Family-friendly: The Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale
By Mark Chesnut
Whether it’s seasoned road warriors, groups of conventioneers or vacationing families with children, the cities of Phoenix and Scottsdale are well versed in serving the diverse needs of a variety of people. And this summer, new options abound for anyone looking to mix family travel with business travel. (more…)
Zion National Park. Credit: Wolfgang Staudt.
By Jennifer Nielsen
Living in Park City, Utah for the past 9 years, I’ve really experienced some of what southern Utah has to offer. I’ve explored some of the most incredible national parks, biked and hiked unbelievable trails. Every fall my family and I pack up the car and head south to Moab or St. George for a long weekend, looking forward to the last bit of summer before the cold weather hits the mountains. Here in southern Utah, you’ll find some of the most amazing sites and activities around.
Nothing says Labor Day like a stay at Las Vegas' Caesar's Palace.
Strut out in your all white cabana-wear for a final summer whirl (last chance before you’ll warrant a ticket from the fashion police!) and head to Las Vegas — the number one destination on this year’s top 10 Labor Day weekend destinations list.
Based on future hotel and vacation package bookings for the 2010 holiday weekend, this Orbitz list takes us to big cities across the country like New York and Chicago, and — not surprisingly — to the East and West coasts with Boston and LA.
Chicago from the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel. Credit: theycallmetelly.
Find inspiration for your Labor Day getaway with the top 10 destinations below, including average daily hotel rates.
TOP 10 LABOR DAY DESTINATIONS OF 2010
*Average daily hotel rate.
By Joanna Citarella
Traveling off peak definitely has its benefits, especially when you’re talking about a Florida vacation in the summertime. In fact, summer is perhaps the best time to find beach vacation deals in Florida , and this year, the beaches of St. Pete and Clearwater are offering some incredible values.
Book your trip during the month of May and you’ll not only experience a memorable summer vacation, you’ll also find great travel deals on some of Florida’s finest beaches.
Parades, cookouts, fireworks — however you like to celebrate, the Fourth of July is the holiday of summer, and with the 4th falling on a Saturday this year, it's a great opportunity for a short summer vacation. Before you book your flights and hotels, check out these top picks based on Orbitz bookings for travel July 3-6:
Top 10 Fourth of July Vacation Destinations for 2009
1. Las Vegas: Las Vegas hotels — with their glitzy shows and gourmet restaurants — are popular year 'round, and it's no surprise that Vegas celebrates the Fourth in a big way. Check out a virtual fireworks show on the Viva Vision canopy at the Fremont Street Experience, or see the real thing — times nine — as nine different Stations Casinos properties display fireworks simultaneously.
2. Chicago: The Fourth of July is a great time to plan a summer vacation in Chicago. Taste of Chicago is in full swing, and you can take full advantage of the lakefront beaches. Chicago's official Fourth of July fireworks take place on July 3 over the lake by Grant Park.
3. New York: Book your New York hotel now and plan to enjoy the Big Apple's Fourth of July fireworks display over the Hudson River. Here are the recommended spots for best views of the fireworks.
(ORBITZ) — The National Park Service is making it easier for people to enjoy the natural beauty across the United States during this summer vacation.
The agency is offering three free weekends this summer:
During the free weekends, more than 100 parks that usually charge entry fees will waive those fees. The free weekend offer doesn't include camping charges, tours or other concessions. However, some park vendors have listed special offers for savings during the free weekends.
Related Orbitz resources:
Maybe it's the joy of surviving yet another long winter, or maybe people in Chicago just love an excuse for food and fun… Regardless, once the weather gets warm, the Windy City heats up with tons of summer festivals. Music, food, art, ethnic heritage — you name it, it's here, making Chicago a great choice for a summer vacation.
Most of the biggies highlighted here are downtown in and around Grant Park, so you can book a Chicago hotel in the Loop/Millennium Park/Grant Park area and walk. If you want to experience summer in Chicago like a local, though, hop on the El and try one of the many neighborhood fests. Retro on Roscoe is a fun event in a cute Northside neighborhood, Lakeview Music Fest features food and music in the shadow of Wrigley Field, and there are many others.
57th Street Art Fair June 5-6: Painting, sculpture, photography, jewelery, ceramics and much more. Billed as Chicago's oldest juried art fair, this one happens in President Obama's old neighborhood (Hyde Park). FREE.
Chicago Gospel Music Festival June 6-7: The first of many multi-day concert events held in Grant Park throughout the summer, this one features more than 50 acts on three stages. FREE.
Chicago Blues Festival June 12-14: Same idea as Gospel Fest, with a different genre. Eddie C. Campbell, Bettye LaVette and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings are the headliners. FREE.
By Lena Katz
Sunken treasure. Sea caves. Cliff diving. Big game fishing. A summertime beach vacation includes so much more than the quest for the perfect tan these days. From the Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico to the South Seas, there are countless adventures to be had…for Dad’s Day, a post-graduation getaway, or a summer vacation you’ll remember forever.
Key West treasure hunt
Point your compass toward Key West, where Atocha Dive Adventures is leading certified divers out to salvage dive a real Spanish galleon. Instructors are not only professional salvage experts; some of them are actually related to Mel Fisher, the most famous treasure hunter of the modern age. Fisher discovered the Atocha in 1985 and took a cool $400 million off it in his time.
Summer vacation season is right around the corner, and nothing says summer like outdoor music festivals. Whether the music sounds better outside or the combination of fresh air and festival food just makes everything more fun, music festivals are popular from coast to coast. A handful of the biggest festivals are highlighted here to help you with your summer vacation planning.
Bonnaroo: Calling Bonnaroo a music festival is possibly the understatement of the year. The four-day event June 11-14 on a huge Manchester, Tennessee, farm invites people of all ages to camp on site and enjoy music, comedy and much more. There's a space that shows movies 24 hours a day, a market with artisans and national vendors, a beer tent where you can taste brews from around the country, and a kids area with games, sports and recycling art projects. All of this wrapped up in a mission of environmental sustainability. (There's even a community garden this year.) But if you really are looking for music on your summer vacation, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Elvis Costello, Phish and Wilco are among the headliners. (Tip: Nashville is the closest airport, and the festival has organized shuttle service.)
Summerfest: More a marathon than a sprint, this Midwest favorite stretches over 11 days and features names like Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson and Kid Rock. This festival's prime lakefront location in downtown Milwaukee and plentiful food vendors add to the atmosphere. A fireworks show opening night helps get things started. June 25-July 5.
If you're thinking about planning your summer vacation, here's good news: You'll find cheaper hotel rates this year compared to 2008 in some of the most popular summer vacation destinations.
Orbitz compared rates for hotel rooms booked on its site for stays from June 1 through August 31, 2009, to rates during the same period in 2008 and found savings of as much as 40% for 2009 summer vacations.
Mexico vacations can be cheaper — with Cancun hotels running 19% less this year than in 2008 and Riviera Maya hotels about 9% cheaper. Las Vegas hotels are nearly 42% cheaper this summer, and Chicago hotels are about 24% cheaper. Even a Hawaii vacation can cost less, with average daily rates for Oahu hotels about 23% less than last year.
Check out the full list:
We love to travel, and we love to talk about it. The Orbitz Blog is another way we can share our expertise, advice and the occasional random thought.
Check back often for fresh insight from Orbitz staff and contributors about cool places to visit, fun things to do and smart ways to save.