Category Archives: Uncategorized

Bucket List Adventure Mountain Gorilla Trek in Rwanda and Uganda – August 2019

Join me via video on my awe-inspiring, amazing, bucket-list trip to East Africa to see the gentle giants, Mountain Gorillas, in both Rwanda and Uganda. You’ll be able to see the difference between both experiences, the terrain, the hike, the drives, and the beautiful Gorillas. My wonderful guide is my local partner Timothy Kintu with Trekking by Tim. I create custom itineraries for my VIP clientele, options include helicopter travel, luxury accommodations, and wildlife interactions or you can reserve small group tours from my various supplier partners. Contact me to reserve your Gorilla Trek adventure. Thanks again to my South African hosts Trafalgar Travel Acclaim 2019 for top agents for making this trip possible. We are visiting Uganda, Rwanda, mountain gorilla view lodge, volcanoes national park, silverback lodge, Bwindi impenetrable forest, hotel des mille collines. I flew RwandAir between Cape Town and Kigali. See my Gorilla Trek photos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/855GR8TRI…

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —

One Night in Cape Town at Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa

Join me for one last night in the lap of luxury in CapeTown, South Africa for a layover at The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa with a full hotel tour and an amazing dinner at Fyn Restaurant for a foodie’s dream dinner. This was made possible through my partnership with Trafalgar Travel after being hosted on the Trafalgar Acclaim 2019 reward trip for top agents and thank you to Thompsons Africa for their help with transfers and reservations for the night. I flew Qatar Air for my trip home via Doha and Budapest. Watch for my other African videos and my Avalon River Cruise from Budapest to Linz while you’re on my youtube channel. See my South Africa – Trafalgar Acclaim Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/855GR8TRI…

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —

Spectacular South Africa with Trafalgar Travel Acclaim Reward Trip for Top Agents – August 2019

Join me on my amazing trip to South Africa hosted by Trafalgar Travel on the Trafalgar Acclaim 2019 for top agents. We visited Cape Town, Knysna, Port Elizabeth, Joburg, Hazyview, Kruger National Park and Hoedspruit. Flying Turkish Air with their special complimentary stopover tour of Istanbul. South African Air to and from Hoedspruit. So many amazing experiences with the greatest group of people.

See my South Africa – Trafalgar Acclaim Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/855GR8TRI…

Table of Contents 0:00:00 Credits 0:00:56 Austin Airport 0:01:20 Houston Airport 0:01:33 Turkish Air 0:03:38 Istanbul Layover Tour 0:08:50 Istanbul Airport 0:09:57 Turkish Air 0:11:10 Cape Town 0:11:34 Fifteen On Orange Hotel 0:12:20 Trafalgar Champagne Welcome 0:13:00 Gold 0:15:44 Marriott Breakfast 0:15:09 Trafalgar Bus Tour 0:16:14 Hout Bay 0:17:16 Cape Point Lighthouse – Table Mountain National Park 0:18:55 Ostrich 0:19:02 Cape of Good Hope 0:20:07 Simon’s Town Lunch 0:21:29 Boulders Beach Penguin Colony 0:26:59 Gala En Rouge with Zolani 0:41:20 House of Aloe 0:42:05 Premier Hotel Knysna 0:45:29 Drydock for Dinner 0:46:53 Breakfast at Premier Hotel Knysna 0:48:44 The Gull Tours 0:50:17 Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation and Awareness Centre 1:00:20 Oceanblue Adventures Whale Watching 1:05:01 Lunch at The Table in Plettenberg Bay 1:06:34 Featherbed Co Nature Reserve Dinner at The Cruise Cafe 1:07:18 Bar hopping in Knysna 1:08:12 Checkout process 1:08:31 Bloukran’s World’s Tallest Bungy Jump 1:09:46 Tsitsikamma National Park 1:12:39 Baboons and Lunch stop at Oubosch Farmstall 1:14:44 Trafalgar Wonderbags Treadright.org 1:19:15 Radisson Blu Hotel at Port Elizabeth 1:21:25 Dinner at Ginger 1:23:26 Breakfast at Radisson Blu Hotel 1:24:02 Port Elizabeth 1:24:44 Port Elizabeth Airport 1:26:16 Johannesburg (Joburg) 1:26:53 Apartheid Museum 1:29:53 Protea Hotel Fire & Ice by Marriott Johannesburg Melrose Arch 1:33:07 Dinner at Kitamu 1:36:21 Breakfast at Protea Hotel Fire & Ice 1:37:17 The Good Life – La Belle Vie 1:38:05 Road trip to Hazyview 1:38:24 Lunch at Ocean Basket Dahlstrom 1:38:59 Blyde River Canyon 1:41:23 Monkeys 1:44:02 Lisbon Falls 1:44:25 Protea Hotel Hazyview 1:47:01 Kruger National Park Safari 2:16:36 Protea Hotel Hazyview 2:17:13 Protea Hotel Kruger’s Gate for dinner under the stars 2:19“07 Niyani Cultural Village Hoedspruit 2:29:57 Zulu Lunch with Worms 2:31:40 Wart hogs 2:31:50 Hoedspruit Airport 2:33:12 South African Air 2:33:46 Cape Town 2:34:08 Fifteen On Orange Hotel 2:34:15 Dinner at Baia Seafood Restaurant Victoria Wharf 2:36:51 Amarula Shots 2:36:58 Table Mountain 2:43:39 DeWaal Winery in Stellenbosch 2:50:13 Bo Kaap 2:50:49 Greenmarket Square 2:52:29 Dinner at Belthazar Restaurant & Wine Bar Victoria Wharf 2:53:17 Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens 2:55:40 Cycads 2:57:23 Simon’s Restaurant and Wines in Groot Constantia

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —

St Lucia – Sandals Resorts July 2019

Join me via video for a 3-night getaway in St Lucia at the Sandals Grande St Lucian Resort with site visits to Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort and Sandals Regency La Toc Resorts July 2019 on a Sandals Education Experience (SEE) Fam Trip for Sandals Certified Specialists. Sandals is an adults-only resort for couples and is packed with romance, beaches, pools, views, cocktails and entertainment. My favorite part is that diving is included. See my Sandals St Lucia Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/855GR8TRI…

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —

Below the Belt

There’s nothing worse than planning for a beautiful beach vacation only to have it interrupted or delayed with postponed flights, washed out beaches and impending doom threatened by a hurricane. Reduce your risk in the Atlantic region during June through December by booking below the hurricane belt.
The Caribbean islands of Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, St Vincent and the Grenadines plus Trinidad and Tobago are all excellent options offering all-inclusive resorts, villas, luxury hotels and more. A private rented villa offered by Villas of Distinction can be a beautiful choice for couples to groups on all these islands, but there are a host of other possibilities.


Set on one of the world’s finest beaches in Barbados, The Crane Resort opened in 1887 and is the oldest continuing operating hotel in the Caribbean. Setting the bar for luxury accommodations, you’ll find sprawling suites with beautiful views, a jazz club, and their restaurant, Zen, which is Zagat rated #1 for food in Barbados. The Baoase Luxury Resort on Curacao is a unique vacation experience offering the intimacy of a private villa or suite, some with private plunge pools, complemented by the luxury services and amenities of a 5-star resort. It’s hard to beat the Ritz-Carlton on Palm Beach in Aruba where every room has a balcony with a breathtaking ocean view. The Grenadines, aka Mustique, caters to the rich and famous. There, set on 13 acres of tropical gardens leading to Endeavor Bay, the Cotton House estate includes 17 luxurious villas, suites and cottages with garden or sea views with private verandahs and plunge pools. For romance on the Spice Island, Sandals Grenada offers couples-only unlimited luxury including infinity-edge pools in the sky and scuba diving on Pink Gin Beach while families can enjoy the views of Grande Anse Beach at Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club.


For cruising the Southern Caribbean, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has 2020 itineraries that explore Barbados, Grenada, the Grenadines and the ABC islands of the Leeward Antilles.
Reserve your dream vacation by contacting Lainey Melnick, the owner of the Westlake-area branch of Dream Vacations, 855-GR8-TRIP, www.855GR8TRIP.com, lmelnick@dreamvacations.com. Dream Vacations – Lainey Melnick & Associates is an American Express Membership Rewards Agency and an affiliate of Travel Leaders. Lainey has been a part of the Westlake community and Eanes ISD since 1998. As owner of a Platinum Ranked agency, she is the recipient of the 2018 Travel Influencer Award, 2017 Club Med Top Producer, and 2017 OPAL Award for Women, WTH Certified Spokesperson and serves as Executive Committee Communications Chair for Austin Women Invest to Elect plus the Westlake Chamber of Commerce Marketing Committee.

Travel Prep – Part 2 – Packing and iPhone Camera Accessories

To continue our travel prep series, take a look at how I pack only in carry-on bags for most of my travel. I also discuss the add-on lenses and microphone accessories for my vlogging and travel photos. In this video I am showing these products:

Tumi Voyageur Carson Nylon Backpack Gonex Compression Packing Cubes Set, Expandable Packing Organizers Moment – Superfish Lens for iPhone Moment – Tele 58mm Lens for iPhone iPhone Xs Case || Moment Photo Case in Tan Leather Shure MV88+ Video Kit Shure AMV88-FUR Rycote Windjammer for MV88 Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter Selfie Stick Tripod, 52″ Extendable Phone Camera Selfie Stick with Tripod Stand & Rechargeable Wireless Remote

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —

Travel Prep – Part 1 – How to Pack for a Safari Vacation, Vaccinations and Tips

Take a listen to our travel tips for how to prepare for travel to your bucket list destinations like Africa. The products that I talk about in this video are:

Tumi Voyageur Carson Nylon Backpack Foval International Travel Adapter Power Step Down 220v to 110v Voltage Converter with 4-port USB DanForce Headlamp Noise Cancelling Ear Plugs by EarJoy TrailBuddy Trekking Poles Sierra Dawn Campsuds with Citronella Raytix Travel Money Belt With RFID Transmissions Ceptics 12Pcs International Travel Worldwide Grounded Universal Plug Adapter Set – Charge Your Devices from Anywhere in The World Compression Packing Cubes, Gonex Extensible Storage Mesh Bags Organizers Under Armour Women’s Tech ½ Zip Chico’s Secret Stretch Luxe Convertible Crop Basic Sand Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX Hiking Boots – Women’s Marmot Day Pack GRAYL Ultralight Water Purifier Duration Clothing and Gear Insect Repellent Cotton Buds Toilet Tissue To go Ranger Ready Picaridin 20% Tick and Insect Spray Hand Armor By Hygenesis

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —

Azul Beach Resort – Negril Girls Trip Getaway June 2019

Join me via video for a weekend girls trip getaway in Negri, Jamaica at the Azul Beach Resort with charter air by Funjet on Sun Country Airlines with non-stop service from Dallas, Texas June 2019 with my daughter and friends. We also visited the famous Rick’s Cafe for cliff diving. We highly recommend Club Mobay Fast Track VIP service for arrivals and departures, and Clive Beecher Tours for private transfers to and from Negril. See my Negril Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/855GR8TRI…

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —

Travel that Makes the Feel Good Last

Travel can be exhausting, exciting and adventurous, but if you prefer wellness, peace and renewal, the world is full of retreats that will entice you with relaxation, beauty and pampering. Whether you are looking for medical or mystical, eastern or western, pleasure or pain, there is a perfect retreat waiting for you.

We are blessed here in Texas with several lovely options in our own backyard for a quick getaway or spa day. Originating in Tucson, Ariz., Hyatt has brought us Miraval Austin which rests on Travaasa’s former 220 acres in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, a sanctuary in Texas Hill Country overlooking Lake Travis. Activities include fitness, meditation, yoga, integrative wellbeing, equine, hiking, biking, and Austin-inspired offerings, such as hatchet throwing and archery. Culinary programming partners with farm-to-table experiences and their 10-acre Cypress Creek Farm featuring chickens, ducks, and honeybees.

Top spas in the U.S. draw visitors from around the world. Aja Malibu in California attracts those with a new age mindset. They focus on a different chakra each day of the week-long visits. The award-winning Canyon Ranch made its name in Tucson, and now as a worldwide leader in destination spa vacations can also be found in Lenox, Mass., Woodside, Calif., Las Vegas, and at sea on 22 luxury ships aboard Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas.

Canyon Ranch, spa, massage, relaxing, woman, women, relaxation

From the ultimate luxury of La Reserve in Geneva to the old-world elegance of Villa Stephanie in Baden-Baden, the world has you covered. Artists and authors flock to Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps which has programs to nurture the mind and body with art, music, literature and political symposiums in addition to yoga, massage and hiking.

If you’re looking for a beachfront all-inclusive spa resort, Zoetry Wellness and Spa Resorts offers its Art of Life endless privileges in tranquil locations in Mexico, Jamaica and Punta Cana.

Reserve your dream vacation by contacting Lainey Melnick, the owner of the Westlake-area branch of Dream Vacations, 855-GR8-TRIP, www.855GR8TRIP.com, lmelnick@dreamvacations.com. Lainey has been a part of the Westlake community and an Eanes ISD parent for more than 20 years. She is the recipient of the 2018 Travel Influencer Award, 2017 Club Med Top Producer, and 2017 OPAL Award for Women, WTH Certified Spokesperson and serves on the Austin Women Invest to Elect Executive Committee plus the Westlake Chamber of Commerce Marketing Committee.

VEGas Uncork’d Food and Wine Festival with Celebrity Chefs – Las Vegas Getaway 2019

Join me via video for a weekend getaway in Las Vegas at the Palms Resort & Casino attending Bon Appetit’s Vegas Uncork’d with air by Spirit Airlines with non-stop service from Austin, Texas May 2019 with my husband. Vegas Uncork’d events at Mott 32, the Grand Tasting, Gordon Ramsay’s Favorite Things and Restaurant Guy Savoy. Palm Resort Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/855GR8TRI…. Mott 32 Dim Sum photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/ed…. The Grand Tasting photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/ed… Gordon Ramsay photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/ed…. Guy Savoy photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/ed….

— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip

— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —