Vacation ideas??? any deals out there?

Parent Cafe
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<p>If you want to save money, a cruise is a great value. Check Vacationstogo.com and OnlineVacationCenter.com. I have booked with both of these places and can recommend them. There are many 4 - 7 day cruises leaving from Florida ports which are easy for an Atlantean to reach inexpensively. Even for 2 cabins (which you’d want), the prices are quite reasonable…and all your meals and shipboard activities are included. Most cruises have activities for children according to age so nobody gets bored. We make a rule that my d must attend dinner with us! Shore excursions are extra if you even need them. There’s plenty to do and see just walking around the island ports. </p>

<p>The savings on food alone may make it worth your while. And if you drive down, you can bring soda and water on board…nearly all the ‘reasonably priced’ lines charge for those but you can bring your own. We always see people (including my mom!) schlepping little coolers on board.</p>

<p>And the advertising on the side and above remind me: Disney is having some great deals too!</p>

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<p>How far apart are the hotels? Maybe you could just check into and out of both.</p>

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<p>Expedia.com has a site for cruise deals well into 2010. Just forwarded the info to another friend looking for great cruise prices–they looked great!</p>

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<p>Atlmom,</p>

<p>Atlanta is a Continental hub. They fly to the Carribean.</p>

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<p>My problem with making any plans is that my dog is too old to go to her dog-sitter.</p>

<p>My only option would be to take her along to a destination by car (Baltimore is about 4 hrs for me and probably do-able with my dog… </p>

<p>Anyone has experience with hotels that take dogs?</p>

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<p>This may not be a bad time to visit Europe again. Hotels and flights are way down. Continental just advertised 250 to Ireland, but maybe that’s a spring fare. I used my AmEx pts with cash to get a very good deal in Paris - 5 star hotel for $150/night. There are a lot of deals out there. We also do Club Med for family vacation (Cancun, Columbus Isle) - very international, good value, and there is something for everyone. If you are into out door kind of vacation (we are not), look at Canada too - Vancouver, outside of Montreal.</p>

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<p>Anyone know of a clean, comfortable and reasonably priced rental in Ocean City, MD, or Rehoboth Beach, DE, or Long Beach Island, NJ? Someplace that you’ve stayed and can vouch for? Any help would be appreciated.</p>

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<p>Sea Colony at Bethany Beach, DE. It is close to Ocean City and Rehoboth Beach, but a lot cleaner and family oriented. Sea Colony has a wide range of rentals. We have stayed there a few times.</p>

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<p>The one trip that H and I have done alone that I wish we had managed to do with the kids - raft the Grand Canyon. You are totally “out of range” from the text-message dependant life-style most kids are used to. Stars beyond counting. The earth and it’s history become their life for a week.</p>

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<p>We’ve also stayed at Sea Colony at Bethany. Great location and beaches.</p>

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<p>Sea Colony is very nice…there are several buildings. You will probably want a car there as most of the ‘action’ is farther up the road (in either direction) though there are a few amenities (restaurants and such) in walking distance. They have a shuttle to the boardwalk but I never like relying on other people for transport!</p>

<p>[Sea</a> Colony Sales and Rentals, Bethany Beach, Delaware](<a href=“Seacoastde.com”>Seacoastde.com)</p>

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<p>Thanks, kathiep and Novelisto. You touch upon a point that concerns me. My kids are college-age and beyond so will they find it dull there? Will they need to travel far in the evenings for some action?</p>

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<p>Worrywart – I doubt they’d find it dull if they like the beach and you! Bring, buy or rent boogie boards. That’s our favorite thing to do. However, you’ll probably want to visit the Ocean City Boardwalk for fun at least once. (Don’t forget to get some Boardwalk Fries with vinegar!) I find that the hotels in Oc proper tend to be expensive and not always well maintained…not surprising considering that they get very, very busy during the summer! </p>

<p>Renting a condo for the time you’re there might be a good option…the ones on the ‘bay side’ tend to be less expensive but are still within walking distance to the beach. You just have to cross the main drag but that’s easy. Make sure you check a map before you book anything! Sometimes ‘bay side’ can mean the <em>other</em> side of the bay!</p>

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<p>Novelisto, Which ones are right on the beach?</p>

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<p>Pharmgal: Hotels? Or Condos? I’m trying to remember the name of the place we stayed last year…right on the water and it was pretty nice, though not inexpensive. Let me look for the receipt…</p>

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<p>When we went there were kids ages 12-23 and all of us had a good time. Ocean City, Maryland is pretty close and some of the people did para-sailing one day, some went at night to the boardwalks in Rehoboth or OC. Everyone was pretty content to just hang out at the beach during the day. I liked being able to hop in the pool as well as the ocean.</p>