TRAVEL

By Alicia WanekSome people are lucky enough to have a job that is both their vocation and their avocation. Luxury Travel Specialist Wendy Sandridge is one of those lucky few. Wendy, aka “Travel Mom Wendy,” not only loves to create amazing trips for her clients, but she also loves travel and visiting destinations around the world herself. In this case her vocation and her avocation are vacations. It really comes as no surprise that she has landed in this business; after all, she’s followed in her mother’s footsteps.Growing up, she regularly traveled with her family, but she also had the opportunity to hear about all the amazing trips her mother Barbara was planning for her clients at the travel agency she owned and operated in Manhattan Beach, California. Barbara still works in the industry...

By Alicia WanekLuxury travel specialist Wendy Sandridge has a passion for custom-creating exceptional vacations to help you explore the world and celebrate your milestones. She has stayed at the best resorts, set sail on the top cruises, and has had the transformative experiences she will recommend for you.And, as an independent affiliate of world-renowned travel agency TravelStore, Wendy ensures that her clients receive unparalleled VIP treatment at all of the extraordinary destinations you’ll find in the 2020 luxury travel planner…2020 Luxury Travel Planner

Professional travel expert Wendy Sandridge has a passion for custom-creating exceptional vacations to help you explore the world and celebrate your milestones. She has stayed at the best resorts, set sail on the top cruises, and has had the transformative experiences she will recommend for you.And, as an independent affiliate of world-renowned travel agency TravelStore, Wendy ensures that her clients receive unparalleled VIP service and complimentary upgrades and perks at all of the extraordinary destinations you’ll find in the pages ahead…Click Here to view the 2019 Travel Planner

Liveitrong Magazine Travel SeriesWhether you fondly remember a family hike at the Grand Canyon or treasure the memory of touring the White House with your children, many of our greatest memories are of family travels—from our own childhood and now with our children. Vacation memories last a lifetime. Travel writer, Jim Graves, travels with his wife and two daughters, ages 10 and 11, and offers advice on where to go, what to do and what to eat.Philadelphia is the first in our series of family-fun travel advice. We have added several colleges that are in the area because it’s never too soon to start thinking about your child’s next adventure.Our readers can benefit from your advice, too! Email us with tips on where to go, what to do and where to eat at the places you go. Photos welcome too!E...

By Rick Seaney / ContributorI won’t keep you in suspense. The best present to give or receive during the holidays (or for a birthday or anniversary) is the gift of travel. It’s not just a present; it’s a lifetime of wonderful memories. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. Follow these simple hacks to get the most for your money on what may well be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.Where to goThe first thing to do is settle on a destination, and there are plenty of cheap ones out there (more for those who live in big cities with hub-type airports). Some airfare search sites have a tool that shows the cheapest deals from your hometown, such as my own Getaway Deals Map, which allows shoppers to say when they want to fly and what they want to pay, then watch prices pop up for cities around the w...

Gateway to Opportunity LuncheonSeptember 7 at 11:30amFeaturing Keynote Speaker Laura W. BushHOT TICKET! Not only do you get to hear the First Lady of the United States (2001-2009), Laura Bush, share her passion for human rights, literacy and education, but also all funds raised benefit Family Gateway, the nonprofit organization founded by Mayor Annette G. Strauss in 1986, to give stability and life-changing supportive services to children and families affected by homelessness.Where: Omni Hotel DallasCost: Tickets start at $300More info: www.familygateway.org/eventsOktoberfest at Watters CreekSeptember 8 – September 10Put on your lederhosen, raise your beer steins and say “prost” (cheers)! It’s time for Oktoberfest fun and festivities at Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm in Allen presented a...

Go ApeAn adventure among the treetops, Go Ape offers a physical challenge course for all skill levels. With suspended obstacles, zip lines and Tarzan swings, Go Ape will be a one-of-a-kind experience that creates lasting memories for everyone in your tribe.Have an adventure!Go Apewww.goape.comLocations/Texas/Plano800.971.8271Summerfest at Gaylord TexanYou don’t have to leave DFW to make a splash this summer. Just check into the Gaylord Texan Resort for an unforgettable family-fun adventure.SummerFest/Paradise Springs is a western themed, 10-acre resort pool and lazy river complex complete with entertaining water features, a new multi-level water play structure, a 27-foot-tall water slide and zip line, two horseshoe-shaped hot pools, a full bar and grill, sunbathing decks, private cabanas a...

by Rick SeaneyA dose of reality: summer flights are usually anything but bargains. Along with Thanksgiving and Christmas, summer is the most expensive time to fly, with fares peaking around the Fourth of July. But there are still ways to save, even save big.1.)Get an electronic assistant. Many airfare search sites, including my own, allow you to sign up for airfare alerts. This means the deals come to you with little if any effort on your part.What you can do: Perform a quick fare search to your vacation destination to see initial prices, so you’ll recognize an exceptional deal when you see one. If you are alerted to a price you like, jump on it fast. The cheapest seats are always limited.2.)Fly early, fly late. Flights from early to mid-June and from mid- to late August can be significant...

Your wanderlust is calling, which means it’s time to book a trip. Head abroad for a new experience or visit your favorite ski slopes right here in the U.S. Either way, your trip is sure to involve a flight out of Dallas Love Field or DFW International Airport. Avoid the traffic, skip the hefty parking fees, save your Uber bucks for your destination and let Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) get you to the gate on time.Love Link to Love FieldDART takes travelers directly to Love Field. Start with either DART’s Green or Orange lines to Inwood/Love Field Station, and once there, board the Love Link Route 524 bus for an eight-minute ride to the airport.Improved signage at the terminal and rail station and a second bus stop near baggage claim make riding the Love Link easier than ever. The route ...

Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials Enjoying the Same Placeby Alicia WanekIt’s good to be in Wendy Sandridge’s family. Here, the Master Travel Expert enjoys time in Cabo with (top l to r) her brother, Steve Fisher, niece Gabby, parents Barbara and Hal Matles, Wendy and John Sandridge, (middle row l to r) daughters, Brittany and Stefani Sandridge and (bottom) sister-in-law, Sherri Fisher.“Creating memories that last a lifetime.” What better way to make family memories than while on a trip to a new destination? For TravelStore’s Master Travel Consultant, Wendy Sandridge, AKA “Travel Mom Wendy,” setting the stage for those lifelong memories is her primary goal with every client, but she has a special affinity for working with families to help them plan a trip that everyone from Grandma an...