Country Roads - Take You Home on Your Next #Vacation

Have you ever wanted to go on a Road Trip?  Well it is not to late to start planning. a fantastic Vacation that will spark the interest of every family member.    Many people don't know where to start and this is where I can help you.

Get out an Atlas or your computer and plot out an area that you would love to explore.  It always help if you have some land marks, points of Interest, Lakes or National Park and Monuments.  The US is so filled with National Treasures that you will find a Nation Park in almost every state. Some people are taking trips and doing Genealogy and studying some family History.  There are lots of Road Trips that will allow you to do some Winery Tours, Cave or Caverns exploration, State or National Parks, checking out lighthouses.  What Interests YOU and just expand on it. 

One sample of a Great Road trip is to plan on attending a Family Reunion, but you can always include some sites of interest along the way.  To have a Great Road Trip there are just a few helpful hints.  Country Roads Take you home to where your Family Ancestors came from.  Secondary Roads offer a chance to get off those Freeways and start seeing what this country is all about.

Road Trips Tips:

1.  Rent a Car.  This will allow unlimited mileage and these vehicles are well maintained for less mechanical problems

2.  Get an updated Road Atlas, don't use a 20 year old Atlas as there will be some New Roads that have been created

3.  Drive a long distance on your first day of your trip,.  Most families aren't use to driving long hours, but if you do it mostly over a two day period then you will have more time to see the sites

4.  Always have your passport along with you.  You Can Not drive into Canada or Mexico without one.  You will be very disappointed if you are going along and then you find out for example that you would like to explore the back side of Glacier National Park, and you realize it is in CANADA. Be prepared to make some changes in your route.

5.  Hotels.  This is my best advise.  Be sure to know what discounts that you qualify for and when planning a route, estimate where you might need to stop for the night.  Call ahead around 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm.  Having an advanced reservation will allow you to get the best rate, plus you will find availability.  We found that when you are traveling across country and you come to a Large Cross Roads out in the middle of NO WHERE Hotels will be FULL.

6.  Cell Phones, First Aide Kits, extra Blankets and pillows.  If you have two drivers it is very helpful to have some comforts of home to get some sleep before you have another driving shift. (don't forget those chargers, Computers and traveling apps to help you get the driving times between Major Cities.

7.  Site Seeing is a personal thing so I will have to leave that up to your imagination.  We enjoy the National Parks as they provide learning experiences for the kids, magnificent beauty for the Camera Buffs and some amazing learning centers to become educated on wild life and wild flowers native to the area.

These are just a few tips I, as a Travel Agent would like to provide for that Road Trip that you put off until now.  Happy and Safe Travels.

Jeanne Felix, Travel Agent
Hearts on the Go Travel,
Division of Cordially Yours Travel
California registered Seller of Travel #1013939-40
http://www.travelatheart.com
http://www.facebook.com/travelagentjeannefelix

Traveling and Making Use of Your Free Time on Vacation

When sitting at an airport is a perfect time to keep you informed about my Travel Thoughts.  You have lots of free time at the airport and in between your flights.  International Flights offer the best quality time to make great use of your personal travel needs.  The Idea is to make use of your Free Time on Vacation.

Make sure that you have signed up for the Frequent Flyer programs and pay attention that you have called in the Frequent Flyer Number.  Most airlines have several Travel Partners that will give you mileage for your flights.  Example  US AIR is a partner with United, so you can earn Mileage Plus credits for you US AIR itinerary.  Every flight adds up and I highly recommend signing up for the larger carrier Frequent Flyers Programs to take advantage of increasing your value of your flight.  Lots of Mileage earns you a free flight.

Arrive early enough so that you can check your last minute emails and get caught up with your social media platforms.  There are some great platforms that offer you the opportunity to post information while you are away.  Hootesuite.com and Bundlepost.com are some of the ones that I use and are great for keeping you live while you are on Vacation.  Try them out and you will be amazed how can keep current with the Media World.

Call last minute reminders to family and friends (take time to make sure that you have wished your best friends a Happy Birthday etc or plant an ideas of traveling with you friends next trip).

Get the latest news and travel updates.  Example flooding in Europe that has caused the cancellation of a River Boat Cruise.  Recently there have been 3 sailing dates that have been cancelled due to weather and Flooding.  Keep in front of your itinerary with weather and travel advisories.

Check in for your flights early and allow some time to start reading that great book that has you name all over it.

Keeping informed is the best thing you can do to make your travels go smoother and hassle free.  Happy and Safe Travels

Jeanne Felix, .
Travel Agent
http://www.travelatheart.com
http://www.facebook.com/travelagentjeannefelix
@travelatheart - Twitter

The Galapagos Islands - Unique and Exotic Vacation Idea

Have you ever wondered where you want to go next on Vacation?  The world is at your disposal and awaiting your visit. There are so many wonderful places to explore and not every destination is easy to get to.  One of the places that come to mind is the Galapagos Islands.  It is highly recommended to allow a minimum of one day before and after your 7 day cruise.  The flights arrive late in the day and you will want to rest up a minimum of one day in Quito.  The city is a registered Uneco Site and offers lots of exploration for your family.

 

There are things to see and do on the Islands and one of them is experience them by cruising.  We recently attended a seminar on the Galapagos Islands and I believe that it would  be a great idea to travel on Celebrity Cruise Lines.  They offer two excursions per day and they completely immersed you with an experience that you only dreamed about.  There are over 1900 species of animals that can only be found in Galapagos Islands.  How fun would it be to experience an island where the animals respect you as a welcomed visitor.   The natural wild life is very tame and  there are species that you can only see on these islands.  The wild life has adapted to their environment. 

On Celebrity Cruise Lines you will experience the true meaning of “ALL INCLUSIVE.”  The ship is a small ship that holds 100 people and that is an important point on this vacation.  You can purchase an additional excursion for Scuba Diving and Internet access.  It is great to be one with nature on a vacation and many people need something Unique and Exotic.   There are 3 levels of excursions offered daily and depending on the intensity of workout you can rest assured that you will not be disappointed on this Fantastic Vacation.  The Cruise is NOT Recommended for people with disabilities due to the constraints of traveling by Kodiak Boats between the ship and the islands.  Just like to keep people informed. 

This would be an experience as a Once in a Lifetime Vacation for the Young at Heart.  Happy Travels and if you need help planning your Cruise to the Islands, just give me a call  Jeanne Felix  at Hearts on the Go Travel, a Division of Cordially Yours Travel  916 768-0210 or http://www.travelatheart.com    CST 1013939-40

Let a Travel Agent help you plan this wonderful experience but plan this trip well in advance.  Most cruises are sold out and you need to be flexible with your dates.  Hope you will find some time in your life to take a Unique and Exotic Vacation to the Galapagos Islands.  

#Vacation Doesn't Mean You Have to #Travel Far - Enjoy Your Own Neighborhood - Enjoy NATIONAL PARK WEEK FREE

Lots of people spend so much time planning and saving money for a future Fascinating #Vacation to an Exotic Island or go visiting a new Country.  I have found some of best experiences of Traveling right here in my own State.  California offers so much beauty and you can go from the Pacific Ocean to the Beautiful Sierra Mount Destinations in a matter of hours.  Your own backyard can be a new playground.

Vacation is described as time away from the ordinary conditions, something new or refreshing to allow some personal time to regroup.  Recharging your love of life is a common feature of Vacation.  TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE AND VACATION NOW.  Take you favorite dog out for a walk in your neighborhood and get some fresh air and exercise.  Most people are active running from here to there without having a plan or direction.  Don't worry, it's not to late to Just Get Outside and Enjoy what there is to See.

I bet if you GOOGLE things to do in your own city or location you will discover "Lots of  New Things to Do, See and Explore. I know that this week there are plenty of things to do and experience in the National Parks around the USA.  Discover where you can visit by visiting the following website provided by the National Park Service  http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm  The National Parks offer so variety and family fun. Plan to visit a NATIONAL PARK THIS WEEK FREE.... April 22 - April 26, 2013.  Start planning and just do it.

I visit local lakes and city parks that are absolutely Free.  Please take some quality time with your favorite family and friends and just enjoy your own VACATION in Your Local NEIGHBORHOOD.  Visit the local Chamber of Commerce and find what is available in your own town or state to explore.  California has some great information that they provide visitors.Take advantage of the free maps that are available to you by just visiting the local Chamber of Commerce.

Time is Ticking and you still have time to make today tomorrow's memories.  Remember you build memories everyday and why not take some precious time out to #Vacation in Your Own Neighborhood.  Flowers, Creeks and Lakes await your visit and why not take advantage of the Great Weather.

Traveling and Vacation with Mom - You can Still Have the Best Meal in Town

Vacation with family and friends is quite popular with our family.  Mom love to travel and we always include her in the planning of our trips.  What is great is that no matter what location or Destination you visit for #Vacation - Mom always can whip together some of the best meals.  Often Mom can make the best meal in town and can be challenged with new locations.  Be it from Christmas Cookies or Apple Strudel we are always spoiled by Mom's Wonderful Cooking.

We have been doing the Hawaii Circuit for 30 years and Thanksgiving in Hawaii is quite easy.  Turkey or Ham are easy to find, mom located the yams and apples for Apple Strudel all came together to make the best Holiday Meal.

When in Mexico we had Turkey Tacos and that was a different twist on a Thanksgiving away from home.  Many restaurants offer holiday meals catered to the Tourist visiting from afar.  This is smart to have some great meals on this list to cater to visiting customers.  

Holidays in Europe offer so many different opportunities.  You can go to the Christmas Markets in Germany and find everything you need to make a local cuisine into a masterpiece.  Check out the Christmas Markets http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_market.  If you are in Ireland what a fun time to celebrate any occasion in a Pub. 

Remember when globe trotting you need to know what is going on in the area and just plan around the local festivities and plan some local meals with food from the local markets.  This is a fun way to check out the street fairs and the local offerings at the Flea Markets.  When in Hawaii you will see some of the most beautiful flowers grown locally.  They are amazing.

Happy Travel and remember you are what you eat so make it good.

What Makes Cruising a Great #Vacation

Vacation and Cruising Go Hand in Hand.  Cruising is for all ages and if you pick the appropriate cruise line with exciting destination for your #Vacation you will have a win win situation.  There are cruises for every length of #Vacation that you want to experience.  There are some cruises that are one day up to 150 days which will be your world cruises.  I tell people if you are cruising somewhere for the first time, be sure to pick an interesting destination like Alaska.  Alaska is a fairly easy sell as most people have it on their bucket list.  You can do round trip cruises out of Seattle and airport transfers are quite easy.  If you do a one directional cruise you can always add a tour on to the end of the cruise and see some interesting site and animals that are present around Denali National Park.  You will not be disappointed with an Alaskan Cruise.

With a more active group of Travelers I suggest taking an Caribbean or European Cruise.  The itineraries are endless and you can see many ports within a 7 to 14 day.  My Travel Tip for an European Cruise is to take as much time as you can due to the airfares being high during certain times of the year.  The season vary based on the Ports that you visit want to visit, so now is a good time to start planning for 12 to 18 month in advance.  When you plan for a cruise well in advance it allows you to pay in payments that work with your budget.  Plan Early and get discounts and cabin credits. I highly recommend consulting with a Travel Agent. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.  Jeanne Felix   http://www.travelatheart.com or find me on facebook at http://facebook.com/travelagentjeannefelix.

Cruising Tip:  You must always be willing to relax and read book in between all the fun activities and ports of call.   You will never be bored on board if you pick a Cruise with lots of Ports.

The beauty of cruising is that you unpack once and will be treated with first class service if you pick the correct Cruise Lines.  I personally like Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and have never been disappointed on any of the itineraries that we have experienced.

Cruising for a special occasion or for a family reunion is the perfect time to book your cruise as a group.  We can assist with making special party arrangements or activities preapproved personally designed for your group.  Group Cruises and help for paying for the Organizer's cruise fare or this is called the Tour Conductor.

Be sure that your passport is up to date and I advise every passenger double check before booking their cruise.  Need to apply for a  US passport find information at this website  for first time passport applicants http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html  If you need to renew your existing passport check the following website http://travel.state.gov/passport/renew/renew_833.html

Time is ticking and you only have One Lifetime to see this wonderful world.

Jeanne Felix
Travel Agent
http://www.travelatheart.com

The Living Desert - Amazing Day Trip Excursion in Palm Desert CA

Everyone has been to a Zoo or a Botanical Garden, but have you visited The Living Desert.  We were hosted by the Administration to visit and learn more about The Living Desert first hand.  The Living Desert is quite up to date with their social media.  Please find them located at  https://www.facebook.com/TheLivingDesert or one their webpage   http://www.livingdesert.org/

You enter the welcoming grounds and you will not believe the variety of displays that you will see.  One of my favorite exhibits was the Palm Oasis and Walk Through Aviary.  The variety of birds that you can admire and you feel like you just walked into a Oasis.  Before we arrived to the Palm Oasis, we walked through the Butterfly Garden.  This time of year we didn't see very many butterflies but the ones we did see where following us all over the place.

 The Palm Oasis was one of my personal favorites.

The other Exhibit that caught my attention was the Eagle Canyon Aviaries and the magnificent birds on display.  This park has something for every family member.  There are plenty of hands on exhibits for the little kids and large animals to entertain the older kids.  The park has many resting places for everyone to enjoy lunch or just grab some cool to drink.

It was fun to see families taking their time wandering in and out of different Animal Exhibits.  Another great exhibits was the Sand Cat.  This little guy has adapted to the Desert surroundings and looks like your everyday house cat.   When you head south you will walk by Big Horn Mountain and there was a good number of Big Horns and the written information helps you to understand how old each animal is by their horns.

My only disappointment was that the Giraffe's and ostrich's take themselves off display around 4:15 pm and during the winter/spring you will miss them if you don't start there first.  Why not make a full day trip out to The Living Desert.  There are some Special Exhibits and currently there is a Garden Railroad Exhibit that is quite interesting for ages from the infants all the way up to the Senior -Big Kids. The Living Desert is a grand place to spend some quality time with you favorite family and friends. There are several ways that you can help to keep Exhibits going is to donate by visiting or you can get involved with their programs.  No matter how much you enjoy parks, you will NOT BE DISAPPOINTED in the beauty of the natural flowers, exhibits or hands on programs for the kids.  Happy Travels and enjoy the Living Desert for your Self.    The hours vary during the different seasons so be sure to contact them to make sure that the exhibits are open. Here is a schedule of events that is located on their webpage:   http://www.livingdesert.org/calendar.php

Thank you for a Wonderful Experience

Jeanne and George Felix
Hearts on the Go Travel
http://www.travelatheart.com