No Hidden Fees!

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Over the course of the next few days, vacation prices displayed on our website, as well as in all Apple Vacations’ advertisements, now include all taxes and fees associated with the airfare. If our prices seem higher, it’s because they’re now inclusive of these taxes and fees. There’s no need to search the fine print for exclusions – the advertised price is the final price you pay! Of course, you still have the opportunity to add optional “Apple Extras” to your vacation, including AV-OK Total Vacation Security which is no longer pre-selected during the booking process. As always, round-trip airport/hotel transfers are included in your vacation price to Mexico and most Caribbean destinations. With Apple, vacation planning has never been easier! Learn more about the new DOT regulations. >

DOT & What You Need to Know

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Rules for advertising vacation packages are changing effective January 26, 2012.  Beginning on this date, the Department of Transportation has required that all sellers of U.S. air transportation advertise the “entire price to be paid by the customer for that transportation, air tour or an air tour component”.

What does this mean to you?  Effective January 26, 2012 all Apple Vacations’ advertised pricing will change.  The price you see in our advertisements will be the complete cost of the vacation including all taxes and fees associated to the airfare.  You will still have the opportunity to add “Apple Extras” to your vacation that can increase your overall vacation price, however, that choice is strictly up to you!  Apple Vacations offers a wide variety of “extras” to enhance your vacation experience including: AV-O.K. Total Vacation Security Plan, Preferred Perks Plus (where available) and numerous resort and destination specific excursions.

A special note to Travel Agents
Any advertising you, as a Travel Agent, place in the market using prices from our website, quoted from our reservation system or taken from our advertisements (emails, website, newspaper ads, faxes, radio ads, etc.) are bound by the same DOT regulations and penalties including any additional services fee you add.

Below are the Final Rules as stated by the DOT. Continue reading →

Breckenridge: Winter Sport Revolutionary and Artsy Haven

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History lessons and ski vacations seem like an unlikely pair, but for Breckenridge Resort, it’s their 50th anniversary and that is exactly what they want people to think about: its history. On December 16, 1961 Breckenridge Resort opened with a double chairlift and a short T-Bar. Over 39 million skiers and snowboarders later, Breckenridge has hit many firsts in the winter sport industry throughout its 50 year history.

The town itself dates back to the summer of 1859 when gold was discovered along the Blue River. The discovery gave way to a bustling mining town and laid the groundwork for Breckenridge’s 350 historic structures that exist today. For years, gold and mining was the town’s pulse until the early 1940s when World War II efforts required mines to focus on melting down metals instead of drawing out metals. After World War II Breckenridge’s prospects were not looking good as it headed toward ghost town status with less than 400 residents in 1960. The hope of skiing, however, brought about Breckenridge’s renaissance when Rounds and Porter Lumber Company of Wichita, Kansas decided to take a stab at the growing popularity of winter sports.

From 1961 onward, Breckenridge has been dolling out firsts in the ski resort world. In 1981, they installed the first high-speed quad chairlift on Peak 9, which catapulted the high-speed quad chairlift revolution. Three years later, Breckenridge did another first in the state of Colorado by opening up the mountain to snowboarding. More than a decade later, Breckenridge was the most popular ski resort in the US with 1,392,242 skier/snowboarder visitors in 1999. In the same year, the resort added the country’s first six-passenger chairlift.

As the firsts continue, the past is not forgotten. The town and its history is what make a trip to Breckenridge even more memorable. The historic district, which is the largest in the state of Colorado, is Victorian-like. The authentic buildings are full of galleries, great dining options and boutique shopping. The Arts District alone is home to entertainment year round with live music, a theater and visual art exhibits from resident artists. The town is also full of massive snow sculptures during the winter, which gives the town a unique western bohemian vibe.

Breckenridge Resort pioneered the way people access the mountain. Being at the forefront of the chairlift evolution and through paving the way for snowboarders it’s clear why Breckenridge is an obvious choice for any winter sport enthusiast. Matched by a town with even more history and personality, there is no question as to why Breckenridge continues to be on the top of any vacationers list seeking the ultimate western experience. 

Want to WIN 3 nights lodging at the Village at Breckenridge for two people with 2 x 2 day lift tickets?

Click here to ENTER

Winter Blues

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It happened. I officially have the post-holiday, it’s-too-cold-to-get-out-of-bed, wake me when it’s April, doldrums. It started on a Monday this year (naturally). It’s that sad, sad moment when I woke up and realize the holidays are now just a memory. I can no longer eat cookies for breakfast, the only pine smell filling my home will come from my vacuum cleaner, and aside from shimmer of hope offered by Valentine’s Day, I have absolutely nothing to look forward to until the first flowers pop in April.

Wait, it gets worse.

It also flurried.

The first official flurry of the season sets me into a panic stricken, snow-driven shame spiral. Stage one, First Flurry Freakout, lasts approximately 15 seconds, and goes a little something like this:

“Is that snow? It’s snowing. That’s not really snow. It is. No it isn’t. Wait, it is. It definitely is. I can’t leave the house. I despise driving in the snow. Do I have canned goods? Do I have good tires? Do I have bread, milk and eggs? No? But I must. I knew I should have gone to the market. We probably should have bought a snow blower. I refuse to shovel. Maybe this is the only snow we will see this year. Think of those poor folks stuck on Lake Shore Drive last year in the Chicago blizzard. I miss Chicago. I miss the shopping on Michigan Avenue. It could be worse; I could be in Michigan – in February. Why didn’t we just buy that snow blower? Remember when snow was fun? The DMV should warn you that the true cost of possessing a driver’s license is losing that magical snow day feeling. We should have moved to Mexico. Next year, we’re definitely moving to Mexico. Does everyone make French Toast when it snows? That’s it. I can’t leave my house. It’s unsafe. I have to quit my job. Say goodbye to my friends. And crawl back into bed for three months. Black ice will never find me there.“

Don’t worry. The above is completely internal.

Once my initial snowspasm grinds to a blinding halt, I commence stage two, the dreaded, three-month long, First Flurry Funk. And alas fine Juice readers, that’s where I am. I wish I could be beach blanket blogging from a beautiful seaside resort, but my next vacation isn’t scheduled until April 1. A crippling 86 days away. (Side note, we’re going to the Riviera Maya, of course, and taking my parents along for the ride. It’ll be their first time ever in Mexico at an All-Inclusive resort, and my father hates sand. It’ll be interesting.)

So why 86 days away? Why not tomorrow? Why, it’s busy season, folks. This is the time we in Reservations and our travel agent partners dig our heels in and book the bulk of your sunny vacations. See, I’m not the only one who gets the Winter Blues. Apparently, it’s a relatively normal process and sends folks on a mad dash to get to a warm and sunny destination.

As I write this, I just grabbed my smart phone and used our On The Go app to check the weather in Cancun. 82° and sunny. Philly? Feels like 46°. And it’s a “good day” here. Sigh.

So here’s my point. If you have the ability to throw on some sunblock and get somewhere warm, why are you still reading this? Now’s the time. We have amazing deals, some of the most affordable peak-season vacation packages we have ever offered. So pack those bags and get beach bound, babies. There’s no better way to burn off the calories consumed over the holiday than breaking a sweat poolside. And please feel free to post your pictures and stories to our Facebook site. It’s the only way this chilly girl can live vicariously through your travels.

Jackson Hole

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Gnarley and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort are synonymous. Even though the mountain’s epicness usually refers to its out of bounds territory, with over 4,000 feet in vertical rise, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s terrain leaves something to desire for every type of skier and snowboarder. It’s the ultimate mountain with the ultimate terrain.

Something that many people are not familiar with is how it came to be one of North America’s greatest ski destinations. Skiers started scaling and descending the Tetons as early as 1929. From then on Jackson Hole became home to ski “circuses,” the Teton Ski Club, Olympic ski team members and officially opened as a ski resort in 1965.

Under all these years of history is a cool story about a secret society of expert local skiers – the Jackson Hole Air Force – who literally pushed the boundaries of skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Founding members Benny Wilson and Howard Henderson named this fraternity of sorts after its mission: bomb down uncharted territory, huck off cliffs to get some air, bomb down some more, get some more air and repeat. In order to achieve this cycle of ski, air, ski, air Benny and his friends skied out of bounds violating Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s strict policy against out of bounds skiing.

After years of ducking the ropes and eluding the Jackson Hole ski patrol as well as police, the mountain decided to embrace out of bounds terrain and today offers over 5,000 acres of back-country skiing in the Bridger-Teton National Forest to its guests. Ironically, the Jackson Hole Air Force paved the way for an unprecedented guiding program in the United States. You can sign up for a Backcountry Guide experience with “European style off-piste” touring including hiking, mountaineering and downhill riding. The resort guiding program also offers Backcountry Camps for those wanting to earn their Avalanche Level 1. These programs promote the same kind of self discovery that motivated the Jackson Hole Air Force members to duck those ropes some 20 years ago.

Do not fret if backcountry and avalanche courses are not what you are looking for in a ski vacation. This history is what makes Jackson Hole what it is today, but does not define it. There is something for every type of skier and snowboarder. There are nice long groomers as well as great first time terrain. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is all about taking what you know whether it is nothing to expert knowledge and help you to grow. That might mean following in the legendary steps of the Jackson Hole Air Force or just wanting that one successful ride up the tram and down a groomer.