Vacation Deals

Even though the economy is starting to show some signs of life, most people are still cautious over spending on luxury items, extravagant meals, designer labels, unnecessary travel. While all of these items are are fun, they are not needed for everyday life. But there are ways around this.
Most websites have places to sign up for specials. Restaurant websites offer coupons and sign up for emails. I just got one today from a dinner I frequent for a burger and milkshake for $8.99, YUMM!! Department store chains offer discount sections on line, TARGET's site also offers free shipping for orders over $50.
Many vacation websites have an email list for specials, Damron Vacations has that option. And when you sign up now, you receive $100 off your first booking of 4 nights or more, restrictions apply. After enrolling, you will receive a weekly newsletter with promotions from Damron Vacations. Makes it easy to find good deals on vacations.

Deals on a Budget

With small glimmers of hope in the economy starting to appear, maybe it has reached bottom. Car sales were down, but not as much as forecasted, factory orders increased, all signs of a recovery. Jobs are still being lost, but not at the record rate in months past. Let's all keep out fingers crossed and the worst is over.
But even with a little ray of economic good news, going overboard is not a smart idea. A loosening of the purse strings might be in order though. Maybe a treat out to dinner, one of the first luxuries that gets cut in a downturn. There are many options to find bargains. One is the site Restaurant.com, it offers discounted gift certificates at many local eateries. Just enter your zip code and press go. My local newspaper has the same deal on Friday morning's online edition. Many popular eateries have promotions that can be purchased, but quantities are limited. To me it is a good incentive to try a new place, $25 worth of food for $10 is hard to beat.
Many hotels are offering discounts too. Having a person pay a reduced rate is better than an empty room. Many establishments are trying to keep valuable employees, this may mean reduced hours for everyone, as opposed to reduced number of staff.
These great deals are also available on Damron Vacations. Many high end hotels are offering reduced rates, spa credits, food & beverage credits to name a few of the perks offered. Combining these with a reduced flight cost could make a quick trip easy, convenient and affordable. With tourism down worldwide, hotel rates in Europe have dropped and flight deals abound. The dollar has also rallied against the euro, so once there, prices are affordable. Too many months of frugality can lead to an over abundance of stress, so break out the debit card and treat yourself to a nice meal of maybe a trip, so call Damron Vacations or check out the webiste for your travel needs.

Travel on a Dime

The downturn in the economy has also had an adverse effect on the travel industry. With the Federal bailout, many companies have recently canceled meetings as a result of adverse publicity.
Las Vegas and other popular cities have been hard hit and trying to fill vacancies.
This does have an upside. With empty rooms to fill, bargains are everywhere. There are many websites that offer last minute deals. Also some send weekly emails with specials they have uncovered. Though some are still on the $ side, some are quite reasonable. Maybe it is just a weekend away in a nearby city that you drive to, or a cheap flight to visit friends.
Low budget does not mean boring and dull. Staying in a 5 star property in your own city for a great price is a nice get away. Instead of a few hundred dollars in airfare, use the money for spa treatments, show tickets, or that expensive restaurant you always wanted to try. So many people are always waiting for a special occasion to pamper themselves. Why wait? There could be a bus out there just waiting........
Damron Vacations offers some great deals to great destinations. The experienced agents can help plan a quick get away to Vegas, or maybe someplace warm and tropical? A little stress release is just a phone call away.

Memories......

One of the few things that can never be taken away from us by another person. Time my dim them, some diseases will make you live in them, but they are always yours. There are things from my early childhood I remember as if they happened yesterday. Memories of my mother are circa 1966 and a birthday party where she decorated cupcakes with colored coconut, ice cream was in individual cups with wooden paddles for spoons, and we played games like pin the tail on the donkey.
There were the trips into New York City to visit my maternal grandparents and the Museum of Natural History. The enormous blue whale is still vivid in my mind. The smell of Italian food cooking at my grandparent's apartment. My grandmother in her wheelchair, a harbinger of my own mom's fate. Summers were spent at Seaside Heights in a rented apartment or house, the nights spent on the boardwalk.
After the move to North Carolina, the vacations to Daytona Beach, my parent's favorite place to visit, the Blue Ridge Mountains. 1973, we were the Griswalds years before Chevy Chase and Company. Mom's Country Squire, yellow with wood siding, Charlotte to San Francisco, Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Death Valley(with broken A/C), Bristlecone pine trees, Yosemite. Then the loop through Tahoe, Grand Teton, Yellwstone and the Pacific Coast Highway. My first plane flight.
Senior year in high school was my first taste of international travel. Madrid and Seville with Mrs Cassale. College spring breaks at the beach and Bermuda for my senior year. Tips to Europe after graduation and cruises. Yes, I love to travel.
Along the way I have owned cars, a condo, watches, etc. Most of which are gone, lost or just worn out. But the memories of all those trips and many more will always be with me and are mine to keep. They include the sights and sounds of the destinations, but also the people I with who I traveled. Some are still good friends, some lost to the years. In a way they will always be with me, whether as a high school senior or as they are today.
There was a conference recently where Ryan Howell of San Francisco State University announced the findings of his latest research. Experiences provided more happiness than possessions. The glamor of a purchase might last for three months, but experiences provided happiness long after the actual event. The experiences provided more of a feeling of being alive, and involved social interaction and bonding. By the way, I have no idea what I got at that birthday party.
Let Damron Vacations help you create some memories to keep forever. Maybe a trip to Europe or teh Caribbean, or maybe a trip home to attend a reunion, remember living well is the best revenge. The knowledgeable agents can help make a trip you will remember for a long long time.

I left my heart in........

San Francisco. The city by the Bay. The Golden Gate. One of the most picturesque cities in the United States, and a great base for a vacation. And one of the gayest places around.
The city started off with the Spanish exploration of west and southwest. Always looking for gold and the Fountain of Youth, if the had waited, it is called plastic surgery. San Francisco became the port of preference after gold was found at Sutter's Mill. about 100 miles inland past Sacramento. Travel by ship was the most common way during the period, and will a fantastic natural harbor, San Fran thrived. When gold was discovered in the Yukon, it became the place to load up on supplies for the miners heading north.
The city does have one kind of minor problem, its straddles the San Andreas Fault. On April 18, 1906, the fault let loose with a sizable quake. The damage from the quake, and resulting fire, almost destroyed the city. In what was probably the first example of damage control by politicians, the devastation was down played to lure people to return to the city. I guess it worked well, the city still thrives and continues to grow.
So how did it become so gay? It supposedly started with the US Navy. San Francisco was the drop off point for sailors that misbehaved in the head. Wonder where that led? Being kicked out of the Navy for being a homosexual was not something that was well accepted in middle, north, south, east or west America. With no place to go, the sailors just stayed there. With its accepting attitude more people moved there since they fit in with society. No need to stay in the closet in Peoria.
The Castro became the center of the gay ghetto. Bars, restaurants, and shopped lined the street. Bed & breakfasts opened in restored row houses. It was its own thriving neighborhood in a very diverse city. Today it is still the heart of the gay community and a good place to get a feel of an accepting community.
Besides the city of San Francisco itself, there are lots of attractions within an easy drive. There is Carmel and Monterrey to the south with its famous Cannery Row. To the north, coast redwoods abound in the Muir Woods, and the Point Reyes Lighthouse has a dramatic setting. If adventurous, a little farther north is Bodega Bay, the setting for Hitchcock's thriller The Birds. Just short drive to the northeast is the wine county of Napa and Sonoma. The wineries offer tours and the local cuisine is legendary. When taking the tours and tastings, try new types and varietals, maybe you will find a new favorite. You can pick up a few bottles as mementos.
So if San Francisco sounds like a great place to visit, check out Damron Vacations, the knowledgeable agents can arrange the perfect get away. And don't forget your Damron Guide, with over 40 years of experience, it is a great way to find the perfect bar, restaurant, or shop to make your experience complete.