Fly to Bermuda round-trip for $318.50

By Clara Bosonetto Maerz

For the AJC

Hands down, the travel deal of the day is an offer from Continental Airlines to the beautiful island of Bermuda. The carrier has sale priced round-trip airfare to an affordable $210, or $318.50 including every tax and fee.

Travel to Bermuda as soon as this weekend as an advance purchase notice isn't required. However, trips taken Friday-Sunday are $15 higher, each way. Plan to stay at least any two nights and no longer than Nov. 18. Continental claims this offer is valid on purchases made by July 26, but don't fall for that. This is one of the lowest offers to Bermuda seen in years. It could vanish before the weekend is over. Make haste. http://www.Continental.com

Bermuda, just 2.5 hours from Atlanta, is surrounded by a 200-square-mile coral reef plateau. Bermuda's accommodations range from luxury resorts to intimate guest cottages and family-run inns, all incorporating the sophistication and hospitality unique to the Bermuda experience. The island includes more than 150 restaurants to fit any traveler’s budget, from simple and inexpensive to elegant and special dining. Bermuda's diverse activities offer an array of vacation options all year round, including more wreck dives than anywhere else in the world, championship golf, horseback riding, world-renowned deep sea fishing and miles of smooth pink beaches. http://www.bermudatourism.com

The airfare offer to Bermuda dovetails nicely with an opportunity to attend the 15th Annual Bermuda Music Festival, Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Multi-Grammy winning performer and producer Ziggy Marley and five-time Grammy award-winning artist Toni Braxton will perform at the 15th Annual Bermuda Music Festival, taking place at the Fairmont Southampton, September 30-October 2, 2010. A number of additional A-list artists, including Angie Stone and Estelle, will also be performing at the annual event, where visitors and Bermudians alike are invited to enjoy three nights grooving in paradise.

Visitors to Bermuda can enjoy up to two free nights on hotel stays when booking a trip for the 15th Annual Bermuda Music Festival. Nearly 20 hotels and resorts offer a program providing up to two free nights on hotel stays, based on two- to six-night bookings, during the festival.

Tickets go on sale July 26. Reserved seating tickets are $140 per person; $90 for general admission -- http://www.bermudamusicfestival.com .

Planning to go to Bermuda earlier? Just over one dozen celebrated restaurants across Bermuda are offering buy one, get one free entree specials – all part of the Bermuda “Endless Summer” promotion, available for booking now through August 31. The promotion features accommodations ranging from luxury resorts and boutique hotels to beach clubs and historic beach-front properties.

Sale fares listed here are subject to change. Every seat on every flight is not offered at the lowest rate. Since only a limited supply of seats is available, act quickly to make your purchase. I recommend starting the search for available seats at Kayak.com vs. calling an airline directly. You can also search for the sale at travel Web sites such as Expedia or Travelocity, etc. Airlines can discontinue or pull a sale price without notice when the offer is deemed "sold out," or when that rate does not have a "ticket-by" date.

Clara Bosonetto Maerz is a retired travel consultant.