Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Five Tiny House Vacations You May Want to Try

Have you seen and heard all of the 'hub bub' about tiny house living and wondered if it’s right for you? An easy way to dip a toe in the water and see how you like it is to take a tiny house vacation. Here are five recommended tiny houses you can visit and see if you can go tiny. 

Tiny House
Fireside Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo offers 20 Wheelhaus (http://wheelhaus.com/) tiny house cabins
for rent only minutes away from downtown Jackson and Grand Teton National Park. These 400 square foot cabins offer a bedroom with king bed, a living room with a hide-a-bed, a bathroom and a kitchen with additional covered deck space. The beauty of this tiny house vacation is you can truly purchase a Wheelhaus cabin for yourself and have it delivered to you. So, this tiny house vacation literally allows you to test drive a tiny house before buying one. http://www.firesidejacksonhole.com/

Tree House
Out'n'About Treesort in Cave Junction, Oregon offers treehouse living on 36 acres next to the Siskiyou National Forest. Activities at the resort include ziplines and Tarzan swings as well as horseback rides and river rafting. http://treehouses.com/joomla/index.php/treesort

Tipi
Moab Under Canvas offers a range of accommodations in Moab, Utah including Tipi tent rentals. Tipi tents come equipped with camp cots, mattress padding, sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, towels, safari chairs, a small table and a lantern. With tipi bathrooms close at hand, all you need to do is bring your toothbrush.http://www.moabundercanvas.com/glamping.html

Yurt
TreeBones Resort offers unique lodging and dining on California’s Big Sur Coast with expansive views in all directions. The 16 yurts have queen sized beds, small table and chairs, reading lights and plenty of hooks for hanging your gear. There is a sink vanity with hot and cold running water in each yurt. Resort amenities include a restaurant and spa with ocean kayaking and hiking available in the area. http://www.treebonesresort.com/yurts/

Wall Tent
The Resort at Paws Up sits on a ranch along the Blackfoot River in Western Montana. Paws Up offers
six different ‘tent cities’ each offering four, two-bedroom tents and two, one-bedroom tents. All tents have ensuite bathrooms and each ‘tent city’ has a dining pavilion.

Downsizing and “Living Large with Less” as the Wheelhuas slogan says has captured the attention of many and these five tiny house vacations offer the perfect way to see if it’s right for you.

Friday, July 10, 2015

Fantastic Fall Travel Deals

Fall is a great time to travel, and in the travel biz, we call it “shoulder season” as it comes between
the popular summer vacation time and the holiday travel season. Whether you are looking for colored leaves, one last beach getaway, beer galore or an outdoor adventure, here are a few suggestions on great places to go this fall.

Portland, OR
Fall is amazing time to visit Portland. They have their lush evergreens trees, as well as the maples, elms and other deciduous trees that change colors in the fall, so you can enjoy the color and greenery that is visually stunning. Although known to be rainy, fall in Portland is the perfect time to visit. The Portland restaurant scene is big on using locally-grown, seasonal food, so you will find lots of menu offerings that feature pumpkins and butternut squash, along with other gourds. You will also find fresh, wild salmon and albacore tuna on the menus. It’s also harvest time for the wineries. Not many people know that Oregon is home to the nation’s 4th largest wine producing region with more than 400 wineries; some that are just a 20-minute drive from Portland. It’s a very outdoorsy city and known for its high population of bicyclists. The residents love to share Portland with visitors, so you can always find a helpful local to point you in the right direction.

This fall, the Portland Perks Package is being offered via Travel Portland. Thirty-five hotels offer their best rates and free breakfast on the Travel Portland website(www.TravelPortland.com). Plus, travelers can get extra values like 2 for 1 dinners at Portland’s best restaurants, 2 for 1 tickets at theater, free admission to art and cultural attractions. Plus, Oregon has no sales tax, so you automatically save about up to 10% on hotel stays and shopping (great place to start holiday shopping).

Seaside, FL
Just because summer is coming to a close doesn’t mean you have to give up the beach. Seaside, Florida, which is located along Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, was named one of the top destinations in the world by Frommer’s and listed by Travel & Leisure Magazine as one of 100 Greatest Trips in the world. If it looks familiar, that’s because it served as the location for the movie The Truman Show starring Jim Carey. With the new Panama City airport, it is easy to get to Seaside. Just fly into Panama City and enjoy the easy, 45-minute drive. As you enter Seaside along Highway 30A, you will feel as if you stepped back in time as a real sense of community is fostered here among visitors and residents alike.

And this fall is a particularly great time to visit Seaside as the Cottage Rental Agency (www.CottageRentalAgency.com) is offering a “250 Reasons” promotion: book a new 3 night reservation (or longer) for a stay completed by September 30, 2010 and receive a $250 gift card good for future travel on Southwest Airlines! Cottages range from studios to 6 bedroom houses; the more people in your group, the more savings.

Seaside has a lot to offer...there are cute Airstream trailers that sell everything from cupcakes to cocktails, boutique shopping, beach dining, white sandy beaches and a friendly atmosphere that make this the perfect destination anytime of year.

Munich, Germany
When you hear Oktoberfest, you automatically think Germany. This year, Munich’s Oktoberfest runs Sept. 18 - Oct. 4 where you can find all the German food and beer that you could ever imagine. Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany is also Europe's largest beer-drinking festival drawing six to seven million visitors a year and the Largest People’s Fair in the World! The participants consume more than six million liters of beer (you can only order beer by the liter)! Plus, Munich is one of the easiest European city cities for Americans to travel as signs are often in English and most people speak fluent English. Direct flights from the US to Munich are available and start around $600.

Ludus Tours (www.LudusTours.com) is offering their Oktoberfest package, which starts at about $1,000 and includes:
3 nights in a hotel category of your choice (3 or 4 star)
Breakfast
Reservation in a Oktoberfest beer tent w/food & beer
Welcome Bavarian group dinner
City bike tour
Excursion to Neuschwantein Castle
Personal guide assistance through out the client's stay in Munich

Costa Rica
For a different kind of fall “leaf peeping, a hike through Costa Rica’s rainforest jungle is sure to be a fabulous fall vacation. Other Costa Rica activities include: surfing, river rafting, diving, fishing, beautiful beaches and horse back riding. Now is a great time to visit as the Marriott Costa Rica Collection is offering 50% savings on rooms + daily included spa treatments and adventure tours during Green Season. (Green Season runs May - November, and is marked by sunny mornings and rainy afternoons that leave the landscape beautifully green.)

In its new "Green Season Package" the resorts are including:
- Daily adventure tours like rainforest hikes and zip lining (perfect for sunny mornings)
- Daily spa treatments in its brand new luxury spas (perfect for rainy afternoons)
- Daily breakfast
- Accommodations
Rates start at only $276 per night. Valid through October 31st.

PHOTO: Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Pools to Plunge This Summer

You cannot think of summer and not think of pool time.  And with that, we found a few of the best pools to plunge this summer.  From Florida to Puerto Rico to Mexico, don't miss these incredible pools. 

Casa Marina, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (Key West, FL)
Elegantly located on 1,100 feet of private beachfront near the southernmost point of the U.S., Casa Marina, A Waldorf
 Astoria Resort in the Florida Keys, has everything guests need for a relaxing day in the sun. Whether lounging at either outdoor tropical pool – one reserved for adults only and one for families – guests are treated to the resort’s pool and beach concierge pampering services with chaises, umbrellas and towels. Additional perks include fresh fruit at 10 a.m., drink of the day samples at 12 p.m., popsicles at 2 p.m., and chilled eucalyptus towels at 4 p.m. Food and drinks are also served poolside from the resort’s Sun Sun Bar & Grill including the resort’s signature cocktail, the Casa Key Lime Coolada.      

Las Casitas Village, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (Fajardo, Puerto Rico)
Guests in the secluded accommodations of Las Casitas Village, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Puerto Rico, enjoy
exclusive access to three private pools including the magnificent Bahia Azul Infinity Pool perched 300 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. Set on a stunning cliff-top, the luxurious pool is complimented by swaying palms, the sound of surf rolling ashore and a gentle breeze flowing through lush gardens. In addition, guests here enjoy 24-hour resort butler service. Complimentary towel service is also offered. Start the day overlooking the tranquil Las Casitas Village infinity edge pool with a delicious al fresco breakfast at Casitas CafĂ©. Las Casitas Village is a private luxury resort that shares the grounds of El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. 

Grand Velas Riviera Maya (Riviera Maya, Mexico)
Set on 205 acres of pristine jungle and mangroves and with the finest white sand beach in the Riviera Maya, the all-
inclusive AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya exudes luxury beyond all compare. Surrounded by lush vegetation and the crashing waves of the Gulf of Mexico, the three-tiered free form infinity pool in the Ambassador section of the resort features Aqua Bar, its own swim-up bar with a fully-stocked bar and lite bites, dozens of cushioned lounge chairs for soaking in the Mexican sun, private cabanas and more. In addition, guests are able to order and enjoy gourmet cuisine and handcrafted cocktails delivered directly to their poolside lounger. Adjacent to both the Gulf of Mexico and the Ambassador Class pool, the Grand Class pool is reserved for adults-only. The Grand Class pool also features its own swim up bar, cushioned loungers and poolside service.