Video: 5 affordable fall getaways

Name: Budget Travel LLC
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By Budget Travel

October 3, 2012

Budget Travel's Editor-in-Chief Nina Willdorf just appeared on "Good Morning America" to share great deals like a seven-night Caribbean cruise from $491 and an air/hotel package to Vegas from $304. Take a look:

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Pay now to ski at a big discount (or for free!) later

With summer barely over, few people are thinking about skiing. But here's why you should. Now is the time to snag lift passes that will cost significantly less than the price asked of the poor sap who walks up to the ticket window in December or February. Many ski resorts offer early season discounts in the form of special frequent skier cards or flat-price ticket deals. But these offers are only available for skiers who commit early, which in many cases means buying in the next week or so. A few examples: In Montana, the Big Sky Resort's Frequent Sky Card is on sale for $49 if you purchase by September 30. After that, the price goes up to $89 (if you purchase by October 31). With the card in hand, you'll get to ski for free for two weeks at the beginning (November 29 to December 5) and end of the season (April 18 to 24). Just after New Year's (January 3 to 9), you'll be able to flash your pass and get a ticket at half price. And for most other days, you'll get a flat $20 off the walk-up lift ticket price. In Utah, Alta's Powder Card is only on sale until September 29. The $520 price tag lets the holder ski any ten days of the season at Alta, and the card is fully transferable -- so you can split the costs with a buddy if you're going for one week and he or she is going for another. Considering that lift tickets normally go for as much as $69 a day at Alta, you're effectively getting a $17 discount each day you use the Powder Card. In Vermont, Killington's K55 Lift Tickets are on sale through October 15 for (yep) $55 a piece so long as you purchase at least four tickets. These passes can be used most weekdays and weekends, when the walk-up full-day prices for adults are normally $79 and $84, respectively. However, there are some blacked-out peak ski periods when K55 passes can't be used: December 24 to January 2, January 15 to 17, and February 19 to 27. Other than those days, you can save as much as $29 a day by purchasing K55 tickets in advance -- well in advance. These are just a few examples. Chances are there's a similar deal available right now no matter what your favorite place to ski is. Just don't count on these early-season discounts still being offered when the snow starts to fall.

News

NYC weighs an outdoor smoking ban. What's your take?

We've been tracking the spread of smoking bans around the world, often to places that were once notorious for having a culture that loves to light up: Paris, Fort Worth, Dublin, London, the nation of Turkey, and many more. Now New York City is going a step further. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has voiced his support to expand the city's 2003 ban on smoking in restaurants and bars to now include parks, beaches, marinas, boardwalks, and pedestrian plazas as well. That would most likely mean that fines would be enforced in areas like the Coney Island boardwalk, the Times Square pedestrian plaza, and throughout Central Park. Last week's news release listed many reasons for the proposed ban, including that "a person sitting within three feet of a smoker outside can be exposed to levels of secondhand smoke similar to those experienced indoors," and also that "research shows that 65 percent of New Yorkers favor banning smoking at outdoor recreational places such as parks, ball fields and playgrounds." But a smokers' rights group, called NYC Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, strongly disagrees with these claims of support. The AP quoted founder Audrey Silk as arguing that smoke dissipates quickly outdoors where "there's room for everybody and nobody will be affected." Similarly, in California, a state typically known for its progressive laws, a measure failed earlier this year which would have banned smoking in state beaches and parks (it was vetoed by the state's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a cigar aficionado himself). The New York City ban still faces a series of public hearings and approval from City Council before becoming law. So what's your take: Do you consider the proposed smoking ban an infringement on New Yorkers' rights, or a welcome change for some of the Big Apple's most iconic landmarks?

Video: Saugatuck celebrates being a coolest small town

We're tickled by this video of a victory parade along Butler Street in Saugatuck, Mich., which Budget Travel readers voted one of America's coolest small towns. Representative Robert Genetski kicked things off by reading an official proclamation from Editor-in-Chief Nina Willdorf, and the crowd roared as he declared, "Even in bad weather, we know how to party!" Look for the gun salute, the Saugatuck High School marching band, and lots of enthusiastic, dolled-up locals, who kept the party going into the night. Think your town is as cool as—or cooler than—Saugatuck? We're now accepting nominations for the 2011 edition of the coolest small towns in America. Nominate a town now! See more photos of Saugatuck's victory bash here.

Inspiration

Readers' best foliage photos

It's prime time for leaf peeping! Get inspired to plot your own fall drive or boat trip after viewing these 19 shots of brilliant red and yellow foliage. Settings include the buttes of Colorado, New York's Central Park, and California's wine country. See the slide show. RECENT READER SLIDE SHOWS Bridges | National Parks | Reflections | Doorways NOW IN SEARCH OF... We're looking for your photos of skylines. Upload them through myBudgetTravel, tag them, and check back in the coming weeks for a slide show of the best submissions.

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