Summer Vacation - Are Summer Vacation Packages Worth It?

Where are we going on summer vacation this year?

Perhaps it should not amaze me but I am still intrigued by human nature in choosing a summer vacation. Why do some people almost automatically book the same hotel, in the same resort year after year while others insist on something totally different from they last summer vacation?

I am sure that it would take a lot more than one article to explain it! If you and your family are considering your next summer vacation, you will know as well as I do that a whole bunch of decisions have to be made. Three of the most important decisions to consider when scheduling a summer vacation are typically:
# Destination

# Suitability

# Price

With the wealth of information now available on the internet posted by travel agents, tourist boards, airlines, hotels, travel companies, and individuals, we can almost run the risk of information overload. We can end up with too many decisions or too many options to choose from.

Whereas some people may prefer and get a lot of fun out of organizing the whole trip themselves, others may prefer to take advantage of a particular summer vacation package that is on offer. Even so, there is still a level of uncertainty as to what a summer vacation package should or should not contain. This is not surprising since different resorts, different travel companies may offer a variety of 'incentives' to attract more customers...
# All inclusive deals

# Tours and excursions

# Children's entertainment

# Free access to private beaches

# Free park admissions

# Airport transfers

# Car rental

The list is endless. Summer vacation packages are offered by a wide variety of different companies with each company likely to offer their own package inclusions. Depending on our own personal family circumstances, however, it is likely that we can find one that almost ticks all the boxes if not completely.

So, are summer vacation packages worth it? Well, that depends.

For some, the overall package price (within reason) may take second place to the convenience and range of inclusions offered in that package. To others it may be a case of shopping around to get a price more suited to their budget and having to compromise on what's included in the package.

With summer vacation packages, there is a misconception that savings will be made by buying a package compared to a more DIY style of vacation where we pay as we go. Packages are often regarded as deals and, yes, they can benefit from discounts but this is not always the case. Whoever has put the whole package together still needs to make a profit somewhere.

So, unless you want the package because of the convenience and the 'worry-free' arrangements that are included, I would encourage anyone to take some time and compare the cost of the package to the overall cost of doing it yourself. While doing this, also compare the benefits offered to individuals against those offered in a package which may have been organized by a large tour operator with 'buying power'.

Hotel accommodation and nearby vacation facilities or attractions are a good example of this. I have found that booking accommodation directly with the hotel often offers a less attractive deal compared to booking through a travel company or buying a package. This may be actual price per night, meals, transfers or even excursions.

This is all the more reason to make sure there is enough time to do some research which, again, is easy given the information available on the internet. For example, if you have a specific hotel in mind, visit the online website of the hotel you wish to check out. You may be surprised to see a difference between the summer vacation package price and booking directly. Depending on the vacation destination package in question, you may find the difference saves you money or ends up costing you more.

Online travel websites and professional travel companies are where most vacation packages are found. Online travel websites are good because they are free to use, but you are encouraged to watch for hidden fees. These hidden fees, if they do exist, could cause a significant increase in the overall cost of your summer vacation package.

When the right research is done, we know when we have found the 'right' summer vacation whether it is a packages deal or a vacation we have organized by ourselves. There is no doubt in my mind also that depending on our personal circumstances and with a bit of research, summer vacation packages can definitely be worth it.

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Hyannis MA Summer Vacation Destination

Hyannis has become known as the Cape Cod town where the Kennedy family has its summer home, but there is much more to this old New England coastal town than its famous part-time residents. One of Barnstable’s seven villages, Hyannis offers great, sandy beaches; golf courses; many restaurants; historic homes; a long history; and plenty of family-oriented recreation to fill your summer vacation.

Hyannis Beaches

While you are never very far from a nice beach when you stay on Cape Cod, lodging in Hyannis will put you close to some of the most popular. On Nantucket Sound, Craigville Beach is the largest and most popular beach in Hyannis. You can windsurf at Kalmus Beach; and Veterans Beach, Orrin Keyes and Sea Street Beach are open to locals and visitors. Some Hyannis homes available for rent even have their own private beaches.

Shopping in Hyannis

Historic waterfront Main Street is the center of shopping in Hyannis, although there is also the Cape Cod Mall. Hyannis sports all manner of shops, from antiques to art galleries and clothing to boating equipment. Other shopping destinations include Cape Town Plaza, Southwind Plaza, and Festival at Hyannis.

Hyannis Dining

The main culinary attraction, of course, is fresh seafood. In Hyannis you will find an excellent bowl of steamy clam chowder, fresh lobster, excellent scallops and certainly a special catch of the day. With an active harbor, there is plenty of fresh seafood coming into the restaurants and seafood shops each day. But if seafood’s not your thing, Hyannis has plenty more to choose from, including your standard fast food chains, and cuisines representing tastes from Asia to the Mediterranean.

As far as restaurants with ambiance, you will find waterfront restaurants with views of yachts and the sunset, as well as historic sea captains’ homes that have been converted to serve your palate. Hyannis is very busy during the summer, so it is a good idea to call ahead and place a reservation if there is a restaurant you really want to try. Most restaurants are casual though some of the finer spots may require a jacket or tie. You should also note that the town’s restaurants and bars are all smoke free.

Festivals and cultural events in Hyannis

During the prime summer months, Hyannis is a Cape Cod destination for music and other festivals. Every Thursday night there is a street festival on Main Street, which hosts performers, craft vendors and activities for children. The Cape Cod Melody Tent hosts major national touring performers all summer, from jazz greats to rock legends. The Cape Cod Performing Arts Center also hosts national touring musicians as well as plays, musicals and other entertainment. There are also fun sporting events held in Hyannis, such as Cape Cod Baseball League games and Cape Cod Crusaders soccer matches.

Other Things to Do in Hyannis

There’s still so much to do when you make Hyannis your base for a Cape Cod vacation. On the water, you can go for a harbor cruise, charter a fishing boat, or take a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. There are movie theaters for those rainy days or if there is a summer blockbuster you just can’t miss. You can go whale watching or take a tour to catch a glimpse of the Kennedy Compound. On the matter of all things Kennedy, you can also visit the chamber of commerce’s John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, which sheds light on Kennedy’s time spent in Hyannis. Among other fun activities are kite flying, surf casting and deep-water saltwater fishing, bowling, tennis, golf and mini golf.

Hyannis Accommodations and Lodging

There are many types of places to stay in Hyannis, from historic bed and breakfasts to motels, and hotels to Hyannis vacation homes. No matter which type of accommodation you choose, one thing is highly recommended – plan ahead. Many lodging choices will book early for summer, some starting in January. Among your best options for comfort and privacy are Hyannis MA vacation rentals.

Cheap Summer Vacation Destinations

If you think that you can only use a payday loan for financial emergencies like on medical bills, bills payment or car repair, think again. A payday loan can be availed without you citing of its usage or reason, which is why payday loans are very popular today.

Therefore, if you need extra cash in order to meet your summer vacation budget, a payday loan can be of great help. Payday loans are short-term loans that you need to fully repay within 14-30 days without a credit check. You can avail as much as $1,500 from your payday loan provider which is already sufficient for that summer vacation you have long been looking forward to.

Now that your vacation budget is set, it is time to decide where to go this summer:

Europe

Europe is in fact a very popular summer vacation destination. You can make your trip to Europe affordable by booking at least a month ahead so you can avail of airline promos and packages or if you are planning on visiting different cities in Europe, you can buy an “open-jaw” ticket which permits you to fly towards one European city and then leave from another city.

Cruises

During summer, cruises allow you to see many different destinations in just one vacation most especially northern climates. Again, the key to making your summer cruise vacation more affordable is to book and plan ahead.

Puerto Rico

Many airlines are usually offering very affordable fares to Puerto Rico during the summer and you can save more by purchasing a round trip ticket because you get a special rate. Upon reaching Puerto Rico, you can stay in “paradores” (small lodgings for rent thru the locales). They offer a number of attractive packages for you to choose from according to your requirements.

Aspen

If you love skiing, or just want a cooler place to visit this summer, then Aspen is the place to be. There are many places to go in Aspen as well as breathtaking mountains that will sure to capture the hearts of nature lovers.

Hawaii

Hawaii is also a famous summer destination, with its magnificent beaches and warm, friendly people. Because there are usually great numbers of tourists visiting during the summer, hotel and airfare rates usually go down, offering affordable packages.

Enjoy your summer! Keep in mind though, just borrow the payday loan amount that you can afford to pay when your salary arrives so that you will not be in a tight financial situation when you go home from your summer vacation. Cheers!

Get Your Car Ready for Summer Vacation

It's that time of year again. You're thinking about the annual summer drive down to Cape Cod, the New Jersey Shore, the beaches in Florida or the mountains in California. There's a couple of things you need to take care of though before you load up the car with luggage and get everyone fastened into their seat-belts. A blown out tire or an overheated radiator are just a couple of things that can put a huge damper on your trip.

Get your car checked out and have all the maintenance that you need done at least a couple of weeks before your trip is scheduled to begin, that way if anything major arises during the vehicle inspection, you can have it taken care of without postponing on canceling your summer vacation.

Schedule an oil change and once-over for your car

The first thing you should do is take your car in for an oil change. During the oil change, make sure your dealer or service station does more than just change the oil. They should check your tires, both air pressure and tread level; check all of the fluid levels for your transmission, brakes, radiator, windshield, etc.; and also check all of your belts, hoses and your windshield wipers for wear and tear. Additionally, they should also check all of your lights. You don't want to get pulled over for having a brake light out. Go over the inspection report with the auto technician and make sure that they haven't missed anything and that you understand what maintenance work needs to be done.

Replace worn belts, hoses and tires before you go.

Do you need new belts and hoses or new tires to replace the threadbare ones that are currently on your car? Schedule that work to be done before you even leave the shop, then make sure you follow through. While tires can get a bit pricey to replace, belts and hoses are fairly inexpensive. Always replace at least two tires at a time, even if only one of them is bad. You always want your tires at the front or rear of your car to have the same tread level. So if only one of your front tires is bad, replace both that tire and the tire with the second lowest tread level and then have your tires rotated.

Get your Radiator Ready for Summer

It also makes sense to schedule a radiator flush. You don't want to be caught halfway up a hill or in the middle of heavy summer traffic near a tollbooth with your car overheating, so get your radiator flushed out and ready for summer heat. I lived in Los Angeles for several years and every summer it was inevitable that some cars would overheat while trying to get over the hill from the San Fernando Valley into Los Angeles and they would end up either backing up traffic for miles, or they'd have to sit and wait on the side of the road for Roadside Assistance to arrive with water for their radiators. A radiator flush could have prevented most of these situations.

Check your Air conditioning too.

Low levels of freon will reduce your air conditioners efficiency and output, but it's a pretty inexpensive fix to top up the freon levels for your car's air conditioner. If you do need additional freon, have your mechanic double-check the ac system for a leak. It may be something that can wait until you get back from your trip to take care of, but chances are that if you do need freon, you have a leak someplace.

Be Prepared for Emergencies

Now that your car is prepared for your trip, make sure to prepare for any additional emergencies that arise. Keep a flashlight and a set of jumper cables in your trunk and consider getting a roadside emergency kit. If you have AAA, make sure you have your membership card in your wallet. Also make sure that you know where your registration and insurance information is kept so you can get to it quickly in case of an emergency or a police stop. Organization will keep your mind at peace while you are on the road.

Now all you have to do is fuel up the car and enjoy your trip!

Summer Vacation - Why Your Family Should Take A Summer Vacation

Year on year, an ever increasing number of families make the decision to take a summer vacation. Despite the fact that a large number of individuals and families do take off and have a summer vacation, there are even more families that do not. Which type of family are you?

How often have you said or have heard someone else say "I need a holiday".

As a family, we have businesses online and offline and we find that it is all too easy to work 14/7 (or at least it feels like it) with no respite or let up. This is not good for anybody. We all need and deserve a summer vacation so why do some people forgo this great opportunity to relax, have fun and recharge the batteries?

There are a number of reasons why a particular family may be unable to take a summer vacation. Family budget and cost is one of the most common reasons. Unfortunately, many individuals mistakenly believe that a vacation is going to be cost prohibitive otherwise it will not be a good vacation.

Listen, it doesn't matter whether you spend a few days at the beach, travel to the closest amusement park, stay a few days at a camp site, or travel overseas, they can all be considered as a summer vacation.

I remember once asking my late father-in-law if he has a good time after one trip. He replied that he had had a great time adding "If you don't enjoy yourself, you only have yourself to blame". Ok there may be times when events are out of our control but the point is that it is up to us to make the most of our circumstances and we can have a great summer vacation no matter how short or long, far or nearer to home.

Sadly, more and more families are unable to take a family vacation due to their busy schedules. Summer vacations are popular because they are often the only time that a family can take a break from their work commitments and routines.

Although, sometimes, we find it difficult, I strongly recommend that you set aside time, whether it be three days or three weeks, to schedule a summer vacation with your family. We regularly find that when we do, we appreciate the untold number of benefits.

Perhaps, the greatest benefit of scheduling a summer vacation with your family is the amount of time that you will be able to spend together, enjoying each others company and having fun together.

Believe me these opportunities don't last forever. We have two teenagers, one of whom starts university later this year. The other has just turned 15 and wants to spend all of his free time with his mates. So, we know that we have to make the most of the chances we have now before the kids decide that they want to do their own summer vacation thing.

Many families are rarely able to spend time together. Long work hours, homework, and busy sports schedules often prevent a family from enjoying dinner or other fun activities together. In some cases, a summer vacation is the only way that a family can spend uninterrupted quality time together.

For me, another "biggie" is relaxation.

People talk about how great it is for kids today, they have everything! Today, children must operate and function differently than they had to in the past. School age children are often bombarded with large amounts of homework, on a daily basis. This homework, along with active sport schedules and pressure to be the best, takes its toll.

A summer vacation provides them with the opportunity to switch off, have fun, meet new friends, and get the rest that they need and deserve.

What about you? What about the parents?

In addition to our kids, we need time to relax, to switch off and, hey, even have some fun!

We have our daily pressures, commitments and routines to adhere to. Taking a well deserved summer vacation with our family gives us the opportunity to forget about the pressures of work or running our household. It's even more important than that, however.

It's absolutely vital for our personal well being and that of our families that we take the time to relax and recharge in the way that a summer vacation allows us to do.

If you have agreed with me so far, I have another suggestion...

If you are seriously thinking about taking a summer vacation, involve the whole family in the decision making process. Let the kids feel they are making an important contribution. Who knows, there ideas may the best ones when it comes to choosing the "right" vacation for your family.

One final question - why would you want to continue to spend your summers around your home, especially when everyone could be having a great "Wish You Were Here" time enjoying themselves away from home?

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Useful Summer Vacation Tips

Are you ready for the summer? Are you ready for the kids home around the clock? Well, if not, get ready for summer vacation because it's just around the corner! The following tips will help your summer vacation fly by!

Summer vacations are often a hassle for the working mom so the best thing you can do is plan ahead for the summer by enlisting the help of day camps or summer camps. Most local areas offer many summer sports camps for kids involved in baseball, volleyball and other activities. You'll likely find that the summer vacations will fly by if you keep your summer occupied with action-packed activities for your child. Plan ahead to fill their summer with activities to occupy their mind and to help them manage high energy and you'll find a relaxing summer awaits you.

Summer vacations can be fun if you take the time to read tips from other working moms to occupy your young one's mind. If you have small children, you may need to put them in daycare for the summer, but if you must do that then choose one which will keep them busy with summer time activities and not just keep them locked up inside.

Summer vacations are an exciting time for children but they need to stay on some sort of schedule so that they will not have too much free time on their hands. The best thing to do is give them something to do day in and day out as a chore and then plan at least one activity per day with small children. For example, you can take the time to visit parks, have a picnic and do something silly like attend Hands on Museum where kids always have fun.

Teens will be able to pre-occupy their own time but if you have a teen that is doing poorly in school, the take this tip, summer vacation without summer school is a bad idea. Teens struggling in school need to take the time to catch up over the summer otherwise they will fall further behind in the next grade the following year.

Get ready for the summer early by planning your child care, summer camps and summer vacations. Seek tips online for summertime fun and tips for family vacations. Book your child's spot in summer camps early so they are able to attend the camps they want when they want.

Get ready for the summer and plan your child's summer break away from school early so they have something to look forward to this summer. That's part of their fun!

Travelling Summer Vacation Tips

Many couples and families are looking to take a great summer vacation. These are very popular these days and many are getting serious about it. When the time comes to plan your summer trip you will want to think about how you can make your reservations.

First, you will want to find a summer vacation place that is going to be good for you. If you are trying to find the right, one you will want to consider a number of different things. These things should include if you are traveling alone or with your family or children. Think about the age of your children and the actual cost of traveling. Make sure that you keep these facts close by and you will be able to find the right type of place to travel as well as fit your needs. We found the perfect villa in Costa Blanca for rent.

After you have found a summer place to go you will want to make sure that you make the appropriate reservations. You will find that there are many different amusement parks to choose out of. You may want to take notice of all the great camping sites that are located around the area. You might even want to find the right hotels that are going to work for you as well. You may not have to make a reservation but you should because they will fill up quickly before you know it. You want to get your room and destination reserved before it is too late.

When you want to stay somewhere overnight you will want to have a nice room. Some do not want to rent a hotel room and some families want to enjoy staying outside. These types of vacations are going to mean going outdoors and enjoying the time that you are together. If you are thinking about having the vacation of your dreams at a park or campsite, you will want to also reserve the space. These places are going to have limited space so you want to make sure that you are reserving it in plenty of time.

Getting a good price for your spot may require you to go online and find it. You may see that there are excellent deals that will help you save on your budget and get the best trip ever. There are super discounts that you can take advantage of at resorts and other places that you find online. If you are trying to find somewhere that you do not really know about looking online is the best thing you can do. This is going to be a super place for you to get valuable information on the vacation that you are looking for.

No matter if you are going with a discount website for travel or a professional agent you will want to have everything planned out before you head out. Do not just assume that you will have a room when you get there. You need to keep this problem from ruining your entire vacation by making reservations first and getting confirmation numbers to protect yourself.

Looking For a Hot Climate Summer Vacation?

When it comes to finding the right summer vacation for you, the main thing that you obviously need to think about is where you want to go. You should choose the destination before you choose your budget as these days you can easily get a good deal no matter where you want to go.

Looking Into Travel Destination Packages

You will find when you begin looking for summer vacation destinations, that there are a number of packages you can choose from. However, many people do not actually know what a summer vacation package is. So just what is a summer vacation package and what do they involve?

Basically a summer vacation package is a holiday that includes the flights, accommodation and often even the activities that you will take part in once you are there. They are usually cheaper to purchase than booking everything separately and so they are a popular choice for those who are on a budget.

You can book a beach summer vacation package, or you could even look into packages in various cities. There is sometimes nothing nicer than a nice city break away from it all. The choice really is yours, though no matter where you decide to go you should always check to see what the package actually contains. This may sound obvious, but many people just assume that certain things will be covered in their package, when in fact they aren't.

When you book a hotel package you will usually find that local attractions are included in the deal. However this is not always the case so it is worth checking out where you can go and what you can do. Travel is also mainly included in such packages and that is a big help to most people as trying to book the right travel to and from the airport can be an absolute nightmare.

If you are wondering where you can find a summer vacation package then generally the best place to start looking is online. The Internet always hosts a huge range of deals and you have more chance of finding something to suit you too.

Overall a summer vacation package can take you anywhere. So whether you are looking for a hot or cold climate, or no matter how much money you have, there will always be a package to suit your needs. However, do not always assume that package deals are cheaper than booking everything separately - that is simply not the case, even though there are some good deals to be found. If you keep these things in mind then you should be able to find yourself the perfect summer vacation package to suit you.