Travel Tattles

I’m sure all of you have already guessed that the #1 busiest weeks to travel is … Drum Roll please …  Christmas week!!  While Thanksgiving week did not make the top 5, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving day is the single busiest travel day of the year. What does this mean? Expect higher prices and busy, busy airports at these times.

The better deals for Holiday travel times is at least six months prior to departure.  Although, many travel experts claim that you should wait until 30 days prior to departure, in my experience, you will not get the best flight schedules or seating available if you wait until the last minute.

Last week I talked about how to travel with your wedding dress.  This week it’s all about those special, sentimental items like a cake knife, champagne glasses, gifts for our bridal party.

While working on this post, I reached out to some of our customer service managers in various airports to ask them what other questions brides frequently ask.  Their  tips include:  if you’re taking a special cake knife to cut the cake, please ship it or put it in your checked bag.  Wired bouquets are allowed through the checkpoint, along with rice, birdseed, sand and candy coated almonds.  If you’re taking gifts for your bridal party, it’s best to wrap them when you get to your destination in case they require additional screening.

The first week of August comes in at #2.  This is another peak time to travel because everyone is trying to get in their final travel arrangements before school starts back.  Especially be more careful when driving during this timeframe.  Try to drive during the day and avoid nightime driving if at all possible.  You will be more fatigued based on your day of activities.

This week I will address how brides can travel with their wedding dress.

Brides-to-be can definitely bring their wedding dress through a security checkpoint.  Ideally, the dress can lay flat in its garment bag or other packaging and fit through the X-ray machine. If it can’t, the officers can screen the dress manually, but this will require opening the garment bag.  Rest assured that the officers will use gloves for the alternate screening to avoid damaging the dress.   Read the rest of this entry »

At the #3 spot is the fourth week of June.  Don’t have a clue as to why this comes in at #3, unless it is because it’s the beginning of Summer or maybe because it’s peak wedding season.  Nonetheless, it’s still #3.

Located a few miles of Ixtapa, travelers who visit Zihuantanejo receive the best of two worlds:  the modern luxuries of Ixtapa and the old world culture of Zihuantanejo.  This Mexican Riviera destination harbors the historic fishing village of Zihuatanejo.  The surrounding are beautiful with both towns set against the Sierra Madres Mountains, running along 16 miles of hilly, palm lined coastline with beautiful beaches, coves and lagoons.  Relaxation is the priorty to any guests’ stay.  However, the beaches as well as world-class golf, sportfishing, diving, shopping, dining and nightlife with what has been luring guests’ back year after year.

Zihuatanejo is a laid-back town with lovely beaches where you can watch the fishermen return each morning with the catch of the day to be cooked that evening for your delight.  There are many native markets that are scattered along the bay area.  Zihuatanejo’s history goes back hundreds of years when it was first discovered by the Spanish in 1522, who deemed it too small to be strageically important for matters of war or trade.

A 10-minute drive will take you to Ixtapa, the most modern city on Mexico’s west coast.  Palmar Beach is a two mile stretch that lies along the Hotel Zone.  Across the street are many village-style malls, craft shops, art galleries, cafe’s and all night discos.  Near the Hotel Zone is a marina that docks many luxury yachts , as well as restaurants and boutiques.  Ixtapa also has two 18-hole golf courses.

So planning a trip to Zihuatanejo will again, give you the best of both worlds, the old and the new which is filled with remote beaches and historical sites.

Life is a Journey . . . Make the Most of Every Opportunity – Travel!

Bequia, Caribbean

Bequia is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines — is a bit of a backwater, but the slow pace and easygoing atmosphere is perfect for honeymooners exhausted by the stress of hosting their wedding.

This is a safe island and is only seven miles long.  All-inclusive resorts are nowhere to be found on this small, intimate island.  The weather is enjoyable year round.  Take a walk along a deserted beach into the sunset.

Dominica, Caribbean

Dominica is known as “the Nature Island” –  it’s lush, green and mountainous, with villages hanging onto the edge of volcanoes, overlooking the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean. Trails in the tropical forest lead to waterfalls, plunge pools and hot springs.  Steamy.