Our family used to live in upstate New York where the winters were long and the snow seemed to never end. So mid-winter we escaped the cold and headed south to Florida to enjoy the sun and sand. We loved the warm temperatures, the sound of the waves, swimming in the ocean, walking on the beach and getting our daily dose of vitamin sea! A beach vacation was what our family needed to make it through another New York winter. One of the key factors to making this happen was taking the time to plan our family vacation.
It just so happens that this Tuesday, January 25, 2022 is National Plan for Vacation Day! Who knew there was such a day! It’s been celebrated on the last Tuesday of January since 2017 when a study commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association found the average American left 33% of their paid time off on the table.
In 2020, this amounted to 768 million vacation days that were unused. WOAH! That’s an incredible number! So, on this day, I’m encouraging you to set aside the time and start planning how you will use your hard-earned time off and where you will travel.
A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there. – H. Stanley Judd
After two years of living through the pandemic, most of us are feeling burned out and ready for a change of scenery. I’m encouraging my clients to plan ALL OF THEIR DAYS OFF for the year now so that you have something to look forward to!
Here are some tips on how to get started:
1. Gather your family together and make a list of the places you wish to visit. What’s on your “bucket list”
2. Calculate Your PTO Days.
3. Start Blocking off Days on Your Calendar.
4. Let me know your interests and we will work together to make this adventure come alive!
In case you need a little nudge, I thought I’d start off by sharing some vacation inspiration, so check out the hottest destinations for 2022!
Planning is bringing the future to the present so you can do something about it now. – Alan Lakein
Africa
Africa is one AMAZING destination and there’s no better time to visit than now. Nowhere else on earth will you find exotic wildlife in their natural habitat, magnificent scenery, and happy, hospitable people as in Africa. There is a truly magical quality and indescribable energy about Africa, which you’ll feel as soon as you step onto its soil.
My first trip to Africa (Uganda…the pearl of Africa!) offered so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences and chimpanzee and gorilla trekking were two of them. Spending time with our closest genetic relatives was a truly humbling experience, and it was so much more special because of the hard work involved in getting there. Since this was my first-time seeing chimpanzees and gorillas in their natural habitat, I can honestly say it was so fascinating observing these species in the wild.
Africa is a destination to see more than once so I ventured back in November with a group of friends and we visited South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. We encountered an abundance of wildlife (the Big 5 – lions, leopards, elephants, African buffalo, and rhinoceroses), visited the winelands in Cape Town, learned about the penguins at Boulders Beach, climbed Table Mountain, saw the majestic Victoria Falls and tasted incredible cuisine.
Africa is a perfect destination because you are outside soaking up all the beauty and wildlife that surrounds you! It’s definitely a MUST visit!
Orlando, Florida
Here’s a fan favorite and definitely a top destination…Disney World, also known as the “Happiest Place on Earth”, is celebrating its’ 50th Anniversary. Disney is in the business of creating oodles of happy memories and making your dreams come true. They have an exciting lineup of new attractions and events, including the launch of the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser attraction and the opening of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, along with enhanced new technology throughout the parks. VERY EXCITING!
It’s so easy to think that all there is to do in Orlando is the wonderful worlds of Disney or Universal Orlando, which is why most go, but don’t miss all that downtown Orlando has to offer — lovely tree-lined neighborhoods; a rich performing arts and museum scene; several fantastic gardens and nature preserves; fabulous cuisine; great craft cocktails; and a delightfully slower pace devoid of manic crowds.
So, enjoy the theme parks and the sparkles, nostalgia and adrenaline-pumped fantasy there, but also take time to ‘Find Orlando’. You may be surprised to find that you’ll enjoy the theme parks all that much more as a result.
Wyoming
Whether it’s visiting the state’s legendary landmarks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks or enjoying a rodeo in Cody, there’s never a shortage of things to do.
Wyoming is home to some of the most dramatic mountains, most diverse wildlife and most unique geology. This state also has a friendly, welcoming culture with a Western flair that is evident from the luxury of Jackson Hole to its historic small towns.
From big skies, cowboy culture and American Indian powwows to five-star food, sumptuous spas and a lively craft beer scene, Wyoming offers an invigorating view into authentic Western life.
In 2022, Yellowstone – the country’s first national park – will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Yellowstone National Park is the wild, free flowing, beating heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with showstopping geysers and hot springs – nature’s crowd-pleasers – but at every turn this land of fire and brimstone breathes, belches and bubbles like a giant kettle on the boil. The park’s highways traverse these geysers, through meadows and forests, past roadside herds of bison and campsites aromatic with pine needles and family campfires.
Dubai
Visiting Dubai on its’ own is spectacular. Visiting Dubai before the end of March 2022 while the World Expo is open is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Expo 2020 Dubai is a celebration of human brilliance and achievement. It’s an opportunity for people to connect from different corners of the world, to experience the best of art, culture, geography, science, technology, innovation and invention and to set into motion millions of new thoughts and ideas that will make a lasting impact in our lives.
The beauty of Dubai knows no bounds and has long been home to record-holding structures like the Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, and Miracle Garden. “In Dubai, we don’t wait for things to happen. We make them happen.”
Some of my clients went to Dubai, explored around the country and attended the World Expo. Their experience was nothing short of extraordinary!
Antarctica
No place on Earth compares to this vast white wilderness of elemental forces: snow, ice, water, rock. Antarctica is simply stunning! Adventure Antarctica’s surreal remoteness, extreme cold, enormous ice shelves and mountain ranges, and myriad exotic life forms invariably challenge you to embrace life fully.
Everyone – scientist, support worker, government official and tourist – who comes to this isolated continent, must ‘earn’ it, whether by sea voyage or flight. Ice and weather, not clocks and calendars, determine the itinerary and the timetable of all travel here.
There’s a brand-new luxury cruise line Atlas Ocean Voyages that charters flights directly from Orlando to Ushuaia, Argentina, where its vessel, World Navigator, embarks. Once you arrive, you’ll be joined by an expedition team of experts in their field who will guide and educate you through the journey. They will help you experience the continent to the fullest and will bring your voyage to an extraordinary level by sharing their knowledge and experience.
Italy
Italy is another fan favorite and is one of the most visited destinations in Europe. With all it has to offer, it’s easy to understand why. Home to many of the world’s greatest works of art, architecture and gastronomy, Italy elates, inspires and moves like no other.
It’s here that you’ll stand in the presence of Michelangelo’s David and Sistine Chapel frescoes, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera and da Vinci’s The Last Supper. In fact, Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites than any other country on Earth.
And OMG…the Italian cuisine is oh so good!! Prepare to loosen your belt. As you walk through the streets of any village, town or city you will most likely smell the amazing scents that are classic to Italy – garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, pasta, wine and more. From delicate tagliatelle al ragù (pasta ribbons in a meat-based sauce) to velvety cannoli (crisp pastry shells filled with sweet ricotta), every bite can feel like a revelation. Get ready to experience some of the world’s top fine-dining, from San Pellegrino ‘World’s Best 50’ hot spots to Michelin-starred musts.
Italy…I can’t wait to come back for a visit!
Click on any image below to check out more Inspiring Destinations!
I’m sure you will agree that the world is an amazing place and it’s ready and waiting for you to come and explore all it has to offer!
We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.
Are you ready to disconnect and recharge, learn about another culture, taste some local cuisine, gather a bit of history, create memories, meet new friends, broaden your horizons, get out of your comfort zone or add a little spice to your life?
If the answer is YES…then I believe it’s time for a travel journey that wows you every step of the way.
I’m here to design that, just for you. Let’s do it! Don’t wait! Life it too short!
Stay warm and enjoy your week!!
