This weekend, I went from New York City to Washington, D.C., for one dollar on the BoltBus. Was it luxurious? No way—it was a 5-hour trip, and I can tell you that by hour three, I would have traded anything, including the free Wi-Fi and leather seats, for a foot rest (or, heck, an arm rest). But it cost me one dollar.

As a frequent traveler, I rely on deals like that one to keep traveling frequently. I’m lucky to work for a company that enables cheap travel, so I tend to be up-to-date on the latest deals. But it’s still a challenge to find those bargain-basement travel steals that become the stuff of legend, whispered to disbelieving friends of friends on planes and in pubs everywhere.

Today is round two of JetBlue's "cheep" fares on Twitter. Launched last week and already nearly 10,000 followers strong, word is out on these ultra-low fares. The "cheeps" are announced each Monday morning at 10am and are for one-way travel the following Saturday. The catch? You'll have to pay the regular fare for one leg of your trip. Still, the super-low one-way fare significantly decreases the total cost of flying.

Staying on top of these "cheeps" and being decisive is key to snagging one-way fares for as little as $9. I considered taking advantage of a $9 Portland to New York fare for this Saturday, but delayed on making a decision and ultimately missed out. There are between 25 - 50 seats allotted at the rock-bottom prices and once they're gone, they're gone. This morning's sale included:

Long Beach to San Francisco - $9

Burbank to Las Vegas - $9

Portland (ME) to New York - $9

New York to Washington, DC - $9

Last week in an unprecedented move, the House narrowly approved an energy bill that would limit harmful greenhouse gases--the first time any chamber of Congress has ever approved limits of this kind. Now the energy bill faces a tough battle in the Senate and already there is vocal opposition from many different camps.

Without access to Capitol Hill, I settled for the next best thing: taking straw polls at happy hour. I asked one simple question: If the climate bill passes, would you be more likely to offset your travels?

Recently, the Roaming Gnome and I had the opportunity to visit Universal Orlando. Oh the fun we had -- I faced my fear and rode The Incredible Hulk Coaster and R.Gnome got down and sang "All the Small Things" at the Rising Star karaoke bar.

But it was not all fun and games! There was work to be done as well. At the top of the list was spreading the word about Universal Orlando's sweet summer offer. There were lots of interviews on that deal and others, but just in case you missed it, you can watch this video for details on the deal, our Traveler Confidence Report and Universal Orlando's soon-to-open Rip Ride Rockit!

Today I'm stopping by The View from the Bay to do a round-up of the best summer travel gadgets. Savvy Window Seat readers already know about a few of the gizmos I'm going to talk about, but here are my top five (in no particular order):

I’ll admit it – I’m biased. I love Mexico. I’ve been twice so far this year – once to Riviera Maya and once to Riviera Nayarit – and am hoping for a third trip later this year.  That may be a little aggressive, even for a super fan like me, but the deals are so good right now, I’m not sure I can stay away.

Ahh . . . New Jersey. State of gardens, 'da Shore,' and now, 28 flights per week on Jet America. The new low-cost airline  promises nine seats on each flight will cost just $9. Now, despite the claim on their web site that this is "not a gimmick," it feels a bit gimmick-y. But for $9, who cares?

According to the Associated Press (via Yahoo), service begins July 13 with  flights at Toledo, Ohio; South Bend, Ind.; Melbourne, Fla.; Newark, N.J.; Minneapolis and Lansing, Mich.

Have you heard the news? The economy stinks. I know, you're shocked (shocked!). But despite what some reports would have you believe, people are still traveling. Maybe not at the same rates or with the same budget as in past years, but they're still going. After all, what would summer be without vacation? Like a day without sunshine? Or like a gnome without a garden?

Travelocity has just released a list of ten summer hotspots for 2009. Think of it as a "most improved," rather than a "most popular" list. These ten domestic destinations are seeing a rise in popularity despite one-third of travelers cutting back on their summer vacation budgets. Good news in tourism alert! The local economies of these destinations should benefit from their improved rankings.

Don't get me wrong -- discounted room rates are great. Like a moth to a flame, I'm drawn in by percent-off promotions when I shop for a hotel deal. And these enticing deals are everywhere -- 25% off! No, no wait, there's another one -- 40% off! Wait - 60% off!

And then I stop to think -- 60% off what, exactly? If you don't know the starting price of a hotel room, the discount may not mean much to you.

Personally, I like my discounts in dollars. Resort credits offer a specific dollar amount for you to spend while you're at your hotel on cocktails, food, spa treatments -- you name it. It is one of the most popular hotel trends in a down economy and, depending on the amount, can add a great deal of value to your vacation. Here are three  resort credit offers available right now:

I've been slacking a bit on posting deals, I know, but this one is so good I had to share. Also, it has a short shelf life so time is of the essence.

Bermuda's Fairmont Southhampton 99 Hour Sale

Rooms at the five-star Fairmont Southampton from under $99 per night. Travel now through 2010. Book on Travelocity.com/bermuda

Editor's note: I just booked this as a surprise for my parents' upcoming 40th wedding anniversary over July 4th weekend, so it seems there are few or no blackout dates. Hurry and book your trip now!