Author: Connie Valimont

Red, yellows and oranges seem to be at every turn during the fall. While New England takes most of the credit for spectacular fall color, here are five other places around the world where nature puts on a brilliant show of color! It’s never too early to plan your fall getaway … and have something to look forward to during our long, hot summer!

You’ve always wanted to golf in Scotland or Ireland. You want to perfect that cast for fly fishing. You channel Julia Childs in your kitchen when you’re cooking. You raced small sailboats as a child but long to now sail a larger one in an exotic locale. Why not take what you love to do and plan your next vacation around it? Here are some ideas that might lend themselves to your next getaway.

Ecotourism is defined by the The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”  

Most of us start each new year with ideas of what we want to accomplish during the next 365 days (or in 2012, it’s 366 due to leap day)! Usually at the top of the list is get in shape, lose weight and/or reduce stress in our lives. Or maybe it’s to be pampered; indulge in beauty treatments, exercise or healthy eating; recover from a divorce or illness; or just overhaul mind, body and spirit.

So much to do, so little time! As we look forward to a new year, I’ve looked at some of the trends out there …. What are you waiting for?  Pick one or a few. Your trip of a lifetime starts with a call or email to your travel advisor.

With the heat index reaching 105-110 degrees this past summer, those of us living year-round in the Lowcountry dreamt of cooler days. Now that they’re here, and the calendar has reached November, holiday travel thoughts are foremost in our minds.

Cruising the high seas brings back memories of a bygone era of travel. While the romance of cruising still exists, today it has evolved from a mode of long distance travel to an experience in and of itself. Here are some of the options available to the Phileas Foggs of the world who still long for the “good old days.”

A ship’s size is one of the more important aspects to consider when choosing a cruise to fit your lifestyle. The larger ships have more activities and amenities onboard and tend to be newer.  They’re great for family reunions, incentive groups and even weddings. The smaller ships are more port-intensive and have a more community-like ambience, creating a whole different experience both onboard and ashore.  “Small ship” has recently undergone redefinition and here’s where you shouldn’t make an assumption of size based on the company as you’ll see in these two ships from Royal Caribbean.

Planning a trip these days can be confusing and time-consuming. You’ve Googled “Caribbean vacation” and come up with millions of responses. You found a good deal for a hotel online and spent your beach vacation overlooking a parking lot that was being paved. The resort for your honeymoon looked great online, but the postage-stamp-sized pool was filled with screaming children most of the day. Who ya gonna call? The following Myth Busters may help!   MYTH #1: ALL TRAVEL AGENTS & TRAVEL AGENCIES ARE THE SAME FACT: Every travel agent is different and has a different area of specialization. It is important when planning a trip to work with a travel agent who specializes in the destination you are thinking about and/or the type of trip it is (adventure, cruise, tour, independent travel, etc.).

With a unique combination of pleasant climate, beautiful coastline, rich history and diverse culture, the Mediterranean region is the most popular tourist destination in the world — attracting approximately one-third of the world’s international tourists. Covering more than 900,000 square miles, the Mediterranean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean. It is unique because it is almost completely surrounded by land, including Europe to the North, Africa to the South, and Asia to the East. It is connected to the Atlantic by the Strait of Gibraltar, which is just nine miles wide.