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Depending on your interests, you may prefer to spend your vacation time relaxing and soaking up the sun on a sandy beach or a relaxing cruise, swimming, snorkeling or diving, sailing or canoeing, hunting or fishing, water or snow skiing, golfing, playing tennis, camping, hiking, mountain climbing, skiing, bicycling, horseback riding, para-sailing, attending a spectator sporting event, sightseeing at historical, natural wonders, or man-made sights and attractions, attending culinary or music festivals, attending the performing arts, visiting museums, bird-watching, performing volunteer public service, reuniting with  friends and/or relatives, or just plain vegetating and relaxing at home or spa.

Most active working employees are entitled to 1-4 weeks of hard-earned paid vacation, (Time-Off) in the United States, (five to six weeks in several European nations), depending on their years of service to the employer.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

The choice of allocation of one’s limited leisure time, whether to chill and remain at home and work in the garden, make those delayed household improvements or travel on an eagerly awaited vacation, requires several critical decisions by you:  

• Destination: First, you must decide: Where do you wish to vacation? When planning, be certain to check Passport/Visa and health requirements of your intended destination/destinations, as well as your originating country’s restrictions on travel.  U.S citizens should check the latest State Dept. Travel Alerts: http://travel.state.gov/travel/warnings.html  or call 202-647-5225. 
  
• When? Often times, your choice is limited either by seniority or “black-out” periods determined by your employer. The intended focus of your vacation also plays a major factor on when to travel. If you wish to snow ski, certainly don’t plan to visit Aspen or Park City during the summer months. South America, yes for skiing in the summer months as the seasons are reversed, but skiing on rocks in the Northern Hemisphere could be hazardous to your health!  Caribbean cruising in the Fall months of August, September, October, & early November is playing Russian roulette with rain & hurricanes. The summer months are warm, hot, steam bath. Planning a European fling? Determine when the Europeans close up shop and take their vacations: avoid, as many closures take place.
  
• Duration? How long do you wish to be gone from home? Sorry, but ‘Unlimited’, while certainly desirable in your wildest dreams, assuming your budget could handle it, is not a viable answer to your employer! If you are self-employed, unlimited vacations often lead to ruination of businesses-while you’re off gallivanting around the world, your most trusted employees may be stealing you blind!
  
• Time of year to travel? This is perhaps your most critical decision, as it will affect your comfort, enjoyment, affordability and overall cost. We will point out the preferable times to visit as well as to avoid. Always check far in advance for major conventions in convention cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta, and New York City, which could adversely affect your choice of room availability. Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Seoul are other prominent convention destinations. If you wish to attend special events or festivals, be forewarned that you will predictably encounter crowds and lodging will command maximum rates. Major government and/or religious holidays and observances can adversely impact the willingness of retail merchants, restaurants and attractions to remain open. You should always check current information for the exact dates of events & festivals, holidays, and local observances before finalizing your travel plans.