I need a room somewhere

Perhaps the most expensive part of a vacation is lodging, usually, followed by food or vice versa. When people start considering the cost of staying at a hotel and eating out everyday, especially with a family, they quickly dismiss the idea of going away at all.

There are less expensive options. Cruising and all-inclusive resorts can make it easier.

Cruises include just about all the food you can eat (a great deal if traveling with teenagers), transportation to a variety of destinations and lodging. Generally the only extras are soda, alcoholic beverages and gambling. Your luxury cruise lines often include all beverages.

All-inclusive resorts mean just that, everything, including tips are part of your package. As with anything else there are different levels of quality with resorts (and cruises) so you get what you pay for.

There is still another alternative to hotels; houses, apartments and villas. Choosing a house rental when vacationing in Orlando can save you a bundle when traveling with the kids, especially since most of the homes have pools. When you just don’t want to go anywhere for a day, you can stay ‘home’ and not feel crowded and the kids won’t be bored.

Apartments are great for European travel, they give you a real feel for where you are. Reputable companies that manage these properties have managers that know the neighborhoods and can help guide you to the best property.

Villas sound, and usually are luxurious. while some of them can rent for over $50,000 a week there are many that are as low as  $1000 which comes out to less than $150 a day. When you consider that you can often have staff to help with cooking and housekeeping a villa is hard to resist.

Conde Nast has made a list of Affordable Villa Vacations.

Always check with your travel agent, whether its a hotel, cruise, resort, villa, etc. As trained professionals travel agents know what questions to ask and get you what you want vs what someone wants to book.

Feel free to contact us at uniquetravelevents@gmail.com or 703-986-0934 for creating your perfect vacation.


To buy or not to buy? That is the question

Most of us see insurance as a necessary expense and fortunately, rarely have to use it. Yet when it comes to travel many people don’t see the need.
Consider this when your travel agent offers you travel insurance
Have you ever left early enough to allow for traffic, then the tractor trailer jack knifes on 95 and two hours later you watch your plane fly over you.
With insurance, you can be reimbursed so you can afford the next flight out. Without it, you and your family just blew probably more than $1000.
Do you know anyone who has had a sudden heart attack, appendicitis, etc?
Last year there were over 19,000 medical evacuations for travelers. Can you afford the $5000 for the helicopter ride if you don’t have insurance?
The ‘it won’t happen to me’ comes back to haunt all of us at some time. The old saying an Ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, holds very true here.

Whales, Witches and Wedges


Orlando has it all.

Imagine a city that is one big playground, for just about everybody.  During our recent trip we hit the highlights and know that a summer trip would offer an even greater wonderland.

There be whales at Sea World, and that is just the start. Seaworld offers a full day of fun, from being splashed by Shamu to dining amidst the sharks. Yes you can feed some of the sea creatures but also dine in the middle of an amazing aquarium. This park is more than entertainment, Seaworld is taking true steps to make the planet a better place for our deep sea friends and ultimately us.

On to wedges. Lush greens under a blue sky and warm sun, a place of relaxation, fun and friendship. Golfing can be your passion, your pastime or an exciting new sport. Orlando offers dozens of courses for all levels of players. The kids can spend the day at Disneyworld and you can be at Disney golf course, there are at least three.  Orlando Golf is a great source for any golfer. The website gives you a list of the notable courses and which one is right for you. To make it really easy, visit Orlando Tee Times and set up your tee time.

Witches. Take your choice, the evil Disney witches that have delighted us for decades or the new kid on the block, Harry Potter. We had to see it all. Though I’m not much on roller coasters the newest ride at Harry Potter’s Wizarding World, The Forbidden Journey was great. Walking around the Wizarding World truly felt like you were in Hogwarts and Diagon Alley.  A note about Universal Orlando, if you like rides then the Islands of Adventure is for you, but if you are movie fans and looking for something less heart pounding but great fun Universal Studios is the ticket. The City Walk has lots of restaurants and a huge cineplex.




Disneyworld is an enchanting visit for everyone, but the younger members of the family definitely appreciate the Disney flair the most. Although our day at the Animal Kingdom melted my heart. The terrific environment provided for the wild beasts who would otherwise suffer is heartwarming. The family of gorillas is truly a site to behold.


Whatever your interests, take time to enjoy. If you don’t have time to figure out where to go or what to do call us at 703-350-2999 or email uniquetravelevents@gmail.com  and we will create your unique ‘Getaway’. Visit our website for more info.

Ask yourself this question the next time you are ready to make travel plans whether for work or pleasure, ‘what am I worth’, or perhaps what is my time worth? Would I rather spend it searching the internet for hotels and flights and figuring out how to entertain myself and my family or would I rather let someone else do that for me so I can make money or enjoy time with my loved ones?

Don’t let money stop you. We can help you plan not just the vacation but how to save for it. Call 703-986-0934.

Travel agents save you time, and their fees are paid by the hotels, cruise lines and vacation companies. So why waste your time, leave the ‘surfing’ to us.

This week’s blog post is Sponsored by GolfNow.com Go. Play.