World-class champions like Nicklaus, Woods and Singh play Disney's Palm Golf Course. You can, too.
By Amy Drew Thompson
The PGA Merchandise Show comes to the Orange County Convention Center Jan. 25-28, along with the year’s best golfing weather. Mercifully, you don’t have to be Arnold Palmer — or even staying at Disney — to experience play at Walt Disney World’s phenomenal courses, so golfers booking cheap Orlando vacations need not settle. Cool quotient: Carts come equipped with the latest GPS technology. Plan accordingly and enjoy reduced late-afternoon rates for even more savings.
Experience Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 with a weekend escape to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure. Potter fans are eagerly awaiting the IMAX 3D movie’s release on July 15. You can only watch the final movie and live the Harry Potter experience at Universal Orlando. (more…)
Coco Key Hotel & Water Park near Universal Orlando boasts theme park appeal all its own.
By Maria Mora
As a mother of two — and any parent can attest — I know from experience that theme park tickets are the first of many expenses during an Orlando vacation. Once past the the turnstile, all sorts of temptations await (like revolving light sticks topped with Disney fairies, for example) to set your family’s budget back. So to offset those items, your Orlando hotel needs to fall within reasonable limits. The good news is: Cheap Orlando hotels are as plentiful as the palm trees. The key is choosing the attraction where you’re going to spend the most time. (more…)
Soak in the rays in Miami's Royal Palm South Beach.
By Maria Mora
Fall is hands down my favorite time of year to visit Florida, and it’s not just because of the great rates at cheap Florida hotels. The temperatures drop to a lovely degree, the crowds thin out and good deals are easy to find . We like to spend this exploring new Florida beaches and attractions with our friends and kids.
With most of the nation feeling winter’s chill, you may be especially motivated to travel someplace warm. Cheap tickets on Midwest Airlines can help you find some sun. Right now, Midwest Airlines has a sale on airline tickets to Las Vegas, Phoenix and sunny Florida cities. Check out these sample round-trip airfares:
Pittsburgh to Phoenix: $265
Columbus, OH to Las Vegas: $245
Grand Rapids, MI to Fort Myers: $225
Des Moines to Tampa: $225
Madison to Orlando: $225
Midwest Airlines’ sale on airline ticketslasts until January 3 and is good for travel from January 5 through February 11, 2009. Book one of these cheap flights and start your new year in the sun.
Even if you’re on a budget, you can make travel plans to celebrate New Year’s Eve in style. CheapTickets has unveiled the top five cities for New Year’s Eve celebrations and nearby destination alternatives for cheap New Year’s Eve hotels.
From big cities to the beach, you can join the party and save big on your travel budget by staying just a little bit further from the action. The top New Year’s Eve destinations and cheap hotel alternatives are based on hotel bookings on CheapTickets for arrivals December 27-31, 2008. Check out the average daily rates for the big cities versus the alternatives.
TOP NEW YEAR’S EVE DESTINATIONS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR CHEAP HOTELS
Las Vegas Strip $154.50 / Las Vegas off-Strip $137.42
New York City $256.53 / Newark, NJ $80.95
Orlando, FL $93.43 / Kissimmee $75.32
Cancun, Mexico $289.74 / Cozumel $165.71
Miami Beach $197.22 / Ft. Lauderdale $91.81
LAS VEGAS STRIP/OFF-STRIP: If you’re planning to ring in 2009 in Las Vegas, booking one of the Las Vegas hotelsoff the Strip can save you up to 11 percent. Just take a quick cab ride downtown to partake in the New Year’s fireworks and live music on the Strip and at the Fremont Experience.
NEW YORK CITY/NEWARK: Newark is just a short train ride from Times Square, so you can take the train to see the ball drop and save an average of 68 percent on your hotel room.
MIAMI/FT. LAUDERDALE: Miami’s New Year’s Eve celebration is better than ever with Bayfront
Park’s free fireworks show, the annual Big Orange Festival — which
drops a 35-foot orange ball to a laser show and fireworks. Stay in one of the Fort Lauderdale hotels just 30 minutes away and celebrate average hotel savings of 53 percent.
Dreaming about warm weather? A sunny vacation can be yours this winter with cheap flights from CheapTickets and AirTran Airways.
Check out these sale airfares:
Indianapolis to Tampa: $145
Chicago to Orlando: $173
Orlando to San Juan: $145
Buffalo to Atlanta: $125
Cheap flights like these are good for travel Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday through March 11, 2009. Additional sale fares for Monday, Thursday and Friday are available, but fares may be higher. Prices shown are for roundtrip flights, excluding taxes and fees.
With this airfare sale from AirTran, you can travel to that warm and sunny spot you’ve been dreaming of. Just book your tickets by December 11.
The key to cheap travel is knowing the best time to find cheap flights and cheap hotels. So we created the CheapTickets2009 Value Travel Forecast, a month-by-month guide of top destinations that offer the most savings for travelers.
To help identify the best budget-friendly travel opportunities for next year, we analyzed hotels booked on CheapTickets from December 2007 to November 2008 and calculated the percentage of savings compared to peak rates.
Here are the winners (and honorable mentions) for 2009:
JANUARY: 37% savings in New York In addition to a 37 percent savings on New York hotels compared to peak rates, retailers are buzzing with post-holiday sales, and big-city attractions are easily accessible now that the holiday crowds have come and gone. Visitors can also take advantage of New York City’s Restaurant Week in January, giving them access to some of the city’s best restaurants for a fraction of the price.
FEBRUARY: 42% savings in Italy In February, Italy is just starting to come out of its winter cloak, and budget travelers will appreciate the lower airfare and savings of up to 42 percent on Italy hotels when compared to the high season. February visitors can experience one of Italy’s most famous festivals, Carnevale.
Other February cheap vacation destinations: France and Colorado Springs, CO MARCH: 53% savings in Portland, ME This historic, seacoast town is filled with galleries, one-of-kind boutiques and incredible restaurants serving everything from creamy clam chowder and lobster rolls to nouvelle New England cuisine.
Other March cheap vacation destinations: Reno, NV and Canada
APRIL: 58% savings in Brazil In April, the summer surge of tourists in Brazil is complete, which means fewer crowds, but the same great tropical weather.
MAY: 38% savings in Lake Tahoe For those who love the outdoors, Lake Tahoe is the ideal destination in May. The lake is popular for water sports and beach activities, and with 38 percent savings on Lake Tahoe hotels compared to peak winter rates, going during the off-season means affording activities like a guided cruise or dining at the many lake front restaurants.
JUNE: 38% savings in Egypt With 38 percent savings compared to peak rates, June visitors can relax on the wondrous Red Sea or Sinai coasts, take in the high culture of Cairo or even leisurely float down the Egyptian Nile on a river boat.
If you’re still looking for cheap flights for the holidays, here’s good news: CheapTickets and American Airlines are teaming up to offer cheap fares this December.
Round-trip fares start at $105 plus tax. Maybe you want to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Cheap flights from Orlando to New York start at $185. Or visit your relatives in Florida. CheapTickets and American have cheap fares starting at $205 for flights from New York to Miami.
Holiday travel doesn’t have to cost a lot. With these cheap flights, you’ll have plenty of money left for gifts! Fares are good for travel through January 5, 2009, but you must book your tickets at least 14 days in advance.
With fall in full swing and winter around the corner, there has never been a better time for a cheap vacation. And the CheapTickets Fall Beach Sale can help. Until November 23, 2008, CheapTickets is offering $100 off flight + hotel vacation packages of four nights or more to beach hot spots. So you can travel to the Caribbean, Florida, California, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Hawaii and save.
Looking for cheap hotels in Hawaii? Surf’s up at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach hotel in fabulous Honolulu. Known for being one of the most “Hawaiian” hotels on Waikiki Beach, this hotel offers the best in Hawaiian travel. During the CheapTickets Fall Beach Sale, in addition to saving $100 instantly, the Outrigger Reef on the Beach hotel is offering a 4th night free!
Or maybe you’re looking for cheap flights to Mexico and cheap hotels in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Take in the sights, sounds and sun of this vacation hot spot as you lounge by the pool at the Villa Las Estancia Los Cabos, one of the premier resorts in the area. For a limited time only, save up to 45% on your stay in addition to CheapTickets $100 instant savings.
Or, stay closer to home with cheap flights to California and Florida. Choose from many cheap hotels in these states’ hot beach destinations. Visit sunny Orlando and take advantage of up to 40% off your vacation and a $50 resort credit when you stay at the Regal Sun Resort. Or explore the beaches of San Diego with 25% off your stay at the Ocean Park Inn.
You can choose from hundreds of hotels in great beach destinations, but you have to book soon. The Fall Beach Sale ends November 23.
Kate Schwartz is a marketing coordinator for CheapTickets. When
she’s not searching for the best travel deals, she’s out taking
advantage of them! From hiking the Rockies to lounging on the beaches
of Barcelona, Kate is always looking for adventure.
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.
