Funky, stylish and built to last, the new line of 
Jansport backpacks are in! These bags combine fashion-forward looks and the latest features. And they are, of course, designed for ergonomic comfort. New patterns with names like World of Hearts, Chocolate Chip Pink Daiquiri, and Graffiti are sure to delight and make studying easier. Many have compartments for laptops! They are super light, and have multi pockets and organizers. The Big Student backpack has S-curved straps for support and comfort when carrying all of those books and papers. Some of the models even have wheels for easy rolling over multiple surfaces. Jansport even has messenger bags with names like Elefunk. These have the padded back panels and adjustable padded shoulder straps. There’s even a water bottle pocket and cell phone slot. Don’t let the crazy colors and names fool you. The Boost backpack model has a capacity of 2300 cubic inches of space! Each bag is built with the strength and durability you’ve come to expect from Jansport. They are all specially priced on our “bag-to-school” sale with savings up to 50%.
May 13th, 2008
The word is out. Mesa Red luggage by 
Vera Bradley will be the next color to retire. This is one of the prettiest colors available in luggage. The bright red color is a deep rich shade. Lightweight and practical, women of all ages are proud to be seen traveling with this elegant luggage. The Mesa Red luggage is on special for a limited time. It has all of the most convenient sizes available. There’s a 26″ Pullman, a 22″ carry on, a 22″ rolling duffel bag, a 26″ rolling duffel, a 19″ international carry on, and a 17″ rolling tote. All of the cases have an add-a-bag strap to piggyback another case. The tote slides over the pull up handle on all the sizes. It’s easy for one person to carry two or three cases together and wheel everything in one hand. The exterior color coordinates with the interior fabric. The Dupont coated exterior provides extra protection against soiling and staining. The patterns complement each other for elegance not usually found in luggage. Vera Bradley luggage has telescoping handles of lightweight aircraft grade aluminum, in line skate wheels, and Bengaline piping to protect all zippers, corners and edges. Inside the cases are multiple compartments and zippered pockets. Ladies, if red is your color, don’t wait! Add to or complete your collection now! This red is my favorite, and looks wonderful wherever your travels take you.
May 9th, 2008
These are the 2008 best golf resorts based on an online poll and the editors at Golf.com. Newsday reported the resorts, and some of these are probably your favorites too!
1. The American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin
2. Sea Island Resort, Sea Island, Georgia
3. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Oregon
4. The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
5. Pebble Beach Resorts, Pebble Beach, California
6. Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, North Carolina
7. The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado
8. The Boulders, Caarefree, Arizona
9. Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
10. Four Seasons Resort, Lana’i at Manele Bay, Lana’i, Hawaii
May 8th, 2008
These are the top ten beach resorts for families on a budget as reported from Parents magazine. You may have visited some of these yourselves, and some may be your favorites!
1. Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya, Bahamas
2. Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
3. South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island, Florida
4. Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
5. Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, Florida
6. Beaches Negril Resort and Spa, Jamaica
7. Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hawaii
8. Ocan Edge Resort & spa, Brewster, Massachusetts
9. Loews Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa, San Diego, California
10. Rio Mar Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
May 7th, 2008
Yes, the sad news is airlines are charging more for extras that used to be included in the airline fare. Be on the look out for fees for checking a second bag. Several of the airlines are charging for this second bag including golf clubs. Currently, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways charge for a second bag. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Air Canada will add charging for a second bag beginning sometime this month or within the next few months. U.S. Airways is charing more for “choice seats.” Jet Blue and United are charging more for seats with extra leg room. Delta Airlines is charging more for baggage that goes over the weight and size limit. They will charge you for the extra bag, the over the size limit and the overweight bag. They will actually add three separate surcharges. American Airlines will charge you $3.00 for a snack of potato chips, or a chocolate chip cookie. Frontier Airlines has the same $3.00 snack fee. U.S. Airways announced that they will charge you for a new ticket if you miss your flight. You no longer can just wait to fly standby. U. S Air will also charge for a “choice seat” which is a window or aisle seat in the first few rows in coach. These seats do not give you any extra room, they are just closer to the exit. Almost every airline has a weight restriction. Some have a weight restriction on carry on bags as well. If you want to avoid the surcharges, be sure to check with your airline. Each one seems to have different regulations. What may be free, or a small fee, can be quite expensive on another airline. The regulations change, so even if you were on that airline several months ago, you might want to check prior to your next flight. Keep in mind that many of the luggage companies have 27″ sized Pullmans. These give you a little extra room, and usually keep within the fifty pound maximum weight limit. Prolite, Swiss Army Werks and Mosaic Travel Gear are three of the more popular brands featuring this size. And, good news is there’s still lots of wonderful places to visit! Just be practical, and realize that we are all being affected by higher fuel prices.
May 6th, 2008
High Sierra has introduced a great line of casual luggage. This is the ATQ Series in a durable, lightweight construction. They roll through airports and have the added feature of converting from a wheeled piece to a backpack. The carry on luggage sized backpack with wheels also has a removable day backpack. You can sling or wheel to your destination. Then just zipper the day backpack off and use it for your sightseeing excursions! Their large 32″ wheeled duffel also can convert to a backpack. The large interior also separates into two sections for better organization when packing. You can also put dressier clothes in the bottom half, or use it for shoes and toiletries. It weighs only 12.4 pounds for this large roomy case. High Sierra also has a computer case with wheels. This is also in the convenient carry on luggage size. It weights a mere eight pounds and will protect up to a 17″ computer. The zippered front pocket has a business organizer for easy eaccess to documents, cell phone, boarding pass, etc. Everyone can enjoy traveling with this versatile luggage!
May 1st, 2008
It must be the Landor & Hawa Hardside Luggage. This super lightweight luggage is made of ABS/polycarbonate shell, which offers high impact protection when traveling. The expansion adds up to 25% to the packing capacity of each Pullman case. There’s a curved aluminum push and pull-telescoping handle. This allows you the push luggage along as well as pulls it behind you. The corner transparent ball bearing wheels offer stability when wheeling over different surfaces. Each Pullman has a luggage tag for I.D. and an add-a-bag strap to connect another smaller piece. This allows you to wheel more than once case through busy airport, bus and train terminals. There’s also stitched and padded top and side handles for comfort when lifting these cases into a car, or off a luggage carousel. These polka dot cases are really lightweight luggage! The 27″ expandable case weighs in at an even ten pounds while the expandable 21″ carry on is only seven pounds twelve ounces. This if fun, durable luggage for all the young at heart!
April 30th, 2008
Anyone who has traveled recently knows how busy the airports and airlines have been. 2007 was a record year and 2008 seems to be on track to be even busier. The top spots predicted for 2008 are (reported by Newsday):
Latin America - The dollar goes far, and Travelocity has reported bookings to Guatemala up considerably.
Canada - This was the number 2 destination for U.S. travel abroad in 2006. Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympics, so it is predicted to be popular again in 2008.
Asia - Travel by U.S. residents to Asia was up 8.6 percent in the first nine months of 2007. China was the 10th most visited country in 2006 by Americans traveling aboard (according to the Commerce Department.)
Vacation Activities - Domestic travel is popular, and many vacationers are planning short trips of 4 or 5 days. Domestic travel usually benefits from the weak dollar. Lonely Planet, the guidebook publisher, picked the United States as its No. 1 destination for 2008. The United States has always been a favorite of mine. There’s so much to see and visit and learn about our own country. Yahoo! Travel predicted more trips to “small, weekend type destinations, with people staying closer to home and doing shorter getaways.” Don’t forget that Alaska and Hawaii are part of our great country and wonderful vacation and sightseeing sites.
April 23rd, 2008
What are some of the ways to check airline fares for those traveling on a budget or watching what they’re spending? You can check with each airline individually by either calling or checking their website. Remember that there is generally a fee when you book by calling the airlines that you can save when booking on line. However, some of the websites also have a booking fee. Keep in mind that travel agents are also a good source of budget fares, but some may charge for booking so ask before booking your ticket. Travel agents can also give many good suggestions if you are not traveling directly from point A to point B.
Check out the following websites as suggested by The Washington Post:
www.cheapflights.com
www.kayak.com
www.expedia.com
www.orbitz.com
www.travelocity.com
www.hotwire.com
www.priceline.com
www.smartertravel.com
www.independenttrtaveler.com
www.budgettravel.com
www.travelzoo.com
Some of the sites also offer fare alerts. Check expedia.com, kayak.com, orbitz.com and travelocity.com for this service. Also, for last minute specials try lastminute.com. Farecast.com will make predictions on airline fares. They also offer a Fare Guard that will lock in a price for one week. Farecompare.com and SideStep.com also will give you fare trends. I generally book my ticket on line directly with the airline I plan to fly. However, I have used the kayak.com site when looking for a fare to a destination that I do not travel often. I have found their website to be quick and easy to use.
April 22nd, 2008
For those of you who have not read the articles in the newspaper, there have been some changes in airline regulations. Notably, Delta Airlines has announced the following:
Carrying a pet in the cabin will cost $100 instead of $75.00.
Oversized bag fee (more than 62″ length plus height plus width) will be $150 instead of $100.
Unaccompanied minor fee will be $100 on all flights instead of $50 for non-stop flights and $100 for connecting flights.
There will be a $25.00 each way charge for a second bag on NorthWest, United Airlines and Delta.
These rules apply to coach, and were reported by the Seattle times travel writer and New York Newsday.
Check with your airline to avoid changes in regulations and to avoid these extra charges.
April 21st, 2008
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