Travelling alone can be a daunting experience, but follow these simple safety tips and your solo travels should be memorable for all the right reasons. Travelling alone can be a daunting experience, but also a hugely rewarding one.

However, it’s important to remember that being by yourself makes you responsible for your own safety, and sadly means that you are potentially more at risk than people travelling in a group. Don’t worry though follow these simple solo safety tips and your travel experience will be one to remember for all the right reasons.

Research the area
Before you even set off on your journey, try to do some research into your destination. Check out which areas are known to have higher crime rates, and if anywhere sounds particularly risky be sure to make a mental note and avoid it. Keep in mind that while certain hotels may be slightly more expensive than others, it might be worth paying that little bit extra to ensure you are staying in a safe area.

Let family know what you are doing
Although travel is often about independence and proving that you can cope on your own without family or friends, it’s still important to let them know what you are doing. Give somebody a copy of your schedule, and let them know roughly when you will get in contact with them. This way, if you get in trouble, somebody at home will know something is wrong and can send help.

Check your taxi
It might be tempting to hop in the first taxi you see, but if it’s not a licensed vehicle steer well clear. Unlicensed taxis can be driven by anyone, and it’s likely that they haven’t passed the required safety checks and tests that licensed cars and drivers have. Research the reputable taxi companies where you are staying beforehand, and note down their phone numbers so you can call for one if you need to.

Confidence is key
Even though you will be in an unfamiliar place, do your best to give off the impression that you know what you are doing request directions at your hotel or look them up online, so you know exactly where you are going and what route you need to take before you set off. Seeing a nervous tourist stopping to ask for directions is a clear sign to thieves and criminals that they’ve got an easy target on their hands.

Travel light
When leaving your hotel for the day, only take essential items and money that you know will be needed, and store the rest of your belongings in your room (preferably in a safe). If you are the unlucky target of a thief or pickpocket this will mean you don’t lose everything in one go, and you will still have money to fall back on.

Be alert
Holidays are meant for relaxing, but this shouldn’t mean you let your guard down. Always be on the lookout for potential threats and dangers, and be sure to trust your instincts – if a situation feels suspicious or dangerous, calmly walk away before things escalate. This is especially important when travelling alone, as you are responsible for watching your own back.

Carry hotel information
Write down the address of your hotel and keep it in your pocket at all times. This means if you get lost you can simply jump in a licensed taxi and show your driver the location of your hotel and ask to be taken there. Make sure you have it written in both English and the native language to avoid any problems with the language barrier.

Photocopy documents
It only takes seconds to make, and keeping a copy of your important documents can be a huge help when abroad. The hassle of replacing a lost passport or bank card will be greatly reduced if you can provide a copy as proof that they belong to you. Before you leave, consider emailing these copies to yourself so that you can always access them even if you lose the copy too.

Drink in moderation
Nobody expects you to be a teetotal saint when you go travelling, but try to limit your drinking to a sensible amount. With nobody else to look out for you, you are responsible for your own safety, and inebriation can inhibit your ability to do this. If you do go drinking, do so relatively close to your hotel so you can easily find your way back.

Beware of the dark
It’s a simple fact that more crime happens at night, so be extra cautious if you are out and about after dark. If you find yourself alone after hours, don’t be afraid to tag along at the back of another group of tourists until you get back to where you are staying. There is strength in numbers, and you are far less likely to be targeted by criminals when in a crowd.

"Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word, before you let it fall," said Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Thinking before you speak is an excellent strategy for anyone, but it's especially appropriate for the traveling set. To fend off foot-in-mouth syndrome while on the road, banish the following five phrases from your lexicon.

1. Do You Speak English?
There are basic foreign-language expressions that every international traveler should learn before crossing borders, and this is one of them. Even if you're light-years away from fluency, a rudimentary grasp of simple phrases in the regional tongue like "please," "hello," "thank you," "no thank you," and "where is the bathroom?" will work wonders. Add to this list "Do you speak English?" to be stated in the applicable language. It's a show of respect. And locals will likely be more responsive and helpful to anyone who doesn't behave as if all citizens of the world ought to speak his or her native language.

2. Do You Have Change for a $20?
This phrase shouldn't be spoken to your bellman, tour guide, airport-shuttle driver, hotel housekeeper, or any other serviceperson not stationed behind a cash register. Travel and tipping go together like Lewis and Clark. Thus, road warriors should make a point of obtaining small bills in the local currency at the beginning of every trip. Don't put your service person in the position of awkwardly fumbling through his or her wallet in order to receive due recompense.

3. Can You Help Me? I'm Lost, and I'm Staying at [Name of Hotel].
Have you seen the movie Taken? It's about a girl who gets kidnapped in Paris after human traffickers have found out where she is staying. Yes, it's Hollywood. But, to some degree, art imitates life. Many criminals target unsuspecting travelers especially in popular tourist destinations and it's not a smart idea to tell a stranger that you're from out of town or to publicize where you're bunking down for the night. You might not get sold into sex slavery, but you could get robbed, especially if your hotel lacks top-notch security.

4. I Don't Want To Go There; There Aren't Any Reviews!
While we appreciate the power and practicality of user-generated reviews, they have their limits. New establishments, locals-only joints, tiny B&B's, and less-traveled hideaways often get left off the reviews grid. Developing a dependence on the aggregated opinions of the faceless masses will prevent you from discovering anything remotely, well, undiscovered.

One traveler told our sister site IndependentTraveler.com, "Some great travel memories I have are from exploring Switzerland by train. I stopped over in many towns [without] knowing anything about the place or where I would end up staying. It was liberating to fend for myself and discover all things with new eyes."

5. Geez. It's Not Like I Have A Bomb.
Airport security can often seem like a joke especially when young children get pat-downs or Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents steal from passengers. But that doesn't mean you should play the part of the comedian when going through the metal detector. Travelers have been arrested for making jokes about terrorism in the airport. According to the TSA, "Belligerence, inappropriate jokes, and threats are not tolerated. Jokes and/or comments about threats to passengers or the aircraft will be taken seriously and can result in criminal or civil penalties for the passenger." Be on the safe side and save the jokes for after you've left the airport.

Roll the window down, get some top tunes on, feel the wind in your hair, and embark on a trip you’ll remember for years to come. Who cares about the destination? This is all about the journey, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Here are 10 road trips around the world that you don’t want to miss.

1. Route 66, USA
The granddaddy of all road trips, Route 66 is a seemingly endless stretch of road that connects Chicago to California. Although Route 66 was decommissioned over 20 years ago it still remains an important part of American culture, with many of the towns and food stops along its 2,450 mile expanse still relying on the road for the business it brings. The old two-lane highway is actually quite difficult to find on many current road maps, but trust us; it’s still there!

2. The Amalfi Drive, Italy
The Amalfi Drive is a narrow and twisting sightseeing road just south of Naples and Pompeii that was originally built by the Romans. There’s only a three-foot wall separating the road from a massive drop to the sea as you head on the 30-mile route, so the faint of heart need not apply. The road is arguably one of the most beautiful and thrilling routes in the world, with panoramic views at every bend and countless picturesque hillside villas perched on the edges.

3. Atlantic Road, Norway
This scenic five-mile stretch of road along highway RV64 opened in 1989, and passes over the Hustadvika; an infamous area of ocean which frequently sees breathtakingly violent weather. The storms are at their most severe in autumn, so steer clear of the road at this time if you aren’t in the mood for an adventurous drive. In calmer weather, there’s the chance to observe whales and seals off-shore along the way, and you can even stop off for some of the great fishing opportunities that are available.

4. The Causeway Coast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Easily one of the most spectacular routes in Britain, this road curves around the northeast corner of Ireland from Larne to Dunluce Castle. The route hugs the rugged shoreline and passes through idyllic villages such as the National Trust-owned Cushendun. Other sites to stop off at include Dunluce Castle, Slemish Mountain and Carnfunnock Country Park. The true star of the drive is of course Giant’s Causeway a mass of 40,000 hexagonal stone columns on the coast that need to be seen to be believed.

5. Grand Trunk Road, India to Afghanistan
A 1,600-mile stretch across the breadth of the Indian subcontinent that links three capital cities in the region, the Grand Trunk Road is not a journey to be taken lightly. Few roads in the world can provide such a snapshot of a society, and a trip along it will expose you to Pakistan and India on the move – from trucks to rickety buses and bullock carts.

6. The San Bernardino Pass, Switzerland
The San Bernardino Pass is a driver’s dream road, providing dramatic Alpine scenes at seemingly every turn. Medieval castles and churches dominate the route, which coupled with the gorges and sprawling bridges along the way, bring you face-to-face with some of Switzerland’s most impressive scenery. It’s worth bearing in mind that the route is largely only passable during the summer months, so be sure to plan ahead if you want to make the journey.

7. The Picos de Europa, Spain
This Picos de Europa route is located on a striking compact mountain range on the north coast of Spain. The highest mountains on the Spanish Atlantic Coast, these roads provide a challenging drive of around seven hours. Peaceful lush green valleys surround the area, and the beech-covered slopes of the mountains provide a refuge for a whole host of rare wildlife – including the Asturcón pony and Iberian brown bear.

8. The Grossglockner Road, Austria
Considered the pinnacle of all modern Alpine highways, the tongue twisting ‘Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse’ (High Mountain Road) was opened in 1935, beginning the modern road conquest of the Alps. As well as the picturesque peaks (including Grossglockner), the route takes in idyllic waterfalls and wooded valleys. On a clear and sunny day, not even the throngs of other tourists can mar the beauty of this trip.

9. Eyre Highway, Australia
This mammoth road is named after the explorer John Eyre, who crossed the southern edge of Australia in 1841 on a gruelling five-month trek. It runs from Port Augusta in the east to Norseman in the west, covering a staggering 1,041 miles. If you are after peace and quiet then the Eyre Highway is the route for you, with the western three quarters of the road practically devoid of life.

10. Pacific Coast Highway, USA
The Pacific Coast Highway begins and ends in two of America’s most-loved cities: San Francisco and Los Angeles. It takes in some of the most spectacular views in the United States, so it should be done at a leisurely pace if possible. If you are short on time and want to see the best the route has to offer, you may want to limit yourself to the stretch between San Luis Obispo and Monterey, where the great scenery of the large pine forests contrasts with the opposing cliff edges overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The bottom cities on our list need to work on lowering their crime rates and creating safer communities for families. What do you think: did we get it right? Plus, find out which cities are the least affordable and which ranked the worst in education.

The recent economic recession hit cities hard. According to the Justice Department, by the end of 2011 nearly 12,000 police officers lost their jobs making it harder to keep peace and order in cities already struggling to fight high crime rates. The highly publicized shooting of Trayvon Martin recently brought to light Florida's controversial “stand your ground” law which allows people to shoot first and ask questions later when defending their home turf, which makes you wonder at Florida's heavy appearance on our worst cities for safety:

1. Wilmington, Delaware
A short drive from South Philly and Camden and midway between New York and Washington, Wilmington managed to snag the number one spot on our list for highest rate of violent crimes per 100,000 people. And while the overall state of Delaware ranked number moderately well in the peace index (which looked at factors such as police per capita, percentage of population behind bars and access to small arms), Wilmington came in the top spot for sex offenders per capita.

2. St. Louis, Missouri
It's tough to label a city as 'dangerous' because many factors go into creating crime rates, including how a city defines a crime and the population included in the calculations. But when we looked specifically at the number of violent crimes per 100,000 people, the city of St. Louis city ranked near the top of our list. Unfortunately, it didn't fare much better when it comes to sex offenders per capita.

3. Orlando, Florida
It may be shocking that the home to Disney and Universal Studios also holds the distinction of having the highest crime rate among Florida's 10 biggest cities. The city also witnessed a 4.8 percent increase in crime since 2010. One possible reason? Crime rates are measured per capita and Orlando sees millions of visitors every year but the resident population is less than 250,000—which means a large influx of non-residents could be adding to the number of crimes without balancing out the per capita math.

4. St. Petersburg, Florida
The second of three Florida cities to make it to this list, St. Pete has its fair share of violent crime and sex offenders per capita. Unfortunately, the overall state of Florida ranks poorly according to the Institute for Economics & Peace, which looks at several factors including the availability of small arms and police officers per capita.

5. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
While Baton Rouge's violent crime rate took a slight dip since 2010, the rate is still comparatively high. Unfortunately, Baton Rouge shares the burden with New Orleans of belonging to the one of the least peaceful states on our list for the Institute for Economics & Peace's index measuring access to weapons and percentage of incarcerated citizens.

6. Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore has the unlucky distinction of ranking sixth when it comes to violent crime and sixth place on the list overall. It also has a relatively high number of sex offenders per capita. Adding to their woes, Baltimore witnessed a terrifying year when a spate of makeshift firebombs randomly hit the city, creating a sense of fear and paranoia among residents.

7. Kansas City, Missouri
The Associated Press recently reported that Kansas City police have been averaging two or three arrests per week related to the drug PCP, a hallucinogen that makes users violent and unpredictable. This disturbing trend is likely one of the reasons that KC ranked as one of the worst cities for violent crime.

8. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The good news about Fort Lauderdale is the city's strict sex offender residency law, which prevents offenders from moving within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds, day care centers and public school bus stops. The bad news is that sex offenders have so few housing options (only about 10 percent of the city is open to them) that they have clustered together, or worse, disappear off the grid making it hard for families to know what their risk truly is. Fort Lauderdale ranked fairly poorly when it came to both sex offenders per capita and violent crime.

9. New Orleans, Louisiana
Referred to by the press as the ‘murder capital’ of the U.S., New Orleans is still fighting to restore a sense of safety post-Katrina. According to the police superintendent, it could take 7 to 10 years to reform the police department and restore order to the city. Additionally, the state of Louisiana ranked as the one of the very worst on our list for the Institute for Economics & Peace's index.

10. Memphis, Tennessee
According to the Memphis police department, the rise in homicides in the city may be linked to gang violence. Out of 147 homicides in 2011, 36 were gang affiliated, and 68 percent of the murders involved people related or acquainted to one another. The police director recently acknowledged that youth crime and gang violence is a big problem in Memphis. In addition to a high violent crime rate, the entire state of Tennessee scored poorly on the Peace Index from the Institute for Economics & Peace, which measured access to weapons and percentage of citizens who are behind bars.

What makes a place essentially American? Besides being within our borders, of course? When the Budget Travel editors set out to compile a list of can't-miss destinations in the United States, we knew there was no one answer.

A place couldn't be just historic, or only very beautiful, or merely iconic. But in the best cases, it might be all three. For days (and weeks), ideas were floated, debates were had, some favorites were voted down and others prevailed. The list we arrived at is no American-history textbook quiz although historic sites are there, along with a sampling of cultural, nostalgic, and guilty-pleasure spots that, we think, evoke the kaleidoscopic American experience.

So why not map out a detour to one of these spots the next time you hit the road? Who knows you might never think of this country in quite the same way again.

1. Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.

Wide-open space is a unique inheritance for every American, and Yellowstone is the most dramatic example of what "wide-open space" really means. In 1872, two-million-acre Yellowstone debuted as America's first national park, and visitors began flocking to soak in its hot springs, see elk and bison roam its grasslands, gawk at its geyser known as Old Faithful, and hear gray wolves sound chill-inducing howls at dawn. Amazingly, visitors can get the same thrills today for nearly no cost. For the fullest experience, stay the night. The lack of light pollution in northwest Wyoming's Big Sky country reveals an astonishing canopy of stars that is virtually unchanged from the time of native tribes, fur trappers, and pioneer explorers.

2. French Quarter, New Orleans, La.

No other American neighborhood provides as much eye candy as the cobblestone streets of New Orleans' French Quarter known as "the Quarters" to locals and we're not referring to the annual Mardi Gras parades, with their thousands of taffeta-draped harlequins strutting to funk, R&B, and Dixie. No, it's the architecture that's intriguing. Stroll this district, which is bounded by the Mississippi River, Rampart Street and Canal and Esplanade, and you'll glimpse nightclubs lit up in neon, French colonial townhouses draped in ivy, Creole cottages built on stilts, and antebellum mansions whose balconies are laced with intricate ironwork.

3. Highway 1, California

Considering that the United States has more miles of paved roads (over 2.5 million) than any other country on earth, is it any wonder that road trips are practically a rite of passage here? One of the most meditative and celebrated drives you can take in the States is the 135-mile stretch of California's Pacific Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and Monterey. Expect view after astonishing view of land meeting sea, as the road snakes and swerves high above the Pacific, past bright-green grasslands and redwood-forested canyons.

4. Times Square, New York City

Sure, the crowds can be pushy, but Times Square the stretch of Broadway between Manhattan's 42nd and 47th streets delivers the most intense straight-up celebration of round-the-clock visual stimulation in the free world. Three-hundred sixty-five days a year, it's all lights, cameras, and action. And in summer, when the city sets out a slew of lawn chairs in its pedestrian-only core, you can take a seat and gaze southward, imagining the scene every New Year's Eve when a million revelers watch the ball drop an all-American tradition for 105 years.

5. Grand Canyon, Ariz.

Many American landmarks inspire people to think big, but none can match the leviathan scale of the Grand Canyon. As with anything worthwhile, a mind-melting view of the fire-hued, half-mile-long rock faces at the Grand Canyon must be earned. Take a half-day or overnight mule trip, which involves a guided ride along the canyon rim and down to the Colorado River. Your souvenir aside from a newfound appreciation for more comfortable forms of transportation will be the vivid sense of timelessness that you can only get from observing a geological wonder more than a million years in the making.

6. Taos Pueblo, N.M.

At the northern edge of the artist colony of Taos and a couple hours' drive north of Santa Fe, Taos Pueblo is a set of adobe dwellings, ranging from two to five stories tall, whose walls gleam in the sun of the high desert. Some of the 2,000 Tiwa-speaking people who live on an adjacent reservation continue to use this six-century-old settlement for ceremonial rites, such as for the Deer and Matachines Dances, which are usually performed to the sound of heavy drum beats. The Taos Pueblo contains the largest collection of multi-story pueblo dwellings in the country well worth its UNESCO World Heritage status and provides an uncommon insight into the culture of the first Americans.

7. South Beach, Miami, Fla.

Even in typically overstated Miami terms, no place in the country captures Latin-tropical chic like South Beach, with its 23 pastel-hued blocks of hotels, shops, restaurants, and cocktail bars south of Dade Boulevard. Glamorously restored art deco and art moderne hotels dominate Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue, which run parallel to the Atlantic. Check out the high-rise Raleigh, with its curvaceous swimming pool; the Delano, a glossy white Philippe Starck confection; and the Mondrian, with its super-sized chess pieces standing guard near an ebony staircase. Given an average year-round temperature of 75 degrees, SoBe always draws a pretty crowd for people-watching along its ocean promenade.

8. Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pa.

Compelling battlefield tours are difficult to pull off, as there's often little to see. But Gettysburg, the most visited of Civil War battlefields, manages the trick. At the four-year-old, $135 million visitor's center, a 20-minute film narrated by Morgan Freeman explains how the three-day fight unfolded, while an 1884 Cyclorama depicts an infantry assault in a 359-foot-long-by-27-foot-high wraparound oil painting. Once you're oriented, drive the park's paved roads (a rented audio guide enhances the experience). The landscape you'll see is close to what the blue and grey saw, as the park service is slowly restoring tracts of land and forest to how they would have looked during the battle. Be sure to stop at Little Round Top, where 1,600 soldiers died in just a few hours of fierce fighting a small portion of the overall grim death toll.

9. Pearl Harbor, O'ahu, Hawaii

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial, which honors the men who died on the famous battleship sunk in 1941's Pearl Harbor air raid. A scale model of the ship inside the monument's museum gives a sense of what it must have been like to be on the vessel while it was under attack, and public tours include a 22-minute movie presentation, followed by a visit to the Memorial itself. Nearby, a nonprofit group maintains the Battleship Missouri Memorial, which was the site of the formal Japanese surrender, while a preserved World War II submarine can be explored at the adjacent USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, run by another independent group.

10. National Mall, Washington, D.C.

There's no place in America where you get more historical bang for your buck than the National Mall fitting, since two of its most famous memorials (to Lincoln and Jefferson) are stamped on our smallest coinage. This less-than-two-mile stretch of our capital city packs in those memorials, plus the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, among others, and it's lined with Smithsonian Institution museums none of which cost a dime to enter.

Qatar Airways has won the award for the Best Airline of the World, for the second time, at the Skytrax 2012 World Airline Awards. The Best Airline of the World award, as well as the awards for best seats, best lounges and others, were announced on Thursday at the Farnborough International Airshow near London.

The first time the airline was awarded the World's Best Airline prize was at the 2011 World Airline Awards, in a ceremony at the Paris Air Show. The Doha-based airline was also awarded the title of best regional airline in the Middle East and occupied top rankings in the categories World's Best First Class Airline Lounges, World's Best Business Class Onboard Catering and World's Best Business Class Airline Seat.

The Skytrax Awards are one of the benchmarking tools for the air industry. They measure passengers' satisfaction levels by surveying passengers in all cabin classes.

The 10-month survey is carried out by telephone among 18 million airline customers from 100 countries. The survey includes 38 key performance indicators including check-in, boarding, onboard seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, beverages, in-flight entertainment and staff service. This year the survey covered over 200 airlines, from international to domestic carriers.

The World's Best Airlines 2012
1. Qatar Airways
2. Asiana Airlines
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. ANA All Nippon Airways
6. Etihad Airways
7. Turkish Airlines
8. Emirates
9. Thai Airways
10. Malaysia Airlines

One company is giving wealthy consumers the chance to own a private island, sans the sand, rocks and monumental price tag. But life aboard an ORSOS Island doesn't exactly come cheap, either.

The luxury craft alone will set buyers back about $4.6 million, Elite Daily reports. The floating island offers more than 10,000 square feet of living space and enough rooms to accommodate 12 people, as well as up to four staff members.

According to the company's website, the ORSOS Island, which is touted as a mix between a yacht and a mainland home, has several environmentally features including solar panels, a noiseless wind energy system and heat recovery from water that serves as "the basis of heating and air conditioning."

The product is still in its prototype stage but a public reveal is set for some time in 2013, according to Elite Daily. Gizmag notes the idea of a floating island regained popularity about four years ago with the introduction of "an island-themed megayacht" called Wally Island, which was priced at about $200 million.

The concept is well liked because some floating islands can offer environmentally friendly features, General Manager of Dutch Docklands Maldives told Gizmag.

Floating Island An Austrian company is giving wealthy consumers the chance to own a private floating island. But life aboard an ORSOS Island doesn't exactly come cheap either setting buyers back about 5.2 million Euro ($6.5 million).

The floating island offers more than 10,000 square feet of living space and enough rooms to accommodate 12 people, as well as up to four staff members. Measuring 66 feet by 121 feet (20m by 37m), the "Orsos Island" has no engine but can be anchored anywhere its owners choose and then towed to another location if they wish. Austria

Roam through ruined castles, picnic by secluded lakes, explore quiet country lanes add a bit of history, a bit of art into the mix, here are 10 lovely drives through Europe, for you to experience at your own pace.

1. The Amalfi Coast, Italy. Best for grand views and marvelous music

Ask Europhiles to name the continent’s most beautiful drive, and odds are high that the Amalfi Coast will grab the most votes. This narrow, winding coastal road, which starts in pretty Sorrento, just south of Naples, hugs sheer cliff faces on one side and on the other, offers drop-straight-down-to-the-blue-sea vistas. There is a stone wall, a few feet high, to keep you safe. Even though the road is only 45 miles long, plan to take several days to savor both the scenery and the potent limoncello, a local liqueur that is a lovely follow-up to a dinner of fresh-caught grilled fish. Book a room (in advance) in pretty, cliff-hugging Positano, which spills down the steep cliffs to pebble beaches and the sea. Nearby Ravello is famous for its music festival, with many of the venues outdoors, giving audiences glorious sea views. If you want to explore more (and avoid the drive back up the coast), take a 20-minute hydrofoil or slower ferry from Sorrento to Capri, to explore the Blue Grotto and sip wine at a bar in the Piccola Marina. From there you can get to Naples.

2. King Ludwig’s Castle Drive, Germany. Best for spotting fairytale castles

Snow-capped mountains, deep green forests, and farms so well-kept they look like photos on top of jigsaw puzzle boxes—the Bavarian Alps would be a great drive destination even without its mad, and sad, king, who built all those fairytale castles. Drive south from Munich, then take the German Alpine Road to east to Chiemsee, Bavaria’s largest lake. Perhaps catch a concert on the island of Herrenchiemsee, before visiting King Ludwig II’s unfinished version of Versailles there. Continuing east, drive up to scenic Berchtesgaden, where Adolph Hitler’s famed Eagle’s Nest stood. Swing south into Austria, returning to Germany at Garmisch-Partenkirchen (take the cog railway or cable car up Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze). Drive north via Oberammergau, home to the passion play, and stop at Ettal, a lovely Benedictine abbey. Next door, visit Ludwig’s Linderhof, a jewel box palace complete with a faux grotto with fake stalactites. Last stop: Füssen, where you will see Ludwig’s great masterpiece, Neuschwanstein, with its whimsical turrets that inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle.

3. The Giant's Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland. Best for putting things into perspective

Driving along the deep green and lovely northeast coast of Northern Ireland, you will begin to spot massive basalt columns rising out of the sea. If you believe the Irish—and why wouldn’t you?—these “steps” were built many million years ago, by a tough Irish giant named Finn MacCool, who walked across his causeway to Scotland to fight a rival giant. When he saw the size of his rival, he ran back to Ireland, with the Scot in hot pursuit. It’s a long story (it involves a giant baby), but the Irish won out and the dueling giants left behind some 40,000 basalt “steps” to enable other big guys to move between Northern Ireland and Scotland. In truth, however, these 40,000 hexagonal pillars of volcanic basalt stretch far into the sea, and were probably created by boiling lava that shot through the ocean floor in pre-historic times. The Causeway Coast drive has even more to offer, including White Park Bay Beach, a lovely crescent between two green headlands; the ruins of pretty Dunluce Castle, romantically perched atop a towering cliff; and Bushmills Distillery (tastings available) and cozy Bushmills Inn with nice rooms.

4. The Estoril Coast Drive and Sintra, Portugal. Best for sea and mountains combined

Explore Lisbon, and then drive along the River Tejo Estuary to Estoril, a lovely resort on the Atlantic Ocean that is known as a playground for the rich and royal. Its sandy beach is backed by a two-mile-long promenade, rows of mansions, and one of Europe’s largest casinos. Stop in Cascais, the next beach town, to watch fisherman auctioning their catch on the quayside. Follow the N247-4 road to Cabo da Roca, to photograph the pretty lighthouse marking the westernmost point of the European mainland. After a stroll on the beach and a seafood meal, head inland on the winding N247 road to Sintra, one of Portugal’s most historic places (the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage site). The National Palace of Sintra, with parts dating back to the 14th century, is superb. Portuguese royalty came there in summer for the cool breezes. Drive higher up the mountain to The Palácio da Pena, as over the top as the National Palace is restrained. Don’t miss the Convento dos Capuchos, a Franciscan monastery built in 1560, damp, and dark, the cells cut from sheer rock. The monks’ earthly rewards were the ocean views below.

5. The Grand, Middle and Lower Corniches, France and Monaco. Best for sweeping views and chic settings

Who can forget the image of the young and gorgeous Grace Kelly in "To Catch a Thief," zooming along the cliff-hugging Grand Corniche in a blue cabriolet convertible, with the Mediterranean Sea far below? Actually, there are three Corniche roads, like layers in a cake, all crossing the French Riviera, and all entering the tiny principality of Monaco. Each deserves a place on the world’s great drives (though the lower road might also qualify for world’s most traffic clogged in high season). The Grand Corniche, the highest, follows a path built by the Romans, and it offers panoramic views, making million-dollar yachts look like bathtub toys. Snap photos of the pretty “village perche,” ancient fortified towns, in settings so steep that they are virtually inaccessible (which was the idea). The Grand Cornice offers panoramic views of Eze (the Middle Corniche actually takes you there), one of the prettiest towns on this steep coast, perched atop a stone outcropping. Browse Eze’s galleries, stroll through its cactus garden, and splurge on lunch at the Michelin two-star Chevre d’Or. The drive from Eze down to Nice is glorious.

6. The Dingle Peninsula, Ireland. Best for glorious scenery and lively pubs

The Dingle Peninsula was breathtakingly beautiful, in a quiet way, even before film director David Lean decided to build a little faux village there and film the 1970 blockbuster movie "Ryan’s Daughter," starring Robert Mitchum and Sara Miles. Today, a drive around the peninsula will take you through pretty woodland to the village of Ventry, home to two wide curved beaches, a pub, and a post office. The Iron Age fort at nearby Dunbeg boasts sturdy 22-foot-thick-wall beehive stone construction dating back to 500 B.C. Stop at Slea Head, where you can see all the way to South Kerry and the Blasket Islands (the last of the Irish-speaking inhabitants of the Blaskets were evacuated in 1955, after most had moved to Springfield, Mass.). Visit the islands by catching the ferry at Dύnquin (whenever it happens to be going; no set schedule). Much of Ryan’s Daughter was filmed in Dύnquin. Head inland, to explore Mount Brandon, Ireland’s second highest peak. Go barefoot to explore the vast Sand Dunes of Inch. Reward yourself afterwards with a pint at the pub, where the folks next to you may be speaking Gaelic.

7. Bergen to Oslo, Norway. Best for seeing nature in the raw

Norway, with its towering mountains, bluer-than-blue fjords, roaring waterfalls, evergreen-covered mountains and pretty little villages complete with old-fashioned wooden stave churches, demands both the close attention and the seize-the-moment freedom that can only be had by driving (though the trip can also be done by rail and boat). Start this 350-mile drive in coastal Bergen. Explore the old wharf area, lined with brightly colored medieval Hanseatic League houses, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then head across the country, toward snow-capped mountains, oceans of evergreens, and one dazzling blue fjord that is more spectacular than the next (you will ferry across some of these). Keep your eye out for Norway’s medieval stave churches along the way, some complete with scary masks to help stave off demons. Once in Oslo, check out local artist Edvard Munch’s paintings, including several versions of "The Scream," which were stolen and recovered. If you choose, drive back to Bergen along the coast, for panoramic ocean views, stopping in Stavanger (lots of oil rigs there), with its pretty old city.

8. A Highland Drive, Scotland. Best for castles and clans

Fly into Glasgow. Spend a little time exploring this former industrial city, including a visit to The Burrell Collection for fine art, and a walk along the Mackintosh Trail to see buildings created by famed Glasgow architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Then head for the hills. Drive about 32 miles to the shores of Loch Lomond, the largest inland lake in all of Britain. Climb up 3,000-plus-feet high Ben Lomond, or just take it easy and float in a boat. Next stop: Inveraray on the shores of Loch Fyne. Its castle is home to the Duke of Argyll, and is the seat of Clan Campbell. Nearby Loch Awe could actually inspire same, with its ruined Kilchurch Castle and green-mountain backdrop. Drive to Oban to catch the car ferry to the Isle of Mull, where you may spot some whales on their summer vacations. Once back on the mainland, drive to Glencoe, site of a major massacre of the MacDonalds in the 17th century, and today a lovely place to hike and picnic. Conclude your journey with a drive east to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, where the hills are gentler and the banks around Great Britain’s largest lake are bonny indeed.

9. Dali-esque Drive through Catalonia, Spain. Best for Dalí dreamscapes and rugged scenery

Wildly beautiful, independence-minded Catalonia greatly influenced surrealist artist Salvador Dalí, who grew up there. Even today the region clings to its ancient language and flies the red-and-gold Catalan flag. Stop in Figueres, where Dalí grew up, as well as the excellent Teatre Museu Dalí, which he helped create in the town’s theater (he is buried there). One highlight, an old Cadillac taxi, where rain pelts down on a faux passenger seated inside. The Dalí Jewels, some 37 sparkling creations, are nearby. Drive on to Pύbol Castle (thoroughly Dalí-ized) in a pretty, pocket-sized medieval village. From there, head up the Costa Brava, picking a pretty beach town for some play. Finally arrive in arty Cadaqués, with its luminescent white buildings, pretty seascapes, and outdoor cafes offering fresh fish with a view. Best for last, drive to truly tiny Port Lligat, where Dalí’s off-kilter white home overlooks colorful fishing boats, black rock formations, and a smooth harbor. Dalí and his wife lived there from 1930 until her death in 1982.

10. Southern Poland, from Krakow through the Tatra Mountains. Best for great Old World churches and grand mountain hikes

Fly into Krakow, the historic city that escaped bombing (but not the elimination of its Jews) during World War II. Stroll through Old Town, shop for well-priced amber jewelry, and explore one of the richest, most colorful medieval squares left in the world—teeming with life. Don’t miss Wawel Cathedral, high above the Vistula River, and consecrated in 1364. Poland’s kings were crowned there. Leaving Krakow, drive southwest to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau, the Nazi’s largest death camp, grim, moving, and important to see. Then drive south to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Center Wieliczka Salt Mine, a world of underground lakes and medieval sculptures in salt, including the magnificent Chapel of the Blessed King, carved by miners. Continue south to the High Tatra Mountains, where snow caps are dotted with tall evergreens (Pope John Paul II liked to slip away from the Vatican to ski in his beloved Tatras). At Zakopane, a rural village of ornately carved wooden farmhouses, a cable car takes you higher in the Tatras to get the view. These towering mountains share a border with Slovakia, also worth a visit.

You better bite your tongue when you visit Middleboro, Mass. Last week, residents voted in a town meeting to impose a $20 fine on any publicly uttered swear words.

While this may catch some travelers to the community by surprise, it’s not the only place the uttering of curse words is illegal. Here are some of the wackiest local laws that visitors should be aware of before venturing out.

1. Be careful what you wear
Laws governing clothing are common and should always be checked before traveling abroad. Qatar forbids indecent or revealing clothes, defined as “not covering shoulders and knees, tight or transparent clothes.” The Vatican City requires shoulder coverings and skirts or shorts to the knee in order to enter museums and churches.

And, Castellammare di Stabia, south of Naples, has outlawed mini-skirts, low-cut jeans and too much cleavage, with violators risking a 300-euro fine. Thailand has a law demanding that you wear underwear at all times also a good idea in general.

In Italy, where foreign beach-goers can offend the local sensibility, laws often require cover-ups over swimsuits. In Lerici, on the Italian Riviera, you’re not allowed to walk the streets in just a swimsuit. That’s also true on the island of Capri, which has gone further to protect the serenity of the vacation spot by banning noisy shoes, such as clogs or wooden-soled sandals.

2. The shoes on your feet
Carmel, Ca., where Clint Eastwood was mayor, has a famous historic ban on woman wearing high heels. Though the law isn’t enforced, tourists can purchase a commemorative permit allowing them to wear the shoes.

But, you won’t get away with that in the historic sites around Greece. After many of the country’s landmarks, like the Acropolis, were damaged in recent years by visitors, the government banned people from wearing high heels at the ancient locations.

Urban legend also has it that the city of Blythe, Calif., bans people from wearing cowboy boots unless they own at least two cows. However, even the city manager of Blythe has never heard of that rule being enforced, so you’re probably safe in those boots.

3. Pull up your pants
While fashions change, one thing hasn’t. People wearing their pants sagged below the top of their boxers has had public officials up in arms for years. Five metro cities around Atlanta have banned saggy pants, skirts and shorts specifically those more than three inches below the wearer’s hips. In Forest Park, Ga., violators can even face a $1,000 fine.

Montgomery County in Alabama levies a $100 fine against juveniles and $150 fine against adults with the slogan: “Raise your pants, raise your image.” Delcambre, La., was the first town to make it a crime to “show your underwear in public.” There you can face six months in jail for a violation.

4. No confetti or Silly String or Barbies
Gum isn’t the only thing you can get in trouble for owning. It is illegal to possess or use confetti in Mobile, Ala. The party fun has been found to be damaging to the environment and hard to clean up.

Mobile and our original law-happy Middlebourough, Mass., have also joined Ridgewood, N.J., Southington, Conn., and Huntington, N.Y., in banning Silly String. In Los Angeles, Silly String is banned – with a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail but just on Halloween.

5. Watch your language
Virginia Beach, known as a family vacation destination, banned profanity in the early 1990s. Swearing can earn you a $250 fine and up to ten days community service.

The Australian states of Queensland and Victoria passed similar bans last year, which impose fines of $100AUD and $240AUD, respectively. Guess you’ll have to learn some Australian swear words just to make sure you don’t say them.

In Long Beach, Calif., public officials limited the swearing ban to a location known to cause more than a few curses: mini-golf courses. So, throw that golf club in silence.

6. Don’t spit
It’s more than just common courtesy not to spit in public, it’s illegal in many places. Face a fine and possible jail time if you spit on the public streets in Barcelona, Singapore, Vancouver, or Dodge City, Kan.

The best compromise, however, comes from Burlingame, Calif. In that West Coast town spitting is illegal, except, understandably, in its natural habitat: on the baseball diamond.

7. Or chew gum, or litter, or forget to flush the toilet
Singapore has a lot of laws. It’s known for its orderly, clean city, but that’s no accident. Littering will cost you $1,000 and not flushing a public toilet could cost $500. Don’t smoke in public. In fact, selling gum is illegal as well. Caning is still a form of punishment, so be careful to follow all local laws.

Thailand and the UK followed Singapore’s orderly example when it comes to gum. In these two countries, you can be fined for littering gum, but not for chewing it. Still, $600 is a steep price for bubble gum.

8. Seriously, don’t shoot the cactus
When visiting Arizona, resist the temptation to shoot or manhandle the cactus. The Saguaro cactus has become so endangered by people shooting holes in the plants, that damaging or cutting down a cactus can earn you up to 25 years in jail.

Of course, there are other reasons not to shoot the cactus. In 1982, a man in southern Arizona shot so many holes in the trunk of a giant 28-foot cactus that it fell on him and killed him.

9. No playing pranks
Many towns and states have no patience for your foolery, so before you start prank-calling people, know that you could face steep fines.

In Louisiana, ordering a good or service for someone else without them knowing can earn you a $500 fine or six months in jail. So, no ordering pizza to a friend’s house without their consent.

However, in Canada, as long as you don’t threaten anyone (which you shouldn’t be doing anyway!), there are no laws against prank calls.

10. Don’t hunt Bigfoot
If you’re planning a trip to find Bigfoot, also called Sasquatch, know that you won’t be able to hunt the elusive creature in some of its alleged natural habitat.

Skamania County in Washington enacted the Sasquatch Protection Ordinance in 1969, while nearby Whatcom County declared itself a Sasquatch Refuge and Protection Area in 1992.

The law is primarily aimed at preventing eager Bigfoot hunters from accidentally shooting other people, who can be mistaken for the ape-like creature. However, if you did shoot a Sasquatch, you could face $1,000 fine or five years in prison.

That’s not true in Texas. The Lone Star state found itself in the news in May after decreeing that, because Bigfoot was not explicitly on the list of protected animals, it is legal to hunt a Sasquatch. Keep that in mind as you plan your next Finding Bigfoot trip.

Fast food may conjure up those Golden Arches, but the concept has come a long way from frozen burgers. The best fast-food chains around the world are getting serious about quality, offering up bowls of pork ramen, freshly baked baguette sandwiches, and sustainably caught fish for the masses.

For travelers, fast-food chains represent a convenient, inexpensive taste of how everyday residents in far-flung cities eat. Some menus are more traditional than others: Teremok in Russia serves cooked-to-order blini; while Goli Vada Pav No. 1 in India adds modern twists like cheddar cheese to vada pav, the fried potato patty sandwich that’s an Indian street food staple.

Granted, fast-food chains aren’t exactly hidden gems. But they have their own quirky appeal and dish out a quick fix of local culture and cuisine. Forget Mickey D’s and seek out the following fast-food chains instead.

1. England: Pret a Manger
Nearly all 230 locations of this quick-service sandwich shop have an on-site kitchen where food is made fresh daily, using all-natural ingredients that change seasonally. Rather than being kept overnight or thrown out, unsold products are donated daily to homeless shelters. This winning concept is spreading; look for Pret locations in Paris, New York, D.C., Chicago, and Hong Kong.
What to Order: Chicken and avocado sandwich on malted wholegrain bread with yogurt dressing and fresh basil.

2. Philippines: Jollibee
Fast food gets a Filipino twist at this quick-serve chain, which is so beloved that its mascots star in their own children’s television show. There are more than 700 locations across the country, serving everything from fried chicken and hamburgers to local favorites like palabok, rice noodles with meat sauce, shrimp, and hard-boiled egg.
What to Order: Spicy Chickenjoy, fried chicken coated with chili powder.

3. Russia: Teremok
It’s easy to spot Teremok’s 175 orange-and-red kiosks and restaurants that have sprung up in St. Petersburg and Moscow (the name is Russian for “fairy-tale cottage”). The main item is cooked-to-order blini, essentially Russian crêpes perfect for eating on the go. Fillings run both savory (ham, cheese, smoked salmon) and sweet (chocolate, fruit, jam).
What to Order: Blini with red caviar, of course.

4. South Africa: Nando’s
Chicken, basted in one of four consecutively spicier piri-piri chili sauces and flame-grilled to order, is the star at this casual sit-down Portuguese-Mozambique chain. Cheeky advertisements and a welcoming, woodsy aesthetic have propelled Nando’s into 30 countries worldwide.
What to Order: 1/2 grilled chicken with hot piri-piri sauce and French fries.

5. Japan: Ippudo
It’s all about ramen at this stylish chain, which features an open kitchen and bar and table-style seating. Most bowls start with the chain’s signature slow-simmered pork bone broth and thin, chewy noodles. Toppings range from the traditional (roasted pork) to the more inventive (a Spanish-inspired bouillon cube).
What to Order: Akamaru Ramen with miso paste and roasted garlic oil.

6. Canada (mainly Quebec): St. Hubert
With both quick-serve and slightly more upscale sit-down operations, family-friendly St. Hubert is known for its rotisserie chicken doused with a tangy brown sauce—so habit-forming that it’s sold by the jar in Canadian grocery stores.
What to Order: Quarter chicken leg with bun, coleslaw, and French fries.

7. Australia: Chocolateria San Churro
As the name implies, chocolate is the focus at this bohemian-chic dessert chain, and the menu has a Spanish accent. Freshly fried churros and spice-laced hot chocolates are on offer alongside organic, fair-trade coffee and milkshakes.
What to Order: Churros with an individual pot of melted couverture chocolate.

8. Puerto Rico: El Meson Sandwiches
The combinations are nearly endless at this Caribbean sandwich spot. Most sandwiches start with a base of mayo, margarine, cabbage, and tomato, then get piled high with juicy fillings and griddled on both sides.
What to Order: The Midnight sandwich: roasted pork, Virginia ham, pickles, mayo, and margarine on sweet, eggy bread.

9. Taiwan: Din Tai Fung
Yes, there will be a line at this well-known dim sum destination, whose dumplings are so popular the chain has spread across 10 countries. But you’ll be glad you waited, and once you’re inside, you can take your time in the comfortable, if crowded, dining room.
What to Order: Xiao long bao, steamed soup-filled pork dumplings with a thin, delicate skin.

10. Brazil: Giraffas
The Brazilian steakhouse concept goes casual at this meat-centric chain that turns out both burgers and grilled steaks with that national staple, a side of rice and beans.
What to Order: Flame-grilled picanha (top sirloin), a juicy and tender cut that’s one of Brazil's most beloved steaks.

1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of those quintessential American icons, equal parts eye candy and engineering lesson (it's also one of our record-breaking bridges). The suspension bridge connects San Francisco and Marin County in a mechanical feat that was unprecedented in the 1930s; at its opening ceremony, the bridge's chief engineer, Joseph Strauss, said "What Nature rent asunder long ago man has joined today."

Take a walk along the pedestrian path for astonishing views of Angel Island, Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and San Francisco. If the 220-foot height of the bridge is unsettling for the little ones, opt instead to view the landmark from a distance (there are relatively tourist-free viewpoints at Lincoln Park). It might be hard to find an empty spot, though. The famed bridge is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012-there will be fireworks and a festival on Memorial Day weekend-and is expected to draw more than ten million visitors throughout the year.

2. Arches National Park, Utah
This national park is especially convenient for families whose kids may be too young for a strenuous hike. It only takes a couple hours to drive past many of the park's 2,000 brawny, pink sandstone arches. And you'll still have time to reach Moab, less than 20 miles away, for lunch.

The park's real time to shine, literally, is at sunset, when Delicate Arch reflects the sunlight in blazing reds that contrast sharply with the snow-topped La Sal Mountains in the backdrop. Expect to see tons of photographers there, as if Beyoncé were about to appear. 435/719-2299, nps.gov/arch. Park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle; bike or foot entrance is $5.

3. The Field Museum, Chicago
Across its nine acres of floor space, the Field showcases giant robot wolf spiders, 23 Egyptian mummies, and the biggest Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever dug up, in one of the broadest arrays of natural wonders under one roof. The collection of dioramas hold a dizzying array of species, from African lions and giraffes to Arctic penguins and polar bears, and it's a favorite childhood fantasy to slip inside one of the magical timeless worlds.

Kids 12 and under can dress up like animals, dig up dinosaur bones, and explore a pueblo home at the Crown Family PlayLab. Friday nights from mid-January to mid-June, the museum hosts sleepovers, where children 6 to 12 and their parents can sleep right next to the dinosaurs (the 2012 nights are sold out, so book early for 2013).

4. SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas
SeaWorld's Texas outpost garnered the most votes of all the theme parks in our poll. We assume that the combination of roller coasters and flume rides with beluga whales, sharks, stingrays, sea lions, and a host of other aquatic animals gave it an edge. There are many hands-on programs, putting visitors up close and personal with some of the park's inhabitants (including a behind-the-scenes tour with the penguins).

In May 2012, the new water park Aquatica will open with a set of educational thrill rides; expect rafts sailing through grottos with stingrays and a "zero gravity" area that simulates weightlessness. Other new attractions include Sesame Street Bay of Play (opened in 2011), a three-acre space with educational activities for young children, and the animal encounter show "One Ocean" in which orcas and trainers illustrate educational lessons about the fragility of the environment.

5. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
Watching an actual volcano in action is a far cry from the baking soda science experiments kids do at school. At this Hawaiian park, visitors watch—at a safe distance—as hot lava spills into the Pacific, where it bursts into particles later pulverized by the waves into black sand.

The park is home to two of the world's most active volcanoes, and rangers will bring you down into the lava tubes and maybe even play you a tune on a ohe hano ihu, aka the Hawaiian nose flute. Says reader Angela: The surreal black landscape is "one of the few places in the world where your kids can stand on earth that is younger than they are."

6. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Alabama
Our nation's civil rights history is chronicled at this Birmingham museum, which places the '50s and '60s in a context that today's children can understand. There are compelling artifacts on display to illustrate segregation such as a set of "colored" and "white" drinking fountains.

The exhibits don't gloss over the tragedies of the civil rights' era, and include the story of four young girls killed in a bombing at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, right across the street from the museum. The galleries do include hopeful notes, including a video recording of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s

7. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
At sunset, spectators gather at an amphitheater in this national park in southeastern New Mexico to wait for bats to fly. Predictably, a swirling dark cloud of the flying mammals funnels out the cavern and swoops above, where it splinters apart into groups heading to the nearby Pecos and Black River valleys. This rare natural show makes Carlsbad Caverns stand out from other national parks, especially to impress kids.

Cave expeditions are also a draw, with rangers leading tours lasting from between an hour and a half and five and half hours. Some of the caves are huge, such as the well-named Big Room, which could fit 6.3 football fields. Adventurous kids will enjoy crawling through passageways or making rope-assisted descents through curtains of stalagmites, mentally soaking up all the educational lessons about geology explained by the rangers along the way.

8. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
Even the most jaded teen will be wowed by the colossal busts of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln at this national park in the Black Hills of Keystone. The visitors' center has exhibits on the 14-year journey to complete the monument, which was finished in 1941 after 400 workers dynamite-blasted the granite peaks to carve the faces.

There is also info on how the four great leaders depicted guided our nation through tricky times. Stay for sunset to sing the National Anthem at the lighting ceremony, and challenge your kids to count the number of different state license plates in the parking lot. While you are in the area, make time to see the Crazy Horse Memorial, another enormous cliff carving in the making about a half an hour southwest of Mount Rushmore.

9. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Where else in the U.S. can you see an ancient Egyptian temple, a Ming Dynasty garden, and one of the world's largest collections of Vermeers all under one roof? The Met covers a 14-acre space in Central Park, yet this cavernous space is only large enough to show a sliver of its full collection of art and artifacts. The museum itself is constantly evolving, and the third and final phase of a decade-long refurbishment of the American Wing re-opened in January 2012.

Children can easily learn about our nation's history from early colonial times through the Civil War and into the modern era via iconic paintings, including Emanuel Leutze's famed depiction of General George Washington crossing a near-frozen Delaware River during the Revolutionary War.

10. Hoover Dam, Nevada
An engineering wonder about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, this dam supplies 20 million residents of California, Nevada, and Arizona with water and provides hydroelectricity to 1.3 million customers. No written description truly captures the visceral effect of peering out over the parapet at the top of the dam and looking down at the Colorado River, racing along 700 feet below.

More than 1,200 feet wide at the top, this all-concrete wonder was the largest dam in the world when it was completed in 1936 (it was one of many public works projects intended to help lift the country out of the Great Depression). A bypass bridge opened in 2010 and provides fabulous photo opportunities for pedestrians. Experts lead walking tours that will thrill future engineers. One tip: Avoid visiting in the summer when temperatures can hit 110 degrees.

A $5 bill might not go far in big-ticket cities like Paris or Tokyo, but the best meal in Bali costs three bucks, one of the funkiest cool hotels in Berlin has rooms for 80 Euros, and a five-day yoga course in Guilin, China, costs the same as a couple hours of Soul Cycle in New York City. Read on for more about these and other fun, affordable cities.

Tired of spending layovers in an airport? Download Yahoo! TimeTraveler on your iPhone to create custom itineraries based on your location and amount of time you have to spend.

1. Austin, Texas, US
Catering to a hip (and football-crazed) student population from the University of Texas, Austin is also a fantastic destination for cheap travelers. On the first Thursday of every month, South Congress Street hosts a block party, where restaurants give out free drinks and have special sales.

Eat: The thriving food truck scene is both budget-friendly and creative. The Southern-and-Asian fusion Peached Tortilla truck serves global tacos and delicious sliders like crab cakes with Sriracha mayo, from $3 to $3.50 apiece.

2. Detroit
While it’s not the first place that comes to mind as an American tourist destination, the Motor City is earning a reputation for its creative postindustrial renaissance, with boutiques (don’t miss City Bird), bars and restaurants popping up in the Corktown and Midtown neighborhoods. Wednesday and Saturday tours of the edgy Museum of Contemporary Art are free, and Eastern Market is the spot to shop for budget produce. At night, catch live jazz at Bert’s, a legendary Eastern Market barbecue joint known for its ribs and jam sessions since the 1980s.

Eat: Supino’s rivals NYC pizzerias, and 12-inch pies like the Red, White, & Green with spinach, capers, roasted red peppers, mozzarella and ricotta are only $10.

3. Nashville
In the up-and-coming Gulch neighborhood, the Station Inn hosts respected local singer/songwriters and bluegrass musicians, and Robert’s Western World is the spot for honky-tonk dancing, live music and a great selection of cowboy boots. The Loveless Café, around since the 1950s, attracts big bluegrass names on Wednesday nights and serves rich Southern food.

Eat: The Family Wash offers big plates of meatloaf or roast chicken for $12. Famous Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack merits waits for extra-spicy fried chicken, which is just $8 for half a bird.

4. New Orleans
One of the country’s best hubs for live music, New Orleans has plenty of cheap shows and even street performers worthy of ticketed events in other cities. Frenchman Street in Marigny is lined with bars offering free live music, like jazz at the Spotted Cat and Latin tunes at Café Brasil. During the day, Royal Street, in the French Quarter, and Magazine Street, which stretches between Uptown and the Garden District, are both great for browsing antique shops and lingering at outdoor cafés.

Eat: Three Muses has jazz singers and cheap entrées pork belly with scallion pancakes is $9.

5. Berlin
In the last several years, creative types have flocked to Berlin, attracted by cheap rents, like-minded artists and an edgy music and culture scene. Nightclubs like Berghain and Watergate host world-class DJs for 48-hour parties at reasonable entrance fees, if you can get past the doorman. Beyond nightlife, visitors explore Berlin’s many parks and lakes by bike for a $10 rental fee.

Eat: For traditional salads and sausages, Rogacki is an overflowing deli that’s been a go-to for German food since 1928.

6. Portland, Ore.
One of America’s hottest food cities, Portland also offers fantastic access to the outdoors. The Saturday Market, in the city’s historic Old Town, features artisans selling everything from handcrafted bamboo flutes to bonsai trees, while food stalls sell Greek, Lebanese and Polish specialties. In warm weather, kayak or tube trips down the Clackamas River are only $10 for two hours.

Eat: At Sunshine Tavern, Best New Chef 2012 Jenn Louis created an up-market comfort food menu with $15-and-under entrées such as fried chicken and semolina waffles.

7. La Paz, Bolivia
The world’s highest capital city, La Paz is enveloped by the dusty Andes Mountains, making hiking, mountain biking and ATV riding cheap and popular pastimes, with half-day tours for two costing under $100. Those who want to stay in the city center can stroll the Witches Market to find Alpaca scarves and brightly colored knit pillow covers for just a few dollars apiece.

Eat: Locals dine on cheap set lunches, like at the popular Bolivian spot Surucachi, which serves Lake Titicaca fish plus a soup, salad and dessert for just a few dollars.

8. Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Local coffee plantations, scenic volcanoes and inland lakes can be reached by hired drivers ($40 for the day), but there is plenty to see in the heart of Bali’s cultural center. Monkey Forest Road (named for the monkey-filled preserve) and adjacent streets have craft shops, and lucky visitors might catch a fire dance performance.

Eat: People travel here from hours away just to lunch on the spit-roasted, coconut-milk-basted suckling pig with wilted greens and rice at the open-air Warung Ibu Oka, where the featured dish ($3) runs out by early afternoon.

9. Guilin, China
Visitors come here to explore the city’s otherworldly beauty, with the Li River winding through it, and karst rock formations peaking jaggedly among buildings. Outdoor activities are popular, with bamboo boat tours of the river, ubiquitous bike rentals and hikes up Moon Hill, an oddly shaped peak with a natural arch inside that offers panoramic views of the area. Visitors can take cooking classes that tour the local markets through outfitters like the Yangshuo Aiyuan Hotel Cookery Class.

Eat: Anyway café is very welcoming to travelers and has cheap Taiwanese-style food. A meal for two with items like fried rice or marinated pork costs $6.

10. Quebec City
The old city feels European, and the gentrifying St.-Roch neighborhood boasts galleries, well-priced vintage clothing shops and excellent restaurants. Rue St. Paul, in the Old Port neighborhood, has art shops and antiques, while Le Marche du Vieux-Port is the place to pick up cheeses, meats and pastries. In winter, the city is dotted with vendors making maple syrup lollipops in troughs of snow.

Eat: Bar La Cuisine offers a dinner for two of French-Canadian comfort food, like casseroles and croque-monsieur plus local beer, for $30. Stalls at the Marché du Vieux-Port hawk liver pâtés, fruit compotes, artisanal chocolates and floral honeys.

Looking for something a little unconventional to see this summer? Beaches don't always have to be white sand and still seas -- here, a look at ten unique alternatives.

1. Cow Beach, Goa, India

This beach seems universally popular with visitors, including those of the bovine variety -- humans and cattle share the beach to work on their tans on the brown sand.

2. Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas

One of the more unusual beach tones, the Pink Sands Beach lives up to its name, as three miles (five km) of pristine bay colored bright pink. The hue is caused by Foraminifera, a coral insect which leaves behind its pink shell when it dies.

3. Hot Water Beach, New Zealand

The Coromandel Peninsula is home to some spectacular geothermal activity that means visitors are rarely cold -- dig deep enough into the sand and you'll be able to hollow out a pool at bathwater temperature, perfect for a relaxing afternoon soak.

4. Glass Beach, California

Mother Nature is a wonderful recycler. Once used as a dumping ground for Fort Bragg's waste, the sea has cleansed much of Glass Beach's refuse since it was closed in the 1960s, resulting in a beach covered in glass, the only material that remains. Smoothed by the sea, the glass now creates a dazzling 'sea of gems' effect.

5. Chandipur, India

Chandipur's beach is one of the most unusual in the world. Thanks to its geography, the sea can retreat by up to four kilometers at low tide, revealing the sea bed and all its secrets every time.

6. Papakolea Beach, Hawaii

Another unusual color for a beach is the strong olivine green on show at Papakolea. While it looks like algae, the color is actually caused by a mineral created by the Big Island's volcanic activity.

7. Barking Sands Beach, Hawaii

Part of a 17-mile (27 km) stretch of national park beach on Hawaii, Barking Sands has an unusual property -- footsteps sound like dog barks. According to scientists, the grains of sands are perforated with tiny echo chambers which make the noise.

8. Red Beach, Santorini, Greece

Santorini is well known for its black beaches, caused by volcanic explosions, but the Mars-red stretch of sand is even more breathtaking. From a distance, the shallow water looks like blood -- although the darker colors mean that it can be scorching on the feet.

9. Bowling Ball Beach, California

The huge, round rocks on this beach look as if they've been carefully placed in their perfect rows, but they're a testament to the power of nature over time. The sea has eroded the softer rock around them, leaving only the perfectly smoothed boulders remaining.

10. Vik Beach, Iceland

The southernmost point of Iceland is windy, wild and cold, but the stunning black sands of this mysterious beach make up for the foreboding atmosphere. Beyond the dark beach, black basalt figures rise from the water, standing firm against the crashing Atlantic waves. Vik lies directly in the path of the Katla volcano, believed by experts to be close to eruption.