Top Travel News of 2010

1. Sweets spot Not to be confused with chewy coconut macaroons, the light-as-air sandwich cookies at 2-year-old Macaron Café come in a crayon-box assortment of colors and flavors, from dark chocolate to pistachio. Co-owner Cécile Cannone's floral varieties—lavender, poppy, violet, and rose—serve as an edible homage to the French wildflower fields where she spent her childhood summers. 161 W. 36th St., macaroncafe.com, macarons $2.25. 2. Coffee central The folks behind this indie upstart put plenty of thought into their Midtown café's decor, from the chandeliers and floral wallpaper to the large communal table that anchors the seating area. But like all good java joints, at Culture Espresso, below, it's what's in the cup that counts: in this case, espresso from PT's and Intelligentsia, and house-made vanilla-bean syrup. 72 W. 38th St., cultureespresso.com, espresso $2.50. 3. Happy-hour hangout An authentic oasis among the faux-fancy hotel bars and faux-Irish pubs one block west, Jimmy's Corner is a veritable shrine to the history of boxing. The walls are plastered with framed photos of the greats (including shots of owner and pro trainer Jimmy Glenn with Muhammad Ali); the service is just this side of surly; and the mellow crowd welcomes heavy- and lightweights alike. 140 W. 44th St., 212/221-9510, pints from $3. 4. Updated lunch counter Think of it as the urban cousin of a Route 66 diner. At Schnipper's Quality Kitchen, opened in 2009 by brothers Jonathan and Andrew Schnipper, the menu is heavy on all-American favorites like burgers (pictured), fries, and milkshakes. The setting, however, is pure big-city bustle. The restaurant is on the ground floor of the new New York Times building, one of Manhattan's tallest skyscrapers. 620 8th Ave., schnippers.com, burger $5.50. 5. Afternoon activity Leave it to NYC's party-bowling pioneer to create an entertainment complex that embraces the over-the-top spirit of Times Square. The newest location of Bowlmor Lanes, which opened in November in the former New York Times headquarters, has three bars, a nightclub, and 50 lanes, each dedicated to a city-centric theme: Central Park, Chinatown, and the subway, to name a few. 222 W. 44th St., bowlmor.com. 6. Broadway relic The 93-year-old Drama Book Shop, below, is the best kind of New York institution. It started as a simple card table selling play scripts in a theater lobby in 1917 and moved to its current spot in 2001, keeping its no-fuss presentation and single-minded focus on the performing arts. The only sign of changing times is the selection of quirky souvenirs, such as Oscar Wilde action figures, that now shares shelf space with sheet music, librettos, and scripts. 250 W. 40th St., dramabookshop.com. 7. Design deals On nearly every episode of Project Runway, contestants have turned to one source for their supplies: the massive Garment District textiles shop Mood Fabrics. Even sewing novices have good reason to stop in—to play with Swatch, the owner's Boston terrier and the store's in-house model. The personable pup, above, is often in costume and kindly agreed to dress up for our shoot as Times Square's cheekiest icon, the Naked Cowboy. 225 W. 37th St., 3rd Fl., moodfabrics.com, tote $7.

Philipsburg, St. Maarten (see photo 1 of 2)Princess Juliana International Airport is one of the most infamous—and photographed—in the world because its runway starts on a peninsula just hundreds of feet off St. Maarten's shore. "The airport is framed by the beautiful water to the right and front, and the hills that rise in the background," says Captain Bob Raleigh, the Miami chief pilot for American Airlines. He got his start flying fighter aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps and has been with American since 1986. Landing in St. Maarten stands out to Raleigh not only because it's visually stunning, but because zooming in low over the sand gives passengers a uniquely friendly welcome. "People stand on Maho Beach and wave as you pass over them—very closely and quickly." Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (see a photo)"My favorite approach of all was into Mammoth as a storm darkened the Sierras to the west," remembers Doug Winston, a pilot of 26 years based in Bakersfield, Calif., who has flown private prop planes into this tiny, one-runway airport and is the co-owner of a Cessna Turbo 210. "The contrast of dark clouds and mountain rock with the bright-white snow backlit from the east was mesmerizing—especially since we had started the flight in San Diego over the sunny beach and ocean of southern California," says Winston. "It was like flying to a different planet." Now anyone can experience the thrill of arriving at Mammoth Yosemite Airport in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas; it was opened to commercial planes in 2008. Hong Kong (see photo 1 of 2)Asia's cosmopolitan high-rise jungle won over flight attendant Susan Fogwell, a 14-year veteran who's based in New York and works for a major U.S. airline. "Even as often as I've flown, there's still a sense of the wow factor landing there in a huge 747," says Fogwell, who writes about her flight experiences for the Huffington Post and other publications. "On approach, the plane feels like it's in slow motion over the South China Sea. Looming up ahead is Hong Kong Island, where the skyscrapers are incredibly high, very close, and way too numerous to count." Beaches can be seen to the south, and to the north is Victoria Harbour, which separates Hong Kong and Kowloon islands. "It's almost surreal to see the ferries and boat traffic crisscrossing among such immense congestion," says Fogwell. "Even during the day, the colorful neon lights are on, which has an eerie effect when the city is cloaked in smog—and at night, blazing with lights, Hong Kong is definitely dreamy." Queenstown, New Zealand (see photo 1 of 2)Sydney-based Owen Zupp may be a first officer for Australia's national airline, Qantas, but he doesn't let national pride cloud his admiration for the drama of landing at Queenstown Airport on New Zealand's South Island. "On a clear day, the 7,500-foot peaks of the Remarkables mountain range are reflected in the glassy surface of Lake Wakatipu, and it's easy to see why the area was picked to double as the mythical Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings," reflects Zupp. "It's undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking areas around which to fly." The sheer number of ways to take to the skies—from aerobatic joy-flights to parachute and heli-ski operations—testifies to his good taste. Jackson, Wyo. (see a photo)Jason Gunter, a corporate pilot of 11 years who has worked for American Eagle Airlines, gets a thrill any time he's assigned to Jackson Hole—whether he lands among the snowy peaks in the height of winter or the green- and yellow-tinged meadows in the summer. "Jackson Hole Airport is at the base of the Tetons, and the airport itself lies within Grand Teton National Park," says Gunter. "The arrival gives you beautiful views of the mountains and is followed by an approach right up the valley, where you get a close-up look at the Snake River." London (see a photo)After a long night flying over the black of the Atlantic, the china clangs in the galley as the crew prepares for the breakfast service. "That's when you smell the coffee and lift the window shade," notes Heather Poole, a flight attendant for a major U.S. carrier and author of Gadling's Galley Gossip column. "Morning light streams into the cabin, you squint as your eyes adjust, and there it is: land." As the aircraft descends, drawing nearer to Heathrow Airport, the view picks up momentum—from green pastures to suburban row houses to the spires, bridges, and landmarks of London gleaming below the clouds. St. George's Parish, Bermuda (see photo 1 of 2)Flight attendant Heather Zorzini recently retired after 31 years and about 20 million miles aboard Air Canada. Looking back, she says her all-time favorite place to land was Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport—for the sheer charm of the isolated, unexpected oasis in the Atlantic Ocean. "The island is just as lovely from the air as it is on the ground," says Zorzini. Deep-green seas fade to pale turquoise as they lap at pink beaches, and pastel houses with white limestone roofs come into focus on the surrounding lush hillsides. "It all creates an achingly picturesque vista," she adds. Aspen (see a photo)Most pilots begin perspiring at the thought of landing in snowy Aspen, whose airport requires a rapid, challenging descent at high altitude. But not much fazes David Angotti, who pilots a Cessna Citation X—a seven-person private jet and the fastest civilian aircraft with a max speed of Mach .92. (A typical 747 travels at Mach .85; the Citation X can shave an hour off a transcontinental flight.) "The first time you land in Aspen, it's difficult to believe there's an airport nestled between some of the tallest mountain peaks on the continent," recalls Angotti. "Each time I step off the aircraft and gaze at the towering peaks surrounding the runway at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, I marvel that this airport is welcome in nature's playground." New York City (see photo 1 of 2)Sue Cragg, a Detroit-based flight attendant for Delta Air Lines, remembers her first descent into New York's LaGuardia Airport. "Around the time when I finished flight attendant training, the FAA said it would soon enforce the rule that no one was allowed in the flight deck below 10,000 feet," Cragg recalls. "But on approach into LaGuardia, the captain called to the back, 'Send the new kid up.' When I entered the flight deck, the sun was setting and the colors of burnt orange and bright red burst in the spring sky. He flew low down the Hudson River past the magnificent cityscape, and the buildings sparkled and reflected the colors as we landed." It still gives her goose bumps after 30 years in the skies. Oranjestad, Aruba (see photo 1 of 2)As the assistant chief pilot of United Airlines' Northeast region, James T. Simons Jr. has circled the gorgeous blues and greens of the Caribbean for 21 years, but he can pick his favorite approach in an instant. "After flying over many other islands en route, Aruba stands out like a beacon among the dark-blue Caribbean waters," says Simons. "Descending over the bay toward Aruba's single runway, it's easy to see what sets the island apart: The dry, seemingly desertlike conditions form a visually stunning contrast where the warm waters meet the land." Planes hover low just above the sparkling sea, hugging the coastline as they zero in for their landing at Aruba International Airport, whose runway begins at the water's edge. More From Budget Travel: • The Scenic Route: 7 Great Coastal Drives • Quiz: Can You Spot the Travel Rip-off? • Vote for America's Coolest Small Towns

Say "travel scam," and the mind immediately conjures images of two-timing merchants and double-jointed pickpockets. But those guys are small potatoes. In recent years, nearly one million Americans have been conned by much more sophisticated and much harder to spot travel scams that dupe suspects before they even leave their living rooms. As technology speeds up, sorting the scams from the bona fide deals has become that much more important—and that much more difficult. Let's see how well you can tell the difference. Launch the quiz to read the scenarios and decide whether each is a legit way to save on travel or just another attempt to scam you out of money. We'll tally up your score at the end and let you know how scam-savvy you really are.

GERM ZONE: WaterFOR: E. coli, a common culprit behind stomach crampsYour plane reaches 30,000 feet, the fasten-seat-belt sign switches off, and the flight attendant comes by to take your drink order: Coffee or tea? Ice water? They seem like innocent offers—until you consider that airplane water has been under review by the EPA for traces of E. coli for six years. A random sampling of 327 unnamed domestic and international aircraft caused a stir in 2004 when some water samples tested positive for E. coli, one strain of which is the leading cause of food poisoning in the U.S. Coffee and tea are brewed on board with such water and don't typically reach hot enough temperatures to kill E. coli. When bottled water runs out, some planes have been known to fill fliers' glasses from the tank. One British Airways crew member confessed to the London-based Times that, in those cases, the crew first has to wait for any cloudy "floating stuff" to settle out. And onboard tanks are small to limit their weight, so planes sometimes refill at foreign airports, where water standards can be questionable. The encouraging news is that water quality and control are improving: From 2005 to 2008, only 3.6 percent of samples tested positive for coliform bacteria, of which only a small fraction tested positive for E. coli. And in October 2011, the EPA's Aircraft Drinking Water Rule, with more standardized, stringent disinfection and inspection regulations, will go into effect.TIP: Once you clear the security checkpoint, purchase a bottle of water to bring on board. When the flight attendant comes to take your order, stick to soda, juice, and other prepackaged liquids, minus the ice. While ice cubes are usually supplied by an outside vendor, some large planes may have their own ice-making capabilities—reliant on tank water. GERM ZONE: Seat PocketFOR: Cold and influenza A, B, and C virusesThere's a familiar routine to settling in on a plane: Store your luggage in the overhead bin and deposit any personal items you want to be readily available in your seat pocket. But reaching into that pocket is akin to putting your hand in someone else's purse and rummaging among their used tissues and gum wrappers. Toenail clippings and mushy old French fries are even nastier surprises that have been found in seat pockets. Consider that cold and influenza viruses can survive for hours on fabric and tissues, and even longer (up to 48 hours) on nonporous surfaces like plastic and metal—and you realize that you might pick up more than that glossy flight magazine when you reach inside.TIP: Bring a small, easily accessible carry-on bag so that you can avoid stashing things in the seat pocket. If you must use it, keep magazines and other items within a plastic bag for protection. GERM ZONE: Tray TableFOR: MRSA, a deadly superbugFlight attendants have witnessed many repulsive misuses of the tray table, from parents changing dirty diapers to kids sticking their boogers underneath. Research confirms that the handy tray table is a petri dish for all kinds of health hazards, including the superbug Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), which is often fatal once contracted. It kills an estimated 20,000 Americans annually. In 2007, University of Arizona researcher Jonathan Sexton tested tray tables from three major airliners, and an alarming 60 percent tested positive for the superbug. That's quite a revelation considering only 11 percent of his samples from the New York subway found traces of the bug.TIP: Bring disinfectant wipes to clean off your tray table before and after use, and never eat directly off the surface. CDC guidelines tell you what to look for in a disinfectant and recommend checking a product's label to see if MRSA is on the list of bacteria it kills; Lysol disinfecting wipes is one reliable choice. And be sure to protect any cuts with Band-Aids—the most common way of contracting an MRSA infection is through open skin. GERM ZONE: Airplane MealFOR: Listeria, a microbe known to cause gastrointestinal illness and meningitisIn-flight meals have long had a bad reputation for consisting of bland, barely identifiable dishes. Then, in 2009, the meals made headlines when FDA inspections of the Denver location of LSG Sky Chefs—the world's largest airplane caterer with clients including American Airlines, Delta, and United—found the kitchens crawling with roaches too numerous to count and employees handling the food with bare hands or unwashed gloves. Test samples from the food preparation area also found traces of Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause gastrointestinal illness and meningitis, as well as cervical infection in pregnant women. Your likelihood of contracting illness from the microbe is very low, though it should be noted that one fifth of the 2,500 annual cases are fatal. LSG Sky Chefs, to its credit, responded accordingly after the news broke and passed the FDA's follow-up inspection in January 2010.TIP: It sounds like LSG has cleaned up its act, but you'll never really know where your meal has been. If you're concerned, eat beforehand and bring your own snacks onto the plane. Check out our article on how to make a sandwich that will still be appetizing once you're in the air. For starters, choose a well-cured meat like prosciutto or salami. GERM ZONE: Airplane Pillow and BlanketsFOR: Germs like Aspergillus niger that cause pneumonia and infectionsTalk about sleeping with the enemy. You're snuggling with a blanket and pillow that have likely been used by many drowsy, drooling passengers before you. Unless visibly soiled, pillows and blankets are often reissued because of the frequency of flights. A 2007 investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed that airlines cleaned their blankets every five to 30 days. And don't assume your blanket is new just because it's wrapped in plastic. The Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees made a big stink in 2000 when it accused Royal Airline Laundry—which supplies pillows and blankets to clients like American, United, and US Airways—of repackaging pillows and blankets without cleaning them properly. Its research found blankets with traces of Pseudomonas paucimobilis, known for causing lung and eye infections, and pillowcases with Aspergillus niger, which can lead to pneumonia and gastrointestinal bleeding. In the decade since, airlines like Southwest and Alaska Airlines have removed pillows and blankets completely, while JetBlue, US Airways, and American now charge for them.TIP: There have been no documented reports linking airlines to these infections. But if you're worried about staying warm—and want to avoid potential germs and airline fees—wear layers and thick socks, and consider bringing Grabber Warmers, small disposable hand and foot warmers. A travel pillow and compact blanket will help you sleep in comfort. GERM ZONE: Airplane LavatoryFOR: A smorgasbord of threats like E. coli or fecal bacteriaAfter a mid-flight nap, you wake up to nature's call and must face the airplane's biggest germ zone: the lavatory. With hundreds of people using the commode daily, the small boxy space is a natural haven for all kinds of germs and viruses, especially on the door handle (do you really think every passenger washes his or her hands?). And that thunderous volcanic toilet flush doesn't exactly help the situation, spraying water and releasing potential germs into the air every which way. The CDC cited the lavatory as a major danger area for the spread of disease during the H1N1 flu and SARS epidemics.TIP: Use a paper towel to close the toilet lid before flushing—and then leave without washing your hands. Remember that cloudy tank water we described above? The sink water comes from the same source. You'll come away cleaner if you skip the sink and reach for hand sanitizer instead. More From Budget Travel: • The All-time Worst Luggage Incidents • 10 Scenic Airport Landings • Vote for America's Coolest Small Towns