Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Black Friday Weekend Sale!

Who else is looking forward to Thanksgiving tomorrow? I know I am! Although turkey, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie don't make my list of favorite foods (yuck!), I still love this holiday. It's so much fun to see extended family and kick off the holiday season. I can't wait!

Before heading out for the long weekend I wanted to share details about the upcoming Black Friday sale with all of you. Trust me, you won't want to miss it (anyone a fan of the Caribbean, Mexico, Orlando, Hawaii or Las Vegas?!). This weekend you can browse some of the BEST travel deals of the season from the comfort of your own home... No getting out of bed ridiculously early for the 'doorbuster' deals, circling the lots repeatedly in search of an open parking space or waiting in the check-out lines.


The sale begins here at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 24 (Thanksgiving) and will continue until the offers expire on Monday, November 28. Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and Happy Shopping too!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Deciding Where To Go & When!

For both the wedding and honeymoon couples I work with it can be tricky to decide not only where to go, but also when (and I know this is a dilemma/consideration for many other types of travelers too)! Although good weather can never be guaranteed, I do recommend that everyone take climate into account while making travel plans. Most brides and grooms that I talk to don't get to vacation as often as they'd like, so I try to make sure it doesn't rain (or worse) on their postnuptial parade. Here's a helpful little guide I go by, broken down by region. Feel free to bookmark this post and refer to it again at anytime!
HAWAII

High Season: Although Hawaii is technically considered seasonless, April through June and October are typically the top months to visit. Average temps are usually between 70 and 87 degrees.

Low Season: August and September can be particularly hot; January to March are the rainiest. Certain islands are drier/wetter than others though so make sure you take this into account as you make your selection.

CARIBBEAN & MEXICO

High Season: January through March offer the most sunny and pleasantly-warm days (it's between 73 and 85 degrees on average), but with this comes peak hotel rates and larger crowds. Book far in advance if this is your ideal time to travel.

Low Season: July to October is when hurricanes are most possible so air + hotel rates tend to be lower. Average temperatures are usually between 77 and 89 degrees. Many days in this time frame turn out to be absolutely perfect so there's no need to avoid the area altogether... Just don't forget to add on your travel insurance package :)

EUROPE

High Season: June through September is when the cities and coasts are most crowded, therefore air + hotel rates are the highest of the entire year. Late September and October tend to be little bit better but are still slightly inflated.

Low Season: November through April is when there are some great rates and fewer crowds. Depending on the destination though temps are between 28 and 60 degrees so it can be a little chilly to say the least!

AFRICA

Dry Season: January to March and July to September in Kenya/Tanzania; May to September in South Africa. Temperature is anywhere between 42 and 88 degrees depending on the particular region.

Wet Season: April to June and October to December in Kenya/Tanzania; January to March in South Africa. Range of 48 to 79 degrees.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

High Season: January to March is sunny and hot in Thailand, sunny and mild in India and rainy in Bali. A better time to visit Bali would be July through October.

Low Season: April to September is hot and rainy in both Thailand and India. Average temps can be around 102 degrees!

SOUTH PACIFIC

High Season: May to October is the best time to visit with the most sunny days and pleasant nights. Book well in advance and have a hefty budget set aside for this location though!

Low Season: November to March is when rain and humidity are most likely. The temperatures are still pretty mild though; the average range is between 74 and 87 degrees.

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

High Season: January to March is when summer heats up the Outback and Great Barrier Reef. Temps are between 60 and 95 degrees on average. It's a gorgeous time to visit.

Low Season: The winter season between July and September brings mild days but also GREAT rates. Temps can be between 38 and 78 degrees... Quite the range!

So that's it for today's blog! We'll be posting info on an upcoming Black Friday sale tomorrow, so stay tuned... It's the perfect opportunity to snag some unbelievable rates and make use of the climate info you all just learned :) Have a great night!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Savvy Packing Tips To Become The Expert-Traveler

Can you believe that the airlines can charge you up to $175 for overweight bags?! It's absolutely crazy! I refuse to waste my money on paying overweight charges, regardless of how long I'm traveling for. Airline fares are high enough nowadays, so don't let them get cha on fees for excess baggage! 

I've picked up some really helpful travel tips over the years that I wanted to share with you. They will not only help you pack more efficiently but also save money, in some cases calories, and most importantly, save you lots of hassle!


1. Wear your heaviest pair of shoes on the plane & pack others that easily convert from day-to-night. No one, shoe-lover or not, needs to haul along a dozen pair of shoes!

2. If you are bringing along expensive jewelry, wear it onto the plane and check only your fun costume jewelry. Unless you have some hefty travel and/or personal articles insurance, don't risk it! Also, use a jewelry organizer to keep it all together. Here's a perfect one for $10.56: Hanging Jewelry Organizer from Amazon.

3. Just like with shoes, pack a purse that will work well with multiple outfits. My favorite thing to bring along on vacations are small clutches like this BCBG Clutch from Macy's. It's currently marked down from $78 to $34 and comes in black, pewter or pale gold. Leave your big purse and unnecessary items at home! It's less to carry and less to misplace or lose.

4. I learned this one from my Mom! Always wear a sweater or shawl on the plane for travel days since it's often chilly up in the air. Try to wear something that would also compliment your other outfits too in case there's a breeze in the evenings. This tip makes the plane ride more cozy and again, saves weight & space in your suitcase. I really like this classic one at Express. 


5. For sleeping, bring only a couple of small p.j. sets, t-shirts or nighties. No one needs a different pair for each day! I love Victoria's Secret's cute & comfortable pajamas like this set for $24.99. The same goes for workout clothes, gals. You really don't need a different set for each day.


6. Toiletries- This is one area I always struggle with because I'm a bit of a make-up and product junkie. Is anyone else's favorite store Sephora? I've found that the best way to keep it under control is to use travel-size bottles. Don't get suckered into buying the branded travel sizes though! I make my own using this travel set for $18. Fill the bottles with your must-have products and top off the leftovers next time... It's easy, spill-proof and saves me tons of space!
7. Don't forget to pack mix-and-match staple items like tanks, tees, classic jeans and leggings so you can create multiple outfits with accessories like jewelry, shoes, sunglasses, etc. By planning ahead you can easily find ways to re-wear multiple items.

Also, I know it's a little time consuming but I always try on my outfits before I go. No one wants to have a dramatic melt-down on vacation because something you brought doesn't fit nicely, etc. My poor husband has had to listen to my whining on multiple occasions when I've neglected to do this ahead of time.

8. I know this sounds totally unnecessary, but I recommend buying a hand-held luggage scale for your home. It's a really easy way to make sure you're under the limit before you get to the airport kiosk. Who likes to shuffle items between their suitcases under stress, with everyone in-line staring at you and in your business? Not me!! Here's the exact Taylor scale we have for $17 on Amazon. It's very accurate and makes things so much easier.
9. Let me preface this next section but saying that I'm not an extreme health nut by any means (I certainly love my carbs and sugars just as much as the next girl!). I do try to choose when to indulge on vacation though or it can get completely out of hand. Normally I'll make healthier choices especially on travel days because I don't want to over-do it before I even get there!

Surprisingly there are lots of healthy options available at airport kiosks including salads, fruit assortments and sandwich wraps. Also remember to B.Y.O.S! That stands for 'Bring Your Own Snacks' :) You'll save a ton of money and calories by packing your own. My favorites tends to be easy items like almonds, cashews or peanuts, apples and 100 calorie packs.

I hope you all found these helpful! They've definitely saved me money and stress on all of my vacations. If you have any clever travel tips of your own, as always, I invite you to leave us a comment and share!