just enjoy ourselves and throw budgets to the wind.  Some of us splurge on a daily basis when we head down to our favorite coffee house and pay $4.00 for a cup of coffee that would only cost us $0.75 if we made it at home.  The splurging we do takes money out of one budget coffer and moves it to another.  Some of us call that other coffer the "fun money" or "mad money" coffer.  It is the money we give ourselves each month to just have fun with and, if you are like me, the fun only lasts for a few hours.

Now think about your splurging that you might do each month how much it might add up to if you took that splurging amount and saved it for a year.  How much are we talking?  $600?  $1200? More?

Ok, you know I am a travel consultant so surely you have figured out that I am going to bring this topic around to travel.  So here it goes.  I deal with traveler's budgets on a daily basis.  Some are good...some are not so good.  I define not so good as those budgets where someone only wants to spend $500-$750 per person on a 6 night trip to the Caribbean.  That is just not good.  No easy way to say it. It is a limburger cheese budget.  So that brings up the splurge affect.  Those same folks or in fact anyone who is looking to travel, needs to look at their splurging that is done on a monthly basis.  Maybe you don't feel like you splurge on anything.  Good for you.  But a lot of us splurge, we just don't call it splurging.  We call it normal life because we think eating out or buying a Starbucks cup of coffee is normal when it fact, that is something a lot of people around the world could never afford to do.  But I digress.

Add up the splurging you do and be honest about it and annualize it.   Now think about that amount and the how much time of enjoyment it really gives you.  Now let me show you how the splurge affect can relate to your next vacation.  Most people will take a 5 to 7 day vacation these days.  So while that upgraded cup of coffee or dessert or entree may bring you enjoyment for an hour or so, vacations bring enjoyment for a minimum of a few days if not for a lifetime.  So if you splurge in the amount of $50 per month, that same amount of "fun money" could get you:

• Upgraded from coach to business class
• Upgrade from an ocean view (window only) to a balcony stateroom on a cruise
• Upgraded from a "garden view" to an ocean view room at a resort

If you splurge on the order of $100 a month, you could

• Upgrade from coach to business or first class
• Upgrade from a balcony to a junior suite stateroom on a cruise
• Upgrade from garden view to an ocean front with premium club privileges or to a larger suite

Naturally these upgrades depend on destination, time of year etc, but I want you to see that we all make choices.  Maybe the ocean view or even the inside stateroom is all you really want and that is ok.  Maybe a tropical or garden view room is perfectly acceptable which is 100% fine.  But make sure you have factored in the splurge affect before saying that your travel budget is all you can afford and that is what is driving your choice of accommodations or cruise choice etc.   Am I writing this in hopes of getting every client to spend more money on their trips?  Not at all.  I respect every client's budget when it it is given to me.  But what I want you to see is how much it actually takes to possibly enhance an experience that lasts a whole lot longer than some of the things we splurge on daily.   Add up that amount and you might be surprised.   I am also writing this because we travel professionals have too many potential clients these days who come to us with incredibly unrealistic budgets and those same travelers need to go back and re-evaluate their budgets before only allotting a certain amount to their family's vacation.  And trust me, I am not immune to the splurge affect.  I have decided to do some upgrades myself for my next trip and take some of my "mad money" and use it for something other than my Frothy Monkey coffee habit etc.

So there it is...the splurge affect.  I am sure economic students will be seeing this phrase pop up in text books very soon.  

Hawaii...No Passport Required

Now for some of you, the title of this post may seem a bit absurd.  Of course there is no passport required to go to Hawaii if you are a US citizen.  It is a State for Pete's sake.  But you would be shocked to know how many of our fair countrymen and countrywomen have no clue that Hawaii is a no-passort-destination.  Some must think that the amount of water between one place and another determines whether or not passports are required.  Now those same folks who apparently flunked US geography in school must have a hard time with Canada and it's passport requirements because the whole non-water thing is really throwing them off now.

But I digress.  The reason my post is titled the way it is, is because I want travelers to understand that Hawaii offers a true cultural experience that is far different than any other US destination, and even some international destinations, but we have the luxury of not needing a passport to get there.

I hope this post catches your attention if Hawaii is a place you have never been interested in or have thought you would never be able to visit.  I want Hawaii on the forefront of your minds by the time you read this article.  So let me confess something right upfront...Hawaii was not on the top of my places to visit before this past November.  But that has all changed.  Hawaii and especially the islands of Maui and Kauai have topped the list of "my favorite places I have been around the world."  Why you ask?  Well let me tell ya.

First, the beauty of Hawaii is hard to match.  Some might argue that Fiji or Tahiti or the Maldives surpass the beauty of Hawaii, but that is not the case when you consider the diversity of the landscape that makes up the Hawaiian islands. There are not too many places on this planet where you can go from a sunny, tropical beach and drive to an snowcapped mountain...all on one island.  You want to see a lush rainforest?  Hawaii has it.  You want to see an active volcano? Hawaii has it.  You want to see the most incredible sunsets while walking along a palm tree-lined beach?  Head to Hawaii.  You want to watch a sunrise from an elevation of 10,000 above sea level?  You can do that in Hawaii. Everywhere you turn, there is something to see and try to hurry and capture with a picture because you know what you are seeing is going to be hard to give justice to back at home when telling your friends of the awesome things you saw in Hawaii.

I found myself in awe during my trip last November.  At certain points I even felt moved spiritually. That was especially true on the island of Kauai.  When you land on Kauai, it is easy to see why so many movie makers head to Kauai for their sets.  The lush rain forests and tall mountains coupled with the beaches and blue waters of the Pacific make it a perfect backdrop for any movie.  I now know why movies such as Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark and countless other films were shot on location in Kauai.   But my spiritual moment came one early morning when we boarded a luxury catamaran for an early morning snorkel and cruise along the Na Pali Coast.  I was not expecting that day to be such a "bucket-list" experience but it became that and more.  It is difficult to not feel a connection with creation when you are sailing along seeing the sun rise behind you and the Na Pali coast ahead of you.  In case you don't know, the Na Pail coast is a stretch of coast line that is only accessible by hiking, boating or by air.  The road that circles the island of Kauai ends at each end of the Na Pali coast.  It is completely preserved in its natural beauty and "beauty" is not giving it justice.

So just when I thought the trip along the coast was already perfect, things were kicked up a notch.  As we approached the main area of the coast where the jagged cliffs and mountains appear to fall straight off into the Pacific, where the mist of the crashing waves climb up those same cliffs and paint the most serene and awe-inspiring picture you have ever seen...all of the sudden the water became like glass and pods of spinner dolphins appeared out of nowhere almost as if to say, welcome to my paradise.   The dolphins jumped and played and swam along side and time felt like it stopped.  I remember just sitting there trying and I mean really trying to take in what I was seeing and it moved me.  It showed me or at least reminded me what travel is all about and it has forever changed me.

Now you probably think that there couldn't be much more but there is.  Just when I was already moved and deeply affected in such a positive way, one more thing happened that made me understand why I was already moving Hawaii to the top of my favorite places to see and visit.  On our way back to the dock, we were all resting and trying to take in what we had seen when again something magical happened.  The captain slowed down and asked us all to head to the bow of the boat.  First the blowing of air from its blow hole and then there it was, the large tail fin of a humpback whale.  That has always been a major bucket list item for me and now, thanks to visiting Kauai, is officially checked off the list.



All of that in just one day on the island of Kauai.  Now when you add our visits to Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of the Pacific), the Na'Aina Botanical Gardens (where we not only learned about but saw an albatross nesting in their natural habitat), our kayaking adventure on the Hule'ia River, there is no wonder why I am now in such awe of what Hawaii offers.

There is not another single domestic location that can touch Hawaii when it comes to scenery and cultural experiences, not one.  The "aloha spirit" is still alive and well on the islands of Hawaii.  I wish I could really go into more of the culture and history that makes Hawaii so unique, but the post is getting long enough.  But please please understand that Hawaii is not like a trip down to Destin or southern California or Miami or any other domestic coastal vacation option.  You will feel like you have stepped off the plane and onto a place that is exotic and as "international" as Fiji or Thailand, or New Zealand etc., except for the fact that you are still on American soil where everyone speaks YOUR language and there is NO PASSPORT REQUIRED.

Hawaii has something to offer every type of vacationer.  Whether you are a hiker/biker, foodie, history buff, naturist, or just someone that wants to sit on the beach and sip an umbrella drink, Hawaii is the place for you.  Whether you prefer the finer things when it comes to accommodations (Grand Hyatt Kauai), or you are more budget-minded (Mana Kai in Maui), Hawaii is for you.

So if you are getting weary of the same old beach vacation choices and want to experience something new and exotic and exciting, please think about Hawaii.  And if you have been to Hawaii before but only Honolulu, don't let that be your only visit and make sure you try some of the other islands. Aloha!