SeaWorld Halloween Spooktacular takes place October 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, and 29-31. The daytime event begins at 12 p.m., leaving the littlest of trick-or-treaters wide-eyed for the fun-filled activities. Visit SeaWorldSpooktacular.com for more details.

Spooktacular Highlights Include:

Trick-or-Treat Sea Sweets
Offering more than 3 million pieces of trick-or-treat sweets, costumed youngsters can search for hidden “sea” treasures using their Spooktacular maps at more than a dozen different locations. Each station features an array of sweet treats, including a variety of candies and healthy choice options.

Count Von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast
One of Sesame Street’s favorite residents, The Count, gets into the Halloween spirit with his friends from Sesame Street at Count Von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast. Little ones will sing, groove and mingle side-by-side with Sesame Street characters, while listening to Halloween-themed music and enjoying a special breakfast “boo”-ffet. Following the breakfast, kids can get their photos taken with the characters for memories that will last forever.*

Abby Cadabby’s Halloween Adventure
Filled with interactive puzzles, sights and sounds, Abby Cadabby’s Halloween Adventure is a 4,000-square-foot outdoor pathway where trick-or-treaters can help Sesame Street’s Abby Caddaby search for her magic wand. Plus, Abby Cadabby is available for photo opportunities.**

Cookie Decorating Station
Kids and parents alike can create their own Halloween-themed cookies at a special decorating station decked out with Spooktacular loot. The kit — available for a small charge — includes a souvenir lunch box filled with a jumbo sugar cookie, toppings ranging from icing and sprinkles to M&M’S®, and milk or apple juice to wash it all down.

Strolling Entertainment
Gummy Worm Wanda, Salt Water Taffy, and Swedish Fish Suzy are among the 35 fanciful sea creatures that will join the “Spook-tastic” fun welcoming trick-or-treaters as they stroll through colorful, playful schools of pumpkin fish.

Frozen Fun Zone
A DJ will “melt the ice” during a celebration sure to warm up the area with interactive games and activities at Wild Arctic Plaza.

Explore SeaWorld Orlando Vacation Packages

Every hotel needs a face-lift from time to time; after a 10 million dollar renovation, our rooms are more spacious and luxurious, and the amenities are second to none! Clients will find everything they need right here! The changes are so impressive that the Clarion Lake Buena Vista has been awarded the AAA 3 diamond rating!

Now that school has begun, parents need a vacation to regroup and get back to a normal schedule. Clarion Lake Buena Vista offers a peaceful serene environment and wonderful dining in either the Boardwalk Café or Comfort Zone Bar and Grille. Both restaurants are located in the lobby of the Clarion, however if you want room service its just a call away!

Special rates apply when rooms are booked online and by entering the coupon code, the savings are incredible. When you book your stay with Clarion Lake Buena Vista, you are guaranteed you will leave refreshed and ready for your routine to begin again!

Of course if you want to see the sites, Clarion Lake Buena Vista has shuttles to bring you to Epcot Center, or Disney, and virtually any other park you wish to visit.

Enter-To-Win a Dream Trip to Innisbrook Golf Resort

Tee Times USA’s newest golf vacation give-away offers a chance to win a 5-day/4-night dream golf vacation for four people to renowned Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club near Tampa, Florida.

The most luxurious and valuable trip ever given away by Tee Times USA includes a Preferred Golf Package for four people in a two-bedroom suite (or two one-bedroom suites) at Innisbrook. The package features 18 holes of golf daily including one round on the famed Copperhead course, unlimited use of the practice facilities, breakfast at the clubhouse of your choice, daily one-hour golf clinics, club storage, locker room service, a gift package, unlimited use of the fitness center and full use of Innisbrook’s host of upscale amenities.

“Innisbrook is one of America’s top golf resorts and one of our best-selling Florida golf packages. We are very proud to offer this chance to win a trip to Innisbrook, and we wish everyone good luck,” said Tee Times USA President Roseanne Stocker.

Anyone can enter to win the Innisbrook vacation at www.teetimesusa.com/freevacation. Visitors to the website should also check out the great deals on golf packages throughout Florida. There are many special offers for those who just want to book a tee time and also for those who are looking for an all inclusive golf package with lodging.

Check out the value-packed vacations at Innisbrook, a Salamander Golf and Spa Resort. Innisbrook is a true escape destination that winds through 900 acres of pristine Florida flora and fauna with a thoughtful balance of minimalist architecture, rolling golf courses, as well as winding nature and bike trails. Innisbrook delivers an uncomplicated, yet elegant resort experience.

Beautifully renovated and enhanced by Salamander in 2009, guests enjoy a fine selection of restaurants, six different pools, a new 20,000-square-foot spa, salon and fitness center as well as an array of luxurious guestroom and suite accommodations.

The outstanding collection of four distinct golfing experiences has long made Innisbrook a favorite of professionals and golf groups. The Copperhead Course is home to the annual PGA TOUR’s Transitions Championship. It offers Innisbrook’s most challenging golf experience, even for the most seasoned golfer. Defined by tree-lined fairways and rolling terrain, Copperhead tests players with its many uphill and downhill shots, significant elevation changes and a variety of water-protected approach shots.

The Island Course, with tight fairways, intimidating water hazards and abundant bunkers, has been newly renovated and lengthened. It is considered by many to be as challenging as Copperhead.

For groups that wish for a more relaxed golf experience, Innisbrook makes it easy with two equally beautiful championship courses with less complex designs. Similar in terrain to the Copperhead, the North Course is known for its beautiful par threes, tight fairways and an abundance of trees and well-bunkered greens. The South Course features a links-style approach, both in terms of rolling terrain and numerous fairway bunkering.

Enter Now >>Visit these links for your Free Golf Vacation and for more information about Innisbrook

“The Resort renovation project was executed seamlessly with little or no disruption for our valued guests,” stated Hotel Advisor Ron Albeit, “and we are thrilled with the end result.”

The full suite make-over included fresh paint, new carpet, draperies and lamps, along with new suite and patio furniture, i-pod docking station, flat-screen LCD televisions and wireless internet technology. New state-of-the-art exercise equipment has been installed in the Resort’s Fitness Center including TRUE® elliptical machines, recumbent bicycles and treadmills each with their own individual equipment-mounted 15-inch television.

A freshly-painted lobby and updated corridors complete with carpet, furniture in cream, blue and gold tones round out the Resort’s refreshed, refined and sophisticated elegance. New beach chaise lounge chairs, umbrellas and cocktail tables complete the renovations at the resort.

For more information, or to make a reservation, please visit www.marcoresort.com or phone 239-393-1400; 800-715-8517.

The 98-all suite Marco Beach Ocean Resort overlooking the Gulf of Mexico brings stellar service, lodging and dining to Marco Island, one of the fabled Ten Thousand Islands located between Naples and the Florida Everglades, on Southwest Florida’s beautiful Gulf coast.  Marco Beach Ocean Resort features a variety of dining options including the Beachfront Bar & Grill and authentic Italian cuisine at the award winning Sale e Pepe restaurant, a spa and fitness center, amenities, a sparkling pool, white sand beach and nearby golf perfect for a getaway, wedding or meeting.  The resort’s Concierge and the highly-trained international service staff accommodates personal tastes and regularly exceeds expectations.

“Our resorts have historically offered a great variety of entertainment, dining and activities for guests celebrating the ‘fiestas patrias,’” said Bill Hornbuckle, Chief Marketing Officer for MGM Resorts International. “Now with VIVA we are able to pull it all together and expand our offerings to make this weekend a can’t-miss destination event weekend.”

Hotel packages, including VIVA wristbands, now are available for ARIA, Vdara, MGM Grand, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus and can be found at VIVAVegasFiesta.com. Individual VIVA wristbands also will be available for purchase at all MGM Resorts box offices throughout the event weekend.

VIVA wristbands will provide guests daily happy hours at participating bars and restaurants, admission and VIP line passes to Studio 54, access to concerts at Diablo’s Cantina, daily fashion experiences at Crystals – Las Vegas’ newest and most extravagant shopping district – and much more. The new Ignite Lounge at Monte Carlo will serve as the central VIVA Lounge from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily, offering concierge services and a spot to relax and rejuvenate from all of the excitement. In addition to these inclusions, VIVA guests are able to pick and choose from a buffet of entertainment and activities to personalize their weekend fiesta.

The VIVA celebration begins Wednesday, Sept. 15 with a sold-out concert by Mexican sensation Alejandro Fernandez and the traditional “grito” – a ceremonial late-night declaration of independence – at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Latin Grammy Award-winners Marco Antonio Solis and Pedro Fernandez continue the Latin music extravaganza Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. A hilarious mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects by Gabriel Iglesias will bring the Monte Carlo Theatre to life Thursday through Saturday.

Guests can keep the party rolling late into the night with a variety of nightlife options with a unique Latin flavor. Diego at MGM Grand will feature top tequilas and high-energy dancing at Agave Jueves on Thursday and Vida! Latin Late Nights Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, Reventon at Gonzalez y Gonzalez at New York-New York heats up The Strip with pop and rock en Espanol Friday and Saturday.

An integral part of Mexican culture is food and VIVA will not disappoint. Some of the best Mexican cuisine can be found at Diego, Hussong’s Cantina, Border Grill and T&T: Tacos & Tequila – home of the Sunday Mariachi Brunch. For guests clamoring for a taste of the old country, Chef Julian Serrano will provide a cooking demonstration of delectable dishes from his native Spain at Tuscany Kitchen at Bellagio Thursday, Sept. 16.

This year, celebrate Mexican Independence Day Vegas-style – full of the best in Mexican music, comedy, food and drinks in a neon paradise. Start following @VIVAVegasFiesta on Twitter and Facebook or visit VIVAVegasFiesta.com for more information, updates and to book your VIVA package.

Source: MGM Resorts International

Four Points by Sheraton, with over 150 great hotels in 24 countries, offers the self-sufficient traveler a new kind of style and comfort, combined with “can-do” service – all at an honest value.

The promotion, which runs through September 30, is part of a new partnership between Southwest Airlines and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, which will link Rapid Rewards with the award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest program for the first time.

Here’s how the Four Points promotion works: Through September 30, 2010, guests earn one Rapid Rewards credit with every eligible stay at any of more than 150 Four Points hotels worldwide.

To be eligible for the promotion, guests must register at www.Fourpoints.com/Southwest and also have membership in both Starwood Preferred Guest and Rapid Rewards. Travelers can enroll in SPG for free at http://www.spg.com and can sign up for free Rapid Rewards membership at rapid rewards enroll.

In keeping with SPG’s standing with travelers as the industry’s best redemption program, there are no limits on the number of Rapid Rewards credits a member can earn – and just 16 credits can earn a free round-trip flight on Southwest.

“Four Points and Southwest are a perfect fit, since they’ve both won over travelers with singular value, service, and style,” said Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of Starwood’s Specialty Select brands.

Source: Starwood Hotels

“We’re pleased to bring our service to these world-class Mexican destinations and to offer travelers a better value and a unique flight experience,” said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush. “We think flyers deserve to start their Mexican getaways as soon as they board their flight. And with low fares, touch-screen entertainment, beautiful cabins and a host of other features aimed at bringing the fun back to flying, we think travelers will agree that Virgin America is the perfect way to start their Mexican vacation a few hours early.”

In June 2010, the airline announced its intent to launch flights to Mexico by seeking authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin flying the routes as of this winter. DOT granted the airline authority to begin operations on the routes earlier this month. The airline has announced the start of Mexico service pending the necessary Mexican government approvals. With the launch of the Mexico routes, Virgin America will serve three international destinations in its growing network.

“We are pleased to welcome Virgin America to Los Cabos. The decision to serve San Jose del Cabo is a testament to our destination’s strong tourism economy and commitment to provide each visitor with an unmatched vacation experience,” said Gonzalo Franyutti De La Parra, President of the Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Virgin America’s fares to Mexico start from $129** in Main Cabin for SFO-SJD, SFO-CUN and LAX-CUN. Other spicy hot fares start from $39** on LAX-SFO, SFO-Las Vegas (LAS) and SFO-San Diego (SAN) flights — and from $109** for LAX-Washington Dulles (IAD) and SFO-Fort Lauderdale (FLL). Tickets are on sale today on Virgin America’s Web site (www.virginamerica.com) and at 1.877.FLY.VIRGIN (1.877.359.8474).****

In addition, the airline is celebrating the new routes by giving a special offer to those who check-in on Loopt Star today. By checking in at SFO, LAX or one of Virgin America’s mobile taco truck locations between 11:00am and 3:00pm PT today with the free Loopt Star App on their iPhone, members of the public can score a $1 two-for-one taco deal along with a two-for-one ticket offer*** on Virgin America’s new flights to Mexico.

— In Los Angeles, the public can look for Virgin America’s in-flight
teammates in uniform at the Border Grill taco truck at 7060 Hollywood
Boulevard.
— In San Francisco, the airline’s in-flight teammates and some SF ACC
Chihuahua friends will be posted at hometown taco truck favorite, Los
Compadres, at 100 Folsom Street.

Guests checking in on Loopt Star at SFO and LAX will also receive the special ticket offer. To be eligible, one must check-in using the Loopt Star iPhone app, which is available at the Apple iTunes store or at loopt.com /looptstar.

Proceeds from every taco sold today, will support the San Francisco Animal Care and Control’s (SF ACC) animal rescue programs — including its Chihuahua rescue efforts. In January, Virgin America teamed up with SF ACC to fly Chihuahuas to New York so the dogs could be adopted into new homes. The overpopulation of Chihuahuas in California continues to force animal shelters on the West Coast to look to shelters on the East Coast for help.

“With Loopt Star, consumers get to tap interactive rewards wherever they may be,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of Loopt. “Teaming up with an innovative travel brand like Virgin America on one of its new city launches, is a fun way to deliver instant rewards to its loyal and increasingly mobile customer base. Virgin America flyers tend to be more likely to be using a mobile device and tapping social networks — even at 35,000 feet.”

The airline’s Mexico flight schedule is as follows:

DEPARTURE ARRIVAL FLIGHT
FROM TO TIME TIME NUMBER FREQUENCY OF FLIGHTS
Monday, Thursday, Friday,
SFO SJD 12:10pm 4:20pm 706 Saturday, Sunday
Monday, Thursday, Friday,
SJD SFO 5:20pm 7:35pm 709 Saturday, Sunday
SFO CUN 8:00am 3:45pm 284 Monday, Thursday, Saturday
CUN SFO 4:45pm 9:05pm 283 Monday, Thursday, Saturday
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday,
LAX CUN 11:55am 7:20pm 290 Saturday, Sunday
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday,
CUN LAX 8:20pm 12:01am 295 Saturday, Sunday

Known for its design-driven and fun flight experience, Virgin America has been growing and winning over travelers since its August 2007 launch. The airline offers mood-lit cabins, the most advanced touch-screen in-flight entertainment platform in the North American skies and custom-designed leather seats. Virgin America has swept the major travel awards, including “Best Airline” in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2008 and 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards and for the past three consecutive years in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards. Virgin America’s live satellite television and WiFi are not available on the aircraft after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

In July 2010, Virgin America announced plans to order 40 new aircraft. Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Toronto, Orlando (starting October 6, 2010), Dallas-Fort Worth (starting December 2010), Los Cabos (starting December 16, 2010) and Cancun (starting January 19, 2011).

* Mexico service is subject to Mexican government approval and certain restrictions apply

Source: Virgin America

American Airlines and its regional affiliate, American Eagle, announced that they are assisting customers affected by oneworld® partner, Mexicana Airlines’ decision to cease operations indefinitely. Mexicana filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. and Mexico on Aug. 2, and suspended ticket sales on Aug. 4.

Subsequently, Mexicana announced significant capacity reductions between Mexico and the West Coast, as well as on other international routes. Effective Saturday, Aug. 28 at noon, Mexicana and its affiliates MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink suspended all operations indefinitely.

American and American Eagle are offering a special 20 percent discount off any published fare for customers holding tickets for confirmed bookings on cancelled Mexicana flights. Under this offer, effective today, American and American Eagle will replace a customer’s current travel itinerary with a new confirmed ticket to their original destination. Changes to the closest airport served by American or American Eagle are permitted only if American or American Eagle does not fly into the original destination. This offer is only valid for travel on American and American Eagle between the U.S. and Mexico within seven days of the original travel dates. Travel must be completed by Oct. 28, 2010. Tickets must be issued by Sept. 5, 2010.

To take advantage of this special offer, customers may call American Airlines reservations:

U.S.-based Customers
— 1-800-433-7300 (English)
— 1-800-633-3711 (Spanish)

Mexico-based Customers
— 5209-1400 (Mexico City only)
— 01 800 904 6000 (Rest of Mexico)

To further assist stranded Mexicana customers, American added two additional flights from Mexico City and Cancun, Mexico to Dallas/Ft. Worth and one from Mexico City to Miami on Aug. 29.

For more information related to how American and Eagle are assisting customers due to flights cancelled by Mexicana Airlines, please visit www.aa.com.

Source: American Airlines

Why did people start making maps? Explorers like Magellan and Columbus had maps made to document the new lands they had discovered. Mankind, in general, has a need to picture the places they’ve been and the lands they live in. We seem to need to know where our little plots of ground, our home countries, fit into the world as a whole. Then, of course, we need to know our boundaries, what expanse of land belongs to what country. It gives us, as a people, a sense of identity to be able to point to a spot on the map and say, “That’s where I live. That’s where I belong.”

Historical maps help us to understand how governments, the military or the navigators of the day, viewed their world. Through old maps, we are able to reconstruct the past. These maps provide snapshots of the past, showing landscapes and features that may no longer exist. They also reflect the priorities, sensibilities, fears and the amount of knowledge that the mapmaker had at the time the map was made.

The word for a collection of maps, “atlas”, was first introduced by the Dutch cartographer, Geradus Mercator (1512-1594), who created a historical atlas of the world. Whole-world maps first began appearing in the early 16th century following the voyages of Columbus and other explorers to the New World.
The oldest globe presently known to exist was made by Martin Behaim and faithfully reflects the geographical knowledge of the time before Columbus’ first voyage. It was drawn on parchment and stretched over a sphere 541 centimeters round (about 213”).

In former times, maps were drawn to show trade routes or military strategies. Today, for most of us, maps are simply tools to help us navigate our world. Whether we are discovering or rediscovering the U.S.A. or traveling to other lands, we will always rely on street maps, travel maps and travel guides to show us the way.