Ever toss a boulder with a bulldozer? Now's your chance

Although Munich's Oktoberfest may be the ultimate beer celebration, the reality of 6.5 million drinkers stuffed with schnitzel might not appeal to every traveler. For a sunnier fair with fewer American frat boys, check out Bavaria's second largest brew festival: Gäubodenvolksfest, starting this Friday, August 8, and running through the 18th. What originated in 1812 as a small agricultural fair now draws a substantial (but manageable) crowd of 1.2 million to the southern German city of Straubing—tempting visitors with seven huge beer tents, over 120 carnival rides and booths, and plenty of locals in lederhosen. Five regional breweries run the beer halls, and each prepares its own "festbier" specifically for the occasion, available only in one-liter glasses ($11). Soak up the suds with a wide array of sausages and kraut as well as more adventurous Bavarian specialties, such as a whole, spit-roasted ox. Morning and afternoon events are family-friendly. Roller coasters ($1.50-$6.50), parades, a boxing match, and shooting contests will keep kids entertained, while traditional brass horn music is sure to shield young ears from the German slang in the tents. After sundown, the halls get a little wilder as live rock and pop bands encourage tabletop dance parties. Straubing hotels usually fill up about six months in advance, but with trains from Munich under two hours (same-day round trip from $94, raileurope.com) and about 30 minutes from Regensburg (from $40, raileurope.com), the fest is well worth a day-trip on your Germany tour. MORE Affordable Europe: German hotels with an unusual perk Tips from a Train Expert: Save on trains in Germany

Sometimes, bigger is better. In our recent story The Next Big Thing, we found eight coming attractions that caught our imagination and got us thinking big about the future, from the half-mile-tall Burj Dubai to a 16-deck cruise ship with its very own Central Park. You can see them for yourself in our slide show. How 'bout that egg?

Missed the Pope the last time he came through? Never been to Vatican City? Now's your chance to see masterworks by famous artists, such as Giotto, Bernini, and Michelangelo. Vatican Splendors, a showcase of more than 200 rare art pieces and historical artifacts owned by the Catholic Church, is currently on display in Cleveland, Ohio. (The ongoing exhibit is available not only this weekend, but also through Sept. 7.) Many of the works have never been seen outside of Vatican City. Highlights include "The Madonna del Sassoferrato," an oil-on-copper painting of the Virgin Mary by Giovanni Battista Salvi, and "The Mandylion of Edessa," a linen artwork that is said to be one of the oldest representations of Jesus. The exhibit is on its second stop of a three-city American tour, with a final stop in St. Paul, Minn. Vatican Splendors is on display at the Western Reserve Historical Society, 10825 East Blvd., in Cleveland, until Sept. 7. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, and $14 for kids; click here to order.

Planning to visit Rome? If your trip includes visits to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, or frankly any other monuments near the historical center, you'd better think twice before bringing drinks or snacks with you. City Hall has instituted a ban on eating near major tourist sights, which stays in effect through October—i.e. until all the tourists go home. Munchers caught ignoring the mandate will have to pay a fine of about $80. EARLIER Our Rome coverage