Florida Family Vacation Roadtrip with Free Club Carlson Hotels

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Brad Christensen

Our self-declared niche in the travel-rewards-blogosphere is to demonstrate amazing value in points redemption – lining out incredible itineraries which may actually cost you less than living at home.  One of our favorite methods is to develop “loops” – roadtrip plans that will take you from free hotel to free hotel and provide you with infinite opportunity to experience the world in all its grandeur.  It suits us, you see, because we’re a bit stir crazy… we’re the kind who dream of our next vacation while on our current vacation. Some people think that makes us insane.  We think that makes us WorldWanderlusters.

In any case, we want you to come along.  There’s nothing we’d like more than to get your trip report from exactly this kind of itinerary.  This is a perfect way to meld the traditional Disney family vacation with some historical site-seeing and other meaningful experiences.

In our Club Carlson post, we extolled the program for its uber-generous “last night free” bonus when you have the CC Premier Rewards Card.  We said that to maximize your rewards, you book a series of 2-night stays, paying your hard(ly) earned points only for the first night.  We selected all category 2 hotels so you can plan on spending 60k of your free points on 8 free nights in 4 hotels.

Of course, we wouldn’t want you to fret about airfare, either, though – so be sure to check out our post on how to Fly to Orlando for Free.

Florida roadtrip

Considerations:

  •  You may want to fly into any of these cities. Book your flights based on how cheaply you can get them (by cheap, of course, I mean “fewest points…” I wouldn’t be recommending that you actually pay money for a flight, right)?
  • Another factor may be the cost of your car rental.  Sometimes you can get incredibly great rates in Orlando and Tampa.  I’ve paid under $13 a day at times!
  • Whenever possible, we’re recommending Country Inn & Suites hotels, which, in addition to being free and very comfortable, also provide free breakfast! You can plan on having one other cheap meal per day and one “splurge” meal.
  • There are two other category 2 CC hotels in the Orlando area.  You could hop from hotel to hotel and spend more time in Orlando.

For our purposes, though, let’s assume that you fly in and out of Orlando.  It will make the logistics a little easier because we’ll say we stay at the Orlando hotel on the first night and the Kissimmee property on the way out.

 

Florida Family Vacation: Orlando

 

As much as you try, you’ll likely arrive into Orlando late.  If you happen to get in a little earlier, you may want to

 

Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, Walt D...

Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For tonight and the next night, you’ll be staying at the Country Inn & Suites Universal Orlando, which, in addition to that free breakfast we mentioned, also has shuttle service to the theme parks (saving you at least another $15 in parking costs).

Here are your options for Day 1:

  •  Walt Disney World
  • SeaWorld
  • Universal Studios
  • Epcott Center

English: NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building as s...

On day 2, you’re already on the move.  Don’t worry, you’ll circle back to the Orlando area.  Get your bags packed and head East.  Today you can take your pick or do both:

Keep cruising and you’ll get to your hotel in Jacksonville just in time to crash and recoup your energy.

 

Florida Family Vacation: Jacksonville

In Jacksonville, you’ll stay at the Country Inn & Suites Jacksonville.

On day 3 you’ve got choices again, but I’m going to strongly recommend you backtrack a bit to St. Augustine – the oldest settlement in the United States – a destination which merits its own post, but for now this will have to suffice: http://www.ci.st-augustine.fl.us/

  • St. Augustine
  • If you skipped Daytona, maybe opt for a day at Atlantic Beach or Ponte Vedra Beach
  • Take an Airboat ride or a Dolphin tour with http://www.crazyfishjax.com/ (You’re staying for free, so maybe you could splurge on something like this).
  • The Jacksonville Zoo and Garden has rave reviews

After another free night and complimentary breakfast, you have the choice of catching up on something you missed the day before, or getting on the road right away for day 4.  This will be your longest drive, though you can break it up with a detour through the Ocala National Forest (where you could do some great little hikes)or hustle into Tampa to get going on your adventures there.

Florida Family Vacation: Tampa

In Tampa you’ll be staying at the Country Inn & Suites Tampa East, a little outside of town, but great nonetheless.

Tampa is a great area.  There are all kinds of things that could keep you busy here, but here are a few options.

Again, the next morning you have the option of catching up on what you missed the day before, or moving on right away.

Florida Family Vacation: Back in Orlando

Kissimmee Country Inn & SuitesThe hotel in Kissimmee is a really nice place – a destination in it’s own right with a pool that looks like a waterpark.  Maybe you’d like to spend some time at the pool, or maybe you can get right back at it, visiting the many sites in Orlando.  You can choose from anything you missed the first day in Orlando, or maybe some of these:

There’s no doubt that you’ll leave some things undone… no way to see it all in a place like Orlando, but all in all, you will have had a tremendous experience at a fraction of a fraction of what you would have expected to pay.

This is exactly what we want to train you to do, and we’re glad you stopped by our site.  Please subscribe to our email list so that we can keep you posted on these kinds of opportunities.

If you liked this idea, you might like some of our other loop trips we’ve posted about in the past.

Thanks for Florida wanderlusting with us.

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Posted in Cheap Honeymoons, Club Carlson, Hotels, Roadtrips, Travel Itineraries | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Niagara Falls Vacation

Posted on February 20, 2013 by wpengine

Waterfalls are majestic places.  They are usually the backdrop of some amazing kiss on the Bachelor as one of the girls says “I could fall in love here.”  If only we spent more time kissing our lover in front of waterfalls maybe life would be better than it is.  Well, we have found a way for you to take your lover on a wonderful Niagara Falls Vacation that they’ll never forget.  Check it out.

How to Get to Your Niagara Falls Vacation

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls (Photo credit: moarplease)

This amazing waterfall is located right on the border between the US and Canada.  Luckily we share this with them and didn’t lose the whole thing, because it is definitely a sight to be seen.

Taking a bus or train to Niagara Falls would be a nightmare!  You’re obviously going to fly.  You’ve got a couple of options:

Buffalo, New York (BUF) is the closest airport to the falls.  It is serviced by all of the major airliners: American, Delta, United, US Airways, JetBlue, Southwest(soon), and a few other small airliners.

  • It will take you 25,000 miles on Delta, United, and American to get to Buffalo, NY.
  • If you’ve got the US Airways credit card then it will only take 20,000 of your US Air miles.
  • With Southwest it will depend on where you’re coming from as far as calculating your Rapid Rewards requirements.
Toronto Skyline

Toronto Skyline (Photo credit: Bobolink)

Toronto, Canada (YYZ) isn’t super close to the falls, but it is within two hours.  You could easily make a little trip to both locations and add a little Canadian flair to your vacation.

  • All of the big US Carriers will also charge you 25,000 miles for your trip to our northern neighbor.
  • Keep in mind that the taxes are more expensive flying into Canada than they would be if you flew into Buffalo, NY.  A quick estimation of taxes flying into Canada showed $86, vs only being charged $10 into Buffalo, NY.
  • Toronto is a much larger airport, which means you have a better possibility of getting into here than Buffalo as they have many more flights.

Whether you fly into Buffalo or Toronto, you’ll still have to pay the baggage fees unless you’re sporting one of the American, Delta, or United cards that waive the baggage fees.

Where to Stay on Your Niagara Falls Vacation


Paying for hotels for me is always a bummer.  That is why I stopped paying for hotels.  If you’re paying for hotels STOP IT.

Here are some amazing hotels that you can get for free with the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card.  This is one of the many reasons that you need to get the SPG Amex card.

Four Points By Sheraton Niagara Falls–  While this is still on the water, it isn’t waterfall front property, but it is close enough.  They’ve got an indoor heated pool for the swimmers who don’t want to take a dip in the river.

In Toronto you’ve got two hotels to choose from.  The Four Points By Sheraton Toronto Airport is right next to the airport for the ease of getting in and out.  Releasing the tension of returning your rental car the night before and getting a good nights rest is always a relief, and it can save you one more day on your rental car if you do it that way.  Their 24 hour shuttle will pick you up or drop you off for the ease of getting to the airport too.

The Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Mississauga is another option that isn’t too far from the airport either.

Basically you can score free nights at all three of these hotels while burning only 3-4k points per night.  The SPG card comes with 10k with your first purchase and another 15k once you’ve spent $5000 within the first six months of becoming a cardmember.  That gives you 25,000 Starpoints in total.

With your 25,000 you could stay two weekend nights and six weeknights at these hotels with one card. That gives you eight total nights that can be valued over $120 per night.  That puts the total value of the SPG card bonus at $960 and would give you an incredible Niagara Falls Vacation.  What are you waiting for? Wanderlust with us!


Posted in American Express, Starwood Preferred Guest, Travel Itineraries | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Free Travel Sounds too Good to be True

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Brad Christensen

More often than not, our enthusiasm about free travel with credit card rewards is met with skepticism. A very common line of thought is that credit cards are dangerous. The world has rightly taught us that anything that sounds too good to be true, is. The probable conclusion for most people, then, is that you risk too much in applying for credit cards for the reward that is given.

Free TravelWe have to contend with spammers who wallpaper Facebook and website sidebars with fake offers of free iPads, Southwest flights, and Disneyland tickets. Naturally, we get lumped in with these clowns despite our clamors of innocence and even people who know us well and comment on our photos with wistful wishes don’t truly understand just how real and easy all of this is.

As someone who has racked up more than $10,000 in free travel rewards in the past two years while my credit score has increased, I’m telling you that credit card travel rewards are real and obtainable.  In fact, it’s remarkable how little effort is required relative to the benefits. You only have to be willing to spend the time and effort to make it happen.

You see, somewhere in the world there’s an experiment going on right now. To the practitioners (usually teenagers), it’s a hilarious game, but it’s really a psychological experiment.  It’s called “Poop Dollar,” and it consists of wiping currency with excrement, placing it in a public place, and monitoring passersby.  It’s generally played with one-dollar bills and the reason is that it lasts a little longer that way.  We’re all inclined to stoop down and pick up money – happily singing the “finders-keepers, losers-weepers” refrain in our head.  Yet at the moment we realize that a Washington has been sullied by a smelly substance, we’re likely to quickly cut it loose – “I’m not going to submit myself to that for a buck…” they pitch it to the ground and the game begins anew.  However, at some point, there’s a guy out there… a guy who’s willing to cope with the crap in order to enrich himself – even if it’s only by $1.  At that point, the giggling teenagers have to dig into their pockets to continue the game.

The point I want to make in this is that at some level, all of us would be willing to deal with a little hassle for free money.  Honestly, I’d drop the dollar, but it doesn’t take much more to get me to capitulate… at the five-dollar level, I’d snatch it up and promptly take it to the sink (I know, there’s something wrong with me).  At the 20-dollar level, I’d not only grab it, but I’d also dance a jig.

How much hassle are you willing to endure for free travel?

The bulk of the “hassle” for what we’re showing you to do consists of these three things:

  1. Learning the system – seeing what offers are out there, how much rewards are worth, and what rewards will take you the places you want to go.
  2. Applying for cards and other promotions.
  3. Responsibly using your purchases to meet spending requirements and other terms of promotions, diligently monitoring, and paying your balances in full.

A commitment to take on these duties won’t take much more than a fraction of the attention you give one of your other hobbies – but you’re also afraid of what you’ll risk.

What do you Risk?

This is the most important question to ask yourself.  If the answer to this question is, “not being able to get a mortgage for the home we’d like to buy,” or “accruing thousands of dollars in debt that will strangle us,” then don’t think another second about it… it’s not for you.  But the reality is that to at least some degree, you control these risks.

We always advise people to never make purchases on a credit card that they would not make with cash.  We also urge followers to pay off balances on time and in full.  The moment you miss a payment or have to pay interest is the moment you lose and they win.

Even paying your accounts on full and in time, though, there’s a chance that seeking these rewards will cost you some points off your credit score in the form of recent inquires and/or the average length of time you have your accounts open.  Any time you’ll be needing your credit for important purchases, you’re better off playing it safe.

Now, given all that, we want you to know that this blog is about travel advice, not financial advice.  We’re cultivating a following of travel-thirsty wanderlusters.

Calculate the Value of the Reward

I understand that not everyone has the unquenchable desire to see the world that Sheldon and I have… and that’s okay.  But free flights and free hotels have some value to everyone.  Maybe the only reason you want to travel is to visit friends… Even so, these rewards have real, tangible value to you.

As we’ve mentioned, we like to calculate the value of hotel rewards by the number of Category 2 hotels the bonus will obtain for us.  We like to look at flight rewards in terms of the number of domestic flights (though we have a habit of looking outside the US for travel adventure).

In any case, what you know what you risk and what the potential reward is, you’ll be in the position to make a rational decision… unless you’re of the female gender… in which case your decision will still be an emotional one (teasing, teasing, teasing… our favorite WW fans are women).

I am telling you, once you start to grasp the amount of money that is out there for the taking, you’ll be obsessed with the hunt… you’ll be seized by “wanderlust…” interestingly enough, that’s exactly our objective.  But if it comes at the cost of your financial stability, that’s not what we’re after.  We want you to use your credit responsibly – that is of paramount importance.

To offer just a taste, here are some of our recent success stories.

What are your success stories?  Where are you headed?  How much are you saving?  We’d love to hear your comments.

Posted in About us, Credit Advice, How to Wanderlust | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

My First App O Rama

Posted on February 15, 2013 by wpengine

Now that I’ve been following the points and miles train for three years I’m feeling pretty confident about how it all works.  I’ve watched many people pull off these ‘crazy’ App O Rama’s where they apply for multiple credit cards in one day.

I decided to make the plunge on Friday and complete my very first App O Rama.  I zeroed in on five sweet cards that were going to produce 285,000 miles.  That basically amounts to five round trip tickets in the USA and roughly 15 category 2 night hotels.  Here is the summary of my first big one.

Card Bank Credit Agency Bonus Spending Req Time Limits Fee
The US Airways Premier World MasterCard® Barclaycard TransUn 40k $1 None $89*
Gold Delta Amex Experian 30k $1000 3 Mo $95*
American Citi Card Citi Experian 50k $3,000 4 Mo $85*
Club Carlson Card US Bank Experian 85k $2,500 3 Mo $75
Priority Club Card Chase Experian 80k $1,000 3 Mo $49*
Totals 285k 7,001

The US Airways card that I got is no longer available.  The one listed above is our affiliate link (that we get paid a commission on) and has an $89 annual fee, but is still the best one I could find available.

As you can see, I’m planning on scoring a bonus of 285k points and miles over the course of the next three months.  One annual fee comes the first year, and all the others are waived for the first year.

Why would anyone do an App O Rama?

The whole idea behind an App O Rama is timing.  Applying for multiple cards in one day prevents each of the issuers to realize that others have approved you on the same day.  This would prevent them from declining you because of the reason “Too many inquiries.”

For this reason it is really important that you get each of the cards approved on the day in which you apply.  If they wait a couple of days, then they’ll see the other inquiries and potentially turn you down.

My App O Rama Results

Card Decision Reason Result
US Airways Card Pending Unknown Approved
Delta Gold Approved N/A Approved
American Citi Card Pending Address Approved
Club Carlson Approved N/A Approved
Priority Club Pending Recent Inquiries Approved

How long does an App O Rama take?

You better budget about two hours for your App O Rama.  Filling out all of the applications can take some time, but the larger issue is taking the time to be sure that you’re approved.  As you can see I had to make a few calls to the reconsideration lines to make sure that all of the cards were approved on the same day.

The two hours should give you enough time to submit your App O Rama applications and call the reconsideration lines.  For me it was almost a thrill.  My blood pressure definitely went up a few ticks during the process as I anticipated the approvals from each of the companies.  Upon arrival at my house I told my wife that I had just applied for five credit cards.  Her response, “Wow.  That sounds great!”

Most people’s spouses would probably strangle their partner, but my wife has been along for the ride long enough that it isn’t a big deal at this point.  She doesn’t study this stuff like I do, but she goes along with my judgement (and the free trips).

Why and how to get approved for your applications

I was nervous because of my recent mortgage and a business credit card that I had gotten in November that they might not be excited about me.  I called Barclaycard first and found out that their reconsideration line was closed!  Oh no.  Fortunately about an hour later I received an email and they told me that I had been approved for the card.  I called and got an automated system that told me that I’d be getting my 40,000 Dividend Miles with the first purchase.  Great Success!

I then moved to the Priority Club card with Chase.  The lady who answered the phone was very friendly, but told me that I’d had quite a bit of activity lately (mortgage, business card, and a few other inquiries).  She asked if I would be willing to wait the normal 5-7 business days to get approved for the cards.  I politely asked if she could just review the information and make a decision today.  She put me on hold and came back with an approval!  Great Success.

My final call was to Citibank for the American Airlines card.  After verifying my information she told me that my address was not being verified in the system.  I explained that she might use my business address instead and see if it would verify better than my home address.  She put me on hold and came back with an approval after she was able to verify my business address.

Who should NOT do an App O Rama?

People with bad credit or no credit should avoid the App O Rama phase until they’ve built up an established credit.  I’ve got 8 years of credit and I’ve never missed a payment.  My score was a 760 upon starting this thing, and I’ll let you know as it goes forward if it is affected by the applications.

Who should do an App O Rama?

If you’re one of those people like me who have a great score, long credit history, and you love to travel, then this might be something you should try.  Building up over 200,000 miles in one whack is definitely a way to get cracking on planning your next trip.

This process isn’t going to last forever, and you’ve already missed too many deals if you haven’t been participating in it yet.  If you feel more comfortable starting with one credit card, do that.  At least get started with something.  Once the points start rolling in and your free trips begin, then you’ll know you’ve hit the jackpot.

 

 

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Posted in Citi, Club Carlson, Credit Advice, Credit Cards, How to Wanderlust, Priority Club, US Airways | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Club Carlson Visa with 85k Gold Points

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Brad Christensen

I made a post not long ago in which I said that the Club Carlson card with 85k bonus points wasn’t as good as some other hotel card offers.  I’m now going to repent and ask for forgiveness. While there are still other great offers out there, there are a couple of very key benefits to this card that make it worth your attention.

Three Club Carlson Cards

  • The Club Carlson Premier Card – 50k bonus plus 35k after spending $2500 in the first 90 days plus gold status
  • The Club Carlson Rewards Card – 50k bonus plus 10k after spending $1500 in the first 90 days plus silver status
  • The Club Carlson Business Rewards Card – 50k bonus plus 35k after spending $2500 in the first 90 days plus gold status

As I mentioned the other day, I like to think of the bonuses in terms of how many Category 2 hotel nights they’d get me.  With Category 2 hotel nights at Club Carlson hotels running 15k a night, we’ll be pocketing 4-6 free nights after meeting the spending requirements.

The status is nice because it never hurts to get a courtesy upgrade – something that will likely come when you stay in hotels that aren’t extremely busy.

Those reasons alone are already enough to start wanderlusting with Club Carlson’s hotel directory… but it’s about to get even sweeter.

Since blazing onto the scene, I’ve found the Club Carlson loyalty program to be extraordinarily generous – and they don’t disappoint cardholders.  This next little benefit is what really makes this deal sweet like candy: Any time you redeem Gold Points for two or more consecutive nights, your last night is free. That becomes extremely powerful when you start to look at loop-trips with two nights in each location.

What that means is that if you’re able to find 5 category 2 hotels and stay two nights in each of them, you’d burn up a total of 75k gold points. Wait, that’s like 7500 points a night? Uh..huh… You’re grasping it, aren’t you?

Bulgaria Hotel

The Park Inn Hotel in Sophia Bulgaria is a Cat 2 CC Hotel

All of the sudden this beautiful little addition to your wallet is starting to sound very nice.  But like an infomercial, it’s about to get even better.  They also want you to keep this bad boy for more than just a year, so they’ve said, “look, for every year you keep the card, we’ll hit you with 40k more gold points.” And you reply, “so I could almost stay 6 nights a year (in 2-night increments) with the ongoing I’ll be getting?” Then Club Carlson’s all, “You freaking love me, don’t you?” So you’re like, “Yes, I do freaking love you.”

One more little added benefit is the abundance of free breakfast at so many of these hotels.  The Country Inn & Suites properties do not skimp when it comes to making sure you’re well-fed.  From warm cookies at check-in, to a hearty breakfast each morning, these places are better than home!

Now, what infomercial wouldn’t have a catch? The “catch” in this case is that they don’t waive the $75 annual fee in the first year, and each year your renew you’ll be on the hook for it again.  When you think about it, though, it’s a very small price to pay for some incredible benefits.  Here’s the link again to review the cards and the benefits: Club Carlson Visa.

If you’re worried that the selection of Category 2 hotels is going to be a disappointment, just check them out here.  Then be on the lookout for some more WorldWanderlusting loops through vacation destinations with Club Carlson properties.

By the way, we do not receive any commission in promoting this card.  We get our reward when you comment or email and tell us how you’re using your points to discover the world.

 

Posted in Club Carlson | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Frontier Airlines- The Ugly Stepchild?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by wpengine
English: Airbus A319-111 – Frontier Airlines –...

English: Airbus A319-111 – Frontier Airlines – “Sebastian” the Hawk (Registration number: N933FR) at Seattle-Tacoma Airport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Delta, American, United, Southwest, and JetBlue are all common names in airliners, but Frontier Airlines is one that is commonly overlooked.   Because of this some people might refer to them as the ugly stepchild.  However, you should probably give them another look because they have some great features.

(Quick Disclaimer: We do earn a commission for the Frontier Airlines card and would definitely appreciate if you’d use our link)

Frontier Airlines Routes

Although Frontier Airlines doesn’t fly everywhere, they do have quite a few destinations across the country.  They definitely do better in the middle of the country and in the Southwest than some of the other areas.

Early Returns

Frontier Airlines Route Map

Their international destinations are constantly growing, but right now they service Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.  For anyone who wants to get out of the cold…any of these will work.  Long winters in Idaho definitely drag on and on.  It is luxurious to take a flight to someplace warm during those long winters.  These guys can take you there.

Their interactive route map can show you where you can go from all of their destinations and the stops that you have to take before you can get there.  For example, Frontier flies directly to Denver and Cancun. This makes me really want to take Frontier directly to Cancun, as it wouldn’t even require a layover anywhere.

Using Early Returns Miles with Frontier Airlines

You can earn miles obviously by flying their routes, but you can also score up to 40,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases in the first 90 days by getting the The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard®.  Earn up to 10,000 bonus miles on balance transfers (1 mile per $1 transferred) in the first 90 days.  (The card does have a $69 annual fee that isn’t waived the first year)

The 40,000 doesn’t sound too exciting, but it can get you quite a few places.  A roundtrip ticket in the US will you 20,000 of your EarlyReturns.  You still have some baggage fees and a $5 tax to go with the itinerary.  You could also use the miles to get to one of their international destinations, which takes 30,000 of your miles.

Frontier Airlines

EarlyReturns Redemption Chart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As an additional benefit to the Frontier Airlines Card you can also get a 5,000 mile discount when booking a companion on your exact same itinerary.  So your companion will get a flight within the US for 15,00o miles and 25,000 for the international destinations.

Frontier Airlines

EarlyReturns Companion Airfare Redemption

 

 

 

 

 

It’s super nice that your bonus will allow for two flights within the USA as long as you’re both traveling on the same itinerary.  That will burn up all of your 35,000 miles, but it is always nice to have two roundtrip flights for roughly $150 with everything included.

 What other benefits come with flying on Frontier Airlines?

Frontier offers complementary beverages, but basically everything else is going to cost you.  Their menus are more affordable than the other airlines, so buying something isn’t completely out of the question, but I’d recommend finding something good on the terminal before hitting the flight.

Their inflight entertainment costs based on the amount of time that you’re on the flight.  I’d recommend you load a few videos on your iPad and bring that along instead of paying for the mediocre videos.  It’ll save you a few bucks, and you can be sure to enjoy the movies.  The last movie I watched on an airplane was LAME.

Best Uses of the Frontier Airlines Card

  • Trip for two to visit Alaska for your favorite fishing or hunting spot
  • Trip for two to anywhere they go within the lower 48.
  • Costa Rica Baby!  (To learn about an amazing Costa Rican trip Check out our Eight Great of Costa Rica)
  • Direct flight from SLC to Cancun

Summary

Look.  Frontier Airlines isn’t going to be your primary airline that takes you across the world, but they do fill a niche spot in your quiver.    They will work well for a couple of flights within the US, or a quick trip to a warm destination during a cold winter.

Posted in How to Wanderlust, Mastercard | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dream Italian Vacation Part II

Posted on February 6, 2013 by wpengine

We’ve already take you on the first part of your dream Italian vacation, but now let’s complete the rest of the dream.  It’s taken you from Milano to the Italian Rivera.  Then we traveled through the picturesque Cinqueterre and onto the famous Florence.  If you’re not salivating now, then you definitely haven’t been bitten by the bug. Now it’s time to round the corner and see the rest of Northern Italy.

Italian Vacation Stop 4: Bologna

Don’t let the name of this city stop you from wanting to go there.  Let’s be honest…coming to school with a bologna sandwich definitely merited the laughs of your schoolmates.  The flavor was never exciting either, but this will not be the case for your culinary experience in Bologna.  They’re known for their food, so loosen the belt buckle, and enjoy every meal.

You’re in the land of FAST cars here.  Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati, and more all have production facilities in this area.  You probably won’t be allowed to tour any of their facilities, but to even see where they are made would suffice.  I’ll never forget the Lambo that passed me when I was driving on the Autostrada in Northern Italy.  It passed me like a bullet.  It was incredible.

Court of Emperor Justinian with (right) archbi...

Court of Emperor Justinian with (right) archbishop Maximian and (left) court officials and Praetorian Guards; Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Another stop that is out of town, but relatively close to Bologna is Ravenna, Italy.  Here you’ll find  the Basilica of San Vitale, where you’ll encounter the Mosaic of Justinian, which is one of the most well preserved Mosaics of its time.  My college humanities class required me to recognize it, and I’ve never forgotten it since.

If you’re motivated by the number of countries that you’ve visited (I admit, I’ve got a problem here), then you might make a quick run to San Marino, which is a massive 24 square miles.  Don’t blink or you just might miss the fact that you were there.

If you’re into the school thing, then you should stop by the University of Bologna.  It is the oldest University in Europe, which basically puts it as on of the oldest in the world.

You’ll be stretching your legs and hitting the pillow at the Sheraton Bologna Hotel.  Your Starwood Preferred Guest credit card will give you this room as it takes either 3k or 4k points per night.

Italian Vacation Stop 5: Padova/Venice

Italian Sheraton PadovaI’m really excited to send you to this hotel.  I stayed there personally in April of 2012 and had a great stay.  Our two nights at the property were everything that you’d hope for in a hotel.  They had great customer service and free WiFi in the lobby.  The beds were nice and we were even welcomed with a free bottle of champagne with our room.  As it had always been a dream of mine to shake up a bottle of champagne and then pop the cork, I knew this was my moment.  I went into the bathroom (don’t tell the hotel) and shook up the bottle until I felt like it was ready.  I removed the wrapping, undid the wire, and popped the cork in the shower.  It made a huge mess and the bathroom smelled like champagne for a couple of hours.  (Please don’t try this at home) The best part is you can leave your wallet behind (except a small city tax) and you’ll just owe 3k-4k points for the night.  Can’t beat free nights.

This place will be your springboard to Venice.  Staying here will keep your costs down of going to Venice.  Plus hauling your luggage to the hotel would be a nightmare. Take the free shuttle that the hotel has to downtown Padova, then take the train to Venice.  It should take you about an hour to get there, but it will be worth it.

Venice is going to be everything that you’ve dreamed about.  Everywhere you look is the cover of a magazine.  Every alleyway and every bridge is picture worthy as well.  You won’t be able to stop yourself from snapping away.  So make sure that your batteries are charged, because you’ll be going picture crazy!

Venice Bridge

San Rialto

Sitting on the Grand Canal having a pizza and pasta is a MUST-do.  The pizzas are actually rather affordable, so take a seat and enjoy one.  I know it is a shameless thing to do, but we would always stop at the grocery stores and buy bottles of water, so we wouldn’t pay the overpriced small bottles that each restaurant offered.  Remember that it isn’t America, and the waiters aren’t kicking you out of your chair the minute that stuff the last bite.  Things outside of America are usually at a much slower pace.  Work hard to fight the urge to lunge out of your chair the minute you’re finished eating.  Remember that the setting of your dinner will probably never be so unique again.  Soak it up and sit for a while.

Gandola in VeniceOk, taking the gondola isn’t cheap, but remember that your hotel tonight is FREE.  So pull out the 100 Euros and pay the man with the hat.  I never could get our “driver” to sing for us even though I was shameless enough to ask.  They have a “small tour” and a “big tour.”  We opted for the big tour that included a loop under the San Rialto bridge, by Casanova’s house, and seeing Marco Polo’s house as well.

Download the Rick Steve’s Europe App for your iPhone and listen to his tutorial as you visit San Marco’s Basilica.  He walks you through the whole building and talks about the decorations, the mosaics, and much more.  It will enrich your experience of the tour.

Make sure you watch the video “Ancient Mysteries: The Miraculous Canals of Venice” on Netflix before your trip too.  It will enrich your experience as you have a better understanding of how the place was made.

Pick up your favorite Venetian Masquerade Mask as a handy souvenir.  You’ll never regret it.

Italian Vacation Stop 6: Bolzano, Italy

Leaving Venice will be tough, but remember that you’ve still got so much to see.  It’s the only way you’ll ever be able to say goodbye.  Otherwise you might stay forever.  Take a quick stop in Verona on the way to Bolzano, because there is a ton to do there.

In Verona I recommend you:

  • See the Roman Arena that is in the main plaza.  It has been renovated, but is worth the entrance fee.
  • Eat more gelato.  You definitely haven’t had enough
  • Do some shopping (If you’re rich)
  • Visit Romeo and Juliet’s balcony
  • See the ancient Roman Road

You’ve got to complete the drive up to Bolzano so you can enjoy the Four Points there.  I parked our rental car on the street to avoid their ridiculous parking fee, and everything was fine the next morning when I awoke.  You have a grocery store within walking distance, so it is a great place to have a very affordable meal.  Enjoy the pool that’s on the top floor and the steam and sauna rooms this place has to offer.  You could spend a day alone at their facilities.

You need to do a day trip to the Reifenstein Castle.  It is a MUST-do activity.

Spend a day hiking in the Dolomites.  This is also a great place to catch a tram ride to the mountains.  You might also enjoy many of the vineyards along the road, and take the old highway instead of the Toll road if you’ve got time.

This is an area of the world where I’d love to return.  It has a strong agriculture base, yet a rich history.  The foods will knock your socks off, and the people are very friendly.  If you have a baby with you, plan on hearing “Bambino” from everyone.  They loved our little boy and he got way more attention than we did.

 

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