UnWINE to WIN WINE Everything in life is about balance. When you work hard, you deserve to play hard. Show us how you slow down or show off! Email a picture of you and/ or your crew unwinding to contest@337magazine.com for your chance to win. Must be 21 years old to enter.
The Singleton family (and a sea lion) send 337 some love while on their recent vacation to the Bahamas.
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TIPS FOR INEXPENSIVE TRIPS Get the most travel out of your dollar By Suzanne Brevelle, Avenues To Travel Planning travel these days can bring you from one side of the emotional spectrum to the other. Travel searches can make you cry one day and make you laugh hysterically the next. Searching on your own can be very stressful for some. That’s when you contact a specialist: YOUR TRAVEL AGENT. There are many misconceptions about travel agents these days, and the biggest is that if you book with a travel agent you will pay more. WRONG! A travel agent can help you get the most out of your travel budget. The experienced travel agent will be able to help you determine where you should splurge and where you should be conservative. Inexpensive travel does exist. There are a few things to keep in mind when you are searching for inexpensive travel: the busy season, the tourist area and extra expenses for tours and activities. If you consider these three ideas when you are planning, you can save yourself money and headaches. WHEN DO YOU WANT TO GO?
The first thing to consider is when do you want to go. Most destinations have a high season, low season and shoulder season. Low season and oftentimes shoulder season are the most cost effective because weather can still be good and the areas are not overcome with travelers so hotel rates will be reasonable. But, did you ever think high season could be inexpensive? Many of the tour operators take advantage of the larger number of travelers during the higher seasons so they are able to negotiate better rates simply because of larger numbers. For example, did you know there was a direct flight from New Orleans to Cancun? How about a direct flight from New Orleans to the Dominican Republic? Well, there is (from the end of May until the first week in August). You can go anywhere from three nights up to an entire week. That is high season. Children are on vacation, and everyone wants to go to the beach. Demand, demand, demand. The tour operators are gambling on that. And that is how they can provide lower fares during this time. WHERE WILL YOU STAY?
The next thing to think about is where will you stay. Do you want to stay in the middle of all the activities (better known as the “tourist area”) or do you want to 98
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stay on the outskirts of the attractions? Hotels in the heart of the area tend to ask higher nightly rates because they are providing a convenience for you not necessarily the best accommodations for you. Did you know that most hotels on the outer areas may offer more to their guests such as free shuttles to local attractions, free breakfast and even a free shuttle from and to the airport? These little things add up quickly. If not planned for, they can push your budget over the limit. Luckily, if you are aware that these complimentary things exist, you can use your budget for more important things like the attractions that brought you there in the first place. WHY ARE YOU GOING TO THIS PARTICULAR DESTINATION?
A good question to ask yourself when you are planning is why am I going to this particular destination? Am I going to relax? Am I going to experience the culture and adventure? If your answer is to relax then you should pick a destination that will provide you with the most options to plan and pay before your arrival. An all-inclusive resort is the most popular way to achieve this. Once you arrive everything is at your fingertips: your airport shuttle, meals, beverages and even some of your activities. Even all-inclusives can get pricy though so you and your travel agent should determine what is most important to you. For example, do you want a really nice room with a butler and chef? Or would you rather stay at your destination for seven nights. If you picked your destination because there were the most things to do, then we suggest that you plan and pay for those activities in advance. That way you can work them into your budget. Many locations will bundle the excursions so that you can take advantage of lower pre-paid rates. Again, this is something you and your travel agent should discuss. Just because you can does not always mean you should! Maybe one experience will encompass what there is to see and do in that area. Then you are not wasting your time and money doing the same thing over and over. Inexpensive travel does exist. It’s as easy as contacting a professional who can help you determine how to get the most out of your travel budget. 3 3 7M A GA ZIN E.C OM
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