How you can do to save on Spring and Summer travel: Search out the best day to shop for airline tickets and the least expensive days to fly. Sign up for airfare alerts on the Internet with companies like FareCompare, Kayak,, Bing Travel Predictor.. But, be prepared to act on these alerts ahead of time because they may not last long.

Here are a few ideas to save on airfare for spring travel:
• Plan not to fly in late March. Flying during the first week of March compared to the week of March 22 will save travelers about $60 on airfare. The week of March 22 can be particularly expensive.
• Try flying on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to save. A seven-night booking of Tuesday to Tuesday or Wednesday to Wednesday trip can save 20 percent compared to traveling on a Friday or weekend.
• Use airfare alerts and predictions. Airfares change all day long.. The Bing Travel Price Predictor is a helpful tool that predicts whether to buy airfare now or wait. Smart travelers should sign up for airfare alerts and monitor predictions for their trips before booking to help save on airfare costs.
• Look for destinations and hot spots where accommodation rates have been discounted. Many domestic hotels have cut their rates which helps offset the increases in airfares. Many top hotels have reduced rates by 15% or more in the last few years. Find savings in Las Vegas of 27% and San Diego 24% plus savings in Orland, Maui, & Puerto Vallarta.
See Retreat Vacations for more vacation and travel ideas.

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Romantic  Retreat  Package Breakout

This is the year for a romantic retreat that is in line with your core values.  A well deserved romantic vacation or weekend will do wonders for what is rare and sensational about you.  Let this be your breakout year to let your many talents shine.  The right kind of relaxation will push you to focus and finish like never before.

Change is exhilarating if you release your grip on the past and everyday routines.. Setting your own way is practically up to you.  Don’t let life cheat you of what you need..

Discover excitement and love at one of the following romantic resorts :

1.The Shores (Daytona Florida)

Romantic bliss deserves the ideal couples escape! Enjoy amazing nights at The Shores – voted the #1 Resort for a Romantic Getaway by readers of the Orlando Sentinel. Indulge yourself at Daytona’s only AAA 4-Diamond Resort.  Enjoy any romantic occasion with luxurious accommodations, oceanfront dining, lounging around the outdoor fire pits, listening to the waves come ashore or a romantic stroll on the beach provide the ultimate romantic setting.

Enjoy the Romance at the Shores package at a special discounted price.
http://www.shoresresort.com/florida-romantic-getaways.php

2.Morningstar Beach Resort (Virgin Islands St. Thomas)

The largest vacation resort in the US Virgin Islands offers AAA, seniors, corporate, government, and military getaway discounts.  See also the Free Night, Escape Inclusive package, resort credits, and rewards program

Frenchman’s Reef / Morningstar Beach Resort  has just finished a $48 million renovation and provides guests with a beautiful view to the best of the Caribbean: casually-sophisticated accommodations overlooking a secluded beach warmed by aquamarine waters, luxurious  seascapes of the Caribbean’s most majestic Charlotte Amelie Harbor.

Choose from 479 hotel  rooms, 5 restaurants, 6 bars and 3 swimming pools.  Frenchman’s promises an unparalled Caribbean vacation in the only U.S. territory in the islands.
www.marriott.com/…/sttfr-frenchmans-reef-and-morning-star-marrio…

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I wish you all a Happy New Year and keep praying for snow! I just wanted to alert you to ski resort package deals at Snowshoe/Silvercreek, WV ski area.

First, if you’re not familiar with the Snowshoe area, both Snowshoe and Silvercreek ski areas are owned by the same company and are on the same lift ticket; they are separated by a 5 min shuttle ride that the mountain has running all day between the two resorts, free of charge to use.

Second, the package for staying at the Silvercreek lodge is as a ski in/out as you can get to the Silvercreek area. If you’ve never been to the Lodge, you will enjoy getting condo type rooms in a full service hotel (restaurant, bar, ski/rental shop, child care, onsite check in lobby, etc).

Third, for most people, Silvercreek is probably the better of the two ski areas, especially if you’re more the beginner / intermediate type of skier from the perspective of wider, less crowded slopes. Although SC has some blacks, the more advance skiers will probably prefer Snowshoe, especially for their famous Cupp Run slope. Silvercreek also has the resorts only tubing hill and it’s a good one.

Fourth, starting this January, on Sunday through Thursday non-holiday stays, Snowshoe is offering an amazing web-only lift and lodging package, starting at just $111 per person, per night lodging in one of their Village Gold Junior Studio units. Enjoy additional time on the snow with your sweetheart. These reservations are going fast!  (Based on two nights, double occupancy; and one day lift ticket per person.)

Military Discounts For Ski Lodging and Lift Tickets. Snowshoe Mountain Resort is proud to honor the men and women who serve our nation, and their families who make daily sacrifices.  As a matter of their appreciation, Snowshoe is pleased to feature special discounts on lodging and ski lift tickets to active and retired military personnel and their dependents.

For additional Skiing Vacations see http://www.retreatvacations.com.

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Enjoy an all inclusive vacation with optional round trip airfare at an unbeatable luxury Cancun resort palace by booking in the next three days for the Winter and Spring season.  Enjoy the magnificent modern architecture, restaurants, entertainment, amenities,  & service of the Riu Palace Las Americas plus the beauty and culture of the Cancun  area  without spending a fortune.

Book all inclusive package with hotel or also with air with departures from over 150 airports!
CheapCaribbeans.com will use its CheapFinder Technology to find your best price for airfare.  The best prices usually occur on weekdays and non-holidays.

Riu Palace features 372 Deluxe Junior Suites in the center of Cancun’s exclusive hotel area.

From $ 135 per person per night All Inclusive! Junior Suite Travel: April 16 – 30 Book By: January 3 $20 Renova Spa Credit 2 Night Minimum Stay

Featured Vacation Packages with Air All packages include round trip airfare, hotel. Weather Protection Insurance, and $100 off coupon if it rains! Add nights to any vacation package at our exclusive discounted rates! 3 nights Travel: April 9 – 30, 2012 Book By: Dec 28, 2011 Coupon Alert! $100 Instant Savings at checkout with promo code BEACH100 + $20 RENOVA SPA Credit ~ All Inclusive from $799.00 $ 549* Top of Form Bottom of Form Image by Getty Images via @daylife After promo code $ 499.00* per person, double occupancy 3 nights Travel: January 8 – March 29, 2012 Book By: Jan 02, 2012 Coupon Alert! $100 Instant Savings at checkout with promo code BEACH100 + $20 RENOVA SPA Credit ~ All Inclusive from $959.00 $ 629* Top of Form Bottom of Form

Travel: March 28 – April 8, 2012
Book By: Dec 27, 2011
Coupon Alert! $100 Instant Savings at checkout with promo code BEACH100 + $20 RENOVA SPA Credit ~ All Inclusive from
$1129.00
$ 749*

After promo code $ 699.00* per person, double occupancy .  See

http://www.cheapcaribbean.com/core/resortAvailability/cc.2659.html

Visit  http://www.retreatvacations for other vacation packages and deals.

Ask About Our Winter Blowout Sale!
Lowest Price Of The Year

5-Star Villa del Palmar Resort.  Today Only Sale.
5 Days / 4 Nights  All-Inclusive Resort Stay
Regular rate $1585.  Today Only $399!
Includes Hotel Stay With All Meals and Drinks!
Price is per room, not per person Villa del Palmar Resort

The natural beauty and charisma of Los Cabos meets luxury accommodations and world-class amenities at this fine beachfront resort. Set right on a pristine beach just five minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, Villa del Palmar offers the perfect blend of location, intimacy, relaxation, and recreational activities.
You’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy yourself here, from the sparkling beachfront pools and whale slide to the European-style spa and fitness club.

Villa del Palmar is full service and more: there’s a full spa, fitness clubs, two restaurants, art galleries and jewelry shops, a pharmacy, a market—even scooter rentals and horseback riding! There’s so much to see and do that you might not even leave the resort.

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Let’s be honest: Most serious skiers and snowboarders will always see the resorts of the Mid-Atlantic as lesser lights than their counterparts in New England and out West. But even though we lack the sheer verticality of the Rockies, the Sierras or the White Mountains, there’s still fun to be had in the Washington region the moment the first snowflakes hit the ground. What’s more, the National Weather Service is predicting that this winter will be another La Nina season, which means lower temps and higher precipitation in the Northern Hemisphere (read: snow). To get you started planning your seasonal fun, here are our favorite winterized activities within a four-hour radius of the capital.

You don’t need serious vertical to explore the winter wonderland on a pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes, and this farm in central West Virginia, at the headwaters of the Elk River, is one of the best backcountry base camps around. More than three miles of trails snake through the 150-acre property, with another 20-plus miles weaving through neighboring Monongahela National Forest, including loops along Highland Scenic Highway. Detailed trail maps, equipment rentals and lodging are all available on-site. (And Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort is about 25 minutes away, if you yearn for a bit of lift-assisted riding.)

Information: Cross-country ski rental is $20 a day, including skis, boots and poles; snowshoes, $20 a day, $25 with boots; $5 area use fee.

U.S. 219, Slatyfork, W.Va., 304-572-3771, www.ertc.com

Pleasant Valley Dream Rides

Grab a blanket and a thermos of hot chocolate and climb aboard the sleigh for a horse-drawn ride through Duntrussen Farm, a working Amish dairy in Maryland. You’ll learn about the Amish way of life while gliding through the pastoral landscape, with the gentle mountains of Pleasant Valley as a backdrop. Tours run every hour, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., so you can opt for a brisk midday or twilight jaunt or get lost in the explosion of stars after the sun drops. And if conditions don’t cooperate, Pleasant Valley can swap in wheeled skids.

Information: Rides run $16 and depart on the hour daily except Sundays.

1689 Pleasant Valley Rd., Oakland, Md., 301-334-1688, www.pleasantvalleydreamrides.com

Husky Power Dog Sledding

Indulge your dream of racing in the Iditarod — the world’s premier dog-sledding event — without going to Alaska by visiting Mountain Maryland Kennels. First take a tour of the kennel to understand the care and responsibility that go into raising sled dogs. Then go on a 30- to 40-minute Mush Hour outing, a winding dog-sled ride through a snow-covered forest along historic logging routes and over expansive pastures. Or go big and sign up for the Musher Experience, which combines a kennel tour with a 1.5-hour outing where you get to pilot the sled. No snow? Wheel-mounted sleds replicate the cold-weather experience without the white stuff.

Information: Mush Hour costs $195 a person for two to four people; the Musher Experience runs $245 a person for a maximum of two riders. Both include the kennel

From the Washington Post.

Find ski, snowshoe, sledding, & sleigh deals with skiing vacations at www.retreatvacations.com .

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Find an attractive artist writer retreat with special rates and extended stay possibilities for individuals or groups. Located in the beautiful Allegheny Mountains in the George Washington National Forest in Virginia, it has a wide range of activities plus a world class spa, restaurants, tennis, and shopping in Hot Springs, Virginia.

• The retreat is Meadow Villas at Warm Springs is located near all the mentioned activities at an affordable price. It  is also close to  historic Jefferson Pools (natural hot springs).

• It is good for a weekend getaway, creative writing, painting, inspiration, and spiritual retreat. It is also for professors on sabbatical.  It has been described as an affordable paradise in a luxury mountain getaway.
• Find them at : http://www.meadowvillas.com/writers-artists-a-group-retreats.html

Find more artist writer retreats at

http://www.retreatvacations.com

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Find Christmas holiday getaway deals. 1.) Coral Key Beach Resort – Half Board @5,000 per person Coral Key Beach Resort is set on the beautiful white beach of Malindi called Silversand – 5 km from Malindi Town Centre. Overlooking the beach and surrounded by tropical gardens, the resort offers high class accommodation options. Make Enquiry 2.) Papillon Lagoon Reef – Full Board @KSH 5,000 per person Situated in Diani on the South Coast of Mombasa, some 40km from the Moi International Airport, Papillon Lagoon Reef is an ideal getaway for visitors looking for private holiday away from the hustle and bustle of Mombasa. Make Enquiry 3.) Nyali International Beach Hotel – Half Board @6,580 per person Located 10km from Mombasa town and about 16 km from the Moi International Airport, Nyali Beach Hotel attracts celebrities and world leaders due to its pristine glory. Make Enquiry at 

www.africapoint.com

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This is just one way Lake Genevans share the wealth.

Express interest and they’ll tell you about the wealthy Chicagoans who built summer lakeside estates here starting in the mid-1800s; how the local Playboy Club turned into Grand Geneva Resort & Spa; why it’s worth spending $6,000 a year to dismantle docks each fall (freezing water is murder on wood); and about “hard water” escapades such as ice boating.

Awaiting carryout flatbread at Sprecher’s Restaurant & Pub, I’m engaged by a third-generation Lake Genevan who tells me about free Saturday tours of Yerkes Observatory, an architectural wonder on the lake’s northwest shore that boasts the world’s largest refracting telescope. My “Sprechtangle” arrives; he suggests reconvening over coffee or a New Glarus brew to discuss a conspiracy theory linking Yerkes and the Vatican. Lesson learned: These folks love to share their good fortune — the juiciest apples, the freshest greens, the purest lake, the quaintest and quirkiest antiques.

That civic pride is in full force when I visit the Baker House, a lakeside Queen Anne restored to Gilded Age glamour. There, lifelong Lake Geneva resident Rodney Whetlow and his friends Lorraine, Helen and J.B. regale me with tales of four-season fun at the lake.

First stop: a hallway with racks of saucy vintage hats. A bystander docks one on my head. All guests must wear a hat; that’s dressing for dinner at the Baker House. Meanwhile, the staff wears period costumes complementing the sumptuous interiors of the 1885 turreted Victorian, which owner Bethany Souza revived last year as an inn, the culmination of a lifelong dream.

Over specialty cocktails (star fruit, apple), finger foods and mismatched vintage tableware, local lore flows as the setting sun is reflected in the quicksilver lake that reaches depths of 146 feet. In the background — soon to become the foreground at singalong time — Tom Stanfield, outfitted in ragtime regalia, plays yesteryear standards on piano, pocket trumpet and fluegelhorn.

Rodney describes riding motorcycles across the frozen lake, praising J.B.’s skills in studding tires for an optimal mix of traction and speed. They’ve sailed the ice as well. “Most of Geneva Lake freezes two feet below the surface, which is perfect for ice boating,” says Rodney. An ice boat has a long, narrow hull, like a kayak; its large main sail acts as an airfoil. “Sailors with good winds can reach speeds over 100 miles per hour,” Rodney explains. “Some parts of the lake, such as the Narrows, don’t freeze.” These “faults” are one to 30 feet wide. “You try to gain enough speed to jump the fault.”

By Robin Soslow, The Washington Post, Nov. 11,2011

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Newlyweds can find the “best honeymoon vacation value” off the beaten path in California.  There are many places that are great for a romantic getaway. For honeymooners there are many activities plus a wealth of opportunities for hideaways and privacy.  With beautiful climate, coastlines, desert, and mountains honeymoons can be full of memories and enjoyment.

Desert Honeymoon

Enjoy a honeymoon vacation with a casual, warm Western ambiance in the beautiful surroundings of the largest contiguous State Park in North America, the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  It covers over 600,000 acres.  it is just perfect for a relaxing getaway whether you stay at the Palm Canyon Resort (www.palmcanyonresort.com) or camp in the state park in laid -back Borrego Springs.  this very small town has no traffic lights and is bordered by rocky peaks.  It is located in the center of Anza-Desert State Park (abdsp.org), has great vistas , and  is perfect for stargazing all year long.  Its camping is rated one of the best in the United States according to “Budget Living”.

The Palm Canyon Resort features traditional honeymoon accommodations plus pull thru  and back-in RV sites.  Newlyweds can enjoy a resort omantic adventure or eco vacation while choosing from hiking, horseback riding, motor cycling, biking, off-road activities, flowers, desert excursions, golf, tennis, and astronomy.

With warm climate, clear skies, no smog or congestion the Resort includes two swimming pools,  jacuzzis, a fitness center, three different meeting rooms for parties and events,  and an amphitheater.Enjoy good food at reasonable prices at the resort Big Horn Restaurant.  It does close for a while so you may want to check before you are visiting to see if it is open. During their season (Oct.-May):Check-in time is 4:00PM to 8:00PM Sun thru Thursday. Check-out time is noon. Check-ins after hours must call before lobby has closed. There are a few other simple restaurants in town that do not close.  But, if you want really extravagant dining, you can make a scenic two hour drive to SanDiego.

Richard Choura is a travel and vacation writer.  For more information go to http://www.retreatvacations.com