I try never, ever to fly any airline but Southwest. That’s a pretty strong statement from a “buy whatever brand is on sale” shopper like me! So what makes Southwest so special?  They don’t always have the best price (though often they do), their frequent flyer program is good–but not good enough to keep my business. The free bag policy, well, that’s nice but more “icing on the cake” than the real deal maker. So what is it they have that no one else has?

Flexibility in the Skies

Simple.  I can change things with no penalty! My life is unpredictable. Things change, kids get sick, work schedules change suddenly, life happens. It’s a fairly safe “rule of thumb” that to get the best deal on an airline ticket, purchase early. However, sometimes the airline will announce the “sale of century” oh, a week after you lock in your ticket, or everything changes, and the dates no longer work. Been there, done that. Southwest offers two things which no other airline offers.

Getting the best price possible

First, if I purchase a non-refundable ticket, and I see that the price goes down, I can re-book that ticket at the lower price for no extra cost. On a family trip to California last Christmas, I actually saved enough for a free trip to Florida in January (to recover from the California trip!). Even if the price on my itinerary doesn’t change, but a similar itinerary drops, I can rebook at the lower fare. And I can do this as many times as I want (4 is my personal best).

The fees are next to none

Even better than being able to re-book for free, is being able to cancel or postpone my trip for free. When “life happens” and plans change, simply cancel the trip for a full credit. Southwest charges no re-booking fee, unlike other airlines which charge $50 – $100 per ticket. Sometimes it can cost more to rebook than the original ticket cost!

So, next time you plan on flying, check out my friends at Southwest. They apparently understand that life changes, and I wish every airline did!

As we all know already, Cancun is a beautiful place to visit.  The ocean, beaches, and the scenery are enough to make you want to go there.  If you’re making a trip there in the near future, there are a ton of great hotels you should consider.  Listed below we have hotels that are highly recommended by their previous guests.  These hotels are known to be some of the best hotels in all of Cancun, Mexico.

Top 3 Hotels for Cancun, Mexico:

Le Meridien Cancun Resort and Spa - If you’re looking for one of the more affordable hotels in Cancun this is one of the best ways to go.  This hotel is great because it is right on the beach, has a fitness center, business center, a pool and spa, and the ocean is right in sight.  Not to mention, the ocean is just spectacular!  You can also get couples massages, treat yourself to body wraps, etc.  This hotel has several great perks to it!

Sun Palace Couples Only All Exclusive – This is another wonderful hotel for the area.  Although, the price is a little steeper than the last one.  With this hotel you get access to their outdoor pool which has views of the ocean, their fitness center, their amazing restaurant, guest rooms with spa tubs, and much  more!

Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach – This hotel is just breathtaking, really.  The pool is just phenomenal, the spa is to die for, and the interior and exterior of this hotel is amazing.  The sights you can see in this hotel are beautiful.  Not to mention, the guest rooms are something you will never want to leave.

Cancun is a beautiful place to visit, but if you’re looking for a beautiful place to stay, you know to consider one of these three hotels.  These hotels are some of the most popular ones, have the best ratings, and are highly recommended by all of the previous visitors.  There isn’t anything that you won’t be satisfied with when it comes to these hotels.

A lot of us enjoy a beautiful get away trip, but when it comes to transportation we’d rather drive than fly.  Millions of Americans have some type of fear when it comes to flying.  Although, what’s most important to realize is that this problem is all in your head.  If you’re looking to finally get over your fear of flying, and want to start enjoying the flights that you take or maybe even your first flight, realize that it is possible!

How to Enjoy a Flight for the First Time:

Before you say that it’s not possible, and that you’ll always be afraid to fly, consider a few of these tips below.

• Think of all the people that are on the plane.  Look around you, everyone is calm, talking, keeping themselves busy, and enjoying the beautiful views.  What’s keep you from doing this?  This is proof that a flight can be enjoyable.
• As stated above, you need to realize that your fears are all in your head.  They haven’t happened to you, so why worry about them?
• Think of all the amazing views you can see from a plane.  You can’t see these anywhere else or by driving.
• If you don’t try flying, you may never leave your country.  Instead, you can’t visit Hawaii, the islands, or any other country you’ve wanted to check out.
• If you bring entertainment on the plane, you will be so caught up in reading a magazine, writing, playing Nintendo, or even listening to your MP3 player.
• What is the difference between driving and flying in a plane?  There are a lot of differences.  You won’t see as many beautiful views, you will have to drive for much longer than you’d fly, it might be more expensive, and you will have so many more places to visit.  Not to mention, flying is much safer than driving is.  More accidents happen on the road than in the air, if you’re worried about crashing.

There is so much to enjoy when flying in a plane.  The views alone are enough to make you want to fly.  It is an exciting time, and opens the doors to so much more.  Don’t be afraid of flying.  I’m deathly afraid of heights, and get nauseous very easily, but flying on a plane doesn’t trigger my fears!

When visiting Cancun, Mexico we want to make sure we get the full experience and get the most out of our trip.  We want to see things we’ve never seen before, take time to grasp the beautiful beaches, and see what Cancun really has to offer.  One way you can explore new things is by seeing what restaurants they have to offer.  There are several great ones to choose from, but if you’re looking for the best of the best, and the most popular, you may want to consider a few of the recommended ones below.

La Habichuela – If you’re looking for the best seafood around, there is not better place to go than to La Habichuela.  They have some wonderful dishes to choose from, some awesome service, and the food is known to be spectacular!

Harry’s Prime Steakhouse and Raw Bar- There are several restaurants to choose from in Cancun, but if you’re looking for a restaurant that has received some excellent 5-star ratings, be sure to consider this one!  They are known to have a wonderful selection of foods to choose from on their menu, and the dishes are served beautifully.  Not to mention, the service is known to be fantastic!

Thai – If you’re not in the mood for seafood or steakhouse food, there are other options for you!  One of the restaurants the received excellent ratings is Thai.  This restaurant has some great dishes to choose from, is affordable, and is highly recommended by it’s previous visitors.  Not to mention, this is a great place to have a romantic date with your significant other.

Cancun is a beautiful place that many people love to explore.  If you’re looking for some of the best restaurants to choose from, you have the list right here.  These restaurants have received excellent ratings, and are highly recommended.

Research and plan your visit in advance

When many think about a Hawaiian vacation, they immediately think of grass skirts, luaus, or perhaps riding a big wave on a vintage long board.  However, the Hawaiian Islands offer many diverse experiences and activities to visitors that are willing to do a bit of research ahead of time.  Gain an appreciation of the culture and history before your visit and research each island, as well.

Are the Islands different?

Yes, each island is different.  If you’re looking for shopping, great dining/nightlife, and beaches, then you may want to consider O’ahu.  Generally, O’ahu is the easiest island to visit due to Honolulu International Airport.  Further, it may offer something for everyone; however, some are turned off by the island’s crowds and traffic.  In contrast, if you’re merely looking to get away from it all, consider Kaua’i or Moloka’i.  Both are rustic and off the beaten paths and arguably offer more Hawaiiana than any other islands.  With visits to these islands, however, you sacrifice many conveniences that some other islands may offer.  Good compromises between O’ahu and Kaua’i or Moloka’i are Maui and the Big Island.  These islands offer many vacant beaches and intimacy while also providing vibrant nightlife options, good dining, and great people-watching.

Should I visit as many islands as possible on the same vacation?

Generally, ‘island hopping’ is not suggested unless you plan to stay at least three or four days on each respective island you visit.  While tempting to visit as many islands as possible, you may want to sit back, relax and take in the island that you have chosen.  After all, there are six other islands to be excuses to visit on a return trip.

Isn’t it expensive?

Hawaii has some of the best hotel and condo deals around and you should shop around the Internet, or engage a private travel agent.  Wise shopping can be the difference in affording a one week vacation versus a two week vacation.  When flying home, consider that Hawaii is five or six hours behind US EST, depending on daylight savings, so consider that when booking your originating and returning flights.

Hawaii has so many things to offer but is a special place and you will remember your travels for years to come.