Al Gore may have scared you into switching to fluorescent bulbs and a new hybrid, but we want to put the eco friendly fun back into your next vacation. This issue is all about sustainable travel. So get your carbon footprint down to size on one of these fabulously green locations.

San Jose, Costa Rica flights | hotels | cars
Jet-set to an exotic locale while saving the animals, the planet, and your sanity all at the same time. Your Costa Rican vacation starts with some beach combing and bird watching in the pristine Punta Islita. Next up, participate in some good old-fashioned tree-hugging in the protected rainforests of Costa Rica and make friends with the rare frogs and endangered species without disturbing their natural habitat. Try an excursion with Global Volunteers where you can renovate buildings, plant trees and other landscaping, work with the community, and leave a lasting (and non-toxic) imprint in the community. Finish off your trip with some unique adventure diving at Cano Island Biological Reserve, hiking along the inspired Tortuguero National Park, and soaking in the all-natural hot springs of Tabacon.

Vieques, Puerto Rico flights | hotels | cars
Vieques was once the US Navy’s practice ground for bombing until just a few years ago. Now this hip little island is known for their environmental efforts and green-friendly activities. Rent a bike from La Dulce Vida and tour the island without leaving behind any polluting emissions. Explore Isabel Segunda’s waterfront and stroll in the shops, boutiques, and restaurants for some authentic eats. Take a swim at Sun Bay and walk out forty feet off Media Luna Beach. But perhaps the most magnificent reason to visit Vieques is Mosquito Bay’s bioluminescent bay where the organisms light up the water and everything that touches it. Don’t be afraid of the dark, kayak out into the bay and jump in. You’ll feel like the newest member of the X-Men as the water lights up around your body. Remember to use your power for good, not evil.

Oslo, Norway flights | hotels | cars
Perhaps it’s Norway’s plentiful fjords, forests, beaches, parks, and nearby countryside that made Oslo home to this year’s Global Ecotourism Conference. This eco-friendly city offers inexpensive bike rentals from Citybike where you can enjoy the urban surroundings without contributing any unnecessary emissions. After biking past Vigeland Park, Akershus Castle and Fortress, and the open-air museum of the Norwegian Folk Museum - ditch your rental at one of the accessible bike returns and stroll through Karl Johans Gate. This pedestrian area takes you past boutiques, cafes, and pubs before taking an organic picnic to the Royal Palace at the top of the gate. Try an alternative transportation option and take a boat tour up the beautiful Oslofjord. Kick it old school and get around via horseback. Riding vacations are very popular in Norway and many hotels keep horses for guests. Don’t forget to fill ‘er up before returning her.

Boulder, Colorado flights | hotels | cars
Pack lightly, recycle, and patronize the local hotels and restaurants in the eco-friendly city of Boulder, Colorado. First stop on your eco-friendly vacation? Take in some culture and art at Chautauqua Park before rock climbing, hiking, and strolling through the gardens. Next, take a stroll through the pedestrian Pearl Street Mall where you can browse eco-friendly vendors, take in some live music, grab a coffee, and buy locally. Stop off for some dinner at The Kitchen, where waste is discouraged, organic and biodegradable products are used whenever possible, and leftovers are either given away or turned into compost. Finish off your trip with a visit to Boulder Falls where the mere glimpse at this natural wonder will keep you green and environmentally responsible for life.

Deals:

• Westin Family Fun
  Get breakfast each morning and a movie each night for your family.
• Cruises Save Up To 75%
  Sail into the New Year with hot bargains from all cruise lines. Best price and service guarantee. VacationsToGo.com
• Hotels $100 Resort Credit
  Stay at LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels and receive a $100 Resort Credit.
• Washington DC Plan Your DC Experience Today!
  Official Insiders Guide to DC. Hotel Packages Starting at $109 www.washington.org/summerfreedom
• Wyndham $100 Offer
  Stay at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and get a reward card worth $100.

See more deals

Get Lost in Hawaii

Summer is almost over, so dust off that couch, potato, because the new fall TV season is about to begin. Know what’s better than finding out if the LOST characters get off the island from the comfort of your living room. How about a trip to Hawaii to find your own private beach or scenic hike? Kayak wants to know just how far you’re willing to go for your favorite TV show, so take this quick survey and tell us all about it.

Spreading the inconvenient truth,

Steve and Paul, Kayak.com co-founders

Maybe you were part of that 0.0 viewership John McEnroe’s now defunct talk show managed to garner. But don’t worry; we know you did it out of the love for tennis and not the sheer enjoyment of watching him awkwardly interview struggling celebs. For all your painful devotion, don’t you deserve a grand slammin’ tennis vacation?

New York
flights | hotels | cars | cruises
We know you’ve been sleeping with your racket every night and coming to work in tennis shoes and tennis skirts (even the dudes) in anticipation for the US Open. The festivities begin August 21st with qualifying tournaments and practices leading up to the final of the finals at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 9th. Hang out at Arthur Ashe Stadium and USTA National Tennis Center to see the pros in action and rub tennis elbows with other enthusiasts. In between matches, try carb loading with Mario Batalli’s Babbo or Lupa or maintain your mental energy by taking in Shakespeare in the Park. It’s a Midsummer Night’s Dream! Then take a jog through Central Park to stay in tip-top tennis shape, and get trampled by native New Yorkers in Times Square.

Wimbledon flights | hotels | cars
Serve an ace at the creme de la creme of all tennis destinations, Wimbledon. Although the big event is over for the year (it’s in late June, for those of you looking to get a jump on next year), there’s still plenty to satisfy your inner tennis child, starting with the Wimbledon Lawn Museum. You can even get creeped out by a 3-D John McEnroe walking through a recreation of the 1980’s Gentlemen’s Dressing Room. Drool over tennis trophies, learn about the history of the tennis rackets, and take an award winning behind the scenes tour. Discuss your newfound love for tennis while perusing this lush suburb at one of Wimbledon’s many pubs, bistros, and parks. Stroll through Abbey Mills and Southside before catching a show at the New Wimbledon Theater. If sitting alongside the Queen during a Wimbledon match is on your list of things to do, then get your application in NOW for 2008 tickets. It’s a lottery, so paperwork doesn’t guarantee tickets unless you can convince the officials you are with the prestigious house of Kayak (tell them it’s the Windsors of America).

Gothenburg flights | hotels | cars
Looking for something a little more exotic and jet “set” in your tennis destination? Tell your partner or mixed double you’ve always wanted to see Gothenburg, Sweden and discover US versus Sweden duking it out at the Davis Cup semifinals on September 21st through the 23rd. You’ll see Americans and Swedes in action while the rest of the world eagerly waits to compete. But you can’t miss the ever popular Liseberg amusement park where you can get your heart pumping on the Balder roller coaster. Or get in touch with your high-roller side at Casino Cosmopol before a tour of the historical Gunnebo House. Now get back to the Davis Cup, storm the courts, and get in a slice before you’re dragged away by security.

St. George flights | hotels | cars
Need a little more luxury, sun, and sand in your tennis experience? How about St. George, Utah? The award-winning Vic Braden Tennis College promises to change your life–or at least your tennis game. Indoor and outdoor courts keeps you working year-round on your skills. Warm up, go through a series of practice and drills before analyzing your stroke and serve on their ‘dartfish’ video. Work on your return, passing shots, and competitive drills before another video analysis. In the afternoon, explore the red rock canyon and get in tennis shape and tennis tan with a long hike. Take your aching tennis elbow and get a sports massage or get painted in desert clay at the Green Valley Spa. Don’t worry, we’ll tell everyone you were on the courts the whole time. And then post pictures of your scrub online.

Deals:

• Save at NYC Marriott Hotels
  Book special summer packages to explore NYC with rates from $229!
• Cruises Save Up To 75%
  Sail into the New Year with hot bargains from all cruise lines. Best price and service guarantee. VacationsToGo.com
• Hotels $100 Resort Credit
  Stay at LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels and receive a $100 Resort Credit.
• Westin Family Fun
  Get breakfast each morning and a movie each night for your family.
• Wyndham $100 Offer
  Stay at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and get a reward card worth $100.

See more deals

Did You Know?
In addition to the hundreds of popular travel sites we already search, you can now directly compare the rates you find on Kayak to those found on Expedia.

No need for secret codes or special passwords. Every time you do a search on the Kayak homepage, we’ll automatically send you Expedia’s best travel deals in a freshly pressed, mild-mannered window, popping right under your search results. Dig it.

Game. Set. Match.

Steve and Paul, Kayak co-founders

We just finished “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Can you believe the ending? Harry is actually a girl and joins the Spice Girls on their new world tour only to die tragically in a Clearasil overdose! Oh wait…you are only on page 753? Oops, sorry about that. Well, never mind, there are thousands of classic books out there for a great vacation read; you could even base a whole trip around one of them. Here are a few of our favorites:

Explore Dickens’ London flights | hotels | cars
Victorian London was both a spectacular and dangerous place, where the wealthy lived in luxury and the poor struggled to scratch a living. Today it is still possible to see the sharp contrasts of the city through Charles Dickens’ eyes and imagine yourself walking though his gas-lit world. So rip some holes in your knickers for a number of walking tours that will take you to locations featured in novels such as “Oliver Twist,” “David Copperfield,” and “The Pickwick Papers.” Stop by the Charles Dickens Museum which is housed in the only surviving London home of the author. If you can hear the whines of your kids already, perhaps ease them into literature with a trip to Dickens World, a themed attraction based on the author’s life, books and times, which recently opened in Chatham, Kent.

Live Out a Bavarian Fairy Tale flights | hotels | cars
If you think your family is bad, take a trip to the home of Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm to see what Snow White and Cinderella had to deal with. The Fairy Tale road has 60 stops and stretches over 600km from Hanau to Bremen taking in the sites of well known stories such as “Hansel and Grethel” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” You will start to believe you are in one of their fairy tales as you witness magical castles, shimmering lakes, and even red and white polka dot toad stools. Get out and smell the roses (but avoid the poisonous apples) at open-air theatres, fairy-tale weeks and puppet theatres. At some villages, visitors are welcomed by genuine fairy-tale figures; others offer fairy tale packages for the young and old.

Find a Room with a View in Florence flights | hotels | cars
E.M. Forster’s portrayal of young love in Florence inspired many readers at the time to escape the social confines of Edwardian society. Today you can still soak up the spirit of freedom and passion that made “A Room With A View” a classic and see landmarks from the story. Stroll hand in hand over the Ponte Vecchio Bridge whilst browsing the many jewelry stands. Next, meet your lover at the Piazza Della Signoria, the most famous piazza in Florence, for a bit of romance mixed with history. When you’re done cuddling, take a tour of Palazzo Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. Your perfect day can be wrapped up with a sunset picnic and a stolen kiss, but don’t you dare book a room without a view.

Spend a Year (or a Week) in Provence flights | hotels | cars
All the pleasures of Provencal life are conjured up in Peter Mayle’s witty account of a British expat living in the South of France. Unlike most of the books on our list, “A Year in Provence” is a work of non-fiction. Not much has changed since Mayle’s 1991 book, so you can still visit the rural villages and meet the characters, taste the food, hunt the truffles and walk (and eat) a day in the author’s life. You can get really rustic by staying in one of the centuries old farmhouses in the region, or simply check into one of the many affordable inns and B&Bs. Take a tour of a vineyard or nibble your way through a cooking class, or just drive around the rolling hills of Provence. Most of all take a page out of Mayle’s book and make friends with the locals.

Deals:

• Save at NYC Marriott Hotels
  Book special summer packages to explore NYC with rates from $229!
• Car Vendors
  Compare rates and save up to 40% off your car rental
• London
  Fly to London from only $159 on British Airways! Book by August 17th.
• Rome
  $399 Round-trip air to Rome, Palermo & more. Book by 9/15

See more deals

Did You Know?
If you’ve made it this far, you must be a fan of the printed word. But sometimes words fail and only an image will do. That’s why Kayak has introduced Photo View to our hotel results. Photo View lets you scan through pictures of the available hotels to get sense of the property before you book. For a test drive, take a look at these London search results. Once on the landing page, click over to the “Photos” tab at the top of the results. Because seeing is believing!

Turn the page,

Steve and Paul, Kayak co-founders