We love everything about Thanksgiving: The traditional turkey, stuffing and potatoes meal; seeing the extended family for the first time in months; spending quality time with those nearest and dearest to us. But one of the best things about Thanksgiving is the ability to travel! The kids are out of school and you’ve been saving up those vacation days, it’s time to put a Thanksgiving getaway plan in motion. Best Travel Deals and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts offer some great Thanksgiving travel deals for breaking the Thanksgiving Day norm, and making this year a holiday to remember.

1. Sip, Savor & Soothe Package at Fairmont Scottsdale

Photo Credit: Hill Yeh- http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillevd/3555282039/

If you’re looking to escape the stress and cold that often follows the holiday season, Scottsdale, Arizona awaits you this Thanksgiving and beyond. The Fairmont Scottsdale Sip, Savor and Soothe Package features everything you need to remain cool, calm and collected during this often hectic time of year. Leave the kitchen behind, and focus on the things that relax you. This Five-Diamond hotel offers five sparkling pools, four signature restaurants, two golf courses, a seven-court tennis complex and the fabulous Willow Stream Spa. The package includes one night in a luxurious Fairmont Room and a $50 daily credit good for any of the resort’s dining outlets or spa. Rates start at $239.

2. Holiday Lights and Breakfast Delights Package at The Fairmont Washington, D.C.

Photo Credit: Chris Amelung- http://www.flickr.com/photos/amelungc/389721608/

We have Thanksgiving on the brain, but why not start thinking about Christmas and Hanukkah too? The Holiday Lights and Breakfast Delights Package at The Fairmont Washington, D.C. is the perfect way to celebrate the entire holiday season–from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Guests traveling from November 19 through January 19 can enjoy the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital during the most wonderful time of the year! The hotel’s location is ideal for shopping in Georgetown and the Downtown Holiday Market; ice skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden; and witnessing the National Christmas Tree and National Menorah lightings on the White House Ellipse. Travel over Thanksgiving and get first dibs on holiday shopping specials. This package starts at $199 and includes overnight accommodations for two in a luxury guestroom and complimentary breakfast.

3. Family Getaway Holiday Package at The Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda

Photo Credit: Robin Fleming- http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmfleming2175/3241182241/

Looking to take the whole family to a far-off, tropical destination this Thanksgiving? Bermuda is your Turkey Day hot spot. Two rooms are way better than one!  When you book a room at The Fairmont Southampton, you’ll receive a second room for the kids at 50% off. The Family Package offer runs through December 31, and includes overnight accommodations in luxury rooms with private balconies, welcome amenities for children and free access to the Explorer’s Kids Camp.

Traveling some place specific? Be sure to check out all our other Thanksgiving hotel deals for your holiday travels!

The Best Travel Deals staff is enjoying their extended vacation. We hope you are too. Travel safely!

Photo Credit: Carl Dunn- http://www.flickr.com/photos/carldunn/3598634517/

Bet you didn’t know that it pays to be our fans on Facebook.  If you already “like” Best Travel Deals, then you know about September’s big 21-day vacation sweepstakes. Today, Melissa Zuber (an admirer of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) was announced the official winner of the contest. Her grand prize is free accommodations to 7 different  beach locations, including Orlando, Florida;  the Outer Banks, North Carolina; Myrtle Beach,  South Carolina; Charleston,  South Carolina; Hilton Head Island; South Carolina; Destin, Florida; and Edisto Island, South Carolina. Melissa also won a $500 airfare voucher good for any location. Melissa was so excited about winning the sweepstakes that she could barely speak. “I’ve only been on a plane once!” she said.

Congratulations, Melissa! We hope you enjoy your vacation. In the meantime, visit Best Travel Deals on Facebook, and stay tuned for more great giveaways.

Grand Canyon National Park river rafting travel deal: With a new “Be a Kid Again” promotion, offered for the first time this year, adults pay the child rate (normally charged for ages 16 and under) on select trips. Spend the day floating down the Colorado River, and by night, sleep riverside under the stars.

Seven Stars resort in Turks and Caicos are offering 40% off with its “Couples Escape“ travel deal. With this package, guests save $326, or a little bit more than 40%. If you don’t want all the bells and whistles and would prefer to simply purchase the room on its own, the Winter Special Getaway offer has rooms priced at $390 per night, pre-tax, through March 31.

Win a $2,500 B&B getaway from BedandBreakfast.com just in time for Valentine’s Day. Fill out the short form to be entered to win a gift card welcome at one of the luxurious Diamond Collection inns, or over 4,000 other B&Bs in the U.S. and Canada.

Get A Free Companion Ticket to Barbados on American Airlines: The promotion, which started on January 11, 2010, has recently been extended through February 12, 2010, and offers travelers one free, economy class companion ticket when two travelers fly together and book a minimum of four nights at a hotel in Barbados through AA Vacations from now through May 31, 2010.

Michigan resorts offer snowmobiles with room rental: book a $114 Sled Head package for two that includes lodging, breakfast, a $10 gas card and $20 food voucher; you then add on whichever snowmobile rental you like, starting at $135 per day.

Royal Carribbean Cruises up to 80% Off – plus free Room Upgrades! Sail into 2010 with exclusive deals on cruises to Mexico, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, and beyond. Take advantage of ocean-deep discounts, including up to 80% off brochure prices and reduced deposits.

Valentine’s Weekend Panama City Beach Condos from $498: Shores of Panama delivers an unbeatable discount of $175 on its Valentine’s Day Shore Thing couples getaway for just $249/person.

The River House Backpackers in Cardiff offers dorms (4 or 6 beds, some female-only) from £16pp, twin rooms from £20pp, and has just won the award for the best hostel staff in the world for the second year running at the annual Hostelworld.com Hoscars in Dublin.

Caribbean cruise, 7 nights, aboard Holland America Line’s 1,916-passenger Westerdam; all meals, water, tea, coffee, and juice; a $50 shipboard credit; and port charges (totaling about $150), from $699 per person. This cruise offer breaks down to about $111 a night and includes accommodations, all meals, a $50 shipboard credit, port charges, and all taxes.

Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed and follow @BesTravelDeals on twitter for the best travel deals and more!

Alaskan cruise specials, last-minute holiday vacation packages, cruises, hotel deals, and island getaways are just some of the best travel deals in today’s Travel Podcast.

Traveling during the week if you’re able to is a great way to save a little money and still get some down time. The Dawn Ranch Lodge in Sonoma has lower rates for midweek stays. The Fall Vacation Special running through December 21, 2009 gives you three nights for the price of two or five nights for the price of three. Unfortunately Saturday night stays aren’t included.

Cabins at Dawn Ranch Lodge in the Fall time

If you’re not able to sneak away for a weekday getaway, there are still some specials available at the Ranch. For the Harvest season, weekend packages start under $300 and include a cabin for two nights and dinner for two at the Roadhouse Restaurant. If you’d like to travel with a group, larger cabins are available.

The Roadhouse Restaurant is known for their Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays – with an extensive list of Russian Fiver appellation. The restaurant also carries organic produce from both Napa and Sonoma counties.

The Dawn Ranch Lodge was named after a variety of Redwood – the Dawn Redwood – that was thought to be extinct. Nearly seventy years ago, saplings were found in China and some were transplanted in North America. The 15-acre Dawn Ranch Lodge is lucky to be home to two of these former saplings which are now towering trees.

Creekside at Dawn Ranch Lodge

Thanksgiving season is a good time to try new wines and enjoy the company of friends and family. The Dawn Ranch Lodge has Thanksgiving Packages starting under $300. These packages include two nights’ accommodations and $20 “Roadhouse Bucks,” which are good towards a meal at the Roadhouse Restaurant or a delicious boxed lunch for an outing on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Your choice!

Dawn Ranch Lodge Christmas Time

If you prefer to celebrate holidays at home, the Parade of Lights Weekend Packages are available for December 5^th and 6^th. The Holiday of Lights in Guerneville (near the Dawn Ranch Lodge) includes a parade of more than 100 floats, antique vehicles of all sorts, horses and marching bands. If you decide to skip into town earlier than the fifth, the Dawn Ranch Lodge will be participating in the Dining Out For Life event on December 3, 2009. A percentage of diner’s total food bill will be donated to Food For Thought. The weekend package includes two nights accommodations and a dinner one night and $20 Roadhouse Bucks for brunch.

Deck Party at the Dawn Ranch Lodge

The New Years Party Package starts at under $400 and includes two nights accommodations for two, complimentary champagne and a dance party! Better yet, there’s also a New Year’s Day champagne brunch for two.

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The idea of New Orleans as a vacation destination brings to mind, beads, booze and debauchery. I’m sure there’s plenty of that around during the non-Mardi Gras season but there are also some fun, family-friendly attractions for the under 21 crowd.

Audubon Insectarium / CC Dazed Effect

For the little guys, embrace their love of creepy crawlies with the We Love Bugs! Family Getaway.  For under $200 a night, a family of four (two adults and two children) will get overnight accommodations, breakfast and four tickets to the Audubon Insectarium. Insects are the largest group of animals on Earth and this exhibit is interactive so it’s sure to keep the kiddies interested. There’s an exhibit that allows you to shrink to bug size and wander through a Louisiana swamp, a beautiful Asian garden with thousands of exotic butterflies and a “touch a bug” exhibit where kids can see the tools used by entomologists. They even get to meet some live bugs!

JW Marriot New Orleans / CC Dazed Effect

Of course, the Big Easy is bound to draw plenty of over 21 year-olds looking to get away. For a big-kids playground, the Marriot has the Ultimate New Orleans Casino Package. This includes a voucher to the Harrah’s New Orleans Casino which is very close to the hotel – about a ten minute walk. So buck the Las Vegas trend and head to New Orleans. They have better gumbo anyway.

If slot machines and blackjack tables isn’t your idea of romantic, the JW Marriot also has the Cupid Checks into New Orleans deal complete with early check-in, late check-out and breakfast in bed. This “romance-laced” weekend getaway also includes champagne, chocolate and strawberries upon arrival and deluxe accommodations with a king-sized bed. This deal is good through January 28^th, 2010 so celebrate Valentines Day early for some savings and cuddle time with your honey!

New Orleans is a great place to get away, even before the Mardi Gras season. Beat the crowds (and the prices) by partying early in the season.

Welcome to the Big Easy! / CC Dazed Effect

Everything is bigger in Texas, especially the holiday deals. In Galveston,  the Hotel Galvez (a Wyndham Historic Hotel) has some enticing deals for the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.

Hotel Galvez holiday lights

Hotel Galvez’s Thanksgiving package includes overnight accommodations and a Thanksgiving Day Brunch with complimentary mimosas, wine or champagne.  It also includes two tickets to the Moody Gardens Festival of Lights. Friday, November 27^th kicks off the holiday season in Galveston. At Hotel Galvez, the festivities include gingerbread replicas of the historic hotel and Christmas carols, among other live entertainment.  There’s also the holiday events that are held annually at the nearby Saegerfest Park in downtown Galveston. These festivities kick-off on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Hotel Galvez pool area

If you’ve got Christmas on your mind, Hotel Galvez has the Getaway for the Holidays Package for the entire month of December.  You can unwind before the holidays and do a little holiday shopping – the package includes discounts to local merchants and complimentary shuttle services: No rental car needed! Travel on a weekday to avoid the crowds and you’ll get a deeply discounted price. After a day of shopping, unwind with special holiday-themed treatments at the Hotel Galvez Spa. There’s also the typical wellness treatments such as massage, facial and body treatments.

While you’re in Galveston, take in some of the history. As a wannabe architecture buff, Bishop’s Palace caught my eye. Built in the late 1800s, the so-called “Victorian castle” is now a museum managed by the Galveston Historical Foundation. For $10 you can see the luxury materials and furnishings, beautifully carved ornaments, stained-glass windows, and sculptures – the mansion even a fireplace lined with pure silver!

Bishop's Palace / CC stevesheriw

If you’re more interested in natural wonders than architectural ones, the Galveston Island State Park offers over 2,000 acres of beach front property and is believed to be over 5,000 years old. The entrance fees are fair (about $5 for the day) and there’s also camping available if you’re interested in roughing it for a few days. No matter what activities youre interested, Galveston is a great destination for a low-key stay.

Galveston Island State Park / C Indiana Stan

The holidays fall at such a dreary time, weather-wise. I’ve always wondered if the calendar companies planned it that way to pass the time more quickly with friends, family and food. If you’re looking for a less traditional way to pass the holidays, there’s always the option of traveling somewhere tropical. The Occidental Hotels and Resorts group are holding fall specials for locations such as Aruba, Cancun and Cozumel.

The Occidental Grand Xcaret resort is offering inclusive deals for around $60 per night. The resort is located near the Cancun International Airport – which is convenient for pick-up and drop-off. Also, it’s usually possible to get rather inexpensive flights from most major cities to Cancun, Mexico.

Xcaret Beach Ckub / C Derek Alfonso

For those of you who are skeptical of “all-inclusive” packages (where are the hidden fees?? What type of icky food will we be served??) Rest assured, there are no hidden fees. There are additional activities such as excursions to nearby attractions and babysitting that cost a bit extra. The “All-inclusive” consists of unlimited meals, snacks and beverages (the foodie in my just perked up!), Beach Club access including Beach bar and butler service. There are also nightly entertainment options (also included!) and sports such as mini golf, tennis courts, and a Kid’s Club with supervised activities. Speaking of, kids under 12 stay for free.

Xcaret Occidental / CC Derek Alfonso

If Mexico perked your interest, there’s also the Occidental Grand Cozumel which is designed to feel like a private island. This luxury resort has deals starting at under $70 a night, and includes unlimited meals, a full open bar with top shelf brands, in-room dining and nightly entertainment (among other amenities).

Night Dive with the Occidental Grand Cozumel / CC Oblivious Dude

If you’d like to splurge a little, the Occidental Grand Aruba runs around $160 a night and includes the usual all-inclusive resort perks.  In addition, there are tennis and scuba clinics, snorkeling, kayaking, aqua aerobics as well as nightly shows and entertainment. Children under 5 are free. For kids 4-10 there’s the Kids Club with supervised activities.

Some features that aren’t included in the resort price are the on-property casino, 18-hole golf course, massage services and “motorized water sports,” scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, private tennis lessons, laundry services and scuba diving certification courses.

Head down to some sandy beaches, sangria and scuba to make the winter months pass more quickly and the next thing you know, it’ll be spring!

For Thanksgiving, try the Perfect Pawleys Plantation Thanksgiving. For under $300, you and one other person can stay for three nights in a double occupancy, one-villa suite. But wait, it gets better: this includes one 18-hole round of golf and a cornucopia of a buffet on Thanksgiving. Also available is a free second round of golf or a fourth night free when you mention the “Perfect Pawleys Thanksgiving Package.”

Pawleys Island, South Carolina

Looking to avoid a white Christmas? Head down the Pawley’s for their “Christmas Lights in the Low Country” special. For $275, you and one other person receive 3 night accommodations in a villa suite. Of course, this includes one round of golf (18 holes!) and a Sunday brunch. As an added bonus, enjoy the Night of a Thousand Candles at the Brookgreen Garden.

Brookgreen Garden is part of a 9,100 acre preserve on the South Carolina coast. It was also the first sculpture garden to be built in the U.S. The land is comprised of four plantations and usually costs about $12 for admission. Your admission is free with the Christmas Lights in the Low Country package.

Pawleys Island Carriage Ride

If you‘re interested in staying for New Year’s Eve, Pawley’s is hosting a Gala & Golf event. For under $400 you and a guest will get a villa suite for Thursday, Friday and Saturday (2 days!) and one round of 18 hole golf and Sunday brunch (this is pretty standard for all Pawley’s packages). You’ll also be invited to a New Year’s Eve Gala in the ornate Plantation Ballroom with premium open bar, a full-course dinner with coffee and cordial station. Of course there will be a delicious champagne toast at midnight and party favors.

So grab your clubs (and your sweetie) and head to South Carolina for some golf fun over the holidays.