New York City: Snowboarders in East River Park

If President Obama sticks to his word, it's likely that travel restrictions to Cuba—imposed almost continuously since 1962 and tightened under President Bush—will be eased during his tenure. He suggested as much on the campaign trail and specifically promised to allow Cuban Americans to visit relatives and send money without limits. The approach squares with a shift in attitudes. A recent poll by Florida International University found for the first time that a majority of Cuban Americans wants to end the embargo that bans most U.S.-Cuba trade and travel. There's growing support in Congress, too, although even without it, Obama could use his executive power to allow a more extensive number of religious and education groups to go. (Religious leaders recently wrote Obama a letter urging him to change Cuba travel policies.) The Associated Press has outlined the negative and positive signs for improvement in U.S.-Cuban relations. Among the latter, that the Castros aren't immune to Obamamania: "No one can doubt the sincerity of his words," wrote Fidel Castro in an online essay last week in which he also described the president's face as "intelligent and noble." On the heels of the Cuban Revolution's 50th anniversary, Worldfocus hosted an online radio show with a panel of experts on U.S.-Cuban relations. In the meantime, as experts and policymakers debate the issues, it remains almost impossible for Americans to legally visit the Caribbean island. The State Department's Cuba page details a few exceptions, mainly for professionals engaged in journalism or research and those affiliated with religious groups. (One BT reader, Susan, shared her plans to visit Cuba with a religious mission this February.) Global Exchange runs thematic research delegations, but they're open to only those Americans whose jobs directly correlate. Rates, not including airfare, start at $2,350. Would-be travelers to Cuba might note that TripAdvisor already has reviews for 410 Cuba accommodation options, and La Casa de Ana in Havana is the highest rated B&B.; A veteran visitor shared his tips with us in the story, Inside Cuba. In late 2007, we set off a heated debate among readers when former editor Erik Torkells blogged, Mr. Bush, Let Us Go to Cuba. Now that the possibility of vacationing in Cuba is edging closer to reality, would you add the island to your travel list?

When Mike Guerriero was laid off from his pharmaceutical marketing job in late 2007, he decided to follow his dreams. Or at least the dreams of someone who "lives to party": He packed up a car and spent about seven months on road trips, traveling from one street festival to the next. In Party Across America!, Guerriero reviews the best and most surreal festivals. I recently chatted with the 32-year old about his cross-country travels. Here's an excerpt from the interview: Name a festival that’s great for families.The Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Fla. is like Disneyland during the day for the kids. They get this 165-foot long ship, and businessmen in Tampa get selected to play the pirates. There's a three or four–mile parade. The adult portion starts at night when the parade winds into downtown and becomes a big street party. What's the best party we haven't heard of? The World's Largest Disco in Buffalo, N.Y., the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It's the biggest weekend of the year in town, but no one outside of Buffalo knows about it. There are about 8,000 people discoed out: platform shoes, bell bottoms. Some B-rate '70s celebrities show up. I actually spent the weekend with the actors who played Greg, Peter, Bobby, and Cindy Brady. They invited me to Niagara Falls with them. What's the best thing you ate at the festivals? At St. Paddy's Day in Savannah, Ga., which had 500,000 attendees. I had some amazing green grits with honey and butter at Rail Pub. Or maybe its was the sweet pecan pie at the Jackson, Miss. Jubilee Jam. You can't walk ten steps down the street without seeing pecan pie there. How about the strangest thing you ate? Rocky Mountain oysters at the Testy Festy in Clinton, Mont. Not only was it the strangest thing I've ever eaten, I've never seen so many people eat so many of them. Bull testicles? What do they taste like? Remember those hush puppies at your grade school cafeteria? I think if you deep fry anything enough it's gonna taste good. Did you go to any famous parties that lived up to their hype? At the Kentucky Derby, the entire city of Louisville just explodes. It's one big citywide celebration. And I've always heard stories about the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, but actually seeing the number of gearheads…. It was intense. Any lessons you gathered the hard way? Make your hotel reservations early. Or pack a tent. These parties are the biggest in the country for a reason—a lot of people come into town. I had to camp out five or six times. Check out a goofy-but-effective promotional video for the book, with clips from festivals the author visited. SLIDE SHOW FROM BUDGET TRAVEL See images from America's Wackiest Festivals

The Michelin guide is well known for being very picky about the restaurants it awards "star" ratings to, and the exceptional restaurants usually charge astronomical prices. But the guides also list "Bib Gourmand" awards that are, the guide says, not official stars, but recognition of places offering good food at prices of $40 (£28) or less per person for three courses. That may seem like a splurge, but London is one of the world's priciest cities. It's also arguably the world's culinary capital. A trip to London without sampling one of its renowned restaurants because of the high tab would be like not seeing Westminster Abbey just because it charges an outrageous $17 (£12) admission fee. Sometimes, you have to splurge. The 2009 Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland doesn't go on sale in the States until April, but here's a sneak peak at some of its Bib Gourmand restaurants. One pick is The Modern Pantry, which is a casual, fusion restaurant with a dining room and a takeaway counter in the Clerkenwell neighborhood (47-8 St John's Square, 011-44-20/7553-9210). A sample dish: "A main course of onglet steak (an inexpensive French cut) had been marinated in miso, and was served with cassava chips instead of the more usual potato." Dinner for two comes to $99 (£70), before wine. Next up is Hereford Road, which opened in October 2007. Says one reviewer, "From the deep-fried calf’s brain starter to the use of laverbread and piccalilli elsewhere, you could only be dining in Britain," (3 Hereford Road, Westbourne Grove, herefordroad.org, 011-44/20-7727-1144). Here are the other new additions to the 2009 guide: Le Cassoulet, Croydon, Surrey [Also named "best local London restaurant of 2008" by Time Out London] Giaconda Dining Room, Camden Market, Camden Medcalf, Islington Mango and Silk, Richmond-upon-Thames (011-44/20-8876-6220) Dehesa, Soho Gordon Ramsay Foxtrot Oscar (Chelsea, 011-44/20-7352-4448).

It happens only once a year—the day we place all our hopes for good weather with a groundhog. Punxsutawney Phil, the bearer of spring (or six more weeks of dreaded winter, depending on whether or not his shadow appears), makes his 122nd appearance this coming Monday. The most famous rodent in Pennsylvania has been on Oprah, met with President Reagan, and attracted an audience of as many as 30,000 people on Feb. 2. Festivities in Punxsutawney, about 85 miles east of Pittsburgh, kick off on Friday. One highlight is the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center, where you can learn where folklore and science meet when predicting the weather. And Phil's trainer will be making the rounds to teach everyone about the lovable groundhog. On Monday, the doors open at 3 a.m.—Phil is expected to make his prediction around 7:25 a.m. And no worries about missing that weekend's other, even bigger event: on Sunday, the Super Bowl will be shown live in the community center, to be followed by the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. If you can't be there to celebrate with Phil, there will be live video of the event on visitpa.com. MORE See a video of Groundhog Day 2008