Beach Vacation!

With summer quickly approaching, and some areas still experiencing winter like weather we all have one thing on our minds: Beach!! This Wanderlust Wednesday we have a treat for you: some of the top beaches in the US (and some of our favorites) along with what to pack for your ultimate beach vacation!

Best Beaches  

1. Clearwater Beach

Clearwater Beach, Fl

It's no secret- Florida has some of  THE best beaches. By going to school in Florida and having one of our members from a beach town in Central Fl, we have had the chance to experience some of the best. Clearwater Beach is located on the Gulf of Mexico right outside of Tampa. This pristine beach is known to be extremely family friendly and offers a more tranquil vibe for those looking to relax. 

 

2. Outer Banks, NC 

Photo Credit: Hilton Inn Outer Banks

Simply amazing is how some people describe the Outer Banks. Turns out if you are further north on the East Coast you don't have to trek down to South Florida-you have paradise in the Outer Banks. The outer banks is made up of several islands like Hatteras Island and Bodie Island. If you want a peaceful and serene vacation or maybe even a "Baecation" the Outer Banks needs to be on your list. There are ample Beach Rentals and Hotel Accommodations, making it easy to plan an extra long stay.

 

3. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

Photo Credit: vitz.com

Planning a trip to Oahu, Hawaii any time soon? Of course you are! Then you want to add visiting Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve to your itinerary! Fun for all ages, vacationers get to interact with various forms of marine life through snorkeling as well as take in the gorgeous views and warmth from the sun.

 

4. Destin, Fl

 Located in the Florida Panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico, Destin or "Emerald Coast" has so many factors that make is such a great beach location: 1) super soft white sand 2) Emerald hued water 3) plentiful resorts! Let's not forget the excellent shopping at the Silver Sands Premium Outlet Mall!

 

 5. Miami Beach, Fl 

 

We told you Florida has some of the best beaches! Our list wouldn't be the best if we didn't include Miami Beach, Fl. Known as paradise for Spring Breakers and Party Goers, if done right you can experience a less upbeat version of South Beach. While you're here, try parasailing and jet skiing-and don't forget to bring money to rent an umbrella. Miami heat can be brutal during peak seasons.

 

So now that you have an idea of what beaches you can check out this summer, what will you pack?

JSD's Beach Essentials
 

 Well, there you have it! Some of the best beaches along with our Beach Essentials. What are some of you beach essentials?

 

 

-JSD

Solo Travel: Yay or Nay?

If you love travel, then you probably surround yourself with people who love it as well. If this is the case, you've probably been told how much fun Solo Travel can be. People say it's liberating; some say it's a must for every nomad. If you are on the fence about Solo Travel, read on to see why it may be an inevitable but enjoyable experience!

You get to vacay on YOUR time

You get to vacay according to your own rules! You may want to sleep late, and tour the city after breakfast and yoga by the beach. Or perhaps you want to spend the day wandering throughout museums, or reading french books on the sidewalk in Paris. Whatever you want to do, you can. 

You will find the world is not as scary as people make it

Traveling along forces you to meet new people and potentially make new friends. Through this experience you will find that people all over the world can be genuinely nice! Having experienced talking with a native in a foreign country will allow you to make your own educated judgement on the people of the world. You may even leave feeling more connected to a place than before, if you engage with locals.

Yes, it is liberating

There is nothing more liberating than doing something major on your own with no help! Like the first time you rode your bike without training wheels or swam without a life jacket, solo travel is the first time you will ever conquer the world (or your own backyard :)) by yourself! Imagine how liberating and empowering that would feel. Coming back from a summer in Europe by yourself- you basically could tackle anything after that!

So now that you have 3 solid reasons as to why you should venture into Solo Travel, here are some helpful tips:

1. Stay Connected- With smartphones and a ton of apps, it's easy to stay in touch with loved ones and friends while abroad. Download apps like Snapchat, Whatsapp, Periscope to chat and share videos in realtime. This way you won't feel totally alone.

2. Meetups- You won't be the only one traveling solo! While you're away, search for meetup groups (e.g. meetup.com) to see if there is a gathering for people visiting the town.

3. Talk to the locals. If you are in the coffee shop or at a restaurant, ask the waiter/waitress the best places to meet new people, people watch etc. Or ask them their favorite thing to do in town. This will make it feel like home away from home instead of you being an outsider in a foreign land.

4. Try solo in your own country first. If you have never done solo travel within your own country first, try taking a solo trip to the neighboring town or visit a different coast if you're feeling spontaneous! Test the waters before you go head first into international solo travel.

So, how about adding Solo Travel to that ever growing bucket list?!

-JSD

Wanderlust Wednesday!!!

We are always looking for new places to visit--so what better way to fulfill our inherited wanderlust genes than to highlight our dream destinations. Every Wednesday, we will host Wanderlust Wednesday- where we highlight our dream vacations.

For our first installment, we are taking a virtual trip to the Maldives!

The Maldives is situated in the Indian Ocean and has ~1100 islands & sandbanks. This makes it the perfect location to get lost and explore with a group of friends or your significant other!

Where would we stay?

The Maldives are known for their luxury villas! So if we are going to dream about being in the Maldives, why not dream big!

Voted as one of the 10 best Luxury Resorts, staying at the Naladhu Resort would definitely be a treat!

These villas have bathrooms that have their own private outdoor area with a rainshower and infinity edge terrazzo bathtub.

What would we do in the Maldives?

The Maldives has something for everyone- the adventurer, relaxer, fisher, explorer etc.

We love a good adventure- so Snorkeling would definitely be on our list of excursions!

No trip would be complete without trying some traditional local food!

A trip to the Maldives would definitely be considered luxury travel. While resorts may be pricey, there are usually flight deals to these beautiful islands leaving from major hubs like Washington D.C.'s Dulles Airport. 

Please join us next week for another installment of Wanderlust Wednesday! What is your dream destination??

Top Travel Destinations: New Year's 2012

Hi Jet-Setters!

It's been a while since we last posted, but the Divas are back and ready to get back to blogging in 2012!

Since it's New Year's and everyone is planning where they will ring in the New Year, we are bringing to you the New Year's Top Travel Destinations to ring in 2012.

New York City

When most people think of New Year's they immediately think of Times Squarea and watching the ball drop.

There are a host of parties to choose from, just check out http://www.nycnewyearseve.com/ for a listing.

Las Vegas

Vegas is the perfect party location for those looking to bring in the New Year on the west coast.

Vegas is definitely JSD Approved, since the Divas rang in the New Year in Vegas 2 years ago!

Vegas is the perfect party location for those looking to bring in the New Year on the west coast.

Check out our post here for more on Las Vegas and check out www.lasvegasnewyears.com for info on the best hotspots.

Miami

For those looking to ring in the New Year in a warmer climate, head down south to Miami.

You can lay on the beaches during the day and party it up on South Beach at night.

Read more about our Do's and Don'ts for Miami here.

For info on where to spend New Year's check out http://www.southbeachnewyears.com/

Stay tuned for a post on how the Divas rang in the New Year! We'd love to hear about where you will be ringing in the New Year!

Travel Deals and Steals

Here's another segment of Travel Deals and Steals coming your way. Check out Ideeli Travel for a 16-night Spain, Portugal, and Morocco Vacation. You'll save nearly 30% on this vacation by booking through their website.

In this luxurious 2-week vaction you will travel through each of these beautiful countries on a guided tour.

Can't you just imagine yourself sight-seeing down the cobble stone streets and admiring the chapel and beautiful masterpieces of architecture in Madrid?

Or, perhaps you would prefer to enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner while listening to the drum players and belly dancers?

Sounds like a dream vacation to me!

Check out http://travel.ideeli.com for more details and tell 'em the Jet-Setters sent you!

Have any of you Jet-Setters been to Spain, Portugal, or Morocco? If so, we want to hear about your trip!

JetSetter of the Month

This month's Jetsetter is Oneika at http://oneika-the-traveller.blogspot.com! Read on to hear about her travels to Hong Kong! Who knows maybe next month the spotlight will be shed on you!

♥Tell us about how you ended up in your city and how long you've been there.

♥I am currently living in Hong Kong SAR. I’ve lived here for just over a year and a half and will be here until the end of my two-year contract in June.

♥What are your favorite hotspots?

-Restaurants: Al Dente Restaurant (Soho). This Italian restaurant is one of my favourite places to eat in Hong Kong. The pasta is to die for: fresh, tasty, plentiful, and cheap! Al Dente Restaurant is run by a group of friendly people who always welcome me with open arms (I am a VERY frequent customer)!

-Salons/Spas: Gao Foot Massage (Central/LKF location). The reflexology specialists are skilled and very friendly. The location is large, clean, and they provide you with tea and a scented, heated shoulder cushion pad/thingy that is very relaxing. Love it!
-Nightlife/Bars: Solas (Central)-On a Friday or Saturday night this bar/nightclub is popping. It’s located on Wyndham Street in the Hong Kong Central area on a block of other bars, restaurants where you can go to dance and to see and be seen.

-Shopping: Elements Mall (Kowloon metro stop). This mall has all of my fav “Western” stores: H&M, Zara, etc. and is a lot less busy than some of the other malls in the city. Mongkok Ladies’ Market (Mongkok metro stop). Get all of your brick-a-brack/souvenir stuff here and have fun bargaining for it.

-Culture/Museums: The Hong Kong Convention Centre & The Hong Kong Performing Arts Centre always have good concerts on.

♥What areas or neighborhoods are best for first time travelers?

♥ The Central neighborhood has the bright lights, big city feel that Hong Kong is known for. Skyscrapers and neon lighting reign here. Sheung Wan has a more “local” Chinese feel and is just a short walk away from Central. The Peak gives stunning views of the city (take the Peak tram to get up there!) while a hike to Big Wave Bay or Shek-O beach show the softer, quieter, nature side of Hong Kong. As for sites, definitely go see the Big Buddha world as it is the largest seated Buddha in the world. Also, the site of the 10,000 Buddhas in the New Territories of Hong Kong is a must-see!

♥What makes your city different from any other city?

♥ Hong Kong has a unique blend of Western and Asian cultures. I liken it to an Asian New York- the city never sleeps! Topographically it is interesting- Hong Kong is made up of more than 200 islands and the difference between the hustle bustle of Central Hong Kong and the tranquility and “green-ness” of the surrounding islands (like Lamma or Lantau) is astounding.

♥Tell us about the fashion and current trends in your city.

♥ Hong Kong style is crazy! Think Harajuku girls mixed with urban chic and you’ll get HK style. Men and women wear contrasting prints and non-complimentary colours (simultaneously) and nobody blinks an eye! Grown women wear tutus with neon fishnet tights and Chuck Taylors while guys where the SKINNIEST of skinny jeans and sport bleached blonde asymmetrical haircuts. Anything goes here!

♥What are some of your travel must-haves?
♥ I MUST have my camera and iPod when I travel. I also need a good pair of walking shoes- when I travel I like to walk from place to place because it really gives me a feel for the city in discovering. A good day back is also essential, as well as a good rain-jacket- never know when it will rain!

♥ What advice do you have for the rest of us Jet Setting Divas looking to travel to your city in the future?

♥ Hong Kong is fun for a few days but don’t be afraid to venture into the China mainland- it’s only one hour away via public transportation and entry visas can be acquired on the spot at the Shenzhen, China border! After the glitz and skyscrapers of Hong Kong, mainland China will be quite the change! Also, a one hour ferry ride can also take you to Macau- the Las Vegas of Asia!

Oneika Raymond is a high school teacher and travel junkie who has travelled to nearly forty countries. Originally from Canada, she is currently teaching French and English at a high school in Hong Kong and has previously taught in France and Mexico. She writes about teaching, her travels, and her life as an expat on her blog "Oneika the Traveller". http://oneika-the-traveller.blogspot.com/

Spotlight: Port of Call

♥We love finding new restaurants or places to eat and sharing them with our readers! This month's pick is Port of Call, down in New Orleans. It has the look and feel of eating on the dock of the bay! Which is really cool, since New Orleans has a port of call (cruise terminals).♥

Located in the French Quarters, this cozy little pick is a favorite of many of the locals & tourist who visit throughout the year! Due to their popularity, you might want to arrive early! We had to wait an 1hr and 20 minutes just to be seated!

They are known for the quarter pound burgers and fully loaded baked potatoes! Trust it was worth the wait!

Do you think you can defeat the famous quarter pounder & bake potatoe combo in one sitting?! Don't let the picture fool you---it was a whole lot of food..but only a little me!

What's you favorite restaurant? Or favorite meal at a restaurant?

March Madness Giveaway

♥In honor of March Madness, we Divas want to have a fun competition of our own!♥

We have an awesome giveaway for you all from CSN Promotions for a $25 gift code giveaway to any CSN store. CSN is a great website that has everything from great luggage for an upcoming summer vacation or an L Shaped Desk for your new home.

The giveaway to simple to enter:

1. Friend us on Twitter and Re-Tweet the message: Check out the Jet-Setting Divas March Madness Giveaway http://www.JetSettingDivas.blogspot.com

2. Follow our blog and leave on a comment on this post

3. Become a fan of our Facebook page.

♥The contest ends March 20th at 7PM! ♥

Good luck to you and your team!

Dream Destination of the Week

Le Reve Hotel & Spa

♥ The weekend is almost here--and you have no plans. Wouldn't it be nice to escape to Le Reve Hotel & Spa in Playa de Carmen, Mexico for a few days to unwind from a long week? Well, no one never said we couldn't dream! This week's dream destinatino is the Le Reve Hotel & Spa. ♥

♥What makes this our dream destination is that is a private, adults-only (so sorry mommy, leave the kiddies at home for this one) resort. This allows you to get some much needed time to unwind & focus on self! Or focus on your significant other! ♥

♥ This resort sits along Mexico's Mayan Riveria where you can enjoy scube diving, snorkeling, sailing & swimming with dolphins. You can also enjoy fresh seafood! ♥

♥ You can then end your wonderful weekend with a quiet seaside massage!♥

♥ So does this sound good? Vactionist.com is offering suites for as low as $132 a night! Can't escape? Well you can dream all you want!

*all pics courtesy of vacationist.com

Spring?! Not yet...think warm thoughts!

Well it's not spring yet---but it sure doesn't hurt to wish/pretend it was! Just think...warm temperatures at about 80 degrees, cool blue waters, nice white sandy beaches, and a cool Margartita in hand are all we need to take the winter blues away! So why not start planning your spring vacation now! With spring break coming in the next month or so--hotel rooms will be going fast, flights will be EXPENSIVE, and roads will be jammed pack headed south to the beaches.

Don't have any plans yet but want something affordable & fun without the crowds?

-Cruises are the perfect getaway! All meals/drinks are included and you get to check out more than one place!Orbitz.com has deals great deals for cruises! Never used orbitz.com before? It's ok, I book flights/hotel rooms through orbitz, and I know they have great deals!

So what warm & sunny place do you have in mind? Are you & your friends planning a spring break trip?

-Tiffanie

Travel Deals and Steals

We feel like it's our duty to keep our fellow Jet Setters informed of great travel deals and steals that we come across.

SniqueAway, which is an invitation only luxury vacation deal website (think Rue-La-La meets Expedia).

This week they are featuring an amazing deal to Sugar Ridge Resort on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean. Get ready to pack your bags and relax in a lush bedroom with breath taking views of the ocean. The deal is at about half the price one would normally pay to stay in such a lavish hotel!

There are various deals featured each week and they leave quick because of the great prices. Since the website is invitation only, you can follow the link below to receive admission to check out all SniqueAway has to offer.

http://www.sniqueaway.com/invite/JetSet

So, Jet Setters have you found any great travel deals this week? If so, do share!

Dream Destination of the Week

We all have places we DREAM about vacationing to. This week's Dream Destination is Martinique. Located near the South American coastline, Martinique has lots to offer such as wonderful beaches, kayaking, shopping, and CARNIVAL. Carnival is a four-day holiday on the caribbean island which is sure to put the icing on the cake for any vacation! What's your dream destination?

Dear Santa

Well it's that time of year again--Christmas! Have you been naughty or nice? Do you deserve a lump of coal or a chunk of gold? If you could put ONE PLACE on your Christmas Wishlist to travel to where would it be? We know where Santa would vacation to....

The Beach!

Flight Carriers

With all the talk about airport security and the new rules that TSA employees must implement (sorry if you don't want naked photos of yourself floating around or don't want to be felt up before you get dinner & a movie) let's talk about flight carries. Who do you prefer to fly with? Which airlines offer the best rates?

When booking a flight, do you stay with one carrier to rack up the miles to get free trips and hotel stays? Or do you go on orbitz.com and just compare prices and choose the lower?

JSD Tips for comparing flights:
♥ DO use a website like orbitz.com or expedia.com if you're just looking for the cheapest deal
♥ DO sign up with a specific airline frequent flyer program if you find yourself traveling with them quite often. You can use the miles you traveled to earn free flights, hotel stays, magazines etc.
♥DON'T wait until the last minute to book a flight! You'll be paying way more than you want to. Know you want to travel during the New Year's holiday? If you haven't booked now, depending on where you're going--it's going to be one expensive flight!
♥ DON'T overlook the EXTRA fees flight carriers charge! Baggage fees are the new thing---Southwest has bags fly free! If not, you have to pay for your bags to fly-both ways.
♥ DO make sure you want to travel the dates you choose when booking. Carriers charge extra fees to make any changes to your itinerary.

So what your tips when booking flights? We'd love to hear from you!

Happy Travels!

SECURITY! Security Hassels and how to deal

♥ With holiday travels already being a headache, now we have to worry about the extra headache of full body scanners vs pat downs. If stuffing everything into one suitcase isn't enough right? Guess having you partially undress wasn't enough either? Well, no matter how much you DON'T like the new guidelines all travelers must go through the Airport Security.

Flying for the first time? Or has it been a while since you've flown? Read some of our quick tips to help make your holidays travels less of a hassel! ♥

JSD Quick Tips:

♥ Have your boarding pass and I.D. READY! This is the first checkpoint with security, and you don't want to hold up the line searching for these documents.

♥ Try to wear less to the airport! Sounds funny huh? Well believe it or not, this will save you time when you begin to put on your striptease for the TSA workers! If it's cold, try to wear ONE jacket. You will have to take off your outerwear, shoes, and belts (any accessories that will make the metal detector go off)
♥ DON'T carry any liquids in your carry-on or purse, briefcase, etc. The TSA has special guidelines for liquids, but just in case if you have any doubts about what is acceptable

don't bring it!

♥ ARRIVE EARLY! Lines during the holidays + the new security guidelines can really cause holdups. You don't want to miss your flight because you couldn't find your fav scarf or lost your Ipod!

♥ DO online check-in (including bag check) to save time to stand in line for security.
♥ If you are bringing gifts along with you-do not wrap them! They may ask you to unwrap it if they feel they need to inspect it!

Now the big thing- full body scanner or pat down?? Well the full body scanner sounds quick and harmless. Pat down--is a little bit more personal, and who wants to get that personal with TSA--you don't even know their name and they're moving in to second base!

Have any questions? Check the websites of the carriers who are servicing your flights for more info!

♥Happy Holidays!♥