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If you are in a relationship, a romantic vacation is a great idea for an anniversary, birthday or anytime. You can choose from an seemingly endless number of destination for a romantic vacation. On every far reaching part of the globe, there is a perfect vacation spot for couples not too far away.

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A queen angel fish from from the Netherland Antilles.

The Caribbean is a great place for beachcombers, but if you’d like to exert yourself a little more, it’s also a great place for snorkeling or diving. Anyone can snorkel, but diving requires some instruction. Fortunately most places with great diving also offer diving courses. Or, you can learn to dive before you take off. There are a variety of options out there.

Antigua & Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda are almost completely surrounded by coral reefs, walls, and shipwrecks, providing excellent conditions for diving and snorkeling. Underwater visibility is good and tropical marine plants and animals are diverse and plentiful. One of Antigua’s best-known offshore sites, Cades Reef, is now partly contained in a designated underwater park. Another popular destination is the wreck of the Andes, a three-masted merchant ship that sank in 1905 and now rests in less than thirty feet of water in Deep Bay. (more…)

A backpacking trip through Chile

Not everyone wants to bask on a beach during their vacation. If you’re looking for something a little more challenging, consider a volunteer vacation.

Volunteer vacations give you a chance to interact with people from other cultures and to help others improve their lives. Pick a trip with an organization that shares your values doing work you consider valuable. You’ll work hard during your time away, but you’ll come back spiritually refreshed. You’re not going to change the world, but you will be contributing to the greater good.
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Hanakapiai Beach on the Na Pali Coast in Kauai, Hawaii

You’ve been daydreaming about your wedding for as long as you can remember and the time has finally come to make those dreams a reality. The planning stages of a wedding can be almost as romantic as the wedding itself if they’re done correctly. Done poorly, the planning can lead to exactly the kind of stress and worry that you don’t want plaguing your future marriage. Although the execution of the wedding itself is going to be a big part of the planning, time should be taken to making sure that the honeymoon is also planned out to perfection.

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Though your wedding day is all about you, you friends and family will be there to love and support you. When planning your destination wedding, with its romance and magic, don’t forget to factor your guest’s needs into the equation.

Issues to keep in mind range from having kid-friendly food to whether a hotel will be affordable for everyone, so you have your work cut out for you. If you’re inviting whole families, make sure that the invitation clearly explains that kids should come along. If the kids are invited, make sure the site has children-friendly policies and, even better, onsite babysitting.

Make sure that special needs — anything from handicapped-accessible rooms to special diets — are addressed for all of your guests. In addition, make sure to offer several suggestions on how to make travel arrangements since, chances are, you’ve done much of the research already.

Destination weddings are exotic and wonderful, but can be stressful. Keep your guests in mind, and your wedding day will be smoother, your guests happier, and your memories brighter.

Google has added a feature to its search engine that allows you to track flights and check arrival times. You’ll need to know what airline the flight is on and what the actual flight number is. Then you just input that information into your normal Google search. The first result to come up will be a status report on the flight. You can easily tell before you leave your home or office whether you need to be rushing or you can take your time in getting to the airport.

Of course, you’ve been able to check flight status online for some time. In fact, Google’s information comes directly from FlightStats, a site that has been available for awhile now. But being able to pop the information directly into Google should save you a little bit of time. Who couldn’t use a little bit more time for other things?

You need to do many things before going on a trip, including buying the tickets to packing the bags. Because of this, it can be easy to forget to take care of all of the details that you should regarding making your home ready for your absence. Here’s a handy checklist of things that your home needs while you’re away.

• Pets: Is someone going to come feed them or will you be dropping them off somewhere? Make sure that you’ve made arrangements in advance. Also make sure that the pet sitter has the vet’s number, that there’s enough food while you’re gone and that any medications are bought and prepared before you leave.
• Mail: Make sure that you’ve got someone up to pick up your mail on a regular basis while you’re away. If you’re going to be gone for a long trip and don’t have someone, you might want to ask the post office to forward your mail or hold it until your return.
• Newspaper: Cancel your subscription if you’re going to be on a long vacation.
• Plants: What kind of care will your plants need while you’re away? Who is doing it and what materials do you need to buy them before you go?
• Electricity: You want to make sure that all of your appliances are properly turned off and/or unplugged. The heater or AC should be off so you’re not paying the bill while you’re gone.
• Security: If you have an alarm, double-check that it works and set it properly. Lock all doors and windows. Consider putting lights on timers so the house looks lived in.

Make your list, check it twice and then get ready to enjoy that vacation!

(Photo via flickr cc)

There are few things worse than waiting in an airport on a stomach so empty that you begin to daydream wistfully of airplane food. That’s why it’s important to think ahead and pack some travel comfort food to accompany you on your journey.

One of the easiest, most versatile, and tastiest treats to make ahead is a good, old-fashioned sandwich. You pick the bread, the condiments, and the fillings based on exactly what you want. When you make it a few hours or even a day ahead of time, packing it with your favorites, you’ll not only be treated to a delicious meal, but you’ll feel more comfortable and happy than you did just a minute ago.

Making a sandwich takes very little time, but offers big pay offs, so without any further ado, I offer some sandwich-making tips to make your next travel day a little brighter:

• Pick the perfect bread: Don’t go with the typical store-bought breads that come sliced in a bag; instead, choose a thick, freshly baked bakery offering. It’ll hold the sandwich flavors in better and make you feel a little pampered.
• Choose your condiments wisely: If your sandwich is going to be out of the fridge for more than a couple hours, don’t use any mayo. Instead, try some oil & vinegar, mustard, or anything else your mind can dream up. Don’t forget to add salt, pepper and oregano - just like your favorite deli does.
• Don’t forget the cheese: Most cheeses do just fine outside of the fridge for a few hours, but from a sandwich architecture standpoint, it’s important to remember that pasteurized, homogenized sliced varieties may melt, disintegrate, or sweat more than others. For your travel sandwich, treat yourself to some real deli cheddar, a thick-sliced Gouda, or a fancy Swiss.
• Fill up on fruits, veggies, and a delicious meat: You have to be careful keeping meats out of the fridge for very long, so if lunchtime isn’t happening in an hour or so, go with a well-cured meat like corned beef or salami. Also, stack those veggies high!
• Pack it up: In order to keep your sandwich fresh for longer, wrap it in thin deli paper followed by wax paper before you stick it in a plastic bag. That’ll keep the moisture out and the flavor in.
• Enjoy!

(Photo via flickr cc)

Ski vacations create unique memories, allow your family to see new places together and help you teach your kids about balancing safety and adventure. Of course, ski vacations come with unique risks, and all family vacations come with a few hassles. But follow these 10 tips and you’ll be able to minimize the annoyances and increase the fun.

1. Plan in advance. Planning is often half the fun of a family vacation. Make this a family affair, looking up different places to travel and watching movies related to skiing. This build-up of excitement adds to the experience.
2. Take ski lessons together as a family. Yes, Dad might already be a black diamond skier but the kids feel safer when he’s on the slopes with them, learning from an instructor.
3. Try out other kinds of snow fun. Skiing might be the bulk of what you do in the snow but there are plenty of other activities to enjoy as well. Snow boarding, building snow men, snow tubing and other snow activities can create a more diversely fun trip.
4. Have a safety plan. The mountain is big and mom and dad worry when the kids aren’t in sight. Create a plan in advance for meeting up if you get lost.
5. Reconvene at meals. You might split up during the day, with one parent taking the older kids on more difficult slopes and the other staying behind with the young ones. Meet up together for meals so you can feel like it’s a complete family experience even as you split up.
6. Create fun times for everyone. Face it; one of your kids just might not like skiing. That doesn’t have to ruin the family ski trip. Include additional activities like sightseeing and attending entertainment events so that everyone has a good time.
7. Don’t make it a competitive atmosphere. You might want your kids to be competitive in sports, maybe even in skiing, but make the family vacation a safe and relaxed place.
8. Plan a budget and stick to it. You’ll feel better about the whole trip if you can restrain what you spend on it while still having a good time. Borrow equipment from friends, make meals at the hotel and otherwise cut corners to stay within this budget.
9. Take lots of pictures. Your smiling family set against the snow; it’s a Christmas card in the making.
10. Remember that the family ski vacation is supposed to be fun. Yes, you’ll worry when your kids careen down slopes. Yes, everyone’s going to get a little tired and grumpy. But keep in mind that the experience is what it’s all about and try to relax and enjoy it.

Packing for a trip can be an art form. Or at least a science. Learning to condense your belongings into one bag can make your life easier. Here are some tips. (more…)