Sing along:

Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the slopes will be delightful.
If you have time to go,
Embrace the snow! Embrace the snow! Embrace the snow!

Fuel prices don’t show signs of stopping,
and the housing market just keeps on dropping.
But Kayak flight options are low,
So let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!

When you finally get on your flight
Best you pray with all your might
Lest you get stuck on the runway
Lord knows that’s no place to stay!

The fire is slowly dying
And the drinks you’re still a buying.
But as long as you love skiing so,
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Winter’s no reason to hide indoors or hightail it to the Caribbean. Channel your inner adolescent and get away for some fun in the snow, if only for a weekend.

Lake Placid, NY flights | hotels | cars
Wanna ski where Olympic champions have schussed? Head to Whiteface, just outside Lake Placid, NY. The Winter Olympic Games were held here way back in 1980 — and even longer ago – in 1932! Home of the “greatest vertical drop this side of the Rockies”, it’s got some of the best alpine skiing and snowboarding in North America. The Cloudsplitter Gondola carries skiers and riders to the top of Little Whiteface in a mere 7-1/2 minutes. After a day on the slopes, head into town for a little R&R on the seven-days-a-week free shuttle. If you like to mix up your ski trip with other activities, the Whiteface / Lake Placid area is the country’s top resort for off-hill activities including bobsled and luge rides, ice skating, cross country skiing, ski jumping, World Cup events, hockey, figure skating, shows, concerts and more.

Park City, UT flights | hotels | cars
Yeehaw! Snowboarding enthusiasts intent on jibs, hits and slides can’t do much better than the five sculpted terrain venues at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. Funboxes, rails and jumps vary among the sites, with the newest, King’s Crown, catering to those in the midrange of ability. Off the ‘boards, slip down the Alpine Slide (with over 3,000 feet of curls, swirls, dips and turns), board the Alpine Coaster to meander more than a mile along elevated tracks, or grab onto any of four ZipRider cables (which means you can race your friends!). Hollywood types just love this resort area, and usually find an evening to dine at Zoom, Robert Redford’s restaurant.

Canada flights | hotels | cars

We all know that Canada offers majestic peaks, astonishing terrain and fluffy powder basked in sunshine, but did you know that its funky alpine villages offer 5-star eateries, natural hot springs and a smoking hot nightlife? Ski the renowned resorts of Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia, and discover that winter vacations involve more than just snow and mountains. You haven’t skied, until you’ve skied Canada. Visit www.canada.travel/skinow or subscribe to their e-newsletter for ski updates.

Wenatchee, WA flights | hotels | cars
If you like the idea of skiing, but not so fond of the elevation, uncontrollable speed, looming death, etc, then perhaps you are better suited for cross-country skiing. In the summers, apple orchards are the draw for the beautiful valley around Wenatchee, Washington but in winter, the dry snow, sunny days and miles of groomed trails beckon cross country skiers from around the country. You can rent skis or snowshoes at Plain Hardware (not surprisingly located in the town of Plain) and head off to Lake Wenatchee State Park for well-marked trails. Since you’re not whizzing down a mountain with your eyes closed, you’ll actually get to enjoy the beautiful scenery that surrounds you. Next, explore the See & Ski Trail starting across the road from the Chiwawa Sno-Park and following the meandering course of the Wenatchee River. Accommodations won’t break the bank here. Stay in one of the areas many affordable hotels (under $100) or for romance, one of the charming B&Bs.

Edmonton, AB flights | hotels | cars
Nobody takes ice hockey as seriously as Canadians, eh hoser? No offense to the Carolina Hurricanes or Florida Panthers, but hockey is meant to be played in the frozen north, not the frozen drink south. Plan a visit to Edmonton around a couple of games (especially those pitting against the hometown Oilers archrival Calgary Flames) to get immersed in the local culture – and have a puck-slapping good time. The schedule runs through April, so there’s lots of opportunity. When you’ve witnessed one hockey fight too many, head to West Edmonton Mall for some retail therapy and a swim. Billed as the world’s largest entertainment and shopping center, this mall features the world’s largest indoor amusement park, the world’s largest indoor wave pool, real submarine voyages in the world’s largest indoor lake, an exact replica of the Santa Maria, an 18-hole miniature golf course and of course some shops, restaurants and bars as well.

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• Thanksgiving
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Win a Hilton Head Mansion Vacation
Dust off your yearbook, letterman jacket, and logoed shot glass because Kayak.com and Hilton Head Island are giving you and 13 of your friends an ocean-front mansion for a reunion week to remember. You’ll laugh over old times in the pool, tease one another over questionable hook-ups during a putt-putt game in the basement, and toast special friends on one of the many ocean-view balconies. Simply take our survey on reunion trip trends and you’re entered to win. Tell your friends and receive an additional entry for each email entered.

Waxing our skis,

Steve and Paul, Kayak founders

Parenting is the hardest job you’ll ever love. While most people won’t think twice about taking time off from their 9-5 job, many parents won’t consider a trip away from the kids according to a Kayak.com survey. For parents that do get away, many suffer from guilt at least part of the time.

A vacation without the kids is good for parents and children so Kayak.com partnered with Family Travel Expert Eileen Ogintz to provide a list of tips to help make a trip away from the kids easier on everyone. For more travel advice from Eileen, visit her website http://www.takingthekids.com/.

Tips for Parents

1. Get Over The Guilt. Making time for yourselves helps you to be more effective parents and happier spouses. You come back rested and revitalized and that’s as good for the kids as for you. It’s also beneficial for the kids to see they can survive without you and that you have interests aside from them! Such brief separations can help foster kids’ first steps toward independence and help them build bonds with other adults in their lives, whether grandma or a favorite neighbor.
2. Start with long weekend getaway. Don’t plan a two week trek across Africa for your first trip away. It will be better for baby and parents to start with a three or four-night getaway and work your way up to a week or more away.
3. Be available via cell phone, email or pager but don’t call every minute! Check in once or twice a day. The sitter will reach you if necessary. Make sure the sitter has all of the appropriate phone numbers (and directions when necessary) for the doctor, dentist, poison control center, police, fire department, and neighbors who can help if needed.
4. Choose a place for your getaway that’s not teeming with kids—a luxury hotel in a nearby city; a tour of wine country; or a small, upscale B&B. Ask before you book if they expect many kids in house those days.
5. Don’t venture too far. In case you want or have to get back in a hurry, choose a destination within an easy drive or direct flight away from your child. If you do fly, book an early flight and choose a destination with lots of airlift so weather or mechanical issues won’t mean an extra night away.
6. Don’t panic. The hardest part about leaving your kids is worrying about it for weeks prior to your trip. Focus on the positive aspects of your vacation, rather than the separation. Think about sleeping in, reconnecting with your partner, reading a book, wearing clothes that aren’t machine washable, enjoying a glass of wine and adult conversation… It will be hard to say goodbye but you’ll feel much better once you’re on the plane taking a nap (when’s the last time you did that?)
7. Pack a photo. While time away from the kids means more kisses for your partner, you’ll still want to kiss your little one each night.
8. Single parents need a break as much as couples do. See if another single parent you know would like to watch your child while you’re away and then you can reciprocate later.
9. Bring back cool gifts. Your kids will have something to look forward to in addition to your return. Don’t forget the sitter.

Tips for Kids

1. The right sitter is the key to a successful getaway. You need someone who is responsible and savvy, and someone who has their respect whether they’re two or 12. This is not the time to try out a new sitter, leave the baby in unfamiliar surroundings or invite grandma to stay if she hasn’t seen your young child in months. Consider a favorite college-aged sitter or teacher at your child’s preschool or day care center. Older children might prefer to stay with a friend.
2. Create opportunities beforehand for your child to stay with the sitter for an afternoon or evening so they won’t be upset when you leave.
3. Invite the sitter to stay at your house, especially if your child is young, so he’ll be surrounded by familiar objects—crib sheets, night light, toys. If the baby must stay elsewhere, take their favorite things along. Even a crib sheet can make a baby feel more secure.
4. Keep to the kids’ routine as much as possible with regular nap, meal and bedtimes. That’s especially comforting to young children.
5. Record a DVD with your face and voice telling a favorite story or singing a favorite song.
6. A calendar can help your toddler mark off the days till your return. Have the caregiver “help” her put a sticker on each day. Another strategy: Put a pair of rolled socks in a shoebox for each day you will be gone. Tell the child to take out a pair each day: When the shoebox is empty, you’ll be back.
7. Lipstick kisses. Leave “lipstick” kisses on an index card on each child’s bed: The kids get mom’s goodnight kisses even when she’s away.
8. Arrange for breaks for the sitter, especially if grandparents have taken the job. Play dates at someone else’s house are ideal. Also arrange for backup for the backup sitter—in case the sitter gets sick or has a family emergency.
9. Make the time apart special for the kids, especially preschoolers and grade schoolers, whether that means a trip to their favorite ice cream place, toy store, playground or movie. This is not the time to quarrel about what they eat.
10. Go over safety guidelines with everyone. Make sure older kids understand the ground rules—what’s permissible and what’s not.

For more tips on blissful getaways without the kids visit
www.takingthekids.com

Do you hold on to the past? Before you answer Mr.-still-wears-acid-wash or Mrs.-these-shoulder-pads-make-my-waist-look-thinner, we’re talking to those of you still holding on to summer. The signs are in that fall is here to stay (the leaves are turning, kids are back in school and the Phillies/Mets blew their leads in the post-season race). But that doesn’t mean you can’t travel in search of summer. Before you complain about angry fall weather Dorothy, there are plenty of sun and sand destinations out of the hurricane and tornado path.

Santa Cruz, CA flights | hotels | cars
With 29 miles of beaches, 14 state parks, 50 wineries and over 300 days of sunshine, Santa Cruz offers the perfect setting for outdoor activities. Start your day with some delicious French toast at Aldo’s on the pier. Then head downtown to the cultural and social center of Santa Cruz on Pacific Avenue, where you can find information about outdoor activities, gallery openings and special events. Have lunch at Aqua Bleu Sushi where the fish is fresh and the drinks are strong. After lunch, head down to Cowell Beach for a surfing lesson or rent a bike and ride four miles to Wilder Ranch State Park for some mind-blowing trails. Reward yourself that afternoon with a bottle of wine from the local winery Bonny Doon (we love their whites) or a soak in a hot tub at Well Within. If you’re in Santa Cruz on a weekend, finish your day by going to the 100-year-old Santa Cruz Boardwalk and take a ride on the Big Dipper roller coaster.

Orbitz Package Deal: Experience the small bayside city of Santa Cruz for only $432 (Flight + 3nt Hotel)

Flagstaff, AZ flights | hotels | cars
With a wide array of hotels and other lodging, Flagstaff is an excellent location for several “dry” day trips including Sedona’s red rocks (an hour south) and the Grand Canyon (90 minutes north.) Drive down historic Route 66 and take in the charming cafes, motor courts, and the famous old watering hole, The Museum Club. Head a few miles west of the city to the 200-acre botanical garden at The Arboretum, where you’ll see one of America’s largest collections of high country wildflowers and a pretty cool Wild Birds of Prey program. Think your mother-in-law’s mouth is the largest hole on earth? If so, you’ll enjoy seeing a close second in the Barringer Meteor Crater, touted as the world’s best reserved crater. Visit the Interactive Learning Center for the inside scoop on the big ole hole. And at night, head over to the Lowell Observatory, an astronomical research center at which the planet Pluto was discovered. Let us know if you see Uranus. You might even be able to spot a tropical storm with one of the telescopes. Lucky for you, you’ll be safe and dry thousands of miles away.

Orbitz Package Deal: Visit the Grand Canyon or red rocks of Sedona; Flight + 3-nt Hotel from $515pp

Zanzibar, Tanzania flights | hotels | cars
If you’ve worked out all summer and you’re not about to let a little wind and rain keep you from showing off your fantastic body, then head over to the cluster of islands that make up Zanzibar, where it’s bikini season for everyone (especially large, hairy men from Eastern Europe). Stay on Mnemba Island, which is surrounded by humpback whales, dolphins and the occasional whale shark. Take a 90-minute jet boat ride to the main island of Zanzibar and then grab a taxi to the south coast to the Menai Bay Conservation Area which protects endangered sea turtles that come to breed on the island (how’s that for romance). Once on Zanzibar, you must also visit Stone Town, a UNESCO site blending Moorish, Middle Eastern, Indian, and African traditions and architectures, filled with mosques, bazaars, and 19th century dwellings. And be certain to have dinner on the wharf in Stone Town. For a couple of bucks, you can hear local music and sample local fish, food and drinks. They might even make you a Hurricane- a little fruit juice plus a lot of rum adds up to a very good time.

Orbitz Package Deal: Dr. Livingstone, I presume…5-Star Zanzibar Hotel for $196nt

Futaleufu River, Chile flights | cars
Miss outdoor sports about now? Spice up your fall vacation with a whitewater adventure with a trip down the Futaleufu River in Chile. It’s spring in Chile don’t forget and the snow from the mountains is melting into the rivers which means killer rapids! Clear waters, rainforests, alpine setting, boulders and waves also make for a coveted rafting experience. Plunge right in on the Bridge to Bridge and get warmed-up for your rough and rugged excursion. Then head to Inferno Canyon and explore the roaring whitewater and tranquil pools. Try the popular sport of canyoning by rappelling down the rocks and waterfalls after an afternoon of mountain climbing. Indulge in some bird watching, swimming, and relaxation. Then hit the rapids and try the Terminator Section, it’ll kick butt and take names so hold on tight. You can also combine your rough and rustic vacation with some horseback riding with Chilean cowboys and organic wine sampling of Chile’s finest. You’ll come back ripped, tan and maybe a little hungover.

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Did you know?
Interested in a past issue of Kayak Trip Ideas? Every issue, from the ones you love to hate like clothing optional beaches to the ones you ate up like world’s best street food, is archived in our Trip Idea section. Not only can you reread these classics but you can post comments as well.Whether you’d like to recommend another destination not included in an issue or want to share insider secrets on one of the destinations covered, our readers (and our employees) are interested in what you think.

Bring back some sun for us,

Steve and Paul, Kayak founders

Did you know International Pole Dancing Day is this Thursday? It was mentioned in our Crunch gym class, and we planned to support the art by recommending a few hotspots, but figured some of you readers might get the wrong idea about how we spend our time. Instead, get a different kind of buzz at one of these coffee growing destinations.

Kona, Hawaii flights | hotels | cars
With over 600 specialty coffee farms, Kona Hawaii has a long and delicious history in coffee. Start in Kailua and travel south to Honaunau to check out Kona Blue Sky Coffee Company, Ferrari Coffee Visitor Center, or Kona Le’a Plantation for a tour. Finish off your visit with a stop at the gift shops to pick up some coffee after enjoying a few free samples. If you secretly fancy yourself a coffee genius yet to be discovered, visit UCC’s (Ueshima Coffee Company) Espresso Bar and Roastery where you can roast your very own coffee and give it your own label, start your list of clever names now. Immerse yourself further in Hawaiian coffee by visiting the Kona Coffee Living History Farm where you can experience the lifestyle of island coffee farming on an exclusive tour.

Nairobi, Kenya flights | hotels | cars
Ever wonder why Kenya’s animals are so damn fast? Maybe the leopards are partaking in some of the world’s best coffee which comes from the countryside of Kenya. Take a tour of through Munene, Koorali, and Nyakinyua coffee plantations and maybe you’ll see Kenya’s cats relaxing by a watering hole filled with coffee. Good thing there’s so much caffeine around because your Kenya safari will start before the sun rises. After you’ve ohhed and ahhed over the “The Big 5″ (Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Buffalos and Rhinos), you’ll want to explore the city of Nairobi where you can hunt for bargains at the Blue Market or gather historical tidbits at the Kenya National Museum or better yet, duck into the city’s many affordable restaurants for delicious food that’s been hunted and gathered for you.

San Jose, Costa Rica flights | hotels | cars
Are you a coffee snob and an environmentalist? Then a trip to explore Costa Rica’s shade grown coffee is for you. Take a tour of the world-renowned agricultural research center, CATIE where you’ll learn all about shade-grown techniques for growing coffee beans and other products. Taste the difference a little environmental responsibility makes by sampling some coffee along with fresh cocoa, bananas, macadamia, mango, avocado and sugarcane. But one coffee tour really isn’t enough. You need to see the Cafe Britt Coffee Tour as well. Get a well-rounded education on what shade grown is all about and stop off at the gift shop for samples and souvenirs. When you’ve got a vein full of caffeine, check out Arenal Volcano for a little natural wonder, La Paz Waterfall Gardens for some much needed relaxation and Nosara Beach for a quick dip.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil flights | hotels | cars
Is it just us, or do coffee beans really know where to grow? Whether it’s a room with a view or the year-around sunshine, these beans know how to live. Next stop: Brazil. Brazilian coffee will transcend you, so bring your walking shoes and a willing spirit. Stop off at the bustling Cafe Gaucho for true caffeine high. For a little more ambiences, try Confeitaria Colombo or the terrace at Largo das Letras. You’ve also got Cafe Rubro, Largo das Letras, and of course the Ipanema original Armazem do Cafe. Take your coffee to go and stroll down Ipanema Beach to take in the stunning oceanside and seaside shops. Now that you’re sufficiently wired, walk it off with a hike through Tijuca National Park or dance it off at club Rio Scenarium. But coffee isn’t just a drink, people; it’s a work of art. So soak some at the National Fine Arts Museum before going back out to find another cup of Brazilian Jose.

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• Las Vegas
  Last-Minute Las Vegas Deals: hotels from $52, vacation packages from $172
• Jamaica Up to 50% off Sandals Resorts
  Save on vacations w/ air to Sandals Resorts in Jamaica!
• Canada Save up to $200
  Where will your Canadian experience begin?

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Did you know?
One of the best ways to view results from a hotel search is through our “Map View.” Need to stay near a particular landmark? Map View displays the top 15 hotels near a specified address on an easy-to-read Google Map. Choose a landmark from the drop-down menu or enter a custom address of a friend’s home or business meeting. We search over 400 hotel websites to find you the best deals. Map View makes sure you’ll stay in your favorite neighborhood.

Another cup please,

Steve and Paul, Kayak.com founders

College football has a long, sordid tradition of turning siblings, parents, friends… even grandparents against one another in a heated frenzy. A house divided between UGA and Florida makes the Civil War look like a little skirmish? We hope to unite (or tear apart) Kayak’s very own collegiate football fans with these trip ideas. But it’s not just a vacation; college football is a way of life. So grab your lucky shirt, fight song-playing bottle opener, and a bunch of exaggerated stories about “the way it was when you were a student” because we’re heading back to school for the big game.

Athens, GA flights | hotels | cars
Music geeks know Athens, Georgia for its long list of indie bands rising from its trenches, but die-hard football enthusiasts might know it from the signature yell: “Goooooo Dawgs! Sick ‘em!” Home of the Georgia Bulldogs, 2002 SEC Champions and 1980 National Champions, the campus also boasts one of the top 10 best tailgates in the country, not to mention the best looking coeds as named by ESPN College Gameday. Get up early and make friends with a lively group of tailgaters warming up the grill by sharing your hatred of the “Ol Ball Coach” and by offering a bottle of Beam. Once you see the girls strapping bags of booze to their legs, you know it’s time to head to your seats. Stop by the Dawg Walk and offer your encouragement to the team as they parade to the stadium. The party does not end after the game. Athens’ vibrant downtown is home to bars, restaurants, boutiques and eclectic shops. But it’s Saturday, so don’t waste your time shopping when you could be catching another SEC matchup on TV. The UGA vs Auburn game on November 10th is always a nail biter so pack an oxygen tank.

Columbus, OH flights | hotels | cars
Much More Than a College Town
Columbus may own the market for tailgating Buckeye fans, but there’s more than just football and college partying to be had in this hip and arty town. Try the Short North Arts District for funky galleries and fine dining, historic German Village for inspired architecture, and the Aquarium and Zoo where Jungle Jack Hanna entertains and educates animal-lovers at heart. At Easton Town Center, experience high fashion and entertainment for all ages. To plan a weekend getaway, visit www.ExperienceColumbus.com.

Happy Valley, PA flights | hotels | cars
Start your tailgating early and follow the Nittany Lion fans from College Avenue up University Drive to the stadium. You’re in Happy Valley now, so no booing, it’s seriously frowned upon but you can still seethe on the inside. Keep an eye out for the drum major, superstition has it that if he lands two standing flips before the game, PSU wins. Depending on Penn State’s record at the time, Joe Paterno is either a god or old man past his prime, so check the rankings before weighing in on this hotly debated topic. After the game, grab a bite at The Allen Street Grill, Ye Olde College Diner, or The Waffle Shop and celebrate with the fans. But no trip is complete without a visit to the famed Berkey Creamery and Ben Franklin’s grave. He supported beer drinking, pay your respects. There are lots of great home games this year, so take your pick from the October 27th game against Ohio State or November 3rd against Purdue.

Lubbock, TX flights | hotels | cars
Hey, y’all, get to Lubbock and suit up, tailgate, and throw down with the other fans in Raider Alley, it’s time for some Texas Tech football. Watch the Saddle Tramps ring Bangin’ Bertha before kickoff. (Get your mind out of the gutter, Bertha is bell on a trailer and used as a spirit raiser.) After the game, check out the Lettermen’s Lounge to see all the important memorabilia from Tech’s most prominent athletes. But before meeting up with the other fans for some celebratory brews, take a tour of the campus and sneak a kiss at the Blarney Stone which allegedly gives you the gift of eloquent speech. Or perhaps just dirty lips. Then join the party in The Depot District and go a pub crawl in honor of the Red Raiders.

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Best Way to Pass the Time in an Airport?
Taken a flight recently? Then you might have seen the recent FAA report showing that nearly 28 percent of commercial passenger flights were delayed. And the delays were longer too — nearly 57 minutes on average, up nearly three minutes from 2006. Kayak shares your pain, and we asked our buddies at veryshortlist, a new culture and entertainment email, what they are bringing in their carry-on to pass the time:

1. READ
The smart sex comedy of a Judd Apatow movie is fun, but for a taste of an earlier time’s wit and wisdom, look no further than The Groucho Letters: Letters from and to Groucho Marx. Marx carried on a lively correspondence with his famous brothers as well as with equally esteemed men of letters including E. B. White, T. S. Eliot, and James Thurber, and the collection allows the comedian’s personality and legendary repartee to shine.

2. READ
Before a single episode of Rome was broadcast, the toga-heavy HBO drama was praised as the series that would save the channel’s flagging fortunes. Then critics buried it, dismissing Season 1 and ignoring Season 2 in a rush to bid farewell to a certain New Jersey mafia family. With the second (and, sadly, final) season of Rome on DVD, the show stands on its own as an ambitious, utterly addictive retelling of an uncomfortably familiar period of history.

3. WATCH
How is a cynical hipster supposed to feel when indie rock’s brightest stars tackle pop’s most lovably bombastic ballads? Guilt by Association is an offbeat compilation of fashionable artists covering songs that are anything but. The results are comforting proof that mainstream doesn’t have to be a dirty word. Devendra Banhart does a low-key take on Oasis’s Brit-rock anthem “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” Petra Hayden goes a cappella for Journey’s schlock-tastic “Don’t Stop Believing,” and Luna’s cover of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” is arguably more listenable than the original versions.

Hope these suggestions help pass the time. Visit veryshortlist.com for more of their suggestions.

Hunker down,

Steve and Paul, Kayak.com co-founders

If you need more motivation to take a trip than the Museum of Modern Boredom, then strap on your bib and grab your appetite, because Kayak has cooked up some great places for you to visit, where the art is on your plate and the cover charge includes a meal. Whether you want to put some meat on your bones, reward your taste buds or try something you’re too sober to eat at home, we have a food destination for you.

New Mexico, USA flights | hotels | cars
If you’ve ever bitten into a taco and wondered, “Where’s the beef?” then you need to head to New Mexico because their cuisine is usually packed with more carne than other regional kitchens offering Mexican inspired foods. No one says, “Buenos Dias” better than Guadalupe Cafe in Santa Fe, whose breakfast tostadas come with red or green chili, pinto beans, sausage, ham and cream sauce, topped with your choice of eggs. Drive off that meal by taking the high road to Taos and stop at Casa de Cordova where the chile con carne is excellent and reasonably priced, and you’ll soak up the southwestern experience in an old adobe home filled with beautiful local artwork. Spend the night at one of the town’s charming B&Bs and wake up early for a hike before those calories hit your thighs. End all of your meals with delicious desserts such as empanadas stuffed with fruit, or caramel custards, and you’ll tell Kayak gracias for showing you the difference between New Mexican cuisine and the #3 Value Meal.

Louisiana, USA flights | hotels | cars

Try the Cajun boudin in Lafayette. Sample lip-smackin’ barbecue in Shreveport. Taste a savory meat pie in Natchitoches. Dig into a bowl of jambalaya in Baton Rouge. Or have a shrimp po-boy in New Orleans. A trip to Louisiana is a trip for all the senses – including your taste buds. Learn more about Louisiana food, including the best restaurants throughout the state.

Rhode Island, USA flights | hotels | cars
The Fall weather has started, so why not “un-clam” your mouth and head to Rhode Island to warm up with some wicked good chowdah, clam cakes, stuffies and johnnycakes. Start in gentrified Providence and “cook” up a good time with Chef Walter who offers individual or group classes. If “thinking” about food is more your style, check out the 11th Annual Food For Thought Festival October 25th, and sample local dishes from more than twenty five of the city’s best restaurants. If you consider beer a food (we do) then “drink” yourself to The 14th Annual Great International Beer Festival on November 10 to sample local brews including Dogfish Head and Newport Storm . If you prefer to just “see food” then pahk your cah at Bowen’s Wharf 17th Annual Seafood Festival October 13th-14th in swanky Newport, Rhode Island. Finish off all of your meals with the official state drink, coffee milk or a frappe. Your taste buds will remember this “pun-filled” vacation for years to come

Cinque Terre, Italy flights | hotels | cars
If you’re both a food enthusiast and an outdoor sports adventurer, then you need to head to Italy’s five coastal villages of The Cinque Terre, where you can sandwich (Made with Focaccia bread, of course!) your two loves together and have the vacation your heart and stomach have dreamed about. Surf (you can actually do this) the Mediterranean to the different villages, and hang ten with crunchy pancakes called Farinata, and pesto (it was created here) poured over troffie, a pasta made of flour and potato and designed specifically for this gnarly sauce. Hike (five hours for all five villages) the trails of the region that wind through olive orchards, vineyards and along the coast, and feast on freshly caught seafood like the Anchovies of Monterosso (One of the villages), which are a specialty stamped with a Protected Designation of Origin status from the E.U. Wash down your food and sports adventure sandwich with a glass of one of the two wines (Cinque Terre and the Sciachetrá) produced in the region, and by the end of your trip, you’ll receive an adrenaline rush that will satisfy both your heart and stomach’s appetite.

Buenos Aires, Argentina flights | hotels | cars
One of the best things about dining in Buenos Aires is that you can eat like Eva Peron (Madonna played her in Evita) with the budget of Susan (Madonna played her in Desperately Seeking Susan). Start your eating extravaganza off with a café con leche and a medialuna (smaller and sweeter version of a croissant) at one of the many cafes and restaurants throughout the city. Lunch in the trendy neighborhood of Palermo Viejo. Eat a hearty amount because dinnertime in Buenos Aires doesn’t start until around 10:00 pm. If your stomach can’t hold out that long, head to our personal favorite restaurant, Milion to see breathtaking decor, and snack on delicioso coconut shrimp and beef empanada appetizers. For dinner, try one of Argentina’s parrilladas, a restaurant specializing in grilled food where you can choose from meat or seafood entrees with side orders of fried potatoes and bread stuffed with meat. You’ll need something to wash all of that food down, so try one of the many excellent Argentine red wines. Finally, work off your entire feast with a little tango around this amazing city.

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