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By Eileen Ogintz Tribune Media Services Adjust font size:
    (Tribune Media Services) -- Not again! Just as we get ready for our much-needed summer vacations, gas prices go through the roof. Of course that's not going to keep us home. Not when we've got a Bat Mitzvah in Las Vegas, a wedding in Boston and we've promised the kids that this is the summer they'll finally get to meet Mickey Mouse. If anything, AAA spokesman Mike Pina suggests, families might opt to save on gas or plane tickets by vacationing closer to home. (Visit AAA's Web site, www.fuelcostcalculator.com Join forces with relatives or another family and save money on renting that beach house or lakefront cabin. You can also save as much as 20 percent if you book air and hotel together from sites like www.expedia.com Here's another money-saving idea: Think off-season. Consider vacation spots that are low season in summer and you'll not only save big bucks, but you can get your rest and relaxation in places you could only dream about in winter -- beautiful beaches, gigantic water playgrounds and spectacular spas. (We parents need a little break, too!) Take Florida, for example. The TradeWinds Islands Resorts near Tampa, www.justletgo.com Think Arizona. (Save 50 percent or more at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, www.kierlandresort.com Or choose Palm Springs where rates at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, www.hyattgrandchampions.com So what if it's hot. You're either going to be at the beach, the pool, the spa or in your air-conditioned room anyway. Play golf or tennis early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Besides, when else can you afford to take the kids to a fancy resort with all the bells and whistles? If you're bound for the Caribbean, it won't be that hot, thanks to the trade winds, and it'll be a bargain. For example, United Vacations, www.unitedvacations.com So many families opt for an island vacation in summer when hotels and air travel cost less. Resorts roll out the red carpet for kids, teens and their parents and offer special activities and packages. Even car rentals are cheaper in the Caribbean. Hertz, www.hertz.com Check out these other deals:  , welcomes single parents with a three-night package for just $699 for one parent and one child (each additional child is $175), including accommodations, breakfast, a dinner and a discovery swim with the dolphins., where I honeymooned, is open over the summer and touts discounts on a second room and free kids' camp., while parents save as much as 35 percent. Kids are also free at all-inclusive Viva Wyndham Resorts, www.vivawyndhamresorts.com, in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and the Bahamas.. Sail your own yacht for under $1,500 for a week. (You can hire a captain for a day to show you the ropes.), where you pay just $71 per child for five days, including accommodations, meals and some activities., which includes free continental breakfast and a $100 American Express gift card, as well as other restaurant discounts and a free tank of gas., and save 30 percent on villa rates. There are organized activities for kids and teens. for other Family Escape deals that can save you as much as $500.Got enough sunscreen? (For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com © 2007 EILEEN OGINTZ, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC. |
 | As nation gains, size 14 is new 10The little number on the tag on a pair of pants that indicates size can mean a lot to a person, and retailers know it. |
The Arawak Beach Inn on Anguilla offers packages for single parents.
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