THINK "S" FOR SEPTEMBER TRAVEL

One of the questions I get most from clients is where should I jet set to and when should I go? Since we're in the month of September we'll focus on some U.S. destinations that I think are perfect for this time of year...(think of the letter "S" for September). My three picks are San Diego, San Francisco and San Juan. September may be the perfect time to visit any of these 3 cities because the summer crowds have left, the prices have gone down, and the weather often times is the warmest of the year (including- most importantly the ocean temps). In San Diego, lines to get into places like the San Diego Zoo are much, much shorter!

San Francisco has what's called an Indian Summer (meaning their summer is cool and foggy and their fall is warm and sunny).

And I know you must be thinking about Hurricane Season when I suggest jet setting to San Juan, Puerto Rico in September!  Yes, it's a risk, but this month is one of the best times to visit this Caribbean island if no hurricane is on the way.  So just purchase travel insurance beforehand and chances are you'll wind up having an awesome vacation at a "SMART" price!

So, think "S" for names of perfect U.S. destinations in the month of September, and think "S" for Smart and for Savings!!!

SEPTEMBER AND SAN GENNARO

How I love September...cooler temperatures, slashed travel prices to great destinations, and New York's San Gennaro Festival!  The Feast of San Gennaro is an annual feast that brings more than a million people to the streets of Little Italy.  The celebration really began as a way to honor the Patron Saint from Naples, but many people just know it as a fun street party, which lasts for days, in a cool neighborhood in New York City.    There's music, other free entertainment, parades, and awesome street food including sausage and pepper heroes, fried zeppoles and cannolis to name just a few of the goodies!  This year the 85th annual feast lasts for 11 days from September 15-25, 2011.  So if you are looking for something fun to do in New York for the next week and a half, jet set over to Little Italy (it's cheaper than a transatlantic flight to the country of Italy)...and it's a lot of fun!

SEPTEMBER = SHOULDER SEASON TRAVEL

September is my favorite month to travel...especially to Europe! The kids have gone back to school, the swarms of tourists have disappeared, hotel rates have gone down, but there are still sunny days to soak up and warm waters to swim in. A JetSetSmart traveler knows that this is the time of the year to find some great deals and start jet setting to Europe.A great country to jet set to this time of year is Portugal. It's funny, Portugal is the closest European country to The U.S., but many people haven't traveled there. Portugal borders Spain on the left, and maybe because it's a small country it's forgotten about, but I'm telling you...add it to your destination list and you'll be glad you did!Portugal is on the Euro, but for the most part things are still less expensive there, so it is cheaper to go there than Spain at the moment. Lisbon is the capital and it's similar to other big European cities like Paris and Rome in the layout and architecture, but it also has a different vibe and it's own unique charm.About an hour away by train is a small fishing village known as Cascais where we stayed. It's right on the Atlantic Ocean and there are beaches right in the center of town. When you are in Cascais, you feel like everyone knows each other from the shop owners to the cab drivers. The streets are cobble stoned, small and winding...and down each street is a unique shop or restaurant waiting to be discovered. Next to Cascais is another town called Estoril. Estoril is much more developed and touristy, which is why I would recommend staying in Cascais and visiting Estoril during the day.We stayed at the Farol Design Hotel in Cascais. It's a boutique hotel set on the cliffs of the Atlantic, with views of ocean as far as the eye can see! Breakfast at the hotel is included in the cost, and the location is just blocks from the main square...so you can be in town in minutes, but feel like you've escaped when you go back to your hotel at night.I will have much more on Cascais and Portugal on my website http://www.jetsetsmart.com/ in the near future- so make sure to keep an eye out for that.