New Travel Trend: 'Local Destination' Weddings

Budget Travel extends its sympathies to the people of Nepal in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck the nation on Saturday April 25 near Kathmandu, killing thousands and injuring thousands more. News agencies are reporting that northern India, Tibet, and Bangladesh were also affected by the magnitude 7.8 quake. Google has set up a People Finder Tool to help in finding those missing in the disaster. While the travel plans of Budget Travel's audience of course take a back seat to the humanitarian crisis in the region, we can't help noting that four of the area's UNESCO World Heritage sites have been seriously damaged by the initial quake and powerful aftershocks. The New York Times provides a moving before-and-after look at some of Nepal's major cultural and historic sites. For Budget Travel readers who want to make donations to help with relief efforts, we urge you to donate to organizations that are well-established with a history of channeling donations directly to relief on the ground, such as Oxfam and CARE, who are working to provide shelter, food, clean water, and sanitation to those affected. (Sadly, emergency relief efforts like this often give rise to fraudulent fundraising schemes online.)

In honor of Earth Day 2015, which fell right in the middle of this week's National Park Week (April 18–26), BT contributing editor Darley Newman was on hand at the Weather Channel to give our picks for some of the U.S.'s most beautiful national parks. Watch the video below! Of course, it's hard for us to play favorites, so check out our gorgeous slideshow of 15 Most Beautiful National Parks in America, and read about a few more parks that we're in awe of—and the stories behind why—at BT Staff Picks: 8 National Parks We Love!

Sure, we love the changing seasons, but the downside is that most of us live in places where summers can be too hot and winters too cold. (Still recovering from the Polar Vortex, anyone?) But there are a few select spots around the world where the weather is almost always just right. Here, four "Goldilocks" destinations to add to your bucket list: BIG ISLAND, HAWAIITemps in the 70s, with a variety of micro climates in the rain forests and mountains of this Pacific paradise What to do: Relax on a sunny, mind-blowingly colorful beach (white, black, and green sand!). Walk on an active volcano in Volcanoes National Park. Attend a traditional luau with hula dancing, roasted pig, mai tais, and Hawaiian beer.  Where to stay: Volcano Rainforest Retreat (from $180). SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIASummer high of 76, winter low of 50, with the cool Pacific and inland desert creating a perfect oasis What to do: Spend a day in Balboa Park, home of the San Diego Museum of Art and the justly renowned San Diego Zoo. Take the ferry to Coronado and ogle the famous hotel that has hosted more than a dozen US presidents. Party Wild West style in the historic Gaslamp District. Mangia in Little Italy. Where to stay: La Pensione Hotel in Little Italy (from $140). LISBON, PORTUGAL59 in January, 83 in July thanks to the Atlantic breezes and Gulf Stream What to do: Take a walking tour that includes food and wine tasting. Stroll the majestic square Praca do Comercio. Take a day trip to beautiful Sintra, where royalty used to get away from it all. Listen to traditional fado music, an unforgettable, melancholy style of Portuguese singing. Ride the Elevador da Gloria to the top of one of Lisbon's seven hills for a great view. Where to stay: Internacional Design Hotel (from around $110) CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICAThe Atlantic and Indian Oceans keep the climate mild, and our winter is Cape Town's summer What to do: Explore Table Mountain National Park and hang out with the penguins (yes!) on Boulders Beach (keep your distance, they bite!). For bigger wildlife thrills, head to Kruger National Park to see lions and elephants in the wild. Cape Town is where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean; the west side is best for soaking up the sun, the east side for swimming and surfing. Where to stay: Andros Boutique Hotel (from around $165)

Indulge your inner Julia Child on your next vacation—no plane ticket to Paris necessary. A new hands-on cooking class deal from Travelzoo offers half-priced courses from Le Cordon Bleu chefs at Bleu Ribbon Kitchen locations in 16 U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, Orlando, Pasadena, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, Scottsdale, and Seattle. Classes are $59 for individuals (down from $125) and $109 for couples (normally $250). Why not build a whole mini getaway around one? We especially like the sound of the Flavors of the World classes, with mouth-watering offerings like: • A one-day dim sum workshop. You'll learn to prepare dishes such as coconut buns, shumai, juicy steamed rolls, and shrimp toast (available in Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Pasadena, Portland, San Francisco, St. Louis). • Three different French Bistro Series classes, including Brunch in Paris, Roast Chicken Supper, and Steak Frites (locations for individual courses vary). • A class on Thai street foods. Dishes like grilled turmeric chicken, chicken satay, and stir-fried minced beef with chiles and basil are listed on the syllabus (available in Chicago, Dallas, Pasadena). Grab the deal by Feb. 1, 2016 at Travelzoo.com. Each student also goes home with a Bleu Ribbon apron and recipes from the class—but the real souvenir is the brand-new know-how.