Family Trip Deals

My husband and I went to Italy last January. In my opinion, it was one of the best times to go. The high tourist season is during the summer, so tourism is down. It was so easy to see the sights. In addition, because we traveled at the beginning of January, it was still “holiday season” for Italians since they celebrate the Epiphany (Three Kings Day). It was wonderful because so many Italian families were taking holiday at the time, and we had a true cultural experience. The beginning of January is a big time for families there, and in Florence on Three Kings Day there was a big family festival.

Take advantage of this time period with your family, and save money, too!

The following is a great travel deal on go-today.com:

Rome, Venice, Florence, Italy
Travel dates: Select dates between November through March

Take your pick between Italy’s 3 most popular cities for a 4-night vacation, each starting at $599. Whether you choose Rome, Florence or Venice, what really makes this affordable is the add-on pricing from cities across the U.S. The lead price is from New York, but many other departure cities are offered at equally compelling prices (see below for more on this).

This package includes:

* R/T airfare to Rome, Venice or Florence
* 4 nights hotel accommodations
* Daily breakfast
* Hotel taxes & service charges
* Airline fuel surcharges

To get the lowest price, depart out of New York on select Wednesday/Thursday dates, November 1 through March 7. Check out the add-ons (pricing varies, depending on exact itinerary): Boston … +$20-$40; Washington DC … +$20-$100; Chicago … +$20-$100; Los Angeles … +$20(!)-$160; San Francisco … +$140-$180.

Click here for full details or to book directly with go-today.com. Or call 1-800-227-3235 to make your reservations over the phone.

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Beaches all-inclusive family resorts includes all the fun, adventure, and luxury that families want most, elevating the family vacation to world-class standards on the Caribbean’s best beaches. And now kids can share their vacation with Elmo and friends with Beaches’ exclusive Caribbean Adventures with Sesame Street.

Now, at the following resorts, save up to 45% off the usual rates (click on the resort name for more information):

Beaches Boscobel in Ocho Rios, Jamaica (from $558/person)
Beaches Negril in Negril, Jamaica (from $578/person)
Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril, Jamaica (from $522/person)
Beaches Turks & Caicos (from $615/person)

You can also visit their website at Beaches.com.

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Here is a link to 40 great vacation deals. Act soon, and you could save some money and go to some great places!

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I’ve mentioned Priceline before and the strategies that one should use to get the best price on that service.

Another site to keep in mind if in desperation for a good deal and priceline doesn’t appear to be working: Hotwire.

There is no auction behind Hotwire. It justs gives you a price and star rating for a hotel, and you decide if you want to buy. After you buy, the name of the hotel is revealed to you.

Usually, if you see a price on Hotwire, you can get the same quality of hotel on Priceline for about 20-30% less. (Or, in the case of cars, this also applies!) However, Hotwire occasionally has some hotels that do not come up often on Priceline. For example, Hilton Hotels seem to come up frequently on Hotwire, while Hyatts appear more on Priceline. (if you are searching for three stars and higher) If you are targeting to get a “certain” hotel chain, it is good to know which service might produce the best result.

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Check out these links on Sky Auction for vacation rentals over the next couple months that may auction off for $1. (Plus $195 administration fee…read the print at the end of the auction)

2 Bedroom Condo in Orlando–Choose from selected dates in October, November and December

Princeville, Kauai 1 Bedroom Condo-October

2 Bedroom Condo at Sheraton’s Vistana Resort-Selected Dates in November and December

Studio in Lake Tahoe-Selected Dates in November and December

I highly recommend Sky Auction for looking for vacation rental deals. You have to be vigilent, but offers pop up all the time. My thinking is they have a deal with RCI, who is one of the largest timeshare trading partners. When a vacation rental falls through, RCI puts it up for “auction” to get what they can for it.

My husband and I have been to Hawaii twice for $200 for a two bedroom condo, so this is legitimate. It was just a property that fell through at the last minute.

Other than for great rental deals, my advice is make sure you read the fine print in every Sky Auction auction. There are always “hidden fees”, which is one of the reasons I never use them except to find vacation rentals. And then, you may find a steal!

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Many of you are probably familiar with priceline.com, where you bid to get air travel, rental cars and hotels at great rates. However, did you know there is a strategy behind using priceline to secure the best deal possible?

Go to www.biddingfortravel.com, and spend some time reading that site in detail.

Because of this site, our family has secured four and five star hotel rooms from $40 to $60 a night in cities like San Francisco, San Diego, and Miami. I have gotten rental cars for around $15 a day. Make sure you read the FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and spend some time reading posts in the cities you are interested in. It has been a definite money saver for us!

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