New York City: A gem of a hotel

Snow is falling as I write this, building up on sidewalk tables and the shoulders of hurried smokers. It's a scene best seen from indoors, my fingers alternating between the keypad and a steaming coffee mug. When Paris is cold, my favorite activity—the aimless wander—is on hold. And outdoor pleasures like the impromptu picnic and the riverboat cruise become intolerable when the temperature drops. So what's there to do in the dead of winter? EatSome of the best French cuisine comes from the Southwest region and is perfect for cold weather. Indulge in classics like confit de canard (duck that's been preserved in its own fat and then slowly roasted until crispy) and cassoulet (a crock of creamy white beans with sausage and other meats) will keep you warm for hours, especially if accompanied by a hearty red wine from the same region. Standout spots for this cuisine are Le Pamphlet (38 rue Debelleyme, 3rd arrondissement, 011-33/1-42-72-39-24) and Au Fil des Saisons (6 rue des Fontaines du Temple, 3rd arrondissement, 011-33/1-42-74-16-60). Shop The biannual national sales fall during the hottest and coldest months of the year. I prefer to do my hunting during the winter version, held this year from Jan 7 through Feb. 10, when the heat of bargain battle serves the dual purpose of also keeping me warm. I like to head to one of the grande dame department stores, where I can find everything I want (including lunch and a glass of wine) without braving the wind outside. Galleries Lafayette (40 boulevard Haussmann, 9th arrondissement) and Printemps (64 boulevard Haussmann, 9th arrondissement) on the right bank, and Bon Marché on the rive gauche (22/38, rue de Sèvres, 7th arrondissement) are all good options. Skate! This is the year I'm going to finally try the outdoor rink at Hôtel de Ville. It's such a gorgeous setting, especially at night, when you can twirl surrounded by the shimmering city-hall lights. It's also budget friendly (free to enter, with skate rental for €5), and a great way to work up an appetite before one of those heavy Southwestern meals. Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 4th arrondissement, open Monday-Thursday noon-10pm and Friday-Sunday noon to midnight.

File this one under "Crazy-But-True." Alaskans young and old will jump into the icy waters off Seward this Saturday, all to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The 24th annual Polar Bear Jump Off is what it sounds like: Participants don crazy costumes (princesses, penguins, Scooby Doo characters, etc.) and leap into Resurrection Bay, which will be roughly 35 degrees Fahrenheit. "Seventy-five percent of the jumpers are returning and have participated five or more times," says Polar Bear Marilyn, the organizer. Related activities include frozen turkey bowling. The turkeys are in place of the ball, not the pins. Strikes win prizes. There's also a karaoke contest, a quilt show, and a costume contest. Get the full schedule at sewardak.org. Seward is about three hours south of Anchorage. Saturday's forecast is calling for snow showers and a high of 23 degrees. But we're pretty sure that won't stop the plunge-takers. Seward Waterfront Park. Watching the jump is free; some activities cost a nominal fee ($4 to $7). MORE Watch a YouTube video of the Jump Off Get more info on Seward at the Chamber of Commerce For more travel blogs, go to alltop.com

Last Sunday the New York Times came out with its 44 Places to See in 2009. It's an entertaining list—though not as good as ours— but it also got us a little worried. Last year, about this time, the good folks at the Times came up with a full 53 places to visit, which incidentally included the Hamptons of Germany and a point on the Axis of Evil. (Did you go to either? Shoulda gone.) But 2009's it-list has just 44 places, and that represents a 17% decline. Assuming that this rate of decline holds, and I have no idea why it wouldn't, there will be fewer than a dozen places worth visiting by 2016. That means a whole lot of people trying to check into the same hotel, palace, or yurt, depending on where we're all headed. Yet another reason to hop on a plane today.

The City of Light's reputation for extravagance is much deserved. Many hotel rooms have nightly rates that will cost you an arm and a leg, and snagging budget accommodation for less than $150 per night requires a sleeve-full of strategies. Lucky for you, we have some insider tips on booking lodging, plus a handful of hotel recommendations. Avoid the city center. Low-numbered neighborhoods are central and home to many popular areas to visit, such as the Latin Quarter and the Champs-Elysées. Hotels in the 1st–8th arrondissements, or neighborhoods, are thus the most expensive in town. Métro-savvy visitors can save a bundle and still be close to the action by staying in the "second ring" arrondissements and commuting in by Métro to their favorite sightseeing spots. The right bank arrondissements numbered 9–12 have excellent access to the Métro—plus, some of the city’s best value restaurants. Fifteen minutes on the subway might save you $50 per night in hotel costs. Look for hotels that are near subway lines 1, 7, 8, and 9—these routes have stops near the major monuments. Book months ahead. Paris has only about 30 great-value hotels but receives as many as 30 million visitors every year. Book your hotel room early to boost your chances of snagging the place you most desire. Stay during the shoulder season. As a rule of thumb, hotels charge their highest rates between mid-May and mid-September. Visit the city in the spring and autumn for more affordable rates—not to mention more manageable crowds and milder temperatures, too. Be flexible. Understanding what you can live without is the key to finding hotel happiness. You can’t get a spacious center-city room with modern design and an eat-in kitchen, for instance. But you can get a couple, or at least one, of those things. Your perfect compromise might be a closet in the cobblestone center or a sleek design hotel on the outskirts. For longer stays, consider an apartment instead of a hotel. Short-term rentals are best if you’re staying a week or more. There are two types of Web resources for short-term apartments. The first type will help you find luxury digs that are more spacious than the typical Parisian hotel, but cost about the same, giving you a bigger bang for your euro. A swank apartment on the Ile-Saint-Louis, for example, sleeps four for $240 (€190) per night. That works out to about $120 per couple per night for a 17th-century address overlooking the Seine. Guest Apartment Services is a good site for these high-end rentals. The second type of website lists rentals on the other end of the scale. For example, websites like Venere offer smaller, typically IKEA-furnished rentals from $126 (€100) per night. Both Guest Apartment Services and Venere accept online reservations and deposit by credit card. Note, though, that many smaller companies accept deposit only by bank transfer. Always read the reservations policies carefully with an eye out for traps, such as the policy on cancellations. Be particularly wary of negotiating any rental found on a message board like Craigslist. Deposits have been stolen via short-term rental scams made through such sites. For full advice on how to arrange a vacation rental, see our Vacation Rental Handbook. For hotel recommendations, see our listings for properties we've visited with starting rates under $200 per night: "Paris at a Price That's Right." EARLIER Save on Paris sublets Paris: Love and shelter for less than 100 euros