Skip the long, cold lines of big box stores this Black Friday: savvy shoppers can give the gift of travel, thanks to extremely competitive deals in the market, with savings up to 75%.
Below is the list of offers travel providers have tipped us off to or we've found online, most of which begin at 12 am. Friday. This list will be updated as we find even more offers, and be sure to check back next week for Cyber Monday promotions.
(Note: These deals are often based on limited availability and were booking at time of publication. Individual blackout dates apply. Contact individual properties for additional information.)
Nationwide hotels:
• Starwood Hotels: Featured in this week's Top 20, this Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale has savings of up to 40% in sunny vacation destinations from Aruba to Hawaii and is available for select dates into April. This deal ends Dec. 6.
• Wyndham Extra Holidays and Shell Vacations Hospitality: More than 100 resorts in popular destinations throughout the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean are up to 50% off in a sale ending Cyber Monday. Starting Wednesday, Nov. 27th, "Suite Yourself" to special offers such as Whistler ski holidays, Scottsdale golf getaways and tropical escapes to the U.S. Virgin Islands. In our Top 20 this week, we featured the Vino Bello Resort in California Wine Country, with savings of 40% on comparable hotels. The Carriage Ridge Resort in Ontario, discounted within this sale, was featured in our Canadian Top 20 this week. Discounted rates start at $79 per night.
• Trump Hotel Collection: In an offer available through Cyber Monday, all suites at Trump properties in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Waikiki, Toronto, Panama and Miami will be discounted by 30%. Based on availability, these guests will receive early check-in, late checkout and a special welcome amenity for stays January - March. A bonus? For each reservation made $10 will be donated to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
• Loews Hotels: At 16 locations coast to coast, this sale knocks up to 40% off rates at these luxurious properties and is throwing in free Wi-Fi during the stay. Reservations must be made by midnight Tuesday. Smart shoppers should sign up for the email list to get updates on the sale.
• Omni Hotels and Resorts: In a promotion geared toward last-minute travelers, the upscale chain is taking 40% off stays at its nearly 60 properties in North America. Book online through Cyber Monday or call 800-THE-OMNI.
West Coast hotels:
• The Mirage: This 4-star Vegas property, known for its erupting volcano and Cirque du Soleil shows, has knocked down rates for travel into September. Rates start at $60 per night and include a $100 dining credit.
• Terranea Resort: Holidays at the 4-Diamond resort on Southern California's Palos Verdes Peninsula are 35% off through Feb. 28. Book online and use promo codes BLACKFRIDAY or CYBERMONDAY Nov. 29 through Dec. 2.
• Palms Las Vegas: Rates at this party-central property start at $40 per night with its early-to-market Cyber Monday sale. These rates are good for travel Dec. 2 - March 31; book by Monday. Other perks of this promotion include two-for-one bottle service at Ghostbar and two-for-one breakfast buffets.
• Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa: The Sausalito hotel will unveil its renovations in January, and with this Black Friday sale, all weekday dates in 2014 will be offered for $199 per night.
• Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort: This 4-star Phoenix resort is a favorite for families with its water park, tennis, golf and location next to a nature preserve. In a sale through Cyber Monday, two-night stays are discounted by 20% for travel Nov. 28 - Feb. 7. Use promo code CYBER when booking online.
• Paradise Point San Diego: Save 40% on stays at this 44-acre island resort through April with a sale ending Cyber Monday. The island offers a mile of beach, two restaurants and recently renovated bungalows and suites.
• Tanque Verde Ranch: Take off for Tuscon for stays at this all-inclusive property. For stays of four nights or longer for travel through March 10, guests who book by Cyber Monday can get half off the cost of their stays, which includes all meals, activities including horseback riding and more.
East Coast hotels:
• Waldorf Astoria New York: The property synonymous with luxury is offering rooms at $229 per night for stays select nights in January and February in this sale ending Friday, Dec. 6.
• The Benjamin: This recently renovated 4-star hotel in Midtown is taking up to 40% off visits for travel Dec. 15 - March 31. Use promo code CYBERN for nonrefundable rates and CYBER1 for refundable rates when booking online.
• Centennial Hotel: Head to New Hampshire and receive Black Friday rates at this Concord hotel starting at $109 per night, including breakfast and a boxed lunch.
• Sea Crest Beach Hotel: Put a visit to Cape Cod in your travel plans and save up to 30% off stays Dec. 6 - June 16. Stay two nights or longer for 20% off, or three nights or longer for 30% off.
• Point Sebago Resort: In a sale that was so popular in the past, the southern Maine resort says that it clogged their phone lines. In a Friday-only sale, some park homes and camp sites are up to 40% off for stays select dates June - October.
• Harbor View Hotel: Savings start at 20% off at this Martha's Vineyard historic hotel. This deal, which ends Monday, is good for stays Nov. 30 - July 10. Take 20% off rates for stays two nights or longer and 30% off stays three nights or longer.
Southeast & Florida hotels:
• New Orleans Hotel Collection: Offering what they call the best rates on their winter prices, the hotel group is offering discounts through Cyber Monday, with savings of up to 40% across the city at the six properties.
• EPIC: This boutique Kimpton hotel in downtown Miami has two offers: for stays through Christmas, take up to 50% off best available rates or up to 35% off Club Level rooms. Call (866) 760-3742 or (305) 424-5226 or use code SHOP when booking online.
• Surfcomber Miami and Vero Beach Hotel & Spa: These beachfront Florida properties from Kimpton have discounted rates for visits through Christmas. At both hotels, get 15% off stays of two nights or 20% stays of three nights plus a complimentary appetizer. These deals expire Cyber Monday. Use code CYBER when booking online or call the Surfcomber at (800) 994-6103 or the Vero Beach at (866) 602-8376.
• Lido Beach Resort: Head to Sarasota, where rates at this family-friendly oceanfront resort will be 30% off for stays Dec. 1 - Feb. 13 with promo code CYBER30. This sale starts Sunday.
• Sense Beach House: Say along famed Ocean Drive in Miami Beach with an offer for 35% off King rooms, including breakfast. Use promo code CYBER.
• The Resort at Longboat Key Club: In a sale starting Sunday and ending Monday, this Florida property with a private beach is taking 30% off stays Dec. 1 - Feb. 13 with promo code CYBER30.
Midwest and Mountain West hotels:
• JW Marriott Chicago: Stays Dec. 15 - Feb. 13 at the 4-Diamond downtown hotel are $149 per night with the promo code BAR. Reservations can be booked here or by calling 1-800-228-9290 through Cyber Monday.
• Conrad Indianapolis: This online-only deal drops room rates to $139 per night and includes a complimentary glass of prosecco when booking with code FRI.
• Vail Cascade Resort & Spa: Enroll in the email program now to get a promo code for use Cyber Monday. For stays through April 20, hotel rates will be 30% off, and condo rates will be 20% off.
International hotels:
• Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort: Top 20 subscribers got an early look at this deal at the property ranked the No. 1 all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean by USA Today readers. This deal drops rates to $169 per person, per night for stays Nov. 29 - Dec. 23. Stay Jan. 4 - April 27 for $229 per person per night (regularly $380) in a sale ending Monday.
• Westin Playa Bonita: In one of the most aggressive sales of the day, take up to 75% off room rates for travel through Dec. 2, 2014.
• JW Marriott Cusco: Rooms at the 5-star hotel start at $204 per night, a 20% savings, for travel Jan. 2 - March 4. The luxury property in Cusco's historical center offers easy access to Peru's iconic nearby attractions including Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. Book online using promo code I24.
• St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino: Use promo code D59 to get 30% off stays in December and May - August at this 4-star property on the island's Atlantic side.
• JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa: This 5-Diamond hotel is offering a 30% discount on its room rates, starting at $146, for stays Dec. 3 - April 12 with promo code 16C.
• Grand Lucayan, Bahamas: In a promotion that's offering up to 65% savings on current rates, rooms will start at $79 per night for travel through Nov. 14. Use promo code BLKFRI on this sale good through Cyber Monday.
• CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort: This beachfront resort, including all-inclusive options, is cutting rates to as low as $90, a 30% discount, for travel Dec. 3 - April 12 with promo code 16C.
• CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa: On Rendezvous Bay, this 4.5-star Anguilla resort is offering 40% off prices of Junior Suites for travel through Dec. 20. Rates start at $395.
• Bolongo Bay Beach Resort: This St. Thomas resort affords a no-passport required last-minute trip with its sale ending Cyber Monday. For stays through Dec. 22, travelers will receive half off oceanfront rooms (based on double occupancy). Book online with promo code Black or call 800-524-4746.
• Breezes Bahamas Resort & Spa: Head to the famed Cable Beach with this deal that takes 30% off rates at this all-inclusive resort for travel through Dec. 19, 2014. To book, go to breezes.com or call 1-877-273-3937.
• Grand Residences Riviera Cancun: This new 4.5-star property, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, is offering grand opening rates through Cyber Monday. Call 888-387-4702 to book.
• Seven Stars Resort: For stays of four nights or longer into December of 2014, this Turks and Caicos resort is taking $100 off any room when booking through Cyber Monday. This deal can be booked by phone (866-570-7777) or by email (reservations@sevenstarsgracebay.com).
• Las Alamandas: This all-suite resort in Quemaro, Mexico, is offering half off rates for over a year of travel dates, from Dec. 2, 2013, to Dec. 29, 2014. Four-night stays are required, and some blackout dates apply. Use promo code CYBERSUN to book online or call 888-882-9616.
Vacation packages:
• Gate 1: Save as much as $1000 on vacation packages around the globe as well as river cruises in the company annual's Black Friday sale. Take $50 off when booking trips more than $500 with promo code BLFR50, $100 when spending $1000 using BLFR100 and so on. The sale is online only Nov. 28 and then available over the phone (call 800-682-3333) between 8 am - 9 pm ET.
• Go-today Travel: Take the trip you really want: for bookings made through December, any air-inclusive package will be $100 off per person. Book online with promo code GTHANKS13. Popular packages include New Year's in Barcelona, tours of the Italian countryside as well as a jaunt including London, Paris and Rome.
• Liberty Travel: The vacation packager has created 99 deals from Caribbean and Mexico resorts, cruises and escorted tours with savings up to 65% in its Black Friday promotion. These deals, based on double occupancy, are available through Cyber Monday. A $100 credit can be redeemed in person at one of their storefronts after getting a promotion code online.
Starting Saturday:
• Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: Bucking the trend of leaking deals on Friday or joining the masses for Cyber Monday sales, the tourism group is having a 24-hour flash sale starting Saturday. Although specifics have not yet been released, approximately two dozen hotels will be participating as well as several popular tourist attractions.
Go to Travelzoo for year-round deals on hotels, vacations, cruises, airfare and more, and visit Travelzoo's Holiday Gift Guide to pick the perfect present of local experiences, luxurious stays and more.
-- Hilary Solan is an editor at Travelzoo and based in Chicago. Travelzoo has 250 deal experts from around the world who rigorously research, evaluate and test thousands of deals to find those with true value.