I live in one of the most impressive vacation destinations in the world, and yet I have this to say: I need a vacation! I think I realized a little bit too late that it would be a good idea to get out of Florida for Christmas. I will not have an extended break from school again until Spring Break and I have to split the time I have with my daughter then with her father. Therefore, leaving town with Gigi for even a week is out of the question.

Two years ago my daughter and I went up to the DC area for Christmas. We stayed just about two weeks. I really should have given more effort over to trying to plan some time up there this year. It crossed my mind, but I thought it might be nice to stay here. Boy was I wrong! There is a whole lot of grouchiness around these parts lately and all I can keep thinking is how wonderful it would be if Gigi and I were on a cruise ship right this minute. I’d even fling aside the questions about ship flues and travel insurance if just meant some time for the two of us to relax and enjoy one another without the worried of everyday life intervening.

I am well aware of how fortunate I am to live right in the middle of one of the world’s most desirable vacation destinations. I live a few minutes from sugar sand beaches. I can wear sandals all year. We have oranges, lemons and star fruit growing in my backyard. It’s a lovely, sunny life.

Even so, everyone needs to get away from home from time to time. When I vacation, I like to head north, either to see family near Washington, DC, or friends in Manhattan and the Jersey Shore. When I visit family near DC, we spend a lot of time in the District or going to various Civil Ware ear parks and sites. When I visit with friends in New York City, we focus on food, shopping, and the ever-present stage. When I go see friends that live near the Jersey Shore, however, it’s all about that uniquely festive Jersey Shore attitude. The beaches there have that intense rush you get with a shorter vacation season I always get caught up in the vibe.

I’ve written before about Wildwood’s very classic attraction Morey’s Piers and how it is it essential the definition for me of the words Jersey Shore beach vacation. When I think about a boardwalk, I don’t necessarily picture the ritzy, high-end shopping districts that are popping up all over Florida’s waterside cities. I think of a literally Boardwalk with amusement park rides, the smell of salt water taffy in the air and water parks right on the beach. I pretty much think of a place like Morey’s Piers, which just happens to be my favorite of the top New Jersey attractions.

And while you might not be thinking “beach” this time of year, now is actually the best time to be thinking about Morey’s Piers. Why? Because from December 1 through January 9 you can get your hands on a Season Pass for just about 40% off. Why wait until this summer to snag tickets, when you can take advantage of their Holiday Sale and save that much cash?

Don’t get me wrong. Florida is amazing, and at this time of year it is pretty close to paradise. However, I was born and raised up north and Christmas to me is snow and seeing your breath in the air and bundling up in mittens, hats, and warm coats.

My mom and my sister and I have been talking about getting the families together and leaving Florida for the holidays. A lot of destinations have been bandied about, but one of the most interesting thus far has been Branson, Missouri. My mom and my sister love Branson, but I have never been. I am just about dying to see the new Roy Rogers museum. I have not been to it since they moved it out of its original location in Victorville, California. Plus, Christmas under the watchful eye of the Missouri Ozarks sounds so cozy!

The Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel are both offering holiday themed packages to complement the old-timey feel of Branson during the holiday season – the Thanksgiving Package, It’s a Wonderful Life Package, Santa’s Coming to Town Package and the New Years’ Eve Package. How cool is that? The joy of the season is built right into your stay.

One of the other big attractions for us is the play “The Promise”. Not only is it a theme we all care deeply about, it is also an ideal show for us to see at Christmastime.

I can answer the above question right up front. There is no need to leave Florida in November. In fact, just this evening as I was driving home from dinner out, I thought to myself that I wish it could be November and December in Florifa all year around. It’s positively blissful here.

I admit the water is not always warm enough to swim this time of year, but the air is cool and breezy, without humidity, and always blowing under a bright blue sky. Flowers bloom. The citrus ripens. Birds visit us from up north, as do our Snowbird friends.

Fall and winter are why most of us endure the summer down here. I’ve got my window open right now and a crisp breeze is wafting in smelling of oranges. It’s not so cool that I need a sweater, but I do feel invigorated by the temperature change.

I’ve got plenty of time to get out of Florida during the summer. That is when I will plan trip to las vegas (where I know it will be hot, but I will remain indoors), to Washington DC to see family, and eventually to Europe with my daughter to poke around in some of our ancestral towns. Those places can wait, though, because Florida is Heaven on earth right now.

There are just some cities that are perfect for long days devoted entirely to sightseeing. I lived in DC for most of my life and never tired of sightseeing there. I loved playing tour guide for my visiting friends and family.

When I go to other cities with the intension of sightseeing, I do not always have the benefit of knowing someone in town who can show me around. I’ve gone to New York City many, may times and each time I try and fit in a few touristy type of activities, but I’ve relied mostly on my own research. I’m planning a trip back up there this coming spring and although I will spend some time with friends, I am going to go all out and book a private New York sightseeing tour, so that I can ensure that I’m seeing all there is to see in one fell swoop.

I love the idea behind the Family in New York tour company. They show you all around the city, but in a style much like a family member showing around relatives from out-of-state. Since I have played tour guide innumerable times to family who came to visit in DC, I know that a personal tour like that means you get to see more, and you get to see the sights that big tour bus companies skim right over. Plus, you get a lot of input into what you’ll see and how you’ll do it, because the tours are custom.

It sure beats sitting on a bus with a lot of old people from Canada and only getting off the bus to see one or two overt tourist attractions.

When I start feeling down about my smaller-than-usual travel budget, I try and do the whole making lemonade out of lemons thing and remember that not everyone can say that Orlando vacations are very, very affordable.

I live within an hour of Orlando and that leaves so many options open for me and my daughter. I suppose I take for granted that every year she and I go to the Pirates & Princesses party at The Magic Kingdom. Granted, we stay overnight, but a lot of hotels offer great deals for Florida residents. Heck, if I lived just a half hour closer I would buy season passes for the Disney parks, because after about April, they are dirt cheap if you live in Florida.

Whe I lived just outside of Washington, DC I made the most of that as well. I appreciate living so close to a destination that people make big, expensive pans to visit. I’ve just been taking it for granted lately. We have not been over to Orlando since February. I need to put it all in perspective and plan a day at Epcot for me and Gigi.

Confession time – I have never been on a cruise. I was meant to go on one for my Honeymoon, but there were green card issues with my groom (such a terribly long story!) and that eventually meant cruises were out of the question. We ended up staying in-state and just enjoying Key West in the off season. It was pretty great, but I never did stop wanting that cruise.

I’ve got a lot of ideals about cruises and I definitely associate them with checking out from society for a week or so – which is something I really need to do eventually. On the other hand, I have relatives who have gone on cruises more often that I can understand and claim that in the end they are boring. Their kids loathe the cruise…, and still the go each year. I cannot account for that.

My church has members who get together twice a year for group cruises. I’m thinking that might be the best way for me to start.

My daughter and I are big fans of the Disney parks here in Florida, but I’m eager to show her that Orlando and surrounding are about more than just Disney. When I spent time in Orlando before I had my daughter, I side-stepped the parks and enjoyed the other attractions in the area. You can find Orlando tours that include fun stuff like Gator Land and Train Land International.

My last really amazing sight-seeing thing I did alone since having my daughter was a mini-tour of the Space Coast – which I am absolutely dying to take my daughter to see. Her former nanny lives over there with her husband and new baby and I want to take advantage of that, pick up some Kennedy space center discount passes, and help my daughter see that we live in what is probably the best state in the nation when it comes to the sheer number of fun things to do right here near home.

Trusted Tours & Attractions has discount tour and attraction tickets for amazing Florida landmarks like the Miami Seaquarium and Silver Springs Nature Park – not to mention more cool things than I can mention in one article in Key West (one of my favorite places here in Florida). They’ve also got some helpful online travel guides so you can sit down and start planning your trip to the amazing Sunshine State. Plus, while you are visiting the site, make sure to sign up for their newsletter. You can win a $150 Magellan’s gift certificate just for signing up by August 31.

What cars mean to me might not be the same thing as what they mean to someone else. While I am momentarily attracted to sleek lines and powerful motors, ultimately I am looking for safety, durability and great gas mileage.

Right now I have the small car I had before I was married and the van that was bought after my daughter was born. Somehow, my ex-husband got the sports car. I really think one car is enough and I’m thinking of trying to sell both of my existing vehicles to buy one car I really want – preferably a hybrid or something with gas mileage that is super impressive.

On auto123.com there are tons of great tools you can use to find reviews of specific cars, compare vehicles, or even locate the car you already know you want at any number of new and used car dealers. In my case, the compare tool is exactly what I need. I have a few cars in mind and would love to be able to see their pros and cons side-by-side.

While you are checking out the website you should take a minute to enter their Drive, Rate, and Fly contest. All you have to do is contribute a user rating and you can win a trip to see the Daytona 500 in Florida, a trip to Cancun, Mexico, or a $5000 CA gift certificate.

I’ve not complained about my loss of rights while flying. I’m OK with the fact that I can only take a tiny bottle of shampoo and a sample tube of toothpaste with me on the airplane. I even sucked it up and did not complain about having to pack things in little baggies. I wear sandals when I fly, so taking my shows off will go quickly. I even endure how early I have to get to the airport for a flight these days.,

However, I am finally ready to complain!

Why? Because now it appears that I have to allow a stranger to see my completely naked in order to be allowed to fly. That is a HUGE loss of personal rights.

The Tampa International Airport is ready to “unveil” their new “denuding scanners”. These scanners will electronically undresses travelers by use of electromagnetic denuding rays and send an image to an officer in another room. In the image, passengers will look completely nude.

According to officials, not every passenger is scanned in such a manner. No, those under-educated, loser security officers who herd us through the security lines will have the right to “randomly” select passengers to scan.

Just try and convince me that young females will not be unfairly represented in that mix.

Two scanners were installed in Miami International Airport in July. Tampa is the second airport in the state to get the machines.

While I am no fan of the American Civil Liberties Union, I am certainly on the same side as them for this issue. They say the scanners are a flagrant invasion of privacy. It does not allow a person to choose modesty.

Some supporters claim the images appear like a mannequin; private parts are not shown in detail. If I wanted people to see me that way, I would wear a beige body stocking.

Just yesterday I wrote a post about the Cabin Cuddler, talking mostly about how good it is to have your own pillow and blanket available on public transportation for purposes of cleanliness.

Now, here is yet one more reason to bring your own compact pillow and blanket on airline flights. JetBlue Airways is going to begin charging passengers $7 for a pillow and a travel blanket (available on flights over 2-hours long). For that fee, the items are yours to keep, so at least it does way with those creepy, dirty, re-used pillows and blankets. You’ll also receive a $5 coupon for Bed Bath & Beyond.

Still, it is just one more way the airline intends to make additional profit. JetBlue says they will probably take in about $40 million from customers buying seats with extra leg room this year and about $20 million from people checking a second bag on flights. They are unwilling to predict yet how much revenue the pillows and blankets will bring in annually.

I am relatively relaxed during a typical airplane trip. I admit to being a little white-knuckled during the take-off and landing, but in general my issue with flying has very little to do with fear.

I just hate how uncomfortable I am on an airplane. Let’s not even talk about the fact that I am tall and have long legs, so more often than not I am uncomfortable as soon as I sit down. When the person in front of my put their seat back, which seem to always happens to me, my knees are pressing hard into the table tray for the entire flight. I end up with red dents on my knees for hours afterwards.

But, even more annoying is that many airlines are discouraging or even disallowing guests to carry pillows and travel blankets onto the flights now. Even if it were OK, I would be loathe to waste space in my precious carry-on bags. And, what right-minded person wants to use the pillows and blankets they offer you on the plane? You have no idea who used them before you and I am not going to risk picking up body lice, or worse.

There is a product called the Cabin Cuddler. It is a reversible tote bag that turns into a body-length blanket with an inflatable pillow. Because it is yours, you know it is clean. And, because it is so easy to pack into a small space you are not giving up very much carry on room in your luggage.

Personally, I would use it to fully cover my airplane seat before I sit down. How often do you think those seats are shampooed? I am always suspicious of how dirty they might be. Just the body sweat from one day’s worth of travelers in enough to turn my stomach. With a Cabin Cuddler, you can just take the whole thing home and toss it in the washing machine.

I thin the Cabin Cuddler serves the same purpose as those cool shopping cart covers people use for their children. I know the shopping cart cover I had for Gigi was my absolute best baby item purchase. I felt confident I was keeping my child away from dirt and germs. Now, with a Cabin Cuddler, I can feel the same way about public seating. Use it at the movie theater, a sports game in the winter, or even on a bus or train.
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I’ve had some pretty rockin’ summer vacations. One of the best was right here in Florida. It was the last year I was still with my ex-husband, so it was a family vacation in the most typical of ways. I have some great memories of my daughter on that vacation, too, since she was only 2.

We rented a villa near Disney World, only paying about $100 a night for a 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom, pool home with a washer and dryer, fully stocked kitchen, every cable station you can imagine, wireless high speed internet, and even multiple video game systems. We got such a good price, because I booked last minute and we planned our vacation around a gap the owner of the villa had in his summer booking.

We got all of our tickets and parking reimbursed at the Disney parks we visited for three of the days we were there, because we did mystery shopping while we were there.

That left so much extra money for us to find a whole lot of other cool things to do in Orlando. Talk about stretching the vacation budget. The fact of the matter is, there are a lot of ways to get discounts at all sorts of attraction in Orlando. You just need to check out the Trusted Tours & Attractions website. They have online travel guides, links to discounted tours tickets, and general travel information. Plus, make sure if you are spending time in Orlando (which is in the middle of the state), you don’t forget that it’s only a short drive to the beaches, Kennedy Space Center, and a whole lot of Florida gems.

You can also sweeten the pot by signing up for their newsletter, which enters you for a chance to win a $150 iTunes Gift Card.

Rising airline costs are keeping a lot of people at home this summer. God bless those who are so flush with disposable income that they declare that nothing will keep them from their month-long trip to Colorado, but certainly the rest of us are feeling the pinch.

I did fly to see my dad near Washington DC last month, but I have already cancelled plans to fly to Georgia to visit my daughter’s godparents (I would rather just make the drive), and a girls’ Vegas vacation weekend with some of my friends from college. Once I figure in the cost of airfare, the added fee for the first bag I check, a rental car and gas, then the hotel costs don’t look so great anymore.

I think in our global society, travel is important. That fact that a small faction of people in the world are able to determine the cost of fuel is sinister. There is no real reason for the high oil prices. One can argue supply and all that it embodies, but the oil is out there in truth. In the meantime, I just refuse to pay for it. I have no problem staying home instead of driving all over town to window shop as a sport. The local parks are as much fun as anything else, and I am blessed to live close to the beach. What more do we need?

I am planning a trip to Yellowstone with my daughter and some family members. While I think it would be a fantastic adventure if we were to drive to our destination, it is just too expensive with the cost of gas and the general wear and tear on the car.

So, I booked a flight and we will just rent a car when we get to the airport. I like to shop around when I do things like a car rental. Some of the specials that Advantage is running are pretty phenomenal. I don’t need to drive to Chicago right now, but they have a deal where you can drive from Florida to Chicago for a buck a day. That rocks.

I’m looking at the pricing at Advantage and weekend rates are the best, which is not a surprise. If you look around, you can figure out some great rates. Plus, they have a special where they offer up to 50% off on luxury and convertible car rentals. I could see myself taking a convertible into Yellowstone, for sure.