Summer vacations

The telephone lines at First Class Travel in Cape Girardeau haven't stopped ringing since January. As days grow longer and the temperatures get warmer, local residents are making plans for summer vacations.

"It has been overwhelmingly busy -- now is the perfect time to start planning those summer trips," said Amber Bertrand, a travel consultant with First Class Travel.

Carolyn Kempf, president of Elite Travel Inc. in Cape Girardeau, has also been busy helping people choose the perfect vacation.

Because travel packages for June and July typically sell out by the middle of April, Kempf said it's important to start booking vacations now.

Both travel agents recommend booking flights eight weeks out. You could pay double or even triple the fare if you wait. If you see a good sale, jump on it.

"If you have set dates and a set destination, then the further out in advance you book the better off you are," Bertrand said. "It is better to be on the safe side rather than wait it out to see if you can get a cheaper price at the last minute."

Bertrand said last-minute deals are for people who travel alone or with one other person.

"They can literally pick up their suitcase and catch a plane in a couple of weeks," she said. "Very rarely are you able to get exactly what you want, when you want it and on the exact dates when you purchase a last minute trip."

This summer, top travel destinations include exotic places like Hawaii, Cancun and Riviera Maya in Mexico, Bertrand said.

In 2005, an active hurricane season took its toll on Mexico's tourist hot spots. Hurricane Wilma washed away beaches in Cancun. The country spent $19 million to replace beaches that had washed away.

"The hurricane damage isn't really that noticeable anymore," said Bertrand, who traveled to the area in December 2005. "When I was there, you could barely tell a hurricane had even been there. But by the next February, Cancun was completely re-built."

Hotel owners gave Cancun its biggest makeover -- a $1.5 billion effort that brought the area back to a No. 2 spot on this year's list of top spring-break destinations. Last year it had slipped to No. 8.

Kempf said other popular and affordable travel locations closer to home include Gatlinburg, Tenn., and Chicago.

Round-trip train fares to Chicago range from $50 to $76 per person, she said.

Vacations to Las Vegas are among of the most requested at Elite Travel, Kempf said. "From Las Vegas, you can drive to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam in one day," she said. "Children love the Grand Canyon."

Kempf said it's usually cheaper to find flights to places like Las Vegas rather than drive. "When you look at the wear and tear on your car, the gas prices, your hotel stay en route, your meals -- you can find a flight for less than those costs," she said.

However, Bertrand said it may be cheaper to drive to closer destinations like New Orleans, but it depends how long you plan to be on vacation.

"You need to look at if you will have enough time to drive and still enjoy your stay," she said. "Sometimes it's worth a little extra on a flight so that you can get to your destination quicker."

Kempf said the most important travel tip to remember is that passports are now mandatory for anyone traveling outside the United States by air. Next year, passports will be required if you take a cruise or drive to another country. It can take 10 to 12 weeks to obtain a passport.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246