Discount all inclusive vacation package

WHEN the weather forecast calls for plunging temperatures and that beautiful dusting of snow turns into an avalanche, it's time to get away and enjoy a sun-filled vacation odyssey.

Start by surfing--on the `Net, not on a boogie board--to great deals at discount prices. Internet shoppers can take advantage of the large, number of travel discounts available. More traditional vacation planners can contact a reputable travel agent For advice on the best travel bargains.

American Airlines and other air carriers offer vacation destination packages to Mexico and Europe and throughout the United States. Some popular packages include golf vacations and trips to all-inclusive island resorts that include all daily meals, snacks and beverages, and even some watersports.

Oceans away from the ice and cold are the sun, beauty and beaches of the Hawaiian Islands. More than 4.7 million visitors annually trek to the islands for year-round picture-perfect weather, great beaches and sightseeing.

On the mainland, Florida's warm weather also lures millions of visitors annually and has become known as the family vacation Mecca. Rich in Black history sites, the state offers Black families relaxation and culture, including the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities, scheduled this year from January 25-28 in Hurston's hometown of Eatonville, Fla., located approximately 10 miles northeast of downtown Orlando. This is the 12th anniversary of the festival, which is held to celebrate the life and work of the 20th century writer, folklorist and anthropologist.

Train travel through the U.S. and Florida is popular and lets the vacationer relax and enjoy the view. Amtrak America serves over 500 destinations, and offers vacation packages to fit every taste and interest, from short stays to week-long holidays to planning a journey to remember. A popular Amtrak vacation package is available to Disney World in Orlando. Amtrak "Family-Style Fun" packages feature train fare and hotel accommodations and also include options for Walt Disney World Theme Park Passes.

There's more fun in 2001 at Walt Disney World Resort. Hate to wait? Disney's FASTPASS, the award-winning and computerized system that allows guests to avoid lengthy queues at popular attractions, has been expanded to include several more attractions, including "Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D" at the Disney-MGM Studios and The Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom. The free guest service is currently offered at 17 attractions and shows in all four Walt Disney World theme parks.

Scheduled to open in April is Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, inspired by the culture and beauty of Africa. Hand-carved furnishings, rich wood and vibrant colors will offer Walt Disney World guests the finest in authentic African architecture and design. Many of the hotel's 1,293 rooms feature balconies that overlook savannas featuring more than 200 mammals and birds, including giraffe, zebra, Thomson's gazelle, ostrich and sacred ibis.

From the African grasslands to the seven seas, Disney also offers a new way to vacation by experiencing the Disney Cruise Line with two ships specifically designed with areas that appeal to the unique vacation needs of families, adults and children.

Speaking of cruising, Royal Caribbean International has great cruises to the world's entire top vacation destinations. For those who wish to sail with soul, the cruise line and the National Professionals Network (NPN) are sponsoring the Ninth Leadership Summit at Sea. This year's conference will be held aboard the Explorer of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, with a capacity of 3,800 passengers.

The NPN's nine-day conference, hosted by Kweisi Mfume, NAACP president and CEO, sails July 27-Aug. 4. Among its ports of call will be Nassau-Paradise Island in the Bahamas and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).

By air and by sea, more people are choosing to visit the United States Virgin Islands. According to travel industry statistics, the number of air visitors increased by nearly 10 percent over last year, the number of hotel rooms occupied is up by 5 percent and the number of cruise passengers arriving shows a double-digit increase as compared with last year's visitors. The turquoise-blue waters shimmering against the sparkling, white-sand shores draw record numbers of tourists to the isles of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.

Shopping is a major draw to the islands because U.S. citizens have a duty-free allowance of up to $1,200 in merchandise--twice that of any other Caribbean island and three times that of European countries. Family fun packages and wedding and romance special packages round out the USVI vacation experience.

So whether by land or by sea, get to the sun-splashed settings in these lush, tropical paradises, where the only reminders of Ol' Man Winter are the unpacked sweaters in the suitcase and the ice in your tropical drinks.