Submit Your Girls Getaway Photo: Destin, FL

Anne Yasalonis, of Lakeland, FL,  submitted this photo (taken at Red Bar) of her fantastic Girls Getaway to Destin, FL.  She writes:  

"A group of my college girlfriends and I met up in Destin to relax and reconnect since it had been a long time since we were all together. Our locations range from Baltimore to Tampa and it was actually a really easy location for all of us to fly in to.  We stayed at the Silver Shells right on the beach. It was a quick walk from the condo, we could rent chairs and relax by the pool.  We went to Seaside and over to the Red Bar Friday night!"

Back to School Getaways

For most parents, the approaching end of summer means mixed emotions. With the kids back in school, you will have more freedom to get work done, but it also means that hectic schedules are back, and what’s even worse, family vacation season is over.

But if you are looking for one last family vaca to help you beat those back-to-school blues, The Getaway Girl Casey Wohl has some great Back to School Getaway ideas.

San Antonio, TX

Famous for its Riverwalk and the Alamo, San Antonio is a great place for kids of all ages.  On paper, the Alamo reads like a garden-variety relic. In the flesh, it's got personality. The mission-turned-battleground is a living piece of history. Kids standing in the antiquated hallways -- the very spots where the battle was fought -- will no doubt be struck by the enduring presence of those who died here. It's cool, not creepy. They might actually come out interested in a good read about Texas history.  Toddlers & Pre-K: At this age, the story is lost on them. But count on pleas for a coonskin cap, inevitably for sale in the gift shop.

School-Age Kids: They'll be singing that song: "Day-veeee, Da-vy Crockett. King of the Wild Frontier"

Pre-Teens & Teens: They might groan at the thought of a history lesson. Once inside, most can't help but get caught up in the drama of the place.

• There's more to the story. Make sure to check out the museum and it's new exhibit, "The Alamo: a Story Bigger Than Texas," that adds some new dimension to the legend.
• Get the scoop. On-site tour guides give talks about the Alamo every 20 to 30 minutes in the courtyard.

From now until August 20, you can enter to win a Back-To-School Getaway Giveaway on The Getaway Girl’s website.  Just visit www.GirlsGetawayGuide.net and enter to win a trip worth almost $600.  

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are celebrated throughout the world for their unique natural wonders and the rare and intriguing wildlife that played such an important role in Darwin's theory of Natural Selection. The wildlife that amazed Charles Darwin still invites travelers to this treasured region today.  The Galapagos Islands provide one of the most quintessential wildlife experiences on the planet. Children can snorkel with sea lions, step across giant land iguanas, admire newly hatched birds, and marvel at 200 year old giant tortoises. Some yachts have special family departures that include additional guides and activities for kids. Others offer suite accommodations, onboard swimming pools, games rooms, and more flexible meal options. Because of this wide range of Galapagos tour options, children of nearly any age can be accommodated. 

On your last family retreat of this summer, visit the islands of Santa Cruz, Floreana, and Isabela while staying on the islands during this 8-day trip in the Galapagos. The excursions will take you along the coast and up into the highlands to see the Galapagos' biodiversity and to witness first-hand the wildlife and unique scenery of the "Enchanted Islands." Travelers stay active with hiking and snorkeling excursions, but there is plenty of time to relax at the lodges and or on the beach. To learn more about the intriguing natural history of the islands, your park service guide will introduce you to historical sites on the Galapagos as well as an unforgettable visit to the famous Charles Darwin Research Center. Trip details at http://www.adventure-life.com/tours/darwins-islands-1415/  Fly in/out of Quito, Equador (due east of islands).  Starts around $2,170 based on double occupancy.

Cambridge, MA

The weather in Cambridge is fantastic, and Kimpton's Hotel Marlowe has a great kid-friendly Back to School getaway also has kayaks and bikes, free of charge, for a great family outing. The hotel is located directly across from the Charles River; a perfect spot to ride a bike or grab a kayak and paddle out to view the beautiful Boston skyline. 

Kids Discovery Package includes:

* One-night deluxe overnight accommodations
* Four passes to the Museum of Science
* Plate of fresh baked cookies in-room
* Continental Breakfast for 4 in Bambara
* Two Kimpton Kids Kits
Book online or call 1-800-825-7140 and mention rate code PMUM
Details: Rates subject to space, availability, and change. Taxes and gratuities not included. Blackout dates may apply.

Don't delay!  Enjoy one last vacation for school starts?

Who Needs a Girls Getaway?

As The Getaway Girl®, Casey Wohl, launches “The Getaway Girl Foundation,” a non-profit dedicated to empowering women and girls in need through travel, she plans to kick off the Foundation with the inaugural “Leave Your Baggage at Home®” Getaway to Seaside, FL September 27-30, 2012 with limited space for a few lucky ladies to join.

Why Seaside? 
This is where the idea for Foundation started when The Getaway Girl® took Sondra and two of her girlfriends on a getaway.  Sondra’s only son died of cancer and, then two weeks after the funeral, her husband left her.  With her birthday approaching, Sondra needed a new lease on life and that’s when the value of life-changing travel was discovered during a trip to Seaside, FL with Sondra, two of her friends and The Getaway Girl® Casey Wohl.

This idyllic community is situated on the Gulf of Mexico along scenic highway 30A and amidst the white sand Beaches of South Walton County. This region of Northwest Florida is known throughout the world for beautifully pristine waters framed by unspoiled coastal lands. Thirty years ago the town of Seaside was carefully planned and established.  It is charming and romantic, beautiful and graceful, diverse and eclectic, authentic and unpretentious, alive and vibrant. You may even recognize it as the set for the 1998 Jim Carrey movie “The Truman Show.”  The dream for Seaside was the dream for life itself. Simplicity, grace, elegance. The town reminds so many people of what is truly real in life. What is truly significant. A simple connection to family and friends and the beauty that abounds in this special corner of the world.
Seaside is not a cookie cutter beach resort. The town has pools and tennis courts and other beach resort amenities, but Seaside is more. It is an experience. It is an experience that not only changes the way a vacation is lived, it changes the way a life is lived. Seaside helps us all live a dream of a simple, beautiful life.  And isn’t that what a “Leave Your Baggage at Home®” weekend is all about?

Where is Seaside?
Seaside, Florida is located on the Florida panhandle midway between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City.  It is a 6.5 hour drive from Orlando or 6 hours from Atlanta.  If you prefer to fly, use one of the following airports, and then obtain ground transportation to Seaside:

• Panama City (Bay County) Airport (23 miles to Seaside)
• Fort Walton Beach (Okaloosa Regional) Airport (35 miles to Seaside)
• Pensacola Airport (73 miles to Seaside)

What Will We Do?
If you follow The Getaway Girl’s® travels, you know she unveils the best food, activities, entertainment and R&R that can be found in any destination.  She is carefully planning this weekend to include all of the above, including shopping, art, culinary demonstrations, health and wellness, R&R all with some amazing friends!  You will be cheerful, excited, inspired, happy, content, confident, rested, rejuvenated and satiated after your “Leave Your Baggage at Home®” weekend.

How Can I Secure my Spot on the Getaway?
If you would like to join us on this incredible “Leave Your Baggage at Home®” weekend, please email us at Info@GirlsGetawayGuide.net and we will send you more details.

The Getaway Girl’s® Back-To-School Getaway Giveaway

As summer draws to a close, it’s almost time to head back to school.  To enjoy one more summer vacation, The Getaway Girl® is offering fans a chance to win a Back-to-School Getaway Giveaway to San Antonio, Texas.

Enter to win a trip to San Antonio, Texas on behalf of the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau by visiting www.GirlsGetawayGuide.net by August 20, 2012.

  Here are the getaway details:

• A Three Night/Four Day Stay at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Rivercenter Area
• Passes for four people to:
Alamo Trolley Tours
• 
Alamo IMAX Theatre 
• Rivercenter 
Enchanted Springs Ranch
• 
Laser Legend

• Ripley's Believe It or Not! & Louis Tussaud's Wax Works
• 
Tower of the Americas 4-D Theater Ride

• Witte Museum

Rules/Restrictions: Please read each certificate and note expiration dates. Standard room & tax only, 1 room per night, no incidentals included. Black out dates applies, subject to availability. Attractions may be open seasonally. For hours of operations/schedules, view websites.


For visitor information: VisitSanAntonio.com or call at 1-800-447-3372. Follow San Antonio, Texas on Facebook at Facebook.com/VisitSanAntonio or Twitter at @VisitSanAntonio

How To Survive Travel Day Disasters

Sometimes travel days are not fun.  What was my worst travel day ever? How can you survive your own travel day disasters?

Find out in this AmEx OPEN Forum article.