Vacations Blog

USS Arizona Memorial

Pearl Harbor is the #1 most popular tourist attraction on the island of Oahu, but that is not why I visited.  I’m not a history buff, or interested in war trivia, or necessarily drawn to hallowed ground, so that’s not why I went either.  I went because I know and love many men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.  I have dated them, sprung from their loins, even considered becoming one myself.  (That’s for a different website.)  And so when I had some time in my schedule on Oahu, I looked into visiting this national monument.

When I asked locals what I should know about going to visit Pearl Harbor, I was told without variation that I should “go early, to avoid the lines.”  The monument’s website is very clear about the process for your visit – pick up a timed ticket, wait in line, no bags or backpacks or even diaper bags allowed.  I succeeded in packing light, but not at arriving early.  I made it out to the visitor’s center at about 11:00 AM on a Friday in September.  There was no line.  I got a ticket for the tour starting in five minutes, so there was little wait.  And the center wasn’t very crowded, so the whole experience was…pleasant.

It is odd to say that this visit was pleasant because essentially you are visiting an underwater tomb. Read More »

Thatched roofs of the Park Royal Hotel

The name Cozumel means “land of the swallows” but it should mean “land of the laid back vibe.”  The tiny island is just 30 miles wide and 10 miles long but it’s filled with a quiet beauty that encourages you to linger.

I was invited on a Cozumel media trip by Royal Holiday Resorts a few months ago and I enjoyed a soothing and colorful stay. Cozumel was settled by the Maya over 2,000 years ago and the lush grounds of the Park Royal Hotel where I stayed boasted many tributes to Mayan culture like the towering statue and serene fountain below. Read More »

Diamond Head - the peak is the edge of a huge crater

I didn’t do much research before I went to Oahu.  There, I said it.  I was fine just going with the flow, no guidebook to refer to, consulting the internet for information.  So when the airplane was touching down in Honolulu and my seatmate, a local resident, pointed out Diamond Head to me and said that you can hike to the top, I mentally put that on my to-do list.  Other island dwellers suggested I hike early, before it gets too hot, and at sunrise if possible.

No, not possible.  I was on the run from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to sleep every one of the few days I was there, so the best I could do was set my alarm for 6:15 on a Sunday morning, the day I was scheduled to catch a 12:30 PM flight.  My hotel was just a short ride from the Diamond Head Visitor’s Center, and my internet research told me the hike would be short, so I figured I could fit it in before breakfast.

And so I did.  And because I was not up there literally at the crack of dawn, I had a better time of it.  You see, this is one of those bus tour type of attractions, and that morning there were several on site with loads of tourists who had ascended to watch the sun come up.  I had the pleasure of greeting them all on their way down, which left a few stragglers at the top once I arrived, and even pockets of pure, quiet solitude. Read More »

Sculpture of Roman Goddess Diana surrounded by a pond

Revel in nature’s fall colors at Brookgreen Gardens Harvest Home Festival on October 24-25.  Enter the scarecrow building contest, try pumpkin painting or opt for hay rides, basket-weaving and pottery demonstrations while listening to live bluegrass music. With the lush Brookgreen Gardens as the setting, your fall vacation will be filled with beauty.  Covered with palmetto trees, hydrangeas and expansive lawns, Brookgreen Gardens resembles a swampy Garden of Eden.

Nestled between Myrtle Beach and Pawley’s Island, the 9,200-acre outdoor museum and National Historic Landmark boasts sculptures, gardens, fountains, marshes, swamps, an aviary and a zoo.  This place is so massive that admission tickets are good for seven consecutive days. I recommend devoting a day to the Harvest Home Festivalactivities and another for the sculpture garden and lowcountry zoo. Read More »

Mickey O'Lantern

It’s now.  I mean, if you were wondering.

Just after school starts, on a weekday in the fall, during a recession.

My husband and I took our boys there today for the first time.  Aside from two rides with waiting times of an hour each, we hardly waited for anything.  No unruly crowds, no unbearable heat, short wait times, even multiple passes on the same ride. No waits for food.  No lines for the rest room.

And if I can be a bit more specific, if your birthday is between tomorrow and December 31, 2009, the best time to go would be your birthday.  You get free admission to the park, a spiffy button that says “Happy Birthday [name]” and birthday wishes from strangers all day long.

Five minute wait for this ride? Unheard of!

[photos by Kim and Stewart Prince]

Majestic Lake Powell in Page, Arizona

With nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline, Lake Powell stretches into both Utah and Arizona. On a houseboat you can explore the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell area. The rock canyons and towers are one of the most beautiful sites in the world. If you don’t want to stay on the water or guide your own boat, there are tours available as well as hotels RV parks, and campgrounds. All together it makes a complete family vacation package in a place with a rich history of being a backdrop for numerous movies such as Planet of the Apes and Maverick.

Family oriented activities include golf, guided fishing excursions, boat rentals with GPS, powerboat with water toy rentals and a complimentary Lake Powell Explorer pack aimed at younger kids and their parents. The pack includes a parent’s guide, hiking maps, word puzzles and a field trip to the Glen Canyon Dam Visitor Center.

Glen Canyon near Lake Powell, Page, Arizona

Book a package with days between November 5th to 8th and you can be a part of the Balloon Street Fair and watch the Hot Air Balloon Regatta fly overhead.

Photo credits both go to Wolfgang Staudt.

This weekend marks the spectacular close of the 63rd annual Aloha Festival in Hawaii, a month of festivities that celebrates Hawaiian culture.  With this year marking Hawaii’s 50th year of statehood, the celebration is even more special.  The grand finale is Saturday’s Aloha Festival parade which will feature 13 floats, 4 schools of hula dancers (hula halua), 14 marching bands, 4 trolleys, and representatives from all 8 Hawaiian islands.

I am visiting Oahu to get a first-timer’s taste of the island, as well as peeks behind the scenes of the parade’s attractions.  Tune in for photos and stories from this adventure.  For now, I venture out for a few hours of exploration.  I’m off to explore the USS Arizona Memorial at Peal Harbor, and later take a ride on a submersible vessel called Atlantis.  This is one tough job.

My home base in Waikiki at the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk is beautiful, but who wants to stay inside on a day like this?

View of Diamond Head from Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk

My tree at home? Wouldn't be this good anyway.

Laura recently shared 5 Little Ways To Save Money for Vacations. Her suggestions were sensible, savvy and financially sound, and called for little to no disruption in your day to day life.

I’d like to offer a suggestion that’s a little more extreme.

Cancel Christmas.

Seriously.

Now before you start throwing the Scrooge label around, hear me out.

I’ve been thinking recently about how much I want to take my kids on a great vacation.  I travel quite a bit on my own, and I’ve noticed that it’s much more affordable to travel solo than it is in a group.  Even when I go places with just my husband, the sticker shock of two airplane tickets and two full sized meals (as opposed to one street vendor hot dog) never ceases to amaze me.  (Plus, when you’re traveling with your husband, you can’t save money by splitting a hotel room with 3 of your closest friends.)

I can easily scratch the heck out of my travel itch for under $400 – when I’m traveling alone.

But I’ve been wondering, where can I come up with the well over $400 needed for a great vacation for a family of four?

Obviously, one of the first things I could do to save money is stop traveling alone.  And to that I say, Ba Humbug!  I’m a travel writer, for Pete’s sake!  I pretty much have to take regular trips or I’ll lose my job! Nobody wants that!

My next idea was to stop buying groceries.  But then I considered the enormous hassle of dealing with Child Protective Services and quickly scrapped that plan.

And then came my brilliant idea to cancel Christmas.

Read More »