The clock is ticking away on summer, and you’ve just discovered you have a few days (or maybe an entire, precious week) of vacation time to use. Should you clean out the garage, or treat yourself to a much-needed, last-minute summer getaway? Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?
(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED STATES - July 8th, 2013 - Portsmouth, New Hampshire—(July 2013)—“Trust me, it’s not too late to squeeze in one more fun-filled trip on little more than a moment’s notice,” proclaims Mike Thiel, Founder and President of Hideaways International™ Inc. “Just think nearby, off-season, or quirky, and you have a pretty good idea of what constitutes a successful last-minute trip.”
Below, we highlight a number of sizzling spots that are at their prime in July and August—and many are offering great summer deals!
1. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL TO THE PAST: The Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, Maryland
You’ll find it’s easy to get here, and once you do, you’ll revel in the Inn’s atmosphere of sheer relaxation. It feels like a trip to the past, where history meets luxury in a resort anchored to the edge of the Chesapeake. Spend the week lolling in a chair gazing at the Miles River, drifting in the horizon-edge pool, playing croquet on the vast lawn, or feasting on temptations like crab spring rolls at the Inn's top-ranked restaurant.
2. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH YOUR PET: El Encanto, Santa Barbara, California
Grab your pooch and get out of L.A.--or whatever large, smog-filled city you live in. This is an ideal location from which to explore Santa Barbara, somewhat removed from the shoreline, with tropical foliage and clusters of bungalows, each a private retreat. Enjoy the infinity-edge pool, a pampering spa, and an elegant dining room serving California-coastal cuisine.
3. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH COWBOY APPEAL: The Resort at Paws Up, Greenough, Montana
Nothing says summer like picnics, trout fishing, horseback riding, tent camping, and rounding up cattle with genuine wranglers—this is, after all, a working ranch. Of course, the tent camping is what’s known as “glamping” (glamorous camping), and the creature comforts include marbled showers, plush towels, hot tubs, a luscious spa, and gourmet cuisine served with exquisite wines. So this sort of “roughing it” is a far cry (thankfully) from typical summer camping.
4. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH MOTHER NATURE: The Meridian Club, Turks & Caicos
Shoes are optional, the only guest phone is in a thatched-roof hut, and TVs and cars are unheard of. The resort’s 12 rooms and secluded Sand Dollar Cottage are "famously plain," but all face the ocean across a powder-soft two-mile-long beach. Reading, relaxing, and rocking in a hammock rank high here, but you also can stroll along a nature trail, sail or kayak, or snorkel amid the teeming reefs. LAST-MINUTE DEAL: July is family month! Stay 5 nights or more and get your second room at half price, or share a room with up to two children or grandchildren (age 6-17) and pay just $175/night/child and receive: all meals, snorkel trips and some excursions, and complimentary taxi and boat transfers between the Provo Airport and Pine Cay.
5. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH MEMORIES: The Buccaneer, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
A standout on quiet St. Croix, this family-run resort is spur-of-the-moment summer nirvana, with a golf course, eight tennis courts, four restaurants, tons of water sports, nature trails, a full spa, and a Kids’ Camp. Accommodations are clustered in several distinct areas, from hillside to beachfront, and each room has a balcony or terrace from which to survey your domain. LAST-MINUTE DEAL: Stay at least a week in a Great House Oceanview room (or higher), and pay $200/person/stay ($100/child ages 2–4) to take advantage of their “Package Full of Memories,” which includes: welcome drinks, welcome basket, 2-day car rental, half-day Buck Island snorkeling trip, evening sunset sail, one roundtrip shuttle to Christiansted, daily Kids’ Camp for 4- to 12-year-olds, daily breakfast, one picnic box-lunch, one beachfront lunch at The Mermaid or Grotto, one dinner at The Terrace, one Buccaneer Beach Party dinner, Learn-to-Scuba lessons, half-hour informal family photo session, snorkeling and kayaking lessons, family treasure hunt, crab races, and more. Whew!
6. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH A BIG UPGRADE: La Samanna, Marigot, St. Martin
This is summer camp as it should be, a luscious multi-course feast that blends French savoir-faire with Caribbean soul and spirit. It begins with morning coffee on a private seaside terrace, continues with a deep-tissue massage in one of the spa’s outdoor treatment rooms, moves on to relaxation or recreation on the resort's secluded white-sand beach, includes gourmet cuisine and world-class wines served with an ocean view, and ends in truly inviting accommodations. There’s also Camp La Samanna for the kids and superb nanny services. LAST-MINUTE DEAL: Introduce your family to paradise with the “Family Getaway” deal: Book a One-Bedroom Beachfront Suite and receive an automatic upgrade to a Two-Bedroom Suite (with space for up to five guests) with access to all resort facilities.
7. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH NEPTUNE: Blue Waters, Antigua
This Caribbean retreat, with its powder-white beaches and rustling palm trees, is a serene haven of sea-oriented delights. You can swim, sail, snorkel, and windsurf, ride horseback along the beach, charter a sailboat excursion, and enjoy spa treatments with enticing names like Water Lily Wrap. Even your dining options are a cornucopia of fresh fruits of the sea, from tuna and wahoo to succulent Antiguan lobster. LAST-MINUTE DEAL:Book any Junior Suite, Luxury Suite, or One-Bedroom Hillside Villa, and your first child (age 11 or under) stays free!
8. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH SERENITY: Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Hop a flight to Mexico and prepare to be dazzled by your villa's own secret garden—complete with private pool. Your spacious villa has little surprises around every corner: a beach bag and sandals for your use, a comfy hammock, and a sensuous outdoor tub. A quick call is all it takes for a ferryboat to pick you up at your waterfront villa and whisk you away to the spa, several restaurants, a Greg Norman-designed golf course, or the Beach Club, where you can sun, swim, and snorkel the world's second-largest barrier reef.
9. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH OUTDOOR ADVENTURE: The Azores, Portugal
Here’s a European option that’s just a quick jaunt from the Northeast, thanks to Azores Express offering daily flights from Boston, June through September. This island group lies 800 miles off the coast of Portugal and offers adrenaline-inspiring scenery and adventures like big-game fishing, diving, whale-watching, and hiking. Best yet, the Azores still are relatively undiscovered and reasonably priced, so you can enjoy a quick break here without breaking the bank.
10. LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL WITH ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME THRILLS: Quark Expeditions, Greenland
Set sail around Greenland and explore a magnificent and magical land hardly touched by man, with blue icebergs, thrilling Northern Lights, and playful polar bears. On your own, as a couple, with friends, or with your children or grandchildren (ages 8+), this is a perfect last-minute, once-in-a-lifetime learning experience.LAST-MINUTE DEAL:Book any of Quark’s four Greenland expeditions this summer (August and September) by Jul-31-13 with Hideaways Travel Services (800-843-4433) and save 30%. PLUS, get a free trip for up to two children (ages 8–17, one per adult) and 50% off for each additional child. Or, receive a complimentary single supplement.
“So, what are you waiting for?” asks Mike. “Before you know it, summer will be over! Call Hideaways to put together the best spontaneous trip—with or without kids—that you’ve ever taken, and carpe diem!”
About Mike Thiel
Mike Thiel founded Hideaways International™ Inc. in 1979. Over the last three decades, he has traveled the world sampling its best lodgings and travel experiences, and has become a sought-after guest on radio and television news and talk shows across the country.
To arrange an interview with Mike Thiel, contact Gail Richard at 603-430-4433, ext. 112, or pr@hideaways.com.
About Hideaways International™
Hideaways International™ Inc., which operates the Hideaways Aficionado® Club, has been seeking the best-of-kind and the out-of-the-ordinary for its savvy, discerning, and well-traveled members for more than three decades. Members, who hail from around the world, range from notable celebrities, musicians, publishers, authors, captains of industry, and politicians to ordinary folks with extraordinary taste. All are part of this lively community with a passion for travel away from the madding crowds.
Join our readers who take advantage of Hideaways’ savvy travel insight and “best-of” travel deals when you sign up to receive our timely e-newsletters. You choose the frequency with which you want to hear from us.
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