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Meet me in St. Louis: Gateway to budget vacations

By on Friday, August 26th, 2011 | No Comments

By Angie Fratto

If you’re like me, you savor the good things in life but have a limited budget. So when it comes to family vacations, you look for competitive price tags that don’t shortchange on style. St. Louis is a prime Midwest vacation spot with a menagerie of to-dos, both fantastic and free. Consider these money-saving tips on St. Louis hotels and activities.

Catch the (free) spirit of St. Louis from the Arch to the zoo. Credit: Boy27wonder

Saint Louis Zoo
I’ve seen all kinds of animal exhibits on my travels, but this one is overloaded with cuteness. Waddle among puffins and penguins, and watch your tykes go wide-eyed petting stingrays in Caribbean Cove. And if your kids love trains like mine do, the zoo’s train is free for tots 2 and under.

Tip: While admission is free, some attractions are extra. Arrive when the zoo opens — many are free during the first hour.

Where to stay: Hyatt Regency St Louis at The Arch
For postcard-perfect views of The Arch and an unbeatable downtown location, check out this 4-star hotel near the St. Louis Riverfront.

Tip: Book a 2 nights stay by Dec. 30, 2011 to snag a credit for dining and/or other services.

Fitz’s American Grill & Bottling Works
As an avid food lover, Fitz’s is a must for mouth-watering cheeseburgers and homemade root beer. Located in hip Delmar Loop, bring the kids during the week for a free soda bottle brewery tour.

Where to stay: Ritz Carlton St. Louis
With its mid-town Clayton address and world-class amenities, you’ll enjoy both convenience and luxury. For the best deals, book your stay on a Friday and/or Saturday, and look for resort credits.

Tip: If you have a hungry family like I do, use resort credit on breakfast at The Restaurant. It’s a brunch style layout, and the staff is gracious with even the messiest of eaters.


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Angie Fratto is a Market Manager for Orbitz Worldwide. She loves to travel with her active family as long as it’s planned around her busy shopping schedule.

Orbitz Blog

Orbitz 50 Faves: 50 vacations, 50 lucky winnners

By on Monday, August 22nd, 2011 | No Comments

Play Orbitz 50 Faves on Facebook for the chance to win one of 50 luxury vacations worth up to ,000.

By Valerie Moloney

It’s time to play for a stay.

Today through Sept. 18, play Orbitz 50 Faves on Facebook for a chance to win one of 50 drool-worthy vacations to luxury resorts around the world worth up to ,000. Like Orbitz on Facebook to enter the game, and invite your friends to play. The more friends you invite, the sweeter your chances.

To play Orbitz 50 Faves, simply like Orbitz on Facebook, invite friends to play, and start bidding. You’ll automatically receive five bids to place on one or more of your favorite trips. Every bid placed represents one entry to win. Each day, you’ll receive an additional bid for every friend playing the game. As an added twist, you can compete for six ‘locked’ trips that can only be bid on if at least 10 of your Facebook friends are playing, too.

To whet your appetite, here’s a teaser of what’s in the pot:

  • A Dubai vacation worth ,000 that includes roundtrip airfare for 2 and a 7-night stay at a 5-star resort
  • Butler and spa services, golf, ,500 in spending cash and lodging at a 5-star Riviera Maya hotel
  • A 5-night stay at a luxe resort in the Fiji rainforest — complete with banana leaf body wrap
  • A 3-night stay and a round of golf at Greg Norman’s Doonbeg Golf Club

Stop dreaming and start playing.

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Blog editor Valerie Moloney is disqualified from entering Orbitz 50 Faves, but if she had to double down, all her bids would be on Dubai.

Orbitz Blog

American as apple pie: Summer vacations in Michigan

By on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 | No Comments

Cameras required: Surreal sands of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Credit: Harry Dillon

By Kristin Dillon

With its Great Lakes, Motor City and world’s longest suspension bridge (talk to the mitten, Golden Gate) there’s plenty of pixel-perfect scenery on a summer vacation in Michigan. Cherry pick your way through Traverse City, indulge your sweet tooth on Mackinac Island, and cruise Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. And here’s even more incentive for booking your Michigan vacation by Aug. 21:

Save up to 30 percent off at participating Michigan hotels and 0 instantly when you book a qualifying Michigan flight plus hotel package with the promo code MICHIGANSUMMER100. Consider these top places to visit in Michigan for your summer getaway.

Detroit
Cuff your jeans and comb that pompadour for the Woodward Dream Cruise (Aug. 20). Park your chair (with 1.5 million spectators) on Woodward Avenue to see muscle cars, street rods and vintage beauties loop the famous strip. Make time for hi-octane shopping — the Somerset Collection in Troy and downtown Birmingham offer plenty of retail vroom vroom. Add casinos, spas and gourmet dining to the mix at the MGM Grand in Detroit.

Traverse City
Take a wine tour through the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas, and enjoy shopping, dining and microbreweries in downtown Traverse City. Grand Traverse Resort and Spa offers plenty of to-dos such as world-famous golf courses, including The Bear designed by Jack Nicklaus, an indoor water park and a 16th-floor restaurant overlooking the bay.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
This natural beauty outside Traverse City is hypnotic. Hike steep dunes that slope down to Lake Michigan, and walk across dramatic lookout points. And don’t be surprised by the otherworldly vibe — feeling like you crawled out of the Book of Genesis or just landed on the moon is all part of the experience.

Mackinac Island
Hop a ferry through the Straits of Mackinac to this horse-filled island. Visit during the Mackinac Island Fudge Festival (Aug. 19-20) for a near-endless supply of fudge, beer tastings, dinner specials, dancing and more. Enjoy picturesque bike trails, snap pics of the Mackinac Bridge and take a romantic carriage ride under the stars.

Harbor Springs and Petoskey
Buy an ice cream and stroll through Petoskey streets chockablock with Victorian architecture, cuddly shops and vintage charm. Take the kids to Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs to feed barnyard animals, enjoy weekend hayrides and farm-to-table dining.

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Kristin Dillon is an editor at Orbitz Worldwide. A Midwesterner at heart, she and her husband keep a summer routine visiting Michigan, Wisconsin and charming Third Coast towns.

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Getting A Better Look At Cheap Senior Travel And Vacations

By on Thursday, August 11th, 2011 | No Comments

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Hawaii 5-Ohm: Best spa vacations in the islands

By on Monday, August 8th, 2011 | No Comments

Bring the outdoors in a private hale during a Lohaki Garden Massage at the Grand Hyatt Kauai.

By Nancy LaFever

What could be better than treating yourself to luxurious pampering at one of Hawaii’s fabulous spas? You’re in paradise, right? Make it a spa vacation to remember. The following amazing Hawaiian hotels and resorts have world-class spas that will have you saying “Ohm.”

Grand Hyatt Kauai
A 20,000-square-foot expansion in 2007 gave the Anara Spa at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai gives you the spa experience outdoors in the Lokahi Gardens. Hide away in your thatched-roof hale and enjoy your own private lava rock shower.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Oahu
Soak in some of ancient Hawaii’s calming wisdom and spiritual “mana” at this beautiful Oahu spot, The Kahala Hotel and Resort while you soak your tired feet in fragrant sea salts. Using healing plants from the region, the spa treatments will have you relaxed in minutes and wondering which luxurious option to choose next.

Grand Wailea, Maui
The Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea in Maui offers the expected Waldorf Astoria attention to every detail. Voted one of the “Top 10 Spas in the United States” by Traveler magazine, this 50,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to your wellness and tranquility. Try the water therapies with five aromatic baths. Ahhhh!

Halekulani in Honolulu
Right on the beach at Waikiki, The famed Halekulani hotel boasts the SpaHalekulani. Recognized as the “first spa to fully explore the healing cultures of the Pacific Islands,” the spa offers a total pampering menu. Enjoy one of seven relaxation suites, including tandem suites for couples.

Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows
On the big island, The Spa at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel is a purely Hawaiian experience. Travel & Leisure magazine gave it a ranking of one of the “World’s Best Spas.” Built to resemble a Hawaiian village with thatched hales, the meditation pavilion is the perfect place to submerge yourself in serenity.

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Nancy LaFever writes from the middle of landlocked Ohio, where she has convinced herself that the decking around her neighbor’s pool qualifies as “the beach.”

Orbitz Blog

3 last-minute beach vacations from coast to coast

By on Tuesday, July 19th, 2011 | No Comments

By Vince Font

For as much as people await the arrival of summer with bated breath, it sure has a way of sneaking up on us. And if you’re not careful and if you don’t act fast, it’ll pass you by the way it’s done in years past. With that in mind, here’s a rundown of three of the best last-minute beach vacations: east coast, west coast and in-between (the Gulf Coast, in case you didn’t catch it).

Savor the crisp ocean air at your alfresco table at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel.

Beach vacations in the West
Carmel, officially called Carmel-by-the-Sea, is one of the most beautiful cities on California’s Monterey Peninsula and a perfect beach vacation destination if you’re looking for a more upscale, classy getaway. And it doesn’t get much classier than a stay at L’Auberge Carmel, an 82-year-old wonder of European architecture just four short blocks inland from the beach. This is one of those places that you read about and admire in those “best hotels in the world” articles you see from time to time, but never really think you’ll ever visit. If its plush furnishings and designer bedding aren’t enough to convince you to book a summer vacation stay, maybe the in-room massage and spa treatment will. If you’re not a fan of hands-on relaxation, then a meal at the hotel’s intimate Aubergine Restaurant, where you can choose from any of 4,500 bottles of wine in the cellar below, will certainly do it.

Beach vacations in the East
Situated about an hour away from Jacksonville on the gorgeous Outer Banks islands of North Carolina, you’ll find Atlantic Beach. And once you do, you might not want to “unfind” it ever again. The sense of history in this area is strong, but even stronger is the recommendation to take a beach vacation at the Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel. For the price, you’d be hard pressed to do much better. But monetary value and bang for buck isn’t the only thing this place has going for it. A stay here puts you immediately on the beach, a stroll away from deep sea fishing excursions and scuba diving, and a quick drive from a day spent taking in the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Variety may be the spice of life, but it’s a prime ingredient in summer vacations. The Sheraton Oceanfront’s got that portion of the recipe covered.

Beach vacations in-between (The Gulf Coast)
You probably never think of Texas when you think about summer vacations and beach frolicking, but unless you want to keep trying out the same-old, you should consider broadening those horizons. Take Galveston, a city in Texas located on Galveston Island on the Gulf Coast about an hour away from Houston. The locals here know all about the Wyndham Hotel Galvez and Spa, but unless you pay it a visit for yourself you won’t really have an appreciation for the diversity that exists in a state you probably assumed was made up of miles of endless road and desert. If so, you’ve probably seen “Giant” one too many times. But enough about movies. The Wyndham in Galveston, also known as The Queen of the Gulf, dates back to 1911 but its amenities are strictly 21st century: it’s got swim-up bars, a full service spa, and an on-site restaurant so good you’ll end up taking breakfast, lunch and dinner there during your stay.

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Vince Font is a travel writer with a deep love of weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations — as long as staying in a luxury hotel is part of the deal.

Orbitz Blog

Disney vacations: Dining with Chef Mickey and friends

By on Friday, July 8th, 2011 | No Comments

Chef Mickey takes a break from cooking to mingle with guests at Disney's Contemporary Resort.

By Jill E. Cooper

As far as summer vacation destinations go, Walt Disney World defies all the traditional demographics associated with theme parks.  This magical destination is not solely for teens and young families.  No, this world-class resort attracts retirees, newlyweds, professional athletes, multi-generational reunion groups, conference attendees and families of every shape and size.  Despite the stunning diversity in this group, I can almost guarantee that high upon the souvenir list of all of Walt Disney World’s visitors is a picture with “the big cheese” himself, Mickey Mouse.

Coming home from Walt Disney World without a photo with Mickey is like returning from Paris without the requisite shot of you in front of the Eiffel Tower. So, what’s the best way to get that picture with the mouse that started it all? Let Mickey Mouse come to you while you experience a sumptuous meal on the fourth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Known for its extensive buffet with food to please even the pickiest of eaters, Chef Mickey’s is my favorite place to score a photo with the world’s most famous mouse.  Here, you don’t have to stand in line under the Florida sun to get your one-on-one time with your favorite character.  He and several of his very famous friends rotate from table to table through the entire restaurant.  Just minutes outside the gates of the Magic Kingdom, this restaurant is in the center of the magic but since Chef Mickey’s is not found inside one of the theme parks, no admission ticket is required.  All you have to do is enjoy your meal, gaze upon the iconic monorails as they pass overhead and keep your camera at the ready so you’ll be prepared to capture that quintessential Disney souvenir when Mickey arrives at your table.  Advanced dining reservations are highly recommended and can be arranged by calling (407) WDW-DINE as far ahead as 180 days in advance of your vacation.

If you’d rather be photographed with the Disney princesses or a mischievous alien, then book reservations at one of the other Disney resort restaurants.  At ‘Ohana in Disney’s Polynesian Resort, naturally, you’ll say aloha to Lilo and Stitch.  The food here is served family-style and exhibits a delightful tropical flair.  The views of the Magic Kingdom from this restaurant are enchanting.  When the friendly cast member seats you, be sure to request a table near the windows so that you can bask in the glow of the distant castle.

Head to Disney Princess Fantasy Faire to meet Cinderella in the flesh. Credit: Paul Hiffmeyer/©2006 Disney Enterprises.

Cinderella, her handsome prince and her hysterically funny stepsisters can be found next door at 1900 Park Fare in the midst of the splendor of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  Here, too, the flexibility of an extensive buffet offers diners a wide variety of delicious options for breakfast or dinner.  So, if getting the ultimate photographic souvenir is on your to-do list for your next Walt Disney World vacation, consider a delightful character dining experience outside the theme parks.  It is an incredibly fun and hassle-free way to interact with the characters you have traveled so far to meet.

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Jill E. Cooper has been an aficionado of the Disney theme parks since age seven.  She is a happy addition to the 2011 Disney World Moms Panel.  She and her small family have recently added Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney vacations to their portfolio of magical Disney travel experiences.

Orbitz Blog

Beach vacations: Hit the jackpot at a coastal casino

By on Monday, July 4th, 2011 | No Comments

By Vince Font

If your love the beach, but also enjoy trying your luck in casinos, what could be more perfect than a summer vacation at a coastal casino and resort? Whether you want a just a little gambling with your beach or a little beach with your gambling, here are a few gorgeous spots that marry your love of chill and thrill.

Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino
Think of it as your own 40-acre island escape, this resort has the only private beach in Aruba. Whether you’re a couple wanting an adults-exclusive experience or looking for a family-fun spot, the Oranjestad, Aruba gem has two distinct lodging options for you. In the on-site casino play Black Jack, roulette or just enjoy the action in the only casino in Aruba that looks out on the Caribbean. Eight restaurants will tempt you.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana
If you’re a little bit rock ‘n roll, check out this slick hotel. The casino has been called, “the hottest casino in the Dominican Republic” and earned that rep – 45,000 square feet of gaming fun.

But don’t forget to spend some time in your rock-star pampering room with its private balcony. When you venture out to one of the nine restaurants, plan your next day to include a round of golf on the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.

The Ritz-Carlton San Juan, Puerto Rico
Maybe you’re not a rock star, but you want five-star pampering in luxurious surroundings. The property combines the ambiance you expect at the Ritz plus a casino that stepped out of a James Bond movie. If you love to gamble, why not do it elegantly? Baccarat anyone? You’ll need something sumptuous to eat after, so enjoy one of the Ritz-Carlton’ San Juan’s five fabulous restaurants.

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Vince Font is a travel writer with a deep love of weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations – as long as staying in a luxury hotel is part of the deal.

Orbitz Blog

Travel Tips to Save Money on Summer Vacations – South Source

By on Friday, June 17th, 2011 | No Comments
Travel Tips to Save Money on Summer Vacations
South Source
With the rising cost of fuel on everyone's minds, people are working extra hard to find a great location that also offers visitors a travel deal to make their trip budget friendly. Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor at Travelocity, gives travel tips …

travel tips – Google News

Best Resorts For Kids – Family-Friendly Resort Vacations

By on Thursday, June 9th, 2011 | No Comments

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