Dreams Palm Beach is only 15 minutes from the airport, this 500-room property has a MUCH smaller feel. The resort features five a la carte restaurants (one of those, the Bordeaux, being adults only), the Coco Cafe where you can get just about anything you’d be able to get at a Starbucks, 3 beautiful pools, a stunning beach with tons of shade and lounge chairs, an Explorer’s Club for ages 3–13, a 2-story Teen Core Zone for ages 14–17 and a beautiful spa.

The Preferred Club offers private check in, private lounge, a la carte breakfast and lunch, free Internet access and a private lounge.  …Read More>>

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On the flight down to Cancun, I heard the woman behind me say at least 10 times that she was worried about getting to the hotel. She was booked through Apple Vacations and the person in the aisle next to her reassured her that if she looked for the flowered shirts she would be fine. To prove how easy it was I took out my FLIP video camera after we cleared immigration.

I wanted to show everyone, who may go on an Apple Vacation to Cancun or Riviera Maya what to (and what not to) look for.

I travel often enough and know what to expect. For those who do not I thought this may be helpful. …Read More>>

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I am heading out on a family vacation today! I will be sharing with you all the places I am going to see in Riviera Maya over the next week, and some family travel tips! Hopefully by the time you are reading this I am already en route to Riviera Maya! I promise to report as much info on the two new NOW Resorts since we have lots of questions on Facebook about them.

For now I start with travel tips. First tip. Involve your child ahead of time.

I am not one to surprise a child with a vacation. Last weekend we pulled out the suitcases and I helped him pick out the clothes and the “select” toys he could bring. This way, when we get to resort, he already knows what he has with him. He does not ask for things we did not pack. I find this works really well for us. Plus, they may have reasoning you never thought of. I told my son (last trip, and again this one) to pick out 5 shirts. He picked out 5 Philadelphia Phillies shirts and 1 flyers shirt. I said why? He said because that way everyone who sees him will know he is from Philadelphia. OK, so 5 Phillies shirts it is. …Read More>>

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If you want to stay earth friendly, stay at a resort that is trying to make a difference. They are available in all price ranges. Do your research, don’t just pick a hotel because it says “Eco” but check on their website to see what they are actually doing.  I did some searching of Mexico & The Caribbean and here is the information on two resort chains that stood out to me: Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts and Sandos Caracol Eco-Resort & Spa. The info below is taken directly from their sites.

Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts offer their guests a new and unique vacation experience focused on wellness, serenity and romance, as well as social and environmental responsibility. They are also defined by their socially responsible and environmentally sensitive philosophy. They respect the beauty of their spectacular settings by recycling, carefully controlling energy usage, minimizing air pollution and protecting marine life. Their stewardship reaches beyond their own property and into nearby towns and villages through community projects and volunteer guest programs. At Zoëtry Casa del Mar Los Cabos , the socially responsible and environmentally-friendly practices range from an extensive paper and water recycling and reuse process to weekly beach cleaning campaigns. …Read More>>

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In honor of EARTH DAY tomorrow I thought I would point out some SIMPLE tips on being earth friendly when you travel, and some resorts that are trying to make a difference.

The first tip to being earth friendly is use common sense!

If you can use a towel again, hang it up, and do so. Don’t ask housekeeping to replenish daily if they don’t need to.

If you will be out for a lengthy time, don’t leave your air conditioner blasting. Some hotels have even installed motion sensors or timers now to prevent this.

Conserve electricity by turning off your TV and lights when you leave the room.

Just because you are at an “all–inclusive” does not mean you should take everything in sight. It’s not all you CAN eat, but rather CARE to eat. Don’t take 10 bottles of water if you only need 5, or 20 packets of sugar if you only need 2.  Just because things are “all–included” does not mean they are FREE, you already paid for them. Take what you need, when you need it, but don’t waste simply because you can. …Read More>>

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