Category: Travel Tips

1) Fly smart – download flight tracking apps like Hopper which track your ideal flights and send you a notification of the best time to book them! A great tool whether you are exploring what destinations have affordable flights over the next month, or looking for the best dates to visit family. Also when looking at flights consider the week before instead of the week after a holiday to capitalize on deals, and try and get a flight out on the early side if your worried about any delays cutting into your holiday activities. See www.hopper.com, for more info on the app!

2) Look at travel deal sites – like Travelzoo, especially close to the holiday season publish travel deals from more than 2,000 travel, entertainment and hospitality businesses such as restaurants and spas worldwide so you’re likely to find a way to save on holiday travel and activities the other end! In fact, they also launched an amazing holiday gift guide stocked with incredible travel experiences and gifting ideas, so you can purchase a gift card for your loved one or even an activity for them to enjoy on your trip! See www.travelzoo.ca for more info.

3) Consider winter sun – If you’re looking to get away this year to some sunshine, you don’t have to go far!. Kissimmee in Central Florida, caters to all ages when it comes to entertainment during the holidays; from the theme parks to “ICE!” at Gaylord Palms to Now Snowing Nightly in Downtown Celebration, you get the holiday experience without the cold chills! It’s also a great airlift from Toronto to the Orlando International Airport, which is just 25 minutes away. See – www.wintersunderland.com/canada for more.

4) Want to take the family on vacation? Choose destinations that have something for everyone, like an all-inclusive. The Dreams Playa Mujeres Resort and Spa in Mexico offers unlimited luxury alongside all inclusive features for the entire family, between golf courses, infinity pools, kids’ waterparks, 7 restaurants and 13 bars (even a teenage bar!) Take advantage of their Triple Play promotion this winter, by saving up to 50% when you book now through December 21 (to travel anytime between now and April) see DreamsResorts.com/playa-mujeres for more info or DreamsResorts.com/TriplePlay.

5) Capitalize on your drive OR take a train– If you are going to drive consider driving on Christmas Day itself. You do need to make sure you’ve planned ahead and topped off your tank on the 24th, the freeways are all yours! OR consider a train; there’s a lot less stress when you’re not the one driving; watch the wintry scenery go by, wine in hand while catching up with your loved ones en route!

Yup it’s wedding season! The time when the joy of engagement quickly turns to panic for many of us prepping for that special day. But before you know it, it’ll be free time, beach time, him-and-you honeymoon time. Here are some great travel tips for newlyweds booking their together-time away.

Decide how much activity you want in your honeymoon. Do you want to see a million museums or lie on by the pool for a week? Always start your trip with some R&R at a comfortable spot before booking in all the site seeing. If you really want to kick back and relax, consider a spot like the Caribbean island of Aruba, to truly let go, which post all the wedding mayhem is ideal. Rates at the luxurious Aruba Marriott Resort start at as low as $150 a night this time of year. If you are looking for privacy but still that resort experience, consider Wyndham Vacation Rentals, which from cottages and condos to villas and castles, gives travelers a different kind of vacation experience, in over 600 destinations worldwide.

Set your budget. Seasons have a big impact on honeymoon travel choices. Postponing the honeymoon to a less expensive season and booking as far in advance as possible could save you more than a few bucks. If you want to cut costs but still have some sense of adventure on your honeymoon, consider a long weekend camping, glamping or (for those super social couples) just hitting up an all-inclusive style camp experience with Club Getaway – which takes the best parts of summer camp and adds it’s own adult twist on them…think zip-lining, kayaking, and a cold beer on the lake at the end of the day!

Research weather. While summer is a popular time for weddings, summertime varies according to geography… and comes with a wack of humidity in many places. Oddly enough many of the places that get bad winters have incredible summers, such as the UK. Britain offers both glorious summer temps, lush countryside and vibrant city life over the summer season, as well as beautiful coastlines. Visit www.visitbritain.com for tips on where and what to do!

Consider travel time and comfort. If you only have a week off of work, don’t spend two days on an airplane. Maximize enjoyment and minimize stress by booking through sites like Skyscanner that browse over 1200 trusted airline and travel sites, worldwide, to find you your perfect route. Alternatively, make the journey part of the ‘once in a lifetime’ experience and book a private jet! Companies like Jetsuite offer private jet charters for as little as $536 or a seat on a private jet for as little as $109 each way. For peace of mind and saving on time, it’s also with downloading a service like Freebird so you can skip the line and instantly book a new ticket in the event of a flight cancellation, four-hour delay, or missed connection (starting at as little as $19 each way.)

Pack well. Marriage means a lot of sharing, so if you want to save on baggage fees, you might want to get used to sharing a suitcase on your first trip and newlyweds! Packing smart doesn’t have to be hard or expensive thanks to great new packing innovations from brands like Travelsmith’s smart packs, travel cubes and space maximizing luggage.

Be as unconventional as you like! It’s your honeymoon so don’t feel restricted by what the conventions of a honeymoon are. Whether camping, cruising the Med, or kicking back in the Caribbean, remember this is YOUR time to start a new life. Start married life on the really healthy side, at a life altering resort, like Movara Health and Wellness Retreat, or hit that up post a week of Pina Coladas at a beach resort. Either way ENJOY newlyweds!