Rome: A night at the museum

Only available until Friday (Aug. 21), American Airlines has partnered with NYC & Company to offer special deals between five major U.S. cities and NYC: L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Miami. The fares for Los Angeles or San Francisco start at $218 roundtrip; Dallas/Fort Worth is $198; Chicago is $168; and Miami is $138 for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday travel between Sept. 15, 2009 through Dec. 12, 2009, with exceptions around Thanksgiving. You have to buy your tickets three weeks in advance to get the lowest rates. Other rules, taxes, and fees apply, of course. Other low fares are available on other days of the week. See details at AA.com. MORE NEW YORK CITY NEWS NYC & Company also today launched new, customized travel itineraries for visitors to more easily navigate the five boroughs (via nycgo.com/itineraries). Where to eat and sleep in New York City? (40-plus comments) NYC & Company also continues its Sunday Stays program, which includes 20 to 30 percent off the price of a Sunday night hotel stay at more than 45 hotels throughout the City, including extra amenities. Info at nycgo.com/sundaystays. EARLIER New York: Statue of Liberty Crown tickets now for sale New York City: A new way to catch a play for cheap NYC: A new website offers short-term apartment rentals New York City launches a clever new trip planning website and tourist info center

The "Little India" neighborhood just northeast of Paris' Gare du Nord train station is home to hundreds of Indian and Sri Lankan businesses. Among these, you'll find plenty of restaurants with tasty and affordable food—in case you need a break from the rich French diet during a long visit. The best finds are along the rue Cail. In contrast to the passage Brady, whose Indian restaurants serve mainly French and traveling diners, the unadorned restaurants around the rue Cail cater to the local south Asian clientele. That means a little more spice and a lot less money. The upcoming Fête de Ganesh is a great excuse to explore this part of Paris. The annual festival centers around the Sri Manicka Vinayakar Alayam Temple (72 rue Philippe de Girard, 18th arrondissement), with a parade that winds down along the rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis. Highlights include the costumed dancers, who carry terracotta pots filled with burning camphor, and the smashing of thousands of coconuts as an offering to the Hindu god. Lucky spectators may also received sweets, cold drinks and other gifts as they are distributed along the parade route. Outside of this spectacular festival, here are a few of my year-round favorite Indian restaurants in Paris: Dishny 25 rue Caile, 10th arrondissement Krishna Bhavan (vegetarian) 24 rue Cail, 10th arrondissement Madras Café 180 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 10th arrondissement CLICKABLES Eiffel Tower: Wait not, want not

It used to be that the only way for a visitor to dodge the notoriously long line at the Eiffel Tower's elevators was to book a table up to three months in advance at the Paris monument's Le Jules Verne restaurant, where dinner can run $279 a person. But by the end of this year, a new online reservation system will allow you to skip the wait and soar right up to the 906-foot-high observation deck—without spending an extra euro. The $18.25 fee is the same as it is for those stuck waiting their turn down below. toureiffel.fr. From the September 2009 issue of Budget Travel EARLIER Our Affordable Paris series

The classic Citroën 2CV—designed in part to transport up to two farmers and 100 pounds of potatoes—is the engine powering a new self-guided driving tour of northern France. Organized by Les Belles Échappées, the trip includes use of your own 2CV, a map marked with bistros, one night at La Sapinière hotel, breakfast, and a dinner (expect foie gras appetizers and lamb chop entrées). You're on your own for lunch, and the car is perfect for picnicking: The backseat can be removed and placed on the grass. les-belles-echappees.com, from $199 per person. —Katie Bowman, from the September 2009 issue of Budget Travel