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Paul & Janis Mack

PJM Travel

1.419.350.0818

www.pjmtravel.com

Traveling during the holidays can be exciting, rewarding; a time to see your family. Yet it can also be full of stress getting to your destination and returning home. Due to the sheer volume of holiday travel, preparing for travel roadblocks is imperative to ensure a stress-free vacation from beginning to end. Below are 5 tips for a smoother journey!

1. Passports – If a passport is needed, make sure it is not going to expire within 3 months. Some airlines will actually suspend your flight even though your passport has not expired, but is close to expiring. So double check the expiry date of your passport and check with your travel agent!

2. Use carry-on luggage - Getting everything into a carry-on bag will not only save you from paying checked baggage fees, but also frees you up with dealing with the extra baggage. Plus, you are more able to handle the surprises that often come with holiday travel. If you need to change your flight, or decide to fly standby on an earlier departure, you’ll have everything with you when you arrive at your destination. If you are bringing back gifts on your return flight, you may want to purchase inexpensive luggage at your destination, or bring along another duffle bag that you can use in case you’re bringing home more than you anticipated!

3. Ship gifts – If you are traveling with “gifts” in tow, it may be best to ship them ahead of time. This will reduce the chance of breakage, lost gifts, and just simply weighing you down.

4. Take an early morning flight - Not only do the first flights of the day typically have better on-time departure statistics, they can help you avoid weather-related delays. Aircrafts departing early in the morning are more likely to be at the gate, de-iced and ready to go. And in the case that bad weather does cancel your flight, you’ll have more options for rebooking throughout the remainder of the day.

5. Arrive early - It should be expected that the volume of travelers will be increased at this time. Allow yourself ample time to get checked in, go through security and get to your gate. It is recommended to arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights.

Stress Free Travel It’s time to start thinking about

holiday travel – again! ‘So soon?’ you

think, but it is true – planning now for

your air, hotel or holiday trip with the

family may save you a lot of time and

hassle in the long run!

As your travel agent, it is my goal to

provide you with top-notch service,

and that also means advising you how

to make your trip as stress-free as

possible. In this edition of my

newsletter, you will find top travel

tips as well as some other holiday

treats!

I hope as the seasons change and

school is back in session, you’ll start

thinking about where you would like

to be for the holidays ….on a beach?

With your family? Allow me to help

you plan your traditional travels this

season….or decide to do something

brand new!

Happy Travels!

Paul & Janis

New York City

New York City is a popular place to visit over the holidays. This winter wonderland city can be overwhelming for vacationers because there is so much to do around the Christmas season. However, there are “must-sees” if you choose to spend any of your holidays in New York City.

SANTA CLAUS AT MACYS – Every year Santa Claus,

yes the real one, makes a stop at Macy’s 34th Street

Herald Square. This is a tradition that started in

1862. Many visitors take advantage of the puppet

show version of the movie on 34th Street while

visiting the store. Over 350,000 people visit this

Santa-Land and it continues to bring delight, laughs

and joy to children of all ages.

THE TREE AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER – This 75 year

tree-lighting tradition and ceremony is a sight-seers

delight which brings out celebrities and holiday

enthusiasts every year. Vacationers can also partake

in ice skating at the Rockefeller ice skating rink,

along with plenty of shopping and sightseeing tours

available during this festive season.

RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR – Visiting

Radio City while sightseeing at Christmas has been a

tradition and a “favorite” holiday event since 1933.

Families from all over the country come to New York

City to see the world famous dance troupe; the

Rockettes perform their unison style dance routines

to Christmas themed music. This spectacular has

been performed to over 65 million audience

members over the years.

Whether you come to New York City for the

shopping, Christmas tours, Christmas shows, or just

to be part of a big city that knows how to live the

Christmas season to its fullest, this experience is

loved by adults and children alike.

Words really cannot even explain the feeling one experiences while in Europe. If you have ever visited Europe, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. And the most fascinating way to experience Europe is cruising down through the “heart of the country” on rivers like the Danube, Seine, or the Rhine. Cruising through Europe during the holiday season is one of the most popular times to River Cruise because of the Christmas markets. The Christmas markets are breathtaking and the vendor’s goods are so unique and different. The shopping is amazing as there are so many eclectic and unique items to purchase. You can peruse the vendors booths for hours while drinking warm spiced wine, eat lunch at a local pub, and even though it may be a little cold, visitors and locals alike barely notice. The decorations and Christmas lighting is also a sight to behold. Imagine miles and miles of them artfully hung throughout the towns.

These markets are where the romance of the holiday comes alive in grand tradition. Smells of gingerbread and roasting sausages waft in the air, along with beautiful handmade ornaments, master glassblowers and other artisans are on display. This is what Christmas should be like…. a holiday FREE of malls, long lines and waiting for the new releases of XBOX games. It’s an old world Christmas of heartfelt caroling, and where every gift is crafted by hand. Visit Europe at Christmas time and flicker back to the Middle Ages and the bustling outdoor marketplaces where you will spend hours and hours enjoying the holiday season.

Christmas Markets

In Europe