great takes on family travel in the U.S.

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

If you only visit Sea World when you go to San Diego, you’re missing out on a lot. Besides, how many times can you watch a whale jump through the air chasing a sardine? On your next trip, check out these romantic hotels - one of them is great for hookups, of both the romantic and the internet kind…

We recently stayed at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina, and while I know my husband chose it for its beautiful pool with cascading fountains and their cafe on the water, I know he also picked it for that one thing he knew would make me swoon: a plush internet lounge with WiFi. Because nothing says ‘I Love You’ like free Internet connection with a killer download speed.

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of Sheratons, but because we’re part of the Starwood program we decided to give the chain another try while on a recent visit to San Diego. We were pleasantly surprised – the hotel was in a beautiful location overlooking the marina, appeared to have been recently renovated and had excellent service. After lounging by the pool, we moved to the outdoor patio for a romantic evening sipping martinis by one of their outdoor fire pits. One definite buzzkill was the room service breakfast bill the next morning – how is it possible to spend almost $80 on a mediocre meal? I’ll tell you how – by cleverly hiding both a delivery charge and a room service fee in the bill, on top of which I unknowingly added a very generous tip. Luckily I was able to console myself with some quality time at Link, the internet lounge.

But one of our favorite places to stay is still the W Hotel located downtown. We love the modern, sleek rooms and the hip vibe – although if they heard me using the words ‘hip vibe’ they’d probably set me up in a room with a tub of Epson salts, a glass next to the bed for my teeth and a DVD boxed set of the Golden Girls. The Sand Bar on the roof is amazing – grab a private cabana, wiggle your toes in the (real) sand and sip a Mai Tai next to the one you love. You’d swear you were alone on a deserted tropical island if it weren’t for the techno music blaring on the speakers and the waiter who keeps showing up to ply you with expensive booze.

Not quite in San Diego, but close, is the Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna Beach. We haven’t been there for years, but it was one of the first hotels my husband and I stayed at together when we were dating (Yes, unmarried and in the same room! Sorry, mom.) This place truly is spectacular, and if you get one of the rooms on the upper floor of the main tower you’ll have a breathtaking view – a perfectly framed, unencumbered view of the ocean, sky and clouds. Now if that doesn’t scream romance I don’t know what does.

Photo: W Hotel, San Diego

Originally founded in 1849 as an Army outpost, Fort Worth still embraces its western heritage and traditional design more so than its contemporary sister-city, Dallas.  Whether you’re in town for business or pleasure, the local bed & breakfast community has plenty to offer any traveler who wants a more intimate, unique view of this colorful town.The Texas White House is an award-winning, historic home restored to its original 1910 décor.  Located just minutes from downtown, guests still have plenty of privacy in the main house or the carriage house with relaxed private sitting areas in their rooms and claw-footed tubs for showers or bubble baths.  Breakfast is offered in the dining room or in suite, and other amenities include television, laundry service, secretarial services, early morning coffee service and afternoon snack and beverages and on-site massage services.  Rates start at $145 a night and up.

A stately plantation sitting on one acre in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood near downtown is the site of another bed and breakfast in Fort Worth.  Azalea Plantation offers spacious rooms with whirlpools, high ceilings, mahogany beds and balcony views.  A gourmet breakfast is served in the elegant Victorian Dining room every morning.  The Dallas Morning News called this B&B the “Best Kept Secret in Dallas/Fort Worth.”

Heart-shaped whirlpool tubs for two are in every room at Lockheart Gables along with personalized cookies, a special arrival drink, and lots of candles to light, fresh flowers terry robes and breakfast in suite on your own schedule.  Three rooms are available in the mansion as well as two romantic cottages on grounds.  Built around 1893 by an acclaimed English architect, Arthur Albert Messer, it’s the perfect spot for a romantic getaway.

Photo courtesy of Rhea.

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

Okay, so maybe Los Angeles doesn’t come to mind when you’re thinking of planning a romantic getaway. Freeways, smog, Paris Hilton – I admit none of these inspire an enchanting escape with that special someone. But take a look at these hotels – you might just change your mind. And if not, well – there’s always Paris.

Though I’ve never stayed here, I’ve heard people say that the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills is an ideal romantic retreat. Done in a fifties retro-style, the rooms feature Eames cabinets and Noguchi furniture, which may not seem romantic to you but really gets furniture designers hot. But here’s why this place intrigues me: My husband and I used to live around the corner when the hotel was the run-down Beverly Carlton. We visited once when we were considering putting up some friends there, but changed our minds when the place had the vibe of a Motel 6 infested with crack dealers. (Although, this being Beverly Hills, those would be filthy rich, Gucci-clad crack dealers.) But they’ve done an amazing transformation with the hotel – it’s now a hangout for hipsters and celebrities who like to lounge around their swanky pool.

For a more classically romantic feel, you can’t go wrong with the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown L.A. The hotel is currently celebrating it’s 85th anniversary, and has a rich history – besides hosting many celebrities and presidents, the hotel was the site of the Academy Awards back in the 30’s and 40’s. In honor of their birthday, the hotel is offering a special 85th Anniversary Celebration package that includes a deluxe room, a nice bottle of champagne and dinner for two at their acclaimed restaurant. Round out your romantic stay by indulging in their daily Traditional Afternoon Tea – just like a Royal couple! (Are any of them still together?)

One of my most memorable romantic getaways was at the Mondrian Hotel on the Sunset Strip. My husband surprised me with an anniversary weekend here, and it was amazing. Make sure you get one of their packages that includes a reservation at their famous Asia de Cuba restaurant and admission to the unbearably hip Skybar (opened by Cindy Crawford’s husband). This place features more celebrities per square foot than any other location in L.A. besides the cosmetic surgery ward at Cedars Sinai Hospital. Kick back with your amour in the stunning Seabar, have one of their unbelievable watermelon martinis and do what I do - try to figure out a way to make off with all their designer furniture. Now that’s romantic.

Photo: Mondrian Hotel

UpTake’s mission is to provide the best way to sift and filter through all the travel information, lodging options, and attractions that people need plan a great trip. But in our research, we’ve learned that trip-planning is a complex, circuitous workflow that can differ based on the type of trip or the type of traveler. TravelMuse is one of those companies that are trying to tackle this complex process.

Question: What’s new with TravelMuse?

TravelMuse just announced a new trip planning widget called “Plan-It!” that is kind of like the “Delicious” of travel. You can bookmark pages that you see on the Web and pull it into your TravelMuse Planner.

Question: Isn’t this competitive with UpTake?

No, in fact its complementary. UpTake has already created the comprehensive catalog of travel content out there, based on over 1000 sites. If you are using UpTake, why wouldn’t we you to bookmark our content so you can find it again?

Question: Does this mean you won’t create a trip planner or a bookmarking tool?

No, we never promised to Kevin (TravelMuse’s CEO) that we wouldn’t also have a bookmarklet or planner! In fact, we have one in private alpha. But our philosophy is to give our users choice, and when Kevin came to us with this option, we wanted to stay true to our philosophy by offering access to 3rd party tools like TravelMuse.

Actually, what we really want to focus on is a tool that will allow our users to post reviews to whatever site they are already using. We want to keep our platform open and complementary, and only in that way will we create a great service for travel planners out there.

Question: How does it work?

Over the last week, according to our Google Analytics, one of our top 50 destinations is Gatlinburg, Tennessee. So lets say you are looking for Gatlinburg Hotels, and you discover the MountainLoft which has some pretty good reviews at TripAdvisor, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Yahoo:

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you see the Plan-It widget:

The Plan-It Widget pops you to a new page on TravelMuse that allows you to add it to a Trip Plan. The name of the hotel and the link have already been added:

Note that you don’t have to sign up to use this. That’s pretty slick. You just enter your email and TravelMuse will partially register you pending email confirmation. I already have an account, so I’ll log in and add it to a new trip plan. I repeated this process with some activities I found in UpTake, like the Gatlinburg Space Needle, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Gatlinburg Guiness World of Records.

Once I’m at TravelMuse, I can add more information based on what I found in TravelMuse, to the TravelMuse Planner.

This is a partner friendly solution because the links in the TravelMuse planner go back to UpTake, where people can book their trip. Of course, in the process of exploring the editorialicious travel content of TravelMuse, you may find other hotels or activities to book!

This is just the beginning of our experiment in taking an open source approach toward travel innovation, and partnering with other visionary companies to solve the huge, complex problem of travel planning!

What other cool features does TravelMuse have?

This is what Jennifer Hwang of TravelMuse said:

• Original editorial content written by seasoned journalists and local experts
• Destination guides with more than 100,000 points of interest, plus stunning photography
• Inspiration Finder helps people discover and plan their best trips based upon their specific wants, needs and constraints
• TravelMuse Planner provides a centralized place to collect, organize and share travel research.

TravelMuse has done an exceptional job integrating Flickr Creative Commons licensed photos into their site. They also have nice destination guides for the top destinations.

Look forward to working even more closely with TravelMuse and other travel planning companies in the future.

If a romantic getaway to the Dallas area is on your calendar, then this is the article for you.  Dallas is full of romance and passion, if you know where to look for it (and you have the right person with you). There are plenty of places to stay, but here are a few unique ones.

Hotel ZaZa, a magical, luxurious boutique hotel, offers an expensive but one of a kind romance package with a suite, half terrace, whirlpool bath, house champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, a couples massage and manicure or pedicure, dinner for two at Dragonfly with VIP seating, breakfast served in suite and complimentary covered, secure valet parking.  Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?

Another wonderfully romantic place to stay is the Hotel St. Germain, an old-fashioned hotel with European décor and genuine French and Creole antiques.  They have plenty of great ideas for love birds, such as a lover’s treasure hunt, scented bath with rose petals and rose petal turndown service.  Every evening the Parisian Champagne Bar service is offered, exuding a sophisticated ambiance and they offer amazing arrays of chocolate in their boutique.

A couple of great restaurants to start off your romantic evening are Nana and The Grape.  Nana Restaurant is on the 27th floor of the Hilton Anatole building in downtown Dallas with a spectacular view of the city.  They offer live jazz music nightly and an enlarged dance floor.  With critically acclaimed food, a priceless Asian art collection and an elegant interior, this is an experience that will feed your senses.  The Grape Restaurant is a Dallas original neighborhood wine bistro inspired by New York and European bistros and wine bars.  Quality food and wine at affordable prices continue the long-standing tradition and charm of this local favorite.

Now that you have a place to stay and eat, you need the option of romantic things to do.  How about a ride on the McKinney Avenue Trolley where the streetcar route allows couples to explore Uptown where there are outstanding theaters, historical tours, sidewalk cages, art galleries and antique stores full of unexpected treasures, museums and live music venues.  Another nice idea is a leisurely stroll through the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, 66 acres of gardens and fountains with a view of the lake and the downtown Dallas skyline. It’s a popular spot for outdoor concerts, picnics, and photography sessions.  The perfect place for private conversations and I bet you could even get someone to take a picture of you two for the scrapbook.

Austin has it all, from luxury suites and fine dining restaurants to budget hotels and cheap eats. If you are planning a trip that falls into the latter category then you will not be short on options. The “Music Capitol of the World” is an easy place to enjoy yourself while pinching pennies. I have put together a list of great hotels that will ensure you enjoy your stay without spending much cash. You might be able to find cheaper hotels in Austin, but, you can be confident that none of the hotels on this list will be a stone’s throw from the interstate, cockroach friendly, or barely inside the county line!

1. Austin Motel: This place is funky, unique, and cheap and located on one of the hippest streets in Austin. It is an old motor lodge, celebrating its 70th birthday this year. Each room has been updated and individually furnished with bright colors and fun patterns. Rooms start as low as $75 and you can walk to the many excellent shops and popular restaurants along South Congress, or take a stroll down to Congress bridge over Town Lake–downtown bars and clubs are a walk or cheap cab ride away as well. This is my pick for best value.

2. Adams House bed and breakfast: This is a beautiful old house in the popular neighborhood of Hyde Park. The area is lined with old oak trees and cute houses. This bed and breakfast has a great lawn and nice communal areas. The rooms are very individualized and cozy. They have several rooms for under 100/night. If you are a state employee, you get a discounted rate. Plus, there is a yummy free breakfast every day!

3. 6th Street Hostel: If you are the type who likes to be RIGHT in the middle of all the action, then this is the place for you. Cheap rooms, nothing fancy, but surrounded by the bars and clubs of Austin’s famed 6th street. If you intend to get a good quiet night’s sleep, then this is not the place for you!

 No matter your style, Austin has a great room for you. So, book a cheap hotel and then start planning all the tasty restaurants, great bands, and fun outdoor activities that you want to do!

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

My husband and I just celebrated our anniversary last month. Fifteen years ago we said our vows in front of family and friends in Santa Barbara, so you can understand why I consider this city the most romantic of destinations. Sure, I’m partial, but I’m sure if you check out these hotels you’ll agree that Santa Barbara is the ideal destination for a romantic getaway. And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll be there with the man of your dreams like I was fifteen years ago.

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Whether you are in town for business or pleasure, Dallas has a lot of different activities and attractions, and what better way to immerse yourself into what the city has to offer than by staying in a bed & breakfast. Here are four to choose from in neighborhoods near downtown.

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