Extra Mile Awards

Getting an unexpected upgrade can hook you on a place—and that's the motivation behind Hyatt's "random acts of generosity" initiative (yes, it's an initiative), announced in May. The company's CEO told employees to occasionally tear up guests' bar tabs, comp massages, or dole out some other out-of-the-blue treats. Consider us hooked.

INTREPID TRAVEL
Because going green doesn't mean you shouldn't go on vacation

The city of New York has permanently closed five blocks in Times Square to traffic (Alycia Rockey) [enlarge photo]

The Australia-based outfitter this year eliminated the carbon footprint of its 38 most popular trips—and not just by buying offsets. Its goal: making every one of its 600-plus itineraries carbon neutral by early 2010. Here's how:

Transportation By far the biggest source of greenhouse gases on any trip is transport. Intrepid compares the emissions of every mode of local conveyance available, from planes and trains to bikes, boats, buses, and tuk-tuks. On its Road to Angkor trip, the company swapped a flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap for a five-hour bus ride through the countryside—a more scenic experience anyway.

Waste In Vietnam and Cambodia, Intrepid subsidized the installation of watercoolers in hotel lobbies to reduce the number of plastic water bottles used by travelers. In northern Thailand, they participate in a program in which local women make cloth shopping bags for tourists.

Accommodations Intrepid books small, locally owned hotels rather than large resorts. Lodgings can include guesthouses in Turkey, homestays in Thailand, and campsites in Kenya. Because Intrepid is often a local hotel's biggest customer, it's able to influence a place for the better. For example, at some spots in Indochina, it helped pay for key-tag systems that automatically turn off the lights.

Activities Intrepid always opts for activities that use preexisting facilities over ones that were built for tourism. That means taking a local raft rather than a tour boat, and eating bowls of pho in Vietnam rather than something from an international chain.

GOOGLE
Because Street View for trails and parks is the coolest idea ever

Google is no longer taking its Street View mapping feature literally. It can now reveal ground-level views of cobblestoned alleys, theme parks, college campuses—even hiking trails—all thanks to the company's latest gadget: a GPS-enabled tricycle topped with a 360-degree camera similar to the one used on the Street View car fleet. At 49 inches across, the trike can fit almost anywhere wide enough for a wheelchair. A cycling path in Monterey, Calif., was the first trail to go online, in December 2008, and the walkways at California's Legoland theme park followed. Now several of the cycles are shooting the back roads of Italy, France, and Japan.

TRIPADVISOR
Because the giant of user reviews keeps inventing new ways to wring value from its supersize community

Calculate rental values On top of adding vacation-rental listings and more reviews this year, TripAdvisor also launched a tool to help you comparison shop. The new Vacation Rentals Calculator allows you to look at the prices of a hotel versus a rental—based on recent bookings. Customize results by entering details such as how often you'd be willing to cook if you had access to a kitchen.

Find hotel values The Top Values tool lists the hotels in any given destination that offer the best quality at the fairest price, as determined by an algorithm that weighs TripAdvisor rankings, prices, and outside info such as star ratings. The regularly updated listings average about $100.

Calculate flight values TripAdvisor's move into the world of airfare searches included a first-of-its-kind feature that calculates the true price of a trip, taking into account fees for checked baggage, food service, and any other airline services. This being TripAdvisor, you also get the scoop from other travelers on a plane's best seats.

KAYAK
Because the mad scientist of search keeps cranking out new ways to connect you with the trip you want

Search sharing Suppose you're planning a group trip, but your fellow travelers are departing from different cities. Now, the members of your group can make decisions together by sharing their searches with one another. Simply click "Share Results," and the site lets you e-mail around a link to your live search.

Search snooping Kayak's Insight tool allows you to enter your home airport and watch as the best fares other searchers are finding from that airport pop up in real time on a world map. Somebody found a $337 trip to Paris? Click through quickly before the fare changes. The service is especially helpful when you've got some time off but aren't sure where to go.

Search on the go If your flight's been canceled, Kayak's iPhone app will pull up a list of the next flights out to your destination on any airline. Sort results by cost and time. A built-in directory of carrier hotlines makes it possible to get an agent on the phone—and fast.

CITY OF NEW YORK
Because even New Yorkers love the new Times Square

The best new show on Broadway is the swirling chaos of the city itself—and the seats are free. Inspired by Copenhagen's car-free Strøget zone, the city of New York has permanently closed five blocks in Times Square to traffic and installed 300 chairs and benches, where thousands of locals now join the tourists every day to experience the city in an entirely new way. Street performers are on constant parade. There are free events like sunrise yoga. And impromptu crowds linger to watch a sports game or the nightly news on the JumboTrons.