Need Help Re: Package Deals
 

A friend of mine who lives in San Francisco, needs to use up some vacation time very quickly. She has asked me to help her find a good package deal to either Hawaii(Maui or Kaui) or somewhere in Mexico (Puerta Vallarta, Cozumel etc). My travel agent does fabulous with good fares, but not so great with package deals. Does anyone have any ideas where to look? Either the internet or actual person referral? I will check Sunday's paper, as I do know there are some good ones in there. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Dona Thornwall ([email protected]), living in the Bay Area runs as owner and CEO Escape Artist Tours Inc., is a good friend of mine (she helped me to escape the pest at the Superbowl in San Diego) and runs a Bay Area oriented tour/package-organization (http://www.sf-escapes.com).

I know she (and her websites) have links to Hawaii (but I haven't tried those tours for myself). But I guarantee that her tips and offers are good, real and very personal.

(Dona made me and my brother also 49er-season-ticket-holders: tickets that we mostly give or share to/with our Napa-valley-wine-producer-friends or make crazy short-weekend-travels there - as me last weekend: but the come-back from 0:21 to 34:31 was great to watch and together with the CatMan-committee-meeting worth the trip).

Ricechex-Great tip from Rudi. You can also try the web pages of the major airlines. I know CO has vacation packages at www.flycontinental.com

You could also try some of the major hotels
with resorts in Hawaii and Mexico. They may
have all inclusive deals that could save you
hundreds of dollars.

I generally use American Express travel services, and generally save a few dollars
here and there. But I only go to an agent
when I don't have the time to research.

Another (and perhaps remote route:) Contact
the local tourism bureau. They may know of
special local tour companies to put a package
together. (Never tried this approach but I
guess tourism bureaus can provide this as well.) Good luck and keep us posted! CATMAN

You can also try AA Vacations at

http://www.aavacations.com

One of my friends in the Bay Area got a great deal with United Vacations when she visited me a few months ago.

Of course, if she can get a great air fare or use ff miles for a free trip, she can call Roberts Overnighters (808-523-9323). I just booked a couple of hotel/car packages with them for some friends and they had the best prices.