Any great summer vacation starts with planning your travel destination. Make sure to talk with your entire family before you start booking at travel arrangements. People’s lives are busy and you would hate to book a hotel just to find out that someone in your family can’t make it.

Another great family vacation tip is to layout what family members should do in case of an emergency or if someone is separated from the family. Most vacationers take this for granted, but you should always be safe rather than sorry. This is especially important if you have small children in your family. Tell them what they should do if they get lost or designate a meeting spot to go to. When you are visiting large amusement parks or relaxing at a water park, it is very easy for a child to wander off and get lost.

When planning your family’s summer vacation make sure that everyone is well aware of what you will be doing while on vacation and for how long you will be traveling. This helps everyone plan out what they need to bring and how many changes of clothes and other items. Also, if you will be driving to your vacation spot you may want to suggest that everyone bring games or reading materials to help make the travel enjoyable.

While on the topic of traveling in a car, make plans ahead of time to make the drive more fun. For example, you could rent a car television and DVD player so everyone can watch movies while you are traveling. Make sure and pack movies that the entire family will enjoy because you do not want any fighting over what gets watched before you ever reach your vacation spot.

You should also encourage family members to pack other things that will entertain them. Suggest that they bring their PSP or iPod and that way there will be no fighting over what music everyone has to listen to. Also make sure to pack extra batteries and power cords for charging everyone’s devices. The last thing you want to do is head off for vacation and after 1 hour of traveling everyone’s PSP or iPod is out of juice.

If you are taking a long trip and have to travel for a large distance make sure everyone brings a pillow for comfort and to take naps. You may also want to pack snacks and beverages so you are not required to make a stop every time someone gets hungry or thirsty.

Taking a summer vacation with your family should be an enjoyable, relaxing and memorable experience. Following the tips outlined above will help ensure that your vacation is a fun trip for everyone.

When planning your next vacation take a look at

The Yusupov Palace on Moika River in St. Petersburg

The Yusupov Palace is one of the gems of St. Petersburg not only for its unique beauty but also for its storied history.

The palace dates back to the time of Peter the Great and underwent several reconstructions under the hands of the best architects in Russia. Jean Bautiste Vallain de la Motte, Mikhailov II, Monigetti, Kennel, Stepanov, and Beloborodov were among the names that contributed to the palace at one time or another.

The Yusupovs purchased the palace in 1830 and owned it until the time of the revolution in 1917. These were the years in which the palace came to be known throughout Europe for its extravagant interiors, magnificent balls, and even theatrical performances.

For all of its beauty the palace will always be remembered as the site where one of the most famous murders in history occurred-the murder of the mad monk Gregory Rasputin!

The Yusupov family could trace its origins back to more than a thousand years of Russian history to the rulers of the Tatar Nogai horde. Their years of service to the Russian state and the Tsars of Russia began at the time of Ivan the Terrible.

The original Yusupov to own the palace was Nikolai Yusupov. He was a shining example of a highly educated and fabulously wealthy member of European nobility. He held many distinguished posts in the government, spoke five languages, and was a leading patron of the arts. He was a passionate collector of art and was entrusted by the Romanovs to enhance the art collections of the Hermitage and several of the most prominent Tsarist palaces. Nikolai also purchased for himself one of the greatest collections of paintings, statues, and artistic rarities.

The palace was handed down through a succession of famous Yusupovs that each in turn had the palace improved but always in a very tasteful and opulent style. The family itself continued to excel in the affairs of Russia and the last owners of the palace (1911- 1917) were no exception.

This, by now very famous palace along the Moika River, belonged to Count Felix Sumarokov-Elston, his wife Zinaida Yusupova and their son Prince Felix and his wife Irina. Irina was the granddaughter of Alexander III and the niece of Nicolas II. The wealth of the Yusupov family by this time was immense and the list of their properties made them one of the top five wealthiest and most prominent families in all of Russia.

It all came to a tragic end with the fall of the Tsarist Regime even though Prince Felix the Younger and his wife Irina escaped from the Crimea to Paris after the revolution. To this day Xenia Yusupova, a granddaughter of Prince Felix, visits the palace around once a year and is allowed to occupy the palace while in St. Petersburg during her brief visits.

Anastasia Dukhnina

Find out more at mmarttravel.com mmarttravel.com

Feeling out of sort and rundown? Time to take a moment for yourself and Omaha spas are the place to do it.

The largest city in the state of Nebraska – Omaha’s spas are swamped with people exfoliated, purified, massaged, and revitalized! Mentioned below are some of the most sought after Omaha spas within Omaha city limits.

With a team of licensed beauty professionals and massage therapists, Jasmine Salon & Spa is one such Omaha spas, famed for its spectacular French village inspired environment. The spa offers a complete range of spa and salon services, apart from hands and feet treatments and wedding services. Some of the spa services are massages, couples massages, facials, chocolate spa, and microdermabrasion. Prominent among the salon services are hair treatments, permanent make-up, and teen services. A specialty is weight/inch loss treatments comprising Synergie cellulite program and mineral body wrap. In addition to these services, specialized Yoga and Pilate classes are also offered. Location is 132nd and Maple, Omaha, Nebraska. Telephone No: 402-498-4464.

Absolute Serenity Spa is another premier spa amongst Omaha Spas, based in 1000 No. 72nd Street, Omaha, NE. A wide range of services is provided, like body treatments, skin care, body wraps, massage, and reflexology. Included in the body treatments are herbology retexturizing treatment, Ayurvedic body treatment, and thermal steam tent treatment. Skin services consists of deluxe facial, high potency facial, power facial, lip treatment, and heated stone therapy facial. Tandem, therapeutic, aromatherapy, and fibromyalgia are just few among the many massages offered. Body wraps are inclusive of rejuvenating leg wrap, bio-exfoliating body facial, and hydrating body facial. An effective alternative for stress, reflexology is available in two sessions: half session and full session. In addition, Chinese therapies are offered, including acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping. For bookings, dial: 402-393-4219.

Hesselgesser Salon & Spa is yet another amongst the reliable Omaha spas, offering everything from the latest in hair care to the most advanced techniques in skincare, body treatments and massage therapy. The spa services include SaltGlow, Herbology Body Experience, Artic Algae Body Wrap, Sidha Body Detoxification, Aromatherapy Body Wrap, and Divine Intervention. Reasonably priced specialized packages are also available, such as Top Gun, Steel Magnolias, and bridal packages. Further, provisions are offered here to buy gift certificates online. Hesselgesser Salon & Spa is situated in 17602 Wright Street Suite 101 (176th and West Center Road), Omaha, Nebraska. To get more details: contact the spa at 402-330-1711.

Find resortspadestinations.com/spa day spas in your area at ResortSpaDestinations.com.

Whether catching a Broadway show or attending a business meeting on Wall Street, exploring the historic Statue of Liberty or shopping on Fifth Avenue, the Crowne Plaza Englewood hotel in New Jersey near Madison Square Garden is the ideal ‘home away from home’.

Just a mere 10 minutes from the Big Apple, the Crowne Plaza Englewood NJ offers the perfect location to experience the sights of New York City and the Bergen county NJ area. Attending a Madison Square Garden event and concert? Taking in the theater at Madison Square Garden? Visiting Times Square NYC? This premier New Jersey hotel is perfect for travelers desiring the amenities of a Manhattan New York hotel and the location of a hotel in Times Square without the hassles of staying in New York City.

In addition to a close proximity to Newark International Airport, guests of this hotel near Madison Square Garden are only a short drive from any area airport.
• Newark NJ Intl (NWK) is just 20 miles
• New York’s LaGuardia (LAG) is 15 miles
• John F. Kennedy (JFK) is only 25 miles away.

Want a stress-free place to relax after a day of sightseeing in New York City?

• Settle into a spacious guest room at this Newark NJ hotel.
• Unwind in a large heated swimming pool and work out in a fully equipped exercise room
• Upgrade to a business-class room and experience unrivaled sophistication with a host of complimentary features.
• Discover exceptional service and amenities to surpass any hotel Newark NJ offers.

Experience relaxed elegance and enjoy a wide array of services at this contemporary-style hotel in Englewood NJ. Each room of this New Jersey hotel features welcoming furnishings and amenities so guests feel at home in this hotel near New York City. Midtown luxury hotel rooms are truly no comparison for a great nights rest on the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage bedding. Business travelers will appreciate the in-room desk, voice mail, data ports and complimentary high speed internet access at our hotel accommodation in Englewood New Jersey.

For dining, the Crowne Plaza Englewood NJ restaurant, Carlyle’s, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Varied special creations and classic continental selections created by an executive chef and talented culinary team have made Carlyle’s a favorite Englewood restaurant for locals and guests alike.

This New Jersey hotel gives your appetite top consideration with a first-class wedding caterer in New Jersey to make your milestone event the envy of all who attend. From the moment you book your wedding at Crowne Plaza Englewood, expect our staff to provide impeccable service while creating the wedding of your dreams. Crowne Plaza provides the perfect Englewood wedding location for all types of functions from small and intimate weddings to large-scale events. Our professional wedding planners will take every measure to fulfill your wishes-from the gourmet menu of your choice to the desired placement of your cake table. Take comfort in knowing this exquisite Englewood wedding site is the ideal location to celebrate one of the most important days of your life.

An attentive catering and meeting staff also makes the Crowne Plaza Englewood NJ one of the premier event and meeting facilities New Jersey offers. Our New Jersey conference facility consists of over 6,500 sq feet and invites you to experience the luxury of first class event coordinators combined with tantalizing cuisine all in the elegant setting of a contemporary-style hotel in Englewood NJ. Two spacious and elegant ballrooms and three executive boardrooms provide 5,000 square feet of flexible space, perfect for a New York reunion, a New Jersey athletic conference or simply a conference center in New Jersey.

Crowne Plaza Englewood NJ provides the opportunity to explore the Big Apple and the state of New Jersey and experience the excitement that New York City has to offer without the traffic and parking hassles. With only a short, 10-mile shuttle ride separating you from the pulse of the Big Apple, this Newark NJ hotel’s location places you in the heart of the action.