Ready to trade your snow shovel for a sand shovel? Enter for a chance to win a three-night getaway for a family of four at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, a 2,400-acre waterfront paradise on Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, an area recognized as one of the top destinations in the world by Frommer’s. The prize consists of lodging in a three-bedroom deluxe villa or condo, complimentary round of golf for four people, tennis and bike rentals.

No one could blame you if you confused The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort for a small town.  Spread out over 2,400 acres on Florida’s northwest Gulf Coast, the resort's accommodations are grouped into 30 "village neighborhoods," with 1,800 lodging options ranging from high-rise beachfront condos and dockside villas to bayfront condos and golfcourse townhomes. There's a pedestrian village with shops, restaurants, nightly entertainment, and the Baytowne Adventure Zone with a zipline, ropes course, and eurobungy. You'll also find four golf courses, 15 tennis courts, multiple swimming pools, miles of bike and jogging paths, half a dozen kids' play areas, a five-acre nature park, plus a fitness center and spa. Head to the marina for sailing and fishing, or the beach for free rentals of kayaks and boogie boards. There’s also a kids’ club, teen sailing classes, a teens-only pool area, and an arcade. 

The Sandestin has announced three offers that promise savings on spring stays at the resort. The one with the widest family appeal looks to be the “Spring into a Free Night” promo, which offers a fifth night free when you pay for four. When we test-booked a five-night stay in April, we were glad to see that the promo rates (starting at $139 a night for a standard guest room) are identical to the resort's regular rates. (This is important, because some resorts increase the nightly rate to recoup some of the cost of the "free" night. Not the case here.) With a fifth night free, the average nightly rate for that standard room drops to $111.

No matter what kind of accommodations you need, you're in luck.  The promo delivers a 20% savings across the board, so you could also nab a one-bedroom beachside condo for $241 a night (instead of $339) or a three-bedroom golfcourse villa for $267 a night (instead of $409).

The "Spring to the Beach" promo is valid for stays from March 1 through May 23.  Rates exclude the nightly resort charge, taxes and departure cleaning fees.  Book online or call 800/622-1038 and use promo code FREE5.

Has your family got a case of the winter blahs?  Gaylord Hotels' Winter Weekend Getaway package might be just what the doctor ordered.  Gaylord Hotels—with locations in Nashville, Dallas, Kissimmee, and Washington DC—are known for their flawless service and wondrous interiors.  Each property features an enormous climate-controlled atrium where it's always 72 degrees, no matter the weather outside.  The indoor spaces are filled with lush gardens, cascading waterfalls, shops, restaurants, spa, swimming pools, and daily entertainment.  The newest property is the Gaylord National, overlooking the monuments and skyline of our nation’s capital. The world-class property is the crown jewel of the newly developed National Harbor, a dynamic waterfront community set along the historic Potomac River in Washington DC. Kids will love the nightly fountain shows and Potomac Playzone arcade. 

The Winter Weekend Getaway offer features a 15% discount off best-available weekend room rates, plus a $50 dining credit good for breakfast or in-room dining.  When we price-checked a Saturday stay in February at Gaylord National, we found a regular nightly rate of $209 for a double room. With the package, that room was priced at $177, which does work out to a discount of 15%.  Factor in the $50 dining credit and you're paying that much less to put smiles on the kids' faces.

The offer is valid on one-night stays on a Friday or Saturday through February 29.  The rate does not include taxes, fees or parking; other restrictions apply. Book online or call the individual hotel's reservations line (phone numbers are available on the website) and ask for the "Winter Weekend Getaway" offer.

If you're going to be flying over the Christmas week, you can connect with loved ones more easily thanks to Skype. The VOIP service is offering one free hour of wi-fi at over 50 US airports between December 21 and December 27. You can use Skype WiFi to make voice and video calls to computers for free and to landlines and mobile phones using Skype credit.

The offer is available in more than 50 major airports, including  JFK, LaGuardia and Newark in the New York City area, Boston's Logan Aiport, Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports, Jackson Hole, and Miami. For a full list, see the interactive map.

We’re excited to be giving away a five-night stay for a family of four at Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort in Orlando, located right next door to Walt Disney World Resort and Animal Kingdom. The prize includes four Play Passes, which offer free tube rentals; rides on the HIPPO, the huge inflatable waterslide; mini golf at two courses; and access to the Fun Zone, which has a Euro Bungee and a rock climbing wall.

The 1,450-acre resort offers amenities for the whole family, spread across four villages that each offer a distinctive taste of resort-style living. You can discover a 12-acre tropical paradise with lazy river-style pool, waterslides, restaurants and poolside bars. Play in a beach-style pool or lounge in a cabana overlooking the 80-acre lake with watersports. Relax in a quiet water oasis or splash around in interactive water features at one of seven pools. There are two mini golf courses, multiple arcades, a kids’ activity center and many hosted activities including a Gatorland® Alligator Show where you can meet an alligator face-to-face. The resort offers 54 holes of golf, including a championship Arnold Palmer Signature Course and a nine-hole course lighted for nighttime play. You can also get a head start on the magic thanks to your own personal Disney concierge at the resort's Disney Planning Center.

The spacious villas pamper you with amenities, including spa-inspired baths, fully equipped kitchens, and free wi-fi high-speed Internet access in your villa and throughout the resort.

For a chance to win this family getaway, just head to our giveaway page. You can enter once a day through January 14, 2012. So come back again tomorrow!   

'Tis the season for shopping and school concerts and holiday parties and frazzled nerves.  If the crazies have hit and you're dreaming about an escape, listen up:  Hilton Hotels is running The December Sale, which promises savings of up to 33% at participating Hilton properties around the globe when you book by New Year's Day and stay before January 8, 2012.

Turns out that "savings of up to 33%" doesn't mean you'll always be able to chop a third off your hotel bill. When we test-booked the offer at two family-friendly properties, we found actual savings hovering closer to 20%. At the Embassy Suites Washington D.C. at the Chevy Chase Pavilion, which boasts a location directly on the Metro Red Line, a two-bedroom suite runs $127 a night, which is a savings of 20% off the best available nightly rate of $159.  Want something warmer? Take a look at the Grand Vacation Suites at Sea World.  At that all-suite resort, we found December Sale nightly rates that were also 20% less than the best available rate: $119 for a one-bedroom suite and $199 for a two-bedroom suite (compared to best available rates of $149 and $249, respectively).    

As always, there's plenty of fine print. The rates are non-refundable, full payment is due at the time of booking, there's a seven-day advance purchase requirement, and blackout dates may apply. Book online or call 800/HILTONS.

Racking your brain for the perfect present for a special family? Consider giving the gift of travel.

We're giving away a $500 gift certificate for Tauck Bridges, the leader in guided family travel. Tauck is known for putting together inclusive, fun family vacations for every age to enjoy together in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Africa. Tauck Bridges family travel adventures are all about shared enrichment and inclusive value, meticulously planned and seamlessly orchestrated so all vacation plans and details are handled for you so your family enjoys ease of family travel.

To enter, visit our Facebook page. You can enter through December 17, 2011.

On your marks, get set, shop! While you're online today, take advantage of the great travel sales to land a great deal on a family vacation for 2012. Here's a round-up of great Cyber Monday sales:

• What's better in the Bahamas? Savings, for starters. Save $450 on an air-inclusive package when you visit Bahamas.com, select the resort of your choice and use the promo code CYBER450 to receive an instant savings on an air-and-hotel package. Travel must be completed by February 29, 2012.
• Frontier Airlines is slashing 10% off every airfare today. Use promo code CYBER10.
• Alaska Airlines is offering fares as low as $40 each way for travel December through February.
  
• Orbitz's weekend sale is still on, offering 50% savings at popular hotels in destinations such as Orlando, San Diego, New York, Miami and Hawaii.
• Marriott is holding a Cyber Monday sale for savings of 25% at select Florida resorts for stays through January 8, 2012.
  
• Shell Vacations Hospitality's Black Friday sale continues, promising up to 50% in savings at its 23 family resorts in the US, Canada and Mexico.
  
• DirectAir is having a BOGO sale through today: Buy one ticket, get one free! Good for airfare through September 2012.
• Funjet's weekend sale showcases the 10 best deals of the season, promising big savings on vacations in Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii and Las Vegas when you travel through February 6, 2012.
• In Southern California, save 35% through today at the plush Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes.
• Like to ski? Liftopia.com's sale runs through today and offers up to 81% off lift ticket packages for your next ski vacation.
• Today between 9am and 9pm EST, there will be a new deal every three hours at Yuupon.com, with savings of up to 90% (no, that's not a typo) on vacations to destinations all over the world. Sign up for their e-mail alerts for an advance schedule of the sales.
• CheapCaribbean.com's Cyber Monday sale promises up to $100 per person in instant savings on trips to Mexico and the Caribbean.

Santa, baby, how about sticking a family vacation under the tree? We've rounded up a selection of great Black Friday travel sales that can help the big guy score a great deal.

• CheapCaribbean.com is offering discounts of up to $500 per person on Caribbean packages that include airfare. Sale ends Sunday.
• Orbitz is offering 50% savings at popular hotels in destinations such as Orlando, San Diego, New York, Miami and Hawaii. Sale runs through Monday.
  
• Shell Vacations Hospitality's Black Friday special lets you save 50% on vacations at its 23 family resorts in the US, Canada and Mexico.
  
• DirectAir is having a BOGO sale for Black Friday: Buy one ticket, get one free! Good for airfare through September 2012.
• Norwegian Cruise Line's sale includes a credit of up to $250 to spend on the ship.
• BookIt.com's Black Friday specials promise savings of up to 70% on vacations to Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean.
• Funjet's Black Friday weekend sale showcases the 10 best deals of the season, promising big savings on vacations in Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii and Las Vegas when you travel through February 6, 2012.
• Sterling Resorts is holding its annual blowout sale, with savings of up to 60% on condos at popular beach resorts along Florida's Gulf Coast.
• Heading off on a Disney vacation next year? Buy your souvenirs now at the Disney Store and save 50% on top of 20%! Use promo code THANKS.
• In Southern California, save 35% through Monday at the plush Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes.
• Like to ski? Liftopia.com's sale runs through Monday and offers up to 81% off lift ticket packages for your next ski vacation.
• There will be a new deal every hour at Yuupon.com, with savings of up to 90% (no, that's not a typo) on vacations to destinations all over the world. Sign up for their e-mail alerts for an advance schedule of the hourly sales.

Your local big box store isn't the only one slashing prices just hours after the Thanksgiving turkey has been cleared.  Sterling Resorts has announced its third annual Black Friday Blowout Sale, a 24-hour promotion offering up to 60% savings off room rates at select properties in Florida.  The sale begins at 12:01 am on Friday, November 25 and ends at midnight the same day. Sterling Resorts offers more than 1,000 condominiums that boast family-friendly features like full kitchens and plenty of room to spread out, with locations in Panama City Beach, the Beaches of South Walton, and Destin. Nightly rates with the promo begin at $99 for a one-bedroom condominium that regularly rents for as much as $264 a night. Black Friday prices are good on stays from November 26, 2011 to December 31, 2012, but the entire summer season is blacked out.

Book online or call 877/853-1482.  Sale prices are valid on new reservations only. The entire summer season from May 24 to September 10, 2012 is blacked out.