This week the Pretty on Pinterest meme sponsored by Simply Stacie and Sassy Mama in LA is all about icons! Instead of focusing on people, I have decided to focus my post on the iconic places I have visited across the United States. I didn’t list all the places, but there are a few of my favorites!

Half Dome, Yosemite – one of my favorite places to vacation!

 

The Rose Bowl – I participated in a festival here as a youth.

 

The Space Needle – Eat dinner or lunch at the top!

 

Disneyland – my favorite park!

 

The Grand Canyon

 

Las Vegas – so different now than when I was a kid.

 

Yellowstone – Old Faithful is a must see!

 

Mount Vernon – I loved visiting George Washington’s estate.

 

Niagara Falls – simple breathtaking!

 

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island – A great symbol of our country!

Holiday travel always seems to be expensive, yet there are strategies that you can use to save $1000s! Rowan Kelleher of WeJustGotBack.com

offers six different ways that you can save money on Holiday Travel:

1. Lower Airfare – while prices might be high this time of the year, there are ways that you can save money. Try shifting your travel dates forward or back by one or two days. For example, the majority of Thanksgiving travelers fly out on Wednesday and back on Sunday. A family of four flying from Cincinnati and Boston for Thanksgiving would save $200 by flying out Thursday morning and returning on Monday. Tip: The cheapest flights are often on the day of the holiday!
2. Checked Bag Fees – Many airlines charge you to check a bag with prices ranging for $15 to $25. To avoid paying fees, book with the airline credit card if you have one (or apply for one). For example, a family of four flying on Delta Airlines and using the American Express Delta SkyMiles can take advantage of its “First Bag Free” perk and save $200 on a roundtrip flight. Another huge perk that comes with using this card is priority boarding, which lets families board early together and get settled into their seats.
3. Dining Out – Unless you are staying with friends who are providing your meals, the cost of eating out for a family can add up really quickly! To lower your costs, try visiting Restaurant.com and buy dining gift certificates at a substantial discount at any of 18,000 restaurants nationwide. You can buy a $50 dining certificates for just $20 or a $25 certificate for $10. Even with the minimum that you will need to spend at the restaurant, you will still be saving about 30% per meal.
4. Ski Lift Tickets – If you are considering a skiing vacation, lift tickets can take a bite out of your vacation budget. Visit Liftopia.com to buy lift tickets for up to 35% off regular prices. A family of four that bought 5-day passes to Park City Mountain Resort in Utah would save 35 percent on their ski tickets – which would amount to a whopping $380 saved.
5. Airport Parking Fees – If you want to park your car at the airport, you know that these fees can add up. Instead, visit Airportparkinginc.com and Cheapairportparking.com to find discounted parking within a mile or two of the airport, and then take a free bus shuttle to the airport. You will most likely save more than 50%.
6. Car Rental – Car rental prices also go up around the holidays. Try Autoslash.com, a new site that not only finds you the lowest car rental price, but tracks it to make sure you never pay more than you have to. As soon as you book a car rental, AutoSlash will begin tracking rate changes for your reservation. If a lower price pops up later, AutoSlash automatically locks it in on your behalf. On average, you can save 30% and receive two price drops.

 

I will be shortly leaving for a week long cruise! This is the first time that I will be cruising and I am excited for the experience. If you are thinking about cruising, check out Cruise Critic. I have found so much valuable information there!

I found a packing list and went out and bought a few items including Nike ACG outdoor shoes so that my feet will be comfortable and protected when I do the zipline excursion!

After I return, I will give you a full review of my cruise!

I have had to say in a number of hotels over the last couple of weeks. When I am staying by myself, I often choose room service. I was disappointed to find that one hotel had a limited room service menu and no other options. Other hotels I have stayed in recently have a new restaurant delivery option. Instead of the hotel providing room service, they use a service that offers many different restaurants to choose from. You also don’t have to worry about the service coming directly to your room, you can have the food delivered to the lobby for security reasons.

When you are booking a hotel, it is a good idea to ask what options they have for in room meals.

Both Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous groundhog in the world, and New York’s Staten Island Chuck did not see their shadow on February 2nd, Groundhog Day. Does this mean that we will have an early spring? Everyone across the country is hoping so. As for myself, I am looking into booking a discount cruise just to get away from all the cold weather! In Punzsutawney, the weather did not keep anyone from enjoying the festivities and watching Phil make his prediction. In case you missed it:

I am trying to talk my husband and my sister’s family into a cruise next summer for our vacation. I know there has been a lot of negative stuff in the news lately about cruises and I hope I won’t need a Maritime Injury Lawyer by the time the cruise is over!

I am thinking about a Western Caribbean Cruise. I have always wanted to see the Mayan ruins and there are tons of great excursions for adults and children. Have you ever been on a cruise? What was your favorite destination?

My kids love going to the Great Wolf Lodge. The lodge has an indoor water park and lots of fun activities for the kids. It is a great getaway during winter months too! My kids also love the great decor. Set up like a log cabin, you will find cabin beds, outdoor decorations and animals motifs. It is fun to wander around the lodge and discover all the great decorating that is put into the place. Next time you are there, take a few minutes to discover the ambiance.

In order to get a good deal on airfare, I usually start my vacation planning for next summer now. I usually sign up for Airfare Watchdog. They send daily emails with airfare deals. You have to now what you are willing to spend for airfare. For example, I always like to get an airfare for less than $250 flying to Salt Lake City or Las Vegas (from New Jersey area). This next summer, I am looking at Orlando vacation packages this year and would love to get an airfare of $150 or less to Orlando. If you know the price you want to spend, then you can grab up the good deals when they become available. Don’t shoot too low, or you will never find a good airfare!

Looking for discount vacations to Mexico? The Villa Group was founded in 1984 and has been awarded the 2008 Top Chain Collection in Mexico from Expedia. They offer beachfront resorts and timeshare resorts in Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta/Riviera Nayarit, Los Cabos, Loreto and Cancun. You can visit their website at www.villagroupresorts.com.