How Important Is In-Flight Entertainment to You?

TripAdvisor recently announced the top 10 zoos in the U.S., as measured by rankings compiled through the site. Top honors go to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, which boasts the largest indoor desert in the world (you'll find cape cobras and meerkats, among other heat–loving critters, inside). Coming in second place is Saint Louis Zoo, which is unveiling a new sea lion exhibit at the end of this month. And in third place: Cape May County Park & Zoo, located in one of BT's Coolest Small Towns. And as for the rest of the list? The Southern U.S. had a decent showing, with four zoos in the top 10, including: Columbia, S.C.'s Riverbanks Zoo and Garden (4th place); Tennessee's Memphis Zoo (5th place); Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Fla. (8th place—and featuring a new zip line course); and New Orleans' Audubon Zoo rounding out the list at number 10. Perhaps the famous zoo in the country, the San Diego Zoo, came in at number six, while spots 7 and 9 went to The Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kans., and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colo., respectively. Though BT's reigning Cutest Zoo Baby, Maggie the Giraffe, won't be found at one of TripAdvisor's top 10 zoos (she's at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, Calif.), we love any reason to check out a wildlife wonderland. And breaking the bank isn't a requirement: Admission for these zoos runs the gamut, from the pricey ($42/adult for The San Diego Zoo) to the blissfully budget–friendly (both the Saint Louis Zoo and Cape May County Park & Zoo offer free admission). Here's the full list: 1) Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, Nebr. ($13.50/adult; $9/child aged 3–11) 2) Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Mo. (free; though charges apply for certain exhibits) 3) Cape May County Park & Zoo, Cape May, N.J. (free) 4) Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia, S.C. ($11.75/adult; $9.25/child aged 3–12) 5) Memphis Zoo, Memphis, Tenn. ($15/adult; $10/child aged 2–11) 6) San Diego Zoo, San Diego, Calif. ($42/adult; $32/child aged 3–11) 7) Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kans. ($13.95/adult; $8.95/child aged 3–11) 8) Brevard Zoo, Melbourne, Fla. ($14.50/adult; $10.50/child aged 2–12) 9) Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, Colo. ($17.25/adult; $12.25/child aged 3–11) 10) Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, La. ($16/adult; $11/child aged 2–12) What do you think? Are there any zoos missing from TripAdvisor's list? SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL The 35 Cutest Zoo Babies of 2012 13 Best Places in the U.S. for Wildlife Viewing More Adorable Animal Encounters

Just last week I was at cocktail soiree at the French Consulate to kick off their fifth annual free summer films series (for more info visit FrenchCulture.org). During the event, I was shell-shocked to see a waiter carrying around a colorful tray of cupcakes. "That's not very French," my companion remarked. "Cupcakes have caught on in France," our hostess explained. I didn't believe her until I opened the New York Times this weekend and saw this article about Food Trucks in Paris. It seems that the cupcake isn't the only American culinary delight to have taken Paris by storm—so have bagels, burgers, and bloody Marys. My eyes bugged out of my head. The French? Bagels? Never! The article features two food trucks—Le Camion Qui Fume (The Smoking Truck), a burger venue operated by an American expatriate from California, and Cantine California, a taco truck run by a Frenchman with American roots. What once seemed like an unlikely enterprise (no one believed the French would ever eat food from a truck), has turned out to be a roaring success. As someone who has spent a lot of time in France, I have to say that I never expected this day to come. In my experience, the French have always been very focused on being French. I remember moving to France and trying to open a bank account—I imagined that it would fairly easy to find a bank teller who spoke English, especially since in New York City you can walk into any bank and find a teller who speaks your language, whether that's Spanish, Chinese, or Arabic. Not so much in Paris, where bank tellers speak French, French, and more French. If you ask them to speak English they will speak French, albeit very slowly. Long story short, I learned how to speak French. Is that changing? Could be. Paris has long been a multicultural center, even if the focus has been on preserving French culture. As the New York Times article suggests, the Parisian youth may be more open to these various cultural elements than previous generations. Then again, the French have always celebrated food. Maybe it just took an enterprising young food truck owner to introduce them to a new way of thinking about a concept that has always been very French—a satisfying meal. Of course, the real question is whether or not food trucks will catch on outside of Paris and that remains to be seen. What do you think? Are you surprised by the fact that American food has caught on in Paris? Or do you think that this exchange of culinary ideas was bound to happen? SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Southwest is Going International Secret Hotels of Paris 5 To-Die-For Parisian Sweetshops

You've decided to take a trip and you want to make the experience as stress-free as possible. But one thing that gets the old heart pumping is how to pay for your vacation. Worrying about every nickel and dime does not equate to a relaxing vacation experience. But how do you figure out what you can actually afford to spend? Sure, logic—and your mother—tell you that you should save up money in advance and have enough funds available to cover your expenses. But are there times when doing a vacation splurge on your credit card is okay? What about using a home equity line or other loan to pay for your dream experience? In an upcoming issue of Budget Travel we will be taking a hard look at the money aspect of the vacation experience. We'll be talking to financial advisors and other experts to get their take on vacation spending. Topics we'll be exploring include: Credit card vs. savings account. ATMs vs. traveler's checks. Vacation layaway options. 'Bucket list' trips and retirement planning. Ways to keep your vacation budget under control. Applications to help figure out your vacation expenses, cut costs. But we want to hear from you. Please share your experiences, tips or questions. Your comments may appear in an upcoming Trip Coach column. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Best Booking Websites for Travel Deals How to Travel the World Without Paying a Penny Paying for Vacation on Layaway

For anyone who has cherished memories of the turquoise waters and white–sand beaches of a Caribbean cruise, it’s a major downer to learn that cruise ships regularly dumped massive amounts of garbage—including ground–up glass, plastic and cardboard packaging, solid waste, and rags—into the open sea. While other popular cruise sites—including the North and Baltic seas, the Persian Gulf, and the Mediterranean—were protected from such pollution, the Caribbean did not have to abide by a United Nations dumping ban because most of the islands claimed not to have the capacity to treat solid waste themselves. Of course, some islands paid a high price for turning a blind eye to garbage disposal when open water, harbors, and beaches played host to unsightly visitors like discarded milk cartons, and seaweed became entangled in garbage. But in May of 2011, the UN’s International Maritime Organization (which includes representatives from more than 150 nations and sets standards and adopts regulations for all international vessels) declared that Caribbean countries are indeed ready to take on the responsibility of treating waste. The IMO issued garbage–disposal provisions specific to the Caribbean, issuing a ban on the disposal of plastics (including ropes, fishing nets, garbage bags, and incinerated plastic), paper products, rags, glass, metal, and packing materials. In addition, solid food must be disposed of at least 12 nautical miles from land and ground food at least three nautical miles from land. We’re curious to hear what your experience has been: Have you noticed pollution in the Caribbean? If so, have you seen significant improvement in the past year? —Robert Firpo–Cappiello MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Nonstop Caribbean Map: Fly Right to the Beach 7 Spots in Nassau Every Cruiser Should See 10 Most–Visited Caribbean Islands