Summer Travel-It's Not Too Late!

Hello fellow travel enthusiasts.

As I celebrated the July 4th holiday, it occurred to me that this is the first time in seven years that I have been home for it. Alex and I are usually traveling the summer months, although in recent years, May and September have been our choice for exploration.This is new territory for me to navigate. Not loving it, I must admit. I get a little antsy staying home.

With the cost of airfare and fuel at a peak this summer, you may be thinking it's impossible to vacation. Perhaps the new word "Staycation" has entered your vocabulary. Fear not, I have some wonderful deals available for you. Whether you want to cruise the Mediterranean or just go to Disney, the deals are available.

The cost of airfare may be higher, but that means that the hotels are "cheaper." I don't like that word so lets call it "more reasonable." Hotels have lowered their prices to accommodate the traveler knowing that the expense of getting to their hotels is much more higher. I just experienced this in both Baltimore and Florida. Traveling with my son – he moved to Florida last week – we were able to secure a hotel for one night, along the route, and not only get the room at the last minute, but we paid half the rate as well. No, don't assume as a travel agent I get all the deals, it's just not so. Anyone can do it. These deals are in the United States, in Europe and all over the world. I would be happy to assist anyone looking for a summer vacation. There is still plenty of time.

The way the travel industry works is as follows. There are seasons for which you pay different rates for hotels, tours, cruises, etc. The seasons are categorized as such:

Peak Season - runs from mid-June through August. The longest daylight hours and the most tourists. Most expensive of all the seasons.

Shoulder Season - runs from April to mid-June and then again from September- October. Still fabulous weather and much less touristy, yet still long daylight hours in these months.

Low or Off Season- runs from November to March. Pricing is at its lowest during this time. This is becoming a favorite time for me to travel as I love the attention given to us when we stay in a small B&B or hotel. They love to cater to you when you are one of only a few guests.

For any season, cruising is a very popular way to see as much as possible and still have all the amenities of being on a tour. You have the luxury of unpacking once rather than packing and unpacking every few days to move to another hotel. It's a great way to travel and see a lot in one vacation.

I hope you will consider your options and let me help plan your next trip.

My experience in this industry spans 29 years, with a special interest in European travel. I guess you all know that by now.

I wonder, quite often, if I am the only one who had the travel bug bite me and never got the stingers out of my system. I'd love to hear your comments about your travel plans this summer and how you are feeling,  too.

Have a look at my website to start planning your next adventure.

Travel Smart, Dream Big!

http://www.travelsmartdreambig.com/