-Basically, where are good places (both outside/inside amurica) to go to for a week-long trip (I'm sure there are different categories from sight-seeing, cruises, beaches, hiking adventure, etc…)?
I've been to a heck of a lot of places but probably not places most people would take children. Knowing how old they are is helpful, because certain ages cannot handle long plane rides. In general, for a 1 week trip, I find that crossing the international dateline makes for a lot of exhaustion when you return. National Parks and cities are a great idea for children; my parents took my brother and I as kids and I think it fostered my love of traveling.
-Is it better to go separate or for the all-inclusive hotel + airfare + expenses?
AI: That depends on how much you like eating and drinking; *in general* the quality of the food does not equal what you can get elsewhere. There will be a lot of it, but its not often at the standard a "foodie" would rave about. It may be worthwhile if you plan on eating and drinking a lot. They make your costs predictable because you've paid up front. But it can take you from a $400 a night room to $600 (or whatever; point being that the food and drink are generally not worth the extra cost unless you go for volume). I understand they are nice for children if you are staying at a resort with lots of kids activities, as the kids can get smoothies etc. without asking you for money or charging loads of things to the room.
Many vacation packages are cheaper if you book the hotel and airfare together, rather than separate but always check around because there are specials.
-How far in advance do you book the whole trip?
That depends on how far away you're going and whether its high season, whether you need visas, passports etc. Anything less than 2 weeks, you will pay a premium for airfare. If you are going to a popular place during high season, you may find rooms limited and activities booked if you wait until the last minute. I booked my trip to Bora Bora for October about 6 weeks ago but I'm going to Mexico in August and just booked it last week, so more time for far flung/high season places.
-What resources do you think offer good deals (Groupon, Costco vacation packages?)
Costco is not always the cheapest; I got a better deal going through a travel agent last year when I went someplace pretty remote. I typically book trips on my own but if going somewhere remote, its nice to have a travel agent who will know how to arrange airport transfers, who knows the local customs, etc.
In general, when using 3rd party booking agents (Groupon, Expedia, Travelocity etc), you are not always given the best rooms; since the prices may be cheaper than from the primary source, they tend to save the rooms with bad views, etc. Not always the case, but I've heard it so much from others that I believe that to be true.
For easy stateside trips, I use Expedia. I have friends that like Southwest but I really don't like having to log-in 24 hrs before the trip and get my seat grouping assignment. Sometimes I forget.
😛 However, Southwest does NOT charge for baggage; you may have a regional carrier which does the same. The majors generally charge $25/bag/person which can add up. If your children are young, they can probably carry on their own little bags. I do compare prices on Travelocity, Priceline etc but find that they are generally all about the same.
-Heck, while there is variation, what range of expenses am I looking at for a week-long trip and what are ways to minimize the expenses?
The range can be enormous depending on location, number of rooms, how much you want to "live it up".
Some ways to minimize expenses are with food:
1) rooms/vacation rentals with kitchens where you can prepare meal(s)
2) I save money by getting a room with breakfast included; the nicer hotels have huge breakfast buffets, so I fill up, skip lunch and then spend money on dinner
3) bring snacks from home or when you get to your destination, hit a local grocery store/Wal Mart; this is especially true for kids who seem to want to have snacks all the time. That can really eat into your budget. You can pack food into your checked luggage.
But you are on vacation, so please treat yourself and your family a little.
Every town has some free activities; whether its a museum on a Tuesday night, walking on the beach looking at shells, or free concerts in the park. These can reduce costs.
Renting a car can be cheaper if its done as a package and if you're at a destination which would require use of taxis frequently. But don't forget that urban hotels often charge for parking and it can be pricey ($48/day for Omni in Chicago IIRC).
Anyhoo, give us some more information on what you are planning.
