good times travel west branch

Good Times Travel 'N Tours LLC

Lodging, Campgrounds & Travel Campground Travel Services

• 493 Victorian Court West Branch MI 48661-1224
• (989) 345-7374
• (989) 701-2399

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422 W. Houghton Ave

West Branch, MI 48661

989-345-2821

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  422 West Houghton Avenue,  West Branch, MI 48661-1224

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Good Times Travel

Review Highlights

“ I'd like to thank for the excellent service of Jasmine, the Tour Director , and Ed, the Driver. ” in 9 reviews

“ We would like to Thank Helga and Al for everything, The trip was wonderful, but they made it more special. ” in 6 reviews

“ I had great experiences Yosemite your 3 days Monterey Bay 4 days Very reasonably by priced. ” in 4 reviews

Location & Hours

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17132 Magnolia St

Fountain Valley, CA 92708

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Overall rating

Helga, an Orange-County based tour director, was the most accommodating, humanistic, and energetic of all the directors I have experienced! She always seemed to go 'over and beyond'. Further, her gentility, empathy, and other such soft skills served as the role model of role models for this company. I 'take my hat off' to this holistically-inviting professional. Kindly share my post with her. I thank you. The Stantons

Wonderful, Organized, Helpful, Conversant, Pleasant, Friendly, Fantastic, Fun...These are all words that describe Helga, our Tour Director, for the Rugged Peaks to Painted Prairies - A Dakotas Adventure tour. She made the trip enjoyable and enhanced our experiences with her guidance during the tour and her expertise and knowledge of the area.

We just got back from our first trip with Good Times Travel, and really enjoyed the Sweets and Treats trip! We were greeted by our friendly tour guide, Jasmin, and bus driver, Darren, and several repeat travelers. Everyone in the group was so warm and friendly. We instantly felt welcomed. Jasmin had everything well planned. We stopped in Cambria, ate at Linn's, stopped in Harmony, visited a glassblowing shop, had some ice cream, toured Grey Wolf Cellars Winery, had lunch, went wine tasting, Pasolivo Olive Ranch, had an olive oil tasting class, stopped in Solvang, decorated some cookies, toured a chocolate shop, toured the Santa Inez Mission, then back to our quaint little beachfront FogCatcher Inn. It was a fun filled 3 days! Good Time Travel will be seeing a lot more of us. I'm booking another trip tomorrow!

Harmony, California

FogCatcher Inn

I loved our tour to the Hollywood Bowl to see the Beach Boys and Fourth of July fireworks! Our tour guide Jenny was so sweet and knew a lot about the trip, she made great conversation with everyone and was very well organized. The driver was great too, and overall we had a fantastic time! Will be going on more GTT tours soon!

Love GTT ! Been on numerous trips. They are alway organized, the drivers are great, the busses are 1st class, the venues they visit are interesting and the tour managers are professional. Can't wait for my next trip

isabel is one of the best drivers around! isabel is professional, kind, smart, and very skilled. i forgot to bring tipping money - but it is in the mail! i like tipping good times staff!

Just got back from a Good Times Travel tour, Rail and Sail. Helga, our tour director, was perfect. She was very attentive and kept everyone in line, which we really appreciated. She had a rotating seating chart so everyday we could sit in a different seat of the bus. Reminded everyone not to talk during videos, or when local guides were giving us information. We really appreciated her. Helga Rocks! and our driver, Ed, was amazing too!

I've had the opportunity to go on a number of day trips with Good Times Travel. The trips are well organized, the office staff very helpful, and the tour directors professional and well versed on each destination. Always enjoy my adventures with Good Times Travel!

On Feb. 15-17 we did a Central Coast Safari, Wine & Rails; What a great trip. We would like to Thank Helga and Al for everything, The trip was wonderful, but they made it more special. We did the Train, and we we're given lunch, it was delicious. Than we arrived at our Hotel, Sea Crest Ocean Front, what a beautiful hotel, very clean, beautiful ocean views, great staff, and a real nice breakfast.Than we visited Capaldi Farms, it was unbelievable, we had such a great time with the animals, horses, and their dogs, my husband didn't want to leave. Than we headed to the winery, had lunch underneath a tunnel, the place is beautiful, great wine, and a fabulous lunch.There we're so many other places we visited and it was all very nice. Again thank you Helga and Al, All I can say is that Good Times Travel does a wonderful job, we have done day trips, this is the first overnights stay. LOVE LOVE LOVE

We had a wonderful day and time at the lavender farm, it was such a relaxing atmosphere, a the apple cider was sooooo good, with the small pumpkin scones.Than we headed to Wilson Creek Winery, what a beautiful place, wish we had more time there, it wasn't enough. We had a great lunch and wine tasting. We enjoyed the day tremendously. Especially Jasmine what a wonderful person, and caring she went out of her way to make things as easy as possible. Thank you also for the nice driver without him we couldn't have gone. I'm so sorry I don't remember your name. Thank you good times travel and all the people that make it happen. We ended up with a beautiful sunflower bouquet...........this is life

I had great experiences Yosemite your 3 days Monterey Bay 4 days Very reasonably by priced. Fantastic accommodation. I loved the tour director and driver. Solid, Safe, nice crowd.

11 other reviews that are not currently recommended

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Good Times Travel in West Branch 493 Victorian Ct

• 493 Victorian Ct, West Branch, Mi 48661, United States

Looking for a Travel Agency near West Branch?

Good Times Travel is one of the Top Leading Travel Agency near me in West Branch, Michigan

Good Times Travel is also known for Travel Agents, Domestic Air Ticketing Agents, Tour Packages, Air Ticketing Agents, Tour Operators, International Air Ticketing Agents, Domestic Tour Operators, Domestic Tour Packages and much more.

Good Times Travel in West Branch, Michigan offers the best service to meet the various needs of their customers. This establishment’s staff is very courteous and prompt in providing assistance. They are quick to respond to any queries or questions you may have. Buy USA SIM Card   while Travel: Now stay connected with your Family, Friends, Business & Loved Ones using USA SIM Card   which provides Unlimited Calls & Data Services throughout your Travel

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What is a Travel Agency? A travel agency is a private retailer or public service that provides travel and tourism-related services to the general public on behalf of accommodation or travel suppliers to offer various types of travel packages for each destination.

What is the role of a Travel Agency? Travel agents assist their clients in making travel arrangements. They assist customers in selecting their destination, transportation, and lodging, as well as informing them of passport and visa requirements, currency exchange rates, and import duties.

What makes a good Travel Agency? Their commitment to their clients does not end once they have booked a trip; they continue to communicate with them during, after, and in between trips. Rather than treating clients as another commission check, they cultivate long-term relationships with them.

What are the services provided by a Travel Agency?

Travel Management: This is the primary function that agencies specialises in business travel have always provided. This category of services would include the management and reservation of transportation tickets, searches for lodging, car rentals, and so on.

Although it has been performed for the longest time, new technologies have significantly changed the way these tasks are carried out, with aspects such as price comparisons or strategies for obtaining deals and discounts coming into play.

Passenger assistance:

Many unforeseen problems and issues may arise during a trip, such as repatriation due to illness, accident, or emergency, lost luggage or documents, and so on.

Consulting:

Consulting services cover a wide range of topics that are related to travel in some way: information of interest to the traveller (customs of the destination country, recommendations on behaviour, etc.), cost optimisation and control, advice on travel policies, and so on.

Marketing and Internal Communication:

A travel management agency can be very helpful in preparing travel policies for companies (rules regarding expenses, management of per diems, etc.), as well as proper and effective communication to employees, due to its experience.

Technology: The proper and ongoing use of technology is critical, not only for requesting and comparing travel services (tickets, accommodations, etc.), but also for such diverse aspects as billing management and locating travellers in extreme situations.

Leisure Services: In some cases, travel management companies provide direct discounts or better terms on travel and leisure activities for employees and their families at the companies for which they work.

With comprehensive corporate travel management, travel management companies achieve the goal of adding value to their service, which is critical in meeting the current expectations and needs of businesses.

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Should be a nice place to spend a weekend or holiday.

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Terms and conditions, cancellations/transfers & travel protection.

We realize that illness and other reasons arise that may make it impossible for you to travel. For this reason, a travel protection policy (which includes cancellation insurance) through a third party is available and it’s highly recommended that you purchase this at the same time you make your initial tour payment. Those who have purchased travel protection and must cancel for a covered reason, will be reimbursed by the travel protection company the balance of any non-refunded funds (minus the travel protection premium). Regardless of the reason, cancellations, credits, and transfers of confirmed bookings result in a costly process of e-mails, letters, phone calls, adjustments, refunds, and penalties/fees assessed by our travel suppliers. Therefore, the below cancellation policies and fees are in place. Note that the below fees are per person and apply if you choose NOT to purchase travel protection or if you cancel for a non-covered reason.

Single-Day Tour Cancellations

• If you cancel 30 or more days prior to the departure date, you may receive a credit minus a $10 p.p. administrative fee* or a refund minus a $25 p.p. administrative fee*.
• If you cancel within 30 days of departure, you may receive a credit (minus $10 p.p.*) or a refund (minus $25 p.p.*) ONLY if your space can be resold from a waitlist.
• In addition to the administrative fee, all non-recoverable or non-transferable fees made to our suppliers on your behalf (for tickets, etc.) will be retained.
• Refund provisions vary from tour to tour and there are exceptions to the above policy and some tours (including those tours involving theatre tickets or high-security access) may have different or additional restrictions.

Multi-Day Tour Cancellations

• If you cancel prior to our established balance payment deadline (generally 60-90 days depending on the tour) you may receive a credit minus a $50 p.p. administrative fee* or a refund minus a $75 p.p. administrative fee*.
• If you cancel after our established balance payment deadline (generally 60-90 days depending on the tour) you may receive a credit (minus $75 p.p.*) or a refund (minus $125 p.p.*).
• If you cancel within 30 days of departure, you may receive a credit (minus $150 p.p.*) or a refund (minus $250 p.p.*) ONLY if your space can be resold from a waitlist.
• If you cancel within 15 days of departure, you may receive a credit (minus $250 p.p.*) or a refund (minus $500 p.p.*) ONLY if your space can be resold from a waitlist.
• In addition to the administrative fee, all non-recoverable or non-transferable fees made to our suppliers on your behalf (for airfare, tickets, lodging, services, etc.) will be retained.
• Refund provisions vary from tour to tour and there are exceptions to the above policy and some tours (including international tours and national park tours) may have different or additional restrictions.

Additional Notes About Cancellations

Credit does not expire and may be left on your account for future use or immediately transferred to another tour. No credits or refunds are available for failure to board the motorcoach on the day of departure.

When planning to take an escorted tour, whether it be a short getaway or the tour of a lifetime, it’s important to do some research and plan carefully. The success of a tour depends heavily upon the decisions made prior to departing. There are many tour operators in the travel industry ready to take your money and send you on your way. But how are you supposed to know if they’re experienced, financially secure and able to provide a good value for your money?

Good Times Travel is a family-owned and operated tour operator that began from the ground up 26 years ago. We began as a small neighborhood tour operator offering several southern California day trips each week. Over the years we have continued to grow as travelers have continued to travel with us and have subsequently brought their friends and family members along with them. Today, Good Times Travel operates several hundred day tours annually throughout southern California as well as a wide variety of multi-day tours throughout California, North America and to international destinations.

Since our modest beginnings, we have continued to design and add hundreds of tour itineraries to new and exciting destinations, designed to offer our travelers the most comprehensive historical, cultural and exciting qualities of the places they visit, while feeling completely taken care of by our tour directors. In addition, we’ve provided our customers a great value for their money, while still providing outstanding quality and service. In total, we ultimately strive to design tour packages that feel as if they were created with you specifically in mind!

We believe that motorcoach travel is the best way to travel. Not only is it the most efficient and environmentally friendly but you’re able to sit high above the sights while a knowledgeable tour guide passes on to you the important facts or stories that go along with the landmark or locale that you are visiting. You don't have to handle your luggage, worry about directions or think about where you're going to eat. Your tour director, driver and local guides have it all covered!

At Good Times Travel, we believe that it’s important to explore and learn all that you can when you visit a specific destination. Who knows if you’ll ever return? This is why our tours include the “off the beaten path” stops along with the popular landmarks and destinations. We believe that it’s these lesser-known points of interest that truly represent the area that you’re visiting. This is why every one of our tours is planned from the bottom up by someone on our staff who is familiar with the area and knows what really signifies the true nature of each location on the tour.

Considering traveling with someone other than Good Times Travel? There are advantages to traveling with us and we've listed some of them below. Ask who your considering traveling with if they offer the following?

• Services of professional, certified tour directors
• Expert, local, step-on guides
• The option to travel with your tour director and group from your hometown rather than having to fly alone and meet them at the airport or first hotel
• Audio listening devices so you can better hear your guides
• Travel gift and pre-departure meeting (tours involving air travel)
• Sightseeing and admission charges included with few optionals to buy
• An average of two included meals per day
• Deluxe, 2012 or newer, fully-equipped touring motorcoaches
• Included airport-hotel transfers (with purchase of group airfare)
• Movies shown onboard to supplement what you're seeing
• Water and snacks provided on your journey
• Maps provided to many of the areas you visit
• Special "insider" and behind-the-scenes experiences
• Fellow passengers and tour directors from your area
• Credit cards accepted online
• Registerd Seller of Travel with the State of California and all payments for multi-day tours are held in an escrow account

And that's just scratching the surface. We've expended on some of the more important ones below that you should keep in mind when deciding who you will trust with your vacation.

Local, Family-Owned and Operated Company

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• 17132 Magnolia St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708
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December 2024

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Money blog: 'Bleak' new security measure seen in Tesco store

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and tips. Leave a comment on any of the stories we're covering below.

Tuesday 2 July 2024 02:17, UK

Energy price cap falls

• Energy price cap falls today - here's what you need to know
• Thinking about switching? These are the cheapest energy tariffs available right now
• Are prepayment prices the cheapest way now?
• Will energy prices return to levels seen before COVID?

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Olive oil has become the latest staple to undergo "bleak" anti-theft measures.

The cooking product was spotted encased in netting and tagged with an alarm in an unspecified Tesco store, leading one customer to ask: "What has the world come to?"

It is just the latest product to be subject to supermarket security measures that have surprised customers, after an out-of-hours smoke machine was introduced in another Tesco store last month.

Neither security features are part of a universal policy and have been implemented only in individual stores, Sky News understands.

"All 'anti-shoplifting' measures are theatre," said one shopper on X, beneath a photo of the olive oil.

"This is so bleak," said another, while a third joked the oil "has to wear fishnets now".

We revealed earlier this year that there had been a 110.5% increase in the price of olive oil since January 2021.

High temperatures and droughts in Spain, the world's leading producer and exporter, have dented the harvest - a problem only worsened by global inflationary pressures.

Separately, a bacterial disease called Xylella Fastidiosa has attacked and killed century-old olive trees, severely diminishing yields in southern Europe.

And heightened prices have led organised criminal gangs to steal the "liquid gold".

Read more on what's behind exploding olive oil prices here...

We feature a lot of data on the changing prices of houses in the UK, but how do they compare to the rest of the world?

New data shows the UK ranked 37th for house price growth out of 56 countries analysed by Knight Frank for the Global House Price Index.

At 1.6% up over the year to the end of March, the UK underperformed (with the global average at 3.6%) but outstripped its European neighbours.

Only 11 countries saw prices fall, eight of which were European, with France (-5.2%) and Germany (-3.9%) feeling the effects of slower economic growth and high recent inflation.

Across all 56 markets, 82% saw annual price growth in the first quarter of the year - the strongest showing since the last quarter of 2022.

"Many markets are suffering from a lack of properties to sell as well as slow new-build delivery, leading to relatively healthy demand pushing prices to new highs," said Liam Bailey, Knight Frank's global head of research.

"In the longer term, however, only lower debt costs will sustain price growth."

With a 52% price increase, Turkey was at the top of the table by a huge margin - 36 percentage points - but there's more to this figure than meets the eye.

Consumer Price Index inflation in Turkey has risen 50% in the year to March, meaning in real terms house prices have actually fallen by 9.9%.

Recently we reported on how Barcelona had cracked down on tourism by planning to abolish short-term holiday lets . 

The Spanish city has now gone further in its war on overtourism by banning the display and sale of "offensive" souvenirs. 

It says sexist and homophobic messages on some souvenirs are tarnishing Barcelona's image. 

The ERC's deputy spokesperson Jordi Coronas said the ban included products such as "penises with the Barcelona brand, T-shirts with sexist or homophobic comments, or simply comments that, when displayed on these products, devalue Barcelona". 

Ahead of our Q&A, switching service Uswitch provided us with a list of what it considers the cheapest energy tariffs on the market right now.

It's worth reading the advice from Which? in our Q&A below (see 15.02 post) before deciding to switch from a standard variable tariff (that's what most households are on) - but if you're aware of the risks, then cheaper energy is available...

A big thanks to all those who submitted a question for our Q&A on the day the energy price cap fell - and sorry if we didn't get to yours.

A big thanks also to Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor, and Kate Mulvany, a principal consultant at Cornwall Insight, for tackling 10 of your questions so thoroughly.

Scroll down to read through their answers.

Does the UK have a secure enough energy supply in your view and what would it take for blackouts to occur this or any other winter?

Kate Mulvany, a principal consultant at Cornwall Insight, says..

The outlook for the upcoming winter appears promising, with strong gas reserves across Europe providing a healthy buffer to seasonal demand. 

While a very cold winter would increase the need for gas for heating across Europe, the UK's ability to secure gas and electricity from multiple sources keeps the risk of disruption to the flow of energy relatively low. 

Quite a few things would need to go wrong at the same time for there to be an increased risk of a widespread blackout. 

However, short-term blackouts would still be possible - as indeed at any time of year - due to storms or other weather incidents, as well as through localised network issues. 

It's worth mentioning that ministers have claimed the UK faces blackouts without new gas-fired power stations...

The bigger risk for homes in the UK is the pressure on energy bills. Although electricity and gas supplies appear healthy, affordability remains a concern, as seen in recent winters - particularly 2022-23.

Edward Morgan:

What's the best deal currently on the market in your view and does it come with any risks?

Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor, says...

As we said in one of our previous answers, there isn't a "one size fits all" for the best deals out there as it will all depend on individual circumstances. 

However, there are some tariffs available that are cheaper than the current price cap and might be worth considering. 

When Which? last checked, Ecotricity and Ovo both had fixed deals available for cheaper than the July price cap. 

However, Ecotricity's deal requires a smart meter - or you to agree to have one fitted - and Ovo's is only available if you also buy annual boiler cover, so you'll need to weigh up if this is right for you. Both also come with exit fees if you want to leave early. 

Tracker tariffs change in price relative to the price cap every three months when the price cap is reset to offer slightly cheaper rates than you'd be paying otherwise, and could be worth considering. They're currently available from E.ON Next , Scottish Power and Fuse Energy .

Consumers can use switching services - like Which? Switch Energy - to keep an eye on the best fixed deals available and compare deals to see what's cheapest for them. 

We'd always recommend checking the exit fees on fixed deals so you're not tied into a tariff if something better becomes available.

Why doesn't the government de-link the price of fossil fuel-generated electricity from that generated from renewable sources? Surely cheaper energy would be the result?

The current government has explored various methods to decouple wholesale gas and electricity prices through a programme called the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA). 

However, each option identified presented potential drawbacks for customers, as well as benefits. 

For example, one proposed solution was to set different prices for electricity generated by renewable sources compared to that generated by more carbon-intensive methods, such as burning gas. 

A significant challenge is that the country cannot yet generate all its electricity from renewable sources 24/7. 

During shortfalls, such as on a winter evening with low wind, non-variable renewable generation methods would still need to be used, meaning customers would still see the impacts of gas prices in those of electricity.

If I do not qualify for pension credit but receive housing benefit on top of my state pension, will I qualify for extra heating allowance/cold weather payment?

For the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payment and Winter Heating payment, you should receive any discounts automatically if you're eligible. 

For the Warm Home Discount, each energy supplier also has its own eligibility criteria, which are approved by the energy regulator Ofgem, so you should check with your provider to see whether you meet its requirements.

If you were born before 25 September 1957, it's also likely you'll be able to get Winter Fuel Payments of between £100 and £300 for winter 2023-24. 

The payments are to help pay for your gas or electric heating in winter. You should get this automatically and should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if you think you're eligible but haven't received anything. 

Energy companies are obliged to help you if you tell them you are struggling to pay and will not disconnect you if you miss a bill payment. 

If you are struggling with your bills, let your provider know and explain that you want to establish a payment plan that you can afford. 

Discuss your options with them, as they may include a review of your payments, a reduction in your payments or a payment break, more time to pay, and access to hardship funds.

Will energy prices ever return to levels seen before COVID - if not, why not?

Kate Mulvany, a principal consultant at Cornwall Insight, says...

At this point in time, we are not expecting a return to pre-COVID prices.

This is primarily due to the significant rise in the wholesale prices of electricity and gas following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

The cost of the fuel - the wholesale cost or the commodity cost - is the largest part of the energy bill. 

Although some non-wholesale components of energy bills may decrease, the main factor driving prices is the cost of commodities. 

The UK's heavy reliance on imported electricity and natural gas exacerbates this issue. 

Therefore, increasing investment in domestic renewable and low-carbon energy sources is crucial to reduce this dependency.

Additionally, implementing measures to decouple electricity and gas prices in the wholesale market could help lower bills.

Why does Ofgem allow the price cap to be so high when we know how high the profits of energy companies are which in turn causes so much hardship for UK families?

The price cap limits the unit rates and standing charge levels that suppliers can charge domestic customers across many circumstances. 

Some parts of the energy price cap are directly regulated by Ofgem, while others, such as wholesale energy costs, reflect market conditions. 

The price cap includes various elements such as wholesale energy costs, network costs (the cost of moving gas and electricity around the country), operating costs, environmental and social policy costs, and the allowable profit for suppliers.

The role of energy suppliers is to purchase electricity from generators and sell it to customers, managing customer service, billing and other retail functions. 

Ofgem's formula for the price cap includes an allowance for suppliers to make a profit, which is overall a relatively small percentage of the total price cap amount. 

Headlines about energy companies' profits can refer to companies involved throughout the energy industry, not just suppliers. 

For example, companies that extract and transport gas or which generate electricity might not have prices directly regulated by Ofgem. 

There is global competition for energy, and so attempts for the UK to control wholesale costs might have an impact on security of supply. 

Since the cap limits unit rates and standing charge levels, but not the total bill, there has been increasing support for a social tariff, which would offer discounted deals to vulnerable households. 

Social tariffs for energy are not a new policy; they have been implemented before and are currently used in other sectors, such as telecommunications and broadband.

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