Fast 5 Travel Tips: When to travel

I had a friend pose this question earlier today. "When is the best time to travel?"

I'll answer this a few ways:

1. When you need to escape! When you need a new perspective and a breath of fresh air, you should travel.

2. When others aren't! If the questions infers "when are the best deals?" then the answer is definitely in September and early January. When the rest of the world goes back to work, you should travel if at all possible. If you travel immediately FOLLOWING a major holiday, (summer break etc) then you can travel for about 40% less money.

3. When you really need to celebrate! Milestone anniversaries and graduations should be savoured. A trip can help you do that.

4. When something new comes on-line.  A new airline? A new hotel? A new shopping district? They are eager for business and want to please you. You'll get great value if you're an early adopter.

5.When your children are young.  Time is precious and you've heard it a million times, but they grow too fast. Kids are considered Disney adults (price) at 10. And by the time they're 16 and can drive, they won't go anywhere willingly with you. The years that follow are boldly independent and often centred on friends and girlfriends/boyfriends.  By the time your kids want to reconnect and travel with you again, they could be 30 or 40 and it might just be too damn late for you.  So travel while you're both young and able.



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I love this picture. Ok, I was somewhat nervous about handing my iPhone to a camel attendant, but he insisted.  (Ok, I was kinda freaking) But the point of the story is.... my son and I were on a camel!  In my entire childhood and adulthood, no one had ever offered me a camel ride. And here I was, on holidays with my son, in the middle of California and there was an opportunity to ride a tame camel. And it was $5.  FIVE BUCKS?!! I pay more than that for a coffee!  And my son said, "no thanks. We can do it another time."  That's when I went into my "live in the moment" speech and carefully explained that this was likely the one time in our lives when we would be together and actually have the chance to do something as cool and unique as ride a camel. And to shut me up, he agreed to get on a camel. And it was awesome!

My point is this.... if there is an opportunity to travel with your kids, do it. Leap! And with enthusiasm. Travel anywhere and everywhere and leap at the corny opportunities to laugh together and take 1000 photos, because time is precious. And time with your kids is the most precious of all.

So, when is the best time to travel? Now. Do it now! Your trip can be to the next town over, and cost nothing more than a tank of gas, or the trip can take you halfway around the world. Cost is really irrelevant. Your enthusiasm and your time together is THE most important thing.

Perfection in Palm Springs

I can personally recommend this vacation. In fact, I was there at this very hotel just a few months ago.  (See the link for my detailed review.)

These flights have ideal times and I think you'll find this vacation both relaxing and refreshing.

Book with www.westjetvacations.com or call your favourite agent.

This is a hell of a deal, and if I wasn't working that week, I'd be in Palm Springs sipping a margarita by the pool at the Riviera.

Raving about the Riviera, Palm Springs!

As often occurs, I needed a quick getaway to see the sun. If you've ever experienced a prairie winter, I need not explain further. For those who don't know, sometimes the cold just bites you in the face and the only relief is to get out of dodge.

I had some travel credits to cash in and I chose the desert heat of Palm Springs. A simple Westjet flight out of Brandon at 1:15pm and I was sipping a cocktail in Palm Springs at sunset.

Looking for a hotel on this jaunt, I wanted old-school California. Some place with history, and hollywood lore. It also had to be budget and family friendly since I was vacationing with my favourite travel buddy, my 9 year old son. He wanted to make sure it had a great pool, good food, and 'something else fun for kids'.

We chose the Riviera Palm Springs. (Not to be confused with the 'Desert Riviera of Palm Springs') It had everything on our wish list and more! We did our due diligence and read the Trip Advisor reviews. Then, I even took it one step further and e-mailed the hotel itself. They responded with all the answers I needed in a gracious and welcoming manner. So that was a good first impression!

Once we arrived, I was blown away with the STYLE! Wowzas! Does the Riviera have old-school style! The lobby is gorgeous.... 5 star gorgeous!  I stood there with my mouth gaping open and took a moment just to take it all in.

At the front desk we met Richard, who would become our new best friend! He had answers to everything we asked. Can we sign out tennis racquets? Which way to the outlet malls? What should we try at breakfast? Are kids allowed in the piano lounge? Can kids play on the billiards table? Where's the fitness room? He was fabulous, a real asset to the resort and the best ambassador to the area. If I was starting my own hotel, he'd be the first person I would hire.



The hotel itself has been around for decades, but has recently undergone millions of dollars in renovations. It is clear to me that the Noble House hotel and resort chain values and maintains their properties. Every day we saw at least a dozen people working in building maintenance and grounds keeping. Even though the buildings themselves are older, they are very well kept.

The furnishings and the decor are outstanding! I have never taken more photographs of chairs and chandeliers than on this vacation. My son even remarked on the chandeliers. You simply can't miss them.

As far as value, I can say with certainty that I got great value for my money. Rates will vary by date and occupancy rates, but you will do well to get this resort in the range of $130 a night. They also offer packages which include spa or dining credits. I didn't use the spa, but did take a quick tour and it also looked first class.

The layout of the resort reminded me of that 60's style family camp as shown in the movie Dirty Dancing. It has several stand-alone buildings that all centered around recreation facilities, a main house and tennis courts. I've included a graphic of the resort layout.

I can imagine that in the heat of the summer the pool is party-central. It's very spacious, and surrounded by a healthy number of loungers, chairs and cabanas. The beverage service pool-side is excellent. I had one of the best, if not THE best margaritas I've ever tasted.

I'll have to start a new page for the restaurant and lounge as they are certainly noteworthy in their own right. In the meantime, I'll let the building and grounds photos speak for themselves.

All photos are my own, and taken on an iPhone.

Our day in the living desert

About 30 minutes south of Palm Springs, there is an area called The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens. If you are looking for a full afternoon or whole day of activities for the family, you should give it a look.

The cost was $25 for one child and one adult admission. They many discounts, including seniors and military. Coupons can be found on-line or at most hotels in their tourist section. You'll save a few dollars, maybe even enough for a camel ride!

In this case, I'm going to let the photos do the talking. We had a great day. The highlight was certainly the camel ride. In my lifetime and many travels it was my first opportunity to ride a camel. I had to go for it! Cost was a mere $5. The ride itself was about 7 minutes, was pretty casual and felt very safe and relaxed. So glad we did it!

Dinosaur stage show

For $5 you could feed a giraffe a carrot. 

This giraffe giving me the stare down for not paying $5 for a carrot.

Meerkat

Eastwood the camel was 9 years old.  

Huge model train display 

In the train yard. A little T-rex fun. I'm sure he's just carrying the sheep to safety.

Planes & more in Palm Springs

Whether you like to soar above the clouds or keep your feet on the ground, Palm Springs has an area attraction for you! There is an outstanding aviation museum. It is located about 5 minutes from the airport and has been named the #1 Air Museum in California. Price of admission is under $20 a person with discounts offered for children, senior and military personnel.

They are currently featuring a P-51 Mustang restoration project and have more information on their website.

If you'd like to hit new heights in a cable car, the Palm Springs Arial Tramway, which is located at the north edge of the City, will be a must-do for you. You will ascend 2.5 miles up into the mountains. There is dining and hiking tours available. You'll want to plan a minimum 3 hours for this activity. Cost is about $25 for adults and $17 for children 3-12. Hotels and the tourism kiosks in town will offer discount coupons so you will want to keep your eyes open for those.

Indian Canyons offer a number of different hiking trails and serviced park activities in and around the area. Admission fees are under $10 and ranger-guided hikes are available. Information is available on their website if you would like to research trails, history or degree of difficulty. Do note that the trails are open longer hours in winter months, and are often closed afternoons in the summer due to heat.

$20 in Palm Springs

$20 will get you a great fish taco dinner for 2, and leave a 20% tip, at the Captain's Table.

The Captain's Table was a busy little indoor and outdoor restaurant with lovely patio seating. They were busy every time we went past it, so we decided to give it a try.

My son had the kids' fish taco plate. I had the same in an adult size. I had a choice of several different varieties of fish. You could also choose fried, or grilled. I had grilled Mahi Mahi. We both chose lemonade to drink.  The bill, with tax was about $16.50. I left the rest of the $20 dollar bill as a tip.

Service was quick. Food was hot and delicious. The portion was right-sized for each of us. I'd definitely go back.

They had nightly early bird specials. For $20 you could get 2 adult meals off this menu. (Specials vary by the day.) Wine and beer was also very reasonably priced.

The Captain's Table was on the main street, right next to the parkade, in downtown Palm Springs.

Did you know.... rental cars

Did you know that you can book a rental car through Air Miles?  It's easy and a good value for your points. Simply book it on-line through their "dream rewards - travel section."

Sample search for a 2 day rental in Palm Springs, California

We had the services of a Dodge Charger.  It was a great car. It had lots of room and was comfortable to drive on the California highways and Palm Springs side streets. 

Palm Springs airport and car rental set up has to be the EASIEST I've ever experienced. It was a short walk through the airport terminal to the rental cars. It was quick and easy to return it when we were done. 

I will admit to being intimidated to rent a car in California. I was nervous about the highways and the pace of things. Well, Palm Springs has about 4 main roads and the speed limit is 40MPH. Most people are retired and it was a very easy, comfortable place to drive. 

We left the city limits to hike, go to the zoo and hit the outlet mall. No problems at all with driving in the area. Easy peasy. And you didn't have the hazards of ice, construction, detours, snow, and potholes. I can, and do, recommend renting a car to explore Palm Springs.

Palm Springs from Brandon

Here's a decent price on a quick getaway to the desert.

Easy, great flight times have you leaving YBR at 1:20pm and arriving in time for dinner.

Westjet vacations. Pre-paying your hotel, in Canadian funds is a great idea right now, considering the poor exchange rate on the Canadian dollar.

If you do choose to stay at the Riviera, say hi to Richard at the front desk for me. He was a great host and made sure my son & I had a great room. Look for a future blog where I post my fabulous pics from the Riviera.

Current as of Feb 2nd. Flight from Brandon (YBR)

Here's the same search in and out of YYC (Calgary) just for comparison. 

This is the same search but out of Calgary. 

Free in Palm Springs

There are lots of things to do in Palm Springs that are free or nearly free.  Here are just 3 ideas.

Head downtown and follow the walk of fame 

Enjoy a swim.  Nearly all hotels and condo complexes include a pool.  

Take a hike.! Enjoy the desert scenery.