Thursday, May 28, 2009

This summer, the key words are "quick" and "easy." But you still want a trip that delivers. These getaways to perfect small towns and hidden beaches feel a world away—even if they're only a few hours' drive from home. Check out our slide show and interactive maps of the quickest routes. read more

• Packing List: Cool New Gear for Summer
• Gas Watch: How to Save at the Pump
• Easier Than You Thought: Renting a Hybrid Car
• 59 Jaw-Dropping Roadside Attractions

JetAmerica, an upstart airline modeled after Europe's Ryanair, is going the ultracheap route to get our attention—and it's working. For departures in July, every flight has nine seats that sell for $9 apiece. And yes, we were able to find availability on several dates.
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• 3 Bold New Summer Thrills for '09
• Expedia Dumps Its Airfare Booking, Change, and Cancellation Fees
• This Weekend: The Fish Will Fly on Catalina Island, Calif.
• Worth Reading: Travel the Buddhist Circuit

These five websites have proven the most consistently useful for the editors of Budget Travel, who do thousands of searches a year.
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• 2009 Travel Game Plan: Search Strategically
• Blog: Think You Know Priceline?

Starring You: The Cinematic Side of NYC Each of these fun half-day itineraries captures the spirit and subculture of a hit movie set in the Big Apple… The Most Beautiful Ferry Rides These remarkable trips bring you within gawking distance of some of America's greatest treasures… BT's Restaurant Month: Dining Deals We teamed up with chefs to offer discounts and freebies at their restaurants in June.

International and regional airfare; eight nights split between Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and dramatic Iguazú Falls; transfers; breakfast daily; hotel taxes; and fuel surcharges, from $1,929.
why it's a deal

• More Deals: South America, Leaving From L.A., Nature Appreciation
• Buenos Aires Hotels at a Price That's Right
• Cultural Etiquette: Tango Hall Protocol
• Secrets of São Paulo, Brazil

Six nights' accommodations, tours of Warsaw and Kraków, a Chopin concert, an excursion to the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, a rejuvenating mountain retreat in Zakopane, most meals, and taxes, for $1,024. why it's a deal

• More Deals: Culture, Historical Travel, Europe
• What $100 Buys in Kraków
• Scouting Report 2007: Wroclaw, Poland
• Ditch the Tourist Buses: A DIY Tour of Berlin

Act fast to save big on an extended weekend in Tahiti thanks to Air Tahiti Nui's super-low summer air-and-hotel rates. A four-night package with airfare, breakfast, and transfers starts at $898.
why it's a deal

• More Deals: Islands, Romance, Beaches
• Dream Trips: Overwater Bungalows
• 7 Uncharted Isles
• Australia's Great Ocean Walk

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