Thursday, December 27, 2007

We've pinpointed 10 cities that are ushering in 2008 with spectacular, one-of-a-kind celebrations, from Bangkok's flashy new Greeting Ball Tower to Reykjavík's raucous bonfires and costumed revelers. Here's the skinny—and a slide show of the parties! read more

• Cultural Etiquette: How to Drink Like a Local
• What's Your New Year's Travel Resolution? Post a Comment!

There's been a lot of talk about social networking lately, and Facebook—with 46 million users (and growing)—is the site of the moment. New travel tools make it easy to blog, upload photos, and plan your trip. read more

• Sign Up With Facebook
• Already a Member? Make Bud Travel Your Friend!

The best of the year in travel, from the practical to the sublime: Dream Trips, 10 Coolest Small Towns, Confessions From Travel Industry Insiders, 50 Charming Hotels Under $150, A Guide to the World of Harry Potter, and more! read more

More Great Travel Reads:

• A View With a Room: Lighthouses of Croatia
• Trips That Can Change Your Life: Israel
• 25 Reasons We Love San Diego
• Walking Scotland's Kintyre Way
• My Brooklyn Is Better Than Yours

The Ultimate Guide to Free Travel details nine ways to score a free trip, from house-sitting to driveaways…. Slide Show: Secret Hotels of Sicily has gorgeous photos of agriturismi, where the food is organic and the people are as warm as the ever-present sun…. Window or Aisle? Q&A With Josh Bernstein reveals the hunky History Channel host's dream trip and what he won't leave home without….

Round-trip airfare and three nights in the French Quarter, from $339.
why it's a deal

• Rolling by the River: New Orleans by Bicycle
• Mardi Gras: Still America's Best Party
• Where to Eat, Shop, and Volunteer in New Orleans

JetBlue is offering a discounted three-night getaway to the nearby string of prosperous, pink-sand islands, from $299. why it's a deal

• Bermuda: Third Time's a Charm?
• Overwater Bungalows: Stay Literally on the Ocean
• Nonstop Caribbean: Fly Straight to the Beach

On a recent trip to Alaska, I took a plane tour over the fjords. Because my mother doesn't like to fly, I went alone and got to sit up front with the pilot. I was happily snapping photos of the scenery when, to my surprise, the pilot asked to see my camera. As I passed it to him, he shifted the airplane's steering wheel over to me and told me to fly the plane! Before I could say a word in protest, he took my picture while I flew his plane, terrified, over a fjord—much to the horror of the other passengers… read more

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