Before you book your next jaunt, check out the savings on my friend, Susan Farewell’s website, FarewellTravels. You can save $500 on sea kayaking jaunts to Baja, $800 off the cost of a sailing trip along the spectacular Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, starting in Dubrovnik, and discounts at inns and resorts in northern Vermont, Maine, and the Greek Islands. Just trying to save you a few bucks!
 

The Kingdom Trails, which I’ve often praised as my favorite mountain biking spot in the Northeast, just reopened this past weekend. This has prompted the owners of the Wildflower Inn (another one of my top New England picks), which borders the Kingdom Trails, to offer a Pedal and Paddle Package. For as low as $375 for two people, you receive two nights lodging, full country breakfast each morning, picnic lunch, trail pass for the Kingdom Trails, a $25 voucher good for their restaurant, Juniper’s, and a half-day canoe rental on the Clyde River, part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Deep tissue massages, perfect after a day of riding hard, are just down the road at Stepping Stone Spa.
 

Staycations, the stay close to home trend of last year continues into this summer as travelers are still trying to save money in this wretched economy. The Fairmont Battery Wharf is doing its part, offering a 10% discount on the best available rate, plus a free upgrade to all New Englanders. Open a little over a year ago, the hotel is located on Battery Wharf, once owned in its entirety by Paul Revere’s son. The 150-room property has good views of Boston Harbor and the Coast Guard carrier on the neighboring dock. It’s a great locale for families, within easy walking distance to the New England Aquarium, Quincy Market, the Freedom Trail, and the Italian restaurants of the North End.
 

Last December, I wrote about staying at the Hotel @ Times Square, a new hotel that just opened up in Midtown Manhattan, on 46th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Since the place was spanking new, the beds were comfortable, the baths had large shower heads, and the room was equipped with Wi-Fi, Ipod docking station, and flat screen television. Included in the $150 a night price was a free continental breakfast of bagels, donuts, hot and cold cereal, coffee and juice. Word spreads quickly, because the hotel was already packed with European families when I arrived. New this month in Midtown Manhattan is the Distrikt Hotel, 155-room property located on West 40th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Through April, the Distrikt is offering an introductory rate of $159 a night. Each floor of the hotel is decorated in the style of New York’s many neighborhoods, from “SoHo” on the 12th floor to “Chelsea” on the 20th floor. The hotel is also home to Collage restaurant, celebrating New York foodie favorites paired with local microbrews.
 

Last week, I took the family to Miami Beach and Marco Island for Presidents Week vacation. Flying into Fort Lauderdale Airport, rental car prices were averaging a ridiculous $750 a week for a mid-sized vehicle. But if you picked up that same car down the road from my hotel in Miami Beach, the price was significantly reduced to a more affordable $300 a week. With a cost of taxi from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami Beach being a mere $35, I saved myself over $400 simply by not booking the rental car at the airport. It seems that rental car companies are intentionally jacking the prices at airports, assuming that travelers don’t want to hassle with picking up the car at a downtown location. But if you do the search like I did on the Dollar website, you’ll be happy with the savings of dollars!
 

Three hours north of Boston sits one of the legendary New England properties, The Mountain View Grand. One of three remaining grand hotels in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the 1865 Colonial Revival resort recently underwent a $20 million restoration after being abandoned for most of the 90s. Located in Whitefield, just north of Franconia Notch, this immense resort has been restored to its original state and, in winter, features a free shuttle to nearby Cannon Mountain for downhill skiing, cross-country skiing under the tall pine and spruce, a large outdoor ice rink, sledding, an indoor pool and whirlpool, and a full-service European spa to rest that weary body after a day of play. I just received word that they are offering a rate of $179 per night over February Vacation Week. It’s a pretty good deal for a night at this historic property.
 

It’s never too early to think about an upcoming trip to the Caribbean this winter, especially with temperatures expected to top out in the 40s this weekend in Boston. Consider, for example the “Voyage to the Volcano” package offered on the isle of Montserrat. During the six day/five night package, you’ll take a boat tour along the Leeward Coast of the island culminating in spectacular views of the Soufriere Hills volcano, go kayaking and snorkeling at secluded black sand beaches, take a private tour that stops at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory and AIR Studios where music greats such as the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Paul McCartney once recorded, take a trek with a local guide through one of Montserrat’s numerous hiking trails to view the lush forest and search for the Montserrat Oriole, the island’s national bird, and have dinner at Olveston House, the private home turned guest house of Beatle’s producer Sir George Martin. The $885 per person price includes lodging at a private villa, rental car, some meals, and activities. Visit Dive Montserrat for more information.
 

If you’re looking for a decent rate on hotel rooms around the world, check out LastMinuteTravel.com. To the right of the home page is their new “Star Bar” program, where depending on whether you’re looking for a 5-star, 4-star, or 3-star hotel, they have budget prices for lodging in Europe, Asia, and America, all under $100 a night. The one downside is that they won’t tell you the exact name of the hotel, just the location. But they have contracts with Intercontinental, Hyatt, Hilton, and the Trump Collection, so it could be a great deal.
 

Want to get genuinely excited for Ken Burns’ six-part National Parks documentary on PBS? Then head to Grand Teton National Park before “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” starts airing on September 27th. Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park is offering a special $145 a night Elk Lovers Excursion package from September 4 through September 27, 2009. This is a discount of 35% off their usual rate. It’s a terrific time to hike through the foliage, savor the scenery of the jagged peaks, and listen to the elks bugle during rutting season. The bull elk’s bugle starts as a low whistling sound that builds and culminates into the high-pitched sound of a flute. This lets other elk know that the bull has staked claim to his territory and harem. Let it blow, baby!
 

This is the last week to book Club Med’s “$99 WOW Deals.” For as little as $99 per person, all-inclusive, you can be staying at one of Club Med’s family resorts in Florida, Cancun, Ixtapa, Punta Cana, Guadeloupe and Martinique. And kids get another 50% off the adult rate of $99! Travel does not include airfare and must be booked by 8/31/09 for travel until 4/24/10. So if you’re already thinking of a family trip in winter, this is a good place to start.