What You Need To Know About Student Travel Discounts

When spring break rolls around most college students are looking for a fun destination to travel to. Although many head to the beaches of Mexico and Florida some are interested in going to Europe or Asia. For them student travel discounts can save a great deal of money which for the average college student is always welcomed.

Finding these types of deals isn't that difficult. It's rare for anyone to go to a travel agency when looking to book a trip these days. Instead people are turning on their computers and going online to find great prices on airfare and hotels. The same is true of student travel discounts as many sites are focused on providing travel packages for students who want a break.

The usual requirement for a young person wanting to take advantage of one of these deals is proof that they are indeed a student. That is typically in the form of a student identification card which when presented, allows the individual a savings. In some cases, there are special student travel discounts for a particular college, and if this is the case, the students from that school would do well to take advantage of that.

It's not just kids in college who are offered these types of travel deals. In fact many airlines, bus lines, and hotels offer student travel discounts to all children under a certain age. Many hotels worldwide allow children to stay for free. These are indeed student travel discounts that a family should look into when considering taking a vacation.

This is also true of airfare. Many carriers charge a different rate for adult flyers and children. If the child is below a certain age they qualify for student travel discounts. In some cases booking on the airline's site is the way to get the absolute lowest rate but again it's a matter of checking and comparing before committing.

Even if a particular airline or hotel doesn't offer a discounted rate for a child there are other ways to save money. Many popular destinations realize that during school holidays families are looking to travel. They will offer special rates as an incentive to attract families. Many parents view these as student travel discounts. You can usually also find seasonal discounts in the form of 2-for-1 coupons at many theme parks when school is out. They understand that by offering a cut rate they will only serve to increase their bottom dollar by drawing in more customers.

Being young is great and with all the specials that young people can enjoy it's also a time to save money. Student travel discounts help encourage youngsters to travel which is way for them to see world and perhaps discover a destination they want to live in when they grow up and venture out on their own.

Indulge Yourself In A Resort And Spa Vacation

There is a place where you can retreat to get away from it all. A place where everybody knows your name. Uh, just kidding. Scratch that last part; I just had to say it. I'm thinking more along the lines of a resort and spa. We all need breaks such as this. That 9-5 job starts to wear on you; the routine chores around the house become so irksome; and the stress of everyday life begins to build. Well, it's time for a nice relaxing release. What you need is a bit of pampering, while you just kick back and enjoy life.

My first question is; have you ever indulged in a resort and spa vacation? Let me tell you, these are ideal for couples. Whether you're planning your honeymoon or just craving a break from the chaos of everyday life, a reputable resort and spa getaway will do the trick. Don't believe me? Just ask my wife. She's always on me about taking trips to those Sandals resorts. Though I will admit that they're amazing and perfect for any couple, I prefer something a tad closer to home. If you reside in any large metropolitan area, you can count on a number of spas to be close by. All it takes is a quick trip through cyberspace, and you'll pinpoint that local resort and spa to take advantage of.

Now days there are a variety to choose from on the pampering list. You can have your body rubbed-down and exfoliated with sea salt, or lounge in a tub of mud to cleanse those tired pores. You can take a steam to relax your aching muscles or get a facial to bring out the glow in your complexion. If you ask me, the best treatment to acquire at a fine spa is a full body massage. You can get them for an hour or more at a time. This will not only feel outstanding, but it will also relax your stressed body and mind, which is in turn great for your overall health. If you've never considered a resort and spa vacation, or even just a mere trip to the local spas in your area, it's high time you did. While life is full of work, responsibility, stress and pain, it's also full of perks such as the full body massage. Treat yourself to the finer aspects as well.

Our Trip to Walt Disney World Orlando

I was a little bit skeptical about our trip to Walt Disney World Orlando. You see, I never went to Disneyland or Disneyworld as a kid, and I don't think that I missed it very much. This might be hard for some of you to believe, but it really is true. Disney cartoons were not a big part of my upbringing. My parents didn't really believe in TV, preferring to read to us whenever possible and have us learn to play music instead of watching movies and playing video games. At first, I resented it. All my friends were getting to go to see these exciting films that I was missing out for the most part. Soon, however, I got used to it. I even enjoyed it. Books are a much deeper form of entertainment after all, things that stimulate the mind rather than mesmerize it.

As a parent, however, I believe in giving my daughter a greater degree of choice than I had. I should have known that it would come to this eventually. Watching Disney movies growing up, it was only a matter of time before she asked to go to Walt Disney World Orlando. After she asked to go to DisneyWorld Orlando, it was only a matter of time until the begging started. To be fair, there wasn't really any reason why we shouldn't take her. She was a good kid, and I know that Disney is magical to people her age. Soon, we had plans to go on a Walt Disney World resort vacation.

Our Walt Disney World Orlando vacation started off rather inauspiciously. The plane was delayed by several hours, and rather than getting in at about five in the evening, we ended up being delayed until well after midnight. My 10-year-old my daughter was pretty good about the whole thing, but even so we were all very unhappy and grumpy by the time we got in. Nonetheless, the next day we were ready to start our Walt Disney World Orlando adventure. It was a lot better than I expected. Everywhere you looked, there was something grabbing your eye for attention. Every night, there were fireworks in the sky. It wasn't really my kind of scene, but I have to admit that I could see it through my child's eyes too. Even I can't deny that there is something captivating about Walt Disney vacations!

Why Book A Travel Vacation Package?

Those with poor planning skills, or a severe shortage of time, often find that a travel vacation package is something that works out very well for them. These are often very easy to find, a bit cheaper than putting everything together separately, and make travel much easier. Those with families often love these because there are a lot of family-orientated packages geared towards the whole family. Finding these is easy, but deciding on the right one is a little harder.

Most of the time, a good travel vacation package spells everything out up front for the person buying the trip. That means you will know exactly what you are getting, and how much it is going to cost you. Families should be careful with all-inclusive packages that do not spell things out. Some find that this means that their travel vacation package includes a few meals, but they are on their own for others. It might not cover most taxes either. This is important to find out.

A travel vacation package does not have to be for families though. There are many out there for couples, and some that are just for honeymoons. Before you take one of these, think about what you are getting for the money. My husband and I took one of these for our honeymoon, and chose one due to the price. This was a mistake. Our honeymoon was a nightmare because of it. You will always find a great travel vacation package, but look into it before you commit your money and your time.

There are always extra expenses attached to any travel vacation package, but some deals are better than others. As long as you understand the cost of your package, plus taxes, and what expenses might still be added once you arrive, you aren't going to be caught unaware and under prepared.

There is nothing saying that you can't ask questions before you accept a travel vacation package. If you don't have the time to do this, you might want to hire a travel agent to find the best deal for you and to fill you in on the details. You can tell them what you need and what you hope to spend, and they will find the best deal they can. It is also a great idea to check up on any location by looking online for reviews from other travelers. Had I done this, I could have avoided a rather rotten honeymoon.

Why I Prefer Winter Vacations

One of the best times to take a vacation is in the middle of the winter. Most folks like to fly off somewhere warm and sunny, and they do this to escape the cold. Now that winters are warmer than they used to be, some people are not getting the same snow they once enjoyed as kids. When this happens, these people begin to miss the winter weather and they go off on winter vacations for activities like skiing and snowboarding. They can also ice skate or go ice fishing if they miss that sort of thing.

I am not quite ready for winter vacations, but I miss the feeling of winter. When I was a child there was snow on the ground from December until March. If I lost something in the snow, there was no way I would find it until Spring. That has changed for some reason, but I'm not sure if I am ready for winter vacations just yet. I do know that it is now the middle of the winter where I live and we have not had any snow, or at least not enough to write home about. We've had a trace here and there, but I am beginning to miss the winters from my childhood.

I'm not sure what I would do if I decided I wanted to take winter vacations. I can't ski and I'm not sure I want to crack my head open at my age in an effort to learn. I'm not good on skates either. I do love to sled down a hill though, so perhaps I could take winter vacations that include inter-tubing or sledding. I really just want to look out the window and see snow covering the ground. There is nothing more relaxing to me than watching a snowfall from the warmth of my home.

Perhaps the best winter vacations for me might be sitting in a log cabin somewhere watching the snow fall in the woods around me. A roaring fire in the fireplace would be a nice touch. Hopefully, there would be no phone to break the calm. I'm dreaming at this point I guess, as winter vacations will have to come for me after I have had a few summer vacations. I'm still hoping for a great snowfall this year, and there is still time for this I guess. I really want to know what happened to winter. Is it gone?

Road Trip Planning Tools

My family just loves to travel. We take several vacations every year, and we go on short weekend getaways whenever we can. Because there are four of us, we usually drive to our chosen destinations in order to save money. Even with gasoline prices being as high as they are now, driving is still much cheaper than paying full airfare for everyone.

This situation is not as much of a hassle as it might seem, especially since we have a nice minivan with a DVD player and video games set up in the back to keep the kids occupied. In addition, I've become pretty adept at road trip planning over the years, so each adventure usually goes off without a hitch. I wish I could take all the credit for these great vacations myself, but the truth is I owe it all to the useful road trip planning resources I've discovered online.

Thanks to the Internet, planning a road trip has never been easier. There are countless travel websites out there that provide all kinds of helpful services for free. For example, there are different mapping tools I can use to generate a customized route to my destination using various factors that I can input. If time is of the essence, then I simply choose the route that's the fastest from Point A to Point B. If we don't mind taking a few detours, then I can opt to include extra stops along the way to our final destination.

Getting a customized map is just the beginning of my road trip planning routine. I also use the Internet to book lodging along the way, find terrific restaurants, and get ideas for special activities and attractions. In short, I can come up with an entire itinerary for our vacation after spending just a couple of hours using these free road trip planning tools. What's more, I've found that many hotels, restaurants, and attraction offer discounts or coupons when I make advanced reservations online, so I actually end up saving a lot of money this way.

If your family travels as much as mine does, then you might want to check out some of the road trip planning resources I talked about here. Once you find some travel websites that you like, I recommend bookmarking them so you can go back whenever necessary. With a bit of practice, you'll become just as much of a road trip planning expert as I am!

San Francisco Vacation Top Spots

One of the most interesting cities in the United States, for its history, culture and entertainment, is San Francisco. There are many reasons to visit there and potential tourists have probably been inspired by countless images of the city on television and in movies. A San Francisco vacation is an opportunity to explore a very individual, cosmopolitan city with some fine, Victorian buildings, national landmarks and superb dining. The city's distinctive cable cars are a great way of moving around the city

The Golden Gate Bridge is familiar to everyone as the most iconic symbol on the West Coast. The six-lane bridge is the second longest suspension bridge in the country and a golden sunset makes the perfect backdrop. It may be enveloped in fog sometimes, a weather condition that does affect the city. The Golden Gate Park is a great boon for residents and tourists. This city park is very large and has lots of interesting features. There is a large collection of non-native trees and plants throughout the park. One of the most popular sections on a San Francisco vacation is the Japanese Tea Garden, a delightful space to wander in, with ponds, a teahouse, sculptures and little bridges.

The city is famous for its former, federal prison on Alcatraz Island. Known as The Rock, it housed some of the most dangerous and infamous criminals in the land from 1934. It was a formidable place, a kind of fortress in the Bay, until it was closed in 1969. The public is welcome to visit during a San Francisco vacation and can reach there by catching a ferry from Fisherman's Wharf. Former prisoners there include the racketeer, Al Capone and Robert Stroud, more familiar as the Birdman of Alcatraz. It's an interesting tour and shows how tough conditions were. There is also a chance to see the lighthouse, which is the oldest one still working in the USA.

Chinatown is a popular area to browse round, for shopping at the fish market and eating at some great restaurants. It's the oldest Chinatown in the country, dating back to the 1850s. It has a distinctive Dragon's Gate as an entrance into the community. Fisherman's Wharf is another must see landmark on a San Francisco vacation, especially the famous Pier 39, San Francisco Maritime National historical Park. Historic ships are anchored there, including a ferryboat, steam tug and a square rigged sailing ship. There is also a very interesting maritime museum.