In Boca Raton For The Allianz Championship? Where To Stay, And What To Do

J. Chad Barnett, Contributing Writer

Many golf fans are gearing-up for the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Florida. With beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, and awe-inspiring golf courses, who can blame them. The tournament will be held at The Old Course at Broken Sound starting February 9th, and ending February 15th.

After consulting with some acquaintances of mine that have stayed in Boca Raton before, I have a couple of tips to help make your trip to Florida a memorable one.

First off, here are a couple of places to stay that were recommended to me:

The Towneplace Suites by Marriott is a lovely, family oriented hotel, located near the Boca Town Center, and various enticing golf courses. A Bar-B-Q grill is located by the pool area for guest use, and they even have a “lending library”, stocked with board games, playing cards, VCR's, portable CD players, etc. to help make guests feel more at home. The rooms are over sized to provide more living space. Look them up at http://towneplacebocaraton.com/, for more information.

The Hilton on Deerfield Beach is pet friendly, and offers a casual atmosphere with posh standards. Lounge by the tropical outdoor pool, or relax on the balcony while watching golfers on the nearby course. With the Hilton Family Advance Purchase, if you book a vacation 14 days in advance, and stay between January 1st thru March 31st , you can receive up to 20% off of your stay. Get more information at http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/DERHIHF/index.do.

There are also a variety of activities and things to do while you are in Boca. Here are some of the better ones:

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens – With a mile-long trail connecting 6 different Japanese-themed gardens, this attraction is a must-see for anyone visiting the area. There is also a 225 seat theater, a tropical banzai collection, koi ponds, and more. Check out http://www.morikami.org/, for more details.

McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary – This is a unique experience for the whole family. Privately guided tours are by appointment only. The prices are reasonable considering the one-on-one with the animals. No pesky tourists blocking the view here. Get closer to tigers, monkeys, and other animals than is possible in zoos and other tours. For the ultimate family wildlife adventure, go to http://www.mccarthyswildlife.com/visitors.html and check it out.

These are just a sample of places to stay, and things to do. With beautiful golf courses, fabulous cuisine, and an “old world” feel, your trip to Boca could be a memorable one indeed.

Beautiful Golf Courses, Sandy Beaches, and Babysitting In Mexico

J. Chad Barnett, Contributing Writer

Most of us have different opinions of what paradise is. For me personally, I love my family, the beach, and playing golf. So when I found Marbella Suites en La Playa, I was thrilled!

Located just 2 minutes from Cabo San Lucas, is a beautiful secret. Marbella Suites offers spacious accommodations, various amenities, and even a babysitting service, all the while keeping a traditional Mexican feel. The rooms come in a variety of sizes, and there are only 40 rooms, so there is no overcrowding. Visit the website at http://marbellasuites.com/, and see for yourself. Oh, and didn't I mention something about golf?

Many Championship courses are located in the Los Cabos area, designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, and the Robert Trent Jones team. Some of the more popular courses are Cabo del Sol Los Cabos, Cabo del Sol Desert Course, Cabo Real Golf Course, and El Dorado Golf Course Los Cabos. With breath-taking scenery, and challenging holes, the Los Cabos courses are sure to delight all golfers.

So grab the clubs, and the family, and head on down to Mexico. I'll see you on the greens!

All they need is your email address and you'll receive the best deals on the Net, every week.

Great Golf Escapes Now “On-Sale”

Much like the tons of big houses built, there was an onslaught of posh golf resort and general resort construction prior to our present economic downturn. If you think the consumer is being squeezed by the economy, take a walk in the shoes of a multi-million dollar resort-club general manager who is begging travelers to come. Not good for him, but great news for you and your family.

According to Kristen Bellstrom, writer for SmartMoney.com, rate cuts as deep as 50% can be found at Oahu’s Makaha Resort & Golf Club and the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas (SmartMoney.com, January 2, 2009). That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

For golfers, the great golf package rates are spreading far and wide. Jamaica’s ultra-exclusive Half-Moon Bay Resort has been offering, according to Bellstrom, what they call the “Total Golf Experience” for as little as $395 per night. The Half-Moon’s package includes, get this, the room, golf cart AND caddy, greens fees, all drinks, and all meals, everyday of your stay. That package is simply amazing. Two years ago you couldn't have dinner there for $395 per night (bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point).

Bellstrom also stated in her article that, this past fall, a potential guest looking for a bargain on the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa’s Web site would have found a king room starting at $263 a night. If that same traveler had entered a special rate code from bargain site Travelzoo.com, the same room class dropped to $99 a night, a 60-percent savings. Bellstrom stated that a spokesperson for the hotel advised the $99 rate was “for a limited time and exclusively available through Travelzoo.” Travelzoo.com is a Suite Golf Travel "Recommended Travel Site".

Throughout the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, and elsewhere, the same drastic rate cuts can be found. You may have to do some digging, but they’re there. With the economy suffering, resort investors looking for a return on their money, and the impending winter slow-down, you won’t need a big shovel to uncover them.

Kids Can Get "Medieval" In Savannah, While There's Plenty of Golf Courses For Parents

By J. Chad Barnett.

Whether you're in Savannah, Georgia for the Champions Tour Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Tournament, April 20-26, 2009, or just want to play at one of the beautiful golf courses, there are things for everyone to do, including the kids.

Not far from The Club at Savannah Harbor, and the Hunter Golf Course, is a medieval getaway that will delight children of all ages.

The Star Castle Family Entertainment Center is a medieval-themed "playground" specializing in fun for the whole family.

Features include:

• 10,000 square foot roller-rink, complete with state of the art light effects, armored knights, a life-sized dragon, and the King sitting upon his throne.
• 4,000 square foot Laser Tag maze consisting of glowing blacklit columns, (no sharp edges for safety). Up to 20 players at a time can play and there is a viewing area to watch the action.
• Arcade stocked with 50 of todays hottest games, (motion sensor games), along with some old favorites, (skeeball).
• Food court with handmade pizza, fresh soft pretzels, hotdogs, and other assorted snacks.

For something different, try the Roundhouse Railroad Museum, (kids love trains), or the Jepson Center for the Arts, which specializes in hands-on creative learning activities.

The aptly named Pirates House is a great way to fill your stomach with some good food, and bask in a pirate's life. Framed pages of an early copy of Treasure Island, seafaring artifacts, and wooden ships make for a memorable meal.

One of the treasures of the South, Savannah is full of kids entertainment and things to do for everyone.

J. Chad Barnett is a freelance writer based in North Carolina. He can be reached at Suite Golf Travel or at jeffrey_barnett2003 (at) yahoo.com.

Speaking of Golf In Orlando

GolfOrlando.com is offering a 5-Night package called "The Recession Beater" that looks like a fantastic winter golf getaway.

At rates starting at $336 per golfer, you get five rounds of golf, one at each of these Orlando golf courses:

• Sanctuary Ridge Golf Club
• Stoneybrook Golf Club
• Eastwood Golf Club
• Diamondback Golf Club
• The Golf Club at Bridge Water

All courses are located within a short driving distance from the hotel.

Also, five nights accomodations at the Quality Inn Plaza, Orlando, which has a very respectable AAA rating of 3.0. The hotel has over 1,000 guest rooms, three outdoor pools, video game rooms, business center, on-site restaurants and much more. According to TripWiser.com, it is located near Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, and Wet 'N Wild. Kids with an adult get free breakfast and dinner buffets at the hotel.

Wise Trip Planning with TripWiser.com

Let's say you've decided to take the family to Orlando, Florida on your next vacation. You know there's lots to do in the area, but aside from Walt Disney World, you aren't sure about the specifics. What can the kids do? Mom and Dad? Golf?

Your new one-stop-shop for planning the trip can be TripWiser.com. Founder and CEO David Reichman has, from the company's beginning, designed a site built on trips already taken, places already visited, restaurants, hotels, golf courses already reviewed and rated by travelers just like you. If you want an entire itenerary, you can pick from hundreds of them that have already been experienced by other travelers, or pick and choose your own.

With a simple search on TripWiser for the term "Orlando", I found everything I wanted. The search returned a 7-day itenerary called "Take a Swing" that included golf at four top courses, Universal Studios, festivals, Ripley's Believe it or Not, recreational parks, art museums, everything for every member of the family.

That same "Orlando" search gave me a selection of restaurants with ratings and pricing, the same for hotels, and other Things to Do ideas.

Travel sites abound on the Internet, but none are as easy to use at TripWiser. None will provide you with such detail. Not only does TripWiser have the travel information you need, they have user blogs for just about every travel specialty you can imagine; a road trip blog, road trip planner, adventure travel blog, family travel blog, California road trip blog, motorcycle road trip, you name it.

I discovered the site a year or more ago and I'm now kicking myself for not having explored it in depth back then. Simply put, it's a great travel find. I can't wait to explore more of TripWiser.

College Football Coaches Tee It Up at Reynolds Plantation

You won't see any good golf there, but you'll see a great destination golf course; Reynolds Plantation. Golf Vacation Insider describes tomorrow's event featuring college football coaches. Should be fun to watch, http://twurl.nl/6vmpc6.