I’m usually wary of passing along predictions for the new year. After all, did anyone last Jan. 5 foresee how we’d end 2008?

But here’s news about Hawaii travel that’s likely to put a smile on your face.

The savvy folks at the Best of Hawaii blog offers six predictions for 2009 travel to the 50th state. To sum it up in one word: bargains.

Expect once-in-a-decade deals through spring, they say. Of course, you need to be smart about when to go and when to buy. For example, summer deals will be hard to find.

And counter to most recent trends, waiting until the last second may really pay off in big savings. The predictions are based on a huge drop in visitation. Hawaii’s eager for visitors and will cut prices to attract them. Don't be afraid to bargain once you're on the ground.

The Hawaii blog often highlights deals, so make sure to check there. But it’s also worth surfing over to Airfare Watchdog, one of my favorite cheap ticket sites.

To put you in the mood, here's Bruddah Iz (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole), playing a classic.

It’s not clear why we celebrate New Year’s by dropping things. The Times Square Ball is, of course, the most famous. But in recent years, the variety of falling objects to mark midnight has become a can-you-top-this-drop race.

Consider your coastal options this year.

In Key West, a conch and a giant red shoe holding a drag queen will drop to mark 2009. In Port Clinton, Ohio, it’s a larger-than-life walleye (video below). In Eastport, Maine, it’s a sardine and a maple leaf – the latter drops on Atlantic time, the former on Eastern.

Panama City, Florida will host its first-ever beach-ball drop; Havre de Grace, Maryland, will launch a duck decoy, while Miami drops an orange; Easton, Maryland, a crab; and New Orleans, is ditching its gumbo pot for a fleur de lis.

The West Coast seems unusually staid when it comes to object-dropping. Have we missed your favorite drop? Let us know in the comments below.

If you really love New Year’s Eve, two Florida beach towns have teamed up to let you celebrate it twice in one night.

Port St. Joe celebrates in the Eastern Time Zone. Mexico Beach parties in the Central. Since they’re only a few miles apart, you can start your new year in one, and then go back in time to celebrate it again an hour later.

The local chamber of commerce makes zone hopping easy with a free trolley connecting party spots along the beach. Stops include: The Thirsty Goat at the Port Inn, The Haughty Heron, The Lookout Lounge, Toucans, El Governor, Amanda's Bistro, Mango Marley's and everywhere in between.

This area of Florida is called the Forgotten Coast, so don’t expect some black-tie and champagne affairs. Just packed bars and lots of dancing.

When the morning after comes (it always does, doesn’t it), you’ll be able to spend New Year’s Day on some of the state’s prettiest beaches.

Do you have coastal New Year’s traditions? Share them in the comments below.

What is it about New Year’s Day that makes people want to jump into freezing water?

Across the world, groups of daredevils dive into the new year with a frigid jump into the sea.

So-called polar bear swims are scheduled on Jan. 1 in Coney Island, N.Y.; Huntington Beach, Calif; Toronto; Chicago; Milwaukee; and many, many other places.

Usually the activity is open to the public and presented as a charity fundraiser. That way you can feel good about starting the year with a case of hypothermia.

I had a personal brush with this phenomenon many years ago. I was living in Vancouver, B.C., which claims to have the oldest Polar Bear Club in the world. My younger (and not always wiser) brother was spending the holiday with me. When New Year’s came around, he announced his intention to join the club with a dip in English Bay.

My wife and I dutifully hauled him out there, and found a huge crowd (video below). We guided him to a tent where he navigated past inebriated revelers and stripped down to his bathing suit. It was below freezing that day, and he had to carefully walk across snow to reach the water. When a signal sounded he joined the crowd in a frozen dash into the sea.

An hour later, when he was toweled off and we were heading back home, I had to ask: “Why did you do it.”

His answer spoke volumes.

“I was bored.”

Have you ever taken a polar bear swim? Why? Help us understand in the comments below.

Photo: Bowen Bay swim by Smith via Flickr

Perhaps right after winning the lottery, running a tiny island hotel tops many people’s fantasy list.

After all, what could be more relaxing than hanging out in a hammock by day, and entertaining an endless parade of fascinating guests at the bar at night?

If only.

The job's a far cry from city life, sure, but it's no endless vacation.

A recent Washington Post story explored what it’s like to run such a place, in this case the Hix Island House on the island of Vieques in Puerto Rico.

Manager Bob Gevinski kind of fell into the job. A former freelance photographer, he met the owners during shoots on the island. They needed a manager, and eventually the offer came to him.

He describes a life punctuated with picking up guests, resurfacing the pool, and replacing shower fixtures –- all next to some of the nicest beaches in the Caribbean.

"There are moments of panic," he told Post writer Andrea Sachs, "but at the end of the day, I never say, I wish I were doing something else, I wish I were in a skyscraper in New York City, working the phones."

I kind of suspected that Caribbean hotels had their challenges after reading a beach-novel classic, Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk.

The lead character gives up a Manhattan lifestyle to take over a Caribbean hotel, but is soon overwhelmed with the reality of paying off officials, catering to the crazy whims of guests, and calming unstable workers.

The story’s fun, if not a little dated. No other than Jimmy Buffet made it into a musical a decade ago.

Miami tourism leaders are betting that a movie from India will bring a wave of new visitors to South Florida.

The Miami-Dade County tourism bureau recently sponsored screenings in Mumbai of a new Bollywood movie called Dostana (music video below). It was filmed in Miami, and includes shots of the city’s skyline and beaches.

The Florida city's hopes aren’t that far-fetched. Indian tourism to the Swiss Alps skyrocketed after Bollywood directors began filming in the region. I remember being amazed finding an Indian restaurant in the Jungfrau observatory on a Swiss mountain top.

Dostana seems to be a typical Bollywood film with elaborate dance and song scenes.

But there’s a twist: The plot involves two men who pretend to be gay so they can share an apartment with the gorgeous niece of a landlady. It sounds like Three’s Company goes Asian, but the frank acceptance of a gay couple is raising eyebrows in conservative India.

Miami doesn’t seem to mind the controversy. It just hopes that it will soon attract wealthy tourists, ready to spend their rupees on a Florida vacation.

“It portrayed Miami as a fun, bright, interesting place to be,'' the head of Miami’s film office told the Miami Herald. ``Miami could have been a fourth character in the film. How bad could that be?”

Has a movie ever inspired you to take a trip? Let us know in the comments below.

Anyone can plop in front of the TV after Christmas and spend the final days of the year in a football-induced stupor.

Instead, why not head to Anchorage and see what can be created from a little H2O, freezing temperatures and a whole lot of imagination.

From December 26-28, ice sculptors will bring chisels and chainsaws to the city’s Town Square Park to fashion blocks of ice into works of art during the annual Crystal Gallery of Ice event.

The blue-diamond ice is cut out of a pit in Fairbanks and taken by rail down to Anchorage. Each can weigh up to two tons and had to be moved with a forklift.

If you’ve never seen ice carving, you’re in for an amazing experience. Artists have just a few days to work, so many are out in the middle of the night. Visitors are welcome 24 hours a day to watch the magic unfold.

In a matter of hours, the sculptors create animals, buildings, and fantastical creatures. Judging is at 5 p.m. Dec. 28, and then the entries remain on display into March. A special children’s ice park includes slides, and other interactive creations.

Photo: Thanks Alaskanization blog

With the holidays soon upon us, one’s mind turns to … sweets.

I’m always up for something new, and today I’m thinking of handmade peppermints from Bruce’s Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach, Ore.

Known as Humbugs, these aren’t mass-produced candy canes or glorified Tic Tacs, but British-style treats that have developed a cult following.

Bruce’s, which has been around since 1963, already has a loyal clientele for its taffy (dozens of flavors include molasses, huckleberry and chocolate peanut butter) caramel popcorn, and enough penny candies to keep you on a sugar high until 2010.

Humbugs, which are cream and peppermint hard candies, were developed for a Dickens festival 35 years ago. They proved so popular, they’ve remained a seasonal treat ever since.

The company only makes 200 pounds of the candy, which is then cut into 174,000 irregularly shaped pieces on a century-old machine.

Humbugs sound like they’re worth a trip alone – and the windswept Oregon Coast can make a cozy place to spend the holidays. The web site doesn’t list the candies now, but it may be updated soon. In the meantime, you can call 503-436-2641 [number corrected] to order.

Do you have a favorite coastal candy? Let us know in the comments.

Ellipticals and treadmills may provide a workout, but they don’t offer much scenery. Every time I get on one (which isn’t often enough), I can’t help but think that I’ve stepped into a Jetsons episode.

That’s what intrigues me about a workout called Stand-Up Paddleboarding. A cross between gondolier paddling and wind surfing, the sport exercises your core and upper body while you glide across the water – and work on a great tan.

The sport has been popular in Hawaii and California, and is now taking South Florida by storm. Exercisers use a wide surfboard and generally try to keep to flat water – usually at sunrise or sunset. Of course, you can try it in surf, but you’re probably going to be spending a lot more time in the water than on top of it.

Many surf shops offer lessons, so forget the hotel gym on your next trip and head to the beach. You'll be walking on water in no time.

Photo: South Florida Adventures

Mid December is a time when thoughts turn to diving. But forget some typical tropical locale. How about diving beneath ice?

A new tour offered by Arctic Kingdom promises hardy divers a look at pristine shipwrecks and abandoned villages beneath Canada’s St. Lawrence Seaway. No, this isn’t just some crazy stunt. The cold water offers gin-clear visibility. And divers are layered in special thick wetsuits to ward off instant hypothermia.

Unlike a ship dive in Bonaire, this trip takes some special preparation. Divers must use an airboat to approach the site because the craft has to cross both ice and water. Take note adventurers: The outfitter claims this is the only opportunity in the world to dive from an airboat.

In fact it’s these treacherous conditions that make the area, near the 1,000 Islands, so rich for diving. In the past 400 years, hundreds of schooners, barges, and paddle wheelers have sunk in the area, many victims of ice floes.

As for the villages, they were inundated 50 years ago, when the St. Lawrence Seaway opened. The waterway is a series of canals that link the Great Lakes with the Atlantic ocean. Divers can see sidewalks, railbeds, a canal system with locks, and even a hydroelectric station that has remained submerged for half a century.

The six-day, five-night adventure starts in Ottawa, and includes ice dive preparation before hitting open water. It runs $2,800 per person, and is available January through March. Book by January 15, and you’ll get a free down expedition jacket, which usually costs more than $500.

Something tells me you’ll need it.

As Christmas approaches, communities welcome the holiday in their own special way. On the coast, it usually involves lights, carols and yachts.

It was a century ago, that an Italian gondolier decorated his boat with Japanese lanterns and took visitors across Newport Bay, Calif. The sight was as popular from land as sea, and the Christmas boat parade was born. Now Newport Beach hosts one of the biggest celebrations, running this year from December 17-21.

Today, swanky yachts, small schooners, and even kayaks deck their hulls and parade through Newport Harbor. Landlubbers can catch the action from almost anywhere on shore. One popular spot, the Balboa Fun Zone, offers commentary on the parade along with harbor history. Reserve a table at Balboa Bay Club & Resort, The Chart House, or another waterfront restaurant for an evening of “light” dining.

The idea has taken off across the country. There are too many celebrations to mention here, but if you find yourself on the Mississippi Gulf Coast on December 11, you can find a great example in Gulfport. Founded just eight years ago, Christmas on the Bayou, is one of many festivals keeping the tradition alive.

For more revelry on the coast, check out our top 10 list of holiday celebrations.

Going on vacation doesn’t mean you can’t go green.

A new peer-reviewed report by the Union of Concerned Scientists weighs the best and worst travel options for your trip. There are lots of nuances based on the number of people traveling, and the distance covered, but boiled down, it comes to this: The most Earth-friendly option is a bus. The least, flying first-class.

Ouch.

But there are plenty of ways to reduce your carbon-footprint when you’re venturing off to leave footprints in the sand.

A chart summarizing the report, called Getting There Green, shows that buses are the best option all the time. And trains are eco-friendly too. But they're not always the best bet. On trips of more than 1,000 miles, solo travelers and couples will be kinder to the Earth flying nonstop economy than taking to the rails.

And the SUV isn’t as evil as you think. For a family of four, it’s a better option than a train or airline.

The organization calculated the amount of carbon dioxide generated for trips ranging from 100 to 3,000 miles. On average, we rack up 1,200 miles on a typical vacation.

Photo: Stig Nygaard via Flickr

There’s no shortage of beaches in Florida. Pretty ones at that.

But with so many options, where to start? Today, Hole in the Donut blogger Barbara Weibel focuses on the shore near Tampa and St. Petersburg.

The area offers an array of choices, from St. Pete Beach to Caladesi Island, recently named the nation’s best beach. Barbara didn’t like that as much as Honeymoon Beach, near Dunedin.

One of her favorites, though, was Clearwater Beach. It “had the softest, whitest sand of any of Florida’s Gulfcoast beaches that I visited.”

But at the end, she comes out in favor of her hometown, Sarasota, about 45 miles south of St. Pete. “I still think that Lido Beach and Siesta Key … have them all beat.”

Check on the blog, and then when you’re ready to book a trip, visit the state’s thorough tourism site, Visit Florida, for more information.

Airfares may be down, but holiday travelers have another expense to anticipate this season: the checked bag fee.

Every airline’s policy differs, but if you're checking luggage, hold on to your wallet. That’s particularly annoying this time of year when even the carry-on-only folks will be packing presents, and may not to be able to wrestle that new Wii for the nephew on board.

This chart from Expedia helps put the baggage fees into perspective. If all other things are equal (route, schedule, fare), it pays to pick a flight on Southwest, jetBlue, Alaska or Virgin America, which don’t charge a fee for the first checked bag. (Southwest  is alone in not charging for a second bag either.)

Three other things to think about while you’re waiting in line to pay your fee.

* Not all airline scales are accurate. So even if you weigh your bag at home and it’s under 50 pounds, it might tip the scale at the airport and cost you a bundle more.

* A recent piece by the Wall Street Journal reveals that, on average, it costs airlines about $15 to ship your bag. Since that’s what most airlines charge, the companies’ fees are really just covering its expenses. (Except of course, they’re now charging for something that used to be gratis.)

* If the airline really screws up, losing or delaying your bag, employees are pretty generous about refunding the fee.

Photo: sun dazed via Flickr

On a gray, rainy December day, I could use a bit of sunshine. Or just a taste.

That’s what makes me want to try a fruit juice from Hawaii called POG.

The letters stand for Passionfruit, Orange and Guava. And the sweet syrupy taste has made it a favorite in the Aloha state.

Make no mistake. This Meadow Gold dairy product is no high-end, sip-from-crystal concoction. You’ll find POG in grocery stores and 7-Elevens. Like other Hawaiian treats (shave ice, plate lunch, spam), at first it might seem kind of low-end to a Mainlander, but there’s no denying its authenticity. Or its appeal.

Some folks even mix it with vodka for POG-a-tini.

Hawaii magazine recently offered a recipe for those who want to concoct their own version at home. After a scientific POG-off, the staffers thought it came close, but wasn’t quite the real deal.

You can pick up a carton of POG in some West Coast cities, but for the rest of us, it’s an only-in-Hawaii treat.

Any POG fans out there? Tell me what I'm missing.

Photo: Hawaii magazine

Halloween may be over, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be spooked on the coast.

Wannabe ghost hunters should head to St. Augustine, Florida, this weekend or next for a night time visit to the 134-year-old lighthouse.

The popular Dark of the Moon tour explores the historic beacon’s haunted history, which has been featured on national television shows, such as Ghost Hunters.

Tour guides claim they’ve heard someone climbing the tower steps, but the footfalls fade away, and no one appears at the top of the tower. This lighthouse's collection of spirits also apparently includes a prankish girl in the keeper's dwelling, a tall man in the basement, and a merchandise-disturbing poltergeist in the gift shop. And visitors often detect the scent of cigar smoke.

According to the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, seven people known to have died on the lighthouse grounds, so there’s no telling who’s doing the haunting.

Not sure why, but ghosts seem to love beacons. Our roundup of top ten Haunted Lighthouses gets some of the best traffic on our web site.

It couldn’t be the spirts Googling us, could it?

Have you ever been spooked in a lighthouse? Let us know in the comments.

I love nothing more than strolling across a bridge.

It's a great way to get exercise and bridges offer extraordinary views. Usually you get a full sweep of a city skyline, and if you’re lucky, you’ll also get wind in your hair, sunshine on your face, and a view of chuffing freighters below.

My favorite bridge walk so far is the Brooklyn. But if I was on the Georgia coast this weekend, I’d be sure to line up for a once-a-year chance to walk across the Talmadge Memorial Bridge, left.

Usually, the span's off limits to pedestrians, but on Saturday morning, up to 4,000 runners (and strollers) will hit the bridge deck for a festive crossing of the Savannah River.

The cable-stayed bridge is a joy to behold. Its span stretches 1.4 miles, and it peaks at 196 feet above water. The 5.5 percent grade makes it a good workout for everyone. Events include 5K and 10K runs. Runners compete for glory. But others are welcome to enjoy the walk.

If you can’t make it, you don’t have to wait until next year for a great southeast bridge walk.

About 100 miles up the road, you’ll fine the similar Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge in Charleston. It hosts a huge run in April, and it’s open to pedestrians year round.

Others on my must-walk bridge list: the Golden Gate and Mackinac.

Do you have a favorite bridge walk? Share it in the comments below.

Whether you voted for him or not, lots of folks are pinning their hopes on an Obama administration – and that includes the travel industry.

The President-elect’s home state of Hawaii has launched a web site devoted to its native son. It points to spots he has visited during return trips to Oahu, where he grew up.

Turns out he’s a pretty typical visitor, catching a tour of Pearl Harbor, and swimming at Hanauma Bay. But it does give some dining suggestions, including the Rainbow Drive-In plate lunch and shave ice on the North Shore. For more tips, visit this San Francisco Chronicle article – “Where would Obama eat?”

Not to be left out, his home city of Chicago has also hopes to attract Obama tourists.

Visitors are flocking to his haunts on the Southside of Chicago, including his bookstore, barber shop, and deli, reports ABC News. Some are even ordering his favorite “garbage pizza” from Medici restaurant.

Meanwhile, the President-elect’s new home town is gearing up for Obama-mania. 

I was just in Washington, D.C., and the city’s eager for inauguration day. Hotels are sold out. T-shirt vendors have an array of clothing on display, and there’s even a Barack-in-the-Box. Turn the handle and the toy plays “Hail to the Chief,” and then a president pops up.

This place is great for dogs! The hotel was clean, smelled nice, the staff was friendly, and my pug Steve loved the spacious, comfortable room (pictured left).

Another bonus: Great location. The hotel was just around the block from King Neptune's Seafood. This no frills, friendly spot was already picked as one our favorite Seafood Dives for their amazing fried feasts, but if you're looking
for something different, try their Greek style Tilapia fish with feta, spinach, and garlic. It comes with two sides and large Greek salad.

The beach was a short drive down the road. Although dogs are not allowed on the actual beach, there is a nice boardwalk with plenty of wooden benches to sit with your pup and enjoy the view.

If you’re like me, the holidays would just not be the same without your pup.

This Thanksgiving, I hope to introduce my pug, Steve, to the ocean waves and sandy spaces of Gulf Shores, Alabama.

And thanks to the La Quinta Inn, Steve can stay at the hotel for free!

If you’re in need of a pet friendly room, check out pets welcome, dog friendly, or pet friendly travel for a list of possible spots at your destination.

Stay posted for my thoughts on the La Quinta Inn. And taking pugs to the beach...

Crazy economy or not, we’re coming up on Black Friday, and I just bet some of you will be out there shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

Well, here’s a way to save money without getting up at 4 a.m. to line up outside Best Buy. Just wait until you’re in coastal territory to haul out your credit card.

Alaska, Delaware, New Hampshire and Oregon are among the few states that don’t charge sales tax. (Montana’s the only other). Shop there and your $99.99 steal of a deal will really cost $99.99 and not nearly $110.

OK, maybe it’s too late to change your holiday plans. But if you’re heading to Boston, L.A., Miami, San Francisco, New York, Washington, D.C., or Atlanta, in the next month, there’s still a possible bargain in your future.

Intercontinental hotels in those cities offer their guests free shipping of one box weighing up to 30 pounds. The offer’s available to those staying between Nov. 28 and Jan. 3, with room rates of $199 or more. Also, you must have purchased the goods you're shipping on the trip. No trying to sneak around airline baggage fees.

So hit the Shops at Columbus Circle at the Time Warner Center (a little corporate plug there), or wander Rodeo Drive. Haul it back to your hotel and send it on its way.

Photo: ktylerconk via Flickr

Hotels have long since realized that their towels don’t disappear in washing machines. They’ve gone home with guests.

Although it has probably been a problem since Chaucer’s road trip to Canterbury, a new San Francisco hotel aims to take the shame out of stealing from your innkeeper.

The Fusion Hotel is offering guests who stay three nights a free towel emblazoned with “"I didn't steal my towel from Hotel Fusion."

It’s clever advertising, but so are the amnesty programs offered periodically by hotels. Holiday Inn’s towel return program was so successful that it led to a book, About the Towels, We Forgive You.

But let’s hope it doesn’t encourage more hotel thievery.

I once heard of a family whose last name began with R stealing the monogrammed drapes and bedspread from a Ramada Inn. (This was in the 70s, when personalized red velour was the height of fashion, apparently).

So just in case, you don’t know, here are hotel etiquette tips your mom should have taught you:

• You’re not Keith Richards. No trashing your room
• It’s a free breakfast, not a daily buffet to stock up for lunch, snacks, and dinner too
• Don’t lie about how many people are staying in your room
• Leave a tip for the maid

Fess up. Have you ever lifted something from a hotel. Tell us in the comments below.

Thanks: Gadling; Photo: Tombothetominator via Flickr

Forget saving historic buildings, or even the auto industry, for a minute. We may have a real crisis on our hands: Could the Po-Boy be in danger of extinction?

Or so say fans of New Orleans favorite sandwich. (Don’t worry muffuletta, you have friends too -- but if you have a festival I haven't found it yet. Anybody know of one?)

This weekend the Po-Boy Preservation Society sponsors its second annual Po-Boy Fest. The street celebration offers an array of 30 vendors so you can sample the Crescent City’s finest. See if you agree with the judges when they name the “Golden Loaf” award.

An art show provides a chance to pick up holiday presents. Kids activities include a Po-Boy photo booth, and, of course this being New Orleans, there’s great music all afternoon.

The fun’s on Sunday Nov. 23, from noon to 6 P.M. along a five-block section of Oak Street between Carrollton Avenue and Leonidas Street.

You can even attend a food lecture on the history of the storied sandwich, traditionally built on a loaf of Louisiana French bread. Festival organizers trace its origins to Martin Brothers’ Coffee Stand and Restaurant, which opened in the French Quarter in 1922. The Martins were street car conductors and supported their former colleagues by offering them sandwiches during a prolonged strike in 1929. Apparently, when the workers came for food, the cry went up that another “poor boy” had come for nourishment.

Now the crisp rolls are filled with anything from shrimp, oyster and catfish, to soft-shell crabs, ham and cheese, and even French fries.

As for extinction, I don't know. The sandwich seems to be thriving. Somehow I'm thinking the main thing the society is going to preserve is the waistline of hungry visitors ...

How I wish I were in Seattle this weekend.

ExOfficio, one of the top makers of travel clothing, has a sample sale today through Saturday, Nov. 22. Prices begin at $5

Travelers prize the sturdy gear because many of the products wick moisture, offer UV protection and even repel insects. It all started more than 20 years ago with a ventilated fly-fisherman's shirt, designed “with lots of pockets that would look good enough to go into a restaurant.”

Since then I’ve seen it worn all over the world, from Costa Rica to Cleveland.

The sale is held at the company’s corporate headquarters, 3314 South 116th Street in Tukwila, Washington. Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and tomorrow, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. It’s cash only, and if you bring a non-perishable food donation, you’ll get $5 off. Plus, if you bring your own bag you can be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate.

The company’s close enough to Sea-Tac airport that you could probably drop by during a layover. But as much as I love deals, I won't be flying in for the occasion.

For those of us who can’t make the sale, what’s your favorite clothing for travel? Let us know in the comments.

Thanks: WanderlustAndLipstick

Today, folks traveling through Virginia, Chicago, and Seattle got an early holiday gift: new runways at the busiest airports.

CNN reports that Washington Dulles International now has a fourth runway.

Chicago's O'Hare, which I call the delay capital of the US, is opening a new runway as part of a larger (and much needed) "modernization" program.

And Seattle-Tacoma International's new (third) runway will allow more flights to take off and land during their delay-loving-inclement climate.

Now, what about some project runway in New York?

James Bond may be the ultimate traveler.

He visits some of the stunning places on the planet, meets fascinating (and beautiful) people, and packs some of the coolest gear in his carry-on.

Over his career, 007 has gone from Monte Carlo to Hong Kong; Greece to Guatemala. Find a partial list of locations here, and detailed coverage of his Caribbean haunts here. His new movie, Quantum of Solace, adds more locations, with scenes filmed in Italy, Chile, and Peru. In my next career, I want to be a location scout for Bond film-makers.

But Mr. Bond also knows how to relax. Some of his most memorable adventures took place in coastal locations. This slide show from MSN mentions a few, including Panama City; Ocho Rio, Jamaica; Miami Beach; Nassau, Bahamas; and the swamps of Louisiana.

Of course, the real center of the Bond world may be Goldeneye. The Jamaica villa belonged to Ian Fleming, creator of the Bond franchise. In fact, several of the agent’s adventures were written there. Now it’s an exclusive hotel, where you’ll stirred, if not shaken.

Photo: Bond (Daniel Craig) jumps ship in Panama City

Beginning tomorrow, families (small children, strollers, those who need medical assistance, new flyers) and travelers who require more than 3-ounces of liquid medication, will enjoy the "family lane" to all destinations.

The TSA reported that the family lane will be at every airport security checkpoint in the country to give more time to those who need it.

Hopefully this means shorter security lines for casual and frequent flyers, and less stress for all of us.

American Airlines is experimenting with a new, fast way to get travelers in the air.

Selected itineraries from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Santa Ana will have the option of showing their boarding pass via cell phone.

Here's how it works:

Check into aa.com and choose "email boarding pass for use on cell phone" and email it to yourself.

Check your email and follow directions to save the boarding pass to your device.

Once at security, show the barcode and proceed to your gate!

Hopefully, this new method will save all of us a little time, and paper. Have you used the cell phone boarding pass? If so, let us know in the comments below.

Like most people who love travel, I love maps. And I also don’t like to have cold hands.

So what could be more perfect than mittens that guide your way?

Actually, these Michigan Mittens, won’t help you find your way to I-75, but they make a great gift.

As any Michiganer will tell you, their state looks like a mitten. Ask them their hometown, or where Traverse City is located and they’ll hold up a hand like a traffic cop and point to their pinkie.

The Polar Fleece (I understand it gets cold in Michigan …) pair comes with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the left palm and the Lower Peninsula on the right palm. Wool is also available. Sizes are limited, but check out their site, give them a call, and see if they can find a fit.

Maps on gloves might sound weird, but the Victorians were using them more than a century ago. Take a look at this map from London's 1851 Great Exhibition.

Thanks: Cartophilia

Long gone are the CD sets for language learning. In the MP3 player era, downloadable versions reign.

Collins iPod phrasebooks can be downloaded to an iPod Classic or iPod Nano. To meet your travel needs, each phrasebook contains almost 500 foreign phrases, divided into categories like accommodations, business travel, and emergencies.

Learn the phrases while traveling to your destination or use them immediately. Users can hear a native speaker say the phrase while seeing how it’s written on the screen.

Downloads currently available for English to French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, or Mandarin.

Photo by Andrew* via Flickr

This holiday season, hop aboard the "Thanksgiving express lane" in the sky.

President Bush plans to open two additional corridors of airspace from Florida to Maine during the busiest travel days surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The airspace, usually reserved for military exercises, will hopefully reduce congestion and flight delays for the estimated 24 million of us traveling around Thanksgiving alone.

The Pentagon opened the airspace last year with okay results, but noted in todays CNN report most delays are blamed on a lack of traffic control personnel and the need for more airports.

It’s a Monday morning, so I bet I’m not alone in needing another dose of caffeine.

But if you woke up in a hotel room today, you might not have gotten the best cup of java possible. After all, you’re working with a simple contraption, not some $1,000 espresso machine.

Don’t despair. A passable cup of joe is still within reach. Here are tips on making one from Budget Travel, which took suggestions from a Cooks Illustrated article and adapted them for the less-than-ideal conditions of hotel brewing.

Problem: Most coffee makers don’t get the water hot enough. The ideal temperature is about 200 degrees.

Solution: Pre-heating. Let your maker heat a carafe of water first, and then pour that back into the maker for actual brewing.

Problem: Bitter brew

Solution: Don’t let the brewed coffee sit on the burner, where it will go bad quickly. Once you have a serving prepared, pour it in your cup and start sipping. To avoid that water-all-over-the bureau mess, have something (a second cup) there to temporarily catch the drip while you’re pouring your first cup.  It’s a fancy maneuver, especially before your first cup of coffee, but you can master it.

As for the whitener that tastes like sawdust, you might want to sneak a pint of milk in your minibar fridge.

Have any tips for making that first cup palatable? Share in the comments below.

Photo: Randy Son of Robert via Flickr

This post is a little late given that Veteran’s Day was Tuesday, but it’s still timely, and a great cause.

A non-profit group, Vacations for Veterans, founded by two Marines, helps organize getaways for Purple Heart recipients. More than 30,000 soldiers have earned that distinction during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, reports AARP Bulletin.

It’s a great idea, but it only works with the help of folks that have a vacation home, and are willing to support the cause. The charity serves as a clearing house for all kinds of accommodations, from condos to villas to resort properties.

The idea might seem strange at first, but think about it. Most of us yearn for vacation for a break from work pressures. Could there be any more pressure-filled job than going to combat, and returning home with injuries.

“Each wounded veteran faces new challenges: readjusting, rebuilding their lives, and reconnecting with their families,” the group says. "For many of our wounded veterans, time away to rejuvenate is a luxury that is often unattainable and unaffordable.”

Your donation of vacation home time, or money, is tax deductible.

Photo: Participating rental in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Visitors to Vancouver can now skip through the treetops on a new forest canopy walk through a temperate rain forest.

The Greenheart Canopy Walkway stretches more than 1,000 feet Aluminum platforms and cables lead between firs and cedars, giving visitors an eagle’s eye view of the forest.

The walkway is a glorified suspension bridge, so there’s some swaying and bouncing. It’s either a lot of fun, or unnerving depending on your outlook. And soon even the mobility-impaired will be able to take the tour on a modified canopy wheelchair.

Vancouver’s long overdue for a canopy walk since the Greenheart Conservation Company, which builds walkways around the world, is based in the coastal city. Guess you could call this a demonstration project.

Canopy tourism developed in the 1980s, and began to boom about decade later, first in Costa Rica. A scholar says the trend has helped preserve ecosystems that would otherwise have been cut down for pastures.

That’s not a problem in Vancouver proper, where the new canopy walk cuts above part of the University of British Columbia botanical garden in West Vancouver. The walk costs $20 CDN for adults, and is open throughout the year.

Have you ever ziplined or explored a forest canopy? Share your experiences and tips in the comments section.

Photo: Joshua b Lewis via Flickr

Want to learn cooking techniques from Top Chef contestants Richard Blais and Casey Thompson? Or care to learn wine and food pairing tips from Ted Allen of Food Detectives?

Then hit up the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival happening now through this Sunday. The event includes 15 celebrity chef cooking and wine classes with hands-on instruction. Look at the schedule for varying class times and locations.

If you can only attend one day, be sure to go this Saturday, November 15 for the Grand Tasting at Embarcadero Marina Park North. Sample cuisine from over 60 of San Diego’s top chefs and 30 gourmet food companies. Wash it down with tastes of 700 different wines from 160 wine and spirit suppliers. Except, don’t taste all 700.

Take a break from stuffing your belly to bid in the auctions (proceeds benefit the American Institute of Wine & Food scholarship programs), have cookbooks signed, and watch the Chef of the Fest competition.

Only drawback: Tickets cost $100 in advance or $125 at the festival. Save a few bucks by being a designated driver, paying only $60 in advance or $100 at the festival.

Pictured: 2007 Chef of the Fest contestants.
Photo from World of Wine Event.

The new Eat Well Guide offers a list of local, sustainable options in cities across the United States.

Before you take off on a road trip to the coast, type in your starting and ending points into the Eat Well Everywhere Travel Map.

The map will highlight potentially hundreds of restaurants, tourism sites, grocery stores, and venues that meet sustainable standards.

And keep the green vibe going with a stay at one of our favorite eco-friendly lodging options. Do you have a favortie eco-friendly stop? Tell us about it in the comments below.

*photo courtesy of eatwellguide.org

I just bought tickets for Thanksgiving, and once again was amazed by the beauty of what has become one of my favorite travel sites.

Tripit.com effortlessly organizes your itinerary, providing a simple page with all your flight numbers, times, confirmation codes, and other niggling details that usually end up scribbled on Post-It notes. Cost: $0.

Here’s how it works: First, create a free account on Tripit. Then, next time you buy a ticket on, say, Coastal Living airlines (coming soon to beach near you), have the airline send you an email with the itinerary. Once you get it, just hit “forward” and send it to Tripit. Do the same with hotel and rental car confirmations. Tripit strips out your information, and creates a slick itinerary with all your details.

Good bye Post-its.

You can share the itinerary with anyone – coworkers, family, etc. It’s always accessible online, although I like to print out a copy or two to carry with me and to tuck into checked luggage in case it’s lost.

Having all your travel details together is one less thing to worry about. Especially when you’re dragging the family to an airport on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

(By the way, if you’ve been hesitant to take a trip over the holidays, check the fares. You’ll be surprised how much some have dropped. But if you’re planning on a Turkey Day trip, buy tickets today because it’s nearly 14 days before the holiday. After tomorrow, prices will rise.)

Photo: eHow.com

If location is the basis of real estate, Seattle’s new Four Seasons hotel keeps great company. It’s located a block from the city’s top tourist attraction, Pike Place Market, and across the street from the Seattle Art Museum.

The hotel, which opened last week, marks the return of the luxury chain to the Emerald City. The former Four Seasons became a Fairmont hotel in 2003. The new one shows the company isn’t looking back.

Like many hotel projects of late, this one mixes condos and hotel rooms. The 147-room hotel takes up floors 3 to 10 of the 21-story building. Expect the usual over-the-top amenities including spa, infinity edge outdoor pool, plus a TV embedded behind the bathroom mirror. Your teeth brushing will never be the same.

You can also expect views of Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains and the city skyline. The standard rate is $365 per night, but until April 1, the hotel’s offering the third night free.

I stayed in a similar Four Seasons hotel-condo property in Houston last month. And I was in good company. Accompanying me up the elevator one Thursday night: Dan Aykroyd.

No telling if the law will change under the new administration, but right now it’s illegal for U.S. citizens to visit the communist island nation.

So how to get a taste of Old Havana without drawing the attention of the State Department?

The New York Times has a nice piece about the city’s Cuban restaurants. These are places where you can enjoy ropa vieja (the classic dish of flank steak in tomato sauce that literally translates as “old clothes”), and take in the rhythms of Cuban bands sounding like the Buena Vista Social Club. (Video below to get you in the mood).

The Times pick? Cafe Cortadito, an East Village restaurant that’s quite popular, so make reservations.

Or you could always head to Miami.

I never tire of visiting Little Havana, eating at Versailles restaurant, and picking up a cup of cafe cubano from a stand.

Photo: HavanaNewYork.com

Maine know-it-all Hilary Nangle notes a great deal tomorrow for folks in Boothbay Harbor on the mid-coast of Maine.

A charity fundraiser, Lobster-mainia, will offer lobsters, live or cooked, for $5 each. The event is at the Boothbay Region High School football field parking lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday November 8. There’s a limit of 20 cooked ones, but that should be enough for a great party.

Cash only and bring your own bag or cooler.

The sale is meant to bring attention to the slump in lobster prices, which are now bringing lobstermen $2 a pound or less. (Bet you haven't noticed a dramatic drop in prices at restaurants). The problem is caused by a glut in the market, and rising prices for lobstermen, many of whom are being forced out of the trade.

Photo: LobsterfromMaine.com

Wal-Mart's already playing Christmas carols, I’m told. So it must be OK to start talking about holiday activities.

Here’s a cool one at Michigan’s Grand Traverse lighthouse.

The beacon's already decorated for Christmas, vintage 1930. Not sure how it looks now, but in previous years, there was a gingerbread lighthouse in the keeper’s kitchen, and other decorations meant to recreate the atmosphere from a period when the keepers, the McCormick  family, had to be self-sufficient because they could be isolated by bad weather.

The house, located in Leelanau State Park, is open weekends through November, noon to 4 p.m.

Then on December 7, Santa will visit the lighthouse, which will waive its $5 admission charge, although there’s still a fee to enter the state park where it’s located. Expect music, refreshments and plenty of lighthouse lore.

Photo: from Buy.com

Just in time for the holidays: CNN Money reports that Delta Air Lines is charging $15 for your first checked bag, and $25 for the second.

And since Delta and Northwest are now aligned: same goes for you on NWA.

On the upside: the report says it will be eliminating SkyMiles and WorldPerk award ticket surcharges, and reducing other misc. fees.

Good luck cramming your holiday gifts into that carry on!

Used to be that business travelers were the only ones worried about getting online while they were on the road.

No longer.

These days WiFi is like air-conditioning and a flat-screen TV. Travelers expect their hotel to provide Internet access.

That came abundantly clear to me this week when I was editing two stories about remote eco-lodges – ones with limited electricity, and isolated from the outside world. But both would let you get online.

Now I’m not going to debate the need to check YouTube while you’re in the jungle. The traveling public has spoken -- and it wants full access.

That brings us to this great WiFi chart provided by Hotelchatter.com. It has gathered information from the five largest hotel chains, Starwood, Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental, and Hyatt, and summarizes where you’ll have to pay to go online.

The strange thing is that you get WiFi free at budget hotels, like Hilton Garden Inn, Hyatt Place, and Holiday Inn. Yet you’ll pay (through the nose sometimes) at the high-end brands where room rates can reach hundreds per night. Places like the Ritz-Carltons and the Waldorf-Astorias.

Can anyone explain this to me?

In these tricky financial times, there’s no shame in snagging a Lilly Pulitzer skirt for $45, or other designer duds at a serious discount.

The Palm Beach and Naples areas have plenty of sharp-dressed snowbirds, who are always looking for the newest thing – and ready to part with last season’s blouse for a pittance. (Although it's not coastal, another Snowbird-favored city, Scottsdale, Arizona, also has a great consignment scene).

One of the best-dressed people I know, Miami Herald Travel editor Jane Wooldridge, recently blogged about her favorite South Florida consignment shops. Take her advice and you’ll be looking glam for pennies on the dollar.

In Palm Beach, she recommends shops along Sunset Avenue, Sunrise Avenue and North County Road. Even charity shops, such as Church Mouse and Goodwill, can have upscale merchandise.

You still may have to put down cash, though. Palm Beach's Attitudes Consignments offers a Isaac Mizrahi Pants Suit for $558. Not exactly pocket change.

Across the state, It can take a day to visit all Naples has to offer, Jane notes. Stores stretch from downtown to Bonita Springs.