posted by Charles H. Russo on Nov 12
You will ask yourself why you waited so long - one visit to this island paradise will convince you to come back again and again. Anna Maria Island - located just off the coast of Sarasota, FL is a laid back vacation getaway. Miles of sandy beaches and rejuvenating sunshine will maximize your vacation experience.
Where to stay:
Options are endless, if you’re interested in a vacation rental on Anna Maria Island you should try out Island Real Estate, the choices and selection are unmatched. If you’re an on the beach and pampered kind of traveler, a bed and breakfast might be just your speed.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Nov 6
Traveling with the family can afford some of the most memorable vacations for years to come. With proper planning and research, you can ensure that your family vacation pleases even the pickiest member of the family. But with so many choices available, how does one choose the perfect destination? Budget, location, activities and amenities are all factors that help determine a location the whole family will enjoy. The following five travel tips will get even the most inexperienced travelers on the road to their ideal summer vacation in 2006.
Plan ahead. Accommodations can be sold out or unavailable by early summer. The Travel Industry Association of America, who conducted an online survey of 1,519 U.S. adults aged 18 and over in January 2006, reports that 21 percent of Americans who are planning to travel this summer had already arranged lodging at their destination. The rest were either exploring their options for where to stay (28 percent) or had not yet selected the specific destination for their trip (32 percent). The age of the internet makes research and booking easy and fairly painless. Chamber of Commerce websites make finding destination activities and outings simple. Getting the whole family excited about your trip can be as easy as spending 20 minutes around the computer looking at websites that bring the destination right into your home.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Nov 4
If you’re looking for a relaxed getaway vacation in Saugatuck that you can enjoy with a group of friends or family, then plan a visit to Sherwood Forest Bed & Breakfast for one of their incredible Gourmet Dinners.
Through April, 2007, Keith and Susan Charak will wine and dine you at their Victorian mansion in the woods along the shore of Lake Michigan. Book the entire inn for 2 nights or more and they’ll have a feast catered for you and your companions.
Some of the best chefs of Saugatuck and Douglas have agreed to come cook for you and these epicurean wizards of gastronomic delights will amaze you in what will be your own private dining room. You pick the date and and we’ll pick the chef.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 8
Travel to Hawaii is ramping up after recent rains have slowed bookings. The weather has cleared and sunshine has returned to the Islands!
Recently John Monahan, President and CEO of the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) stated “We’re enjoying blue skies and the warm sunny climate that everyone expects when coming to Hawai’i.”[1]
Repeat travelers to Hawaii are on the rise, with more than 62% of visitors enjoying the sun and sand more than once. Today’s travelers are also more likely to be independent, and rely less on group and package tours. In 2000 just over 49% of travelers were independent explorers, while in 2005 that number rose to nearly 54%.[2]
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 4
Miami Beach is fast becoming one of the top vacation destinations for families andtravelersalike. Miami Beach offers sun, fun and a variety of activities to choose from. Now that you have decided to vacation in Miami Beach, it is time to choose the hotel that you will reside in for your vacation. With a plethora of hotel options how does one pick the perfect Miami Beach hotel? A good way to choose a hotel is by the amenities t
hat the hotel has to offer. One of the biggest disappointments that I have encountered is getting to a hotel and expecting a service that the hotel does not offer. With all the travel tools that are available on the web, you can do a little research before you go to make sure you get what you want. Listed below are what I feel are the top 5 amenities that a hotel can offer to you and your family to make your accommodation choice perfect for you.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 1
This past Friday was the 10th Anniversary of Scott’s marriage proposal to Cara, so he decided to surprise her with a vow renewal ceremony while they were here in Paris on vacation. Initially, the ceremony was supposed to have taken place beneath the Eiffel Tower, but, as you may know, we had to change that plan (grr…) so we moved the celebration inside to a private salon in the Latin Quarter. I’m glad we did, actually, because last Friday was one of the rainiest, dreariest days that we’ve had in ages.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Sep 25
Riviera Maya is the ideal vacation destination for tourists visiting Mexico. Many content vacationers refer to Riviera Maya as paradise on Earth.
Riviera Maya has something for everyone, whether it is sports, dining, shopping or just simply relaxing. The warm climate of the Caribbean is refreshing. The days are sunny and warm and the nightlife is vibrant and eclectic and there is always a party that one can join.
Riviera Maya offers many top of the line hotels that can cater to your every need. There are also rustic cabins built on the edge of the jungle or facing the sea for those who enjoy being closer to nature. A vacation in Riviera will be one that you wont soon forget.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Sep 23
If you dream of outdoor adventure, but don’t really want to rough it or wing it, then check out Nichols Expeditions. Don’t let the fact that they are based out of Moab, Utah deter you from thinking they don’t know about bicycling in Turkey or trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Chuck and Judy Nichols are adventurers themselves and lead many of their own trips. This is how they can give such accurate information about all of their tours on their website. Nearly every detail of the expedition I enjoyed, The Baja Islands Odyssey, was exactly as they described it.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Sep 20
Cruising along the Seine at sunset. It
posted by Charles H. Russo on Sep 19
Cruising along the Seine at sunset. It’s a clich?, I know. But it is pretty spectacular, if it’s
done right. I have to admit that I’m a bit of a Paris Cruise Snob- all you have to do is take a peak at Les Bateaux Mouche with their blinding spotlights and obnoxious loudspeakers and you’d be as picky as me! The last thing I’d want to do (or suggest to my clients to do) is to spend valuable vacation time crammed aboard one of those monstrosities. That said, not ALL Paris cruise companies are bateaux mouches- just google it, and you’ll find pages upon pages of varying levels of Paris dinner cruises. My snobbishness almost got the best of me until last week when I was invited for lunch aboard the Mighty Mississip! (well, actually it’s just called the “Mississippi”, but I can’t stop saying Mighty Mississip!) The Mississippi is one of a fleet of riverboats offered by La Compagnie des Bateaux A Roue. I had seen these boats before, and had always thought that they would be sort of cheesy- I imagined candy-striped dixieland musicians and hot dogs, but nothing could have been farther from the truth.
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