All the planning, discussion and excitement leading up to your trip is good for your soul! Research shows that a great deal of the benefit we get from vacations comes from the anticipation of the vacation. But what about coming back home again? How do you get the most benefit from your vacation and avoid the crash and burn from coming back to reality? We can’t promise a truly scientific approach to this, but we do have some advice and thoughts on easing the transition back into reality.
Let us know what tricks work for you, and what you think of this episode!
If you have taken a cruise before, you know that one of the best things about it is your hotel takes you to many different destinations during your time on board! This is a great way to get a taste of several different islands or cities so you can determine which ones you want to return to for more in depth exploration. But how do you get out and see the best the location has to offer? Today we want to talk about shore excursions and let you know just how many options there are out there!
*Traditional shore excursions (with the cruise line)
*Third party options
*Winging it!
*Don’t forget pre- and post- cruise options!
*Staying on board as an “excursion” (spa specials!)
What have you enjoyed as a shore excursion when you’ve cruised? Drop us a note and let us know!
Hilton Head Island is the second largest barrier island on the East Coast of the USA, at the southernmost tip of South Carolina just before you cross into Savannah, Georgia. It’s a lush, green, natural state island, rich in history, and offers 20+ world-class gold courses, exemplary dining with 150+ non-chain restaurants, 100+ miles of bike trails, 12 miles of beautiful beaches – and more!
We are joined by special guest, Ellen Lam, who is the Sales Manager for Leisure and Business Travel at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa. Elizabeth and Andy of Outlander Travel were fortunate enough to visit this property along with several other magnificent Hilton Head properties a few weeks ago and are excited about Ellen’s knowledge of the area – listen in and learn all about this terrific island destination.
Have you visited Hilton Head? What do you enjoy most about the island? Let us know!
aimee@outlandertravel.com
andy@outlandertravel.com
elizabeth@outlandertravel.com
robin@outlandertravel.com
sandy@outlandertravel.com
Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC are two southern cities that epitomize Southern hospitality and charm. They both have something to offer every traveler – history, great food, and beautiful scenery. They each also have their own unique qualities. In Charleston you can visit Fort Sumter and see where the Civil War started, or stroll through the markets where you can still see straw baskets being woven. Savannah is the home of one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country, and you also might recognize it from movies such as Forrest Gump. There are plenty of things to talk about with these two destinations, such as:
*Favorite resorts
*Ghosts & pirates
*Art festivals
*Food & brew
*Beaches & plantations
*Where to spend St. Patrick’s Day!
Have you spent time in either city? Which one do you prefer (as if it would be easy to make a choice!) Let us know by dropping any of us a note, or a comment here.
You may have heard us refer to the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” This year is extra special because it’s the festival’s 20th year, so we wanted to touch on all of the highlights that we love – the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, special classes and tastings, celebrity chefs, and so much more!
We also have a group set up to go Nov. 5 – 9, so if you’d like to travel with your travel agent give us a call!
Highlights of our group include:
*Discounted resort and tickets rates
*Exclusive Illuminations Dessert Party for the Outlander Travel group (extra charge)
*Meetups
*Special 10% off discount code for the new Race 13.1 Orlando Half Marathon on November 8, 2015. Use Code OT2015DISC
Have you enjoyed the Food and Wine Festival, or have you dreamed about going for years? Let us know!
aimee@outlandertravel.com
andy@outlandertravel.com
elizabeth@outlandertravel.com
lindsay@outlandertravel.com
robin@outlandertravel.com
sandy@outlandertravel.comSee the complete index of podcasts by topic!
Skiing! Colorado is home to 25 world class ski and snowboarding resorts which have the longest season of any state in the US with resorts open from October through late April. Arapahoe Basin is sometimes open into June! On the other side of the world, when people visit the Alps in Europe, they also discover long seasons and beautiful scenery as well as a vibrant ski scene.
Welcome special guest
Heather LaPuma, from
Compass Travel Experts. Heather is a Colorado Native and has been skiing since she was five. By now, you all know our own Andy worked in ski resorts in the Austrian Alps for a time and knows a thing or two about the ski experience in Europe. These two ski experts will guide us to learn about:
*Best All Around Ski-Town
*Best Off the Beaten Track Ski-Town
*Best Place to See Famous People
*Highest Place to Ski
*Best for Beginners
*Best Apres ski scene
*Best Beer
Is skiing your passion? Have you skied Europe, or the great powder of Colorado? Drop us a note and let us know!
Hola from sunny Mexico! When we last talked about Cancún in Episode 16, Outlander travel agents Andy and Elizabeth had just returned from a research trip as guests of the Cancún Tourism Board. Recently, Sandy traveled to Cancún for training with the Mark Travel Group as well as Lomas Travel, a destination specialist in the area. She visited 12 resorts and had some different experiences on her trip, so we wanted to hear what she thought. Some of this week’s topics include:
*Lomas Travel – what do they do?
*Live Aqua – host hotel – what is it like?
*Playa Mujeres – Excellence group (Beloved, Excellence, Finest)
*Moon Palace
*Maroma Beach, El Dorado/Karisma resorts
*Favorite adult-only resort
*Favorite family resort
Have you been to Cancún lately? What are your thoughts on this sunny vacation destination?
We’ve talked before about how special Disneyland Park is. It’s the original. Walt walked through that park. There is a certain nostalgia when you visit, and there are a lot of differences when you compare it to Walt Disney World in Florida. This year is extra special, though, because Disneyland Park is celebrating its 60th Diamond Anniversary and the entire place, from the resorts, to both parks, to Downtown Disney are all decked out for the celebration. Elizabeth, Lindsay, Robin and Sandy were fortunate to visit recently and experience some of the special events taking place this year. I know they’re excited to share what they saw, so let’s get started while we talk about:
*New Fireworks show
*Paint the Night parade
*World of Color
*Hatbox Ghost
*Matterhorn
*Special photo ops
*Special merchandise
Teens are known for being lots of things… moody, aloof, rebellious, and even super busy with frantic school, work and volunteer commitments. So of course they need a vacation too! So what sorts of vacations do teens want? What are they most interested in seeing? Do they really want to travel with their parents? Let’s talk through this and see what we can suggest for traveling with your favorite teenager.
*All-inclusive resorts
*Disney
*Europe
*Hawaii
*Alaska
*National parks
Have you traveled with teens? Where did you go and how was the vacation? Let us know!
It seems all travel is designed for couples, or families, or groups. But there are many of us who want to travel alone for a variety of reasons. And believe it or not, many people DO travel alone. Travel is a perfect way to “find yourself” while exploring the world around you. Listen as we explore some hurdles to solo travel and how to overcome them for an enjoyable travel experience. Topics include the pros and cons such as:
*Timing – go when YOU want… not when your companion can go
*Freedom – explore the things you want to see… no compromising!
*Flexibility – Change your mind about your trip mid-way… again… no compromising. Sleep when you want. Party when you want.
*Agility – Easy to jump on a train, plane, bike, etc.
*Loneliness (group travel, group excursions)
*Cost (single supplements)
*Safety (solo cruising or groups)
Do you travel solo – or do you dream of taking a trip by yourself? Please leave a comment to let us know!
