Winter Wonderland brings Thoughts of Warmer Destinations....

Being a Minnesota native, I know all too well the hype that comes with the holidays. It makes the typical snow and cold feel tolerable through the New Year. And, then comes January, February, March, and in horrid seasons; winter may even stretch into April. To me, January is depressing. The wonderful landscape we all love when the fall colors start to change, and the spring blossoms bloom, and of course our glorious incomparable summers, turns to tundra. We may experience a brief thaw in February - but to me, this just tarnishes the white snow to an ugly, slushy brown, blended with salt just waiting to ruin newly purchased shoes and boots. Then comes March, when everyone just becomes sick of winter, and any day that hits 35+ is an occasion for children to head to school in shorts and t-shirts. While I am sure those who enjoy winter sports may find the winter more desirable, I know many who run inside as fast as they can to avoid frost bite and dream of a wonderful warm weather getaway.

This is where I come in. This year, the travel industry, led in town by Travel Leaders Stillwater, is seeing trends of people booking their vacations earlier in the year. Airlines have decreased their fleets, making last minute deals and price cuts trickier to find as space fills up quicker. The removal of charter flights from the market in recent times leaves spring break students traveling on the major airlines to common destinations like Cancun and the Mayan Riviera. One big misconception is that if you wait, you can get your way. As a Leisure Travel Specialist raised in a travel agency owning family, I can guarantee times have changed.

However, that just means that pre-planning and allowing a professional to guarantee the best value based on desired destinations, times of year, etc... will help you to still get the winter getaway vacation of your dreams! This year, we see popular places to visit being Punta Cana in the Dominican, Mexican getaways to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Playa del Carmen. We find those that have cruised the Caribbean Sea return annually or bi-annually as it easily becomes a family and romantic favorite. Not to mention a place close to my own heart, the Hawaiian Islands.

Stay tuned for additional travel tips, trends, news, upcoming and popular destinations and recent travels I have taken... if you have any questions or would like to learn more, just contact me and I am happy to help :)

Happy Trails!