Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, is home to more than a million people, so imagine the odds against one Canadian couple with travel plans between Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina finding a little-known spot in downtown Charleston known as Vacation Inspirations.

“We decided at the last minute to stop in Charleston, and now we can’t wait to go back,” said Patrick Dowsett. “It was while we were walking downtown in November of 2010 that we came across Vacation Inspirations, and we bought our membership. It was a very good decision.”

While Dowsett and his wife, Diana Dixon, a retired aerospace engineer with the Department of National Defence in Canada, had a taste of good food and good spirits on East Bay Street, they also found the key to their vacation bliss.

“Our first booking with Vacation Inspirations was a two-week vacation on the island of Fiji,” said Dowsett. “We stayed at two different top-notch resorts, the Tokoriki Island Resort – from our window we could see the island where the Tom Hanks movie “Castaway” was filmed – and the Outrigger Resort, which was a selection of Missie Blair of Vacation Inspirations. She had actually visited the resort and was able to recommend it personally. We were very surprised at the overall cost, and the amount of our rebate was even more thrilling.”

Choosing Fiji was easy because Dowsett and Dixon are avid scuba divers. They are already looking forward to their next trip to the Caribbean, through Vacation Inspirations, of course.

“We have received very good service from them and are saving our dollars for this next vacation. Through our first vacation, we already have earned back at least half of our startup cost, if not more, ” Dowsett said.

Patrick and Diana, both retired from the Royal Canadian Air Force, are looking forward to what the future holds.

“I was in the Air Force for 40 years as a pilot and had the pleasure of serving with many American airmen in Germany,” Dowsett commented. “We can’t wait to take more trips to the states and around the world. We would definitely recommend Vacation Inspirations to others.”

To learn more about Vacation Inspirations, visit www.CharlestonTravelAgency.com or call (866) 587-6448.

The Woodrows and others stayed at sea for almost nine hours before it was deemed safe enough to continue island hopping. Despite almost participating in one the worst natural disasters of the past century, they still describe their experience as “most enjoyable.”

“It’s hard to pick a favorite island in Hawaii as each has its own distinct beauty,” said Charles. “It’s very difficult to pick one over the other and I don’t think I can.”

Their vacation was even more enjoyable because they saved money by using Cruises, Travel and Attractions’ travel agency and utilizing its website, www.thevacationstationmembers.com. When it was all over, they rated the company’s customer service as excellent.

Best of all, because the Woodrows are members of Cruises, Travel and Attractions, they received a rebate check after their vacation was over, saving them even more money. While they are staying closer to home for their next vacation, Cruises, Travel and Attractions will still be available to help them plan their trip and keep more money in their pockets.

We had a good experience, so we booked another vacation this year through Cruises, Travel and Attractions and headed to Hawaii,” said Charles Woodrow. “While we won’t travel as far from home next time, we will definitely utilize our membership with Cruises, Travel and Attractions again.”

A 15-day vacation to Hawaii is a dream vacation and one the Woodrows won’t soon forget – but for another reason.

“We were on a cruise visiting some of the Hawaiian Islands when the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan,” Charles explained. “It was incredible, but we were kept informed of what was happening the entire time. The cruise line took us out to sea for about 25 miles to avoid getting hit ourselves. It was definitely a new and once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us.”

The Woodrows and others stayed at sea for almost nine hours before it was deemed safe enough to continue island hopping. Despite almost participating in one the worst natural disasters of the past century, they still describe their experience as “most enjoyable.”

We had a good experience, so we booked another vacation this year through Cruises, Travel and Attractions…

Related Network Site: Retirement in GA

Jekyll Island, one of the Golden Isles near Brunswick, Georgia, qualifies to be called unique.

Unlike many island communities, where condos and homes are packed as tightly as possible, Jekyll has retained its natural beauty. By law, only 35 percent of the island can be developed, leaving nearly two thirds of Jekyll in its original, natural state. This limited development–along with limited access to Jekyll Island itself–keeps the population in check and ensures that the 10 miles of unspoiled beaches remain that way.

“Georgia’s Jewel” offers much to the nature lover. The beach, of course, is ideal for walking, sunning and shell collecting, and you might even catch a glimpse of island wildlife such as deer bounding through the wooded dunes. Bird-watchers also are in for a treat; in addition to the local population, Jekyll Island is a resting spot for many migratory species along the Atlantic Flyway. In fact, the Island has been designated an “Important Birding Area” by the Georgia Audubon Society.

“Historic sites abound on the island, but the most impressive is the Jekyll Island
Historic District.”

While cars are permitted, many residents and visitors find that the best way to enjoy the island is on horseback or along more than 20 miles of paved bike paths. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, Jekyll Island offers a wide variety of water sports and activities, including kayaking, canoeing, fishing and boating.

As a natural habitat, Jekyll Island–like many island communities on the Southeast coast–is protective of the area’s sea turtles. The $2 million Georgia Sea Turtle Center, located in the historic 1903 Power Plant Building, was scheduled to open in June 2007.

Historic sites abound on the island but the most impressive is the Jekyll Island Historic District. In 1886, the island became a winter retreat for some of America’s wealthiest families, who built elegant “cottages” along the river as part of what was called The Millionaires Club. Today, most of those homes have been restored through the efforts of the Historic Preservation Department, a division of the Jekyll Island Museum. The cottages, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and many boutiques make up the Historic District.

For decades, only the wealthy enjoyed the natural beauty of Jekyll Island. Now it is your turn.

“We went for a week at a condo at Emerald Beach, and we were extremely pleased,” Lynn said. “It was just as they said it would be.”

“You could go online and look at the options, so you knew what you were getting,” Bill chimed in.
Another wonderful vacation was a cruise, a first for the Meyers. Booking the cruise and other arrangements were simpler thanks to CTA.

“We went out of Mobile,” Lynn explained. “All our questions were answered ahead of time. We were a little apprehensive because it was our first cruise, but everything fell into place.”

“We had a great time,” Bill added. With such great experiences during their first years of membership, the Meyers look forward to much more travel during their retirement years. And there is no doubt they will continue to save money during those vacations.

“They not only give you the best price available, you get a rebate on top of that,” Bill said.
The savings are impressive. Bill estimates they saved between $1,500 and $1,800 in just their first year. “I was impressed when I added up the
numbers,” he said.

The Meyers are looking forward to trying some of the “hot weeks” Atlanta’s Cruise, Travel and Attractions offers, when prices are exceptionally reasonable. They have also shared their experiences with friends, many of whom “are in awe,” according to Lynn. “We’re glad we took a bit of a risk to join, because the results have been great,” Lynn added.

Bill agreed wholeheartedly. “It’s a good deal,” he said.

It only took a postcard in her mailbox to pique Lynn Meyer’s interest in learning about Cruise, Travel and Attractions (CTA) of Atlanta, Georgia. It sounded like a good idea, and it was just a short trip to the nearby office to find out more. It turned out to be the first step to many journeys she’s taken with her husband Bill.

We went with a very open mind to hear what the program was about,” said Lynn.

Bill jumped in saying, “It turned out very interesting.” He continued by explaining that the CTA of Atlanta, Georgia folks actively work to find out where you would like to vacation – then they come up with suggestions.

“It’s kind of a neat idea,” Bill said.

The Meyers have been members since the summer of 2009, and they were anxious to try a variety of plans offered by CTA. For example, they wanted a vacation in Florida’s panhandle, so the staff at Cruise, Travel and Attractions presented several options from which to choose.