Make Your New Years Resolution to Travel More

With the Holiday Season sneaking up on us again this year, there hardly seems to be enough time to think about anything else. A few years back my resolution was that I would never make another one, but much like that resolution to discontinue eating all the things that are bad for me, I have reconsidered. Remember the classic Seinfeld episode that dealt with the holidays and how stress filled they really are? Frank Costanza had it all figured out; “…there has to be a better way”. And although the vast majority of us do not celebrate ‘festivous’ we do welcome the stress for the few weeks at the end of the calendar year. Vacationing is one of the best stress relievers that I know about. It may not seem as fun as having the feats of strength that George had to deal with during the tv show, but it will get you back to a more sound place in mind, body and spirit. If you’re not really sure where to go, consider the following destinations: Paris. What can you say about the ‘La Ville-Lumière’-which translates literally, to “The Light City”? It’s true, if there are questions that are bothering you’re soul, this very well could be the place to find the answers. The first time that I went to Paris, albeit kicking and screaming, it touched my heart; as it does most romantics. The smell of the French kitchens and the erotic sounds of the language are a brilliant combination to make this a great part of your vacation recipe. Caribbean. Its hard to go wrong with places like Jamaica, Aruba or any of the hundreds of other islands that populate this wide range of salty pieces of land. If you haven’t been keeping up with the travel bug that has been going around, and forgot to renew your passport, the USVI lets you slip by without needing one; regarding you’re an American citizen. Family style vacations or a way to rekindle your romance is what the Caribbean can do for you. Any place in the USA - other then Hawaii. How about this land of ours, huh? Thanks to this gigantic melting pot of cultures, the US of A has great vacation spots anywhere and everywhere you look. Think I’m pulling your chain? Set your GPS to the great Pacific Northwest; where driving along the coasts of Oregon and California eliminates any stereotype that you may have that the US is not known for a travel destination. Not only is it one of the most scenic drives anywhere, you can indulge in some of the world’s finest wines. The Northeast brings with it the history of this great country. History buff or not, there is a lot of really cool stuff in places like Boston and Philadelphia. Of course, Florida and Las Vegas are also here! Cruising. I thought about whether or not to put this on this list, but really how can you not? Think about what you have when you board one of these enormous vessels. All the food that you can stand, entertainment, activities and every where you look…water! I have done a little independent survey with the help of a few friends and asked them what their favorite vacation spot would be; and without fail, it was someplace that featured some kind of water themed retreat. I’m a bit of a rookie when it comes to this, as I only been on 4 cruises and they were all to the Caribbean; but each time I caught myself thinking about the same thing; the ocean + a margarita = the perfect vacation! Canada. Did I really say that? Its true, our neighbors to the north do offer some great fall escapes. My personal favorite, Montreal, offers a very mild taste of European zest. They don’t over due it, but you can tell the influence does reside there. I have been to Montreal about 20 times in my life and any snow withdrawals that I may have suffered from are well taken care of. Overdue snow ball fights were at a premium when I last visited there. Although the temps were frigid, it was made a little more bearable thanks to the many friendly people that call that place home. Bring a few sweaters with you if you’re not too familiar with the cold temperatures that this city tends to blow in. The craziness of the holidays is right around the corner. Do something for yourself and begin thinking about where you would like to go to kick off 2010!