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"Yes, it really is July 19. That means most people have already booked their summer getaways," writes Globe Travel's Deals columnist, Patrick Dineen, in Saturday's 15 ways to take a holiday. Yes, right now . "In fact, your pod-mate is already back from zip-trekking in Whistler.

"Then there's you. No flight. No hotel reservation. Just a desperate need for a break before it snows again."

He's the man to help you figure out how to get that break. Mr. Dineen was online earlier to take your questions on last-minute summer travel. Want to score a real deal? Not sure how to please the kids and the grownups? Need a fresh destination idea?

Submit your question now. Your questions and Mr. Dineen's answers will appear at the bottom of this page once the discussion has begun.

Patrick Dineen has been the editor of Travelweek, weekly national travel trade publication, for almost 20 years.

After starting his journalism career as sports writer at The Globe, Mr. Dineen left to travel around the world with two friends from university and returned almost a year later after spending months in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. He then joined Maclean Hunter's travel trade publication.

Mr. Dineen has travelled to more than 75 countries to cover conferences, see new developments, interview top executives and report on how tourism affects different regions and societies.

Editor's Note: globeandmail.com editors will read and allow or reject each question/comment. Comments/questions may be edited for length or clarity. HTML is not allowed. We will not publish questions/comments that include personal attacks on participants in these discussions, that make false or unsubstantiated allegations, that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified, or questions/comments that include vulgar language or libellous statements. Preference will be given to readers who submit questions/comments using their full name and home town, rather than a pseudonym.

Stephen Parent from Toronto Canada writes: Mr. Dineen , Due to work changes, my wife and I had to move our vacation to the first 2 weeks in November. We find ourselves with vacation time at a time of year we don't normally take. As it is 'between seasons' we have decided just to do something on the fly and at the last moment. Other than 'all inclusive' resorts, what would be a good value vacation for under $4000, all in. We like to mix culture, history and nature and are optimistic that crowds should be low at this time of year but are worried that many options will be closed down at that time. Yours Sincerely, Stephen

Patrick Dineen: Stephen: The main problem with waiting until the last minute is that you don't know what will be available. This is especially true this fall when many airlines are cutting capacity because of the high cost of jet fuel. Usually after Labour Day, the airlines launch seat sales to fill empty seats and this would be a good time to book something. Who knows this year? There are often good deals to Portugal and Tunisia in November when it is off season and the weather can still be reasonable. Your question is very general which makes it hard to make suggestions. Trying to combine culture, history and nature in November is a challenge. Some operators have good programs to Costa Rica, Belize and the Riviera Maya but would there be enough culture and history in these holidays for your liking? Sicily has a wealth of history and culture (Greek, Saracen, Roman, Byzantine, Norman, etc.) but it could rain the whole time which might make a walk up Mount Etna less appealing. With fuel surcharges mounting up it would be difficult to go farther afield for that price. There will definitely be some sell-offs down south if nothing else at that time of year. But keep an eye out for post-Labour Day seat sales if you want something more exotic.

Joan Jones from Oakville, Ont Canada writes: We are thinking of travelling to Spain and Portugal in September, one week each location. I have been told that Spain is not worth the trip. Any advice you can give us, what do you think of Spain, any tips on where to stay in these locations? etc

Patrick Dineen: Hi Joan: I can only think that the person who told you Spain is not worth the trip spent a week on the Costa del Sol and never went anywhere else. You can't generalize about Spain as it is more of a collection of regions than a country. It is also one of the largest and most diverse countries in Europe so with only one week I would concentrate on certain areas. If you are driving, you can combine southern Portugal (if you are visiting Algarve, for instance) with a trip to Andalusia visiting Seville, Granada with its Alhambra and the former Moorish capital of Cordoba, home of the Mezquita, the most beautiful mosque built by the Moors in Spain. There are numerous beautiful small towns and villages in this region as well.

Another way to spend a week is to use Madrid as a base and explore some of the many attractions nearby — the former capital of Toledo which was home of El Greco, the lively university town of Salamanca with its beautiful main square or the imposing walled city of Avila. If you are an art lover, Madrid is a must with the recently-expanded Prado (one of the world's great art museums), the Reina Sofia (home to Picasso's Guernica) and the spectacular collection in the Thyssen-Bornemisza with paintings by everyone from Duccio to the German Expressionists including El Greco, Velazquez, Durer, Rembrandt, Goya, Hals, Memling, Caravaggion and Canaletto. These three great museums are just steps away from each other.

Since the 1992 Olympics, Barcelona has become one of Spain's main attractions. I have visited on separate occasions with each of my sons who loved the city. Its architecture, the ease of getting around, the lively nightlife, the excellent cuisine and outstanding museums have made it very popular. There are also good beaches nearby. However, it is about as far away from Portugal as any place in Spain so would not work unless you flew from Portugal. With only two weeks for these two countries, don't try to pack too much into the trip.

David deBelle from Oakville Canada writes: Dear Mr. Dineen: My wife and I would like to go away for about a week, some time during the July 27 - Aug. 9 time period. The dates are flexible during this time, and it can be for a bit more or less than a week, so hopefully this flexibility gives us some additional choices or possibilities. Our first choice is to go to the Magdalen Islands, but the costs are too high as far as my research indicates. ($2000 just for return airfare for 2 people once you add in the taxes and surcharges, or 2 days of driving to get there.) We also like St. John's NFLD, and I don't mind driving once I'm by the ocean so could rent a car somewhere out there, but I don't want to drive to get there. Otherwise, anywhere by the ocean would be great. Can you recommend any specific packages, or perhaps where to look for stand-by, last minute deals??< Thank you very much! David deBelle
Oakville

Patrick Dineen: Hi David: Last-minute sell-offs usually happen when companies are at risk. They have chartered an entire plane and have empty seats or have a contract for a block of rooms at a hotel and haven't sold them all. This isn't the case for holidays in Canada during peak season. But there are tour operators who do package independent driving holidays at reasonable prices. Maxxim Vacations is based in St. John's and sells a range of product including air from around North America ( www.maxximvacations.com ) as does Ambassatours, another company based in Atlantic Canada. A check on www.ambassatours.com shows that the company offers with daily departures an independent tour including roundtrip scheduled air to Newfoundland, 10 or 14 nights accommodation, 10- or 14-day car rental with unlimited mileage and intercity drop fee, select attractions and tour admissions. The 14-night package also includes roundtrip ferry transfers to Labrador. There is a fair bit of air lift to Newfoundland in the summer months. In addition to Air Canada and WestJet, it's worth checking out Sunwing Airlines which serves a number of cities in Newfoundland out of Toronto.

ad jol from Canada writes: Any recommendations on a camping resort that has amenities of hotel but the relaxation and quiet of the outdoors?

We are looking for a place to go with the kids.

Patrick Dineen: Summer House Park calls itself the Bruce Peninsula's ultimate camping, cottage rental and bed and breakfast destination on the shores of Miller Lake. It's nestled in 85 acres of hardwood forest a short drive from Tobermory and features nature trails, a sandy beach and daily activities for children ( www.summerhousepark.ca ). For a look at the facilities at some 450 privately-owned campgrounds in Ontario, visit www.campgrounds.org .

Daniel Yang from Toronto Canada writes: Hi Mr. Dineen,

Do you recommend any particular travel sites for last minute fares? As well, for people residing close enough to US cities such as Buffalo for residents of Toronto or Seattle for Vancouverites, can deals be that much cheaper out of the US (ie less tax)? Thanks.

Patrick Dineen: Hi Daniel: Thanks to the millions that Pearson International Airport has to pay in Crown Rent every year, it is much more expensive to land a plane in Toronto than Buffalo so you can get better fares south of the border to some destinations but Pearson is Canada's major hub and offers flights to many more cities than Buffalo. The stronger Canadian dollar has made it worthwhile for Montreal residents to check out flights from nearby U.S. border airports and those in Vancouver to fly out of Seattle at times. Most airlines now offer their best deals on their own web sites so find out which carriers are flying from the U.S. airports to the cities you want to go to. This site http://budgettravel.about.com/od/airfarescruises/a/air_dealsites.htm links directly to the special offers pages of most major airlines.

Cathy Pin from Toronto Canada writes: We are planning on travelling anywhere on an airplane the last week of August to enjoy sun and surf somewhere in the south - Caribbean, southern US, Central/Southern America. This will be a 'last week of summer' family vacation before the children start school SK and grade 7. Given the potentially turbulent weather at that time in the Caribbean, what locations would you recommend as better bets for good weather that are also family friendly - enough activities to keep everyone busy but not a Disney-fully loaded experience.
Thanks,
Cathy

Patrick Dineen: Hi Cathy: One island that is normally out of the hurricane zone and is served by Canadian tour operators is Aruba. It is just off the coast of South America and tropical storms rarely go near that part of the world. Most of the rest of the regions you mention get hit from time to time. Aruba does have a long, wide beach and plenty of activities but it tends to be more expensive than other parts of the Caribbean, especially the Spanish-speaking countries (check www.sunquest.ca ). If you want to take a chance and book something less expensive, almost all the major tour operators have Hurricane Policies which allow you leeway to switch to another destination if a hurricane is heading straight for the resort that you booked.

Rasha Mourtada, Globe Life web editor: Thanks to Patrick for his time and expertise and also to our readers who submitted questions. Please look out for future travel discussions.