Save on weekend getaways, vacation packages, airfare and hotels
More info and booking options can be founds at 5DayTrips.com
For those Galveston cruise ship passengers looking for a unique beginning or end to their cruise, I’ve just completed a complete rebuild of our short term vacation rental property “Sunset Bungalow.”
This property is completely new inside and out with deluxe resort style accommodations. Located on the fringe of Jubilee Bay on Galveston’s West End, you’ll enjoy an unparalleled view of prime Galveston Bay wetlands with magnificent Sunsets 337 day a year… the kind you see in Key West. With room for 8-10 guests, Sunset Bungalow includes amenities you can’t find in a local hotel. Things like fishing from a private boat dock, plenty of room for everyone to stretch out, completely stocked video and reading library and kayaks to name just a few. We’ve also included two huge front and rear decks to enjoy those awesome one of a kind sunsets.
A major benefit to renting a vacation home like ours is you are able to save a lot of money by not eating out. Prepare all your meals in our fully equipped gourmet kitchen or fire up the barbie and create your own delicacy.
Sunset Bungalow is located in Jamaica Beach, a quick drive to or from the Galveston Cruise terminal. Seven Seas grocery is less than a five minute drive for easy shopping. The Village of Jamaica Beach has it’s own restaurants, convenience stores, post office, and police - fire departments for any type of emergency.
But, lets don’t forget the beach. Jamaica Beach has it’s own stretch of beautiful sandy beach. And one of the best things about it is that it’s away from all the crowds of Galveston beaches. Enjoy a nice nice walk or take a quick 3 minute drive. Note: Jamaica beach is known to be a prime sharks teeth hunting ground.
Galveston cruise ship passengers now have a fantastic option to begin or end their cruise. Sunset Bungalow can accommodate 8 easily. The lower unit (the bunkhouse) has a full trundle bed and will sleep an additional 2 people. 4 BR/ 3 Bath in all.
For rates and rental info click this link: Sunset Bungalow
Take a few minutes and copy these great tips for saving money on your next Cruise from Galveston…
1- Book early or very last minute.
2- Have more taken out of checks
3- Take advantage of banks debit/credit card policies. Some will round up purchases and place the change in savings. Other may match the amount.
4- Have $25 every paycheck sent straight to a savings account.
5- Use the Internet to your advantage. Search a trip to death. Use forums, boards and other sites to find the best deal on hotels and car rentals.
6- Take a plastic 5 gallon water jug and have everyone drop their change there. Savings could equal several nice shore excursions.
7- Request overtime around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
8- Use a portion of your Tax refund after paying other bills.
9- Buy a little at a time, i.e., one month pay down the deposit the next buy equipment like snorkel gear. Later buy clothes when on sale. Another month pay for excursions. Another month renew passport and so on.
10- Pay with paper bills, and drop the balance into your “cruise jar.” If you pay for milk at a convenience store at $3.48, when you get home drop the balance into you cruise jar.
11- Pre-buy drink coupons.
12- When shopping at your grocery outlets use coupons. Put the saving into your cruise account.
13- Use a cruise line credit card and then build up points use them for your next cruise. Be sure to pay off c/ceach statement to avoid costly interest penalties.
14- If you have work related travel, use miles and hotel points to offset travel expenses to and from a port. Pay the bill in full each month and bank what you’ve earned both on the credit cards and the “frequent”
mileage/points. It’s like getting a double payback!
15- Kick your ‘Bucks’ habit. Instead brew your own specialty coffees and teas and take them to work.
16- Use a credit Union or Bank ‘CoinStar’ machine. Usually they’re set to give you 100% back vs. keeping 8% at most grocery stores.
17- Bring drink mixes and mix with water to save on sodas, coffee or tea purchases
18- Booking tips: Book well in advance. Book during an online sale. Book off season. Go Moderate! Don’t think your trip will be more fun if you book a suite or eat at specialty restaurants, etc.
19- Clean out your closets and garages once a year and have a sale.
20- Become a great shopper. Learn to coupon buy, shop late evenings when things get marked down, buy sale only stuff, etc. Learn to save and budget.
I’ve put together a great book on budgeting for vacations. It’s chocked full of money and time saving tips that will have you vacationing ‘debt free.’ For a limited time, you’ll also receive a FREE copy of another 10 page report on money saving travel tips. In this economy, who can’t afford every money saving tactic for their next vacation. www.VacationBudgeting.com
…on entertainment value. Yes! Galveston, TX is fast becoming the cruise mecca for honeymooners, families on a budget and women looking for a fantastic girlfriend getaway vacation. Centrally located and an easy drive from just about anywhere, the three main cruise ships leaving the Port of Galveston offer one of the best vacation values found anywhere. Cruises from Galveston are priced from the mid $200’s to a little over $1000 depending on which ship you book.
Cruising is a great way to relax and enjoy the awesome ambiance the huge vessels offer up. There is something for everyone in your group including passengers needing special assistance. Galveston cruise ship itineraries include the Bahamas, Key West, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras and Belize.
Depending on your travel budget and the level of luxury you want , I’m listing the ships in order of expected cost.
Economy minded travelers may find Cruise Ship_Carnival Cruise Lines_Carnival Ecstasy to be in line with their budget.
In the middle of cruise prices from Galveston, you might consider the Cruise Ship_Carnival Cruise Lines_Carnival Conquest
And finally, consider Cruise Ship_Royal Caribbean Int._Voyager of the Seas for a luxury cruise out of Galveston
You can’t go wrong with any ship you decide to book going out of Galveston as they all fill a specific need for their cruise customers. I recommend getting your family and friends together for a planning party this weekend. Consider everyone’s input and decide on one of these wonderful cruise vacations. The ships are available all the time and in my opinion offer you an unforgettable vacation deal. What are you waiting for? Get those emails out now.
Dale Chihuly’s love affair with glass has endured for over 40 years, resulting in a breath-taking collection of sculptures and installations.
You can see his exhibit at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio from July 4th, 2009 to March, 28th 2010. Chihuly is known for his prolific glass projects. One of his most famous was the Wall of Ice in Jerusalem, in 2000.
Take advantage of this special offer to view Chihuly’s work in Columbus, Ohio before September, 7th.
Lofts Hotel, Columbus: 25% Off 2+ nts on CheapTickets (Exp 9-7-09)
California is home to some of the best beaches in America.
If you are contemplating a vacation this summer, you should definitely include California in your plans. California is known for many exciting tourist destinations like Disney World, Yosemite National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, Sea World in San Diego, Napa Valley’s awesome vineyards and Ronald Reagan’s presidential library in Simi Valley. There is one thing you must do while visiting California; make time to visit as many of the beautiful California beaches as you can. They are a people watcher’s paradise.
Last year, I was on a business trip and ended up at East Beach in Santa Barbara. One thing that stuck with me was the drum jam on the beach. Drummer’s were dressed in cultural clothing of the region where their drums originated. It drew a huge crowd. I didn’t count the number of drummers but, I would guess around fifty drummers were there all participating in a huge drum jam. It was awesome.
If you plan on visiting California this summer or sometime in the future, make it a point to visit several of California’s beaches.
Here is a list of beaches I recommend:
One way I recommend to get to sunny California is on Southwest Airlines. Check out Southwest Airlines Vacations’ destinations and find affordable air/hotel packages to exciting destinations from coast to coast.
Before you go, consider the many advantages of a California vacation house rental on the beach… save money, be where the action is, enjoy additional privacy and be close to your favorite beach. Check out all your fun options at VacationHomeRentals.com
Make your California vacation one to remember. Plan yours today.
This is the third in a series of yearly girlfriend getaway suggestions. These top girlfriend destinations have been so popular and read by so many women who love to travel, we’ve decided to do this again. Most suggestions are good anytime of the year and include ideas for discount all inclusive vacation packages. Get your travel girlfriends together now and enjoy time together and do a few things, others just talk about.
There you are; our top 5 Girlfriend Getaway suggestions for 2009. Call your friends and get together this weekend and make a decision for your next BGF getaway. You’ll come back relaxed and stress free.
If you have a suggestion for an forgettable trip, share your comments with others in the form below.
I just got back from a relaxing trip to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Traveling from Texas takes a little time and I had several layovers where I noticed things that other travelers were carrying with them which added an element of fun or made their trip easier. My carry on bag that I’ve traveled with for the last 8 years is a back pack. I like it because it’s lightweight, has about seven different storage areas and some of those are divided to make carrying my laptop safer, cell phone handy and easy to get to, a change of clothes if my luggage gets lost (which it did, this trip) and a handy place for essentials like toothbrush, razor and passport.
Since my backpack has seen many many miles, it’s starting to show it’s age and I’m actually thinking of replacing it. I’m a compulsive online shopper and one place I’ve visited recently is eBags.com. They have any travel accessory you’ll ever need. I’ve narrowed my selection down to: Wheeled Campus Pack , Satellite Wheeled Laptop Backpack, and Grenade. You can click these links to see each backpack. Let me know what you think? Leave a comment and we’ll post the results in about 30 days.
Ok… this may seem weird for a guy but, I was in the Miami Airport and I saw this great looking vest on a very attractive traveler. Her vest was a work of art and since I didn’t have anything but time on my hands, I approached her to ask where she got it; I knew my wife would like one. I was surprised at her answer. She made it herself! She went on to explain that she has a collection of these vests and handbags she makes for herself and friends. She mentioned she has even sold some. What is it? The answer is right under your nose, if you watch even a little TV. It’s the Bedazzler. If you want to create some stunning travel wear go to Bedazzle.com and start getting noticed.
Number three on my list of “5 Cool Things To Make Travel Fun,” are all the different types and brands of earphones travelers use to enjoy their music, audio books and movies. I carry my own Sony noise canceling earphones whenever I listen to my iPod, however, if you take the time to look around there are literally hundreds of different models. Since I’m thinking that I would like to have earphones that are a less bulky and use less space when stored, I’ve been looking around and shopping online. I found several great selections online at Abes of Maine. I’ve set my budget at 100 bucks and here’s the three I found to recommend: IE-10 Professional Reference Earphones, E3 Sound Isolating Earphones (Gray), and one pair for you music connoisseurs… the SCL4K Sound Isolating Earphones - Black
which are priced at $149.00, but have a noise canceling feature.
Number 4 of 5 Cool Things To Make Travel Fun is health related. Chances are if you been in airplanes and airports recently, you’ll remember that approximately 5-7 days after your return you feel like you might be having cold or flu like symptom’s. If you’re anything like me, you can remember back on your last trip and see a person standing in line behind you at Starbucks or possibly the seat next to you who has a cough or sniffles. Some aren’t courteous enough to cover their mouth or say excuse me. Well, here’s how I prepared for my VI trip. Recently surfing online, I saw an ad for health supplements and clicked on it wanting to find something that might help me ward off any cold or flu symptoms. I found Healthy Living Network and a product called ‘Daily Nutrient Program’ which fortifies your immune system. Here’s the same coupon I used… Save $10 On Supplement Purchases Of $60 Or More Plus Free Shipping. Check it out and travel fit.
The last “Cool Thing” is all about entertainment; keeping yourself occupied during delays and long flights. I found a great 8 inch Portable Dvd Player at Abes of Maine. Lightweight, handsome and full featured. I’m getting where I can’t travel without it.
We all travel a lot more now than our parents did. I just got back from the US Virgin islands and it seems our world is becoming smaller and more reachable every year.
I think this is a good thing because it certainly helps us understand different cultures, different people with different ways of living and working. But there are a few essentials you should always check before setting off.
