Vacations Blog

Innovation Analysis Group does a bunch of cool stuff, but that didn’t stop them from hosting yours truly in their ongoing series of travel-related podcasts.

Listen to the patient Addison keep me on track as I discuss the perils and benefits of traveling with children.  Really, there are benefits!

It’s only 14 minutes of your life that you’ll never have back. And yes, sadly, that is my real voice.

Traveling With Children

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Let’s say for the sake of this post that it is spring and that you are a young man* and that you have thoughts turning that are pretty fancy.

If those fancy thoughts are of scenic places then you may already be a winner.

UpTake is having a photo contest to replace our current home page photo.  The penguins have had their moment.

You can win $250.  You can have your picture featured on UpTake’s home page for 4 months.  The possibilities are limitless (within limits).

There are rules, of course.  There are always rules.  Read them.  Live them.  Love them.

Submit your photo(s) and be somebody.

*Contest also open to women and old people.

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Aloha! Welcome to the Vacations Blog for UpTake- your first step to a great trip.

You may find yourself reading this blog and wondering who all of these fascinating people are. They’re us! We’re a group of road-tested individuals that have vacationed all over the place and lived to tell about it. We are here to share the best, the worst and everything in-between.

Whether you are looking for family fun, romantic getaways, trips with the pooch or travels on a limited budget, we have what you need.

For press information on UpTake please visit: Press & Blogger Information.

Contact the Vacation Team

And now, your Bloggers of Leisure:

Whit Honea

Whit Honea is an award-winning writer in the greater Los Angeles area. He is a husband of one, a father of two and the lifeline to many relatively tame creatures.

Whit’s writing can be found at FameCrawler, AOL’s StyleList, Green Daily, DadCentric and the Disney Blog. His personal site, Honea Express (Honea sounds like pony), is an eclectic mix of family fun and foul-mouthed tirades.

Whit’s Favorite Vacation: My favorite vacation would either be the trip I took to Europe one summer while I was is in college or the time that my wife (when she was still my girlfriend) and I went to Walt Disney World in Orlando.

The trip to Europe consisted of museums, drinking, hearts and heroes. There may or may not have been jail time. Walt Disney World was romantic and relaxing and by a random act of spontaneity, the spot where I proposed to my wife. I better go with the latter.

Jay Romeo

J. Edward Romeo has 16 years experience in software development and team management. He was the founder of New Jersey Online Travel and served as the director of Redbank.com before they were acquired by Banyan Vines along with ePresence, where he worked on the design and development of Switchboard.com, YourHomeDirect.com and the original Survivor site for CBS.

Presently he serves as the Director of Fire Services at Emergency Software Products , as well as the co-host of the Parentograpy Podcast. He spends his free time photographing his travels and maintains a personal blog Triple Venti.

Jay’s Favorite Vacation: This dramatically changed in 2006, when I made my first trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida, where I had the opportunity to become a kid again and experience it with my wife and daughter for the first time. Sights, activities, everything that both young and old could enjoy to a point of exhaustion. We had originally planned it as a “once in a lifetime” trip, but found that the happiest place on earth doesn’t allow you to escape with just one visit, so we will be returning.

Britt Reints

Britt Reints has been blogging at Miss Britt since 2005. Offline, she has a fancy title that includes words like “VP” and “marketing” - which essentially means she sells stuff. Online, she’s entirely too open about her personal life and has embraced the motto, “Dignity is Overrated.” She neglects to tell any of this to her editors at her paid blogging gigs where she portrays a very responsible working mother, childcare expert and travel aficionado for the entire state of Florida.

Britt’s Favorite Vacation: I’ve been fortunate enough to visit numerous white sandy beaches and European destinations, including Switzerland and Italy. But my favorite vacation experience was a three day trip to New York City. I traveled alone, leaving my husband and kids at home and meeting friends upon my arrival in the Big Apple. I spent less than $500 on the entire weekend and jammed an exciting tourist experience into 72 hours. Beaches are fabulous for rest and relaxation, but nothing gets my blood pumping again like a full body immersion into city life.

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry, CEO of Blogging at Childsplayx2, has been chronicling the highs and lows of parenting twins since he knocked up his wife in 2004. Childsplayx2 has been featured in Parents Magazine, the New York Daily News and his mother’s annual Christmas newsletter. When not battling twins, Matthew is an executive for the YMCA who enjoys exercising, reading and eating fine desserts – not necessarily in that order.

Matthew’s Favorite Vacations: My favorite vacations include ones where there are plenty of sandy beaches and crystal blue waters. However, when traveling with toddler twins, I believe that successful vacations are the ones when nobody gets killed. As a child, my own mother took me and my brother on a train trip across Canada and we once crisscrossed Mexico via bus, train and burro. It is my hope that I can introduce my own kids to those same experiences through travel. Well, maybe not the burros.

Joe Romano

Joe Romano works in in the field of corporate communications and has worked as a freelance writer and blogger since 2005. His blog, Hey Joe, is a collection of random bits of flotsam concerning life, his family, dead celebrities and other miscellaneous drivel that strikes his fancy.

Joe’s Favorite Vacation: To me a great vacation should provide abundant opportunities to relax. As much as like seeing new sights I never feel that a vacation was a complete success unless I managed to finish at least one book. Therefore, beach trips (Anna Maria Island, Florida comes to mind) have to rank up there as some of my favorites. They offer both the time to relax and time for fun with the kids. When we manage to get away sans kids, my wife and I enjoy exploring the many cozy coastal locations of California.

Charles A. Downs III

Charles A. Downs III has been blogging at The Goat and Tater since July 2008. Tales of misguided youth/adulthood are evenly balanced by heartwarming ramblings of days spent with his two daughters, the Goat (age 7 and ruler of all things pink and horsey) and the Tater (age 1.5 and ruler of all things 36″ and below). When Charles isn’t reading “The Lady with the Alligator Purse” for the 27th time or getting hustled in a game of Sorry, he enjoys fly fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, writing, reading, or letting the current of one of Kentucky’s scenic waterways pull him into destinations unknown.

Charles’ Favorite Vacation: This must be broken down into two categories. Category one being the family vacation. Spent with my lovely wife, oldest daughter, and youngest daughter (in utero) in the pristine beauty of Kiawah Island, SC. Exploring marshes and wetlands, watching the Dolphins play under a setting sun, letting the surf tickle our legs, and doing absolutely nothing at all. Category two would be a trip to Europe to play soccer in the summer of 1989 where I came, just inches, from starting an International Incident at Checkpoint Charlie. Long story.

Kim Tracey Prince

Kim Tracy Prince is a television producer and freelance writer in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. With two little boys under 4, she writes about the messy underbelly of family life at House of Prince, contributes to the colorful group of voices at Los Angeles Moms Blog, and guides parents to enriching activities at Being Savvy San Fernando. Kim also writes a column in the local newspaper The SFV News. When she and her husband can wrestle the kids into their car seats successfully, they enjoy trips within a 7-hour drive, max.

Kim’s Favorite Vacations: My favorite vacations are the ones that get me away from as many people as possible. My honeymoon, spent aboard a 32-foot Beneteau in the British Virgin Islands, was the most relaxing time of my life. That said, family trips to places that delight my children can be worth the crowds. A recent vacation to SeaWorld for the opening of Sesame Place now ranks up there among the faves.

Warren Toland

Warren Toland is a VP of Development and Public Relations for a non-profit located in Central Connecticut. Warren has been blogging for over three years at his personal site, mr big dubya, and is a founding member of the irreverent and very popular dad blog, DadCentric. He also contributes to The Whinery, My Wife Hates My Xbox, and Draft Day Suit.

Warren’s Favorite Vacation: My wife and I have always loved to travel - even more so now that we have children. My favorite vacation was a trip to Ireland several years ago just after we got engaged. We journeyed across the pond so I could be introduced to my wife-to-be’s extended family and receive the blessing of the Hynes family matriarch (I kid.). It was a 10-day, whirlwind tour spent in such fine locales as Galway, Dublin and Beleek. We are anxious to get back and introduce our children to the Emerald Isle.

Phil Corless

Phil Corless is a stay-at-home dad in North Idaho. He also homeschools his two kids, which makes it easier to make frequent road trips around the West as a family. He’s been writing about this unique life since 2004 at his blog, A Family Runs Through It. Corless received his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Idaho and his undergraduate degree from Cal State Fullerton.

Phil’s Favorite Vacation: Two years ago we had an extensive dream vacation planned in Western Canada, including stays in Banff, Alberta, and Victoria, British Columbia. A month before the trip, I realized I couldn’t find my birth certificate to get back across the border. Cancelling all those plans, I made some last minute arrangements at a resort in the Olympic National Park that I’d never heard of called Kalaloch Lodge. That trip turned out to be a family favorite. Five days along the gorgeous Pacific beaches of Washington. It was so memorable and enjoyable, we returned to the Lodge this past summer and had just as much fun.

James Grayson

James Grayson is a photographer that loves to write. He currently resides in Austin, TX, with his wife and kids who provide endless hours of humor in his life. He shares some of it with the world at his blog, Daddyshack. James and his partners at Quirkee Media also publish a humor and entertainment magazine at Quirkee.com. He loves to travel and plans on doing it more often as his kids grow older. He wants to discover more of the world around him with his family and capture the moments in photographs. See more of his photography at JamesGrayson.com.

James’ Favorite Vacation: One of my favorite and most memorable vacations was earlier this year when I went with my dad and uncles to Augusta, Georgia, for a Masters tournament practice round and Par-3 contest. I love to play golf and just stepping foot on the grounds at Augusta National Golf Club was an honor. When they first went in 1998, my grandfather was still with us and they were the foursome on that trip. I was able to fill his shoes this year and walk the course he had walked before me. That will always be a memorable vacation for me even if it only lasted three days.

Darren Farrington

Darren Farrington is a theater manager and producer living in Connecticut with his wife and daughter. He got in on the blogging scene in 2005 as a daddy blogger and later incorporated posts into his professional consulting website DarrenFarrington.com. Darren began working in arts organizations in 1991, but took a much-too-long break for law school and legal practice in New York and Connecticut. Even then, his strength was writing and persuading readers to go (mentally at least) where he told them. As a big fan of vacations, he’s glad to be using his cultural and writing experience to promote travel and tourism.

Darren’s Favorite Vacation: Any vacation with my wife and daughter is a favorite, but we’re most drawn to sandy beaches and warm temperatures. Coastal New England in the summer (sometimes even into the early fall) fits the bill, but nothing beats cold-shouldering the snow and ice and taking off for the Caribbean in the middle of winter. We’ve all become fans of kid-friendly cruises where my wife and I get some adult time while my daughter spends a couple of hours each day in supervised kids’ clubs. Give me sand in my toes and the smell of sunscreen and I’m a happy man.

Ed Lamaze

Ed Lamaze has spent the better part of his life dreaming of someplace else and traveling less than extensively. Elated when offered the opportunity to be a part of the Vacations Blog team at UpTake.com, his wife flatly countered, “But you don’t take vacations.” “I know, that’s the beauty of it!” Ed is a Stay-at-Home father of five children having left a career as a Registered Nurse in a Children’s Hospital ER to tend to the scrapes and bruises of everyday life at home. Rest assured that when Ed speaks of a vacation destination, it’s been tested kid friendly.

Born and raised in Louisiana, Ed currently resides in a historical home (that means it’s old) outside of Columbus, Ohio where he will be writing of vacation adventures in America’s Heartland. His personal blog, Zoe’s Dad, chronicles some of the zaniness of raising five crazy kids.

Ed’s Favorite Vacation: My wife and I spent a carefree week in Jamaica before we were married in a little resort located just outside of Montego Bay. A private villa nestled along the shores yielded panoramic views of sunsets to the west and the lush greenery of the mountains to the east. For an entire week, we golfed, snorkeled, swam, hiked, dined and lounged in a near Utopian setting. We immersed ourselves in all that Jamaica had to offer. Best of all, not once during that week did anyone refer to me as Daddy! Good times.

Jason Roth

Jason Roth, a resident of Las Vegas, provides UpTake readers a local’s take on the hotels, restaurants, attractions and events that make for an ultimate family vacation in the City of Sin. A blogger for nearly four years, he also chronicles his journey as a husband and father under the pseudonym of VegasDad on his personal blog ivegasfamily.com. In addition to blogging, Jason is director of marketing and public relations for a private university in Southern Nevada. He has more than 10 years of experience in public relations, having served clients in variety of industries at firms in Southern California, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Jason’s Favorite Vacation: My family and I enjoy any opportunity to take a break from the Las Vegas scene. Our favorite places to visit are large cities, such as San Francisco, New York and Montreal, where we take full advantage of the cultural experiences not available at home. We’re especially fond of culinary art and always make an effort during our trips to discover great restaurants.

James Austin

James Austin is a longtime Seattle, WA resident and Pacific Northwest native. A husband of 10 years and a first time father of an energetic toddler, James enjoys discovering and experiencing all the diverse beauty and wealth of exciting things to do within minutes of his Seattle home. James has been documenting his experiences as a new father for the past year on his dad blog “Luke, I am your Father.” In his free time, James enjoys managing people, as well as systems and operations, for a mid-sized office in a non-profit organization.

James’ Favorite Vacation: The destination is Kailua Beach on Oahu, Hawaii. Kailua Beach is just my speed. It is located on the windward side of Oahu, far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu to make you feel like you are actually on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but close enough that you can do an excursion to the city for some night life, if you desire. Kailua Beach is a wonderful place to take the family. The sand is soft, the water remains shallow several hundred yards out, and it is not overly crowded. It is also a perfect place to wake early and watch the sunrise, which once complete highlights the stunning topography of the surrounding mountains.

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The Ohio River in Gallipolis, Ohio

It’s funny how the even the most simple of errands can lead you on a grand and interesting adventure.  My daughter celebrated a birthday last week and in lieu of a pony, we got her a puppy.  My job was to retrieve the puppy from a little farm outside of Gallipolis, OH.  And while my sojourn there was little more than passing through, I saw and learned enough that I’m planning a trip back to the area with intents on a longer stay.

Gallipolis, OH is a small city nestled along the Ohio River first settled by the French in 1790, an immediate appeal considering my French heritage and a pleasant contrast to the German and Welsh areas where I currently live.

The downtown area is quaint with old buildings and antique shops.  Think New Orleans but on a much smaller scale and without the hookers and urine filled alleyways.

Downtown Gallipolis, OH

The area, well within the boundaries of the Appalachian foothills, is rich with natural beauty, gentle hills and gorgeous overlooks of the Ohio River.

Bridge to Point Pleasant, WV

Just across the river is Point Pleasant, West Virginia.  You may remember The Mothman Prophecies….

That was Point Pleasant, WV.

For a thirteen month period beginning in November 1966 locals reported sightings of the Mothman in and around the area along with many other strange phenomena.    On December 15, 1967 the 700 foot Silver Bridge connecting Ohio to West Virginia collapsed during evening rush hour killing 46 people.  After the catastrophe the Mothman sightings ended.  Some people considered the Mothman sightings as a warning of the impending disaster.  Spooky!

There are several lodging options available, though I think I’m going to be checking out the historic Lowe Hotel downtown on the corner of Fourth and Main Streets.  It’s budget friendly, centrally located and convenient to several area attractions:

The Mothman Statue Point Pleasant, WV

- - Tu-Endie-Wei State Park (four blocks away)- -

The park is the commemorative site of the famous Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774 between Virginia militia and American Indians.  The battle  is considered by many a precursor to the American Revolutionary War.  The park is open year round including holidays.

- - The Historic Point Pleasant Walking District (outside of the hotel doors) - -

- - Point Pleasant River Museum (four blocks away) - -

The River Museum focuses on past and present history of life and industry on the Ohio River.  The museum is closed on Mondays.

- - Point Pleasant Riverfront Park (next door) - -

- - The Mothman Museum and Research Center (in the hotel building) - -

They offer tons of information about the Mothman sightings as well as informative narrated tours to several area sighting locations.  The museum is open daily noon to 5 pm.

- - The Ohio and Kanawha Rivers (the trail is behind the hotel building) - -

Silver Bridge Collapse Marker--Point Pleasant, WV

Gallipolis, Ohio and it’s neighbor Point Pleasant, West Virginia is the idyllic area for a relaxing family get away.  Whether you’re in the mood for a soothing stroll along the banks of the Ohio River watching the riverboats pass or the thrill of investigating the unexplained, there’s just enough intrigue to keep it interesting for everyone in the family.

Photo Credits:  Ed Lamaze, Creative Commons via Flickr incendiarymind and jimmywayne22

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Thanksgiving Day in Sunset, Louisiana

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UpTake is a great place for researching your next trip. After all, our slogan is “Your first step to a great trip.” But I wanted to share my two cents of what I found useful in other online resources so that you could have a more pleasant trip, especially during this Holiday Season.

All of us are experiencing slower (and consequently longer) wait lines at airports as the result of heighten security measures. And to avoid any surprises at the airport of what you can bring on board in your carry-on bag, it’s always a good idea to check with TSA to get the latest scoop. This way you will know how many ounces of your favorite perfume you can bring or whether or not your snappy nail clipper will be better off with the check-ins.

To get a more comprehensive list of travel recommendations for you and your family - covering everything from best travel tips for getting the lowest airfares to determining the world’s best cruises - it would be a good idea to visit the Perrin Post. If you feel the itch to travel to Europe, check out Rick Steve’s tips on European vacations; they are both great resources in providing a comprehensive view of what you ought to know before you go (travel tip wise).

Finally, if you are looking for a great deal to get you on your way, I can think of no better sites than Travelzoo and ShermansTravel. They are both fantastic resources for saving your budget!

Safe Travels,

Steve

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In Part I, we learnt a bit about LEED certification, along with facts and statistics about LEED certified hotels, and the resultant benefits for the hoteliers. In this part, we’ll consider the hassles and problems associated with constructing and running a green hotel.I also asked Mr. Yuan-Sing Chang, who runs the green development wing of the Gaia Napa Valley, that if LEED certification is all that its made out to be, with potential benefits of millions of dollars in additional income, cost savings, and tax rebates, then why are so few hotels interested in it?

He says that a lot of developers build the hotels and then flip them off when they are complete, and that it does not make sense for them to pursue LEED certification because of the extra costs and time factor. This would make sense from a business angle even if the company that built the hotel is planning on running it.

According to a presentation by the Green Building Finance Consortium (GBFC), the actual costs of LEED certification (not including the certification fees) go up as per the certification level sought. The base level of LEED certification pushes up the initial cost by 0.8%, while initial costs for Silver ratings is 3.5% higher, LEED Gold buildings have a 4.5% premium and Platinum buildings can push up costs by as much as 11.5 percent.

So what it comes down to is the initial extra investment of time and resources necessary to get the certification, as opposed to the many benefits once you get the certification. Hopefully, this balance will tilt in favor of certification as more and more hotels need it, and the costs go down.

One way to streamline the certification process and speed it up is to hire some LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED AP). As of date, there are more than 43,000 accredited professionals. You can search for LEED APs in your area in the Green Building Certification Institute’s directory.

There are also companies like the San Francisco based Simon & Associates, who act as ‘green building consultants’. Their roster of clients who have achieved LEED certification include Berkeley City College, University of California - Merced Campus, and the Gaia Napa Valley, among others.

As of today, LEED is the definitive proof that consumers are looking at to decide whether a hotel is green enough. I’d like to add that a very influential group - The Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism Criteria - comprising of 27 major travel industry companies and non-profit environment groups, have come together and developed a new expansive standard for sustainable tourism, which was unveiled at the recently concluded 10 day IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, attended by delegations from 177 countries.

The standard (GSTC for short), takes into account all existing major standards already in use, and was developed after extensive consultation with experts, academics and private industry.

Its still a work in progress, but if you look at some of the players involved - The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH &LA), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTI), United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Choice Hotels, Conde Nast Traveler, Expedia, Inc., Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Travelocity/Sabre, and many more, I can tell you for sure that this is going to be the future of the travel industry.

Photo of the LEED Platinum Certified Proximity hotel courtesy Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels.

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There’s tremendous buzz about green business, even in the somewhat hidebound hospitality industry, where sustainable tourism is now a catchword.

Most every hotel is making at least a token effort to create an appearance of being green. This is, of course, a reaction to the groundswell of concern among consumers about global warming and climate change.

So I thought I’d look into what LEED certification actually means for hotels, from a business point of view. Let’s go through a bit of background before we get to the details. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification provides independent, third-party verification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures.

According to details provided to me by the USGBC, there are 14 hotels which have earned LEED certification so far. The Kandalama Hotel in Sri Lanka was the first hotel in the world to receive LEED certification, while Len Foote Hike Inn, Dawsonville, GA was the first in the U.S., the Palazzo in Vegas is the biggest green building in the world, the Gaia Napa Valley, CA was the first to get LEED Gold certification, and the Proximity Hotel, Greensboro, NC is the only one so far to get Platinum LEED certification.

The USGBC also says that there are 437 other hotels whose LEED certifications are currently in the pipeline. My point here is to point out the disparity between the small number already certified, and the relatively large number of hotels who are now trying to get certified. Basically, we have a rising trend here, and you’re going to hear a lot more about this in the near future.

USGBC spokesperson Lauren Connelly says that “LEED certification is especially important for hotels because it not only saves energy and reduces operating costs, it says to the customer that this hotel is green and has received third party verification, and we’re finding eco-minded consumers really value that.”

I asked Mr. Yuan-Sing Chang, Vice President of Atman Hospitality Group, Inc., who is in charge of the green development wing for the Gaia Napa Valley and two other Gaia properties in Redding and Merced, about the benefits of LEED certification, and here’s what he had to say.

“We were lucky to be the first and only LEED Gold rated hotel in the world. That alone sparked numerous articles and media for the hotel and our company. Just from the PR standpoint we calculated that we achieved over $2 million dollars worth of advertising for free. We are saving about 25% in our electricity savings and 45% in water savings as well. These types of savings go directly to the bottom line. There are more and more products that are coming out i.e. amenities and design products that help lower the costs. Other advantages include fast track through the city planning department and TOT tax credit from the city.”

The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC, which earned Platinum LEED certification earlier this month, has a 100 solar panels installed on the hotel’s rooftop, and Dennis Quaintance , the CEO of Quaintance-Weaver, which built and operates the hotel, says that “When we started the design process four years ago, I would have never believed that we could use 39% less energy and 33% less water without one iota of compromise in comfort or luxury and with minimal additional construction costs.”

I’d like to add here that some cities are giving extra incentives for green buildings. For example, starting Jan 1 2009, building owners in New York City who install green rooftops on at least 50 percent of available rooftop space can apply for a one-year property tax credit of up to $100,000.

In the second part, we’ll take a look at the negative aspects and problems faced by hotels trying to get LEED certified, and also solutions to ease that pain, plus a look at some new developments in sustainable tourism standards.

Proximity Hotel photo courtesy Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels. USGBC logo courtesy USGBC.

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