Just a quick flash that you can book your 2009 girlfriend getaway to Nashville right now for $178 from Milwaukee. This airfare sale ends January 13 — but you can book all the way into November.
The flight is short, comfortable and convenient. Cab it downtown and you won’t need a rental car. Flying down gives you a lot more time to spend at the honky-tonks enjoying the free music of Nashville hopefuls.
Nashville is a small city with great hotels and dining. 
But it’s not at all the glittery, diamond-studded cowboy-boot place I had envisioned. It’s a low-key town that’s very walkable, friendly and casual. It’s filled with great talent who just want to get recognized and cut a CD. Because of the abundance of talent streaming in from around the country, the venues are plentiful and the music is free! Even if you’re not a true country or bluegrass fan, you’ll enjoy the music and down-home ambiance.
Downtown Nashville is the place to stay. I’d recommend the Sheraton Downtown for its well-appointed rooms with comfortable amenities. 
Its location is central to all the places we really enjoyed visiting. One of the amenities we used several times was the complimentary computer/Internet service in the guest business center. We checked hours, directions, etc. of the places we wanted to visit.
Honky-Tonks Are Hot! 
You’ll find the honky-tonks on Broadway and hear the aspiring artists’ music pour out into the street. They play for free morning to night. These are just tiny bars – some barely 20 feet wide like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge – but the talent is big. Clay Underwood was one of the terrific music hopefuls who performed at Tootsie’s. Check out his Web site at http://www.myspace.com/clayunderwood to hear him.
NEXT: What Else Does Nashville Offer?
TIPS:
I was itching to get back to Manhattan — although I’ve made quite a few trips to New York over the past several years, there is so much more to see and do. That town keeps changing, improving and exciting the senses. I needed a re-charge. And what a perfect time than during the pre-holiday season.
Cathie and I stayed on 47th Street near Times Square this time and I can say I had my most memorable breakfast ever in NYC right down the street in Hell’s Kitchen. Read the rest of this entry »
Well, it’s not exactly Christmastime yet, but since the tree is up at Rockefeller Plaza, I’m sure it’s Christmas all over Manhattan.
Cathie and I will be heading there for two days this week. Why now? Let me count the whys:
Plan a trip before the full holiday season sets in — fewer crowds and definitely better airfares and hotel rates!
Fishing, Hunting, Golfing and Hiking
Holly Lake Ranch is much more than a resort – it’s part of a 43,000-acre gated community that includes private homes, an 18-hole PGA golf course with pro shop and restaurant, two large lakes and several smaller ones, a number of challenging hiking trails, an athletic center, tennis, swimming, archery and plenty of wildlife. 
Different from Other Resorts
Holly Lake Ranch Resort is quite different from other timeshare resorts we’ve experienced. 
It’s quite rural, relaxed and informal. The accommodations were very clean, comfortable but simple — no frill or formality. I equate it to a big, nice campground without tents or outhouses! Our unit had two bedrooms, two baths, full kitchen and living room with fireplace.
Nice personal touches were everywhere — from registration through check-out. A basket of snacks welcomed us to our unit — no charge. Good bath and beauty products were stocked in each bathroom. About a dozen of each towel size was also ready for our use. And the activity director stopped by with a Holly Ranch coffee mug for each of us –wrapped nicely and filled with mints. Best of all, the staff came through midweek with fresh towels and a cleaning — all no extra charge which is not always the case at other timeshare resorts. But I most appreciated the immaculate condition of our unit.
Plenty of Wild Life. At least one alligator is frequently spotted at the edge of one of the lakes. Deer are abundant and frequently strolled through our resort. 
You might spot an occasional armadillo or wild boar as you drive down the rural roads. We had to stop to let a wild boar cross in front of our car! Bass, crappie and catfish are plentiful in the lakes.
Fun Outside the Ranch
You’ll discover a number of small towns within 30 minutes of Holly Lake with local restaurants, shops and history. We spent a day at First Monday Trade Days – a 4-day monthly flea market in Canton, TX that occurs Thursday-Sunday before the first Monday of the month! More than 150 years old, First Monday is the largest outdoor (and indoor) flea market in the world. It takes two full days to see it all on foot! A wide range of nice merchandise, antiques and bargains. I found Vera Bradley-styled quilt purses there – the same brand and fine quality as I had purchased in California. And many food vendors there dish up homemade meals! It’s a fun way to spend the day.
NEXT: A Side Trip to Shreveport Casinos
Like “Up North” in Wisconsin Except Warmer
Didn’t know what to expect when I booked a timeshare at Holly Lake Ranch in East Texas. 
Our original destination was Freeport, right on the Gulf. But after it was blown away by Ike, we chose one in East Texas, far from the hurricane damage. Plus it was an easy drive to the Dallas airport which was important as we were flying in.
We wanted to explore more of Texas. I’ve been to the Wildcatter Ranch, a guest ranch northwest of Dallas and loved it. I’ve visited sophisticated downtown Dallas and many of the small, charming communities that lie just north of the city. And I enjoyed Ft. Worth with all its old West charm. San Antonio was rich in history and Mexican influences. Each of those areas in Texas is unqiue and different from the other. But I wondered what the rest of that big state held for visitors. Was I surprised to find that East Texas is very much like northern Wisconsin and the U.P. (Upper Peninsula of Michigan), but with a milder climate.
An Endangered Ecoregion
As thick and beautiful as the Piney Woods are, I learned that it is an endangered terrestrial ecoregion that stretches from East Texas into Arkansas, Louisiana and southwest Oklahoma. I loved the variety of trees: hickory, oak, dogwood, magnolia, and massive pine trees with the longest needles I’ve ever seen. The forest floor is covered in 8-12” long pine needles. The area is rich in flowering bushes and trees including holly, many of which were in bloom during this late October/early November trip. And you’ll also find both cactus and palms. What a great combination! Temperatures were upper 60s to 80 during the day, dropping into the 40s and 50s at night. Just delightful and certainly much warmer than “up North.”
NEXT:Staying at Holly Lake Ranch
Why not make Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin a destination for your girlfriends’ getaway. While there’s lots to do in this very accommodating city, there is also far more to see and do within an hour of the city. Here’s a quick rundown — I’ll explore each individually in subsequent posts:
In Town:
Just Outside the City
Make Milwaukee a destination most any time of the year. If you come May - October, you can enjoy the cities’ outstanding lakefront festivals as well.
TIPS:
1) You don’t need a car in town. But you will enjoy the greater Milwaukee area far more if you do rent a car for your visit.
2) Midwest Airlines is Milwaukee’s home town airline. It serves large and small cities coast to coast, so check out midwestairlines.com before making your Milwaukee trip plans.
Earlier this year, I discovered a cute little shop in Historic Downtown Plano, Tx that had some truly unique candle luminarias and illuminated wine racks. 
They were carved from a natural stone called Honeycomb Calcite and were strikingly beautiful.The shop is called Tuscan Lightsand I’d recommend you stop in and be dazzled.
Am returning to the Dallas area to do a bit of pre-season Christmas shopping — in Grapevine, McKinney, Ft. Worth and Plano. I want to make this year’s gifts special by selecting one-of-a-kind items for my special family members and friends — PLUS, I’ll have a delightful time “vacationing” while I shop.
These towns have great gift shopping and a welcoming ambiance. I’ll probably stay at one of the many nice hotels in Grapevine, which has a great location near the airport.
You’ll love every minute you spend on an extended weekend girls getaway this month. Midwest Airlines gives you a choice of departure and return dates wrapped around August weekends. Best of all, the fares are specially priced to help you make it an affordable getaway.
Thinking about Orlando? Roundtrip nonstop fares are just $168 from Kansas City and $208 from Milwaukee. While you’re there, I’d recommend you visit the Disney-developed, master-planned community called Celebration. It might be considered everyone’s dream community. Every home is beautiful and “homey.” Every street is lined with trees and flowers. The town center is old fashioned, yet modern and worth visiting. Celebration is located at Routes 192 and 4, generally considered Kissimmee.
How About Boston? Plan on following the Freedom Trail to catch the major historic points in the city — and some not so major, like the grave of Mother Goose! I’d recommend staying in the Italian North End. Loved staying at the B&B there.It’s just a block or so from the Freedom Trail. 
Don’t let summer slip away without one good getaway with your girlfriends!
Now’s the time to lock girlfriend getaway airfares for late summer and fall — all the way into November. Air travel costs may be up but it’s still a bargain and the fastest way to get to your destination. Book the best fares on Midwest Airlines by August 4. Get your girlfriends together and have a great time!
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How about a Girlfriend Getaway to Atlanta? No shopping. Just high fun!
See my posts on Historic Banning Mills, a short drive from the Atlanta Airport. A great place for a group of gals to get away — inexpensive, too!
Indulge Yourself for an Afternoon. Pretend it’s 1938 in Genesee Depot, WI.
You’re the afternoon guest of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne at Ten Chimneys, the couple’s summer retreat far away from the clatter of Broadway.
As your taxi rolls up the rural driveway, you behold the most beautiful estate you’ve ever seen outside the Hamptons. 
Lynn’s flower gardens are everywhere. Driving past the white stone fence to the white 18-room main house, you catch a glimpse of an adorable red country cottage perfectly accented with red and white striped awnings. And you’ll notice the Swedish-style log cabin studio out near the creamery, just past the barn, stables and, of course, Alfred’s greenhouse and vegetable gardens. 
Read the rest of this entry »
My girlfriends and I have had a lot of great getaways together. If you haven’t taken a getaway with your friends, there’s still time this summer and the airfares are still good — considering the price of fuel!
Some of my favorite cities — and those I’d definitely visit again — are:
Two Chefs Scout Out the Best in New York City
What do East Coast culinary types do on their day off? They take a train to NYC to sample some of the best the city has to offer. Alissa Jeffery is the catering chef at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Vienna, VA – America’s National Park for the Performing Arts. She’s quite accustomed to preparing menus for special events using exquisite food items to dazzle the palate of the philanthropists who so generously support the Wolf Trap Foundation. When she’s not working, she likes to sample the work of others. She and a fellow cook/ New England Culinary Institute student took the train up to New York just to dine at this Lower East Side restaurant. Her full review was on her MySpace page. This is an edited version that she’s agreed to share with you.
Ryan and I went to Wylie Dufresne’s restaurant, wd-50. (50 Clinton St. NYC). Yes, he has been on Iron Chef and so has his pastry chef, Alex Stupak.
Midwest Airlines and PayPal have teamed up to help you get away to your favorite destination with an extra $50 in your pocket. It’s too good to pass up this summer. Midwest has no blackout dates, either. That’s $50 off per ticket on your reservation. So if 4 of you fly, you’ll save $200! Like I said — too good to pass up! You’ll need to purchase your tickets online and use the special promo code. Get that promo code here and get away for a few days with your friends.
Okay, my main purpose for this Las Vegas trip was to see Elton John in his Red Piano concert at Caesars Palace. But that left quite a bit of time to spend on other pursuits. Here’s how I planned this one-night trip.
My sole purpose in making this particular trip to Las Vegas was to see Elton John perform at his The Red Piano concert at Caesars Palace Colosseum. And he did not disappoint! He was definitely worth waiting a lifetime to see!
You just can’t beat a penthouse view of the New York City skyline. We checked in to an Upper West Side boutique hotel, On The Ave Hotel, not expecting a penthouse suite — but we did book a room with a terrace (at an unbelievable special rate!) Imagine our delight when our room key opened up to a penthouse suite with this spectacular view!
Read the rest of this entry »
I’d heard about Williamsburg, a neighborhood in Brooklyn. That it is pretty much the way Greenwich Village was 30 years ago or more. Young fashion designers, up-and-coming artists and musicians, less expensive living and the place to meet other artsy up-and-comers.
Read the rest of this entry »
Since Karen and I were touring Central Park, we thought we might as well stay for dinner at Tavern on the Green. It’s located in the southwestern corner of the park, near Columbus Circle. In fact, it was walking distance from our Upper West Side hotel. A delightful stroll after dinner.
What’s a “PediCab?” (A rickshaw vehicle for 2 passengers powered by a bicycle) This is a great way to tour Central Park — best of all, you don’t have to pedal the bicycle. You just sit back and enjoy the ride.
If you want to save money, but waste valuable time, take the Super Shuttle from La Guardia to your Manhattan hotel. My time in NYC is always limited — there’s way more I want to do than my time will allow. So when 3 hours of my time is totally wasted in transit, I get steamed. So would you …
Read the rest of this entry »
One of the many charms of Camp GetAway is that it offers a wide range of activities in which you can participate or not. If you’d rather hike or read a good book while others are trying their hand at archery, that’s fine.
Yes, I did say sleeping bag. And yes, I really mean “send yourself to camp.” Ginny and I did it this spring and rediscovered the pleasures of childhood “away camp” that’s now tailored to a gals-only environment. We went for a re-energizing weekend at Camp GetAway in the San Bernardino Mountains outside L.A. and San Diego.
Just started up my computer this morning and noticed an article on MSNBC about recession-proof travel and Dollar-Friendly Destinations. The only U.S. destination listed is the Santa Ynez Valley — the area in which Solvang is located. Wow, Solvang! It’s not only a spectacular area, a delightful little town, but an excellent value for your travel dollar.
Our Solvang accommodations could not have been better. We chose the Hadsten House Inn and Spa right on the main street of Solvang. A perfect location for walking around town, the inn was also a terrific choice for beautiful accommodations and dining. You’ve got to check out its Web site and see what I mean about luxurious room accommodations! And I would highly recommend its brand new spa — the Haven Day Spa — that offered a terrific range of services. Ginny and I indulged ourselves in the 75-minute massage! Probably the best massage treatment I’ve ever had! 
Seriously. Read the rest of this entry »
The Danish certainly know how to delight visitors. Just came back from what my friend Ginny and I consider “The Perfect Place for a Girlfriend Getaway.” And we do mean perfect.
You’d love to visit New York again. But you’re dying to see Boston … or maybe Philadelphia or D.C. You can only afford one trip this season. Which city will you choose? Now you don’t have to choose just one city after all.
Introducing 2-city roundtrip travel on Midwest Airlines and an inexpensive fare between cities on the brand new Bolt Bus. Read the rest of this entry »
Washington’s National Cherry Blossom Festival started last Saturday and I certainly didn’t want to miss it this year. So Mary-Pat and I headed out early Saturday morning and spent the weekend enjoying the sights and scents of DC in the spring.
Because Mary-Pat is a recently-retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, we opted to make this a military gals getaway and she made arrangements for us to stay on a military post.
It’s just 45 minutes from the Atlanta airport — you don’t even have to drive into Atlanta to get there. Historic Banning Mills is a family-owned and operated country inn, B&B, resort, team-building retreat and conservation center that will take your breath away!
Read the rest of this entry »
The third leg of the mid-air tour was to be done on a high wire — a single wire traversing 60-80 feet of open air. Oh, we had side wires to hold on to and we did for dear life. But it turned out to be something we just stepped out and did, although quite carefully. 
The zip line we had just traversed was fun. I kept my eyes open. I took in all the beautiful scenery. And I landed on my feet. It went fast, but no butterflies or flip-flops in my stomach as the zip line was more horizontal than vertical. No big plunge as on a roller-coaster or bungee jump. Very, very fun.Then we discovered that the next several legs of the canopy tour did not involve flying in the air, but walking on air! Oh-h-h my!
Read the rest of this entry »
Maybe you’re an adventurer, an X-Treme sport nut. Maybe you can’t even remember the first time you traversed a zip line. But Jamie, Loralee and I are not really X-Treme — well at least we weren’t X-Treme until we took the zip line “plunge” in Georgia. Now we think of ourselves as pretty X-Treme, I guess. We went out to Historic Banning Mills specifically to put ourselves to the test — the Tree Canopy Tour looked like fun, but could we really do it? Read the rest of this entry »
How good are you at facing difficult situations? Putting “mind over matter” to do what needs to be done, no matter how challenging? I have an adventure that will certainly test — X-tremely test — your mental stamina.
I just came back from Georgia (right outside of Atlanta) where I and two friends took this X-Treme test. It challenged our beings down to the very core. When we were done, we knew what we were made of. It took our fears (and make no mistake, at least one of us had significant fears) and reduced them to nothing. Then, after 3 hours, we looked back and said, “We did that?!!!” We did indeed and lived to tell about the adventure.
It was the Canopy Tree Flight at Historic Banning Mills Resort and Team-Building Center in Whitesburg, GA. But this “flight” was much more than a zipline — way more than we anticipated. It was about 3 hours of white-knuckle challenge. When we talk about it today to our friends and co-workers, the thought of what we did makes their stomachs flutter. It was fun. I’ll start to unravel the full adventure in my next post. But you can check out my pre-trip post for a glimpse of what we were to encounter.
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I’ve got a lot of fun trips planned for 2008!
Call your friends, pack your bag and fly. Las Vegas sounds terrific right about now. See my post about my last Las Vegas trip. 
And I don’t believe the airfare can get much better than this. Read the rest of this entry »
Just east of Columbus, Ohio is an area rich in country charm, quality craftsmanship and down-home comforts. 
An area that creeps into Appalachia, this part of the country is known for exceptional handmade crafts and antique finds.
Midwest has about 4 daily nonstops roundtrips to/from Milwaukee and two nonstops from Kansas City (plus more flights with easy connects in Milwaukee).
And I just Googled rental cars at CMH (Columbus airport) and found that Priceline offers cars starting at $12-$15 per day (and that’s before you even bid on them for a lower rate!) Of course, rental cars, like airline seats, are subject to demand and availability. So search an aggregator like kayak.com; follow the deal leads it gives you. Then go right to the car rental company site to see if there’s an even better deal. Once you find the lowest price, go to priceline.com and bid even lower. Use all these resources to help stretch your travel budget.
NEXT: More on Potteries, Glass, Antiques, Amish, B&Bs in Longaberger Basket Land
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I’ve got a lot of fun trips planned for 2008!
Don’t forget to check my NYC event calendar (at the top of the page) to see special events that might be happening when you visit. (It’s a work-in-progress, so check back often.)
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I’ve got a lot of fun trips planned for 2008!
FARE SCOOP!
If you’ve been dreaming of a trip to New York, you should do it now. When do you think you’ll ever see an airfare as low as $74 each way again — this is an individual airfare on Midwest Airlines, not a group rate!
This unbelievable fare is between Milwaukee and NYC’s La Guardia Airport. Catch a shuttle or cab and you’ll be on Fifth Avenue (or Canal Street) in no time at all. Read the rest of this entry »
Car rental is one area in which I know I can save money for my girlfriends getaway if I do some online homework. You can, too. Here’s how I do it:
Use Your Airline Miles. What a great way to save money on your getaway airfare! But plan well in advance of travel to be sure you can book the flight you’d prefer.Don’t have quite enough miles for a ticket? Check if your airline allows you to “buy” the additional miles you need. Could be much cheaper than buying a whole ticket. Midwest Airlines still offers roundtrip tickets for 25,000 miles. Or $150 + 15,000 miles. Worth checking out.
Book tickets during a fare sale or at a special small group discount. That means planning ahead — even months ahead — to get the best deal on your airline of choice.
Look for Nonstop Flights. Time really is money. You want to maximize your getaway experience and spend as little time on an airplane as possible.Nonstop flights rock!
Use a Credit Card That Gives You Miles. There’s nothing better than getting a free flight. You can do that when you earn miles with your credit card, not only on airline tickets but on everyday purchases. You could easily earn a free flight every year (or even more) — making your girlfriend getaways more affordable!
Thank you to all my readers. I am delighted to report that the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) has awarded my blog — girlfriendsgetaway.wordpress.com — an Award of Merit in the Corporate Blog category. 
This award recognizes innovation in the world of corporate blogs.
Now TravelswithTish(dot)com
As most of you know, I am in the process of transferring that blog’s content to my new site. Travelswithtish(dot)com affords me more latitude in offering you additional information about travel destinations and links to other travel resources. Look for a travel forum to appear soon and some additional travel-related topics.
Boston’s Italian North End
The North End is still a very cool area of the city and, unlike NYC’s Little Italy, it remains the place where many of Italian heritage still choose to live. That’s its charm. Narrow streets, lots of little Italian restaurants, neighborhood folks coming and going, a neighborhood school. And with its close proximity to 
Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the Freedom Trail, etc.(just a few blocks away), the North End seemed a perfect place to stay.
If I had all the time in the world, I’d follow this itinerary from New York Magazine. But then I’d need another day or two 
to decompress — in New York, of course.
See what you think. The article hits all the best shopping in the city as well as some of the best places to dine. Pick and choose a few from each day in their itinerary and create your own kind of shopping and dining experience.
Don’t Forget …
Air fares low and New York hotels are looking for guests during January and February. Prices are not likely to be any better in NYC than right now. So get a few gals together and shop!
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I’ve got a lot of fun trips planned for 2008!
What an opportunity for certified Scuba divers! Baltimore’s National Aquarium at the Inner 
Harbor permits divers the opportunity to explore two of its big tanks.
Diving days are limited but include January 19, February 16 and March 15. Get the details.
Low Airfares to Baltimore.
Check Midwest Airlines for low fares on nonstop flights to Baltimore.
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I’ve got a lot of fun trips planned for 2008!
You can spend a lovely day browsing, shopping and visiting with friends if you make it a day trip from Dallas/Ft. Worth. Just 10 minutes from the airport, Grapevine offers both quaint shopping along its main street or high-power outlet shopping at the edge of town.
If you’ve been to San Francisco already, but would love to see more of its countryside (oceanside?), check out this post from RealTravel. Read the rest of this entry »
TriBeCa is a trendy section in Lower Manhattan – restaurants, shops and, of course, its annual film festival is well known. Chinatown, Soho, Little Italy and the financial district (Ground Zero) are all within walking distance. Read the rest of this entry »
Just came back from two terrific days in Baltimore. My friend, Ginny, and I flew a Midwest Airlines regional jet out on Sunday morning; came back late Monday night. 
Plenty of time to take in the city’s famous Inner Harbor and a few other great nearby spots. Ginny had never been to Baltimore and really liked it.
Soho, Greenwich Village, Little Italy and Chinatown are just some of the places in Lower Manhattan that intrique me. My friend, Sandy, and I had a great getaway there last year although neither of us had been to that part of Manhattan before. It was an experiment that worked out really well. Read the rest of this entry »
