TravelLeisure

It’s often hard to catch a break in today’s fast-paced society. With meetings to run to, deadlines to meet and clients to please, people get swamped with everyday routines. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home after a long day at work and enjoy a soothing massage from a loved one or, even nicer, enjoy a massage with a loved one?

With Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort’s “Twice as Nice” package, guests can do just that. From now through the end of the lodge’s season, the getaway package includes one night lodging in a non-kitchen cabin, two 30-minute massages and two passes to the Hot Springs Mineral Pools. Whether people want to bring a best friend, significant other or family member, starting at just $222 this package allows visitors to enjoy a relaxing and memorable trip to the Pacific Northwest.

Located 12 miles within the heart of Olympic National Park, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort is surrounded by forested peaks and the pristine Sol Duc River and features three outdoor pure mineral water hot pools. The natural hot springs are maintained at a calming temperature between 97 and 106 degrees. Read more

With families preparing for back-to-school activities and only a few weeks left to make holiday vacation plans, many Americans are looking for last-minute vacations to take the edge off before the winter season begins.

According to a new survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association, one out of five adults planning to take a home-based vacation during the next six months fully expects to stay in a local hotel, motel or resort at least one night during their “staycation.”

This suggests that many Americans still plan to “get away” even if their destination is local. Fortunately, a number of ARAMARK Parks & Destinations’ national park lodges and tours are offering travelers the perfect end-of-season packages to entice them to take advantage of an array of cultural and adventurous activities nationwide. Read more

Some of the biggest cities in the United States have the best blanket of Internet service coverage, the most WiFi hotspots and the highest broadband penetration rates. Yet Internet use -- both wired and wireless -- has become so widespread throughout the country, you'll find impressive coverage even in smaller cities and towns. You can travel just about anywhere in the United States and get online without any hiccups. But remember, security is an even bigger issue when connecting to a public hotspot, so use caution.

WiFi hotspots

When it comes to the number of WiFi hotspots, the United States far outpaces any other country. The U.S. has more than 68,000 WiFi hotspots nationwide -- more than twice as many as the United Kingdom, which ranks second, according to JiWire, a WiFi advertising network that has a registry of more than 240,000 free and pay WiFi locations in 134 countries. Read more

With gas prices at a record high, the best and most affordable vacation may be to just stay home and enjoy some great entertainment!

The HDTV experts at Westinghouse Digital have dome some summer vacation math and show just how far your money can travel this summer when it comes to owning a TV you’ll enjoy for years to come instead of taking that annual car trip!

Washington DC to Disneyworld (FL) = A Brand New 16” Flip Top TV
For the cost** of fueling up your car for this round trip, just about 1645 miles, you can purchase Westinghouse Digital's new 16'' Flip HDTV! With an estimated price of $329, your family can enjoy the HDTV experience almost anywhere, even mounted on a wall, sitting on a counter top or mounted under a counter with its flip-style dual hinge and bezel. Read more

This spring, visitors can experience all that the Olympic National Park and Forest have to offer by staying a night at each of the three unique lodges with the “Trio of Treasures” package.

Starting at just $359—about 35% in savings, travelers can beat the summer crowds and take pleasure in this peaceful getaway. The “Trio of Treasures” package, available March 28 through June 13, 2008.

• one night at a quaint lodge in the rainforest – Lake Quinault Lodge,
  
• another in a charming cabin on the beach at Kalaloch Lodge
  
• and finally a stay at Sol Duc Hot Spring Resort’s natural hot springs and cabins
  

All three lodges are located within an hour’s drive from each other. The package also includes three unique gifts for guests upon arrival at each location! Read more

This cool device --the Zoombak Advanced GPS Dog Locator -- is a dependable way to help you locate your dog if she is stolen (or, if she’s anything like mine, bolts out the door at any given chance). The Zoombak uses Assisted Global Position System (A-GPS), which uses both satellite and cellular technologies, to more accurately help determine the location of your pet wearing the locator.

The small, water-resistant locator attaches to your dog’s collar with a secure (and durable) pouch. You can pinpoint your dog’s location on-demand via Zoombak.com, mobile phone or live customer care. You can also determine your dog's location in real time using their continuous tracking option. Simply log on to Zoombak.com to view a map of her location, as well as her path taken since leaving home. Once you create and activate your own customized safety zones, you can be notified by text message and/or email (your choice) when your dog leaves the zone. Read more

As a historical wonder and one of the most well preserved archeological sites in the world, Mesa Verde National Park has been marveling visitors to its World Cultural Heritage Site and the first national park ever set aside solely to preserve the works of man for more than 100 years.

To prepare for another season at the park and entice travelers to visit Mesa Verde in 2008, ARAMARK, the official concessioner of the park, is offering the “Rails to Trails” package that provides visitors a taste of everything Mesa Verde has to offer, and a taste of the local culture in quaint Durango, Colorado, just an hour away from the park. For just $599 per couple, a savings of more than 20 percent, the package includes a one-night stay, including breakfast for two, in historic Durango at the top-ranked Hampton Inn; two seats on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a scenic trip to Mesa Verde; two nights inside Mesa Verde National Park at the Far View Lodge, including continental breakfast each morning; and a half day ranger-guided tour of Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings and archeological sites. Read more

The Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center is now offering a passionate romantic weekend getaway for those cold winter nights better spent cozy together indoors.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, treat that special someone to an intimate retreat they're sure to remember forever. Celebrate love, whether it's after many familiar years together, or falling in love for the first time.

Let the Marriott Atlanta Perimeter Center Hotel help create a backdrop of luxury while you focus on each other. This exclusive romantic getaway package comes complete with:

• Deluxe king room
  
• Chilled bottle of champagne
  
• Complimentary hotel parking
  
• Breakfast for two in the hotel restaurant or delivered through room-service
  
• Prices from $139 per night
  

Holiday Season has come and gone and though we are all back at our desks, most of us are already planning our far away “Winter Getaway”, a honeymoon or weekend trips to ski lodges and resorts with family and friends.

And while there is no way around the daunting “TO DO” check list of making sure we have packed not only all our own toiletries, enough outfits for day into night, as well as ski and / or resort gear, it also entails that you have made sure your husband / fiancée are all packed, even down to their proper amount of boxers. And for families it’s a constant hodge-podge of knowing what your kids cannot live without, while on vacation. If you didn’t pack daughter Suzie’s favorite stuffed animal…you may not be getting much relaxation at all, or you may have another body in bed with you night after night. Read more

Your laptop bag is more than just a bag - it's now an everyday fashion accessory. SOLO has a neat, new line of laptop and business cases called the Urban Collection. These urban-chic and military-style messenger bags, come in both tote and backpack versions and are built to feel just like a favorite pair of jeans - durable, broken-in, rugged, and that fit you just right.

Unlike the typical black faux leather case or black ballistic fabric, the Urban Collection uses soft, brushed poly-canvas in these laptop bags in both Olive Drab and Off-Duty Black tones. Distressed leather trims and accents complement khaki corduroy interiors and, along with military-inspired old-gold hardware, make these laptop cases stylish, rugged, and versatile. Read more