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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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?

A new book landed on my desk this week, bringing the whiff of suntan lotion into a gray, rainy day.

Selling the Sunshine State by Tim Hollis brings back the bright, gaudy, tacky, and exuberant days of Florida tourism from the pre-Disney ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. The book includes 500 full-color reproductions of tourism brochures, post-cards, menus, and more.

If you’re a boomer or older, it will be a nostalgia trip. If you’re younger, it offers a retro field trip.  Flipping through the pages is a journey to a happy land of bikini beauties, roadside attractions, miniature golf, and wigwam shaped motels.

The thick coffee-table book joins two similar titles from the University Press of Florida. Silver Springs: The Underwater Photography of Bruce Mozert features a black and white collection of amazing publicity photos. I love the guy pushing a lawnmower submersed in the crystal-clear spring.

And then there’s the favorite of any mermaid wannabee: Weeki Wachee: City of Mermaids. It offers a comprehensive, loving look at an only-in-Florida attraction. It’s still in business, even operating mermaid camps to teach the ways of Neptune to eager young girls.

Each book would make a great holiday present. Maybe you can put an airline ticket to Florida inside the front cover ...

Gas prices are more expensive these days. So whether you drive or fly to a destination, fuel costs have made traveling pricier. But when does the time spent in a car become long enough to justify flying?

I always consider one variable in the decision for mode of transportation: actual travel time. Meaning, how much time will I spend door-to-door traveling.

Case in point: A flight from Atlanta to Hilton Head is only an hour and a half non-stop on Delta. But if you’re on a flight with a two-hour delay, not to mention the required hour for check-in, you could’ve driven there faster.

So how can you know whether to fly or drive? FlightStats provides an online flight rating based on on-time arrivals. You can compare airlines and specific flights to see which option is the best.

Unexpected weather patterns and plane mechanical problems cause delays, but at least you’ll have some insider information on your flight’s arrival history. And if all the available flights are prone to serious delays, then driving may be a better plan.

Photo by aka Kath via Flickr.

Say farewell to the days of monotone, sleep-inducing airline safety videos. Companies have opted to spruce up the required videos with some wit and originality.

Two of my favorites include those recently produced by Delta and Virgin Atlantic.

Delta tapped a music video veteran director to create their now cult-followed clip. Fans dubbed the flight attendant narrator, Katherine Lee (who in real life is a Delta flight attendant), “Deltalina.” Her good looks paired with the lounge background music makes for a cheeky new video, shown below.

At Virgin Atlantic, British comedian Vic Reeves serves as one of the voices to the cartoon figure animation of the instructions. Almost a mini movie clip, the video features a motley crew of passengers and comical, yet realistic, scenes (one with an armrest-hogging seat neighbor).

At least now when you’re gouged thousands of SkyMiles for a free ticket, you can enjoy the in-flight safety briefing.

Have you ever run out of batteries while traveling abroad? In remote countries you can forget finding replacements. And in tourist-filled areas, you’ll pay triple what you would at home.

Bedol solves your dilemma. Their eco-friendly water-powered clock ($16) operates off only water and a pinch of salt. Or if you’re staying beachside, then just use some ocean water.

Every two to three weeks remember to change or add water and salt. The clock will remember the time while you change the water. But if you’re traveling, empty the H2O before packing the clock to avoid soggy clothing.

Available in bright blue, orange, or green (pictured) hues (oh, and a dull charcoal), the clock will be easy to find in your bag.

Photo from Bedol.

On your next snorkeling or scuba diving adventure you have a much better chance to see wrasse, parrot fish, and angelfish than a whale shark. But if you’re lucky enough to catch a glance of the largest living fish species, snap a quick picture to assist with research.

ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library catalogs photograph submissions and matches the skin patterning behind the gills and any scars to distinguish between individuals. Using over 17,000 photos, the database currently identifies over 1,400 whale sharks.

To report an encounter you must submit the date, sighting location, your contact information, and an image displaying the shark’s natural patterning. Other information you can provide to aid marine biologists includes the encounter time, the shark’s length and sex, water depth at encounter site, and noticeable scarring.

Learn how to photograph a whale shark properly and start helping track this amazing animal.

Photo from ECOCEAN.

Last fall about this time I tried to escape to St. Lucia for a long weekend of scuba diving. One delay after another made me worry my stay at The Jalousie Plantation would never come. Imagine a two-hour flight delay, a flight canceled for mechanical problems, three hours in the Miami airport where baggage carriers wouldn’t release my bag, an overnight stay in Miami, and finally arriving 24 hours later than scheduled in St. Lucia.

We all have experienced a trip plagued by setbacks while racing to reach our destination. At least World Hum comes to the rescue with their humorous posting of 10 Great Travel Race Movies.

The next time you want to strangle a car rental representative, take solace in knowing you aren’t in Neal Page’s (Steve Martin) shoes in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. What’s your favorite travel race clip?

The national Theatre Communications Group has declared October free night of theatre month. That means you can find tickets across the country, from Seattle to South Florida to New York City.

Los Angeles seems to have great availability. The traveling musical Happy Days (pictured right with video below) sounds like a lot of fun. It starts a North American tour at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, and this morning free tickets were avaialble.

In total more than 600 theaters are participating. Many of the shows are already sold out, but organizers say they’ll be adding more tickets as performances get closer. (Call it a hunch, but given recent financial news, I expect some theater seats will go unsold, meaning there will be more inventory.)

No telling what you’ll find. Some tickets will be for small theater companies with unfamiliar performances. A lucky few might even grab seats at top-name shows. But given the price, there’s nothing to lose.

If you've never caught a show while traveling, it's worth doing. In most cities, a night at the theater will get you well off the tourist track, providing a new look at your destination.

I have a vivid memory of catching a Noel Coward play in Bermuda. It was wonderful to watch a British play on a British island, and get a feel for the local arts community. Once in Jerusalem, my wife and I caught the Fantasticks. Most striking: the variety of English accents from Australian, to South African to French.

So take a look. But remember no dramatics if you can’t find a free seat. What the heck, you could even buy one.

It’s just Monday, but the Morro Bay Inn may have already won the-clever-discount-of-the-week award.

Here’s the deal. The hotel’s located on the California Coast, next to Morro Bay State Park, which is a bird sanctuary and home to wild turkeys. If you sign up for the inn’s “Turkeys Run Wild” package, and happen to spot one of the gobblers, you get a $50 gift-shop credit.

No need to pluck a feather or produce a fuzzy digital-camera image. The inn says they’ll believe you.

This deal provides something you rarely find in weekend getaways: an ethical quandry. Did you really see a turkey, or was that a large pigeon? Perhaps you spent the day in the spa and daydreamed about turkeys, does that count? Or what about visiting the bar and drinking Wild Turkey? It's between you and the animal kingdom to work that out.

The package requires a two-night stay at $149 per night. It's available through December, holidays excluded. Other than turkey spotting, guests can play golf, hike, kayak, or cruise the harbor. There’s also nearby wine tasting, and the city of San Luis Obispo to explore.

Even if you’d never be caught dead in a tour bus, it’s worthwhile to see where they’re traveling.

Every year the American Bus Association lists its top 100 events. They use it to help stir up interest in package trips. I use it to find great festivals and happenings.

The organization recently released its list for 2009, and it includes many coastal locations in the U.S. and Canada. You'll find many familiar events, such as Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and ones that are new to me, including the Provincetown Portuguese Festival in Massachusetts, to held June 25-28, 2009. Like most festivals, it features unique food, parades, musical entertainment, and a good dash of whimsy.

I’m also intrigued by Lobsterpalooza in Sydney, Nova Scotia; the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan; and, of course, the World Championship Punkin Chunkin in Lewes, Delaware – think Monty Python meets “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

One that has me scratching my head, though, is the Annual Motorcoach Festival in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Apparently, you can get a bus tour to an event celebrating bus tours. Seems kind of post-modern to me.

But don’t be put off. Take a look at the list and starting making next year’s travel plans now. No bus required.

Pictured: Paella from the Pensacola Seafood Festival

Coastal Living is primarily a home design magazine, so I guess it’s time for a decorating confession.

A few years ago, my wife decided it was time to redo our guest bathroom. And I, true to my Y chromosome, resisted. But my spouse made a deal. We could get rid of the wallpaper, and instead cover the walls with my vintage postcard collection.

The remodeling project was on! (Have I mentioned she's a brilliant woman?)

I had been socking away cards for years, picking them up as souvenirs from local antiques shops while traveling, and even from postcard-collector shows. My collection was about to get its debut. Well, 200 mini-glass clip frames later, the decorating was done. And guests really seemed to love the look. Whether it was Marineland or San Francisco’s Chinatown, there was something on the wall to grab their attention. Sometimes, we’d lose guests for 20 minutes as they checked out the cards.

I’m reminded of that this morning because I just found a site showing vintage Florida cards. The blog features foldout cards, cleverly displayed as small slideshows, or you can love on them full-size on a Flickr page. Take a look and time-travel to the sunny, deep statured-colors of early Florida tourism. It’s nostalgia, history, and kitsch in one mouse click.

If you play your cards right, you’ll have a hard time spending money this weekend. Earlier we told you about free museum day, which includes hundreds of top institutions around the country.

Now comes word of free admission to national parks. It’s to celebrate National Public Lands Day (that was marked on your Outlook calendar, right?) Many parks will have special events Saturday, and also provide the opportunity for volunteer work. But you’re also free to hike the trails, take in the sites, and enjoy a beautiful fall day. Sunday's free too -- to celebrate newly naturalized citizens. Don't quite get the connection, but if it means a chance to wander Acadia or the Everglades, gratis, I'm all for it.

Now where to go? The deal includes all 391 National Park Service sites. Usually, 147 of them charge entrance fees, which range from $3 to $25. So how about Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland and Virginia, shown above?

When you aren’t paying the water bill at a hotel, taking a 30-minute hot shower seems like a luxurious treat. Maybe for you, but not for the environment.

National Geographic Traveler magazine recently published their guide for sustainable travel principles. With 50 ways to travel responsibly, the guide can help you be more environmentally conscious the next time you hit the road.

Their nine categories provide concrete suggestions for you to do your part. These brief highlights offer good starting points. For more in-depth details, read the complete guide here.

1) Planning—Use online resources to plan and book your trip, thus saving paper.
2) Accommodations—Stay in hotels having earned the Energy Star label. Both the Newport Beach Marriott
Hotel and Spa and The Lenox Hotel in Boston received the honor.
3) Packing—Take your own water bottle to refill after long walks on the beach instead of purchasing a new one.
4) On the Road—Turn off hotel room lights when you leave.
5) Shopping—Buy from local artisans.
6) Transportation—Fly nonstop.
7) Touring—Visit Blue Flag beaches, which are noted for responsible environmental stewardship.
8) Food & Drink—Order ocean friendly seafood. You can download a handy wallet guide from the Blue Ocean Institute here.
9) Take the Next Step—Share your research and ideas with others.

Pictured: City-Bar within The Lenox Hotel in Boston

Hundreds of museums around the country are offering free admission Saturday. Just visit this site and print out a free pass. About 100,000 people took advantage of the deal last year. Museums in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico participated.

These aren’t just tiny curiosity cabinets -- the deal includes major institutions and the savings can top $10 a person. You’ll find culture coast to coast from the Seattle Art Museum to the always fascinating Wolfsonian in Miami Beach. 

For sheer fun, nothing beats the Exploratorium in San Francisco, the first hands-on science museum. Or dream of distant shores at the South Street Seaport Museum in Manhattan.

In short, the world’s open to you this weekend. Go explore.

Photo: Exploratorium

The Sassy Traveler, a travel goods e-tailer, is offering a free gift (plus $1.50 shipping) to anyone that signs up for a new account. The Belle Hop personal safety alarm is a portable, device that lets out a 91 decibel screech when activated. It’s tiny and recommended for joggers or walkers.

Add the alarm to your shopping cart and register at the store. Use the discount coupon code "alarm" at checkout, and the $8.99 price should be deducted.

The goal of course, is to get you to check out their site. It’s clearly the place to go if you want a rollaboard decorated with animal-print patterns. Bet you’ll be the only one with a giraffe suitcase on your next flight.

Wine used to make a great souvenir – until security regulations banned most carry-on liquids from aircraft. I still love picking up an unusual or low-priced bottle to bring home, but as soon as I buy one, it means I’ll be forced to check my bag – which now can carry an extra charge.

And then I wonder if the bottle will ever make it home. I’ve stuffed packing boxes in my suitcase to haul back wine from Chile and Canada. But it has been with my heart in my throat. The moment of truth comes with the luggage lumbers on to the baggage carousel.

Is the bag sitting in a tell-tale red puddle of merlot? Has my suitcase even made it?

BottleWise claims to have solved the packing problem.  Lightweight, liquid-tight cases will hold two 750 ml bottles. But security doesn’t come cheap. The bags begin at $58.95 for a basic model, and run up to $125 for a leather one. More reasonable is Bot'lPak, which holds one bottle and runs $21.95.

The company has a spirited view on the liquids ban. It sponsored a contest to describe the regulations in six words. A New Yorker won with this concise entry: "Two years. Three ounces. Million headaches."

The need to lug around multiple tour books just diminished.

Nokia teamed up with Lonely Planet to provide the travel guides on certain Nokia mobile phones via Nokia Maps.

With over 100 destinations currently available, the guides provide travelers with details on restaurants, stores, hotels, sights, and nightlife hotspots. By using the GPS receiver in many Nokia phones, you can utilize turn-by-turn directions to destinations.

In comparison to the paper versions costing around $18 each, a $13.99 guide saves you a few bucks along the way, too.

To download the Lonely Planet guides, you must install the Nokia Maps 2.0, which is free for selected devices. Find the guides within the maps application by clicking “extras” and then “guides.”

Used to be one thing to take the sting out of turning 50: AARP membership, which brought a slew of travel discounts.

No longer.

Smarter Travel columnist Ed Perkins notes that AAA deals and many others usually match or exceed discounts given to AARP members. “I'd give AARP the edge for car rentals, the MedjetAssist program, and Mexicana” airline tickets, he writes. But that’s it.

Still, there’s another reason to pony up $12.50 for membership. The magazine. I’m still cracking up over its list of “50 reasons to be love being 50+.” Number 14 says it all: “If Keith Richards can make it into his 60s, there's hope for all of us.” It goes on to list some of the guitarist's most colorful moments.  My two favorites: 1974-Falls asleep mid-sentence during live television interview. And 1981-Doesn’t recognize title of new Stones album: “What’s this Tattoo You?”

For the record, I’m not eligible to be an AARP member – yet. But someone very close to me is.

Photo: greefus groinks via Flickr

How’s this for dedication? I’m about to seriously damage my chance to win a great prize by telling you about a contest.

American Airlines’ Admirals Club is awarding a lifetime membership to the winner of a new sweepstakes. If you've never visited, an airline club offers an island of tranquility amid the madness of air travel. I love to visit just for the comfortable chairs, let alone the free wifi and snacks.

The contest is open until September. 25. If you win, let us know – from your deluxe lounge chair, of course.

Photo: Omniplan

On my first trip to Alaska, I switched plane seats at the last minute.

I had been reading about all the fantastic flightseeing trips you could take in the Last Frontier, such as flying over Denali or cruising over Misty Fjords.  Since I was flying out there anyway, why not get one for free, I figured.

It was a great move. Passing over the Yukon, I saw Alaska’s mountain ranges emerge from the landscape. It was like my own private Discovery Channel show.

A recent article on CNN.com tells you how to make any trip into a flightseeing adventure. The first tip’s obvious: get a window seat.  But the author has other great suggestions too.

* If you see something interesting out the window, such as mountain range or a large city, ask the flight attendant what it is. He or she can check with the pilot and let you know. I’ve found that most pilots are frustrated tour guides. Several times flying over the Southwest, I’ve gotten a detailed rundown on Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, and Utah’s national parks.

* Plot your route on Google Earth or an aviation site. You’ll get an idea what scenery to look out for. Download it to your laptop and follow your progress.

* Look for landmarks. Any river large enough to see from 30,000 feet is going to be a major one.

* Don't forget the the clouds. I remember one flight to Rochester, N.Y. For the first 20 minutes, the man behind me couldn’t stop talking about the beautiful scenery.  I was caught up in work, and wishing he’d just keep quiet. Then I looked out the window. Wow! It was like floating through cotton candy. For the rest of the flight I forgot about the office and just marveled at the sky.

If you like what you see, here's one last piece of advice about how to take pictures through an airplane window.

Photo: Puget Sound by mamamusings via Flickr

Anyone with a digital camera can create a slide show from their vacation. But how about a romance novel with you as the star?

USAToday.com's Hotel Hotsheet notes a unique service. Yournovel.com will create a story with you and your loved one as the leading couple. Just provide 26 details ranging from your perfume to hair color to your pet name, and the sparks will start flying. The fill-in-the blank books are written by a husband and wife team, and run from $49.95 for a paperback to $119.95 for a hardback with a customized cover. For an additional charge, you can even add your own text, such as a wedding proposal or another personal scene.

Coastal story settings include Alaska and Caribbean cruises, Key West, Jamaica, and several other island locales. And you can set the temperature too. Each book comes in mild or wild versions – but nothing over the top. The wild tales aren’t graphic, but you probably won’t want your relatives reading them.

As for the stories, they might not earn the National Book Award, but they’re fun. Call it the Travel Channel meets Harlequin romance. And if you’re the star, it’s gotta be fabulous, right?

Last weekend I found myself in unfamiliar territory: the first class cabin.

I’ve never been one obsessed with first-class air travel. Not that I’d turn down an upgrade, mind you, but the price seemed steep for what you got. Transportation was just transportation, I always figured. I didn’t care how I got there.

Well, yes, but …

Like most in the front of the plane, I was flying on miles. And these days, as Portfolio.com so colorfully put it, the frequent flier mile has as much value as the Zimbabwean dollar. Inflation is destroying its value. Airlines are upping award levels and limiting seats. For those with sizeable mileage accounts, the psychology has to shift. “Save for a rainy day” is out. It’s now “Use it or lose it.”

For me the premium was minor – an extra 15,000 miles. And I didn't have a choice. No seats were available in coach. First class was the only way I could fly.

So I was almost resentful when I waltzed to the front of the boarding gate line, found my large, cushy, leather seat, and was greeted by a flight attendant, who really seemed to care if I was comfortable. Something about this seemed vaguely familiar, I thought. Then I was given a real meal and real silverware. Later came a hot towel, and a freshly baked chocolate-chip cookie for a pre-landing snack.

It was odd. I was treated like, dare I say, a human.

Then I understood why I was experiencing déjà vu. This is how flying used to be. For everyone. Air travel was a special occasion, and we were treated as such. Our comfort mattered. But today, it’s every traveler for themselves. Bring your own food or buy a stale sandwich. Nothing’s complimentary. Not even a blanket, or life-sustaining water.

First class isn’t really first class, anymore, it seems. It’s what coach used to be. And if you want the bare basics of comfort, you’ll have to pay for them.

What do you think? Is first class worth it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Update: It's only getting worse. Today Tripso.com reports that United will begin charging business class passengers for meals.

Photo: Old Shoe Woman via Flickr

One of the best parts of my job is the books. OK, the travel’s a blast too, but I love nothing better than having a shelf full of travel guides. It puts the world literally at my fingertips.

It’s rare to find something new. I’ve got enough Hawaii and New York titles to start a library. But up until this morning, I’ve never had – or even seen – a book on Muskegon, Michigan.

The guide by Roger Rapoport, Muskegon 365, promises an “All Season Guide to Michigan’s West Coast.”

Just flipping through the pages, I suddenly want to visit. The dunes, beaches, and marinas sound idyllic. The White River lighthouse resembles a scene out of Thomas Kinkade painting, and as a terminal for the Lake Express ferry, it would be great to visit before or after crossing Lake Michigan.

While we're on the topic, let me mention the new Moon Coastal Maine guide by Hilary Nangle, actually the third edition. I used it to plan a vacation this summer, and was repeatedly delighted with its tips and suggestions: from Lucky Catch Lobster cruises in Portland to the popovers at Acadia's Jordan Pond House, recipe included. If you’re heading Down East, check it out.

The National Wildlife Federation recently released a list of expeditions it’s sponsoring, which it modestly calls “the 30 best wildlife tours of 2009.” Don’t know if that’s true, but rest assured, these won’t be your standard vacation packages. The group says it searches through thousands of tour offerings to find those that meet its standards.

If you type "wildlife tours" into an Internet search engine, you'll find more than 650,000 entries,” it notes. “We've taken the guesswork out of the process."

The group aims to offer trips that provide visitors up-close encounters with nature. Expect enthusiastic and well-informed guides. Generally the folks running these trips are passionate about the topic. Even if you’re not a tour person, the group will help you arrange a personal tour with one of its partner companies

So here’s a run-down of several coastal-themed trips the group is promoting this year and next: Belize dolphin research; best of the Everglades; hiking in Acadia National Park; a small-ship cruise through Canada’s Gulf Islands and Washington’s San Juans; and whale watching in Baja, Mexico.

Other trips include journeys around the world, from Peru to India to South Africa.

Photo: cheetah100 via Flickr

Have you ever had a cell phone go dead on the road, only to discover that you’ve lost your charger? If you’re like me, you probably left it plugged into a wall outlet at the last hotel.

The good news is that you’re not alone – almost all of us can be charged with charger abandonment. But that means there’s an easy solution. More than likely someone has left behind a charger that you can use. Call your hotel’s front desk, and ask if you can borrow one – they’ll likely have more models than a Radio Shack. I’ve been successful twice.

Think of it as a high tech version of those borrow-a-bike programs you’ll find in Europe and on college campuses. Anyone can take a bike, but they have to leave it out when they’re done. That way the next person coming by can have a bike to borrow too.

Photo: SMN via Flickr

Pack your bags. It may be the best time to plan a trip to the Aloha state, according to the Best of Hawaii blog.

The case is compelling.

The authors note that Hawaii is experiencing a drop in visitors – the lowest number since 2003. That means more companies are competing for your business. Car rental costs are down, and so is lodging.

“I don’t believe that there is a hotel in Hawaii where you can’t bargain a good deal at this moment,” the authors note, including deals starting at $115 per night

And then there’s transportation. The blog suggests prices are dropping. And so does air fare guru Rick Seaney. He recently noted the time to buy tickets – and not just to Hawaii -- is also now. As he put it: Don’t dawdle.