Free Travel Tips

Travellers interested in military history usually think of Europe as the place to visit battlefields, but Canada has its fair share of them and as this year marks the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, there is no better time to visit some of them.

The World Wars of last century are recent enough that they loom large in our memories, but it’s no understatement to say that the War of

1812 is every bit as important in Canada’s history as those great conflicts. In fa

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You know we just had to do it, right? We had to have some fun with the holidays and have a good laugh or two.

I am excited to announce that I will be hosting an Ugly Holiday Sweater Happy Hour with Southwest Airlines and Bryant Park at the Southwest Porch! If you havent visited the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park, then you absolutely must come out and check it out. You can enjoy some drinks and then even finish some holiday shopping at the shops right there in the park, or go ice skating at CitiPond. It promises to be a fun event!

All the details are on the invite below.

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Weve got plenty to be excited about here at the AirTreks World Headquarters a successful year with public appearances at the Book Passage Travel Writers and Photographers Conference, Tbex, and Meet Plan Go. But this month our excitement centers around our inclusion on the 2012 edition of the Condé Nast Travel Specialists Collection.

The Travel Specialists Collection is a bona fide, time-tested, and thoroughly vetted assemblage of travel agents and agencies from around the country who do what they do very well. And we’re extremely pleased to be a part of it this year.

What it means is that Condé Nast considers AirTreks to be a top specialist in our niche as complex multi-destination plane ticket providers. They

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Estro Island on the west coast of Florida, just north of Naples, is home to four family-style resorts located on miles of white, sandy beaches along the Gulf of Mexico.

They come complete with extraordinary sunsets, exceptional shelling and unique wildlife that attract visitors worldwide.

In addition to tropical breezes and great beaches, Estro Island features affordable, friendly eateries specializing in locally caught stone crab.

There are unique fun festivals and events ranging from a Sand Sculpture Beach Festival to an annual Epicurean Taste of Fort Myers.

Marinas throughout Estro Island are perfect for boating adventures including sunset cruises, sightseeing cruises and deep-sea fishing.

For nature lovers, just cross the bridge at the southern tip of the island and you can escape to Lovers Key State Park – a harbour for wildlife and home to the West Indian manatees, bottlenose dolphins, roseate spoonbills, marsh rabbits and bald eagles.

Sandpiper Gulf Resort is located in the middle of Estro Island and offers 63 large suites.

The Seaside All-Suite Resort offers 50 suites and the Casa Playa Beach resort is an all-suite resort with 35 units.

The Cornerstone Beach Hotel has 12 one and two-bedroom units.

Image courtesy ReneS via Flickr Creative Commons

CNN Money recently reported that American Airlines’ parent company AMR has filed for bankruptcy. American Airlines is one of the last of the major airlines to file chapter 11. However, AMR reassured its customers that the airline will still function normally and all tickets will be honored.

The company is also still planning on purchasing 460 new Boeing and Airbus jets. As the news of the bankruptcy was reported, so was the announcement that AMR’s CEO and chairman Gerard Arpey will be retiring. His

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So how many ways are there to get to LAX to catch your flight?

A couple months back I wrote a column listing quite a few. Turns out that was only the tip of the iceberg. Star readers have since shared many of their favorites and have given me feedback on the ones I included in that column. Since we are approaching the busy holiday flying season, it seems like a good time to update that report.

Who knew there was a company that would have a valet jump in your car for your last mile to the airport assist you with your luggage curbside at the terminal then drive off in your car and park it in their lot? Upon your return, the process is reversed with your car and your valet waiting for you at the curb.

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While in Sweden recently I managed to snap a few sunset photos as it gets dark so early in the winter. This one, taken in the Main Square of Lund happened around 3 3:30pm. Having lived in the UK for some time now Im getting used to the sun setting earlier than it does back home in Australia. When its going down closer to lunch time than dinner time however I start to get a bit twitchy, even if they are rather eye catching.