An open letter to Disney officials

Back in 1609, intrepid French explorer Samuel de Champlain landed on Isle La Motte, Vt., in what is now Lake Champlain, on the northwestern edge of Vermont. Très bon, Sam! To celebrate the quadricentenial of Lake Champlain's discovery, Vermont is throwing a yearlong party. Over the summer, there are tons of festivals, shipwreck tours, and historical events scheduled, one of which is happening this weekend. This Friday and Saturday, Isle La Motte, an island in the northern part of the lake, will host the Samuel de Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration. When Champlain landed on the island, it was the first time he came to shore in Vermont. The nautical-themed event will host the schooner Lois McClure, a full-scale replica of an 1862 sailing boat. It's a classic example of a boat designed to sail on the lake—and with the masts removed, it can travel though the Champlain Canal. The schooner will be open for free tours on both days, and on Saturday, there will be a flotilla (a lake parade). Local boats will circumnavigate the island as a ceremonial welcome to the Lois McClure, followed by a barbecue, plus free ice cream from Ben & Jerry's (a homestate company), carriage rides, and live music by folk musicians. And you never know—Champ, the lake's mysterious, Loch Ness-like creature—might even make an appearance. Isle La Motte is accessible by bridge, about seven miles from South Alburg, Vt. Check out celebratechamplain.org for more events, scheduled throughout 2009. Also happening this weekend is the kick-off of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra's summer tour and the Winooski Riverwalk Festival.

How four innovators are making the audio tour cool. (Really!) Soundwalk Founder Stephan Crasneanscki revolutionized audio tours eight years ago by focusing on under-the-radar neighborhoods and recruiting pop-culture narrators. The company's latest endeavor: partnering with Louis Vuitton to create guided walks through Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong in which Chinese actresses weave local folktales into their narratives. soundwalk.com, hourlong tours from $10. Audissey Guides Locals take you far beyond the tourist spots in seven American cities. In Seattle, DJ Michele, who hosts a late-night rock show on KEXP, introduces you to the Lusty Lady peep show and anarchist-themed Left Bank Books. As you ride the El on the Chicago tour, hip-hop poet Kevin Coval raps his ode to the train. audisseyguides.com, 60- to 90-minute tours, free. PodGuides All the tours are created by users, which results in a truly unique—and sometimes random—perspective. A New Zealander walks you through the alleys of Melbourne, a couple helps you plan a night out in Brussels, and the founder, Frank De Graeve, walks you along northern France's Opal Coast. podguides.net, tour lengths vary, free. Adidas The shoe company just launched its Urban Art Guide to Berlin, an iPhone app that gives you a map plotted with street art around the city. When you click on any of the locations, you get the artist's name and background info about the work. Users can vote on which city will get the next guide. urbanartguide.com, free. —Adam Graham, from the July/August 2009 issue of Budget Travel

Here's a cool new initiative: The Colosseum will be illuminated and kept open for nighttime guided tours in late June, July, and September. (In typical Roman fashion, there will be a break in August.) You'll see a special exhibition on the Flavian Dynasty and 2,000-year-old Emperor Vespasian, who oversaw the Colosseum's construction. English-language tours will be available at 9:30 and 10:30 p.m. for €15/$21, according to the Italian cultural site piericci.it. Call 011-39/06-3996-7700 to make a (required) reservation. The AP also reports that new daytime tours will cover the Temple of Romulus, previously closed to the public, and two residences on the Palatine Hill: the House of the Griffins, which dates to the 2nd century B.C., and the House of Livia, known for its frescoes.

Beginning tonight, the incredible value Mama Shelter hotel will begin hosting weekend BBQs up on their roof. The menu is a bit pricey—dinner for two will cost as much as your room—but this is a good chance to mingle in the open air with a hip eastern Paris set. It also happens to be one of the few tasty dining options close to the Père Lachaise cemetery. Superchef Alain Senderens won't exactly be manning the grills, but the rooftop menu reflects his hand in the hotel restaurant downstairs. On the menu for €39 ($54) a basket of crudités, lentil salad, grilled kebabs of beef, chicken and fish, lamb chops, potatoes, sorbet, watermelon and other seasonal fruits. Drinks not included. Lunch is served on Saturdays from 12–4 p.m., and dinner on Thursday to Saturday from 7–11 p.m. It sounds pretty fun, but here's the serious budget strategy: stay in the hotel—summer rooms start at only €89 ($125)—and bring your own bottle of rosé up to the roof. Pretend that you're waiting for your party to arrive while reveling in the buzzy scene. Finish your drink, then head off to dinner at Frenchie! Mama Shelter, 109 rue de Bagnolet, 20th arrondissement, 011-33/1-43-48-45-45.