With school nearly out, a lot of people are thinking about where to go on vacation. Some will be checking out hotels on the east coast, some on the west coast, and a lot of checking will be done in between. Some will check out vegas hotels, and some will check out hotels in other countries.  Wherever people go, it’s always good to check out hotel prices and get the best!

Our daughter’s husband, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law have been on several cruises. They really enjoyed them and especially all the delicious food. We have never been on a cruise, but wouldn’t it be fun to go on a royal caribbean cruise? What would really be fun would be to go on a cruise with all our family and our son-in-law’s family. And Baby J would love having two grandmas along!

The best summer vacation that our family had was when we flew to Hawaii the day after our daughter graduated from high school. My husband planned a dream vacation for us! We flew to Honolulu and stayed on the island of Oahu for three days, then flew to Kauai for three days, to the big island of Hawaii for three days, to Maui for three days, and back to Oahu for a couple more days. We rented a car and explored each island. We saw such beautiful sights such as the Seven Sacred Pools, Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees, amazing tropical fish, lush green mountains, awesome beaches and sunsets. We hiked in several rain forests, were in awe at Waimea Canyon, walked through a lava tube, walked through an underwater glass tunnel at the Maui Ocean Center, and cried as we watched the documentary at Pearl Harbor. Of course, we went to a luau. It was a vacation we will never forget!
I would also like to check out flights to Canada using Dialaflight, a leading independent UK travel company offering flights, hotels & travel ideas worldwide. Where would I want to visit? Alberta, Canada! It looks so beautiful in pictures!
Now, where would you like to go on a vacation?

Advantage Rent A Car is going green! They are helping environmentally conscientious travelers by committing to having a fleet of 100% fuel efficient vehicles by the end of 2010. They are committed to going green and are the first rental car company to do so. And the great thing is that they have great rates on a car rental with rates starting at just $19.99/day. Check to make sure this offer is available in your area and be sure to book early for best selection.

Remember if you are planning to rent a car when you travel, check out Advantage for low prices whether you’re going to sun or ski!

Let me tell you about a museum we really enjoyed! If you are traveling through Illinois, let me recommend stopping at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. It opened in April 2005 and is a world-class museum and library. The museum “communicates the amazing life and times of Abraham Lincoln in unforgettable ways.” It truly is an unforgettable museum!

In the Plaza, which is the central hub of the museum, you and your family can have your picture taken with Abraham Lincoln and his family. The life-size figures stand in front of the White House portraying the Lincoln family shortly after their arrival there in 1861. We took pictures of our family with the Lincoln family, and that was fun!

This is truly a fun and fascinating museum to visit. The mistake we made was not allowing enough time to tour the whole museum. There is so much to see and do, so I would recommend allowing several hours for your visit. They also have a Cafe which is open from 9-5. We ate lunch there and enjoyed it. Or if you just need a break for a snack, the Cafe is a nice place to rest and relax. Click here for more info.

Hilton Head Island is known to be one of the world’s most family-friendly vacation areas with rental homes and villas available for vacations or family reunions. The island was developed to highlight the island’s natural beaches and forests and is one of South Carolina’s most beautiful barrier islands. Water sports, boating, and fishing are some of the fun activities available. Check out Hilton Head rentals if you’re looking for a luxury vaction.

I love to visit historical sites, especially houses where people lived. It’s like taking a step back in time! I try to imagine what it would have been like to live in that era and try to learn about the lives of people who lived in those houses.

The W.H. Stark House is a great example of a beautiful, historical house built in 1894. Designated as a National Historic Landmark and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission, this 15-room Victorian mansion is located in Orange, Texas, and has been a community landmark and point of interest for many visitors through the years.

Now let me introduce you to the family who built the house:

• William Henry Stark was born in 1851. After a long courtship, he married Miriam Lutcher in 1881. He became a prominent businessman and philanthropist in the Orange, Texas, area. He died in 1936.
• Miriam Melissa Lutcher Stark was born in 1859. After marrying William Stark, they had two children. Frances Ann, however, died as a young child, so Lutcher became their only living child. Miriam was a collector and donated much of her collection to UT in Austin. This included works by Byron, a page from the Gutenberg Bible (circa 1456), and a first issue of the King James Bible dated 1611. She died in 1936, shortly after the death of her husband.
• Henry Jacob Lutcher Stark was born in 1887 to W.H. and Miriam. Later in his life, he established a private foundation to improve the quality of life in Southeast Texas, including education, the arts, and health and human services.

When I read about this family, it sounds like a family who cared about other people. They had a tragedy in their life, the death of their young daughter, but they didn’t let that keep them from being a productive and helpful family.

Visit the W.H. Stark House website to learn more about this beautiful house and family.

Tours are available Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Admission is limited to individuals who are ages 10 years and older. Part of the tour includes stairs.

Consider the city of Orange, Texas, for your travel plans, a city that has a lot to offer!

If you are planning on making a trip to Orlando and checking out Orlando Hotels, then check out the Orlando Vista Hotel which is located in Lake Buena Vista at the entrance to the Downtown Disney Resort Area World. It is perfect for vacationing families or business travelers because of its convenient location. In fact, the 2008 American Urological Association Annual Meeting (the AUA) is an upcoming event, and the Vista Hotel is the prime location for convenience while attending the meeting. It is close to the convention center and within walking distance to restaurants. It is also near Orlando attractions such as Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island, City Walk, and the House of Blues, which are just a cab ride away. SeaWorld, Universal Studios, and the Florida Mall are just minutes away. It’s the gateway to all major area attractions. Speaking of the attractions, we visited Orlando two summers in a row with our family and easily filled up a week each time with all the fun attractions.

Orlando Vista Hotel still has rooms available for any last minute bookings, and they offer great rates! Remember, it is convenient to all of the favorite attractions, there are free shuttles to all four of the Disney World theme parks, it is immediately accessible to Interstate 4 and the Florida Turnpike, and it is only 18 miles from the airport. Lake Buena Vista Hotels are a favorite among Orlando.

Pigeon Forge cabin rentals in the Smokey Mountains would be a wonderful place to retreat and get away from the hectic pace of life so many of us live.  Wouldn’t it be nice to get up in the morning, have a cup of coffee, and look out a wall full of windows and gaze at the beautiful mountains.  Or maybe unwind in the “Corner Jacuzzi Tub” in the master suite.  They have two, three, and four bedroom luxury cabins which would make a great place for a family vacation, family reunion, or retreat!

A few years ago, we took my mother-in-law with our family to visit and do some sightseeing in downtown Chicago. My m-i-l had a new car, and she wanted us to go in it. We gladly agreed. There were so many things to do in Chicago. My husband parked the car on a downtown street, put lots of change in the parking meter, and even asked a policeman if it was OK to park there. The policeman said “Yes” and didn’t offer any other information. Well, to make a long story short, when we were through with our sight seeing (and shopping), my husband went to get the car….only it was gone. “Oh, no!” we thought, “Mom’s brand new car has been stolen, plus it has our laptop and the garage door opener in it.” We felt sick. After talking to a policeman, we found out that for two hours during rush hour, the street where we had parked turned into a “No Parking” zone. They had impounded our car! We walked all over downtown trying to find the place where it was impounded, but to no avail. We were exhausted but finally were able to get a taxi. The driver knew where to take us, but it was really a strange way to get there. We had to go down a couple of levels to a lower area that was creepy. (I felt like I was in the “Adventures in Babysitting” movie when they went to downtown Chicago.) Finally, we got the car back after paying over one hundred dollars. That was definitely a crazy vacation!
Trusted Tours & Attractions would be a great way to avoid something like that from happening on a vacation. You can sign up for the Trusted Travels eNewsletter and enter to win an IPOD Nano! Offer ends Monday, March 31st, 2008. The newsletter will give you family vacation ideas, whether it’s Key West Snorkeling or wherever you would like to vacation.