Oz Scapes

By Joe Collinsworth

 Today, we as travelers have a ton of options to consider. Where to go, how to get there, where to stay, what to take, how to plan, where to find deals?You get the point. Well, this article is to introduce you to options on where to stay other than a hotel.

Hotels are a great option. They can be just what you need for your trip, especially if it’s just two of you. You can go with big chains that are well trusted or small chains that may take some digging to ensure you get a nice, clean, affordable hotel room with everything you need.

However, if you travel with a number of people or as a family, a hotel room can get cramped, lack privacy, and get expensive when you upgrade to suites and add extra amenities (like a kitchenette).

Hotels though are great because it is easy to find a lot of good deals with all the viable travel sites out there.

But, you do have other options:

**How about a condo? Condos are great, and in some destinations the main option. Condos can be small or big. They offer added space, extra amenities, prime locations, and at prices that are comparable to hotel rooms.

For example, we stayed in a quaint (small) condo in Miami. We rented it for only $400 for the week. It was perfect for my wife and I.

The beds pulled down out of the wall, we had a very very clean room, private entrance to the place and beaches, quiet area, 2 pools, a kitchen with equipment, a nice bathroom, cable, and gorgeous view of the Atlantic. It was our “love shack” for the week and much cheaper by almost $200 than any hotel in the area.

**Rent a home. These are now great with the way real estate is nowadays. If you are traveling with a large group, then this may be your best choice. Get everything you need or live like luxury in a beachfront home for your vacation.

Once, 18 of our family members went to Florida and had to rent a home. It was not on the Ocean, but on a bay. It was perfect. It had 3 levels, a hot tub, pool, 4-5 bedrooms, plenty of room, amenities, and lots of fun. We had a great time together since everyone lives in different parts of the country. It was very affordable once split up 4 ways also.

**Resorts and All-inclusive. This is an excellent option for families or if you don’t want to worry about reaching into your pocket. All-inclusive seems to be diminishing in the US, but you can find it abroad and is typically the best choice. Resorts are great for those who want to spend quality time together, get plenty of privacy and space, and enjoy various activities like golf, fishing, things for the kids, spas, etc.

**Timeshares. These are growing tremendously in the traveling world. Timeshares are great if you use them. You pay a fee upfront and once a year to utilize a timeshare. There are various types, so you would want to do your research. Buying a time-share is similar to buying a home in that you don’t want to take the decision lightly.

My wife’s parents have one and love it. They can go anywhere they want as long as they stay in the designated places. We used theirs for our honeymoon in Palm Beach, Florida. It was first-class all the way. We or they have never had a bad time with a timeshare vacation.

If you and your family travel at least once a year, consider looking into a timeshare.

**Camping and RV parks. With the way campgrounds and RV parks are set up nowadays, the term “rough it” doesn’t exactly come to mind. You can get almost everything at a campground that you’d get in a hotel.

They are cheap, live out in nature for a week, and have a great time. There are a few things to consider if you are a novice to camping, so you’ll want to do some homework before you decide on this as an option.

**Houseboats. Live on the water for your trip. This is, yet another option to choose from. My aunt has lived on a houseboat in Florida for years and loves it. This is something many don’t even think of, but look into it, you may not go back to staying on land for any future trips.

We hope this article has helped shed some light on where you might stay on your vacations. Villas, Cabins, and other type choices should be considered for specific destinations and vacations.

Most importantly, have fun, find great deals, and enjoy your trip!!

If you truly want to have a great vacation in Florida and find a great place to stay, please visit our Florida beachfront vacation stay guide. We are the kings of everything budget Florida travel at DiscountFloridaVacations.com.

Find The Best Travel Deals Online For Australia

Making Traveling with Kids Easier
By Heather Jacobson

 Whether it is spring break, summer vacation, or any other holiday, traveling is a much awaited ritual that the whole family enjoys. When you decide on a place to visit for your break, what are the things you need to prepare? Along with packing your clothes, cameras, and snacks, there are tons of other considerations in preparation for your family trip. Of course, you have to ensure tickets, airfare, hotel accommodations, gas money, as well as list down an itinerary to guide you along the way, among many others.

Although travel with the rest of the bunch should be an enjoyable experience, going on trips with kids poses a bit of a challenge for most parents today. For one thing, long drives or long flights can cause kids to get restless and even very bored, which leads to added stress on the part of moms and dads. Here’s a bit of an idea, why not integrate a portable DVD player into your list of essentials for your family vacation? This nifty electronic device will surely be a stress reliever for parents traveling with kids, plus a source of entertainment to cure the kids’ blues when it comes to lengthy trips.

Where can you get these portable DVD players? Luckily enough, tons of electronic shops make them available, and you may also purchase them from online stores. There is a multitude of brands to choose from, such as Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, and many more. Sizes, colors, and extra features may also vary, so make a list of those models that you prefer. It pays to select an appropriately-sized DVD player that fits your budget.

A portable DVD player is a smart diversion for kids while they are riding the car, train, or plane. This prevents them from making noise, arguing with each other, and pestering mom and dad. When on trains or in flight, using headphones for your portable DVD player is also a good way of keeping your child entertained, without disturbing other passengers.

When traveling with your kids and your portable DVD player, make sure you have an adequate supply of DVD’s on hand, with the number depending on how long you plan to be out on your trip. If your player has a rechargeable battery, see to it that it’s fully charged before you leave the house. For those long drives, you may also opt for a car attachment so you can plug in your DVD player into your car’s cigarette lighter.

Heather recommends traveling with portable DVD players. Get your portable DVD player today!

Timeshare - Buying Guide For Timeshare Resale
By Paul Hata

 Are you on a hunt for timeshares (TM)? Are you tired of listening to the lengthy presentations of TM companies? Here is the solution, go buy a TM resale. Almost non-existent a decade ago TM resale industry is waking up to the call and catching up slowly and steadily.

TM resale takes place through classifieds, auction sites and also many reputed firms have joined this emerging market. The reason why anybody should look at buying TM resale is that they cost 30%-50% less than the new TM.

The reason why new timeshares are expensive is the timeshare companies spend a lot on advertising. Sometimes the cost of advertising is higher than the value of resale. That is why timeshare resale is much cheaper option than new timeshare. But one should remember certain things while buying timeshare resale.

Do not believe on word of mouth if the seller tells you that the timeshare is in a great location. It is advisable to see the timeshare yourself or at least tell your friend or family member if they live close to the location to go and see it.

Timeshare is indeed a great investment in your life provided you know you are buying a right one. And also consider things like whether the timeshare is in a high demand area and in close proximity to grocery stores, malls, restaurants and other amenities. And also find out whether there are any major attractions nearby. Also buy your timeshare in a prime season which gives you more options for exchange later on.

Also do not ignore the floor plan. Some units are converted from motels into timeshare units, while some may be outstanding but some may turn out to be very bad. Look for well designed and well planned unit.

And also see if the units are well maintained. If it’s clean and free from dust, structural damages and squeaking doors it speaks a lot about the management. Well maintained and well kept units represent a good management. This also adds to the value of the unit.

The low prices of timeshare resale overshadow the underlying cost sometimes such as maintenance fees, property taxes and if there is any special assessment this year.

Clearly ask the seller if all these have been paid up to date otherwise the price of owning a timeshare resale increases and makes no sense in buying. Also buy a resale unit in a timeshare resort which has low maintenance fee, as this is an annual fee it keeps on adding if you pay any extra money.

If you are buying through a broker, do not fall into the trap of buying through an unlicensed broker. The timeshare industry has witnessed many scams and frauds related to its resale.

So always go to a licensed broker because they have much at stake compared to a non-licensed broker. Also put the money in an escrow account until the time you get your unit.

The foremost important criterion is the price, so do your homework and research the prices of the units in the area you are interested in buying.It is an investment for a better life.

Keep in mind that the prices of the resale units are as low as 30% to almost half the price of the new units. You can do the research on internet auction sites like eBay and bidshare.com. If you are buying through a broker you can ask the broker to show a comparative analysis of prices.

The bigger the unit, the better the value and chances of exchanging. Most people are happy if they buy big units as it also accommodates big families and friends and also big gatherings.

Also do not forget to ask the seller the reason why they are selling their units. It can be due to some problems related to management or inconvenience. This information will be crucial to you as you might be able to gauge whether you can handle those issues later on or not.

1000s of Hotels,Travel,Tourism and Luggage Offers! Click Here -

WorldHotelPages.com,

WorldTravelPages.com,

WorldTourismPages.comand

WorldLuggagePages.com

australia voyages

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.