Pigeon Forge is also known for its live theater productions, from Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede and the Black Bear Jamboree and Dinner Show, to mystery dinners, comedy shows and magic extravaganzas. Marketing folks call Pigeon Forge the “entertainment capital of the Southeast.”

Of course, all of these attractions cost money. However, there are plenty of ways to save on your family vacation to Pigeon Forge:

· Pick up your Pigeon Forge Value Card at the Pigeon Forge Welcome Center at 1950 Parkway located at traffic light #0. This card entitles you to discounts and special deals at dozens of restaurants, attractions and shops throughout town.

· Enter Dollywood after 3 p.m. and get in FREE to the theme park on the next operating day.

· Present your military personnel I.D. and dependents’ I.D. at the front gate at Dollywood, and enjoy 30 percent off the regular day admission price.

· If you’ve had so much fun at Dollywood and want to come back the following day, upgrade your ticket before you leave, and you can return for just $20 (instead of the standard $50 daily admission fee).

· If you think you might spend more than two days at Dollywood, consider buying a season pass. These sell for just $83 (youth over 12 and adults) and are good for an entire operating season. Plus, you enjoy many other privileges (free parking!) and discounts at affiliated theme parks. Click here for details.

· Active military personnel, as well as firefighters, veterans, law enforcement and EMS personnel, should visit Pigeon Forge in August to enjoy exclusive discounts from participating businesses. This program is called “Celebrate Freedom,” and you simply need to bring your ID to pick up a discount card at the Pigeon Forge Welcome Center.

· Park your car and hop aboard the Pigeon Forge Fun Time Trolley, which runs along the six-lane, five-mile Parkway through town. Fares are just 50 or 75 cents, depending on the distance you travel, and it operates daily in the summer from 8:30 a.m. to midnight.

The average price of a 2-bedroom timeshare when bought from the developer is about $18,000. From Holiday Group, it’s about $4,000. If you’ve been through a timeshare pitch, you know that the “rent vs. own” pitch holds some water . . . if you reach “break-even” within a few years. Compare that point using an $18,000 timeshare vs. a $4,000 timeshare.

Reason Two: You Aren’t Bribed

My #1 pet peeve about the timeshare industry.  If the product is so good (and it can be), why do the developers continually bribe consumers?  If anyone else or any other industry did this, they’d suffer the same horrid consequences–an average 10% closing rate.

Reason Three: There Are No Fake Prices

When you buy resale, the price listed is the price you pay.  There’s no insulting “For you, we can drop the price by $_____” shtick, or stupid “The price is only good today” line.  The price is clearly listed.  The guy next to you didn’t just pay $2,000 less.

Reason Four: It’s A Timeshare Store

I don’t buy the whole “timeshare is not a sought-after product” line that everyone keeps repeating.  The truth is the traditional timeshare developers go out of their way to make it as difficult as possible to buy this product.  Just go ahead and call a timeshare to get a price.  They won’t give you one.  Call any store or any service provider or any Realtor and you’ll get a price.  Go to the Holiday “store” and take a look.  It’s all there for you to see and make smart choices.

Consider checking these two upbeat eateries while you’re on your Playa del Carmen timeshare resort vacation. Both are located in the heart of Playa del Carmen’s shopping district, just off the famous 5th Avenue pedestrian thoroughfare.

Yaxche Maya Cuisine

Yaxche (pronounced jag-shey) Maya Cuisine Restaurant has a beautiful, open-air garden dining area-perfect for a quiet lunch or a romantic dinner. The fountains, frescos and facade are reminiscent of the ancient Maya ruins at Tulum. If it’s too steamy to eat outdoors, relax in the air-conditioned dining room, or just try a Chaya Maya drink, made of a bright green, leafy Yucatan plant, mixed with vodka and fruit juice and served in a tall glass. It might look funny, but it’s refreshing!

Some of the Maya dishes at Yaxche are cooked in the traditional ways, others are Maya with a twist, like shrimp in relleno negro, a spicy black sauce traditionally served with turkey. Or Yaxche’s version of the chile relleno: a banana pepper stuffed with cochinita pibil, a tangy pork, instead of a poblano pepper filled with cheese. Since the ancient Maya were generally vegetarians (main staples in their diet were maize, squash, beans, and chile pepper), there are dozens of veggie dishes on the menu.

Ajua Maya

It’s all about fabulous food and having fun at Ajua Maya (ah-who-ah ma-ya), dubbed a “tequila bar, grill house and Latin club.” Every night, a live jazz and dance band brings a festive atmosphere to the restaurant, which specializes in fresh wild lobster and seafood, Angus steaks and authentic Maya and Mexican cuisine.

Every Wednesday, at lunchtime, learn about Maya cuisine with a cooking demonstration and plentiful lunch menu with samples of Maya dishes, such as roasted tomatoes with pumpkin seed sauce, chicken and key lime soup, Cornish game hen and Ta’as Flambe (otherwise known as Bananas Foster). Reservations required for the cooking demo and lunch.

Ajua is an expansive restaurant, with seating in an indoor cantina setting, lush tropical garden and under open-air palapas. Ajua opens daily at 11 a.m. and closes at 1 a.m. Free wireless Internet is available.

What is your background in the timeshare industry?

I started in the industry as a total “green-pea” out of necessity in 1998 as the Owner Referral Manager at a timeshare resort in Orlando. I earned my Florida Real Estate License in 1999 and for the next 6 years, I was a salesperson, a sales manager and the manager of the trial program at a few resorts around town before deciding to dedicate myself to educating people about timeshare. [Read More]

Other Resources:
Lisa’s Web age
Why Resales?
Timeshare Frequently Asked Questions
Holiday’s Free, Information-acked Webinars
Timeshare Library

On the museum front, the Tahoe Maritime Museum has a brand-new 5,800-square-foot facility with interactive exhibits, children’s visiting area and community gathering area. The museum, reminiscent of an old boathouse, showcases the history of boating in Lake Tahoe.

Summer brings the vibrant farmer’s market on Thursdays through October 16 in Tahoe City and at Kings Beach through August 26, with small farmers offering fresh, high-quality produce to visitors and locals alike. Truckee’s farmer’s market is Tuesdays at the Truckee River Regional Park through September 30.

Located in Tahoe Vista at the North Tahoe Regional Park, the new North Tahoe Disc Golf Course is a fun and challenging 18-hole course that provides a variety of shots that complement nearly every style of play. The last nine holes were finished last fall. Travelers can purchase their own discs at the Sports Exchange in Truckee.

For families looking for fun and learning, the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences offers self-guided and docent-led tours, hands-on activities and a monthly lecture series. Here, visitors can take a 3-D virtual reality flight through Lake Tahoe, peek through a microscope and view tiny aquatic creatures and learn how scientists study water quality.

Off the lake, the Village at Squaw Valley in Olympic Valley recently welcomed two new eco-friendly shops, Maud Olson and Patagonia. Maud Olson Eco-Friendly Clothing features a line of high-end apparel, such as hand-knit baby alpaca sweaters, mittens and gloves, as well as a wide selection high-fashion jeans, hoodies and t-shirts made from organic cotton. Patagonia, who leverages their resources to create a healthier planet, opened a new location at the base of Squaw Valley and offers a great selection of outdoor wear and accessories for women, men and children.

The Village at Northstar in Truckee also has expanded its retail and restaurant offerings. Mikuni Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar is known for its fresh sushi creations. Kids love Ambassador Toys, which strives to promote understanding and respect for cultures around the world through the beauty and creativity of toys, books and music. The Tahoe Creamery’s motto, ‘Keepin’ It Pure,’ might be the mantra for the entire North Lake Tahoe destination. Here, visitors will find natural, premium, gourmet ice cream.

Walt Disney World

Indeed, half the visitors to Disney’s theme parks are less than four feet tall, but the massive resort complex actually offers activities and attractions for adults only. Eat at Victoria & Albert’s at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This elegant eatery does not allow children under 10, and requires a dinner jacket for men. The menu is pricey, but it makes a great romantic evening for a special occasion. In Downtown Disney, see Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba, hit the dance clubs or comedy venues at Pleasure Island, or listen to music at the House of Blues.

Universal Studios
CityWalk is Universal’s 30-acre entertainment complex offering loads of entertainment, including performances by the Blue Man Group, concerts at Hard Rock Live, plus jazz, comedy and dance clubs. Top choices for sophisticated dining here include Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant or Bice Ristorante at the Portofino Bay Club.

Parks, Gardens & Forests
Take a picnic to the pretty 43-acre oasis of green in downtown Orlando, Lake Eola Park. Stroll along the paved walkways that take you through 50 acres of gardens at Harry P. Leu Gardens, also downtown. In Ocala National Forest you can hike along the Florida National Scenic Trail, or canoe, swim and even snorkel in the streams, lakes and springs.

Art Museums
See the impressive collection of art and antiquities spanning centuries at the Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College. The Morse Museum of Contemporary Art in nearby Winter Park houses a stunning collection of Tiffany glass, jewelry, pottery and lamps. Permanent exhibits at the Orlando Museum of Art include American Art, Art of the Ancient Americas and African Art.

Dance, Opera & Orchestra
The Orlando Ballet is Central Florida’s only resident ballet company that performs September through May, and also hosts visiting dance troupes. The Orlando Opera Company celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra typically appears in more than 115 performances each season.
For more activities, see this blog entry: Destination Orlando: Beyond Disney.

· If you’re visiting Myrtle Beach for a week, consider buying a seven-day admission ticket to the park, for just $65 - that’s less than $7 a day!
· A two-day pass is priced at $50 per individual -bringing the price down to just $25 a day.
· General admission for families of four or more is just $40 each.
· Military personnel (show I.D. at the park entrance) can enter the park for a daily admission of $40 per person.
· If you purchase your one-day ticket online at least two days prior to visiting, you’ll pay $45 instead of the regular $50 per person.
· Annual passes, with unlimited entry for a year, are $150 each.
· South Carolina residents with a valid I.D. can enter the park for $39.
The Hard Rock Park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. through September 7, 2008, with limited hours in the fall, winter and spring. For more info, visit www.hardrockpark.com.

FLORENCE, OR: Final design plans for WorldMark by Wyndham’s new resort near the Florence Events Center have been submitted for review with the city of Florence. The design package was submitted by the Myhre Group Architects on behalf of Worldmark by Wyndham, and no major obstacles to the plan are expected.

The plan comprises 3 four-story buildings overlooking the Siuslaw River, along with several smaller one-story buildings and an outdoor pool. [read more]
… of course, you can always find Worldmark resales over here…

Children are especially good at reminding us that getting there is half the fun. So, adventurers of all ages appreciate the scenic, 10-minute ride on the world’s largest rotating tram cars into pristine mountain wilderness at 8,500 feet. In the warm-weather months, air temperatures at the top are much cooler than the blazing desert, which can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more at summer’s peak. But at the top of the tramway, it’s perfectly comfortable for traipsing around the hiking trails or eating a picnic lunch. Winter brings cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Knott’s Soak City USA

This mammoth water park in Palm Springs is a family-oriented water playground with a giant wave pool, several twisting water slides, a lazy river and a section reserved just for small fries under 4 feet tall. Open daily mid-March through Labor Day.

Palm Springs Air Museum

Any child-young or old-with a fascination with planes, or World War II history buffs, will love this museum dedicated to combat aircraft used in WWII. Children just like checking out the historic planes, located outside and in hangars, some of which they can actually climb in. Flight demos are held on occasional Saturdays.

The Living Desert

In nearby Palm Desert, this 1,200-acre zoo showcases the animals and plants that make their home in the desert, including flora and fauna native to Africa and North America. At the Wildlife Hospital visitors can watch vets tend to animals. Preschoolers love the giant model train. Erected as part of a Christmastime Wildlights display, the network of tracks and trains was so popular, it’s now a permanent exhibit.

Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert

On a rainy (rare) or really hot (common in the summer) day, an excursion to this indoor museum in the nearby town of Rancho Mirage can keep young children entertained for hours. Ideal for kids age two to 10, the more than 50 hands-on exhibits include science experiments, art projects, imaginary play, a book nook, rope maze and much more.

Learn more about family-friendly attractions at the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism.

For still more family fun, play 18 holes of mini-golf, hit the giant water park, go crabbing, kayak with the dolphins, take a deep-sea fishing cruise or climb to the top of a lighthouse. And when it’s time for a break from the sunny outdoors, you can visit an indoor rock-climbing gym, sign your children up for cooking classes or play a game of laser tag inside a multi-level arena.