Traveling Articles

Cheap Vacation Travel Packages Versus Independent Budget Travel

2009-06-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

When traveling on a budget, one of the most often asked questions is whether it is best to travel independently, reserving your own airfare, hotel stay and sightseeing reservations, or choose a package tour where everything is set up for you in advance.

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. It is largely dependent on the location you have selected and dates of travel. For instance, travel to European destinations are often less costly to book on your own, especially when the airlines are running specials of European airfares in the off-season.

On the other hand, travel to many exotic locations, like Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, and India, are often much less expensive when booked through a vacation package company or travel agent. That is because these tour operators often have special deals with the national airlines of these companies, and with very nice resort hotels, to provide considerable discounts in exchange for a steady flow of business.

For instance, with a little bit of shopping, you can book a vacation package from New York to Egypt for a grand total of $1,100, including airfare, an excellent hotel, daily breakfast, airport transfers, and daily sightseeing tours, including guided tours of the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This is far less than you would have paid if you had booked this trip independently.

Similar deals exist for other locations, notably India, China, and Taiwan. So be sure to check on the availability of these package deals when shopping for a budget travel deal.

Of course, some great deals can be had on your own as well, and this is often a great way to go, especially if you are a solo traveler. Solo travelers often have difficulty getting those great deals on package deals, since the required single supplement can often ruin the deal.

It is also important to find out exactly what is, and what is not included, in any package you are considering. Many package deals have optional excursions built in, and these extras can add considerable cost. Be sure to ask for a detailed daily itinerary to determine if you will be left on your own if you fail to take these optional. Also ask for a detailed list of these optional excursions, including full descriptions and prices, and then carefully compare the total price to what you could find on your own.

If you are traveling on your own, be sure to start shopping early, especially if you are traveling by air. The important thing to remember is that airlines allocate only so many seats for those advertised low fares, and if you fail to act quickly, you may be out of luck. It is important to book the airfare, and the hotel, as early as possible to ensure the lowest possible prices.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to choose a vacation package deal or independent travel is up to each individual traveler. It is important to carefully compare package prices with those for independent travel to the same location. It is also important to consider your own personal travel style. Some people are more comfortable with a packaged tour, particularly to an unfamiliar location, while others relish the freedom from schedules that independent travel provides.

About David Chandler: For more information about budget travel and cheap vacation packages, visit Budget Travel Info. and Cheap Vacation Packages Source: iSnare

VRDirectory.Net: Travel on a Budget at a Vacation Rental

2009-03-05T23:50:00.000-08:00

Vacation rentals offer a great way to travel to your favorite destinations on a budget and enjoy family. Newly launched VRDirectory.Net will help you find the right home for the right price.

Destin, FL (PRWEB) February 4, 2009 -- Despite severe winter weather, steadily rising gas prices and weak U.S. economy, Americans are still finding time to travel to their favorite destinations - with a few changes. A new online vacation rental directory is helping people find value prices on accommodations.

Many making their summer vacation plans are opting for more economical options. Instead of an expensive European vacation, for instance, they are choosing a more affordable drive to a closer destination. And instead of booking a hotel for a few nights, families are finding vacation rentals as a more flexible and cost-effective alternative.

"With the economic situation being what it is today, more and more of guests are returning to the beach for a relaxing, simple and more economic vacation," says Amber Leto, Director of Rentals at Seascape Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, Florida.

"With the current financial state of affairs, families are finding comfort in the destinations they've been traveling to for years - just to relax and unwind. It's simple… it's comfortable… there's no guess work. And their finding it more affordable to stay in vacation rentals with family and friends. It's a great way to get back to the basics and enjoy your vacation."

As a whole, the vacation rental industry has enjoyed steady growth, thanks in part to an ever-growing number of travel websites specializing in vacation homes, condos and more.

Joe Scurto, founder of VRDirectory.Net notes, "Vacation rentals provide individualized and flexible options to travelers - options you won't get at a hotel. When searching for accommodations, many property owners provide valuable details on the home, its surroundings and even the destination in general. It's that sort of personalized touch that has converted long-time hotel guests to vacation rentals."

If you're looking to take a budget-friendly summer vacation this year, look no further than booking a vacation rental for your family. To search from hundreds of homes, townhomes and condos in the United States, visit VRDirectory.Net www.vrdirectory.net - you'll be glad you did.

GreatCampJobs.com: Working at Summer Camp is Great for Your Career

2009-03-05T23:45:00.000-08:00

CampGroup announces the launch of GreatCampJobs.com, a completely redesigned website featuring summer camp jobs and how they are beneficial to your career. A common application is supplied for available summer camp counselor positions at all of CampGroup's overnight and day camps, located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, New Jersey and Michigan.

White Plains, NY (PRWEB) February 6, 2009 -- CampGroup announces the launch of GreatCampJobs.com, a completely redesigned website featuring summer camp job opportunities and how they are beneficial to your career.

How often do young adults hear "Get a real job"? GreatCampJobs.com points out that working at summer camp is a real job with training, growth potential, management skills, and practical experience. Summer camp jobs provide on-the-job training for careers in teaching, coaching, parks and recreation, child development, as well as, business skills such as problem solving, communication, public speaking, time management, planning and execution. Some colleges will even allow students to earn internship credit through summer camp counselor jobs.

"Unlike other job seeker websites, GreatCampJobs.com, points out the strategic advantages of working at summer camp. Many of the skills utilized and learned as a summer camp counselor are valuable tools in the business world," says Dan Zenkel, CEO of CampGroup, a family of independently owned and operated summer day and overnight camps in the Northeast and Michigan.

GreatCampJobs.com provides detailed job descriptions for all positions from cabin counselors and activity specialists to nurses, accounting and support staff. "Experience shows that realistic expectations are the number one factor in retaining staff year after year and GreatCampJobs.com strives to depict a clear picture of the hard work yet priceless rewards." According to Sue Baldwin, staffing coordinator for Lake of the Woods camps, four 2-4 week overnight camps in Michigan for boys and girls.

A major draw to working at summer camp is the chance to work with expert professionals in each field, whether a top collegiate sports coach, exhibiting artist or experienced teacher. The training and practical experience gained in a camp position is unique. Counselors forms special bond at summer camp and these lifelong networking connections can be invaluable in later job searches.

For a position at any of the CampGroup summer camps, visit GreatCampJobs.com for an easy online application. All candidates undergo a personal interview and rigorous background check before a final offer is extended. For international applicants, there is comprehensive J-1 and F-1 visa information and applications available.

CampGroup, LLC, the largest owner/operator of for-profit summer camps in the nation, is at the forefront of summer camping. The Company's fifteen premier camps, which are located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, New Jersey and Michigan, include Camp Akeela, Black Bear Lake Day Camp, Camp Cobbossee for Boys, Camp Danbee, The Glen at Lake of the Woods, Greenwoods Camp for Boys, The Grove at Lake of the Woods, Camp Kippewa for Girls, Lake of the Woods Camp for Girls, Camp Mah-Kee-Nac, Ramaquois Day Camp, Camp Walt Whitman, Camp Wicosuta, Camp Winadu, and Camp Winaukee. http://campgroup.com

New Internet Fraud Targets Guests of Top Hotel Chains

2009-01-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

(Vocus) January 26, 2009 -- A well-organized online fraud is scamming over 71,000 travelers each month as they book rooms online at some of America's best known hotel chains, including Hyatt, Clarion, TraveLodge, Comfort Inn, Red Roof, EconoLodge, Super 8, Ramada, Days Inn, and Wyndham, according to an exclusive report by FraudTip.com.

Findings released for the first time this morning show that the Internet scam combines advanced online advertising, bogus hotel locators, third-party reservation systems, and Internet browser crimeware to redirect hotel guest traffic to fake versions of well-known hotel chain websites.

The scam casts a big net and is evolving daily, reports FraudTip.com. Affected properties include hotels and suites, budget motels, airport hotels, luxury hotels, resorts, and casinos.

Hardest hit are Super 8 Motels, Days Inn, and Ramada, which are owned by Wyndham Worldwide in Parsippany, New Jersey, the world's largest hotel chain. A total of over 50,000 travelers seeking out these hotels are redirected to the bogus sites each month.

Another 15,862 prospective guests are redirected from Comfort Inn, the chain owned by Choice Hotels International located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Econo Lodge and Clarion Hotels & Resorts, also owned by Choice Hotels, are targets as well.

Red Roof Inn, headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is currently losing an average of 4,441 visitors per month. In addition, Hyatt Hotels, headquartered in Chicago, has fallen prey to the same fraud network.

FraudTip.com's preliminary findings show that the fraudulent sites are attracting a higher-than-average percentage of female visitors, teens, as well as adults 50+. The scam has also attracted a higher-than-average percentage of African American visitors, and has proven effective in attracting an affluent audience, and a high index of graduates and post graduates.

In conducting its investigation, FraudTip.com used several methodologies including an audience measurement approach that couples machine learning with massive quantities of directly measured data. The system, by QuantCast.com, is designed to deliver detailed audience information that can be leveraged in real-time for addressable advertising, however, it was used by FraudTip.com to estimate the magnitude of the fraud.

A series of conference calls for hotel chain executives will be held today with Washington, DC cybersecurity insiders to evaluate claims against the perpetrators, legal options, asset recovery, and continued monitoring.

Finding a Cottage for Rent Has Never Been Easier

2009-01-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

(PRWEB) January 16, 2009 -- Have you ever rented a cottage over the Internet? If you have then you'll know how annoying it can be. Surfing endless sites with sometimes disorganized information and no address, trying to find out if Fido can come, looking for the nearest beach, searching for a romantic place or a fishing spot, there's no end to it.

A family in Toronto complained about not being able to search for a cottage, but, unlike most, they didn't just complain about it, they decided to do something. They were looking for a cottage just like everyone else; on the multitude of websites. They simply wanted a three bedroom cottage within 250 km of Toronto. They found about 50 different cottages. And then the nightmare began.

"We had to check the distance to each cottage individually using Google Maps. It was even sometimes impossible to find some of them," says Yuriy Setko, founder of Rent Cottage Canada. Like every family, the Setko's have their preferences. It took some deciding, but both them and their friends found amenities they both agreed on: a fireplace, a satellite TV, a ping pong or a pool table, etc. They also wanted to have fun outside the cottage. Yuriy's wife likes cross-country skiing, Yuriy himself likes ice fishing, and their teenage daughter has always wanted to try snowmobiling. The entire family and their friends also wanted the cottage to have a sauna or hot tub.

"More or less, the cottages had most of the things we wanted, but we still needed to find one within our price range. The best the cottage renting sites could offer - besides the price range and the number of bedrooms - was to narrow the search to waterfront properties. As for the rest, we were forced to print out every single property listing and literally go through everything with a highlighter," says Yuriy.

The printouts were everywhere, and the Setko's house was a mess because of it. Even after all that, they had nothing. Their friends did the same, but they, too came up with nothing. This story has no happy ending. The Setko's wasted lots of time searching the Internet, printing stuff out, and talking tirelessly to their friends, deciding. They were forced to celebrate New Year at home by themselves.

Yuriy, a software engineer, has summarized the disadvantages of cottage renting sites, and, finding these to his dissatisfaction, decided to design a new engine. The engine will give potential renters a powerful Cottage Finder, and provide cottage owners with renters. The engine has the ability to search the distance to the cottage from their home, find the amenities, features, services, and activities they want.

Google Maps was selected to calculate the distances and to visually represent the cottages on the Map. A detailed search screen was designed to satisfy the needs of any renter. When staying at a cottage it's always nice to know what's around. Not just stores and shopping malls, but also historical places and attractions. There are Wikipedia articles connected to the Map, so every cottage renter can see what's in the area. There are millions of good quality pictures uploaded to Panoramio. These pictures are geotagged to a place on Google Maps. Rent Cottage Canada also has this feature. Panoramio photos also can be displayed on the Map, so the renters can easily browse attractions around the cottage, and on the actual cottage listings as well, adding up to 20 of the most popular (taken within 25 km distance from the cottage) pictures from Panoramio to their cottage listing.

There is much more on the site to help unite renters and owners that other sites have not even begun to discover yet.

Rent Cottage Canada was launched just a few days before New Year, and currently has over 150 cottages on the map from most of the Canadian provinces.

You can check out the new cottage renting service online on Rent Cottage Canada http://rent-cottage-canada.com.

At Affinia Hotels, Guests Get Frisky with New 'Naughty and Nice' Romance Package

2009-01-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

New York, NY (PRWEB) January 14, 2009 -- Affinia Hotels in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. invites guests to play out their friskiest fantasies with a new "Naughty and Nice" (http://www.affinia.com/Special.aspx?name=Naughty-And-Nice) romance package. Created for a Valentine's Day escape (but available any time the mood strikes in 2009), the one-night package includes a split of chilled Champagne, rose-petal turn-down service, a romantic in-room movie, a box of Jacques Torres hand-made chocolates, an Agent Provocateur Strip Poker set and guaranteed late check-out, priced starting from $289 in New York, $209 in Chicago and $189 in Washington, D.C., now through December 31, 2009. The "Naughty and Nice" package can be booked online at www.affinia.com.

In keeping with Affinia's brand promise of total customized comfort, guests can access Affinia's e-concierge in advance to arrange other romance-inducing extras, including special flower arrangements, sight-seeing excursions, in-room spa treatments through Affinia's SPAffinia™ program, and more.

Affinia Hotels has prime locations in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Offering the industry's most innovative guest service program, My Affinia allows business and leisure guests to tap the ease and immediacy of the Internet to create experiences of total customized comfort. Operated by Denihan Hospitality Group, a privately-owned company with more than 40 years of hospitality management expertise, Affinia Hotels is a proud member of a worldwide alliance of hotels including Joie De Vivre in the United States, Thistle Hotels in the United Kingdom, Rotana Hotels in the Middle East and First Hotels in Scandinavia. For more information, visit www.affinia.com or call 1-866-AFFINIA.

Oregon Beach Vacations Adds Online Video Community and Blog

2009-01-29T18:56:00.000-08:00

Portland, OR (PRWEB) January 13, 2009 -- Oregon Beach Vacations, the leader in vacation rentals along Oregon's magnificent coastline, has recently added an interactive video community and blog to their website: www.OregonBeachVacations.com.

The interactive video pages currently have several videos that can be watched and linked to online. They represent a variety of subjects that will appeal to people interested in visiting the Oregon Coast. Topics include whale watching in Depoe Bay, Glass Blowing in Lincoln City, Fantastic Food Choices in Cannon Beach as well as information on properties and specials offered by Oregon Beach Vacations.

Oregon Beach Vacations encourages others to upload videos that would be interesting to travelers to the Oregon Coast through an easy to use interface. Videos can be uploaded in any number of popular video formats (.avi; .wmv; .mpeg; .mp4; .mov, .flv) up to 50 mb in size. Other opportunities offered by the Oregon Beach Vacations video pages include setting up playlists, sending links to friends and embedding the videos on your own website or blog.

'Escape To The Oregon Coast' is the title of the blog now published by Oregon Beach Vacations. The blog gives people interested in visiting the Oregon Coast more information about things to do in the area. From Winter Whale Watching to planning a memorable holiday or get-a-way the blog provides useful information for travelers.

"Our goal has always been to not only be the leader in providing the best professionally managed vacation properties along the Oregon Coast but to also provide the best experience possible for our clients. To that end, our team is always looking for new ways to provide valuable information to people interested in traveling to our area. Our interactive online video pages and our new blog are just some of the ways we are reaching these goals. We believe that the entire online experience that we provide on our website is a boon to our clients and homeowners as well as the vacation rental industry in Oregon," stated David McElveen of Oregon Beach Vacations.

Oregon Beach Vacations is a Portland, Oregon based company and is owned by River City Travel which is Oregon's second largest travel agency handling the corporate travel needs of Oregon companies. Both River City Travel and Oregon Beach Vacations are owned by David McElveen and Joe Murray. Oregon Beach Vacations currently offers more than 200 professionally managed vacation rental homes and condominiums and is poised to expand to offer more properties in the near future.

Oregon Beach Vacations has four offices including their corporate office in Portland. All offices can be reached via telephone at 800-723-2383 or 503-528-7480.
• The Lincoln City office employs twenty full-time team members, a number which expands greatly during the height of the vacation rental season. That office has homes for coastal vacationers in Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport and Yachats.
• The Cannon Beach office offers vacation homes from Manzanita to Astoria - including Gearhart, Seaside, Cannon Beach and Rockaway Beach. Oregon Beach Vacation Rentals is actively pursuing more vacation rentals along the North Oregon Coast - interested homeowners should view or download the Oregon Beach Vacations Homeowner Brochure.
• The Florence office currently manages thirty condominiums in the North Bay Condominium Complex and will be the focal point of the South Oregon Coast Expansion.

More information about the vacation rental offerings of Oregon Beach Vacations can be found at www.OregonBeachVacations.com. The website includes real-time online booking; Lincoln City webcam; an innovative GuestAdVantage™ Program; pictures and descriptions rental properties; (luxury properties, featured properties, large group properties, pet friendly properties and condos) ; specials; area information and much more.

About Oregon Beach Vacations: Oregon Beach Vacations was founded in 2004. The owners, David McElveen and Joe Murray, envisioned building a premier vacation rental company on the Oregon coast. Today, Oregon Beach Vacations operates four offices and manages over 200 vacation rental properties. The company is owned and operated by River City Travel, Oregon's second largest travel agency which includes a staff of over 85 team members in Oregon and Washington State with combined sales of over 40 million dollars per year. Benefits for homeowners include an aggressive marketing campaign that reaches over two million potential guests weekly; marketing agreements with over 4,000 travel agents worldwide and 24/7 availability. For more information, please visit www.OregonBeachVacations.com or call 800-723-2383.

WiFiRV Increases Investment Budget to Provide Best Wireless Services to Campers and RVs After Record-Setting 2008

2009-01-29T18:49:00.000-08:00

Westport, Conn. (PRWEB) January 12, 2009 -- WiFiRV, a premier provider of WiFi high-speed wireless Internet services for the outdoor recreational hospitality industry, recently reported continued growth for 2008 and a new budget of $1,500,000 to invest wireless services for the RV industry in 2009.

Consistent high-speed WiFi Internet access is what all property managers want. RV parks, campgrounds, and resorts were geographically located so travelers could "get away from it all" but now they want to be away from it all and take it all with them too.

That's where WiFiRV comes in. WiFiRV has consistently shown it is the best solution for RV owners to get high-speed Internet (www.WiFiRV.com), and that has been even more evident as WiFiRV sales continue to rise even in a down economy.

"2008 was a banner season for WiFiRV," said John Borg II, CEO and founder of WiFiRV. "Now more than ever, RV and campground owners need to stay connected to the world. Our goal is to provide the best, fastest, most reliable Internet service to as many of them as possible." With parks becoming more competitive to attract patron travelers during the economic downturn Borg opened the budget for 2009 to meet their goal of bringing no more than 250 new properties online this year.

WiFi is considered the most economical way to get Internet access to campers. That said, Borg warns property managers and owners that WiFi is not without challenges. 24x7 support is needed for this demographic, outdoor wireless engineering is difficult in RV resort terrain, and having a team of engineers nationwide is nearly required to ensure reliability for travelers needing online.

WiFiRV is doing its best to provide reliable WiFi high-speed Internet access. Do you know of an RV Park that needs wireless internet? Tell WiFiRV and they will do their best to provide help.

Since founding WiFiRV, Borg has seen the benefits of WiFi amenities in countless RV parks, resorts, and campgrounds - many of which did not have reliable Internet access previously. Properties consistently report increased occupancies and loyalty, Borg said. To date, WiFiRV has invested $2,500,000 in capital, labor services, and equipment. RV parks depend on WiFiRV to bring value-added services to their businesses every day and so 2009 will be another year they continue to support the maturation of the market.

"In 2002 we started WiFiRV when we recognized a need to help travelers stay connected on the road," stated John Borg II, CEO and Founder of WiFiRV. "We created simple do-it-yourself WiFi systems, complex managed bandwidth amenities, and everything in between to give real estate owners and property managers a choice."

About WiFiRV: WiFiRV is a premier service provider for wireless high-speed Internet access. Our Wi-Fi "Hot Spots" are located in RV parks, campgrounds, and resorts across the country, allowing travelers visiting the parks to access the Internet via their laptops. Headquartered in Westport, CT, WiFiRV offers turnkey Wi-Fi packages for RV and campground real estate owners that include award winning network design, personalized websites, email services, installation, remote management, and guest support services. WiFiRV reports hundreds of properties in the RV park and campground industry are using their high-speed wireless network across the U.S.

For additional information, visit www.WiFiRV.com

Partnership Between Healthy Spot and Fairmont Miramar Ensures Travelers and Their Pets a Stress-free Vacation

2009-01-29T18:04:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica, CA (PRWEB) January 6, 2009 -- Traveling pets will be in the lap of luxury thanks to Healthy Spot's recent partnership with Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica. In tandem with Healthy Spot, Fairmont Miramar has launched its new Pets Always Welcome Program or P.A.W., ensuring guests never have to leave their four-legged friend at home when traveling for business or pleasure. At Healthy Spot, it is understood that dogs are more than just pets; they are family. With one quick call to the concierge, it's Healthy Spot to the rescue, arranging and executing a day that any dog won't soon forget.

Healthy Spot, with their gracious Fairmont Miramar hosts, provide the most extensive and unique pet-related services. At check in, pets will receive their own bed, bowls and treats. Forget something at home? Healthy Spot is offering 10% off all products for hotel guests. Ordering room service? Pets can now indulge too! Using only the highest, human quality ingredients, Healthy Spot and Fairmont Miramar have created a dinner and dessert menu that will make any dog drool, including steak or salmon cooked to order. Follow it with an artesian, hand-baked truffle, specifically crafted at a local Santa Monica patisserie.

Owners can contact the concierge and loosen the leash with arrangements for their pets to take a walk down to the Healthy Spot store on Wilshire Blvd. for all the finest in canine pampering. Healthy Spot offers an array of services sure to make this vacation a memorable one, for parent and pet alike. At the store's renowned doggy day care, dogs under 30 pounds can play and romp with their canine compatriots, as well as stretch their legs and soak up the scenery on frequent neighborhood walks. Check-in to the Healthy Spot salon for cutting-edge, eco-friendly services that are definitely woof worthy. Complete grooming using the elite, dog show-developed Isle of Dogs product line, along with specialties such as blueberry facials, nail grinding, canine massage and reiki, guarantee a guest's best friend is sure to be in dog heaven.

To take advantage of this service, guests need simply bring a copy of their pet's up to date vaccination records and Healthy Spot will see to it that both owner and pet get the vacation they deserve.

About Healthy Spot: Healthy Spot is committed towards unleashing our customers' passion for their dogs by being the leading provider of the finest products, premium services, quality information and highest care while breeding social awareness of compassion and canine education for the community.

Healthy Spot provides superior quality services for your dog. We are a center of information for preventative and proactive canine care. It is our business to stay current with the latest news and trends in the pet industry, and relay all important information to you, our customers. We work our hardest to be your trusted advisor in maintaining your dog's healthy lifestyle.

We also seek to be a facilitator of social interaction with dogs and their owners through a variety of fun, educational, and creative events in the neighboring community. We know that working together is the key to success and hope that you will join us in our efforts. For more information on events, products, and services, please feel free to contact us at (310) 458-2004 or visit us online at www.healthyspotla.com.

Pedata RV Center Looking Forward to Offering Hybrids to RV Consumers

2009-01-29T17:53:00.000-08:00

Phoenix, AZ (Vocus) January 6, 2009 -- As the Fleetwood Enterprises RV Group presented its Hybrid motorhome on December 26, 2008, Pedata RV Center and other dealers across the nation took notice. The introduction of new technologies advantageous in today's economy and environment make looking towards the future with a bright outlook that much easier.

Amid the many negative news items, the countless dealers struggling under the weight of the current economical gloom, and the recent loss of not only financing options for consumers, but financing options for the dealers themselves…the Fleetwood's Hybrid RV was a welcome, and hopeful, respite. Clint Ethington of Pedata RV Center labeled the Fleetwood RV "my new symbol of hope for the industry. I love when new technology offers new possibilities to RVers and when it can happen at a time when many are down on the industry it's even better. And when it can happen when consumers are down on EVERYTHING across industry lines…it's amazing."

The Fleetwood Hybrid Details:
* ecoFRED hybrid electric power chassis by Freightliner Custom Chassis
* increased fuel economy up to 42%
* easy refueling at any diesel fuel station
* zero compromise in payload capacity
* internal combustion diesel engine/electric motor driven by lithium-ion batteries
* Eaton 6-speed, automated-manual transmission
* Towing capacity of 37,000 lbs.
* Lithium-ion batteries recharged through operation of diesel

For More Information: For more information on Pedata RV Center or current trends in the RV industry contact Clint Ethington, General Manager, at clint @ pedatarvcenter.com or by phone at: 1-888-545-8314 or 520-807-0900. Or visit Pedata RV Center online at www.pedatarv.com.

O.A.R.S. (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists) To Begin Accepting Reservations for 2010 Grand Canyon Rafting Trips

2008-11-20T23:48:00.000-08:00

O.A.R.S. (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists), the eco-savvy adventure travel outfitter and National Geographic Adventure Magazine's 2008 "Best River and Sea Outfitter on Earth", announced today that they will begin accepting reservations on November 14th for their 2010 whitewater rafting season on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

Angels Camp, California (Vocus) November 12, 2008 -- O.A.R.S. (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists), the eco-savvy adventure travel outfitter and National Geographic Adventure Magazine's 2008 "Best River and Sea Outfitter on Earth", announced today that they will begin accepting reservations on November 14th for their 2010 whitewater rafting season on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Currently, only a scarce few spaces remain available for the company's 2009 Grand Canyon season.

The Grand Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, offers what is arguably one of the most sought after adventure travel vacation experiences in the country. MSNBC, Good Morning America, Condé Nast Traveler, Town & Country Travel, Outside Magazine and National Geographic Traveler have all recently recognized O.A.R.S.' Grand Canyon rafting trip as one of the "Best Trips" on the planet. This year the journey is brought to life on the big screen in MacGillivray Freeman Films production of Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk, a film for IMAX Theatres and IMAX 3D Theatres.

O.A.R.S. is able to provide outstanding value on the dollar for consumers facing a tumultuous economy and a collective tightening of the belt. Adventure vacations offer inexpensive alternatives to other vacation options, as they are typically all-inclusive providing meals, sleeping arrangements, educational, historical and interpretive discussions, as well as exciting activities and invaluable time spent with family, friends and loved ones in the outdoors.

George Wendt, President and Founder of O.A.R.S., whose infatuation with Desert Southwest river canyons ultimately led to the establishment of his company, recently stated, "These river canyons hold a quiet mystery within their steep canyon walls: narrow side canyons, silent eddies, famed rapids, waterfalls, caves, pictographs, petroglyphs and side hikes that take you into the heart of the canyon. These are the places I return to time and again to rejuvenate my soul."

Indeed, O.A.R.S. passengers agree. Kathleen & Ralph Dodge had this to say about their recent experience with O.A.R.S. "We want to take the time to tell you what a great job your Grand Canyon team is doing and to thank you again for giving us one of the best and most intensely meaningful experiences of our lives…O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon journey simply can't be beat as the most extraordinary river trip on the planet."

"The majority of our Grand Canyon guides have decades of rafting experience - not just in the Canyon - on other rivers around the world as well. Some were born into the river rafting business. Their expertise provides adventurers with a resounding travel experience generally not afforded to other travelers," Wendt stated from the O.A.R.S. headquarters in Northern California.

In 1969, O.A.R.S. became the first exclusively oar-powered rafting outfitter permitted to run the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Both O.A.R.S. and its sister company, Grand Canyon Dories offer 4- to 18-day trips between Lees Ferry and Lake Mead, floating up to 277 river miles through billions of years of geological time reflected in the Canyon's steep, vibrant colored cliffs. All O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon trips incorporate daily hikes to Native American sites and interpretive discussions of everything from archeological remains, ancient fossils, early explorers, the history of the West's water management and conservation policies, to the history of running famed Colorado River rapids, as well as deciphering a night sky completely unencumbered with urban obstacles.

Passengers on a Grand Canyon rafting vacation may opt to ride in non-motorized 18' inflatable rafts or sleek 17' hard-hulled dories. Both types of vessels, rowed by experienced guides, hold up to four passengers. Each provides an exciting adventure, with the major difference being in how they ride in large whitewater. Rafts ride on top of the water, and they have a certain amount of give to them. Therefore, when a large wave hits them, they tend to flex a little and roll over the rapids. A dory provides a more pronounced, up-and-down ride through the whitewater. Traditionally, dory trips take a more leisurely pace through the Canyon, providing more time for side canyon exploration.

Only 16 commercial outfitters are permitted to run the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and O.A.R.S. offers 33 unique itineraries from April into November each year. Non-motorized trips offer a slower, more intimate canyon experience, in which each rapid is savored and the sounds inherent to the Canyon may be heard from the boat.

Since 1969 O.A.R.S. has set the standard in first-class rafting, sea kayaking, hiking, and multi-sport vacations, with destinations and unparalleled experiences on over 35 rivers and coastlines of the world. O.A.R.S. caters to active travelers of all ages and abilities with more than 75 unique itineraries worldwide, including one-day and weekend escapes. For more information on O.A.R.S. eco-friendly adventures, including a free 84-page color catalog, call O.A.R.S. at 1-800-346-6277, email the company at info@oars.com or visit www.oars.com.

Dating Service Adventure 2000 Offers Arizona's Best Singles Events, Including the State's Greatest New Year's Eve Celebration for Singles

2008-11-20T23:45:00.000-08:00

To celebrate offering 10 years of great singles events, Adventures Activity Club 2000 is offering a holiday sign-up special to new members for only $299. While a traditional dating service can be expensive and ineffective, Adventure 2000 organizes professionally planned singles activities that promote a fun, relaxed atmosphere to meet new people, find friendship, or discover that special someone.

(PRWEB) November 12, 2008 -- Adventures Activity Club 2000, Arizona's best planner of singles events, offers more than what a typical dating service can and is looking to prove it to local singles by offering a trial membership at a special holiday price of just $299. The deadline to register is December 31, 2008.

Since 1999, Adventures 2000 has been Arizona's best and most active singles events club. With nearly 30 professionally staffed events each month ranging from movie nights and wine tastings to white water rafting and ski trips, Adventures 2000 has something to get any single excited.

This year that includes the best New Year's Eve celebration in Arizona at Adventures Activity Club 10-year anniversary bash located at the Grace Inn in Awatukee. The event begins at 8 p.m. and will include a live DJ with dancing until the ball drops. The evening includes a variety of hors d'oeuvres and complementary champagne toast. Preregister by December 10 and the cost is just $45. After December 10, the cost is $55.

Adventures 2000 advantages range from its members and price to safety and standing in the community. Adventures 2000 has nearly 1,000 active members to interact with at various events, so members can meet a variety of people instead of the same dozen people at every event.

Adventures 2000, who is an active member of the Arizona Better Business Bureau, can offer its members safety and certainty. Unfortunately, online sites attract many predators and married people pretending to be single, but Adventures 2000 performs a background check on each member to ensure that each person is why they say they are.

To top it off, singles can get all this for a fraction of the cost of mundane dating services. So why spend thousands when Adventures 2000 offers more entertainment and opportunities for just $299 this holiday season. Members will save hundreds of dollars over a year's period by taking advantage of group discounts offered by Adventures 2000.

"You will meet more people and try more activities in 3 months, than you probably did in the last 3 years," CEO and founder Dan Halbert said. "Sometimes people just need to stop looking for someone to date and start working on their social life. The absolute worst thing someone can do, when coming out of a divorce or break up, is to jump right back into another relationship. Adventures 2000 offers an alternative, to those lonely nights."

About Adventures Club 2000: Adventures Activity Club 2000 was started in Phoenix in 1999 specifically for Arizona singles tired of the typical dating scene and looking for a new type of dating service. Today, it boasts nearly a 1,000 members and offers as many as 30 singles events a month ranging from dinners to movies to international travel. Adventure 2000 organizes professionally planned singles activities that promote a fun, relaxed atmosphere to meet new people, find friendship, or discover that special someone. To learn more, please visit www.adventures2000club.com.

Strengthening Dollar Provides Savings on Ireland Golf Vacation & Scotland Golf Travel

2008-11-20T23:44:00.000-08:00

Celtic Golf, leader in Ireland and Scotland golf travel, today announced new savings options for many of their Ireland and Scotland golf travel destinations because of the recent strengthening of the dollar in these countries.

Cape May, NJ (PRWEB) November 12, 2008 -- Celtic Golf, leader in Ireland and Scotland golf travel, today announced new savings options for many of their Ireland and Scotland golf travel destinations because of the recent strengthening of the dollar in these countries.

"An Ireland golf vacation or a Scotland golf tour scheduled in 2009 is 20% less expensive than it was a year ago," states Jerry Quinlan, co-founder and President of Celtic Golf. "Now is the best time to book your golf travel and take advantage of these prices!"

In spite of the present economic climate, the time is ripe for travel because of air and hotel pricing specials. Now coupled with the strengthening of the dollar in Ireland and Scotland, it has become the best time to book golf vacation travel to these countries.

Included in the many savings currently being offered by Celtic Golf are:
* Couples Exclusive Ireland Golf Vacation (http://www.celticgolf.com/vacations/ireland/selfdrive/)
* Father & Son Golf Tournament Ireland Golf Vacation (http://www.celticgolf.com/vacations/father-son-golf/)
* 2009 British Open Golf Vacation at Turnberry (http://www.celticgolf.com/vacations/british-open/)
* 2010 British Open Golf Vacation at St. Andrews (http://www.celticgolf.com/vacations/british-open/index.html#2010)

Celtic Golf has gained its reputation by providing their clients with the best quality golf vacation travel while also offering the best value with pricing incentives and savings.

For more information and to book and Ireland Golf Vacation or Scotland Golf Travel:
Contact: Brendan McMenamin, VP Sales & Operations
Phone: 1.800.535.6148

About Celtic Golf: Celtic Golf, leader in golf vacation travel, offers premier European golf travel vacation packages - specializing in Ireland golf vacation and Scotland golf tours. 100% customer satisfaction and personal customer care in Ireland Golf Vacations has placed Celtic Golf 'a cut above the rest' of golf vacation travel anywhere.

Launch of Cost2Drive.com Provides Relief for Holiday Vacation Planning with Travel Cost Comparison Tool

2008-11-20T23:41:00.000-08:00

Website Cost2Drive.com makes it easy and fun to calculate the cost of driving anywhere in the U.S. with launch of Cost2Drive.com. The new Web site allows users to quickly and easily discover exactly how much it costs to drive between locations in the United States. The new site also compares the cost of flying with the cost of driving.

Virginia (PRWEB) November 11, 2008 -- With record breaking costs for airline travel, volatile gas prices, and the approaching Holiday vacation season, the public launch of Cost2Drive.com will provide welcome relief for many consumers. The new travel planning Web site from C2G, LLC is the first site on the Internet to make it fun and easy to determine the true cost of driving anywhere in the U.S. By simply entering a route and type of car, Cost2Drive's "galculator" (the patent-pending gas calculator that powers Cost2Drive.com) calculates the cost of the trip by tapping into current gas prices from over 80,000 retail stations. The galculator also helps locate the cheapest gas from start to finish, including refueling points along the way.

Consumers and the Web 2.0 establishment quickly embraced the site, driving over 150,000 visits during the first few weeks following the October beta launch. The site continues to garner numerous awards including "Kim Komando Cool Site of Day", "Top Site of Day" from KillerStartups and "Best Mashup of the Day" from Mashup Awards. In addition, favorable reviews were posted throughout the blogosphere using words like "wonderful, amazing, fun, terrific, cool and extremely useful" to describe the site.

Along with the public launch of Cost2Drive.com, C2G, LLC also announces another innovation that allows consumers to easily compare the cost of driving with the cost of flying. Now when users enter their route information into the galculator, they will see the cost of flying alongside the cost of driving, making Cost2Drive.com the first Web site on the Internet to allow users to easily determine if it's cheaper to drive, or cheaper to fly to a destination. The flight information appears for routes over 200 miles and is provided via a feed from Kayak.com, reflecting the lowest price that Kayak.com users recently found on www.kayak.com.

"We're excited to be putting this fun and useful tool in the hands of consumers," stated Jim Kovarik, President and Co-founder of C2G, LLC. "With the challenging economy, we believe this is the type of Web application consumers will increasingly turn to to help them manage costs. Cost2Drive.com is the first of a number of sites C2G will be launching in the coming months to help people better plan and budget for the costs of going places."

To help motorists have a safe and economical 2008 Holiday travel season, Heartland Automotive Services Inc, America's largest Jiffy Lube franchisee, is happy to partner with Cost2Drive. Heartland will be offering special values on a Jiffy Lube Signature Service Oil change and a Fuel System Cleaning package to help consumers save on fuel, no matter how far they are driving. As part of the new partnership, these special values to help save on holiday travel costs will be offered to any visitor to Cost2Drive.com who enters a route that originates in a Heartland service area.

About C2G, LLC: C2G, which stands for 'Cost To Go', is a recently formed company located in Northern Virginia that is focused on making it easy for consumers to answer the question 'how much does it cost to go somewhere'. C2G, LLC President and Co-founder Jim Kovarik is a 20-year veteran of the online industry and most recently served as the General Manager of Travel for AOL, LLC before leaving to form the new company.

About Heartland: Heartland Automotive Services, Inc. is the largest Jiffy Lube franchisee, and the largest independent quick lube operator in the United States. With nearly 400 Service Centers, Heartland serves over 5 million vehicles annually.

Contact Information: For more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Jim Kovarik, please call him at 571-294-7418 or email him at jim @ costtogo.com.

New Book Injects Pleasure, Romance into a Trip to Italy

2008-11-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

Those looking for a stress-free trip to Italy should pick up a copy of 'Italy Luxury Family Hotels & Resorts,' set to hit store shelves this January.

Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) November 12, 2008 -- Travelers seeking a one-of-a-kind trip to Italy (www.italyluxuryfamilyhotels.com) will soon have a new book to guide them through their adventures. Published by Italian travel expert Debra Levinson and beautifully illustrated with over 380 exquisite full color photographs, the 216-page soft cover book entitled 'Italy Luxury Family Hotels & Resorts' will hit stores in January 2009 and retail for $25.

"For some, a trip to Italy is a once in a lifetime experience; for others, it's a return to a beloved place," says Levinson. "But all travelers want an experience that meets their expectations. 'Italy Luxury Family Hotels & Resorts' is the definitive guidebook, crafted by experts, with both the novice and seasoned traveler in mind."

With 'Italy Luxury Family Hotels & Resorts,' Levinson has created a unique brand that combines luxury and family travel. The book caters to those who forego cookie cutter vacations in favor of luxurious accommodations and authentic, immersive experiences. Whether celebrating a wedding, anniversary, romantic getaway, or family reunion, this book helps travelers find the perfect spot to take a trip to Italy. It also provides a detailed map of Italy (www.italyluxuryfamilyhotels.com).

Levinson's years of extensive travel experience have taken her to every corner of Italy - from romantic getaways on the Italian Riviera with her husband and co-publisher, David Levinson, to family ski trips in chic resort towns like Cortina d'Ampezzo with the couple's three sons, to exploring the riches of the Italian Art Cities with friends. She has served as a guest speaker at an Italian Tourism Symposium and as a consultant for numerous Italian hotels and resorts. Her first book, 'Italy's Best with Kids,' was a self-publishing phenomenon, transcending its humble beginnings to become a brisk seller in major chain bookstores. Together, they are recognized by TripAdvisor.com as one of the site's "best links for professional advice." Levinson is also noted for working with top tour operators to develop seamless personalized travel itineraries for travel clients through www.italyluxuryfamilyhotels.com.

"Italy Luxury Family Hotels & Resorts" includes an overview of Italy's regions, provinces, and major cities, maps of major roadways and water features, a detailed map of Italy, and travel time and distance charts for seamless point-to-point navigation. Wine expert Jeff Garris provides a breakdown of Italian wines by region and Debra Levinson brings her extensive knowledge of Italian cooking to bear on her chapter covering each region's distinctive cuisine, everything needed to organize a trip to Italy (www.italyluxuryfamilyhotels.com).

The book is also packed with exclusive offers for luxury family travelers, such as inclusive packages, room rate discounts, free room nights, romantic candlelight dinners, wine and olive oil tastings, spa treatments, museum tickets, and arrival gifts like sparkling wine and fruit baskets and children's gift bags. A detailed map of Italy also provides useful information.

To see examples of the resorts and hotels outlined in the book, go to:
* The Eden hotel at http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187791-d191331-Reviews-Eden_Hotel-Rome_Lazio.html
* Villa La Massa at www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g676680-d203007-Reviews-Villa_La_Massa-Candeli_Tuscany.html
* Forte Village Resort at www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g608921-d228978-Reviews-Forte_Village_Resort-Santa_Margherita_di_Pula_Sardinia.html

Distributed through Baker & Taylor to Internet book retailers and traditional outlets such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com, the book may also be ordered directly from publisher at www.italyluxuryfamilyhotels.com. It also includes a detailed map of Italy that shows dozens of popular spots to visit.

French Wine Explorers Releases New Website and 2009 Tour Schedule

2008-11-20T23:02:00.000-08:00

French Wine Explorers, the leader in wine and culinary tours to France, has released the 2009 Tour Schedule for small group departures. In addition to the exclusive Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne tours, French Wine Explorers is pleased to announce a Special Grand Cru Barge cruise with a Burgundy insider as host. The new product offerings, along with a new, updated website prove to be a hit with those looking for unique wine and culinary experiences in France.

St. Michaels, MD (PRWEB) November 13, 2008 -- French Wine Explorers, America's leading luxury French wine tour company, is offering its most exciting tour season ever in 2009. The tours include the ultimate in luxury hotels and chateaux and Michelin-starred restaurants, and feature France's most exclusive and prestigious wine estates. The 2009 schedule includes five scheduled departures, plus private and customized wine vacations to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhône Valley, Provence, the Loire Valley, and Tuscany and Piedmont in Italy.

Among the highlights of the 2009 season: Bordeaux Prestige, the ultimate wine tour experience, including VIP tastings at all five First Growth chateaux (Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion, Mouton Rothschild) and the most legendary estates of Pomerol, Sauternes and Saint Emilion; Great Estates of Burgundy, an in-depth exploration of the Côte d'Or's finest estates; and Burgundy and Champagne Prestige, a blend of the best that Burgundy and Champagne has to offer. New to their lineup of scheduled departures is a special Grand Cru Barge Cruise, a 6-night tour aboard a luxury barge and a unique opportunity to taste the 33 Grand Crus of Burgundy, as well as special winemakers' dinners on board complete with unparalled access to owners of exclusive estates.

The company also has launched a new website that enhances the user experience. "Our new website is user-friendly, well-organized and equipped with a blog that readers can comment on, creating a community of like-minded individuals," stated Pascale Bernasse, President of French Wine Explorers. "We are excited about offering a website experience that mirrors the experience of our tours: client-focused, educational and unique."

The Maryland-based company has been acclaimed by the international travel and wine press, and was recently named as "Top Wine Vacations" by ForbesTraveler.com and one of the "World's Great Wine Tours" by Food & Wine Magazine in 2006. Their extensive wine and travel industry connections open the doors to top wineries and private estates for their guests, providing them an exclusive insider's view not available to the public.

The group size of 12 guests maximum keeps the tours intimate and ensures personal attention. All tours include deluxe, air conditioned motor transportation, luxury hotels, gourmet meals with premium wines, all wine tastings, sightseeing, and services of a bilingual wine expert guide throughout. Prices range from US$4200 to US$5800 per person, double occupancy, for the land-only packages.

French Wine Explorers also offers custom-designed wine tours for guests wishing to choose their own dates and itinerary, accompanied by a wine expert. Corporate programs are also available, as well as special private tours for wine and gourmet clubs and wine and food professionals.

For more information, call toll free 1-877-261-1500. Full information is also available on the French Wine Explorers web site at www.wine-tours-france.com.

Days Inns - Canada Announces Holiday Travel Tips for Seniors On the Go

2008-11-20T22:58:00.000-08:00

Days Inn helps seniors take the stress out of holiday travel with helpful hints and rewards reminders

Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) November 18, 2008 -- Senior travel increases exponentially during the holiday season, and as many retirees prepare to embark on a seasonal adventure, it's valuable to remember a little advance planning can help avoid unexpected bumps along the way. Days Inns - Canada offers some essential tips to help ease the stress and get special hotel discounts -- making holiday vacations more enjoyable and hassle-free.

Give Yourself A Budget: Your holiday vacation doesn't have to break the bank! Simply decide on the type of accommodations that you'll enjoy and set aside a realistic budget. Be on the lookout for special hotel discounts such as senior discounts, best rate guarantees and vacation packages. Remember to pack your proof of age identity card and any senior club membership cards.

Plan Ahead: Whether your visiting family or taking off on your own, research your destination and remember to book online hotel reservations well in advance. Look for national hotel chains that cater to senior travel, such as Days Inn hotels with amenities including a free Daybreak Caf"reakfast at most locations and free high-speed Internet access.

Get Rewarded: Check with your hotel to see if they offer a loyalty rewards program travel, such as Wyndham Rewards. Now through January 8, 2009, Wyndham Rewards members who stay at participating Days Inn locations in Canada and the United States will earn Double Aeroplan Miles or Double Wyndham Rewards points for each hotel stay as part of the Double Points or Miles promotion.

Play It Safe: An important senior travel rule: pack any medications or prescriptions in your carry-on bag and bring along enough medication to last the entire trip. Visit your doctor to learn about potential travel health risks before you begin set out on your holiday vacation and consider preparing a first aid kit for the road.

Security On The Road: Before departing, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. Always carry your supplemental travel and health insurance policy with you and review all insurance requirements before you leave. Keep the telephone number of your insurer handy in case of emergency.

Stay Connected: It's a good idea to send your holiday vacation itinerary to a friend or relative so someone will always know your whereabouts. Be sure to carry a prepaid phone card or cell phone so you can keep in touch from the road.

About Days Inns, Canada: Days Inns - Canada is one of the country's leading hotel chains with over 90 independently owned and operated properties and over 8,100 rooms. Its franchises cover a wide range of urban, airport and resort properties in primary and secondary markets across Canada. Days Inns - Canada participates in the Wyndham RewardsSM guest reward program, which is free to join and offers points that can be redeemed at a host of retail and travel partners including Aeroplan and Canadian Tire. Realstar Hotel Services Corp. is the master franchisor of the Days Inn brand in Canada. Days Inn Worldwide, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wyndham Hotel Group, one of three principal components of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:WYN), which encompasses more than 6,550 hotels and 551,000 rooms worldwide in 59 countries. All hotels are owned individually and operated independently or by Wyndham Hotel Management. For more information about Days Inns - Canada, to make a reservation or to become a Wyndham RewardsSM member, please visit http://www.daysinn.ca or call the bilingual reservations hotline at 1-800 DAYS INN (1-800-329-7466).

Private Jet Lifestyle Website, EliteTraveler.com, Turns Spotlight on 'Leaders in Luxury'

2008-10-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

EliteTraveler.com's 'Leaders in Luxury' features showcase influential figures in luxury industries, such as watch designers and private jet company CEOs. These in-depth interviews tell their stories of success and the obstacles they have overcome to get where they are.

(PRWEB) October 6, 2008 -- Elite Traveler, the magazine of choice for upscale international travelers and private jetsetters, is telling the fascinating stories of high-flying entrepreneurs in a new series of in-depth features, "Leaders in Luxury." The print edition of Elite Traveler, distributed on board private jets and in high-end travel venues, caters to the first class client as he or she jets around the world, while EliteTraveler.com's online component offers daily updates about news and information relevant to the ultra-wealthy, as well as a digital version of the magazine's content, to Internet readers.

Elite Traveler magazine is also available to first class flyers of top commercial airlines worldwide, or those staying in five-star hotels and resorts or traveling with first class limo services. Jetsetters will find the upscale international travel magazine print version and the online site to be useful resources for finding detailed information about exclusive hotel accommodations and other luxury services when they travel worldwide.

"The readers of Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine, and EliteTraveler.com, the private jet lifestyle online, are ultra-successful entrepreneurs, business owners, government leaders, royalty, top multinational executives, and their families," points out Doug Gollan, President and Editor-in-Chief of Elite Traveler. "The subjects we interview for 'Leaders in Luxury' are like them, and therefore the purpose of each piece is to allow them to share stories about the challenges they are facing, their successes, and how they have achieved it."

"Leaders in Luxury" consists of a library of interviews with entrepreneurs specializing in luxury lifestyle and travel service industries. Several of the participants are owners or designers of top jewelry and Swiss watch companies, while others have embarked on affluent business ventures, providing luxury goods online, or branding their own jewelry. The interviews detail the stories of their success, relate the passion they have for their craft, or explain the niche they've carved out to meet a luxury travel demand. Current interviews posted on the site include Richard Santulli, Chairman and CEO of NetJets, Olivier Krug, the Director of Krug Champagne.

From the ever popular categories of fine jewelry and Swiss watches, several interviews are posted, including: Lowell and Sheldon Kwiat, Co-presidents of Kwiat Diamonds; Roberto Coin, Founder, Roberto Coin Jewelry; Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot Watches, Steven Holtzman, Founder of luxury watch brand Maitres du Temps, and many more.

Gollan further details the mission of Elite Traveler: "Every issue and every web page brings to life the latest in travel, fine jewelry, luxury watches, fashion, and private jet lifestyle for its wealthy readers. Our goal is to reach the first class client on their private jet with the print magazine, and 24/7 with the website to provide the latest information about the private jet lifestyle, wherever in the world they happen to be."

To read in detail about the inspiring personalities and success stories of the "Leaders in Luxury," or to learn more about boutique travel services, high end real estate, and high-end products, visit EliteTraveler.com.

About Elite Traveler magazine and EliteTraveler.com: As both a print magazine and an online travel magazine, Elite Traveler reaches the first class client base of elite, affluent men and women, whether they're traveling around the world by private jet or online in the comfort of the luxury destinations they frequent. Elite Traveler brings luxury brands to the high spending market, those households with a median income of $2.28 million, for which luxury is a necessity. The magazine is available in hardcopy format on private jets, yachts, and other high-end venues. Current and past issues can be found online at www.EliteTraveler.com.

Chef David Linville of The Shore Restaurant and Lounge in Hermosa Beach, CA begins Wine & Cheese Tastings

2008-10-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

Regularly frequented by celebrities, the Award-Winning Shore Restaurant and Lounge reflects the casual elegance of the South Bay, CA through its beautiful atmosphere, acclaimed live entertainment, and full-service fine dining by Executive Chef David Linville. Wine & Cheese

Hermosa Beach, CA (PRWEB) October 6, 2008 -- Regularly frequented by celebrities, the Award-Winning Shore Restaurant and Lounge begins Wine & Cheese Tastings on Tuesdays October 7 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm. Known for its casual elegance in the South Bay, CA through its beautiful atmosphere, quality live entertainment, Celebrity clientele and full-service fine dining by Executive Chef David Linville, formerly of The Standard Sunset Strip, Viceroy Hotel, St. Regis Hotel and Mastros Beverly Hills.

One of Hollywood's A-List Chefs, Linville now serves award-winning internationally inspired CA comfort cuisine to the South Bay community and will be a featured Chef at the October Los Angeles Magazine's Taste of LA event.

Linville was one of the top private Yacht Chefs in 2007 for numerous A-List Celebrities, and The Shore's celebrity and local clientele also appreciate his quality, down-home cooking. Since his arrival, The Shore Restaurant has received "Hippest Dining Spot," "Best Dinner Menu," and "Best New Dining Establishment" recognition in the South Bay.

The Shore's upscale mix of creative "fusion" and traditional menu items offer a variety of internationally inspired entrees and salads created with authentic ingredients straight from local farmer's markets. A variety of appetizers and side dishes are available for those seeking lighter fare. The basis for Chef David's cooking always begins with quality products and includes a diverse mix of cuisine designed to appeal to a discerning palate.

Sophisticated, yet authentic entrees include: Tabasco marinated southern fried chicken and buttermilk Belgium waffles and maple syrup; ginger miso glazed halibut served with a yakisoba noodle stir fry; pacific sea bass served with sautéed heirloom tomatoes, capers and basil Chive truffle oil; pan seared scallops with a sweet corn and huitlacoche mushroom veloute'; and pan seared filet mignon served on top of greens with a port wine reduction sauce.

The Shore offers a complete, diverse international wine list designed to complement any meal with ½ price wine bottles and wine tastings on Tuesdays. A range of all spirits, including top shelf beverages and VIP bottle Service, is also available.

The Shore is a hotspot for celebrities, sports figures, and Hollywood A-listers. Guests have included Actor Benicio Del Toro, Mark Cuban and local South Bay resident, Model Rachel Hunter; Singer - Songwriter Alanis Morissette, Oingo Boingo, Devo, Elan, No Doubt, The Bravery, and Dramarama, and sports players from the LA Lakers (Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, former Lakers - Kwame Brown, Ronny Turiaf) the LA Kings (Derek Armstrong, Anze Kopitar, Michael Cammarelli), the Anaheim Ducks (George Parros, Sean O'Donnell), the LA Clippers (Shaun Livingston, Paul Davis), members of the LA Galaxy Soccer Team and the Buffalo Bills, World Champion Surfing brothers, Timmy and Tom Curran, and local resident, Hall of Famer, Warren Moon, who all enjoy the excellent cuisine, the Shore's well rounded international wine list, attentive servers, and beachside ambiance.

After 10pm, The Shore offers quality live entertainment dancing and award-winning DJ's. The Shore's in-house Music Stylist and Co-Owner, Jason Baran, is responsible for creating the vibe and social scene that has the South Bay jammin' weekly. With his finger on the musical pulse of Los Angeles, Jason, along with Oren Avineri of Listen Entertainment, book acclaimed musicians and bands that have a national following rarely seen in Hermosa Beach, CA. Musical acts/performers have included: Dirty Heads, Kua Ana, Pigeon John, Cipes and The People, B Side Players, Naked Rhythm and Drummer Ricky Rocks who competes every Thursday with DJ Dini, to name a few. Cover charges vary from $5 to $10 depending on the performer.

Special event hosting is available at The Shore Restaurant and Lounge. Recent events have included Fundraisers such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Executive Lock-up, The South Bay Professional Connection's Surfrider Benefit, and Project Touch; Professional Industry Events such as The South Bay Professional Connection Hospitality Appreciation Evening, The Hermosa Shorts Festival Kick Off Party, Hughes Aircraft Company Happy Hour, and Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce Mixer; and private events like the Table for Six Dining group, Nebraska Cornhuskers, New York Jets and Sexy Single Parent Monday Night Football viewing parties, Equinox/BMW's USC v. OSU Football viewing party, wedding receptions, Christmas and holiday parties, birthday parties, workshops, film shoots, and others.

Future special events include: Wine & Cheese Tastings on Tuesdays beginning October 7, UCLA Alumni Association Wine Tasting on October 16, the Annual Shore Halloween Costume Parties October 29-31, and Singles Coach Katherine Bougli's Be Open to Love Workshop on November 18, with other events to be announced. The Shore is currently booking holiday parties.

The Shore's 3200 square foot venue combines a chic aesthetic for relaxed dining and a sophisticated lounge experience for upcoming holiday parties. The Shore seats approximately 60 in the dining room, 30 in the bar and lounge, with an additional 34 on the patio. The entire occupancy is 180.

THE SHORE RESTAURANTEERS: The Shore Restaurant and Lounge Co-Owner/Manager, Mike Sribney, is an accomplished local South Bay 20 year importer/entrepreneur, and also currently owns the Award-Winning Pedone's Restaurant in Hermosa Beach. Co-Owner, Dr. Rainer Beck, a former Environmental Scientist and owner of Harvelle's Blues Club Santa Monica, Trio By the Bay in Manhattan Beach and others, is a 30 year veteran of the restaurant and entertainment business. Co-Owner/Music Stylist, Jason Baran, previously created soundtracks for Lion's Gate with Joel C. High and owns 5150 Music Management Company, in addition to managing the Shore Restaurant and Lounge's musical line-up.

HOURS AND LOCATION: The Shore Restaurant and Lounge is open seven nights a week Monday through Friday from 5:00pm until 1:00am, Saturdays from 9:00am -1:00am, and Sundays 10:00am - 1:00am. A complimentary brunch buffet is served on Sundays until 12noon and a special lunch menu is served on the weekend to appeal to the sophisticated sports fan.

The Shore Restaurant and Lounge is located at 1320 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. For more information, please call 310 376-0414 or review: www.theshorerestaurantandlounge.com.

Holiday Rental TV - the First Video Portal for Vacation Rentals

2008-10-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

Turismotec Ltd announces the launch of Holiday Rental TV, the world's first video-sharing portal dedicated exclusively to vacation rentals.

Hertfordshire, UK (PRWEB) October 6, 2008 -- Internet video is the ideal medium for vacation rental owners to use to showcase their property and for consumers to get a real feel for the layout and character of a holiday home before they book. Until now it has been difficult for property owners to get their videos in front of potential customers.

The launch of Holiday Rental TV provides a single source of worldwide vacation rental videos for people looking to book a vacation. For vacation property owners, Holiday Rental TV offers an opportunity to broadcast their holiday home video to interested consumers from around the world - and free of charge.

Holiday Rental TV has just completed 3 months of successful beta testing and is now ready to accept video submissions from vacation property owners worldwide.

"People just don't trust photos anymore - they're static and easily manipulated", explained Mark Scriven, Turismotec Ltd M.D - "Video is a much more effective medium for presenting a vacation rental and its 360° perspective reduces the risk of a consumer paying thousands of dollars for an unsuitable property. Consumers are increasingly expecting a more informative and dynamic experience when they look to make expensive purchases online and Holiday Rental TV will provide just that."

Property owners and agents are able select from a number of paid advertising options if they wish to enhance the visibility of their video on Holiday Rental TV. In addition, a video editing service is available to property owners who do not have the time or expertise to produce their own video presentation.

About Holiday Rental TV: Holiday Rental TV allows consumers to easily find and view videos of worldwide holiday home rentals all on one site, while at the same time providing property owners with a single dedicated marketing platform on which to showcase their vacation rental video to a worldwide market of potential customers.

About Turismotec Ltd: Turismotec Ltd is a search engine marketing agency www.turismotec.com specialising in the travel and tourism sector and has been creating and delivering highly effective online marketing campaigns for more than 8 years.

Appalachian Trail Adventures is Excited to Announce that the Fall Foliage Hiking Season is Upon Vermont

2008-09-18T10:44:00.001-07:00

The changing leaves are beautiful as Mother Nature works her artistry coloring the mountainsides with brilliant oranges, reds and yellows. Vermont is well known for its spectacular fall colors and hiking. Appalachian Trail Adventures recommends a visit between September 21st and October 10th for those leaf peepers seeking to experience the fall foliage at its peak colors.

Killington, VT (PRWEB) September 9, 2008 -- Appalachian Trail Adventures Hiking Spa (ATA) is excited to announce that the fall foliage hiking season is upon us. The changing leaves are beautiful as Mother Nature works her artistry coloring the mountainsides with brilliant oranges, reds and yellows. Vermont is well known for its spectacular fall colors. ATA is the only hiking spa open during the month of October in the Killington area and recommends a visit between September 21st and October 10th for those leaf peepers seeking to experience the fall foliage at its peak colors.

"Hikers can look forward to plenty of foliage hiking, as they hit the scenic trails by day and relaxing by night. Our programs offer an array of attractive and reasonably priced fall foliage packages for hikers who want to take advantage of everything this time of year has to offer. There is a program to suit just about everyone, from the single traveler, first time hiker, seniors, to couples. It's the best time of the year to go hiking; no bugs, cool temperatures, less crowds and spectacular foliage." states John Keough, Founder of ATA.

ATA offers a combination of outdoor activities and indoor pampering for adventures vacationers. ATA offers a hiking spa vacation with guided hikes in the Green Mountain National Forest for all abilities. Program's include daily transportation, breakfast, lunch, dinner and accommodations at the Grey Bonnet Inn and Resort. Rates start at $160.00 per night, per person. Daily a la carte options are available: massage, yoga, tennis, canoeing, cooking classes and more. Working with registered dietitians, ATA has produced a delicious spa menu balancing carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats.

ATA's 2008 season runs from June 1st to October 10th. For more information please visit www.appalachiantrailadventures.com

Location-based Website Lets Savvy Travelers Book the Best Hotel

2008-09-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

The importance of location in hotel selection comes as no surprise to founders of www.seeyourhotel.com who have built a website for savvy travelers. Their site combines Google Map technology with hotel information from Hotels.com to simplify the task of booking the right hotel in a convenient location. More than 50000 visitors a month have already shown that location matters, and the recent survey from TripAdvisor.com provides further validation.

Quebec City, Quebec (PRWEB) September 17, 2008 -- A new survey from TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.com) confirms that location is the top ranked factor in determining that a hotel is great. This insight comes as no surprise to the founders of www.seeyourhotel.com who have built a website for travelers who care about location. Using sophisticated technology combined with reviews, videos of hotel rooms, and online booking capabilities, their website helps visitors find hotel rooms that are close to their meeting, destination, or family gathering. Now at their two year anniversary point, the website creators have found that high gas prices, a desire to explore a city on foot, and a burning desire to eliminate travel hassles have lead more 50,000 visitors a month to their website in search of a hotel in a convenient location.

According to founder Jean-Francois Noel, "The location of your hotel can change the whole perspective of your trip. If you're traveling for business, you probably want to get where you are going quickly. But you don't necessarily want to be in some deserted downtown no-man's land. If you're traveling for pleasure, you usually want to walk and discover and experience the area up-close--not from the back seat of a cab. We are pleased that after two years of development on our site, an external survey has confirmed what we know to be true. "

Using sophisticated technology combined with reviews, videos of hotel rooms, and online booking capabilities, www.seeyourhotel.com helps visitors find hotel rooms that are close to their meeting, destination, or family gathering. Visitors view hotels in their specified area on an easy-to-use interactive map. Color-coded pushpins allow them to see which hotels they have reviewed and build a top ten list. Hovering over the pointer at a desired location reveals hotel names and pricing. Once the traveler has identified the desired hotel, he can then make his reservation directly from the map pointer via hotels.com. The site includes more than 73000 hotels on all continents.

About SeeYourHotel.com: SeeYourHotel.com, an online hotel-booking agency, gives travelers a birds-eye perspective of all the hotel options in their destination area--so they can ultimately enjoy their stay from the best street-level perspective. The site's easy-to-use map and pushpin interface lets users choose the best location for their hotel, relative to nearby landmarks and attractions. Without leaving the map, travelers can then swoop in for more details, watch video tours, read descriptions and reviews, check availability, and make reservations.

Founded by Jean-Francois Noel and Vincent Desjardins, SeeYourHotel.com (http://www.seeyourhotel.com), combines sophisticated Google Map technology with the best hotel booking tools from www.hotels.com to simplify the process of finding a better place to stay.

Oregon Beach Vacations Expands Offerings To Include South Oregon Coast: Leading Vacation Rental Company Opens Office In Florence

2008-08-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

Oregon Beach Vacations, the leader in vacation rentals along Oregon's magnificent coastline, has announced that it has begun offering vacation rentals in Florence, Oregon's North Bay Condominium Complex. This expansion into the South Oregon Coast will be enhanced by the opening of their new Florence, Oregon office later in August 2008. The office will not only serve the North Bay Condominium Complex but will service the region encompassing Florence to Bandon, Oregon.

Portland, OR (PRWEB) August 14, 2008 -- Oregon Beach Vacations / Press Release - Oregon Beach Vacations the leader in vacation rentals along Oregon's magnificent coastline, has announced that it has begun offering vacation rentals in Florence, Oregon's North Bay Condominium Complex. This expansion into the South Oregon Coast will be enhanced by the opening of their new Florence, Oregon office later in August 2008. The office will not only serve the North Bay Condominium Complex but will service the region encompassing Florence to Bandon, Oregon.

Oregon Beach Vacations is a Portland, Oregon based company and is owned by River City Travel which is Oregon's second largest travel agency handling the corporate travel needs of Oregon companies. Both River City Travel and Oregon Beach Vacations are owned by David McElveen and Joe Murray. Oregon Beach Vacations currently offers more than 200 professionally managed vacation rental homes and condominiums and is poised to expand to offer more properties in the near future.

"Our goal is to have vacation rental properties located along the entire coastline of Oregon. Since the founding of Oregon Beach Vacations in 2004, we have been approached by many homeowners along the Southern Oregon Coast to manage their properties. With the opening of our new Florence office this August, we will be able to give property owners and those interested in vacationing from Florence to Bandon and all areas in-between, the service they deserve and expect from our organization" stated David McElveen of Oregon Beach Vacations.

David continued, "We have kept a list of homeowners that have expressed interest in joining our rental program and we are just getting to the point where we can reconnect with these homeowners and offer our services to them. Within twelve months, we are looking to have upwards of 40 properties on the South Oregon Coast from organic growth and we will be looking into acquisitions in this area."

The office located in Florence will be Oregon Beach Vacations fourth office and will be completely networked with offices in Portland (Corporate), Cannon Beach and Lincoln City. All offices can be reached via telephone at 800-723-2383 or 503-528-7480.

• The Lincoln City office employs twenty full-time team members, a number which expands greatly during the height of the vacation rental season. That office has homes for coastal vacationers in Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport and Yachats.
• The Cannon Beach office offers vacation homes from Manzanita to Astoria - including Gearhart, Seaside, Cannon Beach and Rockaway Beach. Oregon Beach Vacation Rentals is actively pursuing more vacation rentals along the North Oregon Coast - interested homeowners should view or download the Oregon Beach Vacations Homeowner Brochure.
• The Florence office currently manages thirty condominiums in the North Bay Condominium Complex and will be the focal point of the South Oregon Coast Expansion.

More information about the vacation rental offerings of Oregon Beach Vacations and their rental management program can be found on their website: www.OregonBeachVacations.com which includes real-time online booking; Lincoln City webcam; their innovative GuestAdVantage™ Program; pictures and descriptions of their rental properties; (luxury properties, featured properties, large group properties, pet friendly properties and condos) ; specials; area information and much more.

About Oregon Beach Vacations: Oregon Beach Vacations was founded in 2004. The owners, David McElveen and Joe Murray, envisioned building a premier vacation rental company on the Oregon coast. Today, Oregon Beach Vacations operates four offices and manages over 200 vacation rental properties. The company is owned and operated by River City Travel, Oregon's second largest travel agency which includes a staff of over 85 team members in Oregon and Washington State whose combined sales is over 40 million dollars per year. Benefits for homeowners include an aggressive marketing campaign that reaches over two million potential guests weekly; marketing agreements with over 4,000 travel agents worldwide and 24/7 availability. For more information, please visit www.OregonBeachVacations.com or call 800-723-2383. This press release was submitted by Visual Data Systems on behalf of Oregon Beach Vacations.

New Vegetarian Travel E-Book 'Northern New Mexico'

2008-08-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

NueVer LLC, a Tucson based indie publishing company announces the publication of TravFan's new Vegetarian Travel E-Book, Northern New Mexico. Each section in TravFan's book is filled with vivid photos from her trips around Northern New Mexico. NueVer distributes independent E-Books in fiction, children's literature, poetry and travel in E-Book formats, which can be read on many portable devices such as laptops, PDAs, cell phones and other E-Book readers such as Amazon's Kindle.

Tucson, Ariz. (PRWEB) August 14, 2008 -- NueVer LLC, a Tucson based indie publishing company announces the publication of TravFan's new Vegetarian Travel E-Book, Northern New Mexico; now available at NueVer.com.

TravFan's Northern New Mexico guide for vegetarian travel covers the best places to stay in Albuquerque and Santa Fe as well as great cafes and restaurants featuring vegetarian and vegan options. Also included is Santa Fe's Indian Market, featuring the finest in native arts and crafts, in the beautiful desert summer and suggestions for snowy mountain fun in the winter around Santa Fe and Taos' landscapes.

Each section in TravFan's book is filled with vivid photos from her trips around Northern New Mexico.

NueVer has found both the tech savvy and beginner 'web browser' is captivated and entertained by our E-Books' power to delight the imagination. We work closely with our authors to perfect their work and to distribute it to a diverse global audience who would otherwise never be able to enjoy their varied, creative and exceptional talent. NueVer is currently accepting authors' submissions. For more information, check out their website at: www.nuever.com

Federal Regulations Make Traveling With A Passport Essential

2008-08-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

New York (PRWEB) August 14, 2008 -- Itseasyservices.com, a licensed private service bureau, announces a nationwide 1 day passport service process.

Currently, about 73% of U.S. citizens do not have Passports. New U.S. Passport regulations went into effect last year. In order to re-enter the United States by plane, even from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean, U.S. citizens now need a Passport.

Whether it's an unexpected business trip, an ailing relative or any immediate unexpected need to travel abroad in the next few days, It's Easy Services Inc. will facilitate a Passport for you in one day! It's Easy Services Inc., a licensed, private service bureau, located in Rockefeller Plaza midtown Manhattan, can get you a rush Passport or Visa within 24 hours. No matter where in the country you are located. One of the oldest, most well-established, reputable, rush-document service companies in the country, longtime members of the Better Business Bureau, It's Easy Services Inc. takes great pride in affordably fulfilling your urgent requests.

For more information about this company, contact our Publicist, Helaine Rose, at 914.358.4277.

Luggage Trailers; The Solution to Cargo Space As Americans Downsize to Smaller, More Energy Efficient Vehicles

2008-08-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Desperate to downsize their vehicles but not wanting to give up their cargo room, Americans look to Luggage Trailers as the solution.

Harrisburg, PA (PRWEB) August 8, 2008 -- Lightweight Cargo Trailers and Luggage Trailers are designed to be towed behind smaller vehicles and are becoming increasingly more popular as Americans downsize to more fuel efficient automobiles.

With gas prices at a record high, there's no doubt that crossover vehicles are more energy efficient and as a result will cost less to operate, but those who decide to switch over to them will have to make some significant trade-offs. When compared to Trucks and SUV's, Crossovers do not provide comparable cargo capabilities.

"Just because you've decided to give up the luxury of extra cargo room in your vehicle, however, doesn't mean you have to leave the golf clubs, bikes, camping gear and extra suitcases behind this summer," remarks Tammy Smith, Marketing Director for All Pro TRAILER SUPERSTORE "All Pro offers a number of solutions for people who need to carry more than their smaller cars or CUV's can handle." Even in the largest of Crossover Utility Vehicles there is little room left for luggage after all the seats are filled. For a long trip, this becomes a real problem.

Small in size but big in capability, All Pro's 4 x 6 and 4 x 8 trailers are perfect for towing behind today's smaller wagons, minivans, and SUV's where extra cargo capacity is a necessity. These small trailers can easily haul the entire family's luggage, as well as, coolers, beach chairs, bicycles, kayaks and camping gear. "Luggage Trailers also offer convenient access to your valuables and protect your cargo from theft and inclimate weather" continues Smith "Unlike hitch mounted cargo baskets, bike racks and roof top luggage racks which are hard to access, load and unload and leave the cargo exposed."

Small Cargo Trailers are lightweight and can easily be maneuvered by hand and their compact size allows them to be positioned easily in parking lots, hotel parking spaces and stored easily in home garages. All Pro offers a variety of small Luggage Trailers in various sizes and weights to fit all vehicles and budgets and are available with double, single or ramp rear doors, side cargo doors and pop up lids. Small Cargo Trailers are ideal for vacationers, weekend warriors, outdoor sports enthusiast and small business owners and also make excellent Mobility Trailers for wheelchairs and electric scooters with ramps to drive up.

It's true, the expansive cargo room of larger SUV's have made road trips and taking long vacations very convenient in the past, however most families are finding that they do not require all the added cargo room of a larger, more powerful SUV on a daily basis for commuting to work or driving around town. "Typically the use of a large SUV's added cargo space is only required a few times a year" replies Smith "Buy owning a versatile compact cargo trailer that can handle all your storage and cargo needs when traveling, consumers can now opted to drive a more fuel efficient, luxurious car or CUV on a daily basis and save their money." Smith continues "Every family in American could benefit from owning a small Enclosed Cargo Trailer."

All Pro is easily accessible from Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and New York and offers a Traveler's Discount to consumers traveling to their Trailer Superstore to purchase a New Trailer. The Trailer Superstore also offers Trailer Financing, Trailer Delivery and specializes in Trailer Accessories and Customization.

You can visit All Pro's official website at www.allprowest.com or call 800-622-7003 for more information on Luggage Trailers or all type Trailers for sale. For more information, check out their website at: All Pro West Trailers

Tailgating Now Begins Online: Tailgate Haven Has Tailgaters Starting Their Parties on the Internet

2008-08-08T10:38:00.001-07:00

With an official launch date of August 6th, the football tailgate season officially begins....online. Tailgate Haven (www.tailgatehaven.com) is an exciting website that brings Internet technology and connectivity to enhance the tailgate experience. The site is free and offers two main products -- a tailgate planner and a tailgate group website.

Piscataway, NJ (PRWEB) August 6, 2008 -- With an official launch date of August 4, 2008, the football tailgate season officially begins... online. Tailgate Haven is an exciting website that brings Internet technology and connectivity to enhance the tailgate experience. The site is free and offers two main products -- a tailgate planner and a tailgate group website.

The tailgate planner has important information included such as: season schedules, who is coming, who is bringing what, weekly menus, photo uploads, parking maps, stadium information, weather and much more. With the tailgate group website, even the novice internet user can build a customized tailgate website in just a few clicks.

Marc Rubenstein, one of the creators of Tailgate Haven, stated, "If you and your friends are football tailgaters, then this site will simplify your life! Less emails, phone calls and confusion when it comes time to tailgate."

Stephen Linn of the Ultimate Tailgater Blog says, "Tailgate Haven is a clever site with a lot of tools to streamline your tailgate planning and keep everyone on the same page - and show off your ultimate tailgate, too. It's worth checking out."

Current users are also calling it the "My Space" for tailgaters. To promote the launch of the website, Tailgate Haven is running two promotions. Members are eligible to win a 1-year supply of Bubba Burgers and a Freedom Grill FG-50. In addition, they are giving $500 to the winner of the Best Tailgate Video. For more information, visit www.tailgatehaven.com.

Harley-Davidson 2008 Sturgis Rally Events are Exciting and Free

2008-07-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

The 68th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will kick off August 2-9, 2008, with thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcycles riding into Rapid City, S.D. for the event.

Milwaukee, WI (PRWEB) July 18, 2008 -- Thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcycles will ride into Rapid City, S.D., for the 68th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, August 2-9, 2008. Rapid City will be the center of Harley-Davidson activities as riders and enthusiasts from around the country and around the world converge to enjoy the numerous attractions of the legendary Black Hills region.

Harley-Davidson and Buell activities (all free of charge) will run from Saturday, Aug. 2 through Saturday, Aug. 9 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City. Main events include:

• Harley-Davidson and Buell New Product Show featuring the newly released 2009 model line-up
• Harley-Davidson Festival with fun activities including live entertainment, motorcycle stunt shows, a free bike wash and more
• Harley-Davidson and Buell free demo rides
• Harley-Davidson custom motorcycle Ride-In Show on August 6 with $500 cash prizes
• Special Women's day on August 7

"It's great to be back at the Sturgis Rally with the Harley-Davidson Road Tour this year. Rapid City is a great home-away-from-home for Harley-Davidson this week," said Steve Piehl, Harley-Davidson Director, Consumer Events Marketing. "We love the opportunity to hang out with other motorcycle riders and enjoy custom bikes, music, tons of new motorcycle accessories and riding gear, and most importantly, the brand-new 2009 Harley-Davidson motorcycles. We even have a huge fleet of all the new bikes for folks to test ride. And the best part is that it's all free."

The Harley-Davidson New Product Show (Aug. 2 from noon - 5 p.m., Aug. 3-9 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) inside the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center will feature new 2009 Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles, Genuine Motor Accessories and MotorClothes merchandise, Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Bike Raffle and Willie G. limited-edition commemorative merchandise. There is also a H.O.G. members-only reception Saturday, Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. - noon and a H.O.G. Hospitality area for members during the New Product Show hours.

Experience the passion, excitement and sound of the Sturgis Rally at the Harley-Davidson Festival outdoors at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, which includes the following events:

• Harley-Davidson and Buell demo rides and MotorClothes gear demos (registration 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily)
• Festival Stage with live music and entertainment
• Harley-Davidson Traveling Museum
• Motorcycle stunt shows, free bike wash area and other activities

Some of the most creative and passionately customized bikes at the Sturgis Rally will be displayed at the Harley-Davidson Ride-In Show on Wednesday, Aug. 8. The entry fee will be donated to MDA, and all entrants will receive a special commemorative dash plaque. "Best of Show" winners in each class will receive a $500 cash prize, and $500 cash prizes will be awarded to the top Sportster & VRSC and Big Twin utilizing Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories.

Among the activities planned at the Harley-Davidson Road Tour is an interactive women's area featuring giveaways, prizes and motorcycle information. Throughout the week, women who stop by can participate in the Harley-Davidson Women's Challenge for MDA. The Motor Company will also host the second annual Women's Day at the Civic Center on Thursday, August 7. Activities planned for Women's Day include seminars focused on teaching women how to customize their motorcycle and how to pick up a fallen motorcycle, as well as women's demo rides 4-6 p.m.

Race fans will be able to check out the AHDRA Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts Race at the Rally at Sturgis Dragway on Aug. 5 - 6, which is also an official H.O.G. pit stop.

For a complete listing of Harley-Davidson and Buell events at the 2008 Sturgis Rally please visit the Experience section at www.harley-davidson.com/sturgis.

Bring Paradise To Your Backyard

2008-07-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Building a trendy tiki bar has never been so easy! Just follow these step by step instructions for installing Texture Plus® faux bamboo siding.

Bohemia, NY (PRWEB) July 16, 2008 -- Make your next party an event to remember with refreshing beverages served from an exotic bamboo tiki bar. Our easy-to-install Texture Plus® faux bamboo siding lets you create a tropical paradise in any setting, at a fraction of the time and labor costs of traditional bamboo. Just follow these step-by-step instructions and you'll be relaxing pool side at a chic tiki bar, well before the guests arrive.

What You'll Need: Texture Plus® faux bamboo panels are easily installed using tools found in almost everyone's toolbox. Here's what you'll need to get started:

• Screws

• Construction Adhesive/Glue

(we recommend PL® Premium Construction Adhesive)

• Screwdriver (battery-operated/electric preferred)

• Sandpaper or sanding block

• Caulking gun

• Texture Plus® color-matched caulk

Getting Started: Texture Plus® do it yourself siding should be installed on solid backing. To install faux panels, simply run a bead of adhesive along the back of each faux panel and at each end. Make sure to spread the adhesive with a spackle knife or other appropriate tool. Use enough adhesive so that the entire surface of the cut edge at each end is covered. We strongly recommend use of construction adhesive and screws in every joint. All joints should be butt joints on straight runs and mitered joints in corners.

Step-By-Step Instructions: Begin by installing the faux bamboo siding on the lower right side of the wall. To install the bamboo panels, use glue and fasteners.

Next, slide the next faux panel up against the first. Dry fit the faux panel first without any adhesive to make sure it aligns properly. If you need to make any adjustments, you can trim or sand the simulated bamboo panel to create a tighter fit.

The next step is to apply adhesive and install the rest of this course of bamboo wall panels. When you reach the end on the left hand side, trim the panel at the appropriate point. Take the leftover piece and bring it to the right side and stack it on top of the previous level. This will help you offset the point where the panels join.

Continue until you have covered the entire area.

For a final finish, use Texture Plus® color-matched caulk to fill all screw holes and space in the WeatherSeal joint. Smooth caulk and wipe away any excess (a wet rag works well) and finish the seams of the wall to complete the project.

Helpful Hints To save even more time while working with extraordinarily realistic Texture Plus® faux bamboo siding, try these helpful hints from the experts.

• We recommend using PL® Premium Construction Adhesive during installation.

• Store Texture Plus® faux panels at room temperature or cooler and they will be immediately ready for installation.

• Also, you'll want to store Texture Plus® faux panels on a flat surface in order to avoid 'bowing'.

Whether you're looking to bring new life to your themed restaurant or club, or just looking to make an illustrious impression at an exclusive event, Texture Plus® faux bamboo panels is just what you need to get the job done.

Destination: The 19th Annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival

2008-07-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

Over one hundred bands comprising over 1,000 musicians on 10 will come alive in downtown San Jose Aug. 8-10 at the 19th annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival presented by Southwest Airlines and more people than ever before are expected to arrive on alternative forms of transportation.

San Jose, Calif. (PRWEB) July 16, 2008 -- Over one hundred bands comprising over 1,000 musicians on 10 will come alive in downtown San Jose Aug. 8-10 at the 19th annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival presented by Southwest Airlines and more people than ever before are expected to arrive on alternative forms of transportation.

The festival's central location in downtown San Jose at Caesar Chavez Park makes it accessible by plane, train, car, bike and foot.

Headlining performers will include David Sanborn, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Summit and Zakir Hussain, the Bill Holman Orchestra, James Hunter, the Shotgun Wedding Hip Hop Symphony, and more.

"This year's festival is one of the most accessible and affordable events this summer," says Geoff Roach, Executive Director of San Jose Jazz. "There are sensible transportation options available for local, out-of-state and even out-of-the-country festival goers. And now, with the Guadalupe River trail complete, people from outlying neighborhoods can easily walk or bike to this festival."

For out-of-town travelers, the Mineta San Jose International Airport, only three miles from downtown offers over 160 daily commercial arrivals from both national and international locations. For an added convenience for overnight guests, the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau has arranged an array of discount hotel accommodations at several nearby hotels, starting at $89 a night, so festival goers can enjoy a jazz weekend getaway.

For Bay Area residents, the jazz festival is accessible via four major freeways, with free weekend parking facilities in close proximity to the event. As the official public transportation partner of the festival, Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is encouraging attendees to leave the car at home and take bus or light rail to the event. With VTA, festival goers can leave the car in the garage and save on gas by taking light rail, trains run every 15 minutes on weekends, and bus lines to downtown San Jose.

Rail service from other Bay Area cities will be available via Caltrain and ACE Rail. Capitol Corridor in Sacramento will offer service to San Jose and connections to BART at Richmond and Oakland Coliseum. All trains arrive at the Diordon Station, which is a short walk from the Jazz Festival stages.

Tickets to the Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival are $10 per day or $25 for a three-day admission pass. Children ages 12 and under attend the festival for free. To plan your visit to the jazz festival now and to purchase tickets online, please visit http://festival2008.sanjosejazz.org/travel.html

About Comcast: Comcast Corporation is the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, four regional Comcast SportsNets and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet business. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia. For more information about Comcast Corporation, please visit http://www.comcast.com.

About Southwest Airlines: After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, continues to stand above other airlines - offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest Airlines even more convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide. For more information about Southwest Airlines, please visit www.southwest.com.

About San Jose Jazz: San Jose Jazz, producer of the annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival, is a public benefit corporation dedicated to promoting jazz through performance and education to enrich the lives of people in our community. Proceeds from the performances help to support San Jose Jazz’s education and outreach programs, including an in-school program that reaches 4,000 school-aged children a year about jazz and innovation while also delivering an anti-tobacco message. For more about the 19th Annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival presented by Southwest Airlines, please visit www.sanjosejazz.org.

Wine Country Trekking's Unique Walking Vacations Receive Accolades

2008-07-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Wine Country Trekking's "San Francisco to the Wine Country Trek" vacation is named a "Tour of a Lifetime" by National Geographic Traveler Magazine

Glen Ellen, CA (PRWEB) July 15, 2008 -- Wine Country Trekking, LLC, is pleased to announce that their signature vacation, the San Francisco to the Wine Country Trek, was recently recognized by National Geographic Traveler as one of their "50 Tours of a Lifetime". This active luxury vacation lets travelers trek from San Francisco to Glen Ellen in the heart of the Sonoma Valley over the course of ten days, enjoying premier lodging, fine wine, and world class food. Along the way trekkers walk over the Golden Gate Bridge, and through Sausalito, Muir Woods, and Point Reyes National Seashore. "We were thrilled to discover that many outfitters share our vision that travel should ultimately not be acquisitive and superficial but connect us more deeply to the planet and to the people in it," notes Norie Quintos, senior editor at National Geographic Traveler magazine. "The other wonderful thing we discovered is that one doesn't necessarily have to rough it to travel authentically and sustainably."

Two new short treks now offered in Napa and Sonoma: The San Francisco to the Wine Country Trek, like all vacations offered by Wine Country Trekking, is a luxury, self-guided, inn-to-inn hiking vacation, a concept well known in Europe that the company introduced in the United States. Building on the success of this concept, the company has responded to customer requests for short treks exclusively in the wine country by introducing two new active luxury vacations that include three days of walking and wine tasting in the beautiful Napa and Sonoma Valleys. "These short treks give people in the San Francisco Bay Area an opportunity, without traveling far, to get out of their cars and enjoy a walking vacation with all the amenities of the wine country. In a time of high gas prices, they are the perfect getaway or a wonderful addition to a San Francisco visit," said Mary Guerrazzi, one of the partners in the company.

The two new treks are specially designed to take advantage of the California Wine Country's world class food and wines. The Sonoma Valley Wine Tasting Trek allows travelers the opportunity to walk through the vineyards, mountains and quaint towns of rustic Sonoma Valley with opportunities for wine tasting at private winery estates along the way. The Napa Valley Wine Tasting Trek traverses the heart of Napa Valley's wine country, from Yountville with its unparalleled fine dining, to chic St. Helena, to quaint Calistoga. "These new treks have been very well received by our customers, who have told us that they love experiencing the Wine Country on foot," said Mary Guerrazzi. For more information check it out at: http://www.winecountrytrekking.com/

Kid Rock and Crowd of Celebs Including Kim Kardashian Rock Nashville's Fuse Nightclub Opening

2008-07-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

Celebrity DJ Kid Rock ignites explosion at Fuse red carpet and dance floor.

Nashville, Tenn. (PRWEB) July 14, 2008 -- It was a first for Nashville: Kid Rock spinning in the DJ booth with an eclectic crowd of celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Danielle Peck, Trent Tomlinson and many more. Kid Rock's tech-savvy talents electrified the A-list crowd at the South's landmark resort, Gaylord Opryland, where the new nightclub Fuse opened with a huge celebrity bash that ended just hours ago on Sunday July 14, 2008.

"I'm looking forward to deejaying here tonight. I started out as a D.J. when I was ten years old it's always fun to grab the decks and kind of take it back to where it all began," said Kid Rock. "Hopefully I can bring my sisters back to Fuse nightclub. It's amazing. It's a lot of fun," gushed Kim Kardashian, TV celebrity.

Some of the other celebrity red carpet walkers included singer Nick Carter, Lone Star's lead singer Cody Collins, American Idol Finalist Diana Degarmo, American Idol songwriter Reggie Hamm, country star Ty Herndon, songwriter Jeffrey Steele, HGTV's "Sparkle" Josh Johnson, members of the hot new country trio Lady Antebellum, singer-songwriter Holly Williams, a cadre of Tennessee Titans including, kicker Rob Bironas and Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap.

"To have this scale of a club -- this ritzy, glamorous club, it's what this town has needed. This town has always been like L.A. without the tan. Now we've got the tan," said Trent Tomlinson.

Fuse Chef Jason Kroll's Global Street Fare kept partiers energized with Kobe Gyro Sliders and Skewered Shrimp Corn Dogs with Mustard Aioli plus Chocolate Sea Salt Truffle Pops.

The Fuse opening party set the pace for the club that is a Nashville first, designed by international nightclub architect Jeffrey Beers to be a red-and-black "oasis of sensuality." The 14,000 sq. ft. Fuse includes reactive imagery, sexy go-go dancers, a misting vodka locker featuring more than five dozen top-shelf brands and "experience cocktails," restrooms with see-through panels and VIP coves with concierge service.

* For downloadable PHOTOS of the Fuse Celebrity Opening, go to http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland/nashville-tn-entertainment-attractions/fuse-nashville/opening-photos/index.html

* To see a VIDEO of the event, go to http://www.gaylordoprylandsales.com/fuse/grand-opening.mov

* For more information, photos, menus, etc. about Fuse, go to www.fusenashville.com.

About Gaylord Opryland Nashville: Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center – the largest non-gaming in-hotel facility in the continental United States – is known for providing superior products and services to the meetings and convention industry. Winner of numerous prestigious awards including the coveted Gold Key Elite Award in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007and Gold Platter Elite in 2004, 2005 and 2006, Gaylord Opryland Nashville is the flagship property of the Gaylord Hotels brand owned by Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, visit www.gaylordentertainment.com or www.gaylordopryland.com.

Feel Like Writing a Travel Guidebook?

2008-07-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

More people than ever are traveling around the globe. And more people than ever are writing about it. A new book, Crafting the Travel Guidebook, offers help to all those who want to channel their travel prose into a book. Travel memoirs, destination guides and more are covered in this exceptional guide.

Liberty Corner, NJ (PRWEB) July 12, 2008 -- Ever feel like throwing your travel guidebook across the room? It could occur in the stuffy hotel room overlooking a highway that you thought was going to be so comfy and convenient. Or the book-throwing incident might happen on the sun-baked, pebbled beach where you don't have any change to get into the only ladies room available.

For author Barbara Hudgins, it happened many years ago and the guidebook simply hit the lamp in her living room. As a newly transferred resident to the state of New Jersey she had looked around for a way to research outings for her family. This was before the Internet so she perused the only guidebook around at the time. When she visited the places listed in the directory, she found the descriptions to be either limited in scope or completely misleading.

She then did what many disaffected guidebook readers had done before--she wrote her own book, New Jersey Day Trips, and it sold well for many years. Now Ms. Hudgins has come out with a new book written especially for those people who have an itch to transform their travels into prose. Titled "Crafting the Travel Guidebook," the work covers such topics as travel writing and researching, finding the right category, angle and voice, and editing and re-editing. There are also chapters on the different types of book publishers, how to write a book proposal and a 15-page list of book publishers who welcome travel writers.

The popular concept of a guidebook author is that of a grizzled guy who hikes and kayaks around the world and then zips his adventures into a handy laptop. In reality, travel books include memoirs and travelogues, how-to-do-it books and regional guides, books aimed at budget travelers and leisure travelers, students and senior citizens, ethnic groups and other special interests. There is also the wide world of outdoor recreation which is often coupled with a travel destination. Anyone and everyone can become a travel writer and some favorite guidebook series were begun by lawyers, engineers or piano teachers. For questions about how to begin the quest, Crafting the Travel Guidebook has the answer.

FYI: Crafting the Travel Guidebook: How to Write, Publish & Sell Your Travel Book., Author: Barbara Hudgins, The Woodmont Press, Trade paperback, 288 pages, Price: $17.95. ISBN # 978-0-9607762-0-7

Friends of World Heritage Teams Up with Indiana Jones™ to Offer Travelers the Chance to Follow in Indy's Footsteps

2008-07-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

In coordination with the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull™, Friends of World Heritage--a grassroots initiative dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the protection of UNESCO World Heritage sites--is calling on individuals to test their World Heritage and Indiana Jones knowledge through its interactive and educational Adventure Quiz.

Washington, D.C. (Vocus) July 3, 2008 -- In coordination with the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull™, Friends of World Heritage--a grassroots initiative dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the protection of UNESCO World Heritage sites--is calling on individuals to test their World Heritage and Indiana Jones knowledge through its interactive and educational Adventure Quiz. After taking the quiz, the adventurers will be entered to win a trip for two on an exclusive Indiana Jones Travel Experience by Expedia. The contest closes July 18, 2008.

"For nearly three decades, we have been virtually transported with Indiana Jones from our living rooms to many iconic World Heritage sites around the world, Petra, the Taj Mahal and the City of Venice, are just a few," said Katherine Miller, executive director of communications and public affairs, United Nations Foundation. "Through this online campaign and travel contest, we hope to educate and inspire travelers towards preserving and protecting these treasured site for future generations to experience and enjoy."

In addition to launching the quiz, we also worked with Frank Marshall, of the Indiana Jones™ films to create a public service announcement about the importance of preserving World Heritage. In his message, Frank Marshall shares the following thoughts on the connection between his films and World Heritage: "Just as Indy chased (relics) because he believed in the importance of their preservation, I believe in the preservation of the amazing places where Indy chased those artifacts … World Heritage sites belong to us all, and it is up to all of us to work together toward their preservation."

To view the PSA, and for more information about the Quiz and contest, visit www.FriendsofWorldHeritage.org.

About Friends of World Heritage Friends of World Heritage is a grassroots initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of protecting World Heritage, promoting sustainable development, offering ways to explore these sites through sustainable travel, and raising funds to support projects in communities that depend on World Heritage sites. Friends of World Heritage was created by the United Nations Foundation and its partners are: Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) and UNESCO's World Heritage Centre. www.FriendsofWorldHeritage.org.

About the United Nations Foundation: The United Nations Foundation is an advocate for the UN and a platform for connecting people, ideas, and capital to help the United Nations solve global problems. We build partnerships, grow constituencies, mobilize resources and advocate policy changes to support the UN's work for individual and global progress. The UN Foundation's work - focused on select global problems - is decreasing child mortality, improving disaster relief, protecting diverse cultures and environments, creating a clean energy future, empowering women and girls, and improving U.S.-UN relations. For more information, visit www.UNFoundation.org.

7 Money-Saving Summer Travel Tips

2008-06-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

The LendingTree.com '7 for 7' is a snappy, weekly column that came from the idea of providing visitors to LendingTree.com "seven smart borrowing tips to get you through the week." It then became the "Daily Candy" of the financial world providing readers a fun outlet that helps navigate tough money and budget decisions from the very big to the very small. Today's '7 for 7' shares great ways to have fun this summer, on a budget . 'Cause as we say, 'Roam, if you want to, in 2008.'

(PRWEB) June 28, 2008 -- 2008 may just become known as the year of the "staycation." The idea of vacationing in place during your time off from work or school has been around a while, but this summer, high gas prices, a weak dollar and jitters about the economy in general have many Americans staying home. Those who do plan to travel may need to be a little savvier to stay on-budget in '08. Here are 7 money-saving travel tips for all you summer "go-away-cationers":

1. Minimize driving: Rising gas prices mean that this may not be the best year to take that rambling driving tour across the country. Plan a modified staycation - leave home, but pick a destination (such as an all-inclusive resort) where you can go and stay.

2. Stay stateside: The dollar doesn't go as far as it did last summer in most international tourist destinations, so this might be a good year to take a domestic vacation. If you must travel abroad, you can usually get a better currency exchange rate at an ATM, rather than an exchange desk. Use a credit card for major expenses, such as your hotel bill.

3. Travel light: Most major airlines are now charging an extra fee for fliers with more than one checked bag and any especially heavy bags. Many have also increased the penalty for making flight changes once you've booked.

4. Get creative with accommodations: Don't settle for the first room rate you're offered. If you're staying at a national chain hotel, check rates online, then call the hotel's national toll-free number, as well as the hotel's direct local number. Think about getting a room at an extended stay hotel with a kitchen, so you can save on food costs. And consider alternative accommodations - such as a hostel, a campsite or a friend or relative's house.

5. Be a high-tech gas price hunter: Technology has made it easier anywhere in the country. If you're driving to your destination, go to one of the many online gas price sites and map out your route before you leave home. Once you're on the road, you can get updated cheap gas information via text message from those same sites.

6. Find savings in numbers: The cost of gas gets a lot cheaper if you share it with a car full of friends. Once you get to your destination, you can always go your own ways if you want.

7. Book smart: This year especially, you can get great discounts if you purchase a vacation package that includes your flight, hotel and rental car. And flexible travelers will find lots of last-minute deals.

For more information on other money saving travel ideas check out their website HERE.

Bargains for Vacation Home Rentals on the Cape and Islands

2008-06-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

WeNeedaVacation.com has hundreds of listings for vacation rental homes currently offering discounts on last-minute rentals on Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. This is an ideal opportunity to get a great deal on a family vacation.

Wellesley, MA (PRWEB) June 27, 2008 -- This is an ideal time to find last-minute discounts for vacation home rentals on Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. WeNeedaVacation.com has hundreds of homes currently running "Owner Specials," which consist of discounts or other offers to entice renters to book their vacations now and fill remaining vacancies.

"Vacationers looking for last-minute rentals can find great deals right now," explains Joan Talmadge, Co-Owner of WeNeedaVacation.com. "While the Cape and Islands rental market is very strong this summer, many homeowners are lowering prices to fill available weeks. For example, a 3-bedroom rental in Chatham recently cut its weekly rent from $2,800 to $2,200 -- a 21 percent drop in price."

There are many rental homes still available on the Cape and Islands this summer in all price ranges. To find affordable homes that meet a specific budget, simply use Power Search and enter a maximum weekly price and the desired vacation dates.

About WeNeedaVacation.com: WeNeedaVacation.com hosts listings for more than 3,000 vacation home rentals for the Cape, Islands, and Florida. It is the only website that allows vacationers to search for homes by price and availability. Users can also search by proximity to the beach and other amenities, including high-speed Internet access, air-conditioning, and pet-friendly. The website also provides lots of pictures -- and now videos, too. Vacation homes and condos are available for every budget.

Vacationing In Marina Del Rey

2008-06-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

Marina del Rey features a variety of locales that offer interesting water and land based activities, all in a compact 400-acre area located just 10 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport. Visitors to the area can enjoy a variety of activities via foot, bike or boat.

Marina del Rey, CA (PRWEB) June 17, 2008 -- From the sands of Venice Beach to the estuary where Ballona Creek meets the Marina Channel, visitors of Marina del Rey enjoy one of the few places in Los Angeles where a car is not needed to participate in an array of exciting activities that are all accessible on foot, by bike, public transportation or boat. Located just 10 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport, Marina del Rey features no less than six hotels near LAX in a compact 400-acre area packed with activities, restaurants and shopping.

"With more and more visitors concerned with rising gas prices, we wanted to remind people that there are still hotels near LAX airport where they can literally check in and enjoy their entire vacation while staying all in one area. Whether their vacation days are spent relaxing on Venice Beach, exercising on our many bike paths, or out on the water -- Marina del Rey offers it all," said Beverly Moore, of Visit Marina.com.

The Marina is easily accessible by all forms of public transportation from LAX including three major municipal bus lines -- Los Angeles' public Metro Bus Line, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus, and the Culver City. Guests can also find airport shuttles, taxis, vans and private coaches that reach all Los Angeles airport hotels located in the Marina.

Once in Marina del Rey, visitors can use the Water Bus, a water shuttle which glides between six popular Marina locations including Dolphin Marina, Fisherman's Village and Waterfront Walk for just $1 per person each way. Another option is the free Beach Shuttle, which operates throughout the Marina in the summer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and leaves 15 minutes after each hour. The Beach Shuttle also provides late evening service to the Marina's free summer concerts in Burton Chace Park and at Concert Park in Playa Vista.

For those looking for the Hollywood experience, there are several different tour companies that will pick up star seekers in the Marina and escort them into the throes of Hollywood for an up-close look at legendary homes and theaters. For an alternative to the Hollywood scene, guests can travel to beautiful Catalina Island via the Catalina - Marina del Rey Flyer, a high-speed catamaran shuttle.

"Marina del Rey has bike rentals, boat rentals, shuttle services and just about any other form of transportation a guest would need to enjoy the area. Many of our accommodations cater to guests looking for a relaxing and stress-free environment. We do everything we can to ensure their vacation is exactly as they had dreamed," said Beverly Moore.

For more visitor information, contact the Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau at 310-305-9545. For group information and travel trade, call 310-306-9900. More information is also available on line at http://www.visitmarina.com/.

Napa Valley Wine Tour

2008-06-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Launching next week, award winning tour operator introduces a host of features designed to make planning a wine tasting vacation easier and more fun.

(PRWEB) June 16, 2008 -- Researching a wine tasting trip to the Napa Valley? Beginning next week, award-winning limo service Beau Wine Tours will unveil a new website featuring extensive trip planning resources. Travelers can locate the best wineries, create an itinerary and book a tasting tour all on one easy to navigate Web site.

Beau Wine Tours have been recognized by Frommers as Best Limousine Company in the wine country and was voted the Best Wine Country Tour Service in Napa and Sonoma for two years in a row in a contest sponsored by KVON radio.

Limousine trips are a wonderful way to see wine country. Sit back and relax while a knowledgeable, professional and courteous chauffeur helps visitors enjoy the best of Napa Valley. What’s more, drivers take the time to cultivate the one-on-one relationships with vintners so critical to learning what’s really going on in Napa Valley. While the masses are crowded in the wine tasting room at a popular vineyard, Beau Wine Tours can lead wine enthusiasts to a specially arranged wine tasting at a family owned winery a little off the beaten path. The day might include sampling from a special barrel, a cave tours or even a gourmet picnic lunch, each geared to any level of wine appreciation.

Visitors to the upgraded Web site will find:

A list of the most highly recommended wineries in Napa Valley and Sonoma
Where to find the best wine tasting experiences
The inside scoop on area restaurants
Special dining, lodging and wine tour packages
A plethora of ideas for what to do in wine country

At the same time as the new Web site, Beau Wine Tours will introduce a full service concierge, giving customers a means to book, make reservations and set up complete wine tasting vacation itineraries. Seeing the Napa Valley by limo has never been easier.

The upgrades mean Beau Wine Tours' upgraded Web site is the natural first stop for planning a wine tasting trip to Napa Valley or Sonoma County.

Bring the Family, Your Appetite to Branson, Missouri

2008-06-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Long renowned for its quality family entertainment, shows, and attractions, Branson, MO is quickly making a name for itself as a destination where visitors can experience a variety of different foods and atmospheres. New restaurants are opening up weekly, each one bringing its own excitement and flair to the tourist town of Branson.

Branson, MO (PRWEB) June 18, 2008 -- For years, visitors to Branson, Missouri have been awed and star-struck thanks to the many attractions and shows that are available on nightly basis. The discount Branson show tickets left their wallets feeling satisfied. Well, now, thanks to a great influx of great dining experiences, visitors to Branson, MO can now find their appetites satisfied, no matter what their palette desires. While Branson has always been home to some of the most quality, all-American cuisine, many ethnic restaurants and bars are finding success in this vacation Mecca, usually dominated by down-home southern cooking.

• If the spicy call of the southwest is beckons, visitors will be thrilled to find Cantina Laredo, an authentic Mexican style dining experience. The menu features daily fish specials as well as signature Mexican spices and sauces. Home to some of the most unique dishes of any restaurant of its type, Cantina Laredo is sure to please. Sip on one of their famous margaritas while you dine on "Camarones Escondidos", a plate consisting of shrimp stuffed chicken breasts, a definite favorite during Branson, Missouri vacations. Its location on Branson Landing will allow you to enjoy a relaxing evening on the patio that overlooks the lake.

• If you are looking to relax with the family and enjoy some family style Italian cooking, make sure that you check out Mama Milano Italian restaurant. While their main offering is authentic Neapolitan cuisine, they also offer a variety of pizzas and pastas for the kids. New to Branson Landing this year, Mama Milano's offers up the best in Italian food that Branson has to offer.

• After dinner, there is no shortage of authentic bars and pubs, to keep the nighttime entertainment going. Ernie Biggs features dueling pianos and classic sing along songs. You and your friends are sure to enjoy the entertainment at this famous bar. If being in a hometown environment is how you prefer to spend your nights out, consider Waxy O'Shea's Irish Pub. This authentic Irish pub features live music and authentic food, whether you choose to have a full meal or just a few late night snacks. The environment at Waxy O'Shea's will leave you feeling warm and welcome.

More information on the new restaurant openings in Branson, or information on Branson vacation packages can be found at by visiting the Branson website. This informational website on anything Branson related is a great resource for finding discount Branson tickets to shows and attractions.

12 Money-Savvy Vacation Tips Help Families Take A Break

2008-06-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

San Mateo, Calif. (PRWEB) June 25, 2008 -- This summer's prices are melting wallets faster than the July sun liquefies ice cream -- but Ethan Ewing, president of Bills.com (www.bills.com), has compiled a list of ideas to help families fit the fun they want into the funds they have.
"Memorable summer breaks can be had even for those whose wallets are a little bare this year," Ewing said.

With gas prices averaging 97 cents per gallon higher than 2007 and food prices more than 5 percent higher than they were a year ago, consumers are feeling the pinch. In another recent survey, travelers were advised to budget $244 per day for food and lodging for just two adults traveling.

For those feeling pressured by rising costs, Ewing suggests these ideas:
1. Make a budget. First, decide how much you can spend on vacation. For future trips, put vacation costs into your annual budget and save a little each month (even the change from your pockets every day will help). Do not go into debt to take a vacation.
2. Timing is everything. A two-week tour can require a great deal of planning, packing, and expense. As an option, remember that fun can fit into a long weekend, too. If you want to visit a tourist hotspot, plan your trip during the week to avoid crowds.
3. Stay put. A great way to save money is a "staycation," a vacation where you stay at home. Visit tourist sites in your hometown that you have never seen, eat at a restaurant you always wanted to try, or order in. Turn off the phone, ignore e-mail, and hit the game center, run through the sprinkler, finish a project, or roast marshmallows and sleep under the stars in your own backyard.
4. Compare rates. If you travel far, carefully consider airfare, gas prices and travel time to find the best way to travel. Order plane tickets well in advance of your trip for the best prices. Traveling mid-week can save a bundle. Consider, if you fly, whether you must rent a car. If you visit a city, you might be able to get by with public transportation instead of a car rental -- saving hundreds of dollars.
5. Camp out. Save on lodging by camping in a tent, RV (borrowed, rented, or owned) or at a rental cabin. Bring food and linens and "rough it" so you can splurge on an activity, from a simple hike to a wild ride at an amusement park. Visit a state park near your hometown or in a destination you have longed to visit.
6. Visit loved ones. Staying with friends or relatives is a time-honored money-saver. Just be sure to treat them to a nice meal out and spring for a grocery shopping trip while you are there -- and pick up after yourselves.
7. Save with a home away from home. Save money on lodging and meals by staying at a place where you can prepare your own meals and spread out in more space than a hotel. Trade homes with a friend or relative, rent or trade through a reputable home exchange, or housesit to save big on a longer stay -- even in a foreign country.
8. Get hotel deals. When renting a hotel room or condo, check "pick your own price" Web sites and bid for the lowest price you can. Also check sites like eBay, where time-share owners sometimes liquidate unreserved rentals at great prices. Then find out what your hotel offers - from a nice pool to free afternoon snacks - and make the most of it.
9. Coupon crazy. Before you go to your destination, go online to select activities you might want to do. Then search the Web for your activity and the word "coupon." Many places offer two-for-one, free lunch, kids-free or percentage-off coupons online. Print them out and bring them along to save.
10. Eat in. Pack a picnic lunch and eat at the park. Use the hotel room's microwave, or order a pizza from the local Italian restaurant instead of dining out.
11. Drink water. Refrain from ordering soda or, especially, alcoholic beverages at every meal. You'll save $2 to $8 per person, per meal -- and your waistline will thank you.
12. Walk. The best way to see a new place is to experience it. Wear comfortable shoes and take a walking tour or just explore. It is good exercise -- and won't break the bank.

"It is possible to take a break this summer and enjoy your family, your friends or just the warm summer breezes without spending a bundle," Ewing said. "Vacation is a great way to relax and rejuvenate -- on any budget."

Based in San Mateo, Calif., Bills.com (www.bills.com) is a free one-stop portal where consumers can educate themselves about complex personal finance issues and comparison shop for products and services including credit cards, debt relief assistance, insurance, mortgages and other loans. As the online portal to Freedom Financial Network, LLC, the company has served more than 40,000 customers nationwide since 2002 while managing more than $1 billion in consumer debt. Its RSS feed is available at http://www.bills.com/news_releases/.In 2008, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Bills.com as the No. 3 fastest-growing U.S. company on its Hot 100 list. Bills.com also was named a finalist as "most innovative company" in the American Business Awards in 2008. Company co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew Housser and Brad Stroh were named to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal's "40 Under 40" list in 2008, and received the Northern California Ernst & Young 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year Award for online services.

Travel Guidebooks Are Dead

2008-06-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

(PRWEB) June 19, 2008 -- "The travel guidebook is dying as the medium for travel research and trip planning. Denying this is denying the truth", says Ed Lester, founder of online travel publishing company So Much World on Monday, pre-empting the launch of his latest travel website, t.com. "People want video; they want to view things on their mobile phones; they want to upload and tag and comment and share; they want to print what they need and leave the rest; they want things to be personalized and relevant. People want more than guidebooks offer, and they want it for free", Lester continues.

Lester is quick to acknowledge the revolutionary step of Tony Wheeler starting Lonely Planet in 1972, but points out that whilst travel, the world and people's demands have changed, travel guidebooks have essentially stayed the same for nearly two decades. "The guidebook is on the way out -- but what isn't diminishing is public demand for world class travel writing and editing, beautiful photography, and well-researched, reliable information. The big publishers don't seem ready to accept it yet, and many travel writers have accused me of trying to harm their industry, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I'm just reflecting a change that has already happened."

Travelshout.com is Lester's latest response to this change. A live chat application that can be installed on any site or blog, with Travelshout you can have a conversation in real time, across different sites. TravelShout allows people to share and access tips, ideas and information from amongst their peers, just like they would in real life, creating a big travel conversation across a network that has the potential to span the entire web.
"The future is in bringing together the whole of online travel, including small websites and blog owners who may not be 'professional' travel writers, but who are extremely passionate and knowledgeable in a range of areas. If each of these sites and blogs are chapters of one large online travel guide, we need a way to bring these chapters together", Lester continues noting that YouTube's success lies not in creating or controlling content, but in its ability to offer its users a technology platform that innovates by giving people a voice.

Speaking about how the major travel websites have made their mark online, Lester notes that it is the community of users and their contributions that underlie this success. Lonely Planet, he says, have made an admirable attempt at adapting their traditional offering to online, but their success in bridging the gap between print and web is due in a large part to their forums boards and other community aspects. Lester also notes that both TripAdvisor and Virtual Tourist couldn't exist without their massive online community of travelers and their willingness to share their stories and reviews.

Certainly, surveying the online landscape shows a significant shift to user generated content and social networks, hallmarks of what some commentators have dubbed "Web 2.0" . The future paradigm of publishing must reflect this change, argues Lester, and take into account a fundamental shift in the information flow back to users. He says that there can never be one online alternative to travel guidebooks, but rather acknowledges that the future will be in drawing together the proliferation of websites into a cohesive whole.

Travelshout, like its precursor Travelbookmarking.com, is a site that seeks to create this cohesion by harnessing social technologies and making them relevant to travel publishing. Speaking about the current landscape of travel publishing, Lester is quick to contrast his approach with that of mainstream travel sites. "The power has shifted away from those who turned travel into a commodity, back to the individual traveler and their story." Lester sums up by saying that So Much World's mission is to embrace and encourage, "those websites and blogs who embrace quality and conversation, and who understand that travel represents basic human needs -- to learn, to grow, to discover, to experience, and to share. They are the future of travel online."

With $4 Gas, Road Trips Are Still On

2008-06-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

The great American road trip is on--even with $4 gas. Traveling a few hours from home to see local sights is still affordable, and Frommer's® Travel Guides can help reveal where to drive to without breaking the bank.

Hoboken, NJ (PRWEB) June 26, 2008 -- The great American road trip is on--even with $4 gas. Traveling a few hours from home to see local sights is still affordable, and Frommer's® Travel Guides can help reveal where to drive to without breaking the bank.

You can't assume fuel is "free" any more. But especially when you pack people into the car, or drive a fuel-efficient car, driving still compares favorably to the price of bus and train tickets for nearby day or weekend excursions. We've analyzed several trips from four major American cities, taken by three sample people: Patty Prius, driving all alone in her fuel-efficient 2006 hybrid; the Camry Couple in their trusty 2006 Toyota; and the Ford Family, two adults and three children in a 2006 Explorer SUV. We took local average gas prices from GasBuddy.com.

As you'll see below, taking to the road can still make sense if you have your own fuel-efficient car and you plan to take your buddies or kids along for the ride. But if you plan to drive alone in a gas guzzler, or you balk at car-rental fees, it makes sense to hop on a train or a bus. Frommer's Guides always have the latest directions both by roads and public transit to the world's top destinations, helping you decide how best to make your way.

New York City's great public transit system makes driving a car an unnecessary hassle. Frommers' book, Great Escapes from NYC Without Wheels (Wiley, 2006, $16.99) offers dozens of ways to get out of the city, including romantic weekends, spa escapes, food and wine adventures and trips to historic country towns.

You can take a gamble on Atlantic City for a good time, and you don't have to bring the car. New Jersey Transit offers frequent trips to Atlantic City from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan for $29.85 each way. If you intend to gamble, you can do even better with Academy Bus, who offset their $35 fare with $20 credits at various casinos. Or bring some friends to split the cost of gas, and use the leftover cash for another hand of poker. Driving to Atlantic City, including gas and New York City bridge tolls, costs $27 round-trip for Patty Prius, $38 ($19/person) for the Camry Couple, and $61 ($12.20/person) for the Ford Family.

Who knew there's art even beyond the boundaries of New York City? The denizens of Cold Spring and Beacon, NY do. These two towns on the scenic Hudson River are home to charming cafes, B&Bs, antique stores and a huge modern art museum, Dia:Beacon. Stop by the museum in Beacon first, then hop back in your car for a seven-minute ride to Cold Spring, where the eight-block downtown looks like a postcard of historic Americana. The two towns are easy to access as a day trip from New York, served by the frequent Metro-North Hudson Line, with round trip tickets costing $34. Via car, you will expect to pay $10.16 round-trip for Patty Prius, $15.61 ($7.80/person) for the Camry Couple, and $26.55 ($5.31/person) for the Ford Family.

For more escapes from New York City, pick up Frommer's Great Escapes from NYC Without Wheels (Wiley, 2006, $16.99).

Washington, DC is a notoriously difficult city for drivers with its myriad of diagonal avenues and one-way streets. But the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia, both covered by Frommer's Guides, offer plenty of top day trips and weekend getaways that gets you, and your car, out of the city for only a few dollars.

Baltimore, Maryland has always had a bit of an inferiority complex compared to its more powerful neighbor to the south, but Frommer's has been singing about the charms of Charm City for years. Affordable restaurants, quirky museums, and a terrific aquarium makes Baltimore a great day trip for all ages. To get from DC to Baltimore without a car, your best bet is to take the MARC commuter train on weekdays for $14 round trip, or Amtrak on weekends for $28. Once you arrive, riding the city's tourist-centric water taxi is a big part of the fun. Round trip driving for Patty Prius costs $6.89 in gas; for the Camry Couple, it's $10.68 ($5.34/person); and for the Ford Family it's $18.16 ($3.63/person).

For a weekend away from DC, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown offer three opportunities to steep yourself in history. Take some time to duck back into the 18th Century in restored Williamsburg and Jamestown. If you need to raise your pulse, pop over to the Busch Gardens water park for a few rides on the slides. Twice-daily Amtrak trains from DC drop you in Colonial Williamsburg for $70 round trip per person, and there you can pick up public shuttle buses to Jamestown, Yorktown, and Busch Gardens. Driving to these sites is also relatively affordable from DC. Gas would cost $25.28 for Patty Prius; $38.27 ($19.14/person); for the Camry Couple and $65.08 ($13.01/person) for the Ford Family.

For more top day and weekend trips from the DC area, pick up Frommer's Virginia, 9th Edition (Wiley, 2008, $18.99) or Frommer's Maryland & Delaware, 8th Edition (Wiley, 2008, $17.99).

San Francisco is surrounded by charming towns and gorgeous countryside, and driving down the California coast is one of the most scenic road trips in America. You can also tour towns and taste local wines by bus and train--and you won't have to worry about a designated driver.

Just a short way up the bay from San Francisco is the former hippie haven of Berkeley, still home to a beautiful college campus, extensive parks, world-class restaurants and eclectic shopping. And the weather is guaranteed to be 10 degrees warmer on the east side of the Bay. It's easy to get to Berkeley on BART subway trains, which run several times an hour for $6.80 round trip. It will cost Prius Patty $5.19 to drive to Berkeley, the Camry Couple $6.16 ($3.08/person), and the Explorer clan $7.70 ($1.54/person).

Head south from San Francisco by car or transit and you've got a full weekend of activities in the Monterey area. Grab a hotel in Monterey and hit the aquarium, then take a Monterey-Salinas transit bus down to to Big Sur or on the Carmel Valley Grapevine Express, which runs every hour and passes ten tasting rooms. An MST "Super Daypass" only costs $9 from San Jose. A full weekend costs as little as $33 per person via public transit, including CalTrain service from San Francisco to San Jose. Driving to Monterey from San Francisco will cost $37.65 for Patty Prius, $56.85 ($28.43/person) for the Camry Couple and $96.67 ($19.33/person) in that gas guzzling Ford Explorer! With plenty of wine tasting rooms down the coast and charming B&Bs, this outing may be well worth the ride if you plan for an overnight trip.

For more tips on great San Francisco side trips, pick up Frommer's California 2008 (Wiley, 2008; $21.99) or Frommer's San Francisco 2008 (Wiley, 2008; $16.99).

The "Big D," Dallas isn't known for its public transportation--but maybe it should be. Recent improvements in the city's bus and trolley system means it's possible for visitors to enjoy the city without driving on the wide roads Texas is known for.

Our top day trip from Dallas, Fort Worth has a charmingly renovated downtown, world-class museums and the Stockyards Historic District, part Old West theme park and part living history museum. It's safe to say that if Dallas is Texas leaping forward into the 21st Century, Fort Worth still has a smiling eye on the 19th. It's only an hour between the two cities on the swift, efficient TRE train, and a day pass costs only $5/person. When you get to Fort Worth, "the T" bus shuttles you between attractions. The round trip price for Patty Prius costs about $5; for the Camry Couple, around $8 ($4/person); and for the Ford Family around $14 ($2.80 /person).

If you want to extend your trip out of Dallas, getting from Fort Worth to Grapevine without your car is half the fun. Frommer's recommends the Grapevine Steam Railroad, running a steam or diesel locomotive with vintage coaches from Fort Worth to the Old West town of Grapevine, once daily on Fri-Sun for $14. According to our experts, the railroad is one of Texas' top travel experiences! However, to return from Grapevine, you'll need to take a $20 taxi ride to the DFW airport and connect there to the TRE train. To get to Grapevine for the day by car, gas will cost $3.80 for Patty Prius, $6.03 ($3.01/person) for the Camry Couple or $10.27 ($2.05/person) for the Ford Family.

For more adventures around the Dallas metroplex or further afield in Texas, pick up Frommer's Texas, 4th Edition (Wiley, 2007; $19.99).

Great Escapes from NYC Without Wheels (Wiley, 2006, $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-7645-9829-6)

Frommer's® Virginia, 9th Edition (Wiley, 2008, $18.99, ISBN: 978-0-470-17591-6)

Frommer's® Maryland & Delaware, 8th Edition (Wiley, 2008, $17.99, ISBN: 978-0-470-18985-6)

Frommer's® California 2008 (Wiley, 2008; $21.99, ISBN: 978-0-470-13734-5)

Frommer's® San Francisco 2008 (Wiley, 2008; $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-470-14437-4)

Frommer's® Texas, 4th Edition (Wiley, 2007; $19.99, ISBN: 978-0-470-14437-4)

About Frommer's®: The market leader in travel guides, Frommer's has a guide for every type of traveler--from the sophisticated world traveler to the first-time student traveler on a tight budget. Frommer's publishes more than 300 guides and sells 2.5 million guides annually, reaching 7 million travelers who count on Frommer's for exact prices, savvy trip-planning, sightseeing advice, dozens of detailed maps, and candid reviews of hotels and restaurants in every price range. Frommer's--the best trips start here. Frommers.com is a comprehensive, opinionated travel resource featuring more than 3,500 world destinations. For more information, visit frommers.com. Frommer's is a registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Frommer's is a branded imprint of Wiley.