Happy Travels!

Our most recent giveaway was for 13 bars of 13 Unlucky for Dirt soap. This LUSH natural antibiotic soap helps fight off germs’ a handy soap for both traveling and the beginning of a new school year. We asked people about the germiest place they’d been, and had some truly gross comments s a result (well, we asked for it)! We ran the numbers through random.com, and the LUSH contest giveaway winner, #98, is Jacque. Congratulations, Jacque! She wrote, “I had to use the bathroom at a laundry mat. It was so disgusting with toilet paper on the floor, dirty sink and the toilet didn’t look like it was ever cleaned. The smell was awful too! Thanks!”

Poor Jacque. We hope these 13 bars of LUSH 13 Unlucky for Dirt soap will help wash the memory of that nasty laundromat away. Get in touch with us, and we’ll get the soap mailed to you right away.

Hawaii CVB's Michael Ni

Guess who came to town last week? Some of my favorite people in the travel and tourism industry, the Hawaii CVB. These are some of the friendliest, most down-to-earth folk you’ll find (wonder how they’ll survive in Los Angeles…), and they’re here to promote travel to the islands of Hawaii. There were a few local journos I’ve met before at this media event, as well as Jessica from the Big Island, and John, Nathan, Darlene and Michael from Oahu.

During the reception, we listened to Joan Namkoong discuss local cuisine and its many international influences – including Russian sturgeon, which surprised me. That explained the caviar that showed up later, at dinner. George Kahumoku, a Grammy-award winner, entertained us with music and hilarious tales if his life on Maui – including the time he flooded the top floors of the Westin Maui in Ka’anipali.

The Mayors of Hawaii, plus John M.

The purpose of this, and similar upcoming events in Portland and Seattle, is naturally to promote Hawaii tourism. Vacations usually get cut from personal budgets during recessions, and the ripple effect is obvious; travel dollars boost the Hawaiian economy and employ thousands of people. But a Hawaiian vacation does more than that. I got just a glimpse of the positive spirit of aloha during this dinner, but it brought back memories of the culture of camaraderie prevalent on the islands. Family vacations and romantic getaways to Hawaii may have different intentions, but they are similar in that the unpretentious, casual and friendly pull of the islands. Be it Maui, Big Island, Kauai or even quiet Lanai, a vacation in Hawaii creates happy memories to last a lifetime. Even in a worrisome economy, it’s an experience worth every penny.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Tart, Kona Coffee Panna Cotta

My family and I spent one night at The Broadmoor (courtesy of the resort) before we hopped on a plane at the Colorado Springs airport this summer. One night is by no means enough time to truly enjoy all of its amenities, but we packed in as much as we could into, oh, 18 hours there. Here are just a few of the highlights we enjoyed:

The Ambiance: I  felt as though I was dropped right into a scene from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The manicured grounds, rolling green golf courses and historic decor in the public spaces, to me, exude glamour. We pulled up to the property’s security gate, gave our name, and then continued on to the porte-cochere, where valets greeted us – by name – which gave us a clue to the incredible service we’d receive all weekend. Lots of “How is your stay Mrs. Williams?” and “Whatever we can do to help, Mrs. Williams.” I loved the intricately tiled mosaic floor in the entryway to the lobby, as well as the historic photos, marble staircase, ornate chandelier and brass escalators.

The Tavern: The steaks were excellent at this landmark restaurant at The Broadmoor, dating back to 1938. We ate in its enclosed “Garden Room,” filled with lush vegetation and twinkling lights overhead. No fusion foods or unusual entrees here; just favorite hand-cut prime steaks, chops, seafood, prime rib, plus shellfish appetizers, soups and salads. One must-see: Bottle Alley, where all the liquor and wine bottles that were consumed during Prohibition are displayed; check it out just not far from the entrance to The Tavern (also near the main lobby).

The Swimming Pools: We arrived on an unusually chilly and rainy day in July, so we took the kids to The Broadmoor’s indoor heated pool (near the spa, which I wish I had time to experience), with outdoor hot tub and heated lap pool. This is a huge boon for parents who like to be able to keep a close watch on their kids, as the indoor pool is not huge and there are plenty of lounge chairs if you don’t feel like going in yourself! The next day, just hours before we had to get on a plane, we hit the big, outdoor swimming pool, where we were greeted by one of about a dozen staff members whose sole job is to outfit you with fluffy beach towels and lead you to lounge chairs. The outdoor infinity pool is next to Cheyenne Lake, so matter where you are in the pool — or adjacent hot tub — you’ve got great views of the grounds. Two water slides entertained the kids — that is, until my son got sick (yes, puked) in the pool, and closed it down. While that’s an entire blog post in itself, let’s just say that a) it was hugely embarrassing and b) The Broadmoor staff responded quickly and with grace (not making us feel badly at all). And yes, we did make it to our flight and he traveled the rest of the day without incident.

The Cottages: We stayed in one of the brand-new (as of May 2009) two-bedroom, one-story cottages just off the 18th fairway of the east golf course. At the same time charming and elegant, these accommodations feature high ceilings, window doors that open to an expansive veranda, heated bathroom floors, and hand-crafted area rugs. We all appreciated the luxurious bedding and the mini fridge to store our drinks and snacks.

Of course all of this luxury does not come cheap. I found standard rooms starting at $270 a night this fall, and the rack rate for the smallest one-bedroom cottage is $1,400 a night. Do ask about summer specials that run through September 30, 2009, and otherwise check out the Specials & Packages page.

Top photo: Courtesy the Broadmoor; others by me!

I’m one of 200 semi-finalists (out of about 900 entrants) in the Trazzler #NYCGO writing contest. If enough Trazzler.com members “wish list” my short article (aka “Trazzler trip”) about boating on Lake Powell, I could be one of 10 writers to reach round three, after which judges vote on a grand-prize winner.

The grand-prize? A fabulous $10,000 contract to write 30 more Trazzler trips about New York City. To write said trips, the winner also gets a 2-week trip to New York — courtesy of NYCGO.com, Jet Blue and AKA luxury hotel residences. Killer, right?

But I need your help. And it’s super easy.

Just click on this link, which should take you to my Lake Powell trip. If you are already a Trazzler.com member, all you have to do is sign in, click “add to wishlist” below the photo, and you’re done.

If you are not a Trazzler.com member, you will be guided to a “sign in/sign up,” page, where you can join by entering your username, password, email (you can opt out of receiving Trazzler emails). You can also sign in easily with your Facebook email/password.  Either way, once you sign in, you can click “add to wishlist” on my Lake Powell trip, no problem.

The 10 trips that are most often “wishlisted” by September 14 enter round three. If that happens to me, at the least I’ll earn $250 to write 10 more Trazzler trips, but I’m hoping my prose will wow the judges enough to send me to New York City!

Here’s the kicker: If I do win the grand prize, I’ll donate half of my $10,000 cash prize to charity. I figure I have so much to be thankful for these days, so I’d like to help out some organizations that have been helpful for me in recent weeks. I’ll give $1,000 each to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and my local Valley View Hospital Foundation; the remaining $3,000 I’ll spread among other other non-profit causes I support (nothing political or controversial — our family giving tends to be for charities that support needy children or educational efforts).

The remaining $5,000 from the cash prize (or “fee” for writing 30 NYC Trazzler trips) I’d use to pay taxes on the grand prize (in total it’s valued at nearly $20,000 with the accommodations and plane fare) and to buy off thank my husband and other family members who would step up with child-care duties to allow me to move to New York for two weeks. I suppose I’d need cash to eat and drink in NYC, too.

Thanks so much for helping me advance to the finals of this writing/social-media contest. Just let me know you wishlisted my trip, and I will happily join, click, Stumble, Digg anything for you in the future. I truly believe what goes around comes around. You scratch my back, I’ll absolutely scratch yours.

Any questions? Shoot me an email.

Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Maui

The Traveling Mamas love Hawaii, that’s no secret. From the Big island to Kauai, the best tropical island family vacations in the world are here. One of the best social media contests we’ve heard of (for travel lovers) will allow lucky, lucky winners to have amazing, all-expense paid vacations in Hawaii: Marriott Resorts Hawaii along with Hawaiian Airlines, Hertz, and the Hawaii CVB are running a viral campaign to raise awareness of the islands. A whopping 25 trips for two can be won in this contest giveaway! In fact, there are two different ways to enter and win this contest. Really, a chance to win a free vacation in Hawaii – that’s pretty awesome.

Win a Free Vacation at Waikiki Marriott

Details, details, you’ll be wanting the details. Easy! If you’re reading this, you’re already online.  If you’re on Twitter, it’s easy to enter this “Tweet Your Way to Hawaii” contest. To enter and try to win one of the 25 trips for two to Hawaii, go to MarriottHawaiiTweets and fill in your Twitter handle and/or Facebook name, plus email. Starting August 28, one winner will be randomly selected, with Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island in rotation.  Random drawings will continue every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday ending on October 21, 2009.  And guess what? Winners will be announced on Twitter (check @MarriottHawaii) and on Marriott Resorts Hawaii’s Facebook page. This IS a social media contest, after all. Winners will also be emailed the good news. What does each winner get in this amazing giveaway? You’ll love it:

• Roundtrip tickets for two on Hawaiian Airlines from any of its eight US West Coast gateway cities.
• Five-night stays at one of the Marriott resorts in Hawaii, such as the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on the Big Island and the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Maui
• $100 daily resort dining credit
• Hertz rental car
• Access to Hawaii attractions and activities
• Trips must be completed by December 20, 2009

Hawaii Vacation Contest

The second Hawaii vacation contest giveaway is a bit more involved. This “Tweetup for Twelve” has one winner, but he or she gets to invite eleven friends and/or family members to come, too. Imagine 12 friends on a free vacation in Hawaii! To enter this contest, create and submit a YouTube video to MarriottHawaiiTweets by December 20, 2009. The video should basically be a fan video showing why you love Hawaii (see the website for more details), and the winner will be chosen by public voting. The highest vote-getter will be announced in January, 2010. Here’s what you get if you win:

• Roundtrip tickets for 12 on Hawaiian Airlines from any of it’s eight US West Coast gateway cities.
• Seven-night stay at any two Marriott resorts in Hawaii
• Professional group photo – talk about memories!
• Luau dinner and show
• Commemorative Hawaii state quarter (this is the 50th anniversary of statehood)
• 25,000 Marriott Rewards Points for the winner

Now, these contests are not sponsored, approved or endorsed by YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook, but the Traveling Mamas sure approves of them. Anything that gets people to be able to experience the magic of a vacation in Hawaii is worth promoting, after all. Proof? My own Twitter profile page shows a photo I took of Wailea in Maui. It really is one of my most favorite places in the world for family travel.  Please follow @MarriottHawaii for updates.

Los Angeles is a very popular vacation town year-round, but in summer it especially seems to be crawling with tourists from all over the world.

If you’re in Los Angeles now, and thinking about going, Broadway LA is offering $20 savings on selected seats until August 22. Are you here? Enjoy the rest of your Southern California summer vacation!

Glenwood Springs, about a half-hour from my mountain home, draws visitors with its fabulous opportunities for hiking (a favorite is Hanging Lake), biking along the recreation path in Glenwood Canyon, the new whitewater kayaking park, the world’s largest hot springs pool and Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. But it’s never been known for its evening entertainment. Until now.

The Glenwood Vaudeville Revue brings together some of the most talented performers in the Roaring Fork Valley for song-and-dance routines and silly skits that had me crying I was laughing so hard. Last night the audience guffawed and giggled through nearly two hours of funny, totally original routines, including a current-day riff on “Who’s On First,” a rap about black bears rifling through downtown restaurant dumpsters (relevant to me, with a recent bear-in-my-garage incident), a hilarious tap-dance number about 1930’s movie production “code” (on-screen kisses can last no more than 6 seconds) and many, many more. The audience gets into the act by guessing lines from popular movies. I won a free drink by shouting out “Steel Magnolias!” (She had me at “M’Lynn”).

I was impressed not only at the number of different skits, but also how many quick costume changes occurred and simply how busy the five actors and actresses were (plus the talented pianist who also hopped up on stage a few times). Not only are the five vaudevillians performing, but they also tend bar and wait tables before and during the show. The “pub style” menu (with full bar) features sandwiches, salads and appetizers like chicken wings and quesadillas. No menu item costs more than $9.

And that’s the beauty of the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue — it’s a cheap night out. Ticket prices are only $18 per adult, $15 per child. While some of the routines included, er, some adult references, nothing was too bawdy for my nine-year-old daughter (no foul language at all). She didn’t fully understand some of the jokes but it didn’t really matter. The performers did such a great job of creating exaggerated characters, just watching their body movements and facial expressions was a hoot. For example, a Masterpiece Theatre-like reading of The Beatles’ “I Am the Eggman” lyrics brought down the house. My daughter didn’t know it was a Beatles song, but thought the silly actor was hysterical.

The Glenwood Vaudeville Revue only runs weekends through September, with Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon performances. Organizers are planning a repeat season next summer, but would like to expand the theater year-round. If you’re in the Glenwood Springs area — even vacationing in Aspen (about 50 minutes away) –  do not miss this top-notch, family-friendly, affordable entertainment. Your funny bone will thank you.

First, Amy, congrats on your wedding anniversary! The Florida coast sounds like a great place to enjoy a romantic weekend (or do you get to stay longer?).

I queried some friends on Facebook and Twitter — since none of the Mamas are intimately familiar with Fort Lauderdale — and found out from an old high school friend who spent a couple months there earlier this year that the “Las Olas” area has lots of quaint bistros and high-end shopping boutiques. You’ll find countless seaside restaurants between Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, all on route A1A (a.k.a. Ocean Boulvevard).

@TravelZoo on Twitter chimed in with these tips: Stroll along 25 miles of beach, tour historic Bonnet House, cruise on the riverfront; had great meal at Chima once

The  Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau is a wealth of information. (You gotta love the website address: www.sunny.org.) Peruse the site for all sorts of suggestions on things to do and places to eat. If you’re into culture, consider the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District. I think an Everglades airboat ride sounds fun, too.

Francine Mason, VP of Communications at the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB and who is the Tweeter behind the @VisitLauderdale account, suggests Pillars for a romantic inn on the Intracoastal Highway, a few blocks from the beach. If you’ve got money to burn, consider the Ritz Carlton or the Atlantic Hotel “for a luxe retreat.” W is a property for the young and hip (or young at heart, I think).

Depending on your activity level, Francine suggests a moonlit kayak tour; scuba diving or snorkeling; paddle boarding or surfing lessons. But one popular romantic activity, she says, is a gondola ride in the “Venice of America,” gliding past the mega-yachts and waterfront mansions.

For dining and drinking, Francine highlights Johnny V, YOLO or Bova on Las Olas; also consider wine tasting at the Ritz wine room ($25 per person). Finally, two restaurants that get big thumbs’ up on Trip Advisor are the Capital Grille and the Casablanca Cafe. Again, the Mamas haven’t eaten there, but both are recommended for romantic dining, according to the user reviews.

We hope you enjoy your Fort Lauderdale vacation, Amy!