TopDawg Travel

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So often we think we need to save up our vacation time and go “somewhere”.  So we either never go anywhere or we wait for that two or three weeks of vacation time to accumulate.  Then off we go to a foreign land, a remote island in the Pacific, the grand tour of Europe (i.e., 14 cities in 5 countries in 14 days), or languish in our own backyard, doing chores and wondering what happened to the “grand vacation”.

 

 

 

Since our family no longer accrues “vacation” days, or “sick” days or PTO (personal time off) days, we are learning to take the long weekend and turn it into mini-vacations.  One might wonder about a travel agent/travel advisor/travel consultant who does not take every opportunity to go on those so-called “free” trips that the industry is so noted for.

There are several reasons:

• Those trips are not “free”.  Usually air fares are not covered and if they are, there are still the fees the airlines insist upon charging (whether baggage fees, food and drinks on the plane, Wi-Fi, entertainment,etc.), the cost of meals not included, tips to housekeeping and busboys, and always something you do not expect.
• Those trips take time away from the family.
• These trips are not “vacations” – they are work and hard work at that.  On the “fams”, you are expected to see hotels, destinations, properties, events and restaurants.  You are up early in the morning, walking shoes on the feet and notepads and cameras in hand as you head out to view as many as 10 hotels and numerous restaurants and facilities.  It can be exhausting as you tumble into bed late in the evening, knowing you have to get up and do it again the next day. (My other half used to think I was going on a vacation till he went with me a couple of times and now says he would just as soon stay home with the dog as to go trek around at a hectic and exhausting pace with me.)

So as a family, we have become committed to finding the really interesting three- and four-day trips that we can do by car or train or even bus.  In order for the TopDawg to go along, it means a car trip.  If he stays home, public transportation is a viable alternative.  We just did a three day trip to Portland, OR by Amtrak Cascades.  A very relaxing way to get to Portland. Instead of the I-5 hassles, we sat back, drank our tea and coffee and surfed the Internet via the free Wi-Fi on the Cascades train.  Watching the cars streaming down I-5 towards Portland made me very happy to be on board a train.

Look around and see what is within a comfortable travel distance from your home and start thinking about those lovely two, three and four day weekends and what you can do to unwind and relax without waiting for the vacation/PTO/sick days to accumulate!

Here are some links to articles about Fall Activity related trips from around the country that might interest you…..

Autumn Apple Tours in Southernmost Illinois

Experiencing Santa Fe in the Fall

Two Chicago Area Farms Features Mazes and Pumpkins

Fall Fruit Picking at Battleview Orchards, Freehold NJ

Imagine strolling hand-in-hand along a sandy crescent beach, dotted with palms, against a backdrop of whitewashed cottages at Half Moon on Jamaica’s northern coast.  With 400 acres featuring beautifully landscaped gardens, the charming white washed cottages set along two miles of private white sand beach create the perfect environment for a Valentine’s Day celebration for 2011.  Half Moon has been setting the pace for a luxury vacation in the Caribbean for over 50 years.  If you are thinking of a destination wedding, vow renewal, honeymoon or romantic getaway, you will be walking in the footsteps of some very famous people from over the past 50+ years.

Read more about this lovely resort and location

Key words at the Fern Tree Spa® – wellness, bliss, relaxation, rejuvenation. The Fern Tree Spa® is 68,000 square feet of an indoor/outdoor sanctuary which is inspired by the surrounding lush landscape and led by a modern day shaman or Elder. You will find your mind and your body being rejuvenated and refreshed while relaxing and releasing the worries of the everyday world. This luxurious spa houses a relaxation lounge, a yoga pavilion, sauna and steam rooms as well as a meditation labyrinth.

Read more about the Fern Tree Spa at Half Moon

Seattle is a great place to visit,  filled with art and sculptures on the streets, excellent restaurants and helpful folks who are happy to point out how to get to your destination.   Seattle has metropolitan staff on the street in the spring, summer and fall, keeping the streets clean and offering directions to anyone who asks.  There are horse-drawn carriages,  hop-on-and-off buses, and a free-ride zone between the waterfront to the freeway (roughly) and from the International District to the edge of Belltown on the Metro bus system. Seattle is very visitor friendly and during the cruise season, there are many things to do while you are in town both pre-cruise and post-cruise. Read more….

Disney Cruise Line® announced selected itineraries for 2012, including the maiden voyage of its fourth ship, the 4000-passenger Disney Fantasy™ , scheduled to set sail on April 7, 2012 , offering 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Fla.  Read more…..