How to Plan the best Vaca... EVER!

So, its almost the amazingly dreadful time of year. You know, the time when your super happy but really sad and nervous. When you want to be flawless but look effortless. It's the infamous "back to school" conundrum. 

You may be just starting college or getting ready to send the children off to school as they begin their journey into adulthood. Wherever you fall on this scale you have time. Time for what you ask, oh just to book the most amazing vacation ever!!! 

While most people are getting ready for back to school, I am getting ready for vacations. That's right I'm in travel planning mode and you can be as well. It's not too hard or overly complicated. In fact most websites or apps make it quite easy to book. 

Here is a quick and carefree guide to booking an amazing vacation. 

1. Pick your travel date/s 
You have to decide if you wan thanksgiving with the parents or Christmas in Cannes. Maybe you want to be close for the holdays so spring break is more ideal. Once you have your dates you can move to step 2. 

2. Pick a location 
In my opinion this is by far the hardest step. There are so many places in the world to explore how can you just pick one? Ummm easy, don't! You can book more than one vacation, or extend your vacation by having multiple destinations (it's not as expensive as the 'cha-ching' sound in your head is implying)

Looking for winter wonders check out this cool link 
Looking for Summer in the winter like me? Heat it up here

3. Book the flight/s
Now, this can be a bit overwhelming but I'll share my personal tricks for success. 


 I use hopper, this phone application is absolutely amazing. I select my dates and location/s and it notifies me when the flights are at their lowest and/or the highest. I fly to Japan round trip for less than $800!!!! Yea, you read that correctly. This application is my travel friend! Well, if apps had the capacity to maintain friendships (shrugs). 

I also LOVE LOVE LOVE JetBlue! They ALWAYS have travel deals on flights. Now, is the perfect time to take advantage. There's one way flights to Aruba from New York for less than $200 p/p! Don't believe me? Check it out below.

These are my two faves but there's more especially if you choose all-inclusive. Speaking of that let's detour..

3a. If you choose all inclusive cause you want tropical/carribean vibes. Here are some great websites to help with that. 

Cheap Carribean- it's the first site I used to book an all-inclusive vacation. They have an abundance of options, pick the country, pick the hotels and you can choose the amenities you want. It's AWESOOMMMEE! (and my personal go to when lookin for a quick getaway) 

Bookit- is also another great website. There are all sorts of great ways to save on this site. There are several ways to refine your search and get that perfect vacation!

4. Pick a hotel/Bed and breakfast or Air BNB: because Europe doesn't offer all-inclusive 

This step is usually the easiest for me. I know what my comforts are and what I like to have when I travel. Therefore, hotels are easier for me but, like most things this comes with time and learning through mistakes. 

Here's some options to help with those mistakes:

cheaphotels.org has super inexpensive deals for local and international destinations. The best part is, its NOT just hotels! Yes, that's right, there are apartments, rooms and homes for rent. So you can really pick what you like and not break the bank. 

TripAdvisor.com- is a great place to start if you are not sure what kind of hotel you are looking for. Once you find the hotel, you can check out other sites to see which one has the best rates for the dates of your choice. 

Often, times it might be best to book directly with the hotel. As they ay have special rates and offers not advertised on third party websites. 

Hey! Guess what? Once you finish those simple steps you've done it! That's right you booked your perfect vacation. 

Now, the only thing left to do is save the date and get ready to lice your best life. 

Let me know what places you use to book your vacations in the comments. 

Thanks for stopping by and Traveling with May

Mexican Secrets... Tell Every One!

I recently went to Mexico, again, with my mom. This was part of her Mother's Day gift and an opportunity to bond, get out of the city but mostly, just relax.

I've been to Mexico quite a few times, usually it's for a celebration or event. I never go to unwind, there's always so much to do and see. However, I decided this time, I'm going to just relax, literally, do nothing. Best. Decision. Ever.

In doing this, I was able to fully explore what the hotel had to offer. I was able to see if they meet the expectations set on the website and travel sites. 

I stayed at the Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun, Mexico. I know, when you think of Cancun, relax does not come to mind, but it was actually very peaceful. Let me explain why...

The Hotel
The resort is located at the end of the island, literally, and it's so quiet. There is about a 15 minute drive to the resort once you enter the grounds. Which screams privacy and I loved it!

The check-in process is standard and includes a glass of champagne for all guest and cool hand towels. 

The room included a private pool, also known as a swim-out, with central air that can be controlled by the occupants. The TV offered a wide variety of shows, in English, Spanish and Italian. I personally kept it on the music station, because hotel rooms are made for dancing! 

The bathroom was gorgeous, there was a jacuzzi tub, walk in shower, dual sinks with lighted mirrors and a basket of toiletries (replenished daily). 


The Food
Of course, one of the benefits of vacation is eating, everything! I totally did that and then some. There were seven restaurants on the resort offering everything from Sushi to Indian food. 

I ate at each restaurant during our stay, whether for lunch or dinner or two dinners. The food was soooo delicious! During the afternoon there is a pop-up restaurant of sorts by the pool. They offer paella, grilled seafood, chicken, steak, plenty of salads, veggies and cucumber lime water. The water was so refreshing.

I loved watching them cook the food in front of me and taking in the aroma of seasonings, it was heaven for my tastebuds. 

The best part about the food is... there's more! Yes, that's right. The resort offers access to the hotel next door for meals as well. And they were just as tasty and accommodating. 

The Fun Stuff
Now, for the section we've all been waiting for... the fun stuff.

The resort offers plenty of activities throughout the day, if you can leave the beautiful beach or the cool pool. There are water aerobics, salsa classes, painting sessions, traditional Mayan ceremonies, and of course water sports. The jet skis were in full throttle throughout the vacation.

There is a beautiful spa that can be accessed daily. There is an offer for packages at check in and an opportunity to utilize the coupons for the resort for various services. We had massages, and yes it was the best part of my day. (This service is additional to the booking price.)

Oh, there is a movie theater on the resort and they offer nightly shows filled with live music, fire shows and other performing acts.

The hotel truly offers something for everyone and the best part is you can access the resort next door as well for even more things to do. 

The resort next door offers amazing activities, including a water park, and two lazy rivers. There are two water slides that are quite high, but just enough to get the rush you need before splashing into the water. 

Wrap Up
The staff is super friendly and very accommodating. There was nothing I needed but whatever I wanted it was by my side in less than five minutes. They allow you to feel as though you are being waited on hand and foot and it is much appreciated, especially, when that is the goal. 

It's truly a good time... and did I mention it was All-Inclusive! 

If anyone is seeking a great way to unwind in Cancun, Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort is definitely the way to go. 

Mommy Views 

I hope you check it out for yourself and Travel with May as you do! 

All Inclusive... Is It Worth It?

So, you’ve decided you’re taking a vacation. You want sun, sand, and drinks in your hand. As you begin to research, you see these astronomical prices for just three nights. Ummm no way!

As you keep scrolling there are some more reasonable prices but they are labeled “All-Inclusive” and of course, here comes skepticism, with ‘that can’t be true.’ Guess what? It is! 

When researching for travel, there will be a constant option for All-Inclusive and, of course, you want to know if it’s worth it. Well, let’s discuss.

All-Inclusive can mean two things:

1-flight, hotel, food, and transportation to and from the airport

2-hotel, food, drinks and activities. 

So, it really depends on what you are looking for when traveling, in addition to the location, and time of year. 

I believe All-Inclusive is a great way to save money while ensuring you will get the most bang for your buck! It’s an opportunity to explore things you my not be able to without the All-Inclusive package like dance lessons, art classes or even free massages! Yes, you read that right, free massages!

When I travel, specifically to tropical locations, I prefer All-Inclusive. Its better for me to know I am receiving all of the food, drinks (top shelf of course), and amenities that I would like, prior to arrival. It also allows the flexibility of activities like, water skiing, parasailing, nature excursions and other cultural activities. There is no rush to participate in any specific activity as they are usually offered daily, unless weather conditions don’t permit. Did I mention the room service… can you say cherry on top! 

It’s also better, if it is a family vacation. Some hotels have water parks, baby sitting and daily activities to keep children occupied at the set price with no surprises. 

Think about, if you purchase a round trip flight for $650, book a hotel for $550, pay $95 for transportation to and from the airport. That’s $1200 so far and what about the children? You still need to eat and will have to purchase breakfast, lunch and diner AND of course you want to do the fun stuff, like swimming with dolphins or horseback riding on the beach. You have easily racked up over $2000 for 4 nights and 5 days. No, thank you! 

I will happily take the All-Inclusive rate of $1600 (not including the price for children) for the same service with everything included and, I always have the option to upgrade should I feel the need to. I can enjoy my vacation and relax without worrying about over spending or questioning if I’m really getting the best deal at the restaurant or activity. 

Perhaps, I believe the absolute best part about the All-Inclusive option is the trip insurance. It is peace of mind if there are any unexpected situations that may cause you to delay or even cancel the trip. It may be an additional fee but, trust me, it’s worth it. Besides, if it is used you can always book another vacation with the credits. That’s a definite WIN! 

I love to travel and I love to get the most for my money and this is amazing way to do both. It ensures a good time with a guarantee of your needs, wants and desires being met. 

Overall, in my opinion All-Inclusive packages are a great way to get quality service for a quality price. Any tropical destination is worth All-Inclusive. The best part is there are plenty of websites that do the hard work for you, they compare and allow you to choose what amenities and services you are looking for and then… BOOM… here is your vacation, on the screen and waiting to be booked. 

I hope this helped. Now, go, book that trip! So you can begin Traveling with May!