Monday, July 7, 2008

We sent photographer and New Yorker Ian Gittler out to wander in search of the romantic, gritty details that make it the world's greatest city. read more

• 50 Reasons You Love New York City
• Hotels: New York City at a Price That's Right
• Psst!…Broadway Tickets for Cheap!
• Quiz: Think You Know New York City?

Are you traveling internationally with sensitive information? It's a good idea to e-mail or send a copy on ahead of you. For years, U.S. customs officials have been inspecting the contents of computers, cameras, and phones, in some cases keeping them for weeks before returning them. Now federal hearings are underway. get the details

• This Fall: Prepare for Flight Cutbacks
• George Washington's Boyhood Home Uncovered
• Wildfires Continue—Big Sur's in Danger

Art seems like a souvenir only for the super wealthy, but finding a quality piece at an affordable price isn't as difficult as you might think. read more

• Designers' Favorite Museum Stores
• 20 Gifts from New York City Museums
• What $100 Buys in Cities Around the Globe

E-mail your best shots—from July 4 or any other celebration—to BTPhotos@BudgetTravel.com for a chance to be included in a special slide show of readers' photos. Want to brush up on your technique? Read Fireworks Photography in 5 Easy Steps.

10 Celebrity-Trashed Hotel Rooms There are so many creative ways to trash a perfectly good hotel room—it's come naturally to rockers like these for decades… Girlfriend Getaways: U.S. Wine Regions In wine country, everything from the food to the spa treatments screams, "Indulge yourself!" Here's where to uncork the fun… Japan: The Konnichiwa Kid Writer Dorothy Kalins's son, Lincoln, has always been a sushi-rolling, Pokémon-watching kid. At 15, he got to visit the country he'd admired from afar.

Thanks to these hotel packages in Amelia Island, Hollywood, Key West, Miami Beach, and St. Augustine, you can golf, take a cruise, get romantic, and more, from $135. why they're a deal

• 25 Reasons We Love Orlando
• Florida: A Sunshine State of Mind
• My Hometown: Miami
• Road Trip: Florida Keys

My Chihuahua, Maq, hates getting into his dog carrier, but he loves peanut butter. So I smear a little peanut butter on the back wall of the carrier, and when Maq goes halfway in to lick it, I nudge his bottom in and quickly close the door. —Sandra Traub, Tamarac, Fla. get more tips

• Slide Show: Jet-setting Pets

Karla Zimmerman, the main author of Lonely Planet Chicago (2008), will answer your questions on the Windy City on Tuesday, July 8, at noon (ET). Submit a question now

• Real Deal: Chicago Getaways, From $279

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