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.

Mexico may draw tourists to its beaches, but the surrounding areas are also home to an abundance of cultural attractions including Teotihuacan and the recently opened Tehuacalco archeological site.

Located in Chilpancingo in the state of Guerrero, just 50 minutes from Acapulco, Tehuacalco was once a ceremonial site and today features the remnants of a holy temple from 750 B.C. as well as a ball court. Tehuacalco was studied as part of pre-Hispanic cultural research under the support of the government of the state of Guerrero, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism as well as the National Institute of Anthropology and History, which promoted the exploration of the site since 2006.

Several government officials attended the official opening ceremony including Zeferino Torreblanca, the governor of the state of Guerrero, who announced plans to open additional archeological sites including La Soledad de Maciel in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo.

To learn more about popular attractions and information on planning a trip to Acapulco, check out our Acapulco destination information or visit www.visitacapulco.com.mx.

This week, Southwest Airlines announced that they will be partnering in a service agreement with Mexican carrier Volaris. The goal of this partnership is to provide “more low fares and a better customer experience across the U.S./Mexican border,” according to a Southwest press release. The airlines stated that they planned to announce codeshare flight schedules and other features about the partnership by early 2010; however, there are still certain details of the codeshare and partnership that need to be approved by both U.S. and Mexican governments. As early as spring 2009, customers will be able to purchase travel on Volaris from southwest.com.  

Volaris was founded in 2006 and services 23 destinations throughout Mexico. Although the airline is the country’s youngest, it already has a great reputation as Mexico’s most modern and most punctual carrier. The average age of the carrier’s 19-airplane fleet is less than 3 years old, meaning that a Volaris traveler is nearly guaranteed a nice, new plane. The airlines both hope that this partnership will allow both airlines to get passengers and their luggage to a variety of over the border destinations.

Both airlines hope that “the codeshare will allow business, leisure and visiting friends and family traffic to increase on both sides of the border,” according to Volaris chief executive officer Enrique Beltranena. Other ways that Volaris and Southwest plan to partner include frequent flier options, cargo and ground handling.

Recently, Southwest announced plans to do a codeshare with Canadian domestic carrier WestJet. Although details of that partnership are still in the works, Southwest Airlines executive vice president of strategy and planning, Bob Jordan, says that the airline will continue to “work diligently in order to expand our international codeshare even further.”

With plans like these in the works, count on increased efficiency and options when traveling both north and south of the border. Looks like Southwest’s new slogan should read, “You are now free to move about the continent.”

If you’re looking for a Mexican vacation that puts you closer to the culture than you can get by lazing on the beach, consider going to celebrate Día de los Muertos. The country’s biggest holiday celebrates the memories of departed family and friends, while allowing the living to have a festive time. Here are five great Day of the Dead destinations in Mexico to check out:

Pátzcuaro and Janítzio (state of Michoacán)

A candlelit boat procession journeys from the lakeside town of Pátzcuaro to the island of Janítzio. While both locations pulse with activity, the island’s cemetery is the focus of late-night gatherings. Read our Flowers for the Dead article about the Day of the Dead in this area.

Mixquic (Distrito Federal)

A small town on the outskirts of Mexico City so well known for its Day of the Dead celebrations, it’s often referred to as the “City of the Dead.”

Oaxaca City (state of Oaxaca)

So many people flock to Oaxaca’s cemeteries that travel packages are created just for the holiday. Unique to Oaxaca’s festivities is the temporary creation of colored sand carpets, sculpted in 3-D.

Mérida (state of Yucatán)

The White City celebrations include the Mayan banquet of the dead, Hanal Pixan (“soul food”). Large tamales baked in an underground pit are tasty features on the menu.

Chiapa de Corzo (state of Chiapas)

Marimba and mariachi bands play beloved tunes of the dead at the local cemetery of this small colonial town. Firecrackers announce the departure of souls each year.