To Charge or Not to Charge: The Hotel WiFi Debate

I’ve never accepted the notion that summer ends on Labor Day. Yeah, the kids are back in school and the highways and commuter trains are crowded with folks back from the shore. But the official beginning of fall—the equinox—isn’t until September 22 this year. And for some reason I have to remind everyone I know every year that September temperatures around the U.S. average in the 70s. That means you’ve still got at least a few weeks to make the season last. My family has a tradition of grabbing as many long weekends in September and October as possible. We’ll make one–tank escapes from our home in New York’s Hudson Valley to pay one or two more visits to the newly deserted beaches of Long Island’s east end and the still–warm waters of mountain lakes in the Catskills. Our spontaneous jaunts aren’t just to prove a point—they’re a chance for us to shake off some of the cares of the new school year and savor the mild temperatures and ever–shortening hours of daylight. My elementary–school–age daughters have even talked me out of my curious habit of taking them to the Central Park Zoo on the hottest day in July—now we opt for a breezy September Saturday when crowds are smaller and ice cream cones don’t melt before the first lick. (And if I can get the girls to stroll north from the zoo just a few blocks, I can even stretch that day trip to include a stop on Fifth Avenue’s Museum Mile.) What are your favorite September and October weekend getaways? Any tips for those of us who might want to follow in your footsteps? We’d love to hear your ideas! —Robert Firpo–Cappiello MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 33 Most Beautiful Places In America 12 Family Trips Budget Travel Editors Love 11 National Parks That Budget Travel Editors Love

What’s it like to spend a year driving around the country in a 27–foot Oscar Mayer Wienermobile? We interviewed driver Reese Brammell to find out. Q: Can you tell me your name? RB: Reese Brammell, but in the hot–dogger game, we go by aliases. I’m “Reese with Relish.” You’d be “Mustard Marc.” Q: What made you want to tour the country in a humongous hot dog? RB: I was in my senior year of college, and I realized I wanted to take a break to travel. I googled “fun things to do after graduation” and stumbled upon a blog that mentioned that the Wienermobile hires drivers every year. It was 3 A.M., and I immediately cranked out a cover letter telling them I’d “relish” the opportunity and here’s my “beefed–up” résumé. Q: What’s it like to drive a hot dog? RB: You feel like you’re in a parade. People always wave and honk—you have to get used to it. The first week on the job I thought people driving by were mad at me all the time. Q: It must be a nightmare to park. RB: We always travel with a partner, so if we ever have to do crazy maneuvering, one of us can get out and direct. We’re very careful not to scratch our buns. Q: How much do you hate the Oscar Mayer wiener jingle? RB: We have speakers on the outside that play the jingle all the time. Inside, we have our own radio. We have a nice little hot–dogger exchange, where we give each other CDs. If we’re going to a certain region, I like to make a mix of songs that apply to it. Driving out to California, I made a Beach Boys/West Coast rap mix. Going down to Georgia, I made a country album. It makes a long drive more fun! Q: What have you learned on the road that may help other travelers? RB: Online tools are fine, but the best advice comes from people who volunteer it themselves, the people who say: “Are you all locals? No? Oh my God—here’s what you have to do!” Q: Have you picked up any unusual regional hot dog recipes? RB: I went to the Carolinas, and I was eating a lot of coleslaw with barbecue. Someone asked me, “You know what we put on our hot dogs here?” I was joking: “Oh, I don’t know...coleslaw?!” And they said, “How’d you know?!” In Louisiana, they put on chili and cheese and crunch onions over the top. One little kid told me he put peanut butter and jelly on his hot dog. I think he might’ve been pulling my leg. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Confessions of a Cruise Ship Musician Confessions of a Flight Attendant Confessions of a National Park Ranger

We know: Resisting Tinseltown’s glitzy icons is futile. But once you’ve checked the must–sees off your list, what next? Try adding these six stops to the tourist circuit. Cat & Fiddle This British pub is located in a 1929 building that once housed part of the Casablanca set. Opened by British Invasion rocker Kim Gardner and still run by his family, the bar features authentic pub grub and live music on its sprawling patio. 6530 Sunset Blvd., bangers and mash $10.75. Hennessey + Ingalls You don’t need to be the next Frank Gehry to enjoy this specialty architecture and arts bookstore, an offshoot of the Santa Monica flagship. With guides to local Art Deco landmarks, coffee table books on L.A.’s famed mansions, and Moleskine film journals to record your very own reviews, it’s a smart souvenir alternative to the kitsch shops lining Hollywood Blvd. 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Moleskine Passions Film Journal $20. Umami Burger In-N-Out Burger may finally have some competition in the hearts of Angelenos. Umami is named for what the Japanese call the fifth taste—the indescribable savory flavor that doesn’t quite qualify as sweet, sour, bitter, or salty. Umami’s signature burger comes topped with shiitakes and a parmesan crisp; others include white soy aioli, slow–roasted tomatoes, or truffle ricotta. Browse the racks at open–air shopping venue Space 15 Twenty while you wait—and you will. 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., burgers from $10. Hollywood Farmers’ Market It’s fitting that this weekend produce fair is a block from Vine. In addition to nearly 90 farm stands, the market includes artisanal bakers, clothing stalls, and food vendors like Grill Masters, where the rotisserie chicken is a citywide hit. Ivar and Selma Aves., whole chicken $11. Grub The folks at Grub, including Top Chef contender Betty Fraser, met waiting tables at California Pizza Kitchen. Now they’ve invented their own Golden State comfort food, such as blueberry almond granola pancakes with raspberry butter. Bonus: Instead of bread on the table, you’ll find bowls of Froot Loops. 911 Seward St., pancakes $9. Hollywood Forever Cemetery The cemetery, built in 1899, isn’t as famous as Forest Lawn, but it still has its fair share of legends, such as Cecil B. DeMille and Rudolph Valentino. The grounds are often turned into a lively party spot with open–air BYOB screenings of modern classics, like E.T. and Annie Hall, and pre-show sets by noted DJs. 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., screenings $10. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 20 Places Every American Should See 10 Restaurants That Started a Food Movement A Fresh Take on Los Angeles

I've already shared my 7 tips for visiting Rome. Now it's time for Venice, one of the world's most romantic cities. (See the 14 Venetian scenes our photographers love the most.) Invest in a multiple–day water transit pass to save money on canal rides If only we had realized this sooner. Instead of paying about $9 USD per ride in on the vaporetto—just think of it as a floating public city bus that travels up and down the Grand Canal—we should have purchased a tourist water transit pass. Options include about $24 for 12 hours of unlimited rides, $26 for 24 hours, and $33 for 36 hours. Definitely a mental note for next time. Not only will the taxis get you where you want to be, but you'll also be riding up and down the scenic Grand Canal (don't forget to have your camera ready). Save money with free attractions and prix fixe dinner specials Not everything in Venice costs money. You can view San Marco Square in all it's glory (along with thousands of other tourists), snap photos of the outside of the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners would sigh as they took their last view of Venice before being marched to their cells. You can also brave the line at St. Mark's Basilica—just make sure your shoulders and knees are covered as modesty is key in Italian churches—and view beautiful mosaics, statues, and other works of art for free inside. As we wandered through the tiny winding streets of Venice around Piazza San Marco, we came across a lot of small, family owned restaurants with prix fixe signs advertising lunch and dinner specials. We chose to try Trattoria Alla Scala and paid about $25 per person for a delicious four–course meal. Be prepared for a beautiful, yet crowded, experience Unfortunately, you are not the only tourists in Venice. It may seem like everywhere you go is full of people, especially between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when cruise ships pull in and take their passengers on shore excursions to the museums within the Piazza San Marco. If you feel like the crowds are too much, take a break from it all at the Giardinetti Reali, or Royal Gardens, and still be a few steps from Piazza San Marco. We stumbled upon this vast, open flower–filled space by accident when we took a wrong turn between the San Marco vaporetto stop and the Piazza. It was pretty empty, apart from a few Italian speakers who were having lunch in the park, and unbelievably quiet considering it was just around the corner from the tourist–filled Piazza San Marco. Don't be afraid to ask for directions We stayed at Hotel Caneva, a bed and breakfast type of place within walking distance of the Piazza San Marco, and just across the way from the house where Casanova once lived and loved. Unfortunately for us, it was tucked in the back of one of Venice's small canal–side alleyways and we found ourselves asking local shopkeepers for directions in our best attempt at Italian. One person even pulled out a map and drew on it so we would know where to go. It was our first hour in Italy and we were already impressed with how friendly and helpful the people were. Embrace all the challenges Venice presents Our hotel room was right along the canal, something we quickly learned was both a blessing and a curse—we loved hearing the gondaliers singing as they passed by our room throughout the day (similar to what's shown in this YouTube video), but could also hear the boats passing down the waterway at night when we tried to sleep, a different, but noisy experience. Be ready for anything in Venice.