West Palm Beach

Historically, West Palm Beach was founded to provide a place where the servants of the residents of Palm Beach proper could reside when they were done with their daily duties in the tony mansions that line the slender island of Palm Beach itself. Those days as a slip for servants is long, long gone. Of course, the island of Palm Beach remains one of the toniest addresses in the world. But, in the 21st century, West Palm Beach has come into its own both with stunning residences as well as with a vibrant entertainment, cultural and recreational scene.

In glancing at entertainment opportunities in West Palm, there is an amazing array of restaurants and bistros that serve a stellar selection of menus. From more casual ethnic fare to the very best in fine dining, dining out in West Palm is a palate pleasing experience across the board.

In addition, the nightlife scene in West Palm draws people from all across South Florida – and that includes partiers from the well established Ft. Lauderdale and Miami – Miami Beach club course. West Palm sports some of the hottest clubs to hit Florida in the past generation.

Of course, as is the case throughout South Florida, West Palm is a paradise when it comes to recreational opportunities. The white sand beaches of West Palm are incredible and offer a resident or visitor the chance to do everything from luxuriate in the sun to engage in a whole host of water sports. Sailing and boating are prime pastimes in West Palm as well.

Culturally, West Palm is a gem as well. There are numerous art galleries lining the avenues of the city. In addition, there are a number of major points of interest dedicated to the unique and interesting history of the region – including sites dating back to the point in time when Florida was part and parcel of the Spanish Empire.

Residential property in West Palm also has a great deal to offer. From elegant condos to more affordable properties that are ideal for growing families, real estate in West Palm really does have something for everyone – from people looking to spend their Golden Years in paradise to young and growing families looking for a safe community with a solid educational system to call home.

People in South Florida generally, and in West Palm specifically, continue to demonstrate a propensity for wanting to look their best. As a result, in West Palm many residents avail themselves of the latest appearance enhancing treatments and procedures including dermal fillers, laser hair removal and dermabrasion. West Palm naturally has attracted some of the most experienced professionals to assist people in obtaining the best dermal fillers, laser hair removal and dermabrasion treatments possible anywhere.

In point of fact, because of the quality of dermal fillers, laser hair removal and dermabrasion that can be found in West Palm, men and women travel to the city from points beyond in South Florida and elsewhere obtain these innovative and quality services and treatments from professionals who truly are experts in regard to these important procedures.

Lake Superior

Once you have seen all the extraordinary photos of Lake Superior and the environment around it, you will never be able to stop dreaming of being there. In the farthest northern part of Upper Michigan, called the Copper Country, there are many stunning things to see and experience, but Lake Superior is the epitome of that area’s beauty and charm. Much of this locale is scattered with picturesque villages in the midst of wooded areas that allow you to feel you have traveled back to a quieter, more innocent time.

While spending time in that area, there are so many tourist attractions to see that it would take an entire season to visit them all. Obviously there are the “ghost towns” that were once inhabited by coal miners and their families. Old lighthouses are definitely something that should not be missed while you are in Upper Michigan. Waterfalls have never been more soothing than those that are way north of the Straits.

Some people who have wanted to see this part of Michigan have considered going there by airplane because of the long drive to get there. After thinking it over, they realize that a plane ride would be a waste of time on this type of trip. All the sites on the trip to the U.P. are too magnificent to see from the window of a plane.

Spending the night in one of the quaint little cabins along the way is too romantic to miss. The night may be a little chilly, but you will be cozy and warm in front of the stone fireplace. If you have the opportunity, make sure you take a Finnish sauna while you are up north. Many of these places are right along Lake Superior with just a few steps to the beach with all the white sand and clean, clear water. Just being able to sit on the beach and smell Lake Superior is both relaxing and exhilarating.

Not only is there a Casino in the Baraga/L’Anse area of the U.P., there are Native Americans there who have their homemade beadwork, baskets, and copper jewelry available. Near the reservation, there are little shops where you can purchase not only these types of items, but also there are many books available about the history of the Copper Country and its people. Seasonal vegetable and fruit stands are everywhere.

Assuming that you will be traveling from Lower Michigan across the Mackinac Straits, you won’t want to miss all the sites that start there. Lake Michigan has many places where you can picnic and even do some swimming. The beaches along the road are very appealing. There are many tourist shops in that area that will be an enjoyment to your entire family.

Just traveling across the Mackinac Bridge is an unforgettable experience. As you go across the bridge, you can smell the freshest air in the world. If you happen to travel at night, it will take your breath away. During the holidays, the bridge glitters with lights. If you are a passenger, you won’t want to sleep through that wonderful experience!

If you haven’t tasted Finnish pasties, make sure you stop and pick some of those up for eating on the trip north. Shops advertising the freshest, most delicious smoked fish, venison, or buffalo are along the highway from the bridge all the way up to Lake Superior. Have you ever tasted potato sausage? Oh my, what a treat!

When you travel to the Lake Superior area of Michigan, take your time to enjoy all the sights and sounds and especially the clean air. Remember, the beaches up there don’t close and it costs you nothing to stop alongside the road and run into the refreshing blue water for a swim. If you prefer, you can just walk along the water's edge looking for pretty rocks or agates. Stop and eat your lunch at one of the many picnic tables that are available beside the highway as well as many rest areas.

Whether you travel by car and stop for the night at a cabin, drive a motorhome, pull a pop-up camper behind your van, or plan to do some tent camping, this will be the trip you will talk to your friends about for years. Take lots of film for your camera because you will want to have tons of pictures for your memory books after your travels in the Land of Lake Superior.

Get Approved by Travel Company

you don't have to be a nationally syndicated columnist and ombudsman to persuade a travel company to see things your way. David Stein isn't. Continental Airlines wanted to charge his newborn daughter 10 percent of his fare plus a $160 fuel surcharge for a recent flight to Mexico, even though its website suggested the fuel surcharge didn't apply to lap children.

Stein wrote a brief, polite e-mail to Continental. Rejected. Then he appealed to Anne Munoz, the head of Continental's customer service department. Two days later, an airline representative called Stein. "She agreed that the policy featured on their website was confusing and inconsistent," he said.

Continental refunded the fuel surcharge.

How do you persuade a travel company to come around to your way of thinking? Here are six suggestions.

1. Mind Your Ps and Qs

No one likes a rude and demanding customer. But a short, tactful e-mail is often all it takes to shake something loose. Consider Ryan Einfeldt's problem with AirTran Airways. He had booked a ticket to New Orleans to attend a wedding when Hurricane Gustav hit. The wedding was postponed, but when he phoned the airline to cancel his flight, he was told he'd have to pay a $75 change fee. I suggested that he ask again -- this time in writing -- and to remember to be nice about it. He did, noting in his e-mail that he had "enjoyed my past experiences with AirTran, and hope to be able to continue to do so." It worked. "Due to your extenuating circumstances, I have waived the $75 cancellation fee that you incurred," an AirTran representative replied.

2. Use Reason

Sometimes, logic really works. It did for Teresa Castleberry, who was flying from Albany, N.Y., to St. Thomas on US Airways recently. Her flight was canceled because of "crew availability" problems. The airline offered her a later flight, but she would have missed two days of her vacation. So she rented a car and drove to Philadelphia, where she caught a flight to the Virgin Islands. She wrote to the airline, asking for compensation. Denied. I recommended she send a concise, well-reasoned e-mail to US Airways, asking it to reconsider. Bingo! A customer service representative phoned Castleberry, offering a refund of the unused portion of her ticket, for a total of $266. "I do believe that is reasonable compensation," she told me. I do, too.

3. Cite Their Own Policies

This is effective not only when the rules favor you, but also when they don't. What do I mean? Well, referring to an online agency's service "guarantee" when you aren't getting any service, for example, is a no-brainer. But citing a travel company's policy when you're obviously wrong -- that's brilliant. Which is exactly what Heidi Houseman did when Northwest Airlines refused to refund her parents' airline tickets and frequent flier miles after her father developed the intestinal flu and had to cancel his trip. "They were packed and ready to go, and they got up at 3am and -- boom!" she remembers. Northwest Airlines was well within its rights to keep the spent miles and her parents' money. I told Houseman that she needed to make sure she told Northwest that she was aware of the airline's no-refunds policy. So she did. Eventually, she appealed to a manager at Northwest, who decided to make an exception for the elderly couple. It refunded the tickets and miles.

4. Remind Them of the Law

Citing state or federal law in a complaint can persuade even the most difficult travel company to come around to your way of thinking. If you're staying at a hotel, there are a number of state lodging laws that probably apply to your visit. Airlines have a contract of carriage, and cruise lines have a cruise contract. When Doug Marshak tried to fly from Duluth, Minn., to Dayton, Ohio, on Midwest Airlines last year, he was denied boarding because there were too few employees working at the ticket counter, and he missed his plane. He had to fly the next day, and was offered no compensation. I told Marshak to write a quick e-mail to Midwest, mentioning its contract of carriage, which has provisions for passengers who are delayed because of operational problems. "Midwest called to offer a whole-hearted apology and gave me some travel vouchers," he reported.

5. Appeal to a Higher Power

It's always a good idea to start any complaint with a succinct, rational letter to the company's customer service department. But if you get a "no," take it to the next level. That's what Naomi Shapiro did when she was denied mileage credit for a trip to Ecuador. She wrote to a customer-service manager at Delta Air Lines, asking for another review of her case. Delta did, and solved her problem by depositing some frequent flier miles into her account. If I didn't know any better, I would say that customer service departments default to "no" when they're asked for something. Maybe that's why all of the examples in this column were solved only after an appeal to a manager.

6. Copy All the Right People

To underscore that you mean business, do what Sue Wilson did when she had trouble with an unexpected fee on an airline ticket she booked through Travelocity. She copied everyone from Travelocity's executives to yours truly on the letter, and that got their attention. Travelocity contacted her airline on her behalf, which refunded the surprise fee. But there are others who must be copied, too. Don't leave out the federal and state regulators who oversee the companies. When an airline sees the Transportation Department on the "cc:" list or a car rental agency notices your state attorney general's e-mail in the address field, they are far likelier to give your complaint a little extra attention.

Given my confession at the beginning of this column, you're probably wondering: How do I solve my own travel problems? When something goes wrong, do I write an indignant missive to the company with my full e-mail signature?

Actually, no. I prefer to go through the front door and I never, ever, tell them what I do for a living. I'd rather resolve my dispute quietly, through normal channels.

Incidentally, I apply the same philosophy to my work as the Travel Troubleshooter. If there's a possibility that a dispute can be addressed through the customer-service department without my intervention, that's the way to go.

I believe that given the choice, travel companies would rather do the right thing. Sometimes, they just need a little nudge.

This article was written by : Christopher Elliott, the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the host of "What You Get For The Money: Vacations" on the Fine Living Network. E-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.