Congratulations to David Reutimann from the Michael Waltrip Racing Team on his win in Chicago last Saturday! The victory marked Reutimann's second career NASCAR win and cleared any previous doubts of his first win on a rained out decision. Reutimann is 40 years old, but is still a determined to win driver. He was quiet during most of the race but made a pass on veteran Jeff Gordon on lap 213 and dominated the lead for the remaining 54 laps.
Reutimann had a stellar performance and is known by other drivers as the "nice guy." Carl Edwards said, "He is just such a nice person. Her is the first guy to congratulate me on something and the first guy to apologize if he feels he did something wrong. We all have to hang out with each other every week, but he is the guy you would hang out with if you had an off weekend." Congratulations again to David Reutimann, the NASCAR "nice guy" who displayed a dominating performance.
Indulge us for a moment and ponder and respond to the ultimate (though quite impossible) travel dilemma for our YMBT readers:
If faced with a travel choice you had to make, would you rather...
1) Visit your favorite vacation spot every year without fail, but never be able to travel to a different location
...or
2) Visit a new destination every year, but never be able to travel to the same place twice.
Vote for your choice by leaving a comment and responding with "1" or "2" to cast your vote. One voter will be selected to win a $250 Travel Card to help them visit their favorite spot or strike out on a new adventure. Contest ends July 31, 2010
Tell us what your most fun summer destination of all time is and enter for a chance to win a $250 travel card just for sharing!
Out of all the vacations you've taken, what trip left you eager to come back? What spot had family members begging you to let them stay one more day? Where did you have the time of your life? Summer travel is all about escaping to a care-free place to just have fun. Tell us where that is and you could win a $250 travel card to help you get back there!
Post a comment to nominate your locale and at the same time enter for a chance to win a FREE $250 travel card! Contest ends June 30, 2010.
Nominate the You Must Be Trippin' 'Place to Be' this summer and you could win a FREE NIGHT* stay for your summer travel.
There are a wide variety of summer travel locations, but what is your 'Place to Be'? Where is that amazing beach, breath taking vista, serene escape or exciting adventure? In short, what's the summer place you long to visit?
Post a comment to nominate your locale and at the same time enter for a chance to win a FREE NIGHT stay* at a Best Western hotel. In addition, the winning location will be featured on You Must Be Trippin' as the 'Place to Be' this summer. Contest ends May 1, 2010.
*Free night stay is awarded as a $200 Best Western Travel Card. Travel card amount is equivalent to cost of average night stay at a Best Western hotel.
Join us in this weekly giveaway and celebration of NASCAR...
This Sunday, Bristol is where it is at! Leave a comment below with your prediction of who's gonna win and you might win yourself this great hat signed my Michael Waltrip.
The rules are simple:
Leave a comment below letting us know which driver you think is going to win
If you are correct, you will be automatically entered in to a drawing for a chance to win a signed hat.
*Entries must be in before the start of the race on 03/21, and winner will be announced on 03/22.
Don't forget to check back before every race to play Who's Gonna Win!
Limit only one entry per person. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the US or Canada to be eligible to win. Winner will be randomly selected from all correct answers posted in the comments below.
Join us in this weekly giveaway and celebration of NASCAR...
This week, NASCAR goes to Atlanta! Leave a comment below with your prediction of who's gonna win for a chance to win yourself a die cast car signed my Michael Waltrip.
The rules are simple:
Leave a comment below letting us know which driver you think is going to win the Kobalt Tools 500 this Sunday.
If you are correct, you will be automatically entered in to a drawing for a chance to win a signed die cast car.
*Entries must be in before the start of the race on 03/07, and winner will be announced on 03/08.
Limit only one entry per person. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the US or Canada to be eligible to win. Winner will be randomly selected from all correct answers posted in the comments below.
Tell Us Cool Travel Destinations to Visit by Car and Enter to Win Your Choice of a nuvi® 275T GPS Device ($250 value) or $250 Best Western Travel Card!
Spring is here (well, almost) and it is time to hit the open road, take in the scenery and sunshine and feel the wind in your hair. While you are doing all that, hopefully you are heading some place fun and exciting. And we want to hear about it.
Submit a cool destination to visit by car and enter to win a Garmin nuvi® 275T GPS device ($250 value) or $250 Best Western Travel Card!
To enter your cool car travel destination (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a Garmin nuvi® 275T GPS device or $250 Best Western Travel Card), select the Comment button and enter in a cool destination idea.
Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a Garmin nuvi® 275T GPS device or $250 Best Western Travel Card!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends March 31, so submit your travel destinations today.
Racing comes to Las Vegas this week! Join us in this weekly giveaway and celebration of NASCAR... Leave a comment below with you prediction of who's gonna win for a chance to win yourself a $25 Best Western Travel Card.
The rules are simple:
Leave a comment below letting us know which driver you think is going to win the Shelby American this Sunday.
If you are correct, you will be automatically entered in to a drawing for a chance to win a $25 Best Western Travel Card.
*Entries must be in before the start of the race on 2/28, and winner will be announced on 03/01
Don't forget to check back before every race to play Who's Gonna Win!
Limit only one entry per person. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the US or Canada to be eligible to win. Winner will be randomly selected from all correct answers posted in the comments below.
The Auto Club 500 is this Sunday! Do you think you know NASCAR well enough to guess who's gonna win? Use your smarts for a chance to win yourself some cool stuff!
The rules are simple:
Leave a comment below letting us know which driver you think is going to win the Auto Club 500 this Sunday.
If you are correct, you will be automatically entered in to a drawing for a chance to win a die cast race car signed by Michael Waltrip!
*Entries must be in before the start of the race on 2/21, and winner will be announced on 2/22.
Don't forget to check back before every race to play Who's Gonna Win!
Limit only one entry per person. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the US or Canada to be eligible to win. Winner will be randomly selected from all correct answers posted in the comments below.
Limit only one entry per person. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the US or Canada to be eligible to win. Winner will be randomly selected from all correct answers posted in the comments below.
Love is in the air! We want to hear all the great ideas out there for a romantic travel destination, whether it is a winter retreat, sunny beach or just someplace special to you. It could be someplace you've been or someplace you dream of going. Let us know.
To submit your romantic destination idea (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card®), select the Comment button and enter in a romantic destination idea.
Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends February 28, so submit your travel destinations today.
Three Internet-Savvy Race Fans Will Be Selected to Travel to Phoenix for the April 10 Race and Serve as David Reutimann's Team of Twitter Correspondents.
Fans who visit the Best Western "Official Tweet Crew Team" Web site, www.bestwestern.com/tweetcrewteam starting today through Wednesday, March 17, will have the opportunity to submit an application, which includes a link to a creative video or picture, to become a member of this historic team. The selected three-person team will join David Reutimann in Phoenix on April 10 and spend the weekend with the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 winner, Tweeting about every twist and turn he makes on-and-off the track. Each Tweet Crew Team member will be provided with a smartphone that has camera capabilities to enable "Twitpics."
The first-ever "Official Tweet Crew Team" will also give racing fans around the world an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the Sprint Cup Series Race in Phoenix by providing a written play-by-play of the race via Twitter from the team's different vantage points around the track. Fans can follow all the heart-pounding and intimate action by logging onto www.twitter.com and following the team at @tweetcrewteam. Finally, race fans watching from home or following the team on Twitter will be given the chance to win great prizes throughout the race including official Best Western Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing gear, as well as rewards program points that can be redeemed for future hotel stays and a wide variety of merchandise. One lucky member of Speed Rewards, Best Western's loyalty program for race fans, will also win a Travel Card valued at $500.
With the recent tragedy still unfolding in Haiti, Best Western has made it possible to donate to the massive relief effort by allowing Best Western Rewards members to contribute their rewards points to the cause.
Members can go to www.bestwestern.com/haitirelief to make a donation of 5,000 points, which translates to $20, or more to World Vision, Best Western's official charity partner. Similar efforts are underway in Best Western regions globally.
Tell Us About Your Greatest Travel Adventure and Enter for a Chance to Win a $250 Best Western Travel Card®!
Travel is exciting! We want to hear about your best travel adventures. Whether it is simply a destination or when you discovered someplace new, had a travel mishap or simply had an unforgettable travel experience, share them with us. It doesn't matter if they are brief or detailed--we just love to hear about travel!
To submit your travel adventure (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What is your greatest travel adventure?"
Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends February 10, so submit your travel destinations today.
Tell us and enter for a chance to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card®!
A new year is fast approaching. This is the perfect time to start dreaming about where your travels may take you for 2010! It can be a place you are already planning on, have visited before, or if you just want to dream big. Fill us in on your wish list travel destinations and enter for a chance to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card.
To submit your wish list travel destinations (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card®), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What destinations are on your travel wish list for 2010?"
Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends on January 6, so submit your travel destinations today.
This past Halloween, Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, stayed at the Best Western Premier Slon in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
The visit created a bump for stays at the hotel as well as visits from other government dignitaries. Best Western was thrilled to host the former President and his staff.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the YMBT Fall Photo Contest. Reviewing all the photos submitted for the contest was an impactful reminder of how many exciting and beautiful things are out there to be discovered on our travels.
Congratulations to our winner, A.C. Merritt, winner of a digital picture frame, for the beautiful fall photo featured below. We had so many fabulous fall travel photos, it was difficult to pick one.
Best Western, a long time sponsor of Michael Waltrip and his team, is now the primary sponsor of the No. 00 Toyota Camry driven by the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 winner David Reutimann for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race being held at the Phoenix International Raceway on April 10, 2010. Best Western will also serve as an associate sponsor of the No. 00 for the remainder of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule.
"Best Western is one of the most dynamic and creative sponsors and we've experienced incredible success together over the past six seasons," said Michael Waltrip. "We know that when we start our engines that Best Western hotel owners and fans will be cheering both David and me on during the 2010 NASCAR season."
"Racing from dirt track to dirt track across the years, I spent a lot of nights in Best Western hotels across the country," said David Reutimann. "So I know personally the kind of amazing service and great value Best Western offers. Now when I stay at Best Western, I get my own king bed, so I feel like I've made some progress. I am just so thankful that Best Western sees the value in our partnership and has decided to continue to support Michael Waltrip Racing."
Best of luck to Michael and David and the entire Michael Waltrip team as they gear up for 2010!
For more information on Best Western Racing or to sign up for the Speed Rewards loyalty program, please visit www.bestwesternracing.com.
We received great response on our summer photo contest. So much that we are can't wait to see even more of your travel adventures! Fall is a great time for seeing the sights, beating the crowds and discovering new spots. Submit a photo of your fabulous fall travel and enter for a chance to win a digital picture frame.
Submit your photo by November 30, 2009 to enter for a chance to win a digital picture frame to display your vacation memories.
To enter the contest:
1. Submit an email with your photo attached.
2. Add "YMBT Fall Photo Contest" in the subject line.
3. Add your name and email address in the body, so we can notify you if your photo is selected as the winner!
Have you tried the "Best Western Friends Forever Inseparator"? Take a few minutes and create a hilarious merged image of you and your pet and share it with family, friends and co-workers. Create your unforgettable photo by logging on to www.bwff.com.
Also, check out these pet travel tips from Cesar Milan:
Tell us and enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card®!
You probably don't want to hear this, but summer is almost officially over. Hopefully, like us, you had a chance to get out and enjoy the summer while it was here. Whether you discovered a fantastic new beach, enjoyed a family reunion, lost yourself in the outdoors or just found some time to unwind, we want to hear about where your summer travels have taken you. Fill us in on your summer travel destinations and enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card.
To submit your summer travel destinations (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card®), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "Where did my summer travel take me?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends on October 4, so submit your travel destinations today.
Why not get more for your trippin' this fall? Join Best Western Rewards® Best Western's free rewards program. Stay any 2, 3 or 4 qualified* NIGHTS and earn double, triple or quadruple points when you pay with a MasterCard® card between now and November 22, 2009 (max. 4 nights). Book on BestWestern.com and earn 250 bonus points. Use points to redeem free nights, Best Western Travel Cards®, airline rewards, gift cards and more.
This week on bestwestern.com, extra great travel deals will be available, but only from 12pm EDT - 4pm EDT.
The travel can take place anytime this year, though prepayment is required to get the low rates. Make sure to set your alarm for noon EDT and check out the savings that everyone is talking about.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the first YMBT photo contest. We had amazing entries and it was fun to see there was plenty of trippin' going on this summer. In fact, we were so impressed with the photo entries that we couldn't bring ourselves to pick just one winner...so we picked three! The three winning images are displayed below. Check out all photo entries here.
Each winner will receive a digital picture frame to display all their great summer travel photos.
Thanks again to all who participated. Stay tuned for more YMBT travel contests coming up in the near future.
Winner 1 - Submitted by Julie Henneman
Winner 2 - Submitted by Rhonda Geneser
Winner 3 - Submitted by Rachel Niemeyer
Winners will be contacted by Best Western regarding their prizes.
Hate being apart from your pet? Now you don't have to, inseparate yourselves! Check out our new site (bwff.com) where you can create hilarious images of the two of you as one! All you have to do is upload an image of yourself, one of your pet, press the inseparate button, and presto, you will be inseparated forever (ok, not really forever). With this new site, and 1900 Pet Friendlier Best Western properties, we are making sure that you and your best friend never have to be apart again. So log on, have fun, make some inseparations, send them to friends, and enjoy the laughs!
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
We had an afternoon flight so plenty of time for another swim before we had to pack up and leave. The flight was easy; as road trippers we obviously don't fly often and I have to be honest wasn't too keen on it. Especially flying into NYC right after the small plane flew into the helicopter. That was lovely news as I was waiting to board the plane! Happy to report not even major turbulence. We had plenty of time for lunch at JFK and then our last leg home. I crawled through the door and headed upstairs to bed claiming, "I'll unpack in the morning!" The kids however, not being tired, were like "see you tomorrow we're watching the Disney Channel". Another great vacation completed!
I would be remiss by not thanking the people who made this great memory making vacation possible!
AAA- Great plans, great gifts, and a great company!!!
Best Western- Obviously the "Best" hotel!
Hertz- Who facilitated our first car pickup which was very easy and started us off on a great trip.
Volkswagen- Great car with all the amenities a family could want! And, a very helpful gent who dropped the car off and met us at the hotel so we could go all the way to the airport in "our" new car. The kids were even allowed to watch a DVD on the way to the airport.
Our Friends and Family - who voted for our photo and gave us the chance to go on the trip!
Thanks to everyone behind the scenes this was a dream come true for a big Army Family!
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
Last day of the road trip and the kids are still going strong. We let them swim in the morning in case we came back from the falls late. Which was a good call as we ended staying for the fireworks. We never thought we would be there that long, but time flies when you are having fun!
Niagara was like that. We had been there several times before and I actually thought it would be a short day. We decided to purchase the discovery ticket that gives you entrance to everything. That was sooo worth it! We started out at Cave of the Winds. Absolutely phenomenal! I would recommend always starting the day there, A. you are going to get soaked and you need all day to dry off and B. it gives you a whole new appreciation for the power of the falls. Basically you take an elevator down to the bottom of the Bridal Veils which is the small part of the American falls. You then proceed to walk up into the falls as they crash down on the rocks. It is called Hurricane Deck and while I have never been through a hurricane I imagine that is what is feels like. The force is amazing and the kids loved it. It can be a little scary too; Scotty did not really dig it and clung to the rails as his sisters ran in and out of the spray. I clung to Madie not wanting a stray big wave to knock her between the slats, you know - that mother in me.
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
The big drive!
So this was the day of the big drive. Even by our standards this was going to push the max driving range for the kids. Eight hours or more in the car - all the way from Boston to Buffalo! Good thing the Volkswagen Routan is so well-equipped; that DVD player sure is handy.
The day went alright only one good melt down which Bryan managed to capture on video. The kids are going to rue the day they have fits when Dad has the camera. We also were planning to stop for dinner in Syracuse and meet our cousin Rob. Dinner was very enjoyable; as we met at "the Dinosaur BBQ" in Syracuse which has great food and you can sit outside and watch the "choppers". Plus, the roar of the motorcycles muffles anything the kids can attempt.
After dinner we were within striking range of the hotel so we all knew we would make it. It's also so nice to know there is a comfortable room waiting when you arrive. Let me tell you - Best Western never looked so good as last night after ten hours of traveling! What a treat it was too! The hotel is brand new and the beds were super comfortable! We were all just super tired. Tomorrow the last day of the trip and we are off to see Niagara Falls!
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
Boston is one of our all time favorite cities and we were happy to have an excuse to visit it again. The kids made a few stipulations after having me drag them all over for the last four days. No walking and nothing historic! I hated to break it to them that they would have to spend the entire day with their eyes shut!
We started the day by meeting Madie's God Father, Dale, at Bunker Hill. The kids overlooked the fact that we were starting the day at a key piece of history because we were meeting Dale there. I have found that when dealing with my kids it's all in the delivery - we weren't visiting Bunker Hill, we were meeting up with Dale. The two oldest also decided to walk the 250+ stairs to the top of the monument to see the view of Boston - so there went the no walking thing.
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
Yesterday was spent doing what everyone should do when they go to the city; at least a little bit: Shopping! Times Square has changed so much since I used to come to town. It is way more family-friendly. We started out by going to M&M World. The kids were just mesmerized by how big everything was. There was actually so much shopping they sort of froze and in the end I had to pick out their souvenirs for them. We also walked up 5th Ave, into FAO Schwartz (of course) and peeked into Central Park. I am known for putting too much into a day so instead of doing much exploring in the park I told the kids we would come back another time. We then jumped on the subway and headed back to Times Square so we could see the Toys R Us. This store actually has a Ferris wheel inside the store. So we all rode the Ferris wheel, bought our souvenirs (with help from mom) and headed back to the hotel to pick up "our new car" as the kids keep saying.
The "new car" is a fully-loaded Volkswagen Routan and getting it was every bit as exciting as the kids thought it would be. There are buttons for everything! As soon as they pulled the car in the kids all took turns trying out all the seats and deciding who would sit where - they all tried to claim the driver's seat. I had to remind Teddy that I would be sitting up front with Dad.
August 4 2009 by Retro to Now Road Trip Comments (6)
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
Left Philly this morning, what a great city! We had not had a chance to see this city before and after the day we decided we definitely need to go back.
From there we headed to New York City - which is always so cool because you see the city skyline as you drive in so it was very fun to point it out to the kids. The kids were just amazed at all the activity and lights. The hotel was at the best vantage point for the kids, right by the M&M World store. There is a huge screen with M&Ms doing crazy things. We were outside the hotel for about 20 mins. while we were unloading and it was the quietest the kids had been the whole weekend!
We are staying at the Best Western President Hotel at Times Square - what a hotel!!! It was a great end to the retro portion of our trip as we walked into our room and it was all white (white tables, walls, couch, linen) and black. Not the best for a mom though. "Oh my gosh kids go wash your hands and don't touch anything!" Actually it was very fun for the kids as they have never seen anything that modern. There was also a box waiting for us from AAA. Inside was DVDs and electronic car games. The kids don't have any electronic car games, so getting them to sleep was a chore.
August 3 2009 by Retro to Now Road Trip Comments (1)
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
Gettysburg was a blast! We thoroughly enjoyed the nice weather. We also got the chance to talk to some of the actors that reenact the battles by accidently wandering up to their campfire! The interaction between the kids and the actors was the highlight of the trip. The men truly seemed exhausted from a whole day of maneuvering, but the kids sat down and chatted up a storm. Asking questions that are extremely important to a nine-year-old like, "how can you sleep if a bug crawls on you?" The funny thing was, we thought we were at reenactment campfire discussion advertised in the National Parks Service newspaper, but when we left
found the "real" campsite discussion not too far from where we had been!
On our way out of Gettysburg we paid tribute to "Sallie", the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment's mascot. Their historical marker has Sallie lying at the feet of her soldier. Great story and if you ever visit Gettysburg, go see her.
August 3 2009 by Retro to Now Road Trip Comments (1)
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
The Monteith Clan arrived at Gettysburg today! The first leg of the trip was pleasant as the kids were very involved in the car games AAA sent them. They even had invisible ink games that I played with in the car when I was a kid. I am sure they will have no problem doing the first half of the trip with no in-car TVs because the assortment of games AAA sent is perfect for all my kids. Every family should try this next time they hit the road - unplug that DVD player and pick up some car games!
After arriving we went immediately to the visitor's center and saw the movie about Gettysburg. We then went to the National Park side of the visitor's center and signed up for the junior ranger program. We love this program as it is a very economical way to see the park and get a souvenir. The programs are very informative and the kids really have to pay attention and work to fill out the books, but in the end they all receive a badge which they can add to their collection. We try to do the programs whenever we are visiting a National Park.
The Monteith family hit the road as the winners of Best Western's "Retro to Now Road Trip" contest.
OK so it's a little later than I had hoped to leave on the great adventure. We were hoping to get out at 9:30 but its 10:00 - oh well. I managed to find my backpack from when I was a kid and went on road trips with my parents and grandparents. It actually still has all the postcards I got when I was a kid! I threw it in the car so my kids could look through it. Their one comment was, "Ewwww it stinks!" Ok, the slight odor of mildew maybe there!
I also managed to grab all my music from the 50s, 60s and 70s that my parents used to listen too. Teddy informed me she does not like Buddy Holly, but, oh well - kid torture in a car is an amazing thing. I also grabbed some of the music I liked when in college like Ace of Base, etc.
Our rental car is packed with probably more than we should take. It was so convenient that Hertz let us pick up the car yesterday so we could get a jump start on packing! Well, the van is packed, we are ready to go and the kids have already started to fight! What's a good road trip without kids fighting though, right?
As grand prize winners of the Best Western and AAA "Retro to Now Road Trip" sweepstakes, the Monteith family will hit the road and tour some of the Northeast's most famous cities and landmarks in a way most modern day families don't - in a standard family van, without access to a CD player, cell phones or other technology. While traveling in the vehicle, provided by Hertz Rental Car, video games and DVDs will be replaced by road games and paperbacks to keep the children - a five-year-old, eight-year-old and nine-year old twins - occupied. The journey will be guided by a TripTik® Travel Planner provided by AAA.
Midway through the journey, the family will switch to "now," with all familiar and modern amenities returning. In addition the family will drive a fully-loaded 2009 Volkswagen Routan, the only minivan in America with German engineering. Features include power sliding doors, U-Connect Bluetooth cellular phone wireless connection, DVD navigation with wide touch screen, built-in single-disc AM/FM/CD/DVD/MP3, USB connection, 30GB hard drive, music storage feature, Sirius Satellite Radio and rear view backup camera.
Follow the Monteith family on their "Retro to Now Road Trip". Their first blog post is below. Check back to see how their retro to now journey progresses!
Preparing to Go Retro One day and counting. The kids are so excited. They have been packing for the last month. Every time I am looking for something I find that it has been stashed in one of many bags that is for the big trip! Tonight is the moment of truth though as I go through the kids bags and explain to Madeline (5) that she does not need to take all her Barbies on the trip and Scotty (8) does not need to take all of his favorite stuffed animals. Teddy and Katie are always within limit but I sometimes find that after they "help" the younger kids pack their favorite items are stashed in someone else's bag so they don't have to carry it!
Check out NBC's summer series, The Great American Road Trip, tonight on NBC, 8/7c as the families snake through the Grand Canyon and stay at the Best Western Inn of Sedona.
The reality based show features 8 families traveling through cities large and small, all while competing in a medley of humorous challenges that will ultimately lead one family to victory. Along the way, the families visit iconic American backdrops like the majestic Grand Canyon and the regal Washington Monument. The families also discover quirky American landmarks, ranging from the World's Largest Chair to a sneaker the size of a car. Although family fun is the centerpiece of the show, the competition is real and one family will be eliminated each week based on their performance in the challenges. Ultimately, only one family will return home with a dream prize that perfectly complements their extraordinary and memorable summer vacation.
We are launching our first photo contest here at YMBT. Submit a photo of you having a blast on your summer vacation and enter for a chance to win a digital picture frame.
Sharing your summer adventure with the rest of us is the best way to keep the fun alive! Submit your photo by August 31, 2009 to enter for a chance to win a digital picture frame to display your vacation memories.
Due to an error, if you submitted a photo to our contest between July 24 and July 26, please resubmit your image here so it can be added to our photo contest entries. We apologize for the error and hope to see your vacation photos coming in soon.
Add "YMBT Summer Photo Contest" in the subject line.
Add your name and email address in the body, so we can notify you if your photo is selected as the winner.
Submitted photos will be featured on YMBT.
Enjoy the rest of summer!
By entering the Contest, Entrant hereby grants the Sponsor and its affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, licensees, and legal representatives the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to use, reproduce, edit, market, broadcast, store, distribute, have distributed, reproduce, re-arrange, change, add to or delete from, translate, adapt or otherwise revise and/or alter the write-up, and promote Entrant's write-up for editorial, commercial, promotional and all other purposes. In addition, Entrant hereby assigns to the Sponsor all royalty-free, non-exclusive rights, titles, and interests that you may be deemed to have in any reproduction, product, or derivative work using or incorporating the write-up.
This week on bestwestern.com, extra great travel deals will be available, but only from 12pm EDT - 4pm EDT.
The travel can take place anytime this year, though prepayment is required to get the low rates. Make sure to set your alarm for noon EDT and check out the savings that everyone is talking about.
Check out NBC's newest series, The Great American Road Trip. The second episode airs tonight on NBC, 8/7c as the families head through Branson, MO and stay at the Best Western Music Capital Inn.
The reality based show features 8 families traveling through cities large and small, all while competing in a medley of humorous challenges that will ultimately lead one family to victory. Along the way, the families visit iconic American backdrops like the majestic Grand Canyon and the regal Washington Monument. The families also discover quirky American landmarks, ranging from the World's Largest Chair to a sneaker the size of a car. Although family fun is the centerpiece of the show, the competition is real and one family will be eliminated each week based on their performance in the challenges. Ultimately, only one family will return home with a dream prize that perfectly complements their extraordinary and memorable summer vacation.
We are all guilty of it; we daydream of sunny beaches, tranquil forests, or exotic locales when we really should be paying attention in that meeting. But what are the places we are all daydreaming to visit? Tell us your summer travel daydream destination and enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card.
To submit your Daydream Summer Travel Destination (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card® ), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What summer travel destination are you daydreaming of visiting?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends on July 13, so submit your travel ideas today.
The saying goes 'When you're good, you're good'. And right now, Best Western Sponsored driver David Reutimann is good.
Over the course of this season in the 00 Toyota, Reutimann has captured two poles, three top 5 finishes, and notched the first win of his Sprint Cup career. The 09 season started out strong for David, scoring 12th place at the Daytona 500. He followed it up two weeks later with a 4th place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Shelby 427. David rolled through the next several weeks with a series of strong finishes before captured his first win at the rain soaked Coca-Cola 600.
There is no better way to start the summer season than getting an amazing travel deal. Get a FREE NIGHT and a JONAS pack when you stay twice between June 21 and August 16. With a free night, you can make sure to take an extra getaway this summer.
This week on bestwestern.com, extra great travel deals will be available, but only from 12pm EDT - 4pm EDT.
The travel can take place anytime this year, though prepayment is required to get the low rates. Make sure to set your alarm for noon EDT and check out the savings that everyone is talking about.
Rain didn't dampen the excitement of Best Western Racing driver David Reutimann on Monday. David raced his way to his first NASCAR Spring Cup victory with a rain soaked win in a shortened Coca-Cola 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway. A hard driven race by David and a strategic move to stay out under caution late in the race by crew chief Rodney Childers put the No. 00 team in position for victory when the race was officially stopped due to rain.
This win puts David 13th in Cup standings and only 6 points out of the chase. Congrats Reuti!
Are you surprised that Memorial Day weekend is already staring you in the face? Did you wait until the last minute to start making plans? Perhaps, we can help.
Summer is about adventure. Veering off the main road, taking that extra detour, heading off into new territory....or doing so by accident. Either way, they usually lend themselves to unforgettable vacation experiences. And we want hear about them. Whether you inadvertently drove to the wrong travel destination, accidentally discovered a great travel spot or wandered into other unplanned vacation experiences that were unforgettable, we want to know!
To submit your Unforgettable & Unplanned Summer Vacation Experiences (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a Flip Video Digital Recorder), select the Comment button and enter in your response. Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a Flip Video Digital Recorder!
Maybe the next time you stumble upon an exciting vacation adventure you can capture it all on your flip video!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends on May 31, so submit your travel experiences today.
This week on bestwestern.com, extra great travel deals will be available, but only from 12pm EDT - 4pm EDT.
The travel can take place anytime this year, though prepayment is required to get the low rates. Make sure to set your alarm for noon EDT and check out the savings that everyone is talking about.
Best Western and AAA are giving one lucky family a summer road trip that starts in the past and ends in the present day! To enter for a chance to win, submit a photograph of you or your family on a road trip or vacation! The photograph can be recent or from any other decade.
The winning family will embark on a road trip that hits some of North America's most popular destinations. The trip will start in "retro" style, complete with an old-school car, paper maps and car games, as well as other familiar supplies of yesteryear. Mid-way through the trip, they'll fast-forward to "now" and be equipped with a modern vehicle, GPS device and DVD players and all the conveniences of modern day.
Join us on Facebook and Twitter for a chance to WIN a $100 Best Western Travel Card!
Best Western is now on Facebook and Twitter to help spread our love of travel! Join our Facebook and Twitter pages to get up-to-date travel deals and promotions, travel tips, destination ideas and more!
Be one of the first 500 to join us on Facebook or on Twitter and you will automatically have a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card.
Summer is coming up fast. And Best Western wants to help you get ready for your summer vacation. Earn a $50 Best Western Travel Card® to use towards your summer vacation when you stay twice between now and June 14, 2009.
This week on bestwestern.com, extra great travel deals will be available, but only from 12pm EDT - 4pm EDT.
The travel can take place anytime this year, though prepayment is required to get the low rates. Make sure to set your alarm for noon EDT and check out the savings that everyone is talking about.
Taking time to get away as winter thaws and spring warms up is an annual rite. But where to go to get the most out of spring break? Whether you are heading to a beach, experiencing nature, losing yourself on the open road or just taking a quick trip close to home we want to know where the best places are to celebrate spring.
To submit your Best Spring Break Getaway Ideas (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card® ), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What are your best spring break getaway destination ideas?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card!
In addition, get an extra entry into the contest for adding this blog post to another site (track back). Copy and paste the URL under the Trackbacks section to add this post to your blog.
The contest promotion ends on April 30, so sumbit your travel ideas today.
Find a trippin' deal this spring. Check out a list of Best Western hotels that are currently offering AAA discount rates of 20% or more off of their Best Available Rate!
From Alabama to Wisconsin, you're sure to find a fantastic hotel deal with AAA and Best Western!
This week on bestwestern.com, extra great travel deals will be available, but only from 12pm EST - 4pm EST. The travel can take place anytime this year, though prepayment is required to get the low rates. Make sure to set your alarm for noon EST and check out the savings that everyone is talking about.
And enter for a chance to win 24,000 Best Western Reward points!
Here at YMBT we understand that travel costs money. But we also understand that travel is a healthy escape, a needed getaway, a necessary business expense or a chance to reconnect with family and friends. And with the constant bad news about the economy, we need those things now more than ever. But there are places to travel that don't have to break the bank. And we want to hear about them. They could be weekend getaway spots, National or State Parks, interesting sites or special places close to home that help you get away from it all.
To submit your BEST BUDGET TRAVEL DESTINATION ideas (and at the same time enter for a chance to win 24,000 Best Western Reward points), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What are your best budget travel destination ideas?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win 24,000 Best Western Reward points!
The contest promotion ends on March 31, so submit your travel destinations today.
Beat the glum economy and get ready for your spring fling! Stay any 2 qualified nights between February 15 and April 5, 2009 and earn DOUBLE points or miles.
In addition, enter for a chance to win 1 million Best Western RewardsSM points! With all those points you can earn free night stays, gift cards and more.
And enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Travel Card!
This is the month for Valentine's Day and love is in air. In the spirit of St. Valentine, share with us the most romantic travel destinations on your list (or wish list). Is it a tropical hideaway, a cozy retreat or just a special place for you and your significant other? Let us know!
To submit your MOST ROMANTIC destinations (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What are your MOST ROMANTIC travel destinations?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card!
The contest promotion ends on February 28, so submit your travel destinations today.
For every $100 Best Western Travel Card® you purchase between now and February 1, you receive a free $10 retail gift card to go along with it. Select your free $10 gift card from your choice of major retailers.
Now is the perfect time to give the gift of travel and reward yourself at the same time.
Share your MUST TRAVEL destinations for 2009 with us and enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card.
It's a new year with the promise of new possibilities, places to see and things to do. As you look forward to 2009 what are the travel destinations that are definitely on your list (or wish list)? Is it a warm weather retreat, cultural experience, family gathering or something else all together? Let us know!
To submit your MUST TRAVEL destinations for 2009 (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What is your MUST TRAVEL destination for 2009?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card!
The contest promotion ends on January 25, so submit your travel destinations today.
Best Western's winter promotion is on now through February 14. Best Western Rewards (formerly Gold Crown Club International) is offering up to 4x the rewards. Stay 2, 3 or 4 qualified nights and you can earn double, triple, and yes, even quadruple points when you pay with your MasterCard®. Better yet, book online at bestwestern.com and earn an additional 250 points. That is a lot of points. You can use your reward points for free nights, car rentals, gift cards and more.
If you are traveling this winter, it is a great way to rack up the rewards.
If you are heading out on vacation, a weekend getaway, a holiday road trip or other related travel adventure, our hope is you find a Best Western hotel that will meet your needs. And similar to all real estate, location is important when looking for a hotel. Below are some Best Western hotels in prime spots:
Hollywood, California Best Western Sunset Plaza Hotel
If you find yourself out west with the sun and glamour of Hollywood, check out the Best Western Sunset Plaza Hotel, located right on the Sunset Strip and close to favorite Hollywood attractions. The Best Western Sunset Plaza is just a short walk to the Mann's Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Wax Museum and the Hollywood Stars Walk of Fame. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping on Rodeo Drive or trendy Melrose Avenue. The Getty Museum, Page Museum and Griffith Observatory are also close by, not to mention the variety of amusement parks within a short drive.
Share your best ever holiday travel experience with us and enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card.
We love the holidays! We love the time spent with family, friends, and all the fun activities that holiday celebrations bring. Whether your travels have brought you to gatherings of old acquaintances or to exotic locales to escape from it all, they make for great memories. And we want to hear about them.
To submit your experiences (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What is your best ever holiday travel experience?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commenter to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card!
The contest promotion ends on December 5, so get your experiences in now. Happy holiday travels!
Enter for a Chance to Win a $100 Best Western Gift Card, Just for Telling Us What Travel Related Topics Interest You Most.
We have a new blog here and we want to know what types of travel info would be most interesting, helpful and useful to you. In short, what types of things can we put up here that would have you coming back for more?
To submit your ideas (and at the same time enter for a chance to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card), select the Comment button and enter in your response to the question, "What travel related topic(s) interests you most?" Once you enter a comment you are entered into a random drawing for one commmenter to win a $100 Best Western Gift Card!
Your responses can include anything from specific destinations (i.e. Hawaii) or travel tips (i.e. traveling with kids).
The contest promotion ends on October 17, so get your comments in now.
With things so up and down in the economy, it may seem like doubling up on anything is impossible these days. Even as the stock market continues to slide up and down, you can double your point earnings with Best Western this fall.
Stay any 2 qualified nights between now and November 21, pay with your MasterCard card and earn DOUBLE points or miles. Reward points with Best Western can be used for free nights, gift cards, airline miles, and much more. It is comforting to know that there are still opportunities for great returns out there.
Find out all the details on how Best Western can get you to your rewards faster.
This summer we partnered with the Disney Channel in sponsorship of their original movie, Camp Rock, starring the Jonas Brothers. If you haven't heard of this popular rock trio yet, chances are you are not a young teen or do not live with any. If you have kids, I am fairly certain you can get all the details from them. If you'd like some inside information so you look hip with the young generation, here is a head start (fyi, this came straight from the mouth of a 9-year old girl).
"Nick, Kevin and Joe are their names. They are brothers, but are not triplets. They are really, really nice. I am pretty sure Kevin is the oldest. Joe is my favorite because he likes releasing his inner nerd. I think Camp Rock is awesome. I loved it!"
You have one more week to get into the Camp Rock spirit and earn a $50 Camp Rock Travel Card. Best Western Rewards members that stay a total of six nights between June 20 and August 17 at any member hotel worldwide will receive a collectible $50 Camp Rock Travel Card. Even better, if you are a member of AAA or CAA and stay any five nights, you receive the $50 Travel Card.
Take advantage of this last chance to rock your summer.
Being the World's Largest Hotel Chain has helped us realize just how big a world it is out there. It has also helped us realize that there is no shortage of opportunities to reach out and try and make it a better place.
Recently, Best Western has joined with World Vision, a leading global relief agency, to help children in need. As part of this program members and staff are joining to support children in poverty through monthly sponsorships.
Sometimes, problems seem so big it is difficult to feel that you can make a difference. One reason we joined with World Vision is that contributing a limited sum each month ($30/month) can go a long way to providing basics like food, safe water, health care and education. You can definitely see the difference you are making.
If you are interested in joining with us to help, you can find more info here.
As the World's Largest Hotel Chain, we know it is a big world out there
with lots of places to see and experience. Best Western's You Must Be
Trippin' travel blog offers travel tips, ideas and feature destinations
to make your next trip a success. We are also interested in where
you've been trippin' and invite you to share your travel ideas, tips
and destinations with us.
Sam Lowe
Cesar Millan
Chris McGinnis
Jason Fogelson
Bryson Forbes
Amy Graff
Karla Henriquez
Congratulations to David Reutimann from the Michael Waltrip Racing Team on his win in Chicago last Saturday! The victory marked Reutimann's second career NASCAR win and cleared any previous doubts of his first win on a rained out decision. Reutimann is 40 years old, but is still a determined to win driver. He was quiet during most of the race but made a pass on veteran Jeff Gordon on lap 213 and dominated the lead for the remaining 54 laps.
As the World's Largest Hotel Chain, we know it is a big world out there
with lots of places to see and experience. Best Western's You Must Be
Trippin' travel blog offers travel tips, ideas and feature destinations
to make your next trip a success. We are also interested in where
you've been trippin' and invite you to share your travel ideas, tips
and destinations with us.
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