For outdoorsy travelers, national parks can be a great option for getaways near and far. Within the United States and Canada there are numerous national parks to choose from, with a variety of different attractions including mountain ranges, prairies, deserts and more.

U.S. National Parks

This weekend is one of the “fee free” weekends for the U.S. National Parks that normally charge entrance fees. Some of the national parks never charge an entrance fee. The following are the “fee free” dates in 2012 for U.S. national parks:

• January 14-16: Martin Luther King Jr. weekend
• April 21-29: National Park Week
• June 9: Get Outdoors Day
• September 29: National Public Lands Day
• November 10-12: Veterans Day weekend

 

Additional information about U.S. National Parks can be found at the National Park Service website here.

Canadian National Parks

Canada’s national parks are fee-free on Canada Day (July 1) and Parks Day, which generally falls on the third Saturday in July. Individual parks may also offer promotions throughout the year with reduced or free admission. To promote tourism, Parks Canada has not increased most of its fees since 2008.

Additional information about Canada’s national parks can be found at the Parks Canada website here. Specific questions can be directed to Parks Canada at (888) 773-8888 or information@pc.gc.ca.

Have you vacationed at a national park? Have any favorite trips to share? We’d love to hear your stories!
Safe Travels,

If you’re a procrastinator, like I tend to be, you may be wondering if it’s too late to get that much-needed winter vacation booked. And, fortunately, the answer no, it’s not too late! There are still a wide variety of options available for those of us who live in cold-weather climates and need to escape; or for anyone who just needs a getaway to rejuvenate!

This time of year it’s beach destinations that dominate in terms of customer interest – and here are some of my personal favorites:

Cancun, the Riviera Maya, and Cozumel offer a wonderful location on the Caribbean Sea and boast endless days of bright sunshine, relaxing beaches and Mayan ruins. And you’ll find some absolutely wonderful all-inclusive resorts in this area that range from great family resorts with an endless list of activities kids can participate in to romantic adults-only properties (if you’re traveling as a couple consider scheduling a private dinner on the beach through your hotel – you’ll love it!).

Puerto Vallarta continues to be a favorite choice for Mexico as well. Surrounded by the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta provides an exotic blend of cosmopolitan culture, old world colonial charm that is a wonderful combination.

The Dominican Republic has really soared in popularity over the past few years and having had the opportunity to travel there myself last winter, I can understand why! It offers wonderful white sand beaches and some excellent golf courses too.

And, of course, no list of beach destinations would be complete without Hawaii. You just can’t beat Hawaii for a vacation any time of year, and a trip here is sure to please nearly everyone. From those who just simply want some rest and relaxation with a fantastic beach to those who want lots of great activities, Hawaii really does have it all. The intoxicating scents and beauty of Hawaii will be imbedded in your memory forever!

And, while it’s not too late to plan your winter getaway, time is ticking so don’t wait too long!

What are your favorite beach destinations?

In the world of iPads and smart phones that offer an array of video, phone and conferencing capabilities, some forward-thinking individuals wonder if the standard face-to-face meeting format will eventually fade away with other extinct travel essentials like paper tickets and pagers.

Airline prices are rising. Hotel rates are going up. Car rental can add hundreds of dollars to an itinerary, not to mention meal expenses. So why is it that cost-conscious businesses are not abandoning face-to-face meetings altogether?

In 2010, Carlson Wagonlit Travel addressed this trend by offering clients CWT Telepresence, a packaged program that provides clients access to public telepresence rooms, enabling companies to reduce costs while successfully bringing people together to meet business objectives.

Pauline Quéré, CWT vice president, Global Customer Product Marketing, offered this perspective on this advanced form of video conferencing at the time the product launched:

“Telepresence is state-of-the-art technology that can help companies cut travel costs without compromising their business objectives…Meetings can be conducted more often, bringing more people together quickly and easily for greater collaboration. Telepresence can also increase contacts with clients and business partners outside of the company. And a better work-life balance for employees, coupled with a more sustainable impact on the environment, are also important. These are all reasons why CWT is eager to help clients successfully integrate telepresence into their managed travel programs,” she said.

While there are many benefits to forgoing a lengthy and/or expensive business trip, much can be lost when interacting with a colleague or client solely through a computer screen.  We e-mail and sit on conference calls all day long, but a full, in-person work session complete with live dialogue and human interaction can often lead to higher productivity, not to mention team building that can only come from sitting in the same room as another colleague.

CWT is offering the CWT Telepresence product as an alternative to face-to-face meetings, while still recognizing the value of in-person sessions, but do you think that video conferencing will ever replace a significant percentage of face-to-face meetings?

This past November, I vacationed in colorful Curacao. I had been there once before on a cruise, and loved the colorful buildings speckled throughout the city, so I decided to explore some more. This is a great destination for color above and below sea level and is great for snorkelers and scuba divers, with tons of colorful fish close to the resorts. In town, the buildings are painted in pastel shades and sport brand name stores such as Polo, Sport and Hilfiger among many additional Caribbean-themed stores stocked with souvenirs.

There is a unique pedestrian bridge, which would certainly give you a work out if you were trying to cross it when they open it for boats to pass through. On the other side of the bridge there are more colorful shops, markets and stores set up for cruise passengers to visit while in port. Here, you will also find hotels that house huge casinos, complete with table games. This is a great spot to play table games as minimums tend to be much lower in the Caribbean, and since the majority of hotels on the island have decent sized casinos, opportunities abound if you would like to test your luck! If you’re unable to catch the bridge before it opens, there is a free ferry nearby which you can use as an alternative to cross the waterway.

Curacao is definitely worth a visit for lovers of snorkeling, shopping, gambling and relaxation on the beach.

What did you do on your vacation to Curacao?

We often think of travel as a flight and a hotel room, but what about the important step of getting from the airport to your destination? The minute travelers step outside the airport they are faced with numerous options to get from point A to point B. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, here are several options to keep in mind.

Taxi

Many times the go-to method of transportation for business travelers, a cab ride cab be a convenient and sometimes spendy option.

• The pros: They’re readily available at the airport, and if you’re traveling with a group, a cab fare split three ways is an affordable option.
• The cons: A short 5-mile trip can cost $20 or more, depending on the city, and you also have to be mindful of a respectable tip. Some cabs also don’t take credit cards. Plus, everyone has that one bad cab story…

Car rental

If you’re traveling for business, it’s likely your company has a contracted rate with a major rental car company. Whether it’s Avis or National, know your company’s preferred ground suppliers when you book your travel!

• The pros: Being in control of your transportation on a business or personal trip has its advantages—you can plan less and depend less on others to make sure you get where you need to go. If you’re in a remote area or traveling for an extended period of time, this may be your best bet.
• The cons: Driving yourself around an unfamiliar city can also be daunting, and you may incur additional expenses by choosing this option, such as GPS rental and fuel.

Public transportation

European and Asian countries are miles ahead of the United States and Canada when it comes to public transportation options, but if you’re traveling domestically, bus or rail can still be a viable option.

The pros: It’s inexpensive and readily available in certain areas. Cities like New York City are known for their subway system, but smaller urban areas like Minneapolis and Phoenix boast their own light rail systems. I used the Phoenix light rail this fall, and it only cost me $3.50 to get to the airport!

The cons: If you’re in a rush, you may not have time to decipher a rail map or bus schedule. Depending on the amount of luggage you have, this may not be the best mode of transportation.

Chauffeured transportation

Not just for the rich and famous, chauffeured transportation can be an affordable and dependable way to get around whether you are visiting a foreign country or making a day trip within North America.

• The pros: Let the experts handle the details and sit back and enjoy the ride. Companies like BostonCoach pride themselves on being safe, reliable and convenient – all important factors when traveling for business or pleasure.
• The cons: If you will be out and about often during your trip or if you have a tight travel budget, other options might be best for you.

 

CWT Savvy Traveler readers, if you’re traveling for business, what’s your go-to method of transportation? What if you’re traveling for fun?