Author Archives: Shelli

About Shelli

Shelli Stein is a health and fitness entrepreneur who travels the world in search of culture, food, and fun! Besides contributing to Travel with Grant, you can find her at Joy in Movement.

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[Sale Extended thru 7/12] Alaska Airlines: Decade of Awesome Sale – Fares as Low as $49

Update: Alaska Airlines just sent out an email to announce that the sale is extended one more day: “We’ve extended our sale and you have one more day to join us in our revelry with fares as low as $49*, one way.”

Good morning Alaska Airlines! Everyone is getting in on the act today. If you’ve got any travel plans and Alaska or Virgin airlines are in the picture, check out their one day sale.

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Decade of Awesome

We’re celebrating ranking “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America, 10 Years in a Row” by J.D. Power. And our friends at Virgin America are celebrating being ‘Top Domestic Airline’ 2017 in Travel + Leisure ‘World’s Best Awards’.†† Join us in our revelry with fares as low as $49*, one way. Hurry, these fares are only good today.

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Amazon Prime Day is Now Live at 6pm PT / 9pm ET

Amazon Prime day is here! There are thousands of deals exclusively for Amazon Prime members (my referral link), and if you’re already an Amazon Prime member, you can start shopping early at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Monday, July 10. That’s today! New deals are announced as often as every five minutes.

a rainbow and a dogVisit the official Amazon Prime Day page to find the best deals and promotions. I’m disappointed that neither of my two favorite items that I recommend and take on every trip are a Prime Day choice this year. Did you find good sale items or was it better last year? Let us know so we don’t miss out!

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My Alaska Airlines Bump: There’s a First Time for Everything

There’s a first time for everything, and recently on an Alaska Airlines flight, I volunteered to be bumped. It’s not that I’ve never heard the call for volunteers before. We all have. But something about this time made me ask myself if now was the time and this was the opportunity to do it. After all, can a bona fide travel blogger NOT have a bump experience to talk about? Given the crazy day I ended up having, I’ll never forget my first time!

I was originally on a morning Alaska Airlines nonstop flight from San Diego to Boston. I’ve taken this flight before but always in the winter months. Apparently, since it’s the only nonstop of the day to Boston, it can get crowded. I heard the call for volunteers before we started boarding the flight.

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Great Circle Mapper: San Diego (SAN) to Boston (BOS)

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My Wonderful 5 Night Stay at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor

One of my favorite cities in North America is Boston, and when I visit and play tourist, I stay at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor. Prior to my recent visit, I’d stay there for only a few nights and then transit usually to Europe. It’s very close to the airport. But on my recent visit to Boston, when I wasn’t transiting to anywhere else, I stayed there for five nights as an experiment to see what it would be like to use it as a base for a Boston holiday. And though it’s not a hotel I’d recommend for everyone, it worked out really well for me. I enjoyed my stay there and would definitely recommend it. I’ll get to who I wouldn’t recommend it for, but first, let’s discuss the high points.

I mentioned this Hyatt as a possible North American choice for using your Chase Hyatt Credit Card free anniversary night certificate, and I stand by that recommendation, especially during the high season when Boston is busy with tourists, conventions, and weddings. Some people think this hotel needs to be refurbished, but I’m guessing they haven’t been there in a few years. The rooms were redone about two years ago and I like them. The standard rooms are on the large size, and the furnishings and color schemes work well. I don’t like a lot of artwork on hotel walls. These rooms have one big piece of artwork on the side wall with a sailing theme that fits the decor.

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Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Standard Room.
Image: https://bostonharbor.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/rooms/standard.html

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Ultimate Disneyland Playbook Update: Discount Tickets for Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Members

When I wrote the Ultimate Disneyland Playbook last month, setting up and using a Disney Vacation Account and using that account was the number one hack that everyone suggested for increasing fun at Disneyland, and also for saving money! It also made being at the park and paying for things much easier. Disney trips are expensive! The other big piece of advice people offered was if you visit Disney on a regular basis, becoming a Disney Vacation Club member was a good idea.

Today, Ed at Pizza in Motion wrote about a discount in Disney ticket prices for Disney Vacation Club members. It’s a great deal and I wanted to make sure you found out about it and used it. The discount on ticket prices must be used by January 3, 2018, but the tickets themselves don’t have to be used until the end of 2018.

Head over to Ed’s post and take advantage of this DVC deal!