Archive for July, 2010

On the weekend of July 23rd through the 25th Scott Brunnenmeyer, Director of Operations, joined the nation in honoring the fallen and wounded soldiers at the Families United National Weekend of  Remembrance as Sundance Vacations sponsored the Weekend event.

The event kicked off on Friday night with the Gold Star Family dinner in Washington DC. Families United invited all families that had lost a soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan, which brought over 500 families throughout the country. They bring these families through various events throughout the year; this being the largest event. This was a formal event that seated families together by state for an evening honoring their Heroes and allowing them to share their stories with each other. Among the families at the dinner were top ranking officials, 3 star Generals, Admirals and a keynote by Vice Joint Chief Of Staff General James E. Cartwright.  Wayne Newton, with the USO, also performed at the dinner for the Fallen Soldiers’ families. The honorable Scooter Libby was also present for the dinner.

Scott, who is also a Captain in the Army, said that, “It is amazing to see such great family oriented organizations like Families United that will continue to support the fallen soldiers’ families. It gives great reassurance that if something ever happened that my family would have great support.” On Saturday, they had a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which Scott said was “the most emotional part of the whole weekend.”

Following the event in the Arlington Cemetery, there was a  “Hero’s Festival” and concert by country singer Aaron Tippin  at Six Flags America. At the festival the families were able spend time with Armed Service members and enjoy a hot and fun-filled day at the amusement park. Throughout the day there were moments of silence and a lunch/picnic for the families.

On Sunday there was a final service at Washington National Cathedral. Many families stayed to attend the nations largest most respected cathedral for a religious service. Throughout the whole weekend across the country many businesses and news stations were taking time to remember our fallen heroes as well. Scott said that “ I am greatly moved that Sundance Vacations decided to sponsor the event and that I was able to be there for it all.”

For more information on Families United check out the website FamiliesUnitedMission.com. The website lists events and ways to get involved. The next event being held is the Pennsylvania Gold Star Family Luncheon, which will be held in Philadelphia on August 14th.

Surrounded by lush, green golf courses, the beautiful GreenLinks property lies within Lely Resort Golf and Country Club, and is conveniently close to the beaches of Naples, shopping, and exquisite dining.

Perfect for an avid golfer, Naples is a wonderful setting for a vacation. Named after the illustrious Italian city, Naples offers 17 miles of beach along the Gulf of Mexico and beautiful blue water, making it the perfect for water sports, sunbathing, and playing in the sand. Naples Municipal Pier gives way to 10 miles of charming white sand beaches. While in Naples, you may also want to take a trip to the Everglades National Park, or the Naples Botanical Garden.

As for amenities onsite, GreenLinks Resort has a conference center, heated pool, jacuzzi, two golf courses, two tennis courts, a fitness room, a clubhouse with a pro shop, fishing, chartered tours, the Flamingo Island Restaurant, barbecue grills, shelling, water sports, and a spa.

GreenLinks Resort condos feature a full kitchen including microwave, living room, dining area, two cable televisions with free HBO, DVD, high speed internet, telephone, a washer & dryer, iron & ironing board, a hair dryer in the bathroom, and a private screened balcony. Both the bedrooms and the balcony have ceiling fans. The condos are approximately 10 miles from the beach with taxi service.

Eagle’s Nest at Indian Point

Eagle’s Nest Resort is located in beautiful Branson, Missouri, on Lake of the Ozarks. Lake of the Ozarks is a part of Lake of the Ozarks State Park, the largest state park in Missouri. Located right on the lake, the resort provides many fun outdoor activities, and of course, picturesque views of the lake and surrounding area.

Known as the “Live Music Show Capital of the World,” Branson will always keep you occupied during your stay. There are plenty of outdoor activities such as golf, horseback riding, boat rides, hunting, and fishing. Branson’s Dinosaur Museum, Splash Country Indoor Water Park, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museum, and Silver Dollar City are also places that you will want to visit during your stay. To enjoy all of the natural wonders that Branson has to offer, make sure to visit the caves and caverns in the area. You may also want to visit the numerous theatres and entertainment venues that have made Branson famous.

As for activities at Eagle’s Nest Resort, you can go tubing, golfing, fishing, swimming (in the lake or the pool), boating, waterskiing, caving, go karting, and parasailing. Your accommodations at Eagle’s Nest Resort feature a full kitchen with a dishwasher, a microwave, TV, VCR, telephone, decks with barbecue grills, and air conditioning. Also, laundry facilities are provided onsite for your convenience.

Branson is a beautiful and fun-filled city, with something to offer everyone.

Since we had such a good time giving away six free cruises with the Facebook Cruise Giveaway Contest, we thought it would be a lot of fun to continue the contests and giving. So, we are asking you – our customers, fans and friends – to submit your favorite vacation photo for a chance to win a vacation aboard a fun-filled cruise.

In order to enter the contest, you have to submit a photo along with a brief essay explaining the fun being had in your photo and why should win. You can do this on our “Photo Contest” tab.

The submission period is now open until August 31. We will then open up the voting for a two week period, which will end on September 14th. At that time we will pick the photo with the most votes as the winner. The winner will then have a year to claim their cruise vacation!

The winner will receive the following:

• Sundance Vacations voucher for a four-day, three-night cruise for two;
• Cruise leaves from ports in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, or Los Angeles;
• Round-trip airfare for two (not to exceed $800 total) to port city;
• And one night’s stay in the port city.

So, grab your photo albums and pick your best vacation photo for a chance to win!

Winners must be at least 21 years of age. You can read the full Contest Rules eligibility requirements here.

Festa Italiana takes off this week on July 15th with three days of a fun filled celebration. The event is the largest Italian-American festival in America hosting many different concerts on 8 stages, 40 different food vendors and 18 amusement rides throughout Milwaukee’s Lakefront Festival Grounds.  To top it off famous jazz trumpeter Chris Botti as well as Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons headline the festival.

Along with the festivities, Sundance Vacations will also be there sponsoring a raffle with two chances to win. The winning tickets for three great prizes will be drawn after the fireworks on closing night at the Miller Lite Stage. If that wasn’t good enough, everyone who enters the raffle will be re-entered into a second drawing occurring at the end of the year, in which the winner will receive a 2011 Mercedes Benz automobile or $50,000 cash.

The three prizes people can win on the closing night include:

1st:  An Italian-manufactured Vespa S50 Sport scooter. This prize is courtesy of Reina International Auto/Vespa Milwaukee (Joe, Ignazio and Lorenzo Reina).

2nd: A man’s 14-karat yellow gold ring, set with a 1.00-carat champagne round diamond provided by Ted Glorioso of Glorioso’s Gold Imports & Diamond Center.

3rd: Roundtrip airfare for two to any destination where Frontier Airlines travels courtesy of Frontier Airlines.

Good Luck!

For more information please check out http://www.festaitaliana.com

Festa Italiana

Located in the beautiful mountains of western Maryland, Deep Creek is the ultimate destination for vacationing on a lake. As the largest freshwater lake in Maryland, Deep Creek is comprised of 3,900 acres and is at a mountain elevation of almost half a mile high. With twenty-six different species of fish, the lake is perfect for fishing. Additional fun activities include kayaking, canoeing, camping, hiking, and in the winter, skiing and snowboarding.

Inn at Deep Creek is one of  Sundance Vacations’ newest properties since the Inn is brand new itself. Formerly Alpine Village Inn, the renovated respite includes twenty-nine updated and beautiful rooms that are perfect for any type of vacation, whether it be a family getaway or a couples retreat.

When staying at the Inn at Deep Creek, you can enjoy suites complete with fireplaces, full kitchens or kitchenettes, flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations, new beds and bedding, coffee and tea in each room, free Wi-Fi and much more.  The hotel has a large outdoor heated pool, stunning lakeside grilling area complete with picnic tables, a private beach with a boat dock, and a second floor balcony to provide guests with fabulous views of the lake.

Inn at Deep Creek

Travel to the heart of the scenic Canaan Valley and enjoy a relaxing and nature-filled vacation at the Canaan Village Inn. The Canaan Valley offers year-round activities. During the winter, popular nearby activities include downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating. In the warmer months, explore the natural beauty of the area and go hiking, biking, or canoeing. You can also experience the thrill of whitewater rafting or take a chair lift ride to admire the beautiful surroundings.

The resort offers many onsite activities such as mini-golf, horseshoes, and basketball. Enjoy delicious meals at the onsite restaurant, or grill your own meals on the resort’s complementary grills. The unit has two bedrooms with one bathroom and may sleep up to six people. There is a double size bed in each bedroom, and a sofa sleeper in the living room. The unit features a full kitchen with a microwave, television, VCR, heating, fan and a lovely patio.

The Canaan Valley offers many activities including golf, skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, tubing, sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating, mountain hiking, biking, picnics, scenic chair lift rides, swimming, fishing, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking; so no matter what you prefer, there is something for everyone.

Looking for a day trip? Be sure to visit Blackwater Falls State Park which is nine miles south of the resort. The eight-mile gorge with beautiful waterfalls and scenic hiking and walking trails, offers numerous points to observe the valley. There are also stairways and boardwalks that lead you to the base of the gorgeous falls. “The Gentle Trail” provides easy access for visitors in wheelchairs. During the winter months, the park offers over 35km of cross-country ski trails, alongside untouched alpine scenery, that range in difficulty from beginner to intermediate. If you are not a skilled skier, the Blackwater Nordic Center offers cross-country ski instruction, along with rental equipment.

With so many fun activities onsite and offsite, there will never be a boring moment at the Canaan Village Inn. Whether you are looking for an adventurous family vacation, soothing couples retreat, or just a getaway with friends, this is the perfect place to stay!

Canaan Village Inn