If you have an upcoming stay with IHG, here are a few bonuses that may come in handy:

“Welcome Back” Bonus: 1500 Points
Register using code 2656 to earn 1500 bonus points when you complete a paid stay within 90 days of registration.  Due to the time limit on the bonus, I’d suggest waiting to register until you know you have a stay.  (HT: FlyerTalk)

Winback Promotion: Up to 10,000 Points with 3 Stays
Register using code 8926  and earn 2,000 points for your first stay between May 1 and August 31 with additional bonus points if you complete a second and/or third separate paid stay for a total of up to 10,000 bonus points.  This offer was targeted to members in Africa, Middle East, and Asia but allows all members to register.  (HT: Loyalty Lobby)

Vacation Pay: $50 Rebate on 2-Night Weekend Stays
This year’s summer rebate offer will run May 31 – September 1, offering a $50 rebate for a 2-night (consecutive) weekend stay.  Weekend nights are defined as Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and all IHG brands will be included.  Compared to last year, this summer’s offer runs for a slightly shorter time period and also offers a smaller rebate, but it’s still a good offer if you’re staying with IHG anyway and can complete all the required steps:

1. Register for the promotion prior to your stay and print out your confirmation page.  (Note: registration does not appear to be open yet)
2. Book a qualifying stay (2 consecutive nights at a single property, staying on Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights).  Longer stays will qualify as long as at least 2 of the nights are over the weekend.
3. Stay between May 31 and September 3 and pay with your MasterCard.
4. Fill out a rebate form, enclose your hotel bill and printed registrationg confirmation and mail before October 3 to:
   Vacation Pay
   Dept. 121900
   PO Box 52106
   Phoenix, AZ 85072
5. Sit back and relax 6-8 weeks to receive your rebate, which will come in the form of a Prepaid Mastercard.

A few restrictions (check them all out at the registration website):

• A maximum of four rebtates ($200) is allowed, regardless of number of stays.
• Open to residents of the United States and Canada only (sorry everyone else!).
• Rewards nights, friends and family rates, Priceline “name your own price” rates, and certain package rates do not qualify (among others).

If you’re looking for more IHG promotions, some of my previously listed offers may still be valid if you haven’t used them in the past.  Unfortunately I cannot confirm which ones are valid as I have previously registered and completed those offers already.

As much as I like AirTran (primarily due to good flight schedules from my home airport and low prices), I hate their rewards program.  All credits expire a year from when they were earned, regardless of any other flight activity you may have had with them inbetween.  Fly on March 1, 2013?  Your credit will expire March 1, 2014, simple as that.

…or so I thought…

While requesting rewards for a previous flight that was never credited, I noticed that the expiration date is exactly one year from the date of posting (today) not from the time of flight (two months ago).  This could be of strategic use for some if you know ahead of time that you’ll need a little extra life on those credits in order to redeem them, given that you have up to 90 days to request credit for previously flown flights.  Simply refrain from adding your A+ number when you make your reservation and then hold onto your flight info until you’re ready to request credit (mine posted instantly).  Just don’t forget to request credit within 3 months or you’ll be out of luck!

This is very much a limited potential opportunity given that AirTran is slowly being transitioned to Southwest, but some AirTran flyers may find this useful anyway.

I’m always looking for great weekend getaways, and I’ve got a stockpile of bookmarked websites for inspiration.  Often, these bookmarks get buried under more recent findings, but I brushed off my plans for Fallingwater after I saw Travel Bug Diary mention it in her 2012 travel highlights.  The trip started to piece itself together further after Budget Travel highlighted a few nearby state parks to complete my weekend.

I had grand intentions for this trip, some of which will have to wait for later.  My original plan was to leave Friday at 5pm for the drive up to Ohiopyle, PA so I’d have time to bike part of the Great Allegheny Passage.  Unfortunately, a combination of being stuck at work late, rainstorms, and a tornado watch delayed my departure by about 12 hours.  No bike ride for me this time, but it did look fantastic if you’re in the area.  Instead, my first stop was into the Laurel Highlands, still a bit dark and gloomy.

From there, just a bit south was the grand attraction of the weekend: Fallingwater.  This Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece is one of his most famous, and rightly so.  The building itself is genius and the setting is beautiful, even on an ugly spring day.

Entry into the home is only allowed with a guided tour.  I debated for awhile whether to choose the standard tour (about an hour) or the in-depth tour (two hours) and in the end, chose a standard tour.  I had hoped to use the time saved for additional hiking in the area, though in the end would have had time for either one.  Still, the standard tour covered a lot of information and for first-time FLW tourists, I think you’ll still be impressed.  The surrounding grounds are also quite scenic, and most visitors don’t bother to take the 10-15 minute walk (one-way) up to a scenic viewpoint.

While Fallingwater itself appears to be isolated, the town of Ohiopyle is an easy drive away and is quaint.  The town was pretty sleepy in April, though locals told me it springs to life in the summer when bikers, whitewater rafters, and hikers come through.  Based on the number of ice cream shops in town, I believed them.  You won’t find chain hotels without driving at least 30 minutes out of your way, but there are ample B&Bs and campgrounds.  I unfortunately didn’t have time to stay overnight.

Ohiopyle Town is Enveloped by State Park Land, Including these Small Falls

I enjoyed strolling on the easy trails in the state park and picnicking on my own before heading out of town.  Despite being a short visit, it was a nice corner of Pennsylvania and one that could easily fill a weekend on its own in a different time of year.  This time, though, my destination was in West Virginia.

As much as I love the outdoors, I decided to spent the evening in Thomas, WV.  There’s not much to do there, but there’s just enough to make it a great base for the many parks in the area and the locals are friendly, making it a gem of a town.  The pour over coffees at TipTop were surprisingly upscale and the music at the Purple Fiddle was entertaining, even if it wasn’t world-class.  With Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, Seneca Rocks, and Dolly Sods all nearby, I’d highly recommend Thomas as a town to stay.  Again, don’t expect any chain hotels, so consider a local guesthouse instead.

West Virginia is actually one of my favorite states these days because of it’s wide variety of natural beauty and outdoor activity.  The state is full of adrenaline-packed adventure, but for a quiet afternoon, Blackwater Falls State Park is a good choice.  Like many other West Virginia state parks, this one houses a lodge and other helpful facilities, making it a family-friendly destination.  The real attraction here are the namesake falls, which unfortunately were blocked off at the time of my visit after trees had destroyed some of the trail (stairs) down to the base of the falls.  I got as close as I was able and even still they were beautiful.

Luckily, there was still more to do in the state park, including hiking to Lindy Point and watching the abundant deer.

My last stop for the weekend was further south, at Nelsons Rock Outdoor Center.  Nelsons Rock is home to the only American-made via ferrata, an engineering feat that allows you to rock climb using a long series of iron rungs that were installed directly into the rock face that you can use as hand holds or foot rests.  You clip yourself into an attached cable using carabiners and use the rungs for support.  They tell me its safe, but you’ll definitely want to stay focused for the trip.

Nelson's Rock Via Ferrata

Frankly, the course wasn’t as fun as I expected it to be.  With morning temperatures hovering around 30 degrees, it took all my brainpower not to dwell on how numb my fingers were from working with metal carabiners and rungs.  Additionally, it’s hard to enjoy the views when you’re trying not to think about how precariously perched you are!  I have to give tremendous kudos to the staff for keeping the group safe and under different circumstances, I think it could be a blast.

All in all, my weekend getaway really transported me to an entirely different set of places, without even stepping foot on an airplane to get there.  These parks and attractions were in my own backyard and had been overlooked (even by me!) for a year or more while they sat dusty in my bookmarks.  Maybe I didn’t leave the time zone, but I definitely experienced something new.

What’s in your backyard?

It’s been a quiet week for me, with my days bookended between a trip to Colorado Springs, CO and Rochester, NY.

Frustration-Free Award Searches

Ladies and gentleman, my dream has come true.  The Wandering Aramean has developed a tool that will search all transatlantic award space on Star Alliance on a specific date and alert you when something opens up.  It is incredibly simple to use, as long as you know the gateway cities in either North America or Europe (and if you don’t, you can check them out here).  The tool is still in beta mode and has its limitations, but it can definitely speed up certain award searches.  If you want to fly a transatlantic route and are having trouble searching on your own (or are frustrated by the tediocity of it), this is a great place to start.

Bonus Miles with Partner Activity

I think this week US Airways and Aeroplan have copied off of each other.  They’re both offering 50% bonuses when you credit your partner activity to earn miles.  Frankly, I’m not particularly interested in either option, but as always I registered for both just in case my husband is crediting something I don’t know about.  You can register for the US Airways version here, which is valid through July 31 and offers 50% bonuses on hotel and car rental activity.  (HT: Frequent Flyer Bonuses)  The Aeroplan version offers 1,000 bonus miles with your bonus activity, will run through August 31, and requires registration through their Facebook app. (HT: Loyalty Lobby)

Blog News

I’ve added a section “Blast from the Past” to my blog, which you access here or from the navigation on the top right hand side.  I’ve pulled out a few featured posts from a year ago, so if you missed them the first time around, check them out.

I am the queen of short-haul flights.  I frequently fly to see my family (500-mile flights) or to other short-haul vacation destinations like Memphis or Pensacola.  Every once in awhile,  in-flight comfort actually crosses my mind, whether that’s because I’m actually covering some distance or simply because I’m flying at night and want to settle in a little (or both).

I think some of the appeal to flight amenity kits is that the airline is giving you a little gift bag, and who doesn’t like swag?  Isn’t half the fun opening it up to see what’s inside?  The other half of the equation is actually providing things that you may appreciate.  In coach, I’m better off without scratchy eyemasks and super-thin socks, but in premium cabins, the included items are usually decent quality, and based on Frequently Flying’s reviews, sometimes downright luxurious.

Since I’m the one flying in coach, I bring my own things along.  I’ve narrowed it down to a few items that will slip easily into my purse so that space isn’t an issue.  Even on quick flights, I appreciate a few of my things especially when my flight has been delayed to land late at night, but on longer flights and/or red-eyes I’ll squeeze a neck pillow and blanket into my personal item as well.

Here’s what I like to bring:

• Wet Wipes: I like wipes better than antibacterial hand-gel because they are multi-purpose and you don’t need to fit them in your TSA liquids bag.  You can use them to wipe down the arm rests or tray table at your seat when you first board the plane,wash up before eating, or use them as a paper towel if you end up spilling anything.
  My pick: Wet Ones Singles, because they’re fragrance-free and individually packed so they won’t dry out if you haven’t used the package in awhile.
• Earplugs: I used to think that all earplugs were created equal, but they come in all shapes, sizes, and materials and once I found a good fit, I was sold.  While they don’t block out all sounds, it helps with the drone of flights (just as well as a pair of $50 Sony noise-canceling headphones, not as good as the Bose ones I tried in AA business class) along with muffling conversations and crying babies.  In fact, slip them in while you’re still in the airport if terminal noise is getting to you and you don’t have lounge access.
  My advice: Just because I like these earplugs, doesn’t mean you will.  Buy a limited quantity to make sure the fit is comfortable for you and afterwards buy in bulk.  I do suggest a carrying case so that you’re not searching all over your bag to find a matching pair (which may or may not come out covered in dust).
• Lip Balm: It’s a known fact that the air inside an airplane is rather dry (especially when you’re used to Virginia humidity).  Dry, chapped lips can be very annoying, but easily solved.
  My pick: Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm, because it quickly makes my lips feel better and also doubles up with SPF and a hint of color (sorry men, try Aveda LipSaver instead)
• Moisturizer: At the same time that your lips are drying out, so are your hands.  I’m not sure if everyone gets annoyed by this, but it bugs me on a flight way more than it does at home!
  My pick: L’Occitane Hand Cream.  I’ll be upfront and tell you it’s incredibly pricey,  but I splurge and save it for the airplane and use cheaper stuff at home.  This one wins because it never leaks in your bag, it sinks in quickly so you don’t get greasy streaks on your iPad, and the scent isn’t so overpowering that your flight neighbors will resent you.
• Water Bottle: Flight attendants never come around with drinks when I want them, so I come prepared.  I prefer to fill my own bottle post-security rather than paying $3 for a disposable bottle, but either way you shouldn’t count on the attendants to bring water as often as you’d like it.
  My pick: Platypus SoftBottle.  It rolls up (secured with a rubber band) to very little space and is lightweight so you have no excuses not to bring one.
• Comfortable Socks: I usually wear these on the plane rather than packing them.  My feet are cold in general, and freezing in-flight.  When my feet are cold and/or uncomfortable, I can’t sleep, so this is key.
  My pick: Bath & Body Works Shea Socks.  Yes, they come in colors that don’t match anything, but they hit the trifecta of being soft, warm, and moisturizing, plus they wash up well.
• Toothbrush: I don’t understand this phenomenon, but there is something about brushing my teeth that re-energizes me.  Arriving after a red-eye and want to be somewhat productive?  No problem.  Landing late at night and need to drive home?  Easy.  It sounds so simple, but it works.
  My pick: Colgate Wisp.  Of course a standard toothbrush and toothpaste will work, but kudos to you if you want to dig through your bag to find them while you’re supposed to be getting ready for landing.

If you don’t already have your own set of in-flight comfort items, I’ve got an Iberia Business Plus amenity kit to giveaway.  It’s still shrinkwrapped, but if I remember correctly, it has lip balm, moisturizer, hand wipes, a facial wipe, eau de toilette, hairbrush/comb combo, eyemask, earplugs, toothbrush and super-tiny toothpaste, socks, and a shoebag.

To enter the contest, please leave a comment on this post with your name (First Name and Last Initial), a valid email address I can contact you at, and one thing you bring on your flights to stay comfortable.  Only entries in this format will be eligible to win.  I will draw a winner using random.org on Monday at 5pm EST and update this post at that time.  Good luck!

Please note some of the above links offer a referral credit to me if you make a purchase. I always appreciate your support for my blog.