If you happen to be near Breckenridge, Colorado this week, you might want to drop by the Barney Ford Museum on Friday, May 16. From 5-8 PM, you can enjoy free refreshments and view some of the plans for exciting upcoming projects, which will be sponsored by the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and the Town of Breckenridge. As the town prepares for its 150 anniversary in 2009, you can expect to see renovations of our current museums, as well as some unique opportunities to explore Breckenridge's history as a mining town, as well as its evolution into a world-class ski town.

Barney Ford was an escaped slave who eventually came to Breckenridge and became a successful restaurant owner. You can learn more about Mr. Ford and other Breckenridge historic attractions at the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance Website.

Admission to Night at the Museum is free of charge, and, by the way, many of our tours are either free or at a nominal cost. Hope to see you there!

Photo Courtesy of Costa Rica Tourist Board

Hey Voyagers!

Do you want to win a free trip to Costa Rica? If you have a memorable, life-changing travel moment, and the creative writing skills to share it with the world, you might have the winning ticket. And what a ticket it is! Valued at $3,000. this trip takes place from September 13 to September 19, 2008. Details can be found here.

So what's the catch? None, except if you decide to go fishing. There are no entry fees. All you need is a passion for travel and an ability to communicate your most exciting memories by way of the written word. Follow the competition guidelines on the Costa Rico Pages. Then, check out the competition. Think you can do better? Go for it!

With today's rising fuel costs, is there really such a thing as a budget destination? If you follow the advice of travel writer Tim Leffel, you might discover that by taking a contrarian approach to travel, it can indeed be affordable. His book, The World's Cheapest Destinations
, lets you in on secrets about where to find beach bungalows for as low as $5 a night, museum admissions at 25 cents, and more exciting bargains. You can purchase the book in print for $13.95, or save some trees, as well as a few bucks by buying it as an ebook for $7.95.

For more about Tim Leffel, visit his blog, appropriately called Perceptive Travel.

San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Photos

Be sure to read these budget travel tips. The former haven for hippies can be pricey. However, it need not be so. First off, in this green-conscious city, it is not only economical, but ecological to forgo the rental car and use the highly efficient trolley bus and train system. You can even take the train from the airport into the heart of the city.

Every time I visit the City by the Sea, I realize that is simply a phenomenal visual experience. As such, you need not spend a dime as you wander through the different neighborhoods and take in the atmosphere and culture. We are currently visiting my stepson, who lives in Berkeley. Yesterday, we went to craft's fair near the Embarcadero. If you're in that area, check out Mijita Cocina Mexicana in the Ferry Building.

If you are an avid reader, be sure to check out the vast array of half-price bookstores in Berkeley. They actually have some books that you might want to read! If there's room in your luggage, bring along your unwanted books and use them for a credit at the bookstores.

Want some more San Francisco tips? Check out this
article

Travel by train is not only economical and ecological, it's also a great way to meet interesting people. Now, on Saturday, May 10th, National Train Day will be observed across the United States. According to travel writer Ernest H. Robl, "National Train Day observes the anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869, completing the First Transcontinental Railroad - the joining of the Union Pacific, which had built west from Omaha and the Central Pacific (later Southern Pacific), which had built east from Sacramento."

Events will take place at Amtrak Train stations across the country. For more information, visit the National Train Day website.

Okay. So the dollar is not doing so well in Europe. But don't let that stop you from visiting Florence. A new promotional campaign called The Fiorino Effect, sponsored by the Province of Florence and the the Florence Tourist Board will provide some good news for American tourists visiting Florence from May 15, 2008 to December 31, 2008.

Visit the Florence Tourist Board Website and download a voucher good for 10% off of your stay in participating hotels, and meals at participating restaurants. Many Florence museums and theatres will also be offering discounts on their entrance fees to exhibits, concerts and productions.

Photos Courtesy of the Taos Chamber of Commerce

Looking for an affordable spring vacation? Why not visit Taos, New Mexico? Taos combines the allure of the Southwest with the culture of New Mexico. Rich in the arts, and possessing a plethora of outdoor activities, it's the perfect destination for a fun-filled vacation. Even better, Taos has an excellent variety of budget lodging choices.

From May 1st till June 30th, Taos is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of its Spring Arts Celebration Festival. The event ends with the three-day Solar Music Festival