Sherman's Travel

With summer — and school break — just around the corner, it’s time to start planning a great getaway for the whole family. These money-saving deals are suitable for a group, whether you’re taking the kids to Orlando for some theme park hopping, planning your next family reunion on a cruise, or hiding out at a Caribbean resort where little ones stay free. We found those deals and more, good for travel throughout summer and fall, starting from just $87. Book soon to lock in the best savings.

$87+ Orlando: Disney-Area Hotel w/Breakfast, Save 50%

$389+ Weeklong Mexico Cruise to Cabo, Save 45%

$599+ 5 Nights at Jamaica All-Inclusive Resort w/Air; Kids Stay Free

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It’s spring break time and, naturally, I went to Mexico.

But instead of hitting Cabo San Lucas’ coed and mega hotel scene, I headed to Todos Santos, its quieter, artsy neighbor 1.5 hours to its north.

In Todos Santos, there are artists and boutique inns, and the craziest party is an annual historic home tour, in which dozens of homeowners open their doors so curious travelers can see what beautifully restored 19th-century haciendas look like. There are less than 80 hotel rooms in town.

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If either Los Cabos or Mazatlan, Mexico, is on your radar for a beach-and-spa getaway in 2012, check out the yearlong specials and extras currently being offered by Pueblo Bonito Oceanfront Resorts and Spas. The company operates four all-inclusive properties in Los Cabos, set at the tip of the sunny Baja peninsula: Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa (shown at left), Pueblo Bonito Rosé Resort & Spa, Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort & Spa, and Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos. In Mazatlan, the company’s two resorts are Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan (the chain’s original hotel, it opened in 1987) and Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & Spa.

Right now, all-inclusive rates at all properties are discounted 30 to 50 percent off for travel through April 14, 2012, starting at $520/night at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica; $511/night at Pueblo Bonito Rosé; and $448/night at Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay (the latter two also offer room-only rates that are half the cost). In addition, everyone who books a stay throughout 2012 will receive a complimentary anniversary gift at check-in. Choices include a mini-treatment at the spa, a rose-petal turndown in your room, a bottle of champagne, 25 percent off select tours, or early check-in and late checkout. Read more

If Mom can spend her special day ax throwing or white-water rafting, why not send Dad to the spa? These brand-new packages and treatments for Father’s Day will leave your dad relaxed, refreshed – and in a much better mood to hear about how you’ll be taking summer classes this year to make up for your party-heavy spring semester.

Ciel Spa at SLS Hotel Beverly Hills

This L.A. hotspot has put together a Dad’s Day of Relaxation package, redeemable on any day Dad chooses. Along with a 60-minute massage and a 30-minute facial, the package includes a beer and steak salad served at the spa. Deal Alert: Booked a la carte these services would cost over $250, but you can score them for your dad for just $175. cielatsls.com/specials

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Few can resist an ice-cold popsicle on a steamy summer day. But pause a moment before you indulge: These are not your childhood frozen treats. Selling for $1,000 each, the specialty pops at Marquis Los Cabos are made from Tequilas Premium Clase Azul Ultra tequila – which goes for $1,500 per bottle – and infused with 24-carat gold flakes. The hotel calls it “the world’s most expensive popsicle,” and we’re hard-pressed to dispute the claim. Feeling thrifty? Marquis Los Cabos also offers shots of Clase Azul Ultra for just $500. www.marquisloscabos.com

For general trip-planning information, see our Cabo San Lucas Travel Guide.

Those in need of an escape can look south to the authentic old-world charm and modern amenities of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The 4-star Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort is offering the Sunsational Savings Package which offers guests nightly rates from $169. Guests booking two nights will get the third night free, $100 food and beverage credit, and a room upgrade when available! The Sheraton boasts a private beach on the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez, three swimming pools, including the main infinity pool, the Cactus Spa, and the property is surrounded by the Desert Golf Course and neighbors the Cabo del Sol Golf Course.

THE VALUE: This deal gets guests a free night plus $100 food and beverage credit!

THE CATCH: Rooms are subject to availability.

THE DETAILS: To book a room now, visit www.sheratonloscabos.com using promo code ZS3. Or, call 52-624-145-8000.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find low rates on flights to Cabo San Lucas!

Get all the need-to-know information on Cabo San Lucas with our Travel Guide.

Flourishing in a cozy bubble of prosperity, away from the foot traffic of other Mexican destinations, Los Cabos is a celebrity magnet and a romance mecca, stretching out along the southernmost tip of the California Baja peninsula. The two-city region (Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo) supports top-of-the-line resorts like Esperanza, Capella Pedregal, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, and One&Only Palmilla, which line the famous Tourist Corridor, catering to a who’s who list of silver-screen stars, spendthrift heirs (or heiresses), and their loyal entourages.

However, the latest luxury tycoon to hit this side of the Mexican Riviera will be a Solmar Resorts property. The Cabo veteran hospitality brand has been around since 1979, when the first Solmar was built, followed by three more in the same classic and sophisticated vein. In February 2011, Solmar Resorts will unveil its fifth addition in 32 years, Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort and Spa.

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Trading in the first few chilly days of New York in November for Cabo San Lucas was pretty much an upgrade to seventh heaven. Besides the transporting landscape of carved granite knolls, turquoise waters, and soft-white sands, this manicured coastal sanctuary on the Mexican Riviera is also the perfect spot to indulge in a spa visit – and almost every resort, from the posh to the casual, will gladly accommodate. However, all spas are not created equal – I begrudgingly took it upon myself to scout out one of the best.

Serving the well-maintained beachfront Solmar Resorts properties, the Thalassotherapy Spa is one of but a handful in North America that are known for thalassotherapy. An almost-strictly European healing and relaxation treatment, thalassotherapy is based on the fairly ancient belief that hydrotherapy, seawater, and seaweed offer medicinal joint pain relief and detoxification properties. Spas of this sort are few and far between in the U.S. Read more

SHERMAN’S EXCLUSIVE

The Luxury Set on 12 acres of the picturesque shoreline of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, the Cabo Azul Resort offers 143 spacious rooms. All the Dodd Mitchell–designed one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas have full kitchens, hot tubs, and private balconies. Javier Sosa’s third eponymous eatery, Javier’s Restaurant, serves gourmet Mexican fare on-site, and the 3,000-square-foot Paz Body & Mind Spa offers massages in beachside cabanas or rooftop treatment areas.

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Amidst the five-day cruise to Cabo San Lucas on the 2,052-passenger Carnival Elation, sombreros were stashed and the glow of relaxation quickly turned grey when worry-free waters were intercepted by FBI agents who were notified about a suspicious death onboard the “Fun Ship.” 

Robert McGill was celebrating his 55th birthday when on July 14, he allegedly engaged in a domestic dispute in the confines of his cabin resulting in the death of his wife and high school sweetheart, Shirley McGill, also 55. Although McGill was not in the cabin when his wife’s body was found, he was taken into custody later that evening after a fellow passenger alerted the ship’s security of their suspicions. 

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