BudgetTravel

The Secrets to Happy House Swapping

What would possess someone to open her home to people she doesn't even know? The opportunity to stay in theirs! Welcome to the wild world of house swapping.

• Where to Shop for a Swap
• Tips From Savvy Swappers
• Renting an Apartment in Venice

On the Chocolate Trail in Belize

Mayan kings once traded cacao seeds as currency. Now, local farmers are cashing in, thanks to the world's growing appetite for specialty chocolate.

• Beach Bum Central: Ambergris Cay, Belize
• Dream Trips: The Blue Hole, Belize
• Q&A with Belizean Musician, Andy Palacio
• Romancing the Bean: A Vanilla Quest in Veracruz, Mexico

Tour de Friends

Come hills or high water, Lisa Schwarzbaum and an old college buddy were determined to bike from Salzburg to Prague—with nothing but a GPS device to guide them.

• Global GPS Guide
• Eat Like a Local: Prague
• Europe: Day 4, Prague to Kutná Hora
• Best Places You've Never Heard of: Moravský Krumlov

San Francisco, My Cut

A local photographer shoots impassioned street art, improbable scenes, haunting waterfronts, and other slices of life.

Quiz: Think You Know Paris?

Put your city smarts to the test by taking our 12-question trivia quiz. Each answer reveals a neat tip for your next visit.

America's 10 Coolest Small Towns

They have fewer than 10,000 people, but these towns rival larger cities when it comes to good food, culture, and quality of life.

Scouting Report 2008

Our third-annual rundown of the best new places—as determined by people lucky enough to have exploration be part of their job description.

Road Trip: Cape Cod Uncrowded

Summer on the Cape is justifiably famous, but the traffic can be a drag. In autumn, the tourists vanish, but the small-town charms and natural beauty remain.

Road Trip: New England, Old Haunts

Years ago, a father and son spent two summers by the lake in New Hampshire. Now they're back for the fall foliage and a near-vertical train ride that turns their views of the state on end.

• Blog: Leaf-peeping in Vermont, an Expert's Guide
• Blog: Visiting Maine? A Guidebook Author's Seasonal Tips
• Fall-Foliage Deals, From $100
• We want your photos! Send your most colorful foliage photos to us; we'll publish a slide show of the best.

Online Trip Coach: Cancún, Cozumel & the Yucatán

On Tuesday, October 7, Greg Benchwick, author of Lonely Planet: Cancún, Cozumel & the Yucatán, answers your questions on trips to these Mexican destinations.

• 20 Photos: San Francisco, My Cut
• BT Upgrade: Enter now
• Downloadable Menu Decoders
• Google Map: New Orleans
• Hotel Database
• Nonstop Caribbean: Interactive Map
• On the Chocolate Trail in Belize
• A Perfect Day In… Providence
• Slide show: Supermarket Souvenirs

Tips for Driving in Europe

Europe's little idiosyncrasies aren't so charming when you're trying to keep up with the traffic laws and protocols.

• GPS Gadget Patrol
• Supersmart Strategies: Car Rentals

Book on Foreign Websites and Save

Booking a plane ticket or a rental car on U.S. companies' foreign websites can save you plenty of cash—but you have to get past a few obstacles first.

In Through the Outdoors

Northwest Montana has world-class hiking and rafting—not to mention huckleberry milkshakes that'll knock your boots off.

Wisconsin: Of Farmers and Dells

This is the great American Midwest with a bracing dash of weird: Where else will you find an albino muskrat, world-class waterslides, and a truly foul cheese?