(W)ring in America's Birthday in Style

Rian Castillo

There is nothing like the Fourth of July in New York City. When you think of America's Birthday you think of Ben Franklin, Red White and Blue, and the Macy's Fireworks. They are iconic. Being in New York for the day is a must do. Whether you are a local looking for a staycation or making a last minute, the W Hotels in NYC is making it much easier to celebrate the big day. They are offering great packages for stays of two or more nights starting at $199. From July July 2nd to July 6th  when you book receive complimentary yoga class and 30% off all BLISS services and products tin order to embraceLIFE, relax into the weekend and prepare for the festivities. Guests will receive a complimentary pass to Strala Yoga, an innovative practice and movement system created to ignite freedom founded by W’s FIT partner, model and yogi Tara Stiles. W Hoboken guests will be offered a complimentary pass to Devotion Yoga.  With your stay you will get  two SIP tickets for complimentary cocktails in the Living Room (Blue Fin at W New York – Times Square). Tied to Independence Day, guests can take the LIBERTY of dating offline and revert back to pre-smartphone days with unique cocktail programming using the color of your cocktail as the signifier. You will receive a signifier for your status. There is RED, “Not at LIBERTY” for the taken, WHITE,“Wherever LIFE Takes Me” for those who prefer no label and BLUE,  “Pursuing HAPPINESS” for the single and ready to mingle. These great packages are available at for all W Hotels in NYC: W New York, W New York – Union Square, W New York – Times Square, W New York – Downtown, W Hoboken. W Hotels are conveniently located throughout the city to make it so easy to enjoy everything that will be offered during the holiday weekend. Take advantage of this amazing deal that helps make it even more enjoyable.   For more information click the following link http://whotelsnewyork.com/life-liberty-happiness.

What To Do With A Weekend Away?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer may almost be over, but your desire to travel and go on vacation is not. But your pocket book may not be able to handle the added expense. What if you could win this said vacation. I think I would jump higher than high to get on this bandwagon. What if you could bring 100 of your closest friends for the ultimate give-a-way? I probably would use it for my adventure to Six Flags this coming weekend. How awesome would it be to wait for El Toro with everyone you know and love. Hampton Inn's have got your back. Now is the time to enter the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes where the Grand prize is said vacay with 100 of your friends for a weekend. There is also the chance to win on a daily basis a weekend to any Hampton Inn for you and 3 of your friends. Entry is easy, just follow the link and enter all your information. And people, this is happening on a daily basis, so you have a great chance to win.  Ok so I have the Grand Prize picked out for this weekend, but the contest is on going.  Give other options, I may choose the Hampton Inn Miami-Coconut Grove/Coral Gables down in Florida.  With the weather unfortunatly about to turn, I am going to want a warm girls weekend and what town is better than Miami for that.  We will tan during the day, shop during the afternoon and hit the town at night.  I could not ask for a better getaway.  It is so important for us to take a vacay with our friends and escape the everyday lives we lead.  This will refresh and renew us to take on the challenges we left at home. You cannot take for granted all the memories you will make and laugh about for years to come.  But if you happen to win the Grand prize will you take me where ever you choose to go?

Last Minute Vacay

Halloween left you broken and dead. Now it's time for a change of scenery STAT. Do you have anything planned for this weekend? Of course not, but you need to get the hell out of dodge this weekend, for cheap. Lastminute.com is exactly what the doctor will prescribe. This site is for those who need to get up and leave at a moment's notice, but do not have the jet setter bank account. Tell them where you are, where you want to go, and you can have a mini vacay for about $200. Packages can include everything from hotel, flight, car etc. Need the sun? There are options. Want to hit the slopes? See what Lastminute has to offer. There are so many vacation options it is hard to make up one's mind. All I know is that right now its better than home. A little refresher in paradise will clear your mind and freshen your outlook for the crazy holiday months ahead. Yes, I said it, the real holiday months are upon us. Now get out of here, and enjoy some deserved time off.

What Happens in Vegas, Should Not Cost A Lot

Vegas is at the top of your list. You want to go stay in a suite and live like you do not have a care in the world. However, you do have some cares, i.e. you do not want to be stuck on hotel roof with a killer sunburn or end up without a tooth. Did the Hangover teach us nothing? Well if you are looking for a great time to remember, Southwest Airlines has the deal for you and your friends. Their enticing deal is for you to have your companion Fly, Stay, and Play for free. Southwest is offering you a flight plus 3 nights in a 3-star+ hotel room, starting at $55 a person, per night. There are some stipulations to this fab deal. You must travel between 8/17/09 - 1/07/10 and book by the 10th of August. You cannot travel of the blackout dates of 9/3 – 9/7/09, 11/24 – 12/1/09 and 12/17 – 1/3/10. You cannot travel on a Friday or Sunday.

Before you get down in the dumps because of these rules, the benefits out weigh the costs. For every second person who travels flies for free with this package. Stay 3 or more nights and get a night free. Want to go on a tour? Buy One tour, Get One FREE when you book this package. The best of the best hotels that Vegas has to offer are included in this deal from The Bellagio to The Palms. This deal is truly living the life on a budget, when you can get away for under $500 and rub elbows with whatever star happens to jet off to Vegas that week.

There is no doubt I love Costco. I go during lunch hour to sample all their treats. There is no denying when it FINALLY opened in Nashville, I was there for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Similar to the main character in Where the Heart Is, I could happily live in a Costco Warehouse instead of a WalMart. My fridge is stocked with Kirkland milk, my jeans are Calvin closeouts, and I watch How I Met Your Mother on their 60 inch Vizio TV; all purchased from Costco. My life is complete thanks to all Costco offers. If only I could take those advantages to another place, it would be the perfect one stop shop. Well much to my surprise, I now can take Costco with me on my next vacay.

Take Costco on vacay? Well not so much, but I can now use my membership for more than just a gallon of peanut butter. Costco offers a service called the Costco Traveler, to make vacations much more simple and affordable. They offer a selection of the world's most popular resort destinations, hotels, cruise lines, rental car companies and other vacation options. Currently for the month of April Costco Travel is running a promotion for 4 nights in Cancun, for $399 at Omni Cancun Hotel and Vilas. For about $100 a day, you will treated to all the perks of an All-Inclusive, an ocean view room, Resort credit to use on additional services. This is a great getaway for a quick break without breaking the bank. The promotion ends this April, but you don't have to travel until the end of August.

Looking for a bit more action? Costco can take you to the ends of the earth with vacation packages, or hotel deals. Wish you could experience the Changing of the Guard (or catch a glimpse of Prince William and Harry)? Costco can make it happen. Can't decide what place you want to visit on your next vacation? Costco has cruise deals from Europe to crossing the Panama Canal. Visiting family and don't want to be at the mercy of their car? Costco can arrange a rental car so you can escape when your cousins have gotten under your skin a few too many times. If you have a travel wish, Costco can make it happen. All your friends will be jealous when you come back from Cancun with that killer tan.

Come Sail(Fly) Away

Has the fall chill made it to your bones yet? Does this economic situation make you want to escape reality? No longer have the cash to run from your problems? This is where Vacations To Go and Resort Vacations To Go come in handy. This makes cruising and vacationing so easy, hassle free, and in expensive. The sister sites list deals and steals on vacations on luxury cruise liners and decedent resorts. Both sites have a feature called the 90-Day Ticker listing last minute deals for the up-coming three months. So if you are dying to get away ASAP but don’t want to spend a small fortune you can book a last minute trip. For example one can take a Caribbean Cruise on the Norwegian Gem for only $699 for a whole week (http://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=27154). Not into cruising, why not a week at Breezes in the Bahamas for $628 (http://www.resortvacationstogo.com/resort_fd_popup.html?fd=10156). These are deals you cannot pass up. Airfare is not included, but Vacations To Go will help you get to your destination for the most inexpensive rate they can find. As the days get closer to the trip the resorts and cruises will lower their prices to entice you to get some R&R. Can’t just get up and leave with only 3 months notice? They have deals for those of us who like to plan in advance.

Destination options reach all corners of the globe. If you cannot find a place to visit, I suggest booking the next civilian trip to outer space. The site lists all appropriate details about the ship or resort. There are pictures for you to view and amenities to drool over. Reviews explain if it is worth your money to take time off or if you should find another option.

Once you have found the perfect vacation to unwind, you call up the toll free number to speak with an agent. You simply give them the deal number and they walk you through the process. It is an easy, seamless process that makes booking travel fun, not a pain. Go thaw your bones and show off your tan. Make your friends jealous!