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Looking forward to Christmas at the beach? Start planning now!
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This is my kind of "snow" man
The fall chill is in the air, the days are getting shorter and the kids are back in school. Ski season is just around the corner, the jeans and flannel have started reappearing and I noticed driving down the street yesterday that the leaves are just starting to change. The end of summer always makes my thoughts turn to one thing. No it’s not a white Christmas, it’s a sandy one!
*Now* is the time to start planning if you want to get away from it all this year, not during Thanksgiving vacation with everyone else. Over the next few weeks I’ll share some of my favorite Christmas beach locations like Costa Rica, Florida, Thailand and Hawaii; but in the meantime you need to start doing your homework to decide if Christmas at the beach is right for you.
Set the expectations with your family
Most of us have traditions around the winter holidays, no matter the theological doctrine we follow. Discuss with your family whether or not these traditions can be packed up and carried to warmer climes or whether you want to schedule your vacation before or after your traditional celebration. Think you can buy a Christmas tree wherever you go? Not true!
Plan your budget
We all know that vacation prices during the school holidays peaks up a bit, and those miles and points we have accumulated to use for vacations are typically blacked out during these same periods. A little out of the box thinking may help you fit a vacation into your budget, no matter how streamlined. For instance, one of my neighbors gave their kids (four girls ranging in age from 9 to 18) the option to vote for either traditional Christmas with presents at home or a vacation in Mexico. They opted for a vacation and all they can talk about is how much fun this cruise they are going to take will be. Booking early, finding accommodations with kitchens or all inclusive resorts with a fixed price for meals and activities are all good ideas to keep control of how much you are spending.
Bargain Shopping
I hate to use the term “these economic times”, but seriously there are some good deals to be had right now since we have all been cutting back. The best deals are for those of you who are willing to commit to booking early. Booking everything through one agency (car + hotel + flights) usually will save you some bucks as well. Here is a list of my favorite sites for vacation planning; both research and booking. Happy hunting and I’ll see you this December at the beach!
Travelocity vacation planning - great for reviews, vacation planning and booking
Trip Advisor - best on the web for reader reviews and for vacation planning
Expedia beach vacations - this link will lead you to a beach vacation planning engine - fun!
Skyscanner - great site for booking your air travel and for doing research
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