Is Las Vegas America's REAL Christmas City?

Sure, you're well traveled. You've got pages of brag-worthy passport stamps and amazing true stories from the road. But Graham David Hughes, of Liverpool, U.K., has been to every country on the planet. And he did it without ever once boarding an airplane. Vicky Baker, writing recently in The Guardian, profiled Hughes and what he calls "the first surface journey to every nation on earth." Starting in Uruguay in January 2009 and finishing in Russia earlier this year, Hughes set the bar high: Not only did he not allow himself to fly, but he also ruled out driving, insisted on crossing only at official border points, and using public transportation whenever possible. His feat—covering 201 countries in 1,426 days—will likely be a Guinness World Record, though the Guinness judges faulted him for entering Russia illegally. (Hughes returned to Russia to get a new visa in hopes of having his world record approved.) Hughes documented his trip at theodysseyexpedition.com, and raised money for WaterAid. When Baker asked him for the highlight of his round-the-world jaunt, Hughes replied "Iran," praising that country for its friendly population and predicting that it would be a top tourist destination in the future.

Believe it or not, Pinterest just got more addicting. Not only can you find photos, boards, and graphics for everything from knitting projects and classic recipes to travel quotes and holiday decorations, but now you can actually map out your dream trips and travel bucket list adventures. Social media sites like Pinterest are making it easier to plan your dream vacation, providing a wealth of ideas and images to help you get the ball rolling. According to this recent article by Skift, Pinterest is also planning to bridge the gap between fantasizing about and planning your vacations to being able to book them, but that's still to come. Budget Travel first came onto the Pinterest scene a little over a year ago with three modest boards highlighting our feature articles (see our Budget Travel Collections board, now serving as our Pinterest story archive), Readers' Best Photos, and Travel Deals to Get Now, and have since grown to more than 30 boards. We couldn't resist testing out Pinterest's Place Pins, a new feature that lets you tag the name of the place in your photo so it appears on a fancy map powered by Foursquare, showing the exact location. Check out our Best Budget Hotels, Wonders of the World, Brag-Worthy Passport Stamps, and A World of Christmas Trees boards to see the new trend for yourself. We want to know: do you use visually-oriented social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram for vacation ideas or to help plan your trips? Tell us about it below!

This article was written by Maureen Santucci. Originally from the U.S., Maureen now calls the ancient Peruvian capital of Cusco home, where she has lived for almost five years, working as a travel consultant and writing for Fodors Travel Guide. She wrote this article on behalf of Peru for Less, a travel company specializing in tours all over Peru. If you don't have time to get to the beaches of Northern Peru or to the jungle, you might want to take a short side trip to Santa Teresa while you are visiting Machu Picchu. Located a short train ride from Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), this town give you the opportunity to get away from it all without having to go too far off your designated path. Not many options exist yet in terms of lodging, but that is sure to change in the future. For now, your best bet is the EcoQuechua Lodge. It feels like a true jungle lodge, with rooms that open out onto the surrounding high jungle. There isn't a lot of wildlife here, as you would find in the Amazon, but there are plenty of birds and it is a real treat to wake up to the sounds of them singing all around you. Just staying at the lodge can be enough of a break, but there are other activities nearby that you can take advantage of. The nearby Colcamayo hot springs are one of the best around—a much better option than the hot springs in Aguas Calientes, the name of the town (Hot Waters) notwithstanding—with pools of varying temperature so you can enjoy searing hot Jacuzzi-like waters or just swim in those that are warm rather than hot. Bear in mind that they are closed a couple of times a week (currently two mornings) for cleaning so be sure to find out the current schedule ahead of time before taking a taxi to the springs. Adrenaline junkies should try the nearby a zipline, while coffee lovers can take a tour of the coffee plantation. The organic beans from this high jungle region are considered to be among the best in the entire world. It's not just interesting to learn about the process, bags of the ground coffee or beans make great presents to take home. If hiking is your thing, a visit to a coffee plantation can be followed by continuing up an old Inca trail to the archaeological site of Llactapata. This site has a direct line of sight to Machu Picchu, and was important in Inca times during solstice celebrations honoring the sun. If your time or physical fitness isn't up to a multi-day trek, this is a great way to get that same vibe and still have a hot shower and a comfortable bed at the end of your day. Please note that there are only a few trains that go between Aguas Calientes and the hydroelectric station each day, and you can only purchase the tickets at the respective stations. Because of the limited train schedules, you should booking your travel with an agency as they will be able to coordinate your Machu Picchu visit along with Santa Teresa so that you make the most of your available vacation time.

This article was written by Myer Henderson of Say Hueque, a travel company that specializes in tours of Argentina, Chile, and Patagonia. Mountains and glaciers define the gloriously vast region of Chile and Argentina known as Patagonia, a dream for any nature or adventure enthusiast. Whether you are interested in an easy afternoon walk, a challenging multi-day hike, or something in between, this region has options for everyone. Here's a look at our favorite hikes. Bariloche, ArgentinaThe city of San Carlos de Bariloche, commonly nicknamed Bariloche, is a haven for hikers, kayakers, and skiers alike. As far as hiking trails go, the Refugio Frey/Nuñez Trail is one of the best in the area. Stretching high above the lake and town of Bariloche, this trail features a number of charming surprises. Hikers will be delighted to find crystal-clear streams trickling through the forest portion of the trail, as well as a lovely view of Lago Gutierrez. Try the scenic bike ride and easy hike locally known as the "Circuito Chico" for beautiful views of the mountain lakes and Llao Llao Forest. Chaltén, Argentina"El chaltén," or "the smoking mountain," is an extinct volcano that is almost constantly surrounded by clouds at its peak, most likely due to its former fiery status. But don't let that scare you. An adventure up Mt. Fitz Roy, along the trail to the spectacular Laguna de los Tres, provides some of the most breathtaking views in all of Patagonia. It's a four-hour hike each way, but gorgeous views of a dreamlike lagoon and the looming glacial structure known as Laguna de los Tres make this trek well worth the effort. Torres del Paine National Park, ChileThe mountains, rivers, and lake in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, are stellar backdrops to some of the most incredible hiking experiences available in all of Patagonia. The natural glacial sculptures known as the Torres del Paine are best accessible via the "W" trail, which takes 3-5 days to complete. It will lead you through the immense French Valley, an enormous natural amphitheatre crafted by glaciers. The "W" trail that leads to Torres del Paine possesses a rich natural beauty all its own, emphasized by flowing rivers and thick beech forests. At the end of the journey (which becomes significantly more challenging towards the end), the view of the strong, somber Torres del Paine rising above a glacial lake is your reward. This is a truly incredible naturally-crafted masterpiece that must be seen to be believed. For more information about hiking in Patagonia, Argentina vacations, or tours in Patagonia, visit sayhueque.com.