Name: Budget Travel LLC
Price range: $

In our recent special issue with the "<a href="http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2008/08/02/AR2008080200980.html">Best Places You've Never Heard Of</a>" cover story, we published a letter to the editor that I'd like to share with anyone who may have missed it:
<blockquote>I had a good life&mdash;a beautiful wife, two daughters, a house, and a job. But despite all that, my life had become boring. I'd forgotten that there's so much out there to explore. I picked up Budget Travel at the supermarket. That week, I told my wife, Tammy, that it was time we started seeing the world.</blockquote>
Our first trip was to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Tammy and I watched the sunset every night, and I fell in love with her all over again. That was in 2001, and we vowed we would travel whenever we could. We took our kids to San Diego; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Gulf Shores, Ala.; and Florida, going even when we could barely afford it. Our trips brought my family together in ways that I will never forget.
For our 15th wedding anniversary, Tammy and I wanted to go to the Florida Keys. Money was tight, but we went anyway. We came back amazed&mdash;it was so great.
Not long after, Tammy died in a car accident. She was my best friend, and I wake up every day missing her. But I also think of how glad I am that we didn't put off traveling: Every day, the setting sun reminds me of her beauty and how fortunate I was to experience so much with her.
Last January, 42 family members and friends joined me in Puerto Vallarta for a sunset toast to Tammy. Some of them had never left our town, so taking a trip was a new beginning for them, just as it was for Tammy and me seven years ago. 
I wanted to thank you for all the wonderful times I shared with my wife because you brought these places up close each month. You have changed my life and my friends' lives forever. We will always travel!
&mdash;Zac Fowler, Janesville, Wis.

Best "letter to the editor" of the year?

Inspiration

BT Editors: Welcome to this week's Trip Coach. Let's get to your questions!

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Janesville, WI: About 1 year ago (I think) there was an article in Budget Mag. giving e-mail sites to home exchange for a vacation or if you'd like to stay in a home in a different city/country without offering a stay in our home. Please send me a list of those sites. Thank you.

BT Editors: You're probably thinking about this article: &quot;<a href="http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2005/06/04/AR2005060400406.html" target="_blank">Make Yourself at Home</a>.&quot; It includes tips for first-time home exchangers and websites for major home-exchange networks in the U.S.

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Columbus, OH: Me and my sister want to take our niece to Riviera Maya as a college graduation gift in June 2007. We are in are late 30's and she is 21. We want all inclusive and alot of night life. Can you direct me where we can stay?

BT Editors: Sure. We wrote about five all-inclusive resorts on Mexico's Riviera Maya. The popular Gala Beach Resort Playacar (877/888-4252, <a href="http://www.galaresorts.com.mx/" target="_blank">galaresorts.com.mx</a>) is 45 minutes south of the Canc&uacute;n airport and the southernmost resort in the lush gated community of Playacar. The resort is spread over a large swath of acreage, so it feels quiet at first, but there are plenty of on-site restaurants and activities to keep you busy. There's also a wealth of off-campus offerings in the Yucat&#225;n--Mayan ruins, ATVs, horseback riding. Or, if you prefer a smaller &quot;boutique&quot; all-inclusive, Sunscape Tulum (866/786-7227, <a href="http://www.sunscaperesorts.com/" target="_blank">sunscaperesorts.com</a>) has only 232 rooms and resembles an elegant hacienda. But perhaps its coolest feature is its proximity to the famed Mayan city of Tul&uacute;m. The Sunscape is the southernmost resort before the coastline turns wild and winds in toward the ruins. Read about these and three other all-inclusives: <a href="http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2005/06/04/AR2005060400830.html" target="_blank">The Easy, Breezy Riviera Maya</a>.

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Rancho Cucamonga, CA: My husband and I often find ourselves with a few days here and there with only a week or two notice to plan a small inexpensive trip. We would love to take advantage of discount airlines' last minute deals but once we decide on a city, what's the best and fastest way to plan everything else? Or is this the worst way to go about planning a last minute trip? This might be too general to ask but I'm sure a lot of young couples with little time and small budgets think about this. Thanks!

BT Editors: Try searching for last-minute trips at <a href="http://www.site59.com/" target="_blank">Site59.com</a>, a website specializing in discounted last-minute air/hotel, air/car, or car/hotel vacation packages. While destinations and dates are limited (you can only search up to two weeks in advance), packages are discounted up to 70% while still earning frequent flier miles on your flights. For example, a quick search turned up a weekend package from nearby Ontario, Calif. to Phoenix, Ariz. from $191 per person, including airfare, two nights' accomodations, taxes, and fees. Or fly to Seattle, Wash. and stay for two nights from $258 per person.

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Chatham, IL: What website is the best to order first class reserved train tickets in Italy? Not looking for passes but for intermittent travel between, say, Rome to Florence and then Florence to Venice? Also a site that does not charge an extra fee for the service. Can I print or get the ticket on line? Thanks

BT Editors: Go straight to the source--the official website of Italy's rail system, <a href="http://trenitalia.com/en/index.html" target="_blank">Trenitalia</a>. You can price out train tickets for various types of service and make purchases online. Eurostar trains are the nicest, fastest option, and make the trip between Florence and Rome in about an hour and a half. You have two choices for how to obtain the tickets. Free ticketless service allows you to print out your email confirmation and bring in onboard the train in lieu of a ticket; self-service, also free, requires you to print out your ticket from a self-service machine at an Italian train station before boarding. (Home delivery is available for &euro;3.35, but only within Italy.) For advice on making the most of your visit, consult our <a href="http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2006/06/16/AR2006061601218.html" target="_blank">Rome Snap Guide</a> and <a href="http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2005/06/04/AR2005060400548.html" target="_blank">Eat Like a Local: Florence and Venice</a>.

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Seattle, WA: My fianc&#233; and I are traveling to Cape Town South Africa in November. We need suggestions on places to stay (B&B) in a cool area that won't break our budget.

BT Editors: Our free downloadable <a href="http://budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2006/04/13/AR2006041300867.html" target="_blank">Cape Town Snap Guide</a> is full of insider tips on hip, affordable places to stay, shop, eat, and play. Here are a few B&Bs to get you started: An African Villa, a 12-room guesthouse in the city with a pool and rates from $100; Dunkley House, a hidden haven in a gentrified neighborhood of narrow one-way streets and Victorian homes, with rates from $114; or Rosedene Lodge, on a quiet lane behind Sea Point's busy main road, just a couple of blocks from the water, with rates from $92 in the off-season. Before you go, read <a href="http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2005/09/13/AR2005091301402.html" target="_blank">25 Reasons We Love Cape Town</a>.

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St. Louis, MO: Do you know anything about a travel company called Maxxim Vacations based in St. John, Newfoundland, Canada? They have escorted trips as well as independent trips. Thanks.

BT Editors: Yes! We regularly highlight travel packages organized by Maxxim Vacations, which specializes in travel to Eastern and Atlantic Canada, and our experience has been that they offer reliable, affordable service. As you mention, their options cover independent fly-and-drive packages, fully escorted bus tours, and even customized packages. One of our recent Real Deals, <a href="http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2006/09/21/AR2006092100952.html" target="_blank">Flavors of Quebec</a>, detailed a Maxxim Vacations package including airfare, six nights in B&Bs and hotels throughout Quebec, and a rental car from $1,109 per person. Over the summer, Maxxim's <a href="http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2006/07/13/AR2006071301046.html" target="_blank">Prince Edward Island package</a> caught our eye: airfare, three nights, and rental car from $749 per person. Both packages are still up for grabs.

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Philadelphia, PA: A friend and I are unable to find group tours to Corsica, other than Kalliste Tours, which costs almost $7,000 for one week (without airfare)! We could go at any time of the year. Independent travel is not an option because neither of us likes to drive, and we understand that train and public bus transportation on the island are infrequent.

BT Editors: Yikes! While group tours to Corsica are hard to come by, you shouldn't have to settle for such a hefty tab. In spring and summer 2007, <a href="http://www.adventurecenter.com/Explore/trip/cvc&var=13325" target="_blank">Adventure Center</a> has a seven-night trip to Calvi, Corsica, with guided walks, breakfast daily, and five dinners from $790 per person (airfare is additional). It would also be worth contacting <a href="http://www.visit-corsica.com/grand_public/" target="_blank">Corsica's tourism board</a>. Their deals section has no current listings for U.S. travelers, but they may know of tour operators that offer trips to Corsica. Good luck!

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Trip Coach: October 3, 2006

<h2>A spirit-lifting adventure in Kentucky and Tennessee</h2><ul><li>In Louisville hop between three of the city’s best restaurants. You’ll be served up dynamic dishes carefully curated by top chefs and each paired with a cocktail.</li><li>Take a Historic walking village tour with a local guide at a Shaker village followed by a farm to table lunch.</li><li>Visit a whiskey distillery for a tour and tasting in the heart of Kentucky's bourbon country.</li><li>Discover where country music started with a backstage tour of Grand Ole Opry and walk in the steps of country stars.</li><li>Embrace a piece of Nashville’s culture on an afternoon dedicated to bourbon and barbecue, sampling a tempting array of smoked meats paired with southern spirits.</li><li>Pay a visit to some of Nashville’s most photogenic and colourful murals with a stop along the way for a donut at a local bakery.</li></ul><h1>Budget Travel readers get 15% OFF Use Intrepid coupon code: 691016</h1>
Read <a href="https://www.budgettravel.com/intrepid-coupon-terms-and-conditions" target="_blank">Terms and Conditions</a>

Intrepid

Kentucky Food Trail to Nashville

<h2>Stay at a famous South Dakota lodge surrounded by nature. </h2>
<ul><li>Enjoy a scenic drive through the changing landscape of Badlands National Park and join your leader on one of the park’s best hikes.</li><li>Explore Pine Ridge Reservation with a Lakota guide and learn about the Oglala Lakota people then enjoy lunch at a Lakota-owned restaurant serving traditional foods.</li><li>Jump in a jeep with an expert guide to see buffalo up close in Custer State Park along with other animals like pronghorns and elk.</li><li>Dine on artisan plates and sample fine local drops during a wine tasting at a winery that has a fifth-generation female winemaker.</li><li>Marvel at Mount Rushmore where a hike will take you up close to this famous mountain sculpture.</li></ul><h1>Budget Travel readers get 15% OFF Use Intrepid coupon code: 691016</h1>
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South Dakota Lodge Stay

Janesville is a city in southern Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Rock County, is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison-Janesville-Beloit, WI Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 63,575.

Mountain bluffs in Janesville, Wisconsin

Established in 1998 as America’s favorite Go-To travel magazine, Budget Travel inspires and empowered millions of Americans to become savvy travelers and see more for less. For over two decades, Budget Travel has provided readers with the how-to advice they won’t find elsewhere: Destinations where the dollar goes the farthest; authentic, under-the-radar tips; and a template for getting the most from each travel experience. We focus on U.S. domestic travel, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, road trips, cool small towns, American cities of all sizes, weekend getaways, theme parks, cruises, national and state parks, round-ups of the best budget destinations, island escapes, start-today tips and how-to stories. Budget travel is not about cheap places and backpacking, it is about creating the best travel memories with whatever money you have. That's why our new site experience integrates a private booking platform with discounts of up to 50% in all sorts of hotels, from 5-stars, chic boutique hotels, and even motels.

<title>Budget Travel | Janesville</title>

Janesville

Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 36,966 people.

Beloit

Whitewater is a city located in Walworth and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located near the southern portion of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Whitewater is the home of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 14,390, which includes 11,150 in Walworth County and 3,240 in Jefferson County.

Whitewater

The Delevan National Wildlife Refuge is one of six refuges in the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex in the Sacramento Valley of central northern California.

Delevan

Cambridge is a village in Dane (mostly) and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,457 at the 2010 census. Of this, 1,348 were in Dane County, and 109 were in Jefferson County.
The Dane County portion of Cambridge is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jefferson County portion is part of the Watertown–Fort Atkinson Micropolitan Statistical Area.

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