Destinations Diva

When planning a trip to Orlando, you could just go to the Disney website, book a vacation package and you're done, right?   Have you considered crowds, weather, park hours or dining?   These are elements that can make or break your vacation.   Over the many years of traveling to Walt Disney World in florida, one thing I have witnessed on every trip is seeing a frustrated family at the park, screaming parents, teens and toddlers.   Advance planning a research can make a big difference in your trip.   Here are some factors that can affect your dream vacation: Season:  Temperature and humidity are your enemy when visiting Orlando in the summer.  Search your kids’ school calendar for a 3 or 4 day weekend in the spring or early fall.  At these times, you can still enjoy water parks and wet rides.  If you must go during the summer, make sure you plan for plenty of time at the hotel pool or visits to water parks to cool off in the hot summer ...

View from the Trump Tower Few American cities have more to offer than Chicago, Illinois.  This windy cosmopolitan city offers a rich range of cultural activities, dining, theater and architecture. It’s hard to decide what to do first upon arrival in the windy city.  I recommend taking an architectural river cruise at sunset.  Board an open air boat and listen as the knowledgeable tour guides highlight the city’s architecture and history.  The as it gets darker, the light begin to shine with different colors for spectacular views. The front desk at the Mile North Hotel We opted to stay in a boutique hotel instead of a larger hotel.  The Mile North Hotel is a half block from Michigan Avenue with Gino's famous pizza right next door.  The location couldn't be better with Nordstrom on the corner.  We found the rooftop bar on our first night with fantastic views of the city.  This place is popular with locals and a great spot to unwi...

Named the “Holy City” by the locals because of the high number of churches, Charleston, South Carolina is a treasure of a vacation destination.  Located in the heart of “low country,” and near the Atlantic Ocean, Charleston draws visitors from many different categories.  The historic hotels, eclectic restaurants, historic architecture and destination shopping areas draw visitors to Charleston from all over the world. Civil War buffs will love visiting Patriots Point and Fort Sumpter, the site that kicked off the Civil War.  Adventurers will love the water sports including sailing, motor boating and the very popular activity, flyboarding. Though on a small scale, the shopping in Charleston can compete with major shopping destinations like New York and Chicago.  Along historic King Street, you’ll find national brands, such as Pottery Barn, H&M and even Louis Vuitton.   If searching for handmade items, there are two places to start your sea...

Planning a trip to Orlando or other destination?  Jumpstart your dining budget planning, by taking advantage of holiday bonus gift card offers from major chain restaurants.  Each year during the holidays, chains like Outback Steakhouse, Chili's and Romanos Macaroni Grill offer incentive for purchasing gift cards during the holiday season.  At Outback, get a $25 gift card for every $100 spent on gift cards.  Several chains have similar offers each year.  Most major chains have locations in Orlando, so pick your chain, and get some free dining! Note:  Always check the expiration date policy before purchasing gift cards. Free $20 gift card when you purchase $100 in Outback gift cards Free $10 ebonus card at Chilis, click here. Purchase $50 gift card and get $10 free at Bubba Gumps

The best way to save money on travel is to travel!  Be loyal to travel companies and you will earn free travel.  Loyalty programs encourage business travels to use their brands exclusively.  A large percentage of the American workforce have to travel on business on a regular basis.  The travel industry relies on business travel as its main source of revenue and many major cities rely on convention business for their tax base.  Use travel incentives to your advantage to earn free travel.  Subscribe to hotel, airline and car rental site emails to be notified of travel deals and incentives. Many national hotel chains have a "family" of hotels such has hilton.com.  Included in this chain is Hilton, Hampton Inns, Homewood Suites, Doubletree, and more.  Other chains which offer a "family" of brands are Marriott, Starwood and InterContinental Hotels Group.  Pick a hotel chain and stay at one of the hotels in the "family" exclusively when you have ...

My name is Mary and I am an artist and married, mother of two grown children.  That doesn't stop me from being a child at heart!  My passions are travel, interior design, gourmet cooking and art.  I am a home-grown authentic Cajun, having lived most of my life in southern Louisiana, right outside of New Orleans and I even endured Hurricane Katrina damage and came out okay.   Travel is one of my passions!  I love visiting metropolitan areas like New York, Chicago and San Francisco.  I love the restaurants, museums,  theaters and architecture.  Another side of me craves the water.  I’ve lived in Phoenix, Nashville and Denver at different times in my life.  We found ourselves seeking out lakes, streams, and rivers.  Although I've traveled to popular beaches in Hawaii, California, and Mexico, my favorite beaches are on the gulf coast of Florida.  Living in Louisiana, its only a few hours drive to emerald water, waves and white...