Cold weather? How about a beach vacation?

The weather is cooling, the leaves have turned and gone. So what is the question on everyone's minds? Where is the best beach? Finding the best beach for yourself is not as simple as it may sound. Each destination is different and unique. So here are some quick questions to ask yourself.

1. What's in your head?

May sound crazy, but what are you picturing in your head as the perfect vacation? Vacation means different things to different people. Do you want a secluded resort/beach or an active one? Do you want to be close to town or on the outskirts? What is more important to you -- a nice pool or a nice beach? Will you be spending most of my time in the pool or at the pool bar or with your toes in the sand?

To pick the perfect place you should find a travel agent that specializes in beach destinations. Call or meet with a specialist and describe what you are picturing in your head.

2. What's your budget?

Please don't say, "I don't care," or "I don't have one." If that were the case any agent would be thrilled to put you in first class at the Ritz Carlton beachfront penthouse suite. Of course, many clients have this kind of budget, but the average person does not.

Tell the travel professional what you would like to pay and of course, be honest. It really saves everyone time from not looking at trips that really are not an option. An agent then can give you choices that are higher or lower than your budget and explain the difference.

3. Understanding value vs. cheapest

If I've said it once, I've said it a zillion times. Cheapest is not always best. A smart consumer is looking for a good value. What is the difference? In travel you do get what you pay for, and the lower rated the hotel is the cheaper the price, but you get what you pay for. Make sure cheapest is really what you want, most people don't.

The real gift of a experienced travel consultant is they can shop all tour companies, look at the various hotel and tell you what is the best value. What determines value? Age of the hotel, location, room size, quality of beach, quality of pool, number of restaurants and quality of the food. And an agent knows, because either they or one of their team mates has recently been where you want to go. For instance, at Elite Travel we try to have an agent in the Caribbean or Mexico at least every other month. While there we look and review hotels.

Also, we call each customer upon their return to ensure the quality of the hotel hasn't changed and their experience was the best. A good agency will be able to also provide you with other clients' experiences. So booking via a true expert will almost always guarantee you get the best value for your money.

4. Type of beach

If you are a true beach bum this is a very important question. Do you want a white sandy beach or a snorkeling beach? Do you want secluded or active? Remember that if you go to a destination that is high on the list for the European vacationer, the beach may have nude or topless sunbathing. You need to decide if this is something you are comfortable with. If not, be sure and communicate this to your specialist.

Is the color of the sand important to you? There are many shades of sand around the world. The most popular of course are the white sand and pink sand beaches. But many unique spots are located on a black sand or gray sand beach as well.

The least expensive places to vacation from our area are Jamaica, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and the new Punta Cana beach in the Dominican Republic. There are non-stop services offered at a discount from both Memphis and St. Louis.

5. Do you like to gamble?

There are many new and old places to vacation, and not all offer gambling.

Jamaica -- very limited, if any gambling. A few resorts have some slot machines, but it is illegal for Jamaicans to gamble, so there really is not much action and little if any odds of winning, and certainly no casino atmosphere.

Mexico -- currently there are no casinos in most Mexican resort areas.

Grand Cayman -- is not a gambling destination, and it is a very conservative but beautiful island.

Bahamas, Aruba, Punta Cana and most cruise ships offer a huge array of gambling options. And Las Vegas, and yes there are beaches in Las Vegas. Many of the new exotic hotels have sand beach pools! It is certainly wild to find a beach in the desert.

So when you think snow ... remember you can also think sand.

Carolyn Kempf is president of Elite Travel Inc. in Cape Girardeau. ( 334-1234 or www.elitetravelinc.com)