SW Florida vacation tips, news and shopping guide

Finding a vacation travel deal is important to most of us. We work hard all year for that two week getaway, and we want to get the most from it. We cherish our long weekends, too. Whether planned for weeks, or last minute inspiration, we want the best travel deal we can get. It doesn’t matter if your budget is Cristal or Coors, we all want a deal.

Keep these five tips in mind as you plan your vacation, and your odds of finding a great deal go way up.

BE FLEXIBLE and open-minded

Make up your mind what you want from your vacation. If your set on going to Hawaii, fine. If you just want to get away from the slush and slop of winter, maybe another warm weather destination will do just fine.

TRAVEL SMART and avoid busy times, peak seasons, holidays and business hour travel. In this case– do not follow the crowd!

Most desirable travel destinations go through three cycles.

High or peak season is the most crowded and the most expensive. Discounts and upgrades are harder to come by. On the other hand, some activities are only available during the peak season.

Shoulder seasons are the periods on either side of peak season. For example, high season in southwest Florida runs from approximately Thanksgiving to Easter. Hotels are full, rents are high and restaurant lines can be long. Come in October or May and you’ll be in the shoulder season, with good weather and fewer crowds.

Off season is any other time. Some attractions will close down. If you weren’t planning on visiting those attractions, it doesn’t matter, does it? Businesses are hungrier, so they’re more open to granting discounts and specials.

BE CREATIVE with locations and departures: Alternate airports and travel connections often have both lower prices and less traffic. But not always.

Maybe it will pay off, like it did on a recent trip we took, to fly into a major hub airport and drive a few hours to your end destination.

Consult with agencies and websites– do your homework. Avoid being taken advantage of out of pure ignorance.

NEVER feel pressured into accepting any deal if you feel uncomfortable or uneasy. If things just don’t feel right, pass up the opportunity and wait for a better one.

One thing is certain. Another deal will come along. The hospitality industry is hooked on the last minute vacation deal. They would rather shave their prices and make a little money than have empty seats and rooms and make nothing. Remember that when it comes time to negotiate your vacation deals.

VERIFY the track record and legitimacy of the booking company, travel agent or other channel that you choose to use.

Check with the Better Business Bureau and any regulatory agencies (like a state Department of Commerce or licensing board).

Run a search on the company name in Google or your favorite search engine. Look for complaints. Keep the age of any complaint in mind, and don’t be too swayed by a single incident. Patterns are far more important.

Remember, vacations are for recreation and renewal. These five tips will put you on the road to a trip you’ll remember for a long, long time.

Travel health insurance is a temporary policy that provides coverage while you’re on vacation or in transit. It either works in conjunction with, or independent of, your regular major medical coverage. Travel health insurance is commonly offered if you use a travel agent, book a cruise or go on a package tour.

Here are four reasons to buy travel health insurance even if you already have a major medical plan:

1.Price. Most travel insurance is cheap compared to the cost of your trip. Although we’d all rather spend our vacation money having fun, if something does happen it will be worth every penny in most cases. Typically, coverage costs no more than a dinner out on a trip.

2.Out of network coverage. While most major medical plans will offer some protection anywhere in the world, under many circumstance, they won’t offer coverage at their full amounts. For example, if you get sick on a cruise ship you might find your basic co-pay plan will only cover 50 percent of a doctor’s visit on board the ship or– perhaps even none. The travel health insurance policy, however, will cover this and a whole lot more. Out of country travelers, too, find this coverage very beneficial for covering them when nothing else will.

3.Availability. In most cases, some form of travel insurance is available to people without medical examination required. It may not cover preexisting conditions, but it can make dealing with a crisis away from home a whole lot easier.

4.Peace of mind. Just having this low-cost coverage while away from home can give you a certain peace of mind. Since vacation is about relaxation, ensuring this can really help make a trip.

While travel insurance can be a huge perk for those who need it, not everyone does. If your major medical coverage will remain in full force during your trip, there’s probably no reason to go to this extra expense. Check with your regular health insurance to find out for sure, before you turn down coverage.

Although this type of coverage is usually offered through a booking agent, you can buy it on your own. Just Googling “travel insurance” will turn up many competing vendors for this type of policy.

Vacationing is about having fun, relaxing and doing new things.

Unfortunately, sometimes bad things happen to travelers. When they do, travel insurance can provide an extra level of comfort and peace of mind.

Do not book your hotel or anything else before you book your airline tickets! Package deals offered by the airlines and their partners have lots to offer you. Preexisting bookings make it more difficult to take advantage of the ‘bundled’ savings that could come your way.

Be flexible with your itinerary. Having flexible travel dates can open up a much wider array of options.

With cheap last minute hotel rooms, you do not need to settle for anything less than you would with longer lead times. As most last-minute travelers discover, hotels are rarely booked to capacity. There are always some rooms available in most cases. It is up to you to ASK. No one is going to volunteer these discounts upfront. Ask when booking, when confirming and again at check-in! No harm, no foul. The worst thing that can happen is they can say NO or that nothing is available.

I heard a story once about a traveling salesman who tried to check into a hotel after pulling in off a long day on the road. The desk clerk informed him that there was “no room at the inn.” The salesman asked the clerk, “If the President of the United States walked in, would you have a room for him?” “Of course!” the clerk replied. “Well, I’m pretty sure the President isn’t going to make it, so how about giving me his room?”

Actually, the less money you spend on a hotel, the more ready cash you have for enjoying the rest of your trip! Always ask yourself how much time you will really spend in the hotel room itself.

What good is a spa, swimming pool or fitness club if all you intend to do is sleep? If you can get a clean, quiet room to snooze the night for less money, why pay for things you won’t use?

One factor that can make a difference is the availability of a free breakfast in the morning. Many hotels offer coffee, rolls, cereal, even hot waffles as part of the package. A similar breakfast at the chain restaurant down the road can easily cost $10.00.

Opt for what is most important to you and then spend your hard-earned travel dollars there.

Boca Grande features a subtropical climate with comfortable weather year-around. The climate is moderated by the tempering influence of the Gulf of Mexico. The Peace River, as well as the Gulf of Mexico, adds to the hot and humid weather in the summer (but it’s not unbearable thanks to cooling Gulf breezes.) Prevailing winds typically blow 12-18 mph. The rainy season runs from June through September, with rain spread somewhat evenly throughout the summer.During stable weather in the summer, daily rains are so consistent you can almost tell time by them, with storms occuring in the late afternoon. These thunderstorms crop up quickly but also break up just as fast, with the sunshine promptly returning. The winters are gorgeous, perfect for vacation, with warm afternoons and balmy evenings and a lot less rain. The official hurricane season runs from June 1 through the end of October in the Gulf of Mexico. The most active period is generally August and September.

Here are the current weather conditions for Boca Grande and Gasparilla Island…

Boca Grande (Spanish for “big mouth”) is a small village located on Gasparilla Island. Located on the border of Charlotte and Lee counties, Boca Grande is located on the west-central coast of Florida.

As a vacation spot, Boca Grande is perfect for kicking back and relaxing. In fact, there are two things you will not find in Boca Grande – high rise condominiums and traffic lights. Instead, you’ll find a mix of cars and golf carts sharing the roads.

You’ll find a mix of shopping and restaurants in Boca Grande, as well as a variety of accomodations. From upscale estates to rental villas, there’s something for everyone. You might even get a chance to rub elbows with the rich and famous… The Bush family are frequent visitors.

Looking for a little more excitement?

Grab your lucky fishing hat and head for Boca Grande Pass, off the southern tip of the island. In the spring, huge tarpon stack up in the deep waters of the Pass while eager anglers stack up on the surface. On weekends during the height of the tarpon run, you can practically walk across the Pass without getting wet, just going boat to boat. For the best results, hire one of the top-notch local tarpon guides and hook up with a fish bigger than you are.

The first time you hook up with a big tarpon and watch it rocket into the sky, you’ll know why they call it the Silver King.

Oh, and I wouldn’t actually try that hopping from boat to boat trick. Besides being bad manners, it could be dangerous. You see, large numbers of huge Hammerhead sharks follow the tarpon into Boca Grande Pass. And they bring their appetites.

The world record hammerhead shark, all 1,280 pounds of her, came from the Pass.

Outside of the tarpon run, Boca Grande is a great place to fish for snook, redfish and other inshore gamefish. You can even catch large fish right from the beach.

If fishing isn’t your thing, there are miles of clean beaches, great sailing in the Gulf and a chance to slow down and enjoy a taste of old Florida.

Whether you plan to visit on holiday, spend the winter in the sun, or move permanently, consider Boca Grande Florida for your next vacation.