Welcome to Hotels and Getaways

The colors in the Upper Peninsula in the fall will be well worth the trip to see. There are nine different areas that are suggested. The first is a trip of 105 miles from Hancock to Lake Linden, on to Lac La Belle, Bete Grise and then to Copper Harbor. Leave Copper Harbor and go to Eagle River and on to Calument and Laurium and back to Hancock. The route covers Mackinac County with the peak color expected in mid-October, Chippewa County with the peak color expected the first two weeks of October, Luce County with peak color expected the first two weeks of October and Schoolcraft County with the peak color also being the first two weeks in October. This is called the Eastern Upper Peninsula tour.

Visitng the Central Upper Peninsula your tour would go from highway 107 to 64 where you begin at Silver City and on to Ontonagon. Now go to Highway 45 to Rockland and Victoria. Now you will have to backtrack a bit to highway 26 and on to Greenland. At Greenland you take highway 38 to Baraga and then hwy 41 to Chassel and Houghton. Now you take hwy 26 to Twin Lakes and back to Greenland. This tour will be approximately 200 miles. The season for you to see the peak colors of fall begins the first week of October and runs for about three weeks.

Now you can take the third tour which takes you on hwy 2 from Ironwood and Wakefield to Watersmeet, Iron River and Crystal Calls on the Western Upper Peninsula. Then take hwy 141 to Covington and then to highway 28 to Bruce Crossing and back to the beginning at Wakefield. Peak season for seeing this colorful route is the last week in September and the first week in October.

The fourth option is to start in Ishpeming on highway 29, go to highway 510 to Nagaunee and Big Bay, then 550 to Marquette and 28 to Munising, where you can take highway H 58 to H 15 to Singleton and highway 28 to Highway 94 to Chatham, Gwinn and then 35 to Palmer and back to Ishpeming. This trip is 165 miles.

The fifth option is a shorter one beginning at Iron Mountain and Norway on Hwy 2 to Spalding and then highway 41 to Menominee and hwy 35 to Cedar River and Escanaba. Just 125 miles long but full of beauty.

Number 6 is from Esdanaba on highways 2/41 to Rapid River. Now take hwy 2 to Manstique and Saint Ignace. This route is pretty straight and is 183 miles long.

Try tour 7 which starts at Whitefish Point and goes on to Paradise on hwy 123. Newberry is next on highway 28. Now go to Seney and take hwy 77 to grand Marais and H58 to Deer Park and back to highway 123 and Paradise. This route is 150 miles in length.

The 8th tour begins at Saint Ingace which is on hwy 75 and goes on to Kincheloe and Sault St. Marie. Then drop down to highway 129 and Pickford where you will take hwy 48 to Goetzville and De Tour Village getting on 134 to Cedarville and then back to Saint Ignace. 150 miles of foliage to enjoy.

The ninth tour opportunity is off hwy 28 where you go to highway 123 and enter Eckerman. Following 123 north you will go to Paradise and then back to the intersection where you turn east toward Curley Lewis Scenic Hwy and follow that to Bay Mills and Brimley. This is the shortest route suggested for the fall viewing of just 90 miles.

I fly a lot and am considered a heavyweight among people who claim to know corporate travel. I have flown so much that I have received Christmas gifts from the major airlines. One time when I was getting away from the office for an extended period of time and trying to stay home more I actually received calls from the airlines asking where I was and if everything was alright. That is too much. That is too much because of the exhaustion that inevitably comes from the daily travel struggles and family life but also because of the dent it places in your wallet. I have found a way to fix all of that, at least the expense part anyway.

I received a cold call from a funny salesperson asking if he could have the honor of booking my next set of travel arrangements for me. During a quick phone call he asked me where I typically went, how frequently I left home, where I liked to sit on airplanes, which airlines I preferred, how much I was typically spending per flight to different locations, what type of accommodations the hotels I stayed in needed to have for me to be happy, what size and type of rental cars I preferred, all about my frequent traveler programs and away he went. I tucked it in the back of my mind and forgot about it.

Within a few days I had a need to book a trip. I sent a quick communication outlining the details about the trip and gave him a few hours to go to work. In the meantime I also went to work to check out what I would be able to book on my own. After revewing information for about an hour I had a held itinerary for a flight, rental car and hotel room. The reservations were made all with my regular frequent flier and member numbers and all discounts were applied. The total trip was going to cost $1,620.00 over 3 days for air fare, rental car and a hotel stay.

I received an e-mail a couple of hours later telling me that I could save $200 off of my flight if I would be willing to make one-stop (I wasn’t), $30 a day off my rental car if I would use a different company (I would gladly for a $90 savings) and that a better grade of hotel would cost me $69 per night and not $199 per night (a savings of $130 per night and $420 for the trip). I fell in love with salesperson who had taken the time to get in touch with me a week ago. He had saved me and my company exactly $510.

Our company has a great departmental profit sharing plan that rewards our team of sales people for the margin that we bring in. Travel has been a big isues and expense for the company and the department as the expenses have gone up for travel and we have struggled with ways to cut back. We sell a product that is almost impossible to sell over the phone, typically requiring a couple of multiple day visits on-site to get a new project started. My next call was to our corporate team to let them know about how we can all save money on our corporate travel. I sent the person who contacted me originally a personal thank you note.

Families everywhere are searching for ways to save a few dollars, especially with how the economy is today. The end of each year brings the most expensive holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Therefore, now would be a good time to think of new ideas to save a little money instead of wasting it all away.

If you’re ready to save a few dollars, then I have some wonderful news to give you. You can save a lot of money by simply choosing to put together your own homemade Halloween costume. Not only will this free up some money for other important bills, but it will provide you and your family some much needed family time. And we could use some more of that!

Now I realize that most of us aren’t the most creative, so I’m about to give you several examples of how you can quickly put together your very own homemade Halloween costume.

Old prom dresses or bridesmaid dresses can turn into a bride’s gown or a beauty pageant costume for a little girl. Or raid dad’s closet and dress like a Nerd or Businessman. If you dig deep enough into your closet, you might even be able to pull off a last-minute Punk Rocker or Hippie costume.

Grab a headband and a hot glue gun, and you’re ready to put together a fun and simple costume. Start looking around the house for things you glue onto the headband. Look for small pieces of fabric such as lace and doilies. With a little creativity you can easily make a beautiful veil to go with her dress. And if you really want to spruce things up a little, add some small flowers.

Head the Goodwill store and get a white sweatsuit (if you don’t have one). By putting black spots all over it with a permanent marker, you’ve now turned your child into a cow or Dalmatian. How cool is that? You could even complete the costume by gluing some animal ears to a headband.

Got a large cardboard box laying around? Cut holes for your head and arms, and then create any number of costumes in minutes. For example, your child can be a TV - just take a black marker and draw a screen and some buttons onto the front. You can even take an old cord and glue it to the back of the box.

Try this one out: get a big cardboard box and glue a furry toy mouse to the top of the box. Make sure there are holes in the top and sides of the boxes so your child can “wear” the box. Draw a computer screen with a fun picture on the front. Or you can turn your child into a washing machine. Draw the box to make it look like a washing machine, and attach some old clothes (towels, pajamas, etc.) to the box.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a fun, inexpensive homemade Halloween costume. Just look around the house and use a little imagination, and your child will soon be wearing one of the best costumes in the neighborhood!

If you do much air travel over the U.S., sooner or later you will find yourself in Atlanta. Next vacation, leave the airport and experience the city and the great state of Georgia. There is something for everybody.

When you visit Atlanta, use a rental car. This booming city is quite spread out and you can’t hope to see everything without a car. The most popular Atlanta attraction for families is Six Flags Over Georgia, a huge amusement park. Also in town are a zoo and the Georgia Aquarium. One unique spot is the World of Coca Cola. This world-famous drink is bottled right here. You’ll be amazed at what you find out about this ubiquitous product.

Atlanta is a bustling town with a cosmopolitan flair, thanks to its status as a hub for many major airlines. Since it hosted the summer Olympics, it has offered many attractions for travelers. There is a lot to see outside of Atlanta, however.

If you have time and want to leave your hotel for a more peaceful place to explore, drive 70 miles out of town to see Callaway Gardens. There are formal gardens and hiking trails that are well worth the trip out. It’s a great place to get away from the bustling Atlanta traffic. Once you’ve traveled that far, go 17 miles further and visit Warm Springs, the location of FDR’s “Little White House” and the FDR Memorial Museum. Former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died here and so the place is brimming with history.

Once outside of Atlanta, there are many other places to see. The city of Macon has the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Did you know the state’s song, “Georgia On My Mind” goes back a lot further than Ray Charles?

If you are into history, you might want to visit the Macon’s Hay House or go to Milledgeville, near which is Andalusia, the farm home of author Flannery O’Connor. Sports buffs will of course enjoy going to Augusta, home of the annual Masters Golf Tournament. Who can resist playing a round where so many of the greats have played?

Hopeless romantics think of Scarlett and Rhett’s “Gone With The Wind” when they think of Atlanta, but to satisfy a taste for hoop skirts and antebellum charm, go to Savannah. Its historic district includes a trolley tour and the beautiful Telfair Mansion and Art Museum. The Mercer House and the Thomas House are also lovely.

What visit to the South would be complete without a riverboat cruise? Savannah offers one that will be fun for the whole family. Savannah’s riverfront also has a wide variety of restaurants. There is something for every taste and craving.

Be sure to take some time and see what Georgia tourism has to offer. You will enjoy the southern hospitality and the wonderful sights.

Gran Canaria - often referred to as a mini continent because of its differing climates and landscapes, the third largest of the Canary Islands can be found somewhere between Tenerife and Fuerteventura. Once a port of call for most sea-travellers, Gran Canaria has felt the influence of many cultures which makes this an interesting place to visit. Subject to the favourable climate of the Canaries and Spain, Gran Canaria is the perfect place to holiday and offers the very best in cheap holiday deals!

Activities in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria has something to suit everyone’s taste. If you enjoy sport then you will certainly enjoy the range of sports offered on the island, where every sport can be played under the sun and with beautiful views. Water sports are the favoured activity of course because of the clear waters of the Atlantic. Most resorts offer a wide range of cheap water sports including wind surfing and jet skiing and you shouldn’t end the holiday without trying at least one!

The island offers many places of natural beauty to visit and also places of historical interest such as the painted caves of Gldar where you can view the paintings of the early aborigines. If something more robust takes your fancy, then why not go along to one of Gran Canaria’s regular festivals where you’re guaranteed a fantastic show and a great time!

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a fantastic spot to take the family - it’s cheap, it’s cheerful and it makes for a great holiday. Puerto Rico is the most sought-after spot in Gran Canaria - it is found on the sunny south of the island and built alongside a valley so Puerto Rico offers some breathtaking views. The water around Puerto Rico is of such a clarity that glass-bottom boat rides are a popular pass-time and the beach is so inviting that most people spend their whole holiday there!

Beaches of Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is known for the quality and quantity of its beaches. There you find the finest of sands, the clearest of waters and the cleanliest of beaches - not even Spain can compete! The beaches all have above-par facilities and bars and cafes that offer cheap amenities. Some of the nicest beaches can be found in Puerto Rico however, one well worth a visit is the Maspalomas beach that offers shady sand dunes and sublime surf. If you want to make your holiday a beach holiday, then Gran Canaria is the place for you!

Nature favored Marin County with nature’s best as it is found in the northwestern part of California and had been topographically formed as a peninsula that faces southward to look over the majestic Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay. Marin County’s other neighbors are Sonoma and Napa Counties to its north, the Pacific Ocean and its beaches to its west, and the San Pablo Bay to its east. Nature did in fact favor Marin County with nature’s best.

Two very significant bodies of water, the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay, are hugging Marin County from its east and west, and produce very rainy winters and also keep its temperature from dropping to the same lows as it does in its nearby counties. Furthermore, these same bodies of water favor Marin County with cooler summers and virtually no heat waves, particularly close to either body of water.

The latest census of the United States Census Bureau estimates Marin County’s total area at 828 square miles; 520 square miles of which are dry lands and the remaining 308 square miles are water. Mother-Nature bless Marin County with breathtaking landscapes of fertile green pasturelands, tidal flats at its shores and the majestic Mount Tamalpais which is Marin County’s tallest mountain reaching 2,600 feet up to its crystal blue skies.

Marin County has also been blessed (or cursed) by the ever threatening infamous San Andreas earthquake fault that runs right through it and is in an unyielding effort ripping the Tomales Peninsula away from its mainland bit by endless bit.

The San Andreas earthquake fault is one of Mother Nature’s most explosive geologic forces which have shaped the land of Marin County over the course of millions of years of activity into a vibrant patchwork of undulating hills, with precipitous scenery and a wide assortment of soil types. Most of these soils stem from volcanic, maritime and alluvial origins born by major geological movements such as earthquakes, erosion and glacial flows and most of them are ideal for agriculture.

To repay Mother-Nature for blessing Marin County so openhandedly, many refuges and preserves have been established to project the wares of Mother-Nature.

- Located in the San Marino Bay, the Marin Island National Wildlife Refuge spans over two islands, the East Marin and the West Marin, and it was established to primarily shelter the largest heron and egret population of the region. This refuge is also a permanent home to many other species of fowl as well as feeding grounds for migratory birds.

- Well over 1,000 genus of plants and animals are protected in the magnificent surroundings of Point Reyes National Seashore which is set amidst the Pacific Ocean, rocky beaches, sprawling grasslands, gently sloping hills and thickly wooded forests.

- The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) was established in 1972 and with its 75,398 acres spanning over a couple of counties is one of the world’s largest national parks located within an urban setting as well as one of the largest coastal preserves in the United States. The GGNRA includes 59 miles of beaches and the awe inspiring Muir Woods National Monument of Marin County.