Monograms unveils 2013 ‘Staycations’

For Canadians determined to “go”- to explore, to see the sites and enjoy the backyard landscapes of North America – Monograms has unveiled nearly 50 itineraries, including seven new packaged vacations ranging from four to 10 days. With Monograms, travellers can experience North America’s famous national parks or its vibrant cities. They can dig into a genuine bison burger or savour a piping hot Chicago-style pizza. They can discover the charm of walking Quebec City or even take a driving vacation through Alaska. In all, Monograms’ 2013 packages comprise 39 itineraries from four to 10 days and include Canada and the US (including Hawaii and Alaska). There’s even an itinerary to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. And for the second year, Monograms is partnering with the National Park Foundation (NPF) to provide unique all-in-one packaged vacation experiences. As part of this GoParks! partnership, when travellers book a Monograms US national park vacation, the company will make a donation to the NPF. “With Monograms, we do all the planning and supply the itinerary and pre-booked accommodation, so no matter how ‘outdoorsy’ your vacation is, it’ll be smooth and hassle-free,”says Stéphanie Bishop, managing director for Monograms in Canada. Monograms’ top North American itineraries that showcase the great outdoors are Canadian Rockies by Rail; America’s National Parks; Oahu, Maui & Kauai; California Coast and Canyon Escape. Also available are itineraries for 20 driving holidays (many offered year round), including a rental car. Also popular are the company’s single- and multi-city packages. Travellers can spend a week in the city or region of their choice for an in-depth discovery or just a few nights for a mini-break. And, because Monograms arranges transportation between cities (often by train), it’s easy to combine multiple destinations such as Vancouver & Victoria; Oahu, Maui & Kauai; Boston, New York & Washington D.C. or Los Angeles & San Diego. As part of its all-in-one vacation options, Monograms suggests and arranges optional activities for travellers such as flying high over glaciers on a helicopter excursion (Denali National Park), sampling some of North America’s best wines (San Francisco/wine country); experiencing America’s dark side on a Ghosts & Gravestones tour (Boston); enjoying the scenery of a historic city by river cruise (Quebec City) and learning the basics of Louisiana cooking (New Orleans). Travellers booking a six-night (or more) North American Monograms vacation can now enjoy savings of $100 p.p. off the package price. (http://www.monogramstravel.ca)