Reduce Holiday Travel Stress – 5 Tips!

November 17, 2012 2 Comments

For lots of people, the holidays mean more than family, gifts, and fun… They mean TRAVEL STRESS. Usually it centers around missing a train or plane, but can include not being packed in time, not packing the right things, or getting lost in a strange place… But a few easy ‘prep steps’ can reduce the possibility of these nightmare scenarios from becoming your reality.

Since many of us are on a tight budget,  saving money is step one to reducing holiday travel stress. Several travel insider sites, including farecompare.com, agree that Wednesday is the best day to travel if you want a good deal. Travel consultant Peter Greenberg believes Wednesday is the best day to BUY your tickets too, suggesting that midnight is the best time to plunk down your greenbacks, due to the competitive nature of the various airlines.

Relax Maxie, no taxi! That’s another way to say have a good plan for getting to the airport. Sounds easy right? It might be if you live close to a major airport and your flight isn’t too early… But sometimes that’s not that case. Sure, you can try to convince a friend or family member to get up in the wee hours to drive you there. But sometimes that’s not an option, and that’s where we come in. At ParkSleepFly.com,  we offer affordable packages that let you spend the night at a hotel, and then leave your car there during your trip. Parking lots often fill up over the holidays, so the peace of mind of a guaranteed reservation is a huge stress-reducer. Get a good night’s sleep, take a quick shuttle trip to the airport, rest easy knowing your car is secure, and enjoy your trip!

Back to the pricier issues of flight and hotel. There are lots of great travel search engines (Kayak, Expedia, and Orbitz to name a few) that publish low fares and allow for comparisons among airlines and hotels. Timing is key on these sites too, as a recent search for first class tickets from LA to New York proved. Staring first with Kayak, all the one-way fares on major airlines were approximately that same price, except the first flight of the day on American Airlines, which left at a decent hour and was significantly less expensive (just over $800, vs $3,000!). Don’t wait until the last minute and hope that these fares will magically be there waiting for you; Start your search well in advance of your target travel date – The bargains may influence your plans and save you a bundle. Also, check out the chat-rooms of travel sites such as Fodors for great tips from fellow bargain hunters. Also check out travel books from your local library – a free excuse to start dreaming of your tropical getaway while it’s still snowing at home!

Get your suitcase out of storage ASAP. Don’t worry if your trip is weeks away. Find a spot in your bedroom and open up that suitcase. Each time you do laundry, set aside a favorite pair of jeans, seasonally appropriate attire, even spare undies. In no time you will have packed without realizing it! Bonus points for only using a carry-on, as you won’t have to stand around after that long flight or stress about the possibility of lost luggage, and you’ll save money on baggage fees. If you do have to check bags, try to carry one change of clothes in your carry-on, just in case. For more useful packing tips check out this post.

And on the eighth day, they invented earplugs. For just a few dollars, most local drugstores sell earplugs that come in a handy carrying case and cut out plane (and airport/bus/random people) noise. They are re-usable, can be rolled up into a ball, and are worth ten times their weight in gold. (Click here to compare earplug options.) If you can spend a bit more, look into buying some noise reducing headphones. While not as compact as earplugs, they can do wonders for your need to sleep.

Do you have tips that might help ease our readers’ way this holiday season? Share them in the comments!

Thanksgiving Go-Outs 2012: Turkey, Tamales, and Cola-Glazed Ham

November 10, 2012 No Comments

If ever there was a holiday not to be toyed with, it’s the one falling on the fourth Thursday of November. We’re rather sweet on our tried-and-true traditions, so when a restaurant steps out of the box and adds a new element to the Turkey Day proceedings, we raise a glass of something sparkling to their boldness and creativity. Here are five places around the country that love all that Thanksgiving gives while giving patrons a little something extra.

Grove Park Inn
It’s a historic hotel synonymous with its picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains setting but the Grove Park’s four-day Thanksgiving celebration is just as famous. Why? The November feasting coincides with the North Carolina landmark’s much-photographed National Gingerbread House Competition & Display. Gussied-up kids, nog-like drinks by the fireplace, and a grand porch overlooking the Smokies complete the pretty picture.

Plimouth Plantation
Even if we think we’re being incredibly old-fashioned in our Thanksgiving meal preparation, we’ve probably taken on a few modern practices. To see how that legendary first Thanksgiving went, and to gain some knowledge along the way, a certain Massachusetts destination much associated with the Pilgrims serves up a faithful feast. There are several slots on Thursday and Friday, and they do fill up, no surprise.

Turquoise Room
The quaint, train station-adjacent restaurant inside Winslow, Arizona’s La Posada Hotel still has that ‘30s railway charm, but the menu is gourmet. More than that, it is deeply local: Piki Bread with Hopi Hummus, Holiday Tamale En Nogada, and a Southwestern Caesar are Thanksgiving Day staples (turkey’s on the offering, too). Be sure to walk outside on a post-dinner stroll to wave at the trains before hitting old Route 66 for the ride out.

TGD
There are those that like the holiday table classics 365 days a year and not just on that fabled November Thursday. Their go-to spot? TGD, which happens to be short for Thanksgiving Dinner. Green beans, ham, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and a certain bird, plus all the classic trimmings, are what this casual eatery is about. There are two TGDs, both in Ohio.

Corner Office
We’re all aware of Black Friday, certainly if we hit the shops mere hours after we wash all the pots and pans. But Black Wednesday happens to be the lesser known celebration before T Day, and it has a bit of merry mischief about it. This cheeky, hip Denver eatery goes all out for its Wednesday night Turkey Time Machine Party. JELL-O shots, cola-glazed ham, ‘90s tuneage, and a deviled egg flight are on the roster.

Have you ever been to one of these turkey-fests? Got a favorite go-to restaurant for this foodiest of holidays? Tell us about it in the comments!

Camping in Pinnacles National Monument

October 20, 2012 No Comments

Mu husband and I wanted to get out of town for my birthday… But we didn’t want to spend a lot of money. And we wanted to send some time outdoors before it got too cold (even in Southern California.) Inexpensive outdoor getaway? Sounds like a job for CAMPING!

We’re talking car camping, not backpack-and-powdered-food camping. We have a roomy tent, a big cooler, and a nice propane stove. Hubs made a reservation at Pinnacles National Monument (most major campgrounds take online reservations nowadays,) the site of a long-extinct volcano about 2 1/2 hours from San Francisco. Actually, it’s two-thirds of a volcano; Thanks to movement along the San Andreas Fault, the other third is still near Lancaster, where the volcano first came into being. But it felt more like being in a forest, the campground was beautiful and shady, nothing like the barren, rocky landscape we expected.

We didn’t rough it the whole time… We broke up the drive with stops in the charming Dutch town of Solvang, and did a little wine tasting in Paso Robles. We spent most of our camping time reading, cooking, and relaxing, though we did take a beautiful hike to the Bear Gulch Talus Cave. Talus caves are formed by big boulders falling such that they create spaces inside, where the temperature is blissfully cool, and visitors might run into a few Big-eared bats. (We didn’t, though. We also didn’t spy any California Condors, but 32 of the rare birds live within Pinnacles as part of the California Condor Recovery Program.)

We did get a little dirty, and discover we need to invest in a better air mattress… But Pinnacles National Monument was such a wonderful place to find some peace and tranquility, we’ll definitely be back.

Spotlight on Indiana – Stonycreek Farm Pumpkin Harvest Festival

September 29, 2012 No Comments

This week, we hear from Michele in Customer Service, about one of her favorite hometown autumn traditions!

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A Tour of Camiguin, Phillippines

September 22, 2012 No Comments

This post is written by our Research Analyst, Francis.

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Camiguin is a pearl-shaped island situated 6.2 miles off the northern coast of the main island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines. The island measures about 14 miles by 9 miles at its longest and widest. Historical documents indicate that renowned explorer Ferdinand Magellan visited the island in the year 1521, and that it was a major settlement of Spanish colonists.

It has seven volcanoes,  and one – Mt. Hibok-Hibok – is still considered active, having had its last eruption in 1951. These volcanoes are responsible for the island’s climate and most of its tourist attractions.

Camiguin boasts miles of untouched coastlines with coconut trees and is dotted with hot and cold springs. Its beaches provide sun-filled days, and the clear blue water, marine life and coral reefs beckon visitors from all over the world.

Here’s a sample of the island’s natural and man-made attractions:

Lanzones Festival

Held every year in October, celebrating Lansones, a small grape-sized fruit grown all over the island.

Guiob Church Ruins

In 1871, a volcanic eruption devastated and buried the Spanish settlement of Catarman which was established in 1697. What remains are the mostly-buried ruins of an old Spanish-era church. A huge cross marks community cemetery that sunk during eruption – Gravestones are visible during low tide.

White Island

The island attracts thousands of tourists every year. It’s a white sandbar with Mt. Hibok-Hibok and Old Volcano as its backdrop. The island is good for swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling and viewing the sunrise and sunset.

Ardent Hot Spring

This mineral pool bubbles water. Mist rises from the heated waters that run down the vents of Mt. Hibok-Hibok volcano. The spring is nice to bathe in at night surrounded by cool mountain air. Picnic huts and tables are available, along with a restaurant.

Bura Soda Water Swimming Pool

This is the only one in the Philippines where you can swim to a pool of soda water. It’s a great scenery as its cold water providing a refreshing splash to bathers and picnickers. Picnic huts and tables are available poolside.

It’s easy to get to Camiguin… From the Philippines’ capital Manila or the southern central city of Cebu, you can take direct flights to Cagayan de Oro City (CDO). Flight time takes one hour and 20 minutes from Manila or a mere 30 minutes from Cebu to CDO. One can also take the longer but more exciting ferry voyages to CDO from the mentioned cities.

From the CDO airport, you can take a taxi cab to the eastbound bus terminal and take a bus ride for Balingoan, a town 55 miles outside CDO. At Balingoan seaport, take a ferry bound for Camiguin Island. The ferry trip usually takes an hour. You can also take a direct three-hour ferry ride from the CDO’s Ferry Terminal.

There are many more hot and water springs, beaches, islands and other tourist attractions on and around this island which would surprise and awe travelers. I hope you’ll be able to come and explore beautiful Camiguin soon!