Trip Coach: October 28, 2008

Count Kálnoky's Estate Descendents of 13th-century Count Vincent Kálnoky have carefully restored four cottages with woodstoves, antique furniture, and thick wool mattresses. A one-time bread oven has been transformed into a sauna, and candlelit dinners are served in the 17th-century wine cellar. Guests can take part in traditional activities: blacksmithing, cooking specialties like kürtös kalács—dough wrapped around a wooden rod and baked over an open fire—and tracking wild boar and red deer in the forests surrounding the quiet farming village of Miklósvár. There are bat caves nearby, and on Halloween, locals celebrate with a bonfire and gypsy dancing. Fall foliage lasts until the end of October, when, as Count Tibor Kálnoky puts it, "Everything will be green, brown, yellow to blood red." transylvaniancastle.com, doubles from $104, packages from $1,150 per week per person including lodging, all meals, and excursions. Casa Wagner It's a five-hour train ride north from Bucharest to Sighisoara, Vlad's birthplace. This wonderfully preserved, fortified town is filled with narrow cobblestoned streets, medieval row houses, and Gothic churches. Facing the main square, Casa Wagner has 32 elegant rooms, some with hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings. For Halloween, a special Dracula dinner of pan-fried chicken livers, tomato soup, beef fillet, and hot brandy can be arranged in the wine cellar. About 20 miles west lies the 13th-century fortress of Biertan, one of Europe's best-preserved defensive strongholds. casa-wagner.com, doubles from $72, Dracula dinner $33 per person. Bastion Hotel The small resort town of Sinaia grew up around a monastery at the foothills of the Bucegi Mountains, which swarm with skiers come winter. In the late 1800s, Romania's first king, Carol I, retreated to Sinaia's opulent Peles Castle, his summer residence. The former royal stables have recently been converted into the cheery 12-room Bastion Hotel. (Interior columns and hefty wooden doors from the stables' entrance are still visible.) Wander over to the castle, gussied up with silk brocades, marble staircases, and frescoes by the likes of Gustav Klimt; 500-year-old Cordovan leather lines the walls of the Imperial Suite. An hour-long drive brings you to 14th-century Bran Castle—dubbed Dracula's Castle because of legends that Vlad slept atop this rocky crag. hotelbastion.ro, doubles from $102; Peles Castle is closed each November for preservation work. Zabola Estate The old machine house of the 16th-century castle of Count Mikes (Mikes is pronounced mee-kesh) sits on 85 acres of private parkland. Its six jewel-toned rooms feature plush curtains, private bathrooms, and rustic touches. Try your hand with a bow and arrow, or set out on a guided 4x4 excursion or a trip to a nearby volcanic lake, which, according to local lore, is filled with the tears of virgins. Autumn is prime time for spying brown bears. "The forests of the estate are considered the best spot for bears in Transylvania," says Zsolna RoyChowdury-Ugron, the wife of one of Count Mikes's descendants. "So far, everybody who attends our tour sees bears." zabola.com, doubles from $116 with breakfast, three-course lunch or dinner $22; self-drive bear tour from $14 or from $22 with transport. Thirsting for More? Transylvania Live runs eight Dracula-themed tours lasting anywhere from five hours to 10 days. A raucous Halloween costume party in Sighisoara, a witch trial based on medieval rituals, or a tasting of Vlad's favorite wine could wind up being the highlight of your next trip to Romania. visit-transylvania.us, from $189 for the five-hour tour or from $360 for a two-day tour including meals and accommodations.

Alexis Kelly: Hi everybody. This is Alexis Kelly, editor of Fodor's guide to Tahiti & French Polynesia. Thanks for taking the time to submit your questions. Tahiti and its sister islands of French Polynesia are magical. Overwater bungalows! Shooting the pass! Swimming with the fishes! Turquoise blue waters with exquisite pink coral! It's all amazing. I do hope I can provide the guidance that will help to make your dream of traveling there a reality. So, let's get started. _______________________ Ocala, Fla.: I am wondering about a more active vacation package in Polynesia, such as a bicycle tour on several islands. (I understand most islands aren't big enough for!several days of riding.) Does such an option exist, or is it mostly beachtime and shopping? Alexis Kelly: Trips to Polynesia are actually much more active than you'd think. While there are beaches and some shopping, it's all about exploring the outdoors here—by land and by sea. No matter what island you're staying on, numerous tour operators offer 4WD tours that explore the islands. While a little bumpy, these tours (sometimes in air conditioned vehicles) will take you to places that you wouldn't otherwise find on foot or in your own car. Sometimes they even include lunch or stops in the different towns for some shopping or exploring. Most trips are a few hours. All the usual aquatic activities—diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating, Jet Skiing—are also available, and there are also plenty of tour operators that will take surfers and body boarders to the legendary surf breaks. If you do want to bike, most accommodations (large and small) will have bikes on hand for guests to use or, can point you in the direction of the local bike rental place; these rental places usually also rent out scooters. The outer coastal roads that ring most of the islands are fairly easy to bike around. On Moorea, factor in a full day to bike around the islands 37-mile Coastal Road. On Bora Bora, figure about 4 hours to bike the island's 20-mile Coastal Road. _______________________ Manassas, Va.: We would like to take a trip to Tahiti and islands this time, next year. Is this a good time weather-wise and would you advise on whether to cruise the islands or pick a couple to spend time at? If staying on a couple of islands, which hotels would you recommend? If we stayed, it would be for perhaps a little looking around, but mainly, some downtime/relaxation. Thank you! Alexis Kelly: This time of year is a great time to travel to the Society Islands (Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, etc.). This is their winter or the dry season (October-May). It's never cold, and has less humidity and rainfall and people. The water temperature of the lagoons is a fairly constant 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Lovely, right? Always be prepared for a mixed bag though. You could get perfectly dry days in the wet season and rainy days in the dry season. That's the beauty of the tropics. If you want to see a few of the islands, I suggest cruising; it's really the perfect way for the first time to experience the area. Not only is it the more economical alternative to a land-based holiday—you'll visit four islands in seven days, some of which would be extremely expensive to stay at on your own—there no planes or buses to catch, which means more time to enjoy the holiday. And that sounds like exactly what you're looking for. Most of the shore excursions are add-ons, which means you don't have to do them if you don't want to. Maybe you feel like going to the shark-feeding and motu picnic on one, but at the next stop you just want to relax and laze about. It's all up to you. You could even do your own thing in port like renting bikes or a car to explore the island. And don't worry about downtime. The islands all operate on what's fondly called "island time." So it's good to arrive with a laid back, easy going manner. _______________________ Viera, Fla.: Hello. My fiance and I are getting married in April '09 and we want to go to Tahiti in June for our honeymoon. we have done some research on prices and it is way too expensive for our budget. We were wondering if there is any way that we can still go on the honeymoon of our dreams to Tahiti without breaking the bank? Please help! —Bride-to-Be Alexis Kelly: First things first. Congratulations! I wish you both the best of luck and many happy days together. Now, on to the planning. Tahiti is the picture perfect place for a honeymoon, and it certainly will be a trip you will never forget. However, the time of year may be a bit tough as the end of June does get a bit sticky and the crowds do begin to swell. If you're going towards the beginning of the month, you may be okay and as weather is an unpredictable thing, so you could have no problems at all. Just keep that in mind. While the destination's remote location does makes it a very expensive place, there are ways to save money. As I said to reader from Manassas, Va., cruising is the most economical way to experience this area. You'll cover more ground and there's nothing like gliding across the calm blue waters, watching the islands come into view, and exploring the different lagoons and beaches. By land you might only be able to afford to see one island in 7 days, by sea you could see four different ones. Another plus? You won't have to worry about transportation, crowds, or really anything. If you don't want to cruise, consider staying in a pension or guesthouse, rather than a resort. Pensions and guesthouses are usually family-run and offer cheaper rates that include the half-board option (breakfast and dinner) or the option to self-cater (buy and prepare your own food in the on-site, communal kitchen). Some are quite charming and provide beautifully located, private accommodations. However, with inexpensive rates can come basic facilities (like no warm water), close proximity to other guests, shared bathrooms, etc. Not ideal for your romantic trip as newlyweds, but you will be together and could meet some really interesting people. Renting a villa is also an option and one that would give you your own space. There are a few villas for rent on Bora Bora (with a view of the lagoon) that sleep two and range in price from $1899 to $2560 a week. On the high-end, it's about $350 per night, which is on the expensive side, but with your own kitchen you can self-cater, sleep in, and make your own rules. Also, try dining at the roulottes instead of a pricey restaurant. These mobile food vans sell chicken, crepes, steak, and the traditional poisson cru (raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut milk). They usually open around 6 p.m., and you can pull up a stool to eat or do take away. Some vans will even allow you to bring your own alcohol; just make sure you ask first. You could also consider going to an island other than Tahiti. • Moorea has the greatest range of budget accommodations (camping, self-catering, pensions, small hotels) and there are numerous restaurants nearby that allow you to dine according to your budget. • Huahine has great villa-car-boat rental deals and there are reasonably priced restaurants and roulottes in Fare. • There are no resorts on Maupiti, 25 miles west of Bora Bora, which eliminates the expensive option and most of its accommodations include the half-board (breakfast and dinner) option. There are very few excursions, but those that do exist will be cheaper than on other islands. This lack of options and lack of people might be exactly what you're looking for. And check out Airtahiti.com. They are always offering amazing packages. If you can find a cheap flight from Orlando to New York's JFK, you might be able to make it work. _______________________ Atlanta, Ga.: Help. I would like to visit Australia and Tahiti, and limit my trip to 15 days. I would like to keep the price below $2,500. Is that possible? What time of year is it most affordable to travel to this area? Alexis Kelly: I hate to break it to you, but I don't think it's possible to keep this type of trip under $2,500. The airfare alone could cost that much. I did see recently that Qantas was offering an economy ticket from NY's JFK to Sydney for about $1000 roundtrip. They were also offering special deals with American Airlines for connecting flights from other US cities to get to NYC, but none of the cities were Atlanta. So this means you still have to get to NYC, and then get to Tahiti once you're in Sydney. And then you have to stay somewhere, eat something, and maybe even leave your room to see some sights. It all adds up! For this type of trip, I would figure around $3,500 for flight and accommodation, but again that does not include food. See what a travel agent, Air Tahiti Nui, or maybe even Qantas can come up with. Air Tahiti Nui offers stopover packages from LA to Sydney, with the option to stay in Tahiti for 2-4 nights (a longer stay is an additional cost), but I would suggest calling them directly (or checking out their web site) to see what they have to offer. I know calling a travel agent seems so archaic, but they do know of great packages and can do all of the research and leg work for you. They may even be aware of deals before they are published. As for the most affordable time to travel, anytime between October and May will give you great weather and a good price. July and August are the most expensive and worst weather times. _______________________ Honolulu, Hawaii: We vacationed in Tahiti in 1983, and it was truly our "dream" vacation. I'd love to go back, but we don't see airfare deals from Hawaii. It appears that all of the specials are on Air Tahiti Nui out of Los Angeles. Any suggestions for economy airfare? Alexis Kelly: I hate to sound so repetitive, but Air Tahiti Nui really does have the most competitive packages. But alas, as you said, they only fly out of LA (or NYC in the high season). Hawaiian Airlines has great service and they do fly between Honolulu and Pape'ete, but may be a little more pricey, while United and America are probably the most competitive price wise for flights between Honolulu and Pape'ete. _______________________ Honolulu, Hawaii: We are planning a trip to Bora Bora and staying at the Bora Bora Nui resort and spa. We are looking for suggestions for dive charters companies to dive 4 days in a row. Also, are there any must-see things on Tahiti as we will have 1.5 days there layover in and out of Bora Bora. Thanks. Alexis Kelly: Perfect choice! Bora Bora Nui has some incredible snorkeling right off its bungalows and the resort's location on Motu Toopua puts you fairly close to the Manta Pass and Eagle Channel dive sites. I would suggest contacting either Bora Diving Center or Nemo World (you can research both at boradiving.com). Both are located in Matira and are PADI certified. I believe they can pick you up at your resort too. I would also try contacting your hotel to see who they recommend. They may offer packages or deals and sometimes resorts have their own dive centers on the property. As for Tahiti sightseeing, you'll be flying in and out of Pape'ete, which is the largest town in French Polynesia. And while it's not a metropolis on the scale of New York, it is a bustling city center. The plus? All of the must-see sites are located along Boulevard Pomare, the town's main road, which stretches for about 2 miles along the waterfront. You can have a lovely, leisurely stroll and take just about everything in. Make sure you check out the beautiful, buttercup-yellow Notre Dame Cathedral and Marche de Pape'ete, the town's public market. The market is a great place to pick up souvenirs like vanilla and woven hats and baskets. Place Tarahoi, which is now home to French Polynesia's territorial government, was once the home of Tahiti's 19th-century royal family. The buildings and gardens are lovely. I'd also stop by the Robert Wan Pearl Museum. You can see all sorts of pearl encrusted items, do a little pearl shopping, and take a guided tour—free guided tours are offered for two or more people with five days notice. Make sure you grab a bite to eat at one of the 30 roulettes (mobile food trucks) that open up around 6 pm nightly at Place Vaiete, which is pretty much the heart of the city. The food is great and inexpensive, and its a great place to people watch. If you want to do something more active and get out of the "city," most tour operators offer half day options that explore the inner island or coastal road. You could sign up for a half-day 4wd tour that will take you into the island past waterfalls and lakes; you might even get to see the blue-eyes eels in Vaihiria Lake! Or, for the less adventurous, there's circle-island tour that will take you around the big island in an air-conditioned minibus. There's also horse-back riding, hiking...the list goes on and on. _______________________ New York, N.Y.: We are arriving in Papeete late in the evening. What's the best way to get to our hotel (Sofitel Maeva), which does not provide transfer service? Also, do the taxis accept US dollars? Alexis Kelly: Lucky for you there's a L'Truck stop across the street from the Sofitel Maeva. Taking L'Truck is a bit of an adventure, as the passenger seats are long benches that face each other in the open-sided back, but they are cheap and a great way to get around. You'll want to take the red and white buses that travel the west side of the island. You can catch them behind the market in Rue du Marechal Foch. They run Monday through Friday 6 a.m.-midnight. Unfortunately, there's limited service on Saturday and none on Sunday. The fare should be about 200 CFP for a one-way trip at night. If this doesn't work with your schedule, taxis are available. You can catch taxis at the airport, at stands near Pape'ete's Centre Vaima, or just flag them down along the road. However, they are a very expensive way to get around. It will cost around 3,000 CFP (or about US$30) to go only a few miles. And yes, unfortunately you will have to exchange your US$ for francs or CFP. There is an ATM at the airport, and that will give you the best exchange rate. _______________________ Alexis Kelly: Unfortunately, that's all the time we have today. Thanks so much for all of the great questions. I hope your trips to the South Pacific are wonderful. Don't forget to pick up Fodor's Tahiti & French Polynesia, 1st edition; it goes on sale October 21.

Below you'll find some of our favorite tips. You can check out the whole list—and add your own—here. (60+ comments) WHERE AND WHEN TO GO Jessica had a simple but effective tip: "Travel in the off season!" Similarly, Lili wrote, "I highly endorse off-season, mid-week traveling. I've always planned my trips during these times and have yet to be disappointed. Seriously, prices are too good to pass up. I once paid $250 RT from NYC to London during December. It was actually warmer in London than it was in New York." Victor saves money "by choosing destinations where I don't need to rent a car: Miami and Washington, D.C., were two recent examples." For airfare and hotel bargains, Moren Andersen praised so-called metasearch engines, which "scan the web across hundreds of travel websites simultaneously" and "give an overview of the cheapest flights. This means that hours of searching can be replaced with one search on one site with an even better result!" His favorites included Momondo, Mobissimo, and Kayak. He added that you should "remember to search several of these search engines to make sure that you find the best fare." Melissa Woods pointed out that "good planning is a time saver. In addition, she saves money "by cutting vacations short a few days and condensing my sightseeing. It seems faster paced, but cutting one day or more could mean I saved $100 or more per day." And Cara agreed that you can save money by "researching your destination" before you go. "A well planned day saves you time, effort, and unexpected expenses (e.g., [having to take a] taxi ride across town to the Louvre before it closes)." "Read blogs, boards, and the like to get hints on cheap/free things to do, cheap modes of transport, etc. Look for off-the-beaten track activities that usually don't cost much, if anything. For example, I attended a great organ concert in Westminster Abbey for about 5 pounds, and it was performed by the current organist for the church—amazing!!" AIRFARES Wandermom said to "search for airfares well before you want to travel (i.e. 6+ months) and watch the fares regularly. Fares on the same route change over time. The trick is to buy your seats at or near the low point. Tools like Farecast can help with this." LODGING Kenneth suggested a little low-effort price comparison and bargaining. "When attempting to find the lowest hotel prices online, get a price from the major online travel agencies and then call the hotel directly and inquire about the price. Most often they will honor the online site prices, except for [offers from] the auction or bidding sites, [such as] Priceline and Hotwire. Being a member of AAA, CAA, AARP or having a coupon from the Entertainment Value Book helps also." Priceline came in for praise several times. Victor added that "sites like BetterBidding can help you bull's-eye your bids" and "become an expert" at getting good hotel deals. Lisa Siverman mentioned that her daughter "has used "CouchSurfing to connect with a number of places to stay for free. This tends to be something that young people would be more comfortable with!" For herself, she added, "Occasionally, if the airport is not far from the city, we will stay [near it] for the cheap rates and choose [a hotel] with a free shuttle." Wandermom weighed in with a family-travel tip: "Book hotels with breakfast included. It's amazing how long a kid can go with a good breakfast. Reduces total food costs." (She has more family travel tips on her own website.) Char's family travel idea was to "look into cabins at state parks or RVs at travel parks. Some RV parks have onsite trailers to rent by the night or week. Some even have separate bedrooms and you can cook and snack out your own kitchen. Cheap or free entertainment at parks can include canoes, horseback riding, put-put golf, and movies." FOOD Steve D chooses "hotels that offer a kitchenette and outdoor grills. We bring food from home and cook it ourselves. Local restaurants may lose some of our dollars but we still get to travel and sightsee." Char recommended eating out at lunchtime rather than at dinner: That way, you "often get the same food at much lower prices. If you have a nice lunch, you can have fruit, crackers, and cheeses for your evening meal." In a similar vein, Angelina recommended checking out restaurants' happy hour menus. "Sometimes they'll offer a smaller portion of their specialty dishes for a fraction of the cost. You might have to eat a little earlier (around 4pm-7pm) and at the bar, but [you'll have] more opportunities to mingle with locals. Do a search online for the city's best happy hours!" If a happy hour isn't for you, maybe you'll want to eat out beyond restaurant doors. "Street food rules!" wrote Lili. "It's local cuisine, food of the people, and often delicious and inexpensive. Just look for the lines of people, because if it's bad food or questionable, people will not be lining up to get more." She also adds that supermarkets are "great for food and souvenirs." She packs "plastic forks and spoons for yogurt, ice cream, cakes, etc." And when in Europe, "live like a European," wrote Mike. "Shop at the market, and do your own cooking in your apartment. Most apartments come stocked with staples so you can get through the first couple of days without buying hardly ANY food. Save the restaurants for a splurge...you'll appreciate them all the more! When on the go in Italy, grab street food, pizza, sandwiches, etc...as long as you DON'T SIT DOWN in the place you buy them, you'll save a ton. And once more, when you DO sit down for that nice restaurant meal (which we did once per city) you'll appreciate it completely! Despite the fact that we walked everywhere within the cities, I still GAINED weight on my Italy trip, I ate so well!" Lisa Siverman wrote, "I eat two meals a day when traveling. We make coffee in the room or tea (I bring my own tea bags, just in case) and we get a bagel or croissant in the morning, and then stop for a lunch that costs around $20 for two—usually a salad or sandwich...For dinner we find somewhere cheap by looking on various websites or by bringing stuff into the room." You may even be able to score some free food while on vacation. Katie wrote: "Check out the weekly local newspapers (like RedEye or the Chicago Reader, The Stranger, Time Out, and websites like going.com and yelp.com (or just hit Google) for free events and happy hour deals." TAKING THINGS A STEP FURTHER... There were also some tips that we're not so sure we'd try ourselves. That said, they definitely embody the super-cheap lifestyle, and we salute their creators' ingenuity. Stephanie uses a hotel clothes iron to heat up leftovers: She leans the iron against the wall and puts a slice of old pizza on it (presumably with something covering the iron's base). In addition, "Don't forget that you can make soup, rice, etc., in the coffee pot." We can't forget this one because we never knew it was possible—but we're glad to know now. For the curious, a YouTube video showing how to make ramen soup with a drip coffee maker is here. Finally, although several people mentioned taking a cooler along to save money when traveling, Michael pointed out that you can often avoid having to even pay for ice. "Stock it from home at first, then at motels as you travel," he wrote. "Even nature provides ice. I've used snow, glaciers, and even hail to fill my cooler, all during July. Having a cool soft drink as you drive, or adult drink at the end of the day is wonderful." You'll get no argument from us on that that last point.

LONDON At about $5 for a pint and $8 for a single Tube ride, that London pub crawl is going to cost you. But London does have a better choice of hotels in all ranges than most other European capitals, and most of its fantastic museums are always free. To find other bargains, go to the Budget section of Visit London for an exhaustive rundown of free attractions and performances, cheap eats, and inexpensive hotels. If you're only going to be in London a short time and plan on buying theater tickets, you can save a small fortune by booking a Theater Breaks package with tickets and a hotel stay. Be sure to get an Oyster card if you'll be using the Tube regularly; it cuts the ticket price down to a more bearable level. Freebie Join a BBC show audience by reserving tickets for a TV-show taping—perhaps trivia with Brain of Britain or comedy with Grown Ups. Choose from a schedule of upcoming sessions and come ready to laugh or clap. TOKYO You know you're in trouble when half of the "affordable tips" section of Tokyo's website is devoted to ways to get from the airport to the city for under $40. To find an affordable meal, eat at noodle stalls for under $10, or explore the unique Japanese culinary stop: the department store basement. Seibu Department Store in the Ikebukuro area is a destination in itself, with two giant underground floors of food stalls extending several city blocks. The prim uniformed greeters bow as you enter. Book a free walking tour of the Shinjuku commercial avenue through the tourist office and you'll get the lay of the land from English-speaking volunteers. Freebie Gape at the neon city below from the 45th-floor observatory of the Tokyo government skyscraper. For only-in-Tokyo views of another sort, stroll through the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market, otherwise known as the Tsukiji fish market. By either name it's the world's largest, with 1,400 stalls selling everything that moves in the ocean,as well as active auctions from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. NYC New York City gets a bad rap mostly because of its sky-high hotel prices. But beyond hotel doors, NYC is teeming with cheap or free events and attractions all year long. If you're around in the summer, look for free outdoor concerts in Bryant Park or during Central Park's SummerStage series. On Saturdays between 10 a.m. and noon and on Wednesdays, you don't pay to enter The New York Botanical Garden. Every day is free at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Museum at the Hispanic Society, and the National Museum of the American Indian, the latter housed in the beautiful original Custom House building. One silver lining in the recent economic meltdown is that prices are leveling off and even falling a bit at many New York hotels. If you don't see a deal, try Hotwire and Priceline, where unbooked rooms go for a sizable discount. Also check BT's recommendations: New York Hotels at a Price That's Right. Freebie Get a good look at the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline by taking a free cruise on the Staten Island Ferry. Join the commuters at dusk to watch the skyscrapers change as the sun goes down. There are also views of the Statue of Liberty from the Ikea Water Taxi, which makes the trip between Manhattan and Ikea's new location in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Tip: On the way there, sit on the starboard/right side as you're facing forward—and leave time to sample Ikea's take on Swedish meatballs. MOSCOW Expensive restaurants, pumped-up prices for foreigners at museums, and forgettable hotel rooms that can easily top $500 a night—what's not to like? Fortunately, parks and gardens cover almost a third of Moscow, and it's easy to put together an interesting walking tour. Many guidebooks list routes that circle around the center, stop by all the historic churches, or explore the oldest section of the city, called Kitay gorod. If the weather isn't ideal, go underground. Moscow's metro stations are attractions of their own, impressive spaces alternately filled with mosaics, marble columns, and bronze statues. A one-way ride will cost you less than $1. Avoid accommodations in the the pricey city center and instead find something near an outlying metro stop. You can reach the center within 30 minutes from almost any stop. If you're staying for a few days to a week or traveling with a group, renting an apartment is an option. You'll pay anywhere from $80 to $200 a night for a larger space with cooking facilities; browse cityrealtyrussia.com. Freebie At Red Square, you'll find Lenin's Mausoleum, where His Waxiness has been embalmed since 1924. The line starts moving at 10 a.m. PARIS France is so popular that restaurants and hotels don't have to try very hard to stay full. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to save a euro besides sitting by the Seine eating baguettes and cheese. The Vélib bike service launched in 2007. More than 20,000 bikes are kept in automated racks posted throughout the city, and the first half hour is free. Use your credit card if it has a smart chip; the chip is typically visible as a small gold or silver circuit board on the card. (some American Express cards, for example, will work.) Otherwise, you'll need to buy a seven-day ticket for €5 to access the system. Pick up a free Paris a Vélo map for routes and bike paths. Find out about more European bike-sharing programs here. To get a good feel for the city on foot, join up with Sandeman's guided walking tour. The guides work for tips, so you simply pay what you think the tour is worth. Freebie Marie Curie's laboratory? The home of Victor Hugo? Eau de toilette? All free. In the pedestrian-friendly Marais neighborhood, the Musée Cognacq-Jay is free—and so is the Centre Pompidou, if you can time your visit to the first Sunday of the month. The Fragonard Perfume Museum doesn't charge admission, and it won't cost you anything to visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame on your own. OSLO The whole of Scandinavia rivals Japan for eye-popping prices, and it's not easy to find a cheap place to sleep or eat in Oslo. For $38 a day or less, you can use the Oslo Pass—sold at most hotels and at three tourist stations throughout the city—to control costs. It gives you entrance to 33 museums and attractions, unlimited public transportation, and a lunch cruise. The city's Oslo on a Budget website provides tips on cheaper accommodations and places to eat well for less. Freebie You don't have to go very far to find good public hiking and biking trails around Oslo, no fees required. There are an incredible 40 islands and 343 lakes within the city limits. An easy place to start is the central 80-acre Vigeland Sculpture Park. HONG KONG While expensive for business travelers trying to make the right impression, Hong Kong can be quite reasonable for regular tourists. Public transportation and basic restaurants are both a good value. All government-run museums are free on Wednesdays, and other days the museum pass for seven major ones—good for a week—is around $4. Although it's good form to give a small donation, all of Hong Kong's temples are free. You can set up your own sightseeing tour of Hong Kong for cheap. The double-decker trams only cost about 30 cents a ride. The half-mile-long series of covered escalators and walkways going up and down the steep hills between Central and Mid-Levels is free. Ride the Star Ferry to Kowloon and back for less than $1. Or take a ferry to a more remote island for hiking and beaches (less than $4). Freebie Hong Kong's tourism board runs a wide variety of free culture classes in English. Learn the principles of feng shui one afternoon; then practice some moves with a tai chi master the next morning by the harbor. LOS ANGELES There's no getting around it: in L.A. you need a car and you'll put a lot of mileage on it. You're joining throngs of aspiring film and TV workers who are neither famous nor rich, so you can eat and have fun on the cheap if you know where to look. Those in the know say L.A. has the best thrift shops in the U.S., and Hollywood estate sales turn up all kinds of goodies. Cheap eats are plentiful: Try a double-double and a real milkshake from In-N-Out Burger, and stop by a taco stand for an authentic Mexican lunch. For a quintessential L.A. experience, shell out $10 per person for a Sunday-night movie screening in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. You can bring a picnic dinner and a cooler of drinks—alcohol is permitted. Freebie View the Hollywood sign and the city from the Griffith Observatory, or relive countless movie moments by admiring the sprawling city from nearby Mulholland Drive. The beaches around L.A. are free and open to the public. Once you get north of Malibu to Zuma Beach and beyond, you can find free parking along the road. HONOLULU Let's see...take an isolated volcanic island chain in the Pacific and turn it into a tourist paradise full of golf courses and huge hotels. Only one problem: the costly long-distance shipping of everything but pineapples and poi. Staying in a house or a condo with a kitchen helps. When stocking up on groceries, avoid the tourist centers and find a regular supermarket to save on your bill. Most restaurants in Waikiki are priced for tourists. To pay what the locals pay, head to Honolulu's Chinatown, order Hawaiian-style fast food from one of 24 Zippy's locations, or check out the Cheap Places to Eat in Oahu blog for ideas. Freebie Learn to play the ukulele or dance the hula with free one-hour lessons at the Royal Hawaiian Center. Get a free big-wave surf show between November and February by heading out of town and up to Oahu's North Shore. Many of the world's premier surfing competitions are held here, with waves that can swell to 30 feet. SAN FRANCISCO There's a lot to love about this city, but the dramatic hilltop vistas come with nosebleed prices for hotels and restaurants in prime areas. The gap between expensive restaurants and cheap ethnic dives here is as wide as the San Francisco Bay. To eat great Chinese food on the cheap, avoid the spots decorated with pagodas and dragons, with waitresses in floor-length silk pajamas. Instead, find the alley spots away from tourist areas—the ones with Formica tables and a staff that barely speaks English. Z&Y Garden, Y. Ben House, and Hang Ah Tea Room are good places to start. Then next meal, hit one of the Mission District taquerias to stuff yourself as full as a burrito for $10 or so, drink included. If you're traveling with a bike or in-line skates, you can move freely through the eastern half of Golden Gate Park on carless Sundays. Hiking trails in the hills of Berkeley and Oakland offer panoramic views of the whole area. You can also get some exercise and some interesting photo ops by strolling 1.7 miles (each way) across the Golden Gate Bridge. The new CultureBus is $7 for an all-day unlimited pass, and it allows you to get on and off at many of the top museums and parks. Read more about it on our blog. Freebie The volunteer San Francisco City Guides organization has been running walking tours for 30 years. Each day presents a menu of choices, like a "Bawdy and Naughty" tour of Gold Rush-era brothels and dives downtown or a tour of the famous Haight-Ashbury district. ROME Hotels and attractions in this popular European capital are jammed with tourists—especially in the summer—and eating out can make you say "Mama Mia!" when the check arrives. On the other hand, getting around Rome by bus and metro is downright cheap: €4 for a one-day pass or €11 for a three-day tourist ticket (the BTI). Or just hop on the #40 express and get a scenic tour from the Vatican to Termini Station by way of the Forum, Piazza Venezia, and the Tiber River. The Europeans love their bottled water, but that doesn't mean you have to shell out €2 or €3 for it every time you get thirsty. Buy yours at a supermarket instead, and refill it from one of the many public drinking fountains: the water's perfectly drinkable. To eat well without breaking the bank, visit a pizza-by-the-slice place or a tavola calda (hot table) cafeteria, where you pick from a selection of meats and vegetables. If you manage to hit a bakery at closing time, you might luck out with a bag full of extra goodies thrown in gratis. Freebie There are more than 20,000 pieces on display at the Numismatic Museum of the Italian Mint, where you can learn about evolving money-making techniques. Show your ID to obtain the free entrance pass. A free daily puppet show (granted, in Italian) at Park Gianicolo on Janiculum Hill has panoramic city views for a backdrop.