As we continue to work together I am sure you will see the value in working with a travel professional.

•Have Questions? – You know how to reach me after booking your vacation and can avoid the confusing FAQ section on a website.

•Want a more personal vacation? I can help you plan out your trip day- by -day to give you a good mix of fun and relaxation.

•Know what type of trip you want but not the destination? I can offer excellent trip advice based on the details of what experiences you want out of your trip.

•Trying to organize a trip for a big group of people? I am happy to help get all the details finalized and update everyone in your group.

Sterling Travel Inc.

• Couples All-Inclusive – Set in a more romantic environment, these properties cater to couples. There are no children around the property. Different properties have different “inclusive” items which can range from choices of romantic restaurants, watersports including scuba, catamaran cruises, golf, horseback riding, and more.
• Family All-Inclusive – Will tend to have a more carnival or festive family atmosphere. “Inclusive” items here can include extravagant pools: waterslides, waterfalls, even private waterparks, watersports and kids “clubs”.
• Gourmet Inclusive – Offers a lot of what the couples and family all-inclusives have with a focus on fine dining and premium beverages, star chefs, and quality service.
• Unlimited Luxury Inclusive – The name says it all! Luxury setting, beautiful architecture and gardens, extraordinary service, fitness center, spas, and more. 

Learn more at sterlingtravelinc.com

Hungary being one of the Central European countries has a long history and trouble Hungary’s location has been the cause of much of its troubled history. Currently the country is 1/3 of its original size (the result of its location and history.) The country’s population is less than New York’s, averaging about 10 million. Its capital Budapest is one of the best situated cities in Europe. It is divided by the Danube River making it a very scenic city. With the 12 bridges connecting both sides of the city along with having 2 islands in the middle of the river, is truly a beautiful site to see. The best time to see this is at night, when the bridges are all lit up and the main architectural wonders are lining both sides of the river in lighted splendor.

At first glance of a picture, Budapest can be confused with Prague. Both cities have a similar ambiance and look about them. They are both on a river and both have a royal palace on the hill-side. Leading to the palaces are the loveliest bridges. In Budapest its the Chain bridge, in Prague is the St Charles. Hungary is a very diverse country in looks and in culture.

If you are looking to get a great value for your money, she is most certainly the best place to visit. With its cosmopolitan cities, beautiful mountain ranges, flat lands, and its lakes, she has everything to offer with little time wasted on travel. Due to its size it is easy to see one end of the country to the other in less than 6 hours. Along the way the diversity is striking. The experience is unforgettable and the exchange is great. They are part of the European Union, but have their own currency, allowing you to get good exchange for your dollar. Their food is world renown and the music and cultural life is equal to any of the “advanced” western cultures. It is a great destination to visit in all seasons.

Spring and summer offer sporting and abundant nature trips, while fall and winter have splendid cultural venues to offer. It has castles, museums, historical and religious sites, that people do flock to. Hungary also has great entertainments, musical events, theaters and Musical concerts. All that you would expect from Europe can be found in this country, for a lot less than its western counterparts. Sports from formula one, to horseback riding, sailing, and river boating are all available in the seasons.

You can also visit the country on a river cruise down the Danube. If you choose to visit by a cruise, please consider making time for a Pre or Post stay to get to know this little country. Your food and wine experience will be unforgettable.

Please give us a call at (805)987-3425 and let one of our experts make arrangements for you, to have the best experience in Europe.

Agnes Szabo

Leisure Department Manager

It is back to routine with the holidays behind us and cold weather hanging over our heads. The children/ grandchildren are back in school and still talking about their winter break. Give them and yourself something fun to look forward to – your family spring break. Hard to believe, but it is just around the corner.

Whether your children are young or college age, time with the family is so valuable and a great way for you all to recharge your batteries to get ready for the tough end of school year schedule and exams.

Get the whole family involved in the trip planning process. Sit down with your family and determine your preferences. Often the best vacations center around common family interests. You can create memorable vacations that are not overly expensive. Discuss your budget and how you can work with the dollars available to plan an exciting family trip. Older children can help research the area before the trip and educate the family about the destination.

You will need to figure out what experience you want to get out of the trip before you can determine where you want to go and what options are available. Do you want your vacation to be a cultural or historic learning experience, a sun and fun relax at the beach experience, a physically active vacation, an adventure, or a chance to visit theme parks? There’s a world of options out there. Whether you’re ready to book or need suggestions, call Sterling Travel to help you.

You may have heard the great benefit of taking a cruise is that you unpack once in your room, and your whole room moves from destination to destination.  While that is REALLY convenient, there are some other benefits to cruising you may not know. 

Ease.  Not having to pack and unpack is only part of it….It is fantastic to wake up every morning in an exciting new port without having to get on buses, planes or trains to get there.  Each day brings a new adventure. You can enjoy ship activities, dining, and spectacular views in transit to the next destination.

Value. Cruising is a great value. You pay one price and your room, dining and entertainment are included in that price. You will find cruise ships offer great cuisine as part of your cruise price.   

Variety. There are so many new cruise ships with all different kind of activities and styles. Anyone can find a cruise that fits their dreams and their wallets. Cruise destinations vary from sun and fun, to educational, to wildlife and adventure and to everything in-between.

Entertainment. There is no end to the entertainment on cruise ships. You could keep yourself busy all day everyday with the different shows and activities. Families traveling together have all kinds of options. Many ships have children’s “camps” that entertain the kids and let parents enjoy some time on their own. Many of the ships also offer lecture series that allow passengers valuable insight and history about different destinations or other exciting topics.

Social. For outgoing people and even some shy people, cruising has an opportunity to meet some fascinating people. Many people have found great friends on board that they remain in touch with for years after. Some people have even been known to cruise again with their new friends they met on a cruise. 

Whatever vacation and destination dreams you have, there is a cruise that will meet your needs. Visit our website at sterlingtravelinc.com and see what cruises we have in store for the year 2012!

You may have noticed, now that you’re in your older years, traveling during the year-end holidays is getting more and more difficult. What once were minor inconveniences of driving to the airport, parking, going,through security and boarding your flight are now troublesome or more so than in previous years.

Maybe it’s time to let your body and the calendar tell you to do what you can to make this year’s travel schedule easier for you. Sometimes just the simple climate can have an effect on what and what you cannot do. A few simple tips are worth considering.

1. Know your physical limits in walking, climbing, carrying and doing other activities that are now more difficult for you. Make allowances for them. For example, travel with a carry-on instead of a heavy suitcase. When you feel tired at any time in your travels, find a safe place and get some rest, although everyone else may be in a rush prepare yourself and plan accordingly in case you do need to take breaks don’t let everyone else’s urgency overwhelm you.

2. If you’ll be driving long distances over the holidays, leave your house at dawn before rush hour traffic, allowing plenty of time on all aspects of your journey. If you’re the sole driver, rest every two hours and limit your day to no more than 10 hours, covering about 400 miles. If you have a travel partner set a schedule you drive X amount of hours and they do the same, giving you opportunities to stretch and move around when you change drivers.

3. Set your road travel schedule to airports and terminals so you arrive for your flight, bus or train departure at least an hour before the schedule listing. Avoid needing to rush through large terminals to get to security and check-in, because of course you never will.

4. Always be aware of security needs. While traveling, have a fully charged cell phone within reach at all times, day and night. Cue in numbers you can click instantly for help, such as 9-1-1, your doctor and family members who should know where you are throughout your travel schedule.

5. Eat lightly and at your regular times. If you’re on a heavy holiday travel schedule, whether air, train, bus or car, don’t over-indulge in food nor alcoholic drinks. If you’re driving long distances, especially at night, stay away from alcohol totally. Staying energized during your trip will help you make it through the day, eating fatty foods will slow you down and make you feel sluggish, like they say ”you are what you eat.”

6. Take enough of your prescribed medications to last throughout your holiday travels. Additionally, pack some over-the-counter pharmaceuticals in case of colds, upset stomach, arthritic pain and other unexpected ailments.

I hope some of these tips will help you get through your holiday travels, you can never be to prepared, everything will fall into place and don’t forget this is your vacation don’t let anyones rush slow you down or frustrate you.

We can design a high-quality, cost-effective incentive program that will impress and motivate everyone involved. Whatever the goal–increased sales, higher customer satisfaction, safety compliance – you can achieve it and engage your staff in a new and exciting way.

Why not use the time away to further motivate your best and brightest? Planning a meeting while away is a great way to rally an organization around a theme or goal. Your Sterling Travel agent can help with all the details.

We often do not look at Europe as a winter destination, but I have found it is a wonderful place to go in this low season time of year. The air fares are incredibly affordable and the attractions are not nearly as crowded when the weather is cold. True, you may need to pack boots, gloves sweaters and coats, but there’s a certain charm about Europe in winter that you will always remember. I particularly love Southern Germany prior to the Christmas holiday. At the end of November, most towns put on a “Christkindlemarkt,” a Christmas Market which is much more than the name portrays. The smells and sounds of these small festivals are wonderful. Little booths abound, that sparkle with little white lights while local vendors sell everything from hand carved items to lovely Christmas ornaments to wool hats. The hearty specialties like sausages and Gluewein taste particularly yummy in the brisk outdoors.

My husband and I often go to this area and love this time of year. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany’s best-preserved walled town is one of our favorites. There is a wonderful hotel – the Eisenhut – right in the middle of old town – is one of the finest small hotels in Germany with great views of downtown or the lovely Tauber valley. Imagine being in this charming medieval town with beautiful architecture everywhere dating as far back as 1400, approaching the city square, hearing a men’s choir singing carols and smelling the hot mulled wine spices wafting in the chilly air. This was our first impression walking through the lovely city at Christmas time. Just as we arrived a soft snow began drifting down and for us two Californians it was a like a dream!

Pat Kelly Randall

A romantic drive around some of the country’s most scenic settings is a great way to rev the engines of romance. Many states have designated stretches of road that have been deemed scenic, but these are the best of the best. Known for their striking beauty, these top five romantic drives are a great way to bring some romance to the road trip!  

1. The Pacific Coast Highway- Known for its graceful turns, seaside views and quirky small towns, driving along the edge of California is known to be one of the most beautiful drives in America.

2. Berkshires Foliage Drive-In the heart of Massachusetts, this drive is known not only for its gorgeous colors in the fall, but for the quaint New England towns it runs through.

3. Dutch Country- Wind along with Pennsylvania’s hills and dales as you explore a land populated by Amish crafts and homemade foods. Stop by the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmer’s market, and be sure to watch out for horse and buggies!  

4. Southern Blue Ridge Parkway- This drive goes from the charming town of Asheville N.C. to deep within Tennessee’s Smokey Mountains. Here you’ll find breathtaking vistas, thick forests, and small towns filled with Appalachian handicrafts.  

5. Big Island Belt Road-If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Hawaii, add this drive to create a unique romantic experience. Stop by one of the many black sand beaches to see rare green sea turtles and other aquatic life. Finish the trip with a bang, stopping by Volcanoes National Park to see active volcanoes oozing magma.