It’s the middle of hurricane season, which means there are great deals to be had for fall getaways to certain Florida, Mexico and Caribbean destinations. The downside is there’s a higher risk of having your sunny sojourn turn soggy. The latter doesn’t happen often, but just in case rain does dampen your vacation, here are a few perks and guarantees to ease the pain.

Hurricane Free at The Westin Resort—Aruba

Unbeknownst to those who haven’t visited this historic Dutch island, Aruba lies just south of the hurricane belt, meaning it rarely sees significant damage from hurricanes. Taking advantage of these odds, The Westin Resort, Aruba is offering a Hurricane Free escape, starting at $199 per ocean-view room, per night, with a $74 credit per room (74 being the minimum wind speed of a Category 1 hurricane) if it rains more than three hours on any one day of your trip. The package also includes daily poolside breakfast for two, and two welcome drinks per day at The Lobby Bar or Tambu Bar. (I stayed at this resort two years ago when it first became a Westin; food, services and amenities were great, and it's located along one of the best stretches of Palm Beach.) The Hurricane Free package is valid through Nov. 30, 2009. For reservations call 877-782-0149 or visit www.westinaruba.com and use code WIND74.

The pool at The Westin Aruba; the Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa; Harbor Beach Marriott.

Hurricane Assurance Plan at the Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa—Puerto Rico

The Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa, a Wyndham Grand Resort, offers the following guarantees through hurricane season, which ends on Nov. 30, 2009:

• Replacement of the balance of a guest’s vacation (room and applicable taxes) for the duration of the reservation.
• No penalty for an early departure in the event of a hurricane.
• Any unused portion of a deposit for in-house guests will be refunded in the event of a hurricane.
• Guests with confirmed and fully deposited reservations, who are within the non-refundable window and are unable to travel to the resort due to a hurricane will be given the option for a full refund or a one-room category upgrade on their re-scheduled visit to the Rio Mar within one calendar year.

Rates start at $223. For reservations call 877-636-0636 or visit www.wyndhamriomar.com.

Guaranteed Sunshine from Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa—Fort Lauderdale

The Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa will give guests a $50 resort credit if there is less than a 50 percent chance of sunshine (forecasted as 50 percent chance or greater of rain) during your stay. Hurry, this deal is available through Sept. 27, 2009 only. Rates start at $279 per night. The resort will base the additional $50 Sunshine Guarantee credit on the forecast from Weather.com, which will be posted at the front desk daily at 8:00 a.m., or guests can request a call to their guest room with the daily weather update.

Resort credits can be redeemed for services at the hotel’s spa or at one of its five restaurants, including the local favorite 3030 Ocean, serving modern American seafood. (I dined here last year and the seafood was indeed excellent.) To book the Guaranteed Sunshine package, call 800-222-6543 (use code SSOK) or visit www.marriottharborbeach.com (use code SF8).

JetBlue Weather or Not Protection Policy

Book a JetBlue Airlines Getaways vacation package, and you’re covered by its Weather or Not Hurricanes Getaways Protection policy. If the airline posts a travel alert on jetblue.com prior to your departure that a hurricane will impact your Getaway region, you will be able to cancel without fees and receive a full refund for the package. If an alert is posted during your vacation, JetBlue will waive fees for the return and book you on the next available flight. In addition, you will receive hotel vouchers for the unused nights at the same hotel, plus a $100 Getaways air credit per person. Available for select hotels in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean only; must be booked by Nov. 8 for travel completed by Nov. 13, 2009.

The end of summer can be bittersweet, but the Colonial Williamsburg Resort Collection Hotels in Williamsburg, Va., are here to ease you into the chillier months with an array of packages worthy of one last getaway.

Photo: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, Va. 

Ghosts and Legends Package

Do you enjoy the darker side of autumn? Cross over into the supernatural realm with the Ghost and Legends Package. Starting at $199 per room, per night, guests will begin their journey into the haunted past of Williamsburg with nightly accommodations at an official on-site Colonial Williamsburg hotel (two-night minimum); Ghosts Among Us tour tickets; Colonial Williamsburg Hotel guest passes, which provide access to the Historic Area, exhibition sites, daytime programs and museums; daily breakfast; one dinner in the historic dining tavern; and 20 percent off most purchases at any Colonial Williamsburg store.

Autumn All-Day Play Golf Package

Hit the links at the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel and Suites and enjoy nightly accommodations (two-night minimum) starting at $194 per person, per night. The package includes all-day golf on the Gold Course (designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.) and the Green Course (designed by Rees Jones) from noon on the day of arrival until noon on the day of departure, and full access to the driving range.

Autumn Spa Escape Package

Embrace the change of the season with a luxurious spa package at a Williamsburg hotel. Starting at $165 per person, per night, receive a Deep Forest Massage using balsam fir blended with juniper, red mandarin orange and bergamot to relax all of your senses; and a Harvest Facial, which uses organic fruits and vegetables from the fall harvest to bring out a glowing complexion.

Offers valid Sept. 4 through Nov. 25, 2009. For more information, visit www.colonialwilliamsburgresort.com.

After working on part of my master’s thesis these past few weeks, I’m about ready for a break. While lounging around the beach in Hawaii sounds like an ideal place to be right now, I always welcome the opportunity to give back to the community. Big or small, helping a community is already a reward for me, but being surrounded by majestic mountains, glacial lakes and an abundance of wildlife would be an added plus.

Grand Teton Lodge Company is now offering a Conservation Vacation volunteer package at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The package runs from May 31 to June 6 and again from September 20 to 26, 2009. Volunteers get three daily meals, overnight accommodations at Colter Bay Village, guest speakers and tools needed for conservation projects, all for $120 per person per night. Some of the community projects include helping to maintain the trails and preserving the historical cabins in the Colter Bay area.

Colter Bay Village. Courtsey of Grand Teton Lodge Company

As the concessioner in Grand Teton National Park, the company aims to preserve park resources through sustainable business practices and educational programs. Grand Teton Lodge operates facilities in the surrounding areas of Grand Teton National Park, including Colter Bay Village, Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge as well as the Snake River Lodge and Spa.

Grand Teton Lodge Company also offers guests a range of activities such as horseback riding, boat trips on the Snake River and bus tours of Grand Teton National Park and nearby Yellowstone National Park.

To book the Conservation Vacation volunteer package, call 800-628-9988. Note: Cost for the package is based on double occupancy and available space at Colter Bay Village.

Fancy a trip to Aspen to enjoy spring skiing, shopping, dining or other adventures? There’s no excuse to leave your faithful friend (ahem, your dog) at home—Aspen’s Sky Hotel (a Kimpton property) offers a special Howlin’ at the Sky Pet Package, which allows your furry best bud to come along.

The package includes a dog bed and bowls in your room, a choice of either one doggie day care or one dog walk (pick the walk!), and yummy gourmet dog treats—all with a discounted room. Room rates start at $274 per night, and must be reserved seven days in advance of your stay.

So what are you waiting for? Dogs deserve a break too. Reserve online, or call 800-882-2582. And remember to save a treat for me! I get hungry.

What better way to celebrate the opening of the One&Only resort in Cape Town than with a Grand Opening Package? When you book a three-night stay by September 30, 2009, you get complimentary spa treatments, a bottle of Cape Estate Wine and up to two children under the age of 12 can stay for free.

The resort, scheduled to open on April 3, is located on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and offers accommodations in 131 rooms and suites with impressive views of the lush surroundings and access to the One&Only Spa situated on a private island.

For some daytime adventures, the One&Only resort offers a variety of outdoor activities for their guests including skydiving, paragliding, wildlife safaris and mountain climbing, as well as scuba diving from one of the nearby beaches.

For more information about the resort or to book the grand opening package, visit www.oneandonlyresorts.com or call 888-877-7528.

Not sure where to stay with the family during spring break? Look no further, because Hyatt Resorts is offering the Three for Free package at 19 resort locations such as Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Maui and the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino in Lake Tahoe. If you reserve the package by March 31, you and your family receive a free night’s stay and daily breakfast for two per room at select Hyatt hotels in North America. Note that depending on the hotel, the package requires a minimum length of stay.

Guests at Hyatt Resorts can also save 50 percent off the “Hyatt Daily Rate” with the Hyatt Family Plan, where families can add a second room for their kids. Hyatt Resorts offers a variety of family-friendly activities such as golf, tennis and water activities as well as kids’ programs including Camp Hyatt and a Kids Concierge.

For more information on the Three for Free package or to view a full list of participating Hyatt hotels, visit www.hyattthreeforfree.com or call 800-233-1234.

With the holidays quickly approaching, get snow cozy on the mountain slopes near Montana’s 320 Guest Ranch. Nestled along Gallatin River near Big Sky, Montana, 320 Guest Ranch is a year-round ranch that offers an array of seasonal activities including horseback riding, fly fishing, sleigh rides and snowmobiling. The ranch, which opened in 1898, is a mere five miles from the boundary of Yellowstone National Park, and offers overnight accommodations in modern cabins and log homes.

With access to over 220 ski runs and 23 lifts, the 320 Guest Ranch is now offering two packages for the 2008-2009 ski season. For $77 per person per night, the “Ski and Stay Package” includes a full day lift ticket for either the Big Sky or Moonlight Basin slopes (two nearby major ski resorts), complimentary transportation to the free Big Sky ski shuttle and continental breakfast.

As part of the “Lone Peak Pass Ski and Stay Package,” guests get a full day lift ticket to both the Big Sky and Moonlight Basin slopes, free ski shuttle and a continental breakfast all for $165 per person per night. For either package—valid through April 14, 2009—children 10 and under can stay and ski for free. Guests also have the option of adding a country sleigh ride to either package ($32 for adults, $18 for kids and free for children under 3) which will be offered through the week of Christmas.

For more information about the 320 Guest Ranch ski packages, visit www.320Ranch.com or call 800-243-0320.