If it seems like we talk a lot about restaurant week events, you’re right. But it’s just because we love travel and food — and when you can get deals on both, we’ve got to let you know.
Today, we’re highlighting Miami Spice, a food-lovers’ event in a beach-lovers’ paradise. During the event, about 100 restaurants in Miami are offering lunches for $23 and/or dinners for $36 (not including drinks, tax and tip).
Participating restaurants stretch across the Miami metro area, so whether you’re staying at one of the hip South Beach hotels, somewhere downtown or in Surfside, you’ll find a restaurant close by.
A few South Beach/Miami Beach restaurants participating in Miami Spice include Ola Restaurant in the Sanctuary Hotel, Emeril’s, Miami Beach in the Loews Miami Beach Hotel and Sushisamba droMo.
On the mainland, you could eat at Tony Chan’s Restaurant Club in the Doubletree Grand Hotel, Cacao Restaurant in Coral Gables or Baleen Miami in Coconut Grove.
Miami Spice runs through September 30, so you’ve got a whole month to travel to Miami to enjoy the sights and tastes of the city.
Want to head to Las Vegas? We’ve got cheap flights to get you to Sin City. Just pick a weekend to travel, and book a cheap airfare like these:
Chicago to Las Vegas — $283
Dallas to Las Vegas — $273
Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas — $236
Pittsburgh to Las Vegas — $244
Portland to Las Vegas — $221
The cheap airfare samples above include all taxes and fees and are good for weekends in September — for travel outbound Thursday, Friday or Saturday, returning Sunday through Tuesday.
Here’s a tip: If you love Las Vegas restaurants, you may want to plan your travel during Las Vegas Restaurant Week September 1-7.
This week’s Deal of the Day is in Maui, a popular spot for a Hawaii vacation, and a great place to go whale watching, view spectacular waterfalls or just relax on the beach.
One of the Maui hotels we’re highlighting is the four-star ResortQuest Kaanapali Shores. Right now you can save 30% off the hotel’s regular rates. I found discounted rooms for $146 a night September 23-24.
Participating restaurants offer lunches for $25.08 and dinners for $50.08 (excluding drinks, tax and tip), with a portion of the proceeds benefiting a local organization that fights hunger.
Need some help choosing? Fiamma serves its dinner family style, so you can select three entrees to share — like the risotto with lobster, scallops and shrimp; chicken with polenta and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus; and braised beef short ribs. Or, save room for coconut rum cake with vanilla ice cream at Bradley Ogden.
But that’s only the beginning. More than 70 restaurants are participating in Las Vegas Restaurant Week, so choose one of your favorite Las Vegas hotels, and eat your heart out!
The first ever Arizona Restaurant Week features special three-course meals for $29 per person or $58 per couple (excluding drinks, tax and tip). More than 90 restaurants in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale will participate, including Tommy Bahama, Bourbon Steak and La Fontanella.
At La Fontanella, choose from more than 15 homemade pasta entrees and eight chicken dishes for your main course. Tommy Bahama’s dessert selections include pina colada cake, key lime pie, and flourless chocolate espresso cake.
Several restaurants in Scottsdale hotels also are participating. At Deseo in the Westin Kierland, you could have rainbow ceviche, bone-in ribeye and mango creme brulee. Or you could visit Trader Vic’s at the Hotel Valley Ho for an ahi slider, pork tenderloin and rum gelato with praline sauce.
If you want to travel to Europe, consider the Mediterranean Romance, a 12-night cruise that includes stops in Italy, Greece and Spain. Aboard the ship, you can enjoy elegant meals in the two-tier Vista Dining Room and relax in the Greenhouse Spa, which features a heated ceramic lounge in the style of a Turkish bath. The September 29 sailing starts at $1,699.
Or, you can save up to 40% on the seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise, and travel to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. The ship features two pools, a state-of-the-art fitness room and entertainment options including a cigar bar, piano bar and casino. The November 1 cruise starts at just $449.
Holland America Line recently upgraded its ships with new programs and amenities, including cooking demonstrations and plush-top mattresses, so even cheap cruises feel luxurious.
This week’s Deal of the Day is in Punta Cana, a popular Caribbean vacation destination known for its white sand beaches and all-inclusive resorts.
One of the Punta Cana hotels we’re featuring is the Barcelo Punta Cana All Inclusive. Right now, this four-star resort is offering 30% off its regular rates. I found discounted rooms for just $72 a night September 17-18.
Cheap flights are still available for Labor Day weekend. Just look at these sample last-minute airfares:
Boston to Orlando: $265
Houston to Denver: $257
Newark to Las Vegas: $374
New York City to Fort Lauderdale: $245
Or, let CheapTickets help you find one of our many last-minute trips that works for you. Check out flight + hotel vacation packages to big cities and sunny spots, or search for deals to the travel destination of your choice. available on our last-minute trips page.
Denver may be the hottest spot in the country for Obama fans, democrats and political junkies later this month as the site of the Democratic National Convention. (A tip for those planning to travelto Denver for the convention: Check online for several free events for the public around convention time.)
But if you’re more interested in food and music than politics — or if you’re just looking for a fun place to travel for Labor Day weekend — Denver still is the place to be.
A Taste of Colorado, Denver’s annual Labor Day weekend celebration, starts right after the convention ends, and features food, music and fun for all ages all weekend. And the most fun of all: Admission is FREE.
A Taste of Colorado has food from more than 50 Denver restaurants, including Gelazzi Gelato, Thunderbird Burgers and more. You can purchase food with tickets (eight for $5). There are also carnival rides, cooking demonstrations, an arts & crafts market and plenty of entertainment and activities for kids.
Free concerts provide entertainment throughout the festival, and the headliners on the mainstage are big: Little Feat on Friday night, The Fabulous Thunderbirds on Sunday and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Monday.
It’s not too late to plan your Labor Day weekend travel. So find some cheap tickets and head to Denver for plenty of food and free concerts. A Taste of Colorado runs Friday, Autarget="_blank" gust 29 through Monday, September 1 at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver.
Want to travel to Europe this fall? You can, with cheap flights on Lufthansa.
Imagine strolling along the streets of London, sitting in a Paris cafe or enjoying the art and architecture of Amsterdam. These cheap tickets make it easy to travel to cities throughout Europe. Check out these sample flights:
Atlanta to Amsterdam: $693
Houston to London: $632
New York City to Frankfurt: $456
Orlando to Paris: $708
These cheap flights are for travel August 18 through October 26, 2008 and December 12 – 24, 2008. Sample airfares don’t include taxes and some fees. Cheap tickets like these are available for a limited time; the Lufthansa sale ends August 20. So don’t wait. Make your Europe travel plans now. CheapTickets resources:
The bargain-hunter's resource for the most noteworthy CheapTickets travel deals, including hand-picked hotel offers, new sales, last-minute discounts and money-saving travel tips.
