Deals and tips from May First Coast Connect radio show

If Ken Burns' National Park series on PBS turned you on, consider Yellowstone's special offerings.
Yellowstone for Families, designed for families with children between eight and 12, includes four nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel or Grant Village; age-appropriate field activities such as animal tracking, wildlife-watching, painting and hiking; breakfast and box lunches each day, in-park transportation, instruction and optional evening programs.
Programs are offered Monday to Friday and Friday to Tuesday until Aug. 19. Rates for programs at Mammoth are $2,148 for a family of two adults and two children. Rates for programs in Grant Village are $2,548 for a family of two adults and two children.
No kids? Essential Yellowstone, based at the famed Lake Yellowstone Hotel, this four-day, five-night program is offered starting Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 and 16. The program includes expert instruction by an Institute naturalist/guide, five nights of accommodations at Lake Hotel, breakfast and box lunch daily, dinner on the last night, in-park transportation and optional evening programs. Rates per person are $1,119 for double occupancy and $1,667 for single occupancy.
 Old Times on the Grand Tour. Staying in three lodges, participants experience a five-day, six-night program offering the chance to see Yellowstone from the perspective of the park’s early visitors. Participants stay two nights each at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Old Faithful Snow Lodge and the Lake Hotel. During the day they take the famous “Grand Tour” of Yellowstone in the luxury of a refurbished “Historic Yellow Bus.” The tour includes stops at cultural sites from the park’s past, walking tours of historic and thermal areas and stops to view wildlife. The five-day program is offered with start dates of  June 5, July 3, 17, 24 and 31, Aug. 14 and 28 and Sept. 4, 11 and 18. Rates are $1,529 per person for double occupancy and $1,973 per person for single occupancy.
 www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com

Little St. Simons Island, a great, all-inclusive (right down to the bug spray!) getaway for all ages, offers $399 or $479 per couple per room including boat service to/from island, accommodations, all meals, snacks, beverages including evening cocktails, all activities on selected dates though August, http://www.littlestsimonsislands.com.

Air miles for cruises. Did you know you can get air miles for taking a cruise? Airlines getting into the cruise booking business.  United Air Lines offers up to 25,000 miles for selected cruises on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Celebrity and Holland America cruise lines with rates as low as $45-47 a night.
www.cruises.united.com

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Travel deals and tips from June First Coast Connect travel segment

Red Coach - luxury bus from Jax to Daytona, Orlando, Tampa
Airport or Avenues Mall round trip to Daytona - $40 ... to Orlando - $50 .... to downtown Tampa - $70 ... to Tampa airport - $70.
www.redcoachusa.com

Hollywood and Wine Festival, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, July-Labor Day
Special Room Rates: Classic Rooms from $119.  Ocatilla, exclusive “hotel within the hotel, start at $189.  Book online at http://www.arizonabiltmore.com 800-950-0086.

Key West whale rescue
Add whale rescuer to your resume and get a deal on a hotel room by volunteering four hours a day to help three convalescing pilot whales at Marine Mammal Conservancy. Voluntourists get $69 (plus tax) rooms Sunday through Thursday at these Key Largo hotels:
Bayside Inn www.baysidekeylargo.com 305-451-4450
Bay Cove Motel www.baycovemotel.com 305-451-1686
Boatel www.keylargohouseboat.com 305-766-0871
Key West Inn www.supertelinns.com 305-451-5081
Marina del Mar www.marinadelmarkeylargo.com 305-451-4107
Contact 305-451-4774 for details.

Low rates and free gas in Orlando
With a two-night stay through August at the Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista, AAA Three Diamond Disney-area hotel, offers $59.99 nightly rate and $25 for gas.
"Summer Madness" Promotion other money-saving perks include buy one at regular price/get one free breakfast, and buy one at regular price/get one free dinner. Kids age 9 and younger eat from the buffet at no charge with each paying adult. To book online or for more details, visit  www.clarionlbv.com/special-packages. Or call 800-999-7300 and ask for the Free Gas Card rate (based on double occupancy and does not include tax).
For deals on Amelia Island properties, go to www.ameliaisland.com.

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