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December 2008
Where did your travels take you in 2008?
Tell us your favorite getaways from the year or discuss where you would like to go in 2009
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For most of us, the holidays are over. We still have New Year’s Eve to celebrate and, depending on how rockin’ that is, a New Year’s Day headache to suffer. But the winter holidays, like the year 2008, are basically over. Many of us are back to work, and the school kids are painfully aware that homework starts again in a few days.
As this year draws to a close, I thought I’d ask you to share your favorite travel stories of 2008. (Click here to send your photos!) Over the past 12 months, so many Atlantans have sent in beautiful photos of weekend trips and family vacations that I’m looking forward to seeing which journeys topped your list - and why. And, as we stand on the precipice of a shiny new year, I am imagining all of the travel possibilities the future might hold. Even if the economy confines most destinations to dream status, it’s still pretty to think about. So I’m also asking you to tell us where you would like 2009 to take you.
I’ll start…
Because of work and the increasingly complex schedules of our three kids, our family didn’t take as many little trips in 2008 as we have in the past. Many of the quick getaways of yore couldn’t be squeezed in between basketball, gymnastics, running, tennis and job demands. Still, we did manage a couple of beach trips, a few jaunts into the mountains and a handful of “explores” around the region.
My favorite had to be our big vacation to Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks, NC. The beaches were beautiful, the waves were huge, the island not too crowded, and the Blackberries were off for 10 days. But I also loved the day trip we took to southwest Georgia to explore Providence Canyon State Park (Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon) and Lake Walter F. George. Though I have covered the state of Georgia pretty well in my travels, this is the area I had explored the least. A tour of Rome and Mount Berry in northwest Georgia also earns an honorable mention.
Realistically, 2009 will hold the Still family’s first big trek out West. We are taking the girls and meeting up with old friends from D.C. for a week in Yellowstone National Park. William worked in Yellowstone during college, and is itching to take the kids out now that they’re old enough to appreciate the park. When he won two free (domestic) flights a few weeks ago, we decided to cash in frequent flier miles and plan the trip.
While we can always count on breaks to St. Simons and middle Tennessee to visit family, I am hopeful that we will be able to squeeze in a few other outings around the region. My wish list for 2009 includes a springtime visit to Mobile to see Bellingrath Gardens in full bloom; my first trip to Baton Rouge, La., to see two different sets of friends who moved to the city this month; and a step back to Colonial times in Old Salem in Winston-Salem, N.C.
And on the “you’re dreaming” list for 2009…a journey to New Zealand’s South Island; a long-promised trek to visit friends in France and family in Austria; and a fortnight at Wimbledon this summer.
Now it’s your turn. What were your favorite vacations, getaways or day trips this year? Why? Where would you like to go in 2009 - realistically or just in your dreams?
Have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve, and I wish you all the best as we travel into 2009.
• Click here to send your favorite 2008 vacation photos
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Is the weather in other parts of the U.S. affecting your travel plans?
Snow, wind and ice in parts of the nation over the weekend stranded or delayed many holiday travelers. As airports, bus lines and rail service try to get back on track; more weather-related delays may be on the horizon.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I had originally thought of discussing some ideas for New Year’s getaways on the blog today, but changed my mind as I read more travel forecasts for this week. Bad weather throughout the country is leaving many Christmas travelers in need of a miracle to get to their destinations in time for the holiday.
Snow, ice and wind are certainly not unheard of during this travel week in any given year. But winter storms from Seattle to Boston have caused a log-jam nationwide, as cancellations in northern airports, bus terminals and train stations spawned delays in milder areas like Atlanta. It’s the old “ripple effect” in action. A quick recovery from weather-related delays and cancellations has been made more difficult this year because airlines had already cut back their flights.
Even as airlines begin to catch up on missed flights, the storm that wreaked havoc on travelers in the Pacific Northwest is still working its way east. So while Atlantans should be enjoying Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in nearly 60-degree weather, forecasters are predicting more delays and cancellations this week. (A quick check of Hartsfield-Jackson airport traffic right before posting already showed there were delays of about 3.5 hours for flights to Chicago.)
It’s times like these that I am glad that we’re not traveling over the next few days. Even when we have done the Christmas-week trek in the past, we have always traveled by car to avoid getting stuck sleeping on an airport floor.
Road warriors, however, are not immune from travel troubles (or worse) this week. Depending upon where you are going, you could run into snow, ice or freezing rain along the way. Before heading out, make sure you travel wisely - know the weather forecast for your destination and along your route; give yourself a little more time to get there; and pack extra blankets, flares and other emergency equipment (just in case) if you’re driving into a storm-affected area.
Have you or your family members been hit hard by the weather-related delays in airports, bus terminals or train stations? Where are you headed? How long was your delay? Are you worried about delays on your return trip? If you headed north by car, did you run into rough roads or heavy traffic due to the weather? Where? Did anyone just give up and stay home?
If you don’t want to talk about the weather or delays … or you just want to think of happier thoughts, feel free to discuss your New Year’s travel plans. Are you headed out of town? Or indulging in a staycation nearby?
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Have you ever given someone a trip for a present?
Travel deals abound as economy tightens. Will you take advantage of the bargains as a gift for your family or yourself?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The travel industry would probably be glad to see this year come to an end if prospects didn’t look worse for 2009. Exorbitant fuel costs kept many leisure travelers grounded or off the roads last summer. Months later, economic uncertainty is forcing airlines, cruise ships, resorts and hotels to offer amazing deals in an effort to lure hesitant travelers out of their houses. In fact, the Travel Industry Association has predicted that 2009 will be the “year of travel deals”.
With good bargains already out there and more on the horizon, I wonder if anyone is thinking of giving a getaway as a gift this season? In the past, I have considered giving a ski trip (or some other winter holiday that we don’t normally take) in lieu of all of the toys and little things that are normally tucked under the tree. The anticipation, family time and memories would be priceless.
I recently read a magazine article about a family that makes this kind of gift a yearly tradition. It’s the one Christmas present the parents give their children. Every year, the destination is kept secret - wrapped up as tightly as any present could be. The kids anticipate the great unveiling, and the gift automatically has a longer shelf life than many of those toys that are soon forgotten or broken.
Given the deals I have seen over the past few days, some trips might even be cheaper than buying individual gifts for everyone in the family. Take the 3-day Disney Cruise, where kids sail free; or Disney World’s offer of three free nights with Theme park tickets and a $200 Disney gift card included when you book a seven-day trip.
But it’s not just Disney. A quick search online yielded great deals on lodge getaways to ski Breckenridge, Colo.; steep breaks on beachside resorts in Sandestin, Fla.; midtown Manhattan hotels; flights to Canada, the Caribbean - you name it.
Even a weekend package at a nice hotel —- with discounts of 25 percent or other extras thrown in — would be a comforting present that might help ease the pain of an uncertain economic future for the traveler in your life. Omni Hotels nationwide are currently running Holiday and New Year’s-themed packages with rates as low as $97 - $177.
With the travel industry begging Americans to “pack up their troubles in their old kit bags and smile, smile, smile” during the long the months of recession, I’m wondering… Will you take them up on it? Have you ever gifted a trip before? What other good deals have you seen?
As a travel fan, would you like to receive a trip as a gift - or do you prefer to be in charge of your travels? Given limited discretionary funds, what would you cut out to keep on traveling? Or is leisure travel the first thing to go?
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Do you need a quick winter break during the holidays?
The weather outside may be frightful, but winter festivals or tree-cutting trips are just delightful.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every December, I have to remind myself to stop and smell the greenery before the season rushes past. I love the simple sights and smells of the 12th month, but it’s too easy to get caught in a frenzy of Christmas engagements, holiday parties, school choral programs or children’s class celebrations. It doesn’t help that our tree is artificial, bought years ago so the wee ones could enjoy the lights for longer than the few days it takes a real tree to drop its needles in the Still house.
My uncle lives in Austria, where the Christmas tree (always real) is traditionally put up and decorated on Christmas Eve. I could probably keep a tree from dying between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning - and that’s about as long as I could promise.
So every year, we take a mini-trip in the middle of the madness to reflect on the season. It’s usually a day-trip or evening getaway. We look at a lights display, or head up into the mountains to fill our lungs with cold air and the smell of greenery in its natural state. Throw in some hot chocolate and peppermint candy, and we return to Atlanta refreshed and filled with winter spirit.
If we’re looking at lights, we often make the short drive to Lake Lanier Islands’ Magical Nights of Lights near Buford. Last year, we drove to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga. for their Fantasy in Lights celebration. Both are wonderful - and easy to get to. But there are many other places to find lights displays near Atlanta or further away. Huntsville’s (Ala.) Botanical Gardens are illuminated once again with its Galaxy of Lights show. Rock City has its Enchanted Garden of Lights atop Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tn., while Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville’s combined show literally lights up the Smoky Mountain Winterfest in these three Tennessee towns.
If you’re a “real tree” aficionado, you certainly don’t have to leave town to find a good Frasier fir. Tree lots and local tree farms are within easy reach for everyone in the metro area. But if you want to turn a simple tree acquisition into a holiday event, you might consider driving a little further for the North Carolina High Country’s Choose and Cut Festival. Nearby mountain hotels and inns feature “choose and cut” packages, where you indulge in the three C’s of winter festivities - cookies, cocoa and caroling - before you head out on your tree hunt. North Carolina, Georgia and other southern states have Christmas tree growers’ associations that list “choose and cut” tree farms if you’re interested in going on a tree-cutting journey.
What if you don’t need a tree or you aren’t that into lights? Perhaps you’re already planning to get out of town and you’re looking for festive things to do at your destination? There’s an abundance of other festivals each winter throughout the south, where you can share the warmth of the season - even if the weather outside is frightful.
How far will you journey for a Christmas tree? Do you ever make the trek to see the lights displays? What are some of your favorite places to go to get you in the spirit of the season? Or where do you go to take a breather during the holiday madness?
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Does terrorism influence your travel habits?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Frequent travelers might argue that travel is inherently risky, but the terrorist events of recent weeks — such as the Mumbai attacks and the attempted hijacking of a cruise ship near Somalia — are especially unsettling.
(Right: Passengers on the MS Columbus, seen here in a file photo, will be evacuated and flown to another destination to avoid pirates off the coast of Somalia.)
Right now the U.S. economy doesn’t favor leisure travel anyway, but sometimes business travel and going home for the holidays can’t be avoided.
Does the threat of terrorism ever change your travel plans? Do you specifically avoid certain locations or travel methods?
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Will your next travels be leaner and greener?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Like many people right now, I am focused on getting through the coming weeks of holiday shopping, shipping and traveling. I haven’t thought about journeys - near or far - that might take place in the year 2009. Even as I try to navigate the next 20-something days, the postal service is already delivering piles of brochures from destinations past - all begging me to look beyond the New Year toward my next great travel adventure.
Holidays notwithstanding, I would probably still find it difficult to book a big trip right now. Economic uncertainty and a family of five rarely add up to an exotic or expensive getaway. While singles or couples without children may afford the next travel season better than a large family, the economy will likely affect most everyone’s travel decisions.
Earlier this fall, TripAdvisor released its top travel trends for 2009. Even before some of the worst market slides had occurred, the survey showed Americans’ travels will be a little leaner in 2009. In addition, more travelers said they would choose a “greener” vacation as well. The results? Seventy-three percent of American travelers are predicted to visit a national park in 2009 (an 11 percent increase over 2008’s estimates). The numbers of travelers who will spend their breaks hiking, cycling or participating in other adventure or sports activities are also expected to increase.
“[Travelers] plan to be more environmentally-conscious, and will be more active outdoors this year, taking advantage of some of the outstanding resources in the U.S., such as our beautiful national parks,” Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor, said in release announcing the travel trend results.
Traditional beach breaks and city sightseeing vacations are by no means out. Sixty-one percent of respondents still plan to head to the seaside next year, and 60 percent hope to tour a city. However, fuel costs will play a major role in destination choice for 61 percent of travelers; and half will postpone or limit travel in Europe next year because of exchange rates. (The dollar-euro exchange yesterday was $1.27 and the dollar-British pound rate was $1.48.) Eighteen percent even say they might opt for a “staycation” at or nearby home next year. For the rest of TripAdvisor’s 2009 travel trends, check out this link.
Next week, we’ll go back to full-on holiday mode, but this week, I wanted to ask… how do you feel about traveling next year? What do you think of the list of travel trends? Will 2009 be a leaner and/or greener travel year for you?
Is the economy affecting the number of trips you plan to take? The length you stay? Will it play a role in determining your destination? Or how you plan to get there?
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