New York City: Church turned club reopens as shopping mecca

Time your visit to Manhattan wisely and you'll get the best entertainment…for free. Whenever my friends and family want to come visit me in New York, the first piece of advice I give them is always the same. It's my one simple money-saving tip that never fails: Come in the summer. True, it's sweaty and a bit crowded here then, but as soon as Memorial Day rolls around, many of the classic NYC experiences—ones you'd typically dish out big bucks for—are suddenly available for no cost. Free concerts, plays, and food fests litter our summer calendar, open to locals and visitors alike. Mark your calendar for these five freebies, starting in June. Shakespeare in the ParkThe NYC Public Theater's annual production of two of the Bard's plays have featured celebs like Anne Hathaway, Denzel Washington, and Kevin Kline. This year, The Winter's Tale and The Merchant of Venice runs from June 9–Aug. 1. Queue up in the morning, on the day of, at Central Park's Delacorte Theater to pick up tickets to the evening show. Night at the MuseumsOn Tuesday, June 8, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., bustling Fifth Avenue shuts down to traffic, musicians and artists set up along the sidewalks, and nine of the city's most enticing museums—including the Metropolitan and Guggenheim —offer free admission at the annual Museum Mile Festival. Entrance lines can be long, but don't lose patience: They move pretty quickly. Rib it All the best barbecue restaurants in the city—and many from across the country—come dish up their best at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, held this year on June 12–13, in Madison Square Park. Admission to the fest, with live music and cooking demos, is free, and loaded tasting plates are a bargain $8. Check out the moves This year, in its 25th annual season, SummerStage Dance will put on thirteen free performances in everything from ballet, modern, jazz, and hip hop. The best part? Prior to most shows, the pro dancers give free lessons. This season runs from June 4–Aug. 14 (summerstage.org/dance). Rock out by the waterfront Every Friday evening, from June 26–Aug. 6, up-and-coming acts play free concerts on Pier 17 at the Seaport Music Series. I've discovered some great bands here—and the views of lower Manhattan from the pier are spectacular. MORE Check out Budget Travel's New York City page for tips and Q&As;

Although Amsterdam is as much of an experience as it is a place, the city of Utrecht—the fourth largest in the Netherlands and an enclave for students and artists alike—provides an idyllic setting for families. With at least 16 festivals year-round, this first-century city proves that there's much more to Holland than windmills and tulips. Culturele Zondagen: Cultural Sundays is a series of monthly events supported by local art institutions to create a theme relevant to Utrecht, from the passion of voetbal (soccer) to performances at the Oudegracht (Old Canal). Many disciplines—from opera, literature, street culture, and storytelling—are professionally represented during the events divided amongst dozens of locations. June 5–6, July 4, Sept. 12, Oct. 29–31, Dec. 19, , 011-31/302-323-080, free. Festival de Parade: A roving festival that travels from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, the circus-like setting highlights street-theater performance, dance, musicians, and filmmakers both young and old. To really feel like you're part of a carnival, dinner is served in a mini ferris wheel. The Parade's reputation precedes itself, so when the sun sets and the party rises, there's a special section set aside for the younger members of the family. July 16–Aug. 1, Moreelsepark, 011-31/334-654-555, free to $10. Festival Oude Muziek: The internationally renowned Early Music Festival has been an area institution for nearly three decades, with more than 60 classical concerts performed in church venues. This year's theme centers around music from the eras of the four Louis (XIII-XVI), including both instrumental and vocal French Baroque. Aug. 27–Sept. 5, Muziekcentrum Vredenburg and other locations, 011-31/302-329-010, free to $55 including lunch. MORE Europe: Day 4, Amsterdam Utrecht: City Guide Top Travel Blogs: Alltop

Just because San Francisco is a wine-obsessed town doesn't mean that we aren't equally in love with beer. The city has joined in the national thirst for craft beers, and several upscale beer bars have opened recently, with a rotating selection of hard-to-find brews. In fact, this month's GQ features two San Francisco spots, City Beer Store and Monk's Kettle on its list of the Best Modern Beer Bars. So if you find yourself a little thirsty in San Francisco, here are a few of our favorite decidedly un-Frat House spots to savor microbrews. Inner Sunset The newest addition to the upscale beer bar scene, Social Kitchen and Brewery opened just this month, offering five top-notch beers brewed onsite. Try the lemony Cologne-style Kolsch or the heavier Belgian Dark which is somewhat similar to Chimay. Social Kitchen mixes in unexpected delicacies into the bar menu, with sweet potato tempura fries ($4) and a Hawaiian-style spam burger ($13) as well as standbys like mushroom dip sandwich ($8). 1326 Ninth Ave, 415/681-0330 SOMA City Beer Store and Tasting Bar serves more than 300 specialty beers ranging from obscure European bottles to Northern California brews on tap. Thursday nights are "flight nights," when the helpful, knowledgeable staff offer up a selection of beers for comparison. It's a small joint (read: crowded), so go in the afternoon or grab some beer to go: City Beer encourages a mixed-and-matched six-pack to get a wide sample. But if you'd rather soak up the beer-geek atmosphere, order a cheese plate or a takeout meal from Chez Spencer's to-go truck across the street before you start sipping. 1168 Folsom Street, 415/ 503-1033 Mission Monk's Kettle is an upscale gastro pub serving bar food with a fine-dining twist. But of course, all food is elevated when paired with one of 150 craft beers—enjoy a giant pretzel with house-made cheddar ale sauce ($8.75) and an extra-special bitter ales or a beer-braised pulled pork sandwich with jicama slaw ($12.75) with a coffee porter. The dense menu explains the nuances between the various brews and defines the difference between things like ales and lagers, helping you navigate your choices. If the daunting selection is still too much, ask for the certified cicerone—akin to a wine sommelier—will help you make your choice. 3141 16th Street, 415/865-9523 Upper Haight Magnolia Brewery and Pub serves a rotating selection of beer on tap, including their own artisan ales bottled in the tiny seven-barrel brewery downstairs. Go on a Tuesday, when all beers are $3 all day and all night. You can also find Magnolia brews at other bars around the city. 1398 Haight Street, 415/864-7468 North Beach The dimly lit beer bar at La Trappe Cafe is an old-school institution that pre-dates the latest beer trend. Known mostly through word-of-mouth, the bar has a 50-page menu, 19 rotating taps, and "rare find" small batches from microbreweries. It's the perfect North Beach respite from the often-crowded area. 800 Greenwich Street, 415/ 440-8727 And don't forget about Anchorsteam... A story about beer in San Francisco would not be complete without a mention of Anchor Steam beer, founded in 1896 and served in many bars around the city. There's even an Anchor Steam pub at San Francisco's International Airport. The company was recently sold to a new owner, but have made promises that the beer will stay the same. Sign up in advance for one of the popular 2-hour tours of the three-floor facility, where you'll learn about the history and process of making beer. And most importantly, enjoy a free tasting at the tour's end. The weekday tour is free, but reservations are required in advance; sign up now for tours in July. 1705 Mariposa Street, 415/863-8350

As history has taught us, a boycott can be an effective way to send a message to "the man." But is it effective when "the man" is a travel company, a hotel—even an entire state? Arizona's recent immigration law, which requires that police officers in the state check the immigration status of individuals they suspect lack documentation and whom they encounter during proper procedure, has caused some cities to boycott business travel there, including St. Paul, Minn., and Oakland, Calif. In a USA Today article last week, Phoenix deputy city manager David Krietor said that the city could lose up to $90 million in business in the next five years, because major conventions are choosing to move locations, and tourists might decide to travel elsewhere. This isn't the first time Arizona has been in the news for a travel boycott. Back in the early '90s, the state refused to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. day with a paid holiday, and lost the bid to host the 1993 Super Bowl because of it. Voters ended up approving the holiday. The more recent boycotts seem to be serious enough to cause their own backlash— in San Diego, possible tourists have already called to cancel plans, apparently because of the city's support of a travel ban to Arizona. Speaking of California, a few of San Francisco's hotels are being boycotted by Local 2, a union of hotel workers. Members of the union have been working without a contract since last fall, when negotiations with hotels stalled because of a fight over health care. A flashmob recently popped up at the Westin St. Francis and did a clever song-and-dance routine to publicize the ban. (Many thanks to our intrepid San Francisco-based blogger, Justine Sharrock, for pointing this issue out!) Many smaller-scale bans of all kinds are organized via Facebook (of course). Remember when Spirit Airlines announced it would charge $20 for carry-ons?. Yep, there's a Facebook group that advocates banning the airline. Do travel boycotts work? Well, no one's really sure. But it seems boycotts can cause lost revenue, public discussion, and a heck of a lot of bad PR. So I put the question to you: Have you participated in a travel boycott? Would you? What do you do when politics and travel intersect?